58
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feT was the eve of
il f Christmas.
1 h e air was
frosty men's ' boot
heels made the
l snow creak under
AKTCA 'hem ns tlu'y passed
hi W it with the quick tread
f&Xu vjmt a few hom's ieft
Yl which to nntici-
HfM . V:ate the coming of
the Christmas saint
and the advent of Christ-myth in their
homes.
Christmas greetings mingled with the
orders of the shonkeeners tn linstiMi thp
delivery of goods, the furs-and satins of I
the millionaire's wife brushed against the
faded, threadbare shawl of the shivering
woman from the city's darkest slums, who
had stolen a brief and hopeless holiday
from toil that in this one hour of the
world's joy she might breathe the incense
of an unknown existence of happiness, of
gifts, of plenty, of a fabulous and dream
like ease, a vision that floated before her
starved eyes in dimmer unreality than the
storied tales of pagan magnificence.
A flood of brilliant light poured out from
the Bhops. Such was the luxury of the
holiday season that not only the signs of
winter were evident, but the garnered
treasures of all lands. There were fruits
from Persia and Arabia, gems from ev
ery nation thnt the sun shines on, luxuri
ous furs from polar regions, where only
Intrepid explorers have trod, silks from
lands where the sun pours a fiery flood the
year round, the choicest and daintiest bits
from Egypt. India, Siam, a bewildering
array from the islands of the sea and from
the capitals of the European and Asiatic
nations. Countries whose history told of
the Christ-myth so far in the dim light
Of history that its oriinn is Inst nilnXl ft,,,!.
wares side by side with the unequaled
auctions or the new world, rivaling in
costliness and beauty all that appeared to
tempt the hearts and the purses of men.
Amid this Christmas joy Philip Mere
dith walked with an acrid and indefinable
pain at his heart. A gray, leaden mood
had Bettled over him like a fog. He made
a strenuous effort to forget. He had told
himself that the coming of this anniver
sary should not overwhelm him with that
agony of recollection which he knew down
In his innermost soul he could not endure.
For days the approaching holiday had
"IT IS HE!"
filled him with an unacknowledged terror.
It was the first Christmas he had spent
without her, without Mirabel. And, tell
ing himself that he would forget, that he
would not remember, he straightway re
membered with the intimate fidelity of
pain all that could wound him now.
A breath of fragrant air from out a
florist's shop made him turn his head for a
moment, and as he looked he saw forget-me-nots.
The sight gave him a pnng. He
recalled the morning they had first met.
It was a morning in spring, fresh with In
nocence. Her eyes were blue blue like
the forget-me-nots. Then, less than a
year later, they were wed, and the one
Christmas they had spent together had
seemed to him more exquisite in its per
fect happiness than the one on the plains
of Judea could have been to the shepherds.
Then came misery; scarcely had the echo
of the Christmas bells died away in the
air than that fatal episode had occurred
that had parted them. It arose in a trille,
as most of the world's misery and wnrs
haTe, and then before he knew it he had
said words that had made a gulf between
them which it seemed could never be
bridged. She said she would go away and
Lattle with the world by herself; he made
a brutal reply. Then they parted, but
when, after a few days of devastating
loneliness, be went to seek her, she bad
tone.
So the year had dragged out its course
and this terrible holiday was at hand. It
flaunted itself before his eyes its joy
mocked hlra at every step his ineffectual
attempts to forget it brought it more viv
idly before him.
Again the opulence of n florist's shop
met his gaze. A sudden resolution came
to him; he stepped up to the window and
speculated between orchids anil lilis.
"Ah. Philip, I see you are choosing my
Christmas gift." said a voice at bis elbow.
He turned it was his cousin, a woman
born to bring to others some of the light
and joy denied them in their own poor
lives. "Do not hesitate so," she continued,
laughing, "yon know b"w iI3r 1 1D
pleased In the matter of flowers. Shut
your eyes and choose whatever you see
first when you open them, and it will suit
... "
Die.
"It will give tne more pleasure !o suit
,f mute than to trust to a haphazard
,!inl,e." he replied. "Come with me
straight Into the shop and say what you
wilt haTe."
"Oh, Philip." said ti)c woman, her eyes
filling with a s-ft mist, "yon are aiw.iys
good and generous, and I tvill M you give
me flowers, but not for myself. Have
yon forgotten my poor people in the hos
pitals? Give m the doners for them. I
cannot have too many of them. and. oh.
riiilip. von cannot inngine how mucb joy
they will bring the Kick and suffering.'
"You may have all you want, he snid.
"Here they are. rot.., violet, orchids,
lilies of the falley-wbM will you?"
It was Christnir.g tnorniug in St. J
eph'a hospital. There was a faint antl
p .tic odor in the air. The Ion, Imp of
.arrow white cot stretched their terrled
-S3
rows down the room in pitilessly quiet ar
ray. On oue cot lay a woman, who was
a mystery to the hospital officials. She
had been brought in late in the afternoon
of the day before insensible. She was
young and beautiful her clothing was that
of a gentlewoman; she had all the marks
of refinement, albeit with certain signs
of toil, but every mark that could identi
fy her had been carefully clipped from her
garments. For hours the watchers thought
the angel of death would stop at her be
fore he took the one next her. Yet he
passed her by, and in the early hours of
the morning she revived and murmured
words they could but indistinctly under
stand. Toward noon she revived so that
her conversation became intelligible. But
with the return of consciousness she seem
ed to guard her secret more closely. She
refused to answer the questions of the
hospital physicians, and insisted that she
would soon be strong and well and would
leave the hospital.
The Christmas flowers had come in and
the nurse selected the finest bunch of
American beauty roses in the lot and took
them to her patient. She lay, limp and
silent, in her cot. It-was her first expe
rience in a hospital. She reflected vague
ly, that it would be her last. She had
fainted on her way to the river, it is true,
but that was no reason why she should
not carry out her design. It was only a
question of time. The nurse approached
her. She bore a large box.
"Here is something for yon," she said.
It was a large white box; around it were
wide, pale blue ribbons. A spray of holly
lay on the top. She looked at it listlessly.
"Shall I open it for you?" said the nurse
pleasantly. "It was sent especially for
you by a friend."
The pale patient almost smiled. The
nurse's kindness was almost pathetic.
"There is no one to send me flowers,"
pro-the snid' "BUt 70U mav Pen 14 ,or me"
The nurse did so. A rush of fragrance
filled the air. The roses burst upon the
vision of the pale woman with the glory
of midsummer, dazzling in their bright
ness. They lay in their satin-padded home
like fragrant jewels.
"Oh, how beautiful!" she cried. "Let
me have them."
As she took them a card fell out. She
looked at it as one might look at a dear
face that had been hidden for years. Her
eyes dilated. She was silent for one mo
ment, then she cried out in a voice that
SHE CIUED.
thrilled the nurse and caused every head
ui me warn to oe niteu rroin Its pillow
"It is he!" she cried. "It U ho i
, , iuubi
go at once.
They remonstrnted with her, but the
sick woman wag well. She arose from
that pale couch with audden vigor her
eyes were bright every trace of llluess
left her. "I must go to hlin," she re
peated, time and again. The doctors came
and looked at ber and then conferred in a
low tone with the nurse. "She may go,"
uicy buiu.
So she took her rnsnn anil vallul ri...
the street. It was a beautiful morning
me sun snone brightly and the air was
crisn one could not h
angel of death had hovered near her dur
ing tne night. She walked gome distance
and then she nenreil rhurnh (in it.
steps, just stepping out to go down the
avenue, was a man. tils restless agony
bad driven him forth in the early morning
to try to exorcise the demon that would
not let him rest. He had passed the
church, and, drawn by an impulse he could
neither dcGne nor resist, be had entered.
With the strains of the "Gloria in Excel
sis" ringing In nig ears he went out. At
he stood on the steps of the cathedral and
looked casually down the street he saw
what made his heart stand still, A mist
swam before his eyes his knees shook
under him. He hastened toward her.
"Mirabel!" he gasped.
She looked up at blm with a smile.
"I was going to ace you," she said aim
ply. The morning sunshine made a halo
about her head. Her eyes were filled with
a dewy sweetness. The niiril lin,ln-.
of the aftermath of pain were slipping
away on the horizon before the glory of
dawning day. He felt dazzled. His heart
leaped, then burned within him. He drew
her arm within his own and they turned
down a quiet aide street She smiled at
him.
"I knew yon would find me some time,"
she said, with an infinitely gentle air.
"When they brought tne your roses in the
hospital this morning and I saw yonr dear
name once more I knew that our trouble
and separation were over forever. Sweet
heart, bow good it la to see you once
more."
He understood how fate had played
with those Christmas rosea, and In the
sudden illumination of his mind and heart
he felt as If be had narrowly escaped fall
ing over a precipice.
As they walked down the street together
the bells rang "Glory to God in the High
e4," and white pigeons circled around the
steeple.
It ily'a Tax on Bicycle.
The Italian Governrat ot has Imposed
a tax of 10 lire on bicycle, and In fu
ture all machine will bare to carry a
mark showing that the yearly tax baa
been paid.
What the thrysantb aium needs to
make It a handsomer flower, la a box
of hair pin,
SAVING OF CAPTAIN TURNER,
Ud-de-Camp Minnie Morrow's Expe
rience in Mum Work in Chicago.
Many earnest workers in the name of
charity are numbered in the ranks of
the Volunteers of America, and not the
least of these Is Aid-de-Cnnip Minnie
Morrow, now stationed at the Chicago
post. Miss Morrow has had a wide ex
perience In slum work, having seen ac
'tlve service In New York, Philadelphia,
Boston and Chicago. Through her ef
forts, It is said, many notable conver
sions have been brought about, and as
she Is a slender, pretty girl, with an ear
nest address, her Influence can be read
ily understood. v
Although Miss Morrow Is very mod
est In speaking of herself, she tells with
enthusiasm one recent experience. The
Volunteers were holding a meeting In
front of a saloon on South Clark street
The evening was damp and murky, and
a few loafers were the only spectators.
One of them the ald-de-camp noticed
especially, leaning against the green
doors of the saloon. He was an Intelligent-looking
man, and the girl was
about to speak to him, when a dirty
looking fellow shuffled up, and, slap
ping him on the shoulder, mumbled a
few words. After a short argument the
first man shrugged his shoulders and
followed his friend into the dive.
A small boy who had been following
the band was attracted by the Incident,
and as the second man disappeared
into the saloon, the recipient of anoth
er friendly slap on the back, the gamin
yelled:
"Striking him for a drink." "
Miss Morrow's attention was diverted
by the boy, and she did not lose sight of
him during the meeting. Even the
words of the leader something about
Moses and his rod did not properly im
press her. The boy's next effort, how
ever, drew the attention of all:
"Moses he strikes the rock for water,
and de sport he strikes his friend for a
drink."
Slipping quietly out of the circle, the
girl called to the young heathen. They
soon became good friends, Miss Mor
row winning the boy's undying admira
tion by her Imperturbability when he
impudently drew from his pocket a
bottle of diluted alcohol and asked her
to have a drink.
The boy proved to be what Is called a
"white-liver," having been addicted to
the use of alcohol as a beverage since
8 years of age. With infinite tact, Miss
Morrow, after learning the boy's story,
drew from him a promise to call on her
at the training fort, and it is with par
donable pride she now speaks of her
protege, Captain Charles Turner, one
of the youngest and most efficient
workers In the ranks of the Volunteers.
Chicago Inter Ocean.
WORKS FOR DAILY BREAD.
Thespian Tramp Has to Spout Hard
for a Little Stale Pie.
Mrs. Smith was sitting by an open
window, directly over the kitchen, and
was deeply buried In a novel, when
she was starred by Hannah's shrill
voice below, crying:
"What do you want?"
A gruff voice with a comical note in
it replied: "More than Is dreamt of In
thy philosophy, Horatio."
"But -my name ain't Horatio," an
swered Hannah.
"Nor yet, again, I fancy, Is it Trilby,
nor evon Sweet Marie."
"I saTd, 'What do you want? "
"And I said," replied Mr. Weary
Willie, " 'More than is dreamt of in thy
philosophy, Horatio,' but what I really
want Is something to eat."
"How would a cake of soap strike
you?" said Hannah, with fine scorn.
"Inasmuch as you are a woman and
you threw it at me It would not strike
me at all."
"Poor manl I suppose you are al
most starved?" was Hannah's unfeel
ing and sarcastic reply.
"Well, I would be if all women were
as cold and cruel as you."
"Well, I suppose you expect escallop
ed oysters and champagne."
"Softly, girl; this is not heaven."
Mrs. Smith's curiosity was aroused
by this time, and, leaning out of the
window, she descried a long-haired ex
actor, with a "lean and hungry look."
'Hannah, Hannah," she called, "give
that man a piece of that apple pie left
over from Sunday."
Accepting the pastry with a profuse
bow, he held it up to heaven and apos
trophized: "And yet they say we do not
work for our dally bread."
The First American Patent.
It Is claimed that Joseph Jincks, of
Lynn, Mas., was the first recorded In
ventor In America. In 1055 be was
granted a patent for an improved
scythe. lie also made the first castings
In this country, and, in 1052, made the
flies for the famous "Pine Tree" shil
lings. In 1054 Mr. Jincks made for the
city of Boston the first fire engine in
America, and his name la also asso
ciated with other inventions of that
time. But history records the fact that
In 1641 the General Court of Massachu
setts granted a ten years' patent to
Samuel Wlnslow for a process of mak
ing salt Patents were granted In En
gland before that under the common
law, but U was in 1700 the first United
Statea patent law was passed. The
colonics of Massachusetts and those of
Connecticut were the first to Introduce
the English system into the country.
Saturday Evening Tost
Death's Mark In the Fyr.
Whether a man be really dead or not
may be read In the veins of the eye.
This Important discovery has been
made by an eminent American oculist
says Pearson's Weekly. There has al
ways been a widespread, haunting fear
among people of being burled alive, and
this new discovery will remova this
fear.
The doctor's experiments began some
twenty years ago. He had observed
that In life the veins and arteries of the
retina have distinct differences In color.
The veins contain a dark, blackish
blood, while the arteries contain bright
crimson. At the lack part of the eye
ball thee two shades of blood may be
seen, under the light of the ophthalmo
scope, dividing the retina. Even In the
case of the blind this distinction In
shsde may b seen, unless, of course,
' an opaque 01m ha formed over the In
jured eyes, or the eye have been en
j tlrely destroyed. In death, however,
I the shade distinction entirely disap
pears. The blood In both arterle and
I vein la transformed Into a pinkish col
'r ef uniform raade. An exhaustive
examination has been made, and this
simple test has never failed. In the
case of suspended, animation, where
others had pronounced death, he ob
served the shade distinction and saved
the man from being burled alive. This
is a fortunate discovery.
PICKPOCKET
Left Hia Diamond in the Plnce of an
Empty Parse.
This story did not come from the man
Interested; It came from the lady who
was with the lady who was Interested.
Perhaps that fact will relieve the mind
of the man "who did."
' The two ladles were crossing from
Hoboken the other day, and Jn the fer
ryboat sat next to a flashily dressed
man, who wore many Imitation dia
monds and much jewelry. When the
ladles left the boat one felt for her
purse and din't find, It.
"There wasn't much in It,"-she ex
plained philosophically to her friend.
"I wasn't going to buy anything, yon
know; I was only going shopping. But
It served me right for putting the purse
In my pocket."
The friend agreed consolingly, and
they walked on for a moment, when
the lady whose pocket had been picked
pulled out a small hard lump- of glass
from her pocket.
"The poor thief," she said; "here's
one of his diamonds!" They laughed
and went on uptown. In the course of
time they were up in Union square, and
for the fun of the thing decided to go
Into Tiffany's and see what the thief's
"diamond" might be worth. So they
went to tie diamond sharp and asked
If the glass was really worth anything.
"It's not glass," said the expert: "it's
a diamond', and a very good one." Then
he studied it a little longer and said
that it was worth about $800.
For some reason the man who lost
that diamond hasn't advertised It yet.
This story will do that for him. New
York Sun.
Whence Our Handkerchiefs Gome.
very few oexrale are nwnro thnt thn
consumption of handkerchiefs through.
out the United States amounts to about
5,000 dozen daily, says the Washing
ton Star. This means 27.875.000
yearly, or 328,500,000 single handker
chiefs. To satisfy this enormous de
mand there are alwavs kont in stock.
In New York City, at least 350,000,000
Handkerchiefs. It would be extremolv
difficult to say what such a supply of .
gooas is worth In the aggregate, as
handkerchiefs sell at wholesale at any- j
where from 30 cents to ?40 per dozen,
according to Quality and finish. But the '
figures are not exaggerated, and they
tnrow a strong light on the gigantic di
mensions of an important branch of
the dry goods business.
A comparatively small number of
handkerchiefs are manufactured In this
country and those that are made here
are mostly of Inferior ounlltv. Th 1
finest silk goods are lmuorted nrincinnl-
ly from Japan, which country sends us
anuuany between 17,000,000 and 18,
000,000 Japanese pongees. The beat cam
bric article comes from France and
Belgium, and linen handkerchiefs come
rrom the north of Ireland and also from
St. Gall, Switzerland. Japanese silk
handkerchiefs are worth from ?3 to $4(1
per dozen, while the Imported cambrics
from Brussels sell from ?5 to $7 a doz
en, and th ecotton product manufactur
ed In Pennsylvania ond New Jersey
may be had for thirty cents a dozen.
The capital Invested In this business is
Immense. It may amount to $100.000..
000, but accurate figures cannot be
given.
Removing a City.
The Japanese government has order
ed the destruction of the city of Teck
cham, Formosa, and removal of all Itj
Inhabitants to a new location. The
city Is situated on the northwest coast
of the Island, and has been frequently
subject to pestilence. In 1800 and 1807
plagues visited Teckcham with enor
mous fatalltly. This fact being called
to the attention of the government, an
investigation was ordered by sanitary
experts, who reported that the city was
built upon a swamp, whereupon an or
der wa Issued to the governor to se
lect a new location as convenient to the
old one as possible, where the natural
conditions were healthful. A new city
was laid out, and each property-holder
In the old one was assigned a site that
corresponded in area with that he oc
cupied at Teckcham, and wa given
twelve month to remove bis bulldiugi
and belongings. Sewers, railroads and
sidewalks, public buildings, water
works, and all other public Improve
ments were lnld out by the governnienl
in the new city without expense to the
people, but they were required to pay
the cost of the removal of their own
property. Most of the houses and oth
er buildings Id Teckcham are built ot
very light wooden material.
Eight thousand carrier pigeon are
kept for use In the German army.
A herring weighing six or seven
ounce bos about thirty thousand eggs.
A gun which can Are thirty thousand
bullet a minute bus been invented In
England.
Gypsle are supposed to have come
originally from India and not from
Egypt as their name Implies.
There are In circulation In China at
the present time coins bearing the
Dame of emperor who lived two
thousand year ago.
There I a method of destroying the
life of trees by Wing a hole Into the
trunk In a downward direction and fill
ing with sulphuric acid.
In every mile of railway there are
seven feci and four Inches that are not
covered by the rails the pace left be
tween them for expansion.
Seymour Keyser, postmaster at Man
helm, N. Y., ha an apple tree which
wa brought from Holland In the sev
enteenth century. It still lar fruit
Told a ftacret of the Kitchen.
An eating house proprietor In Tacoma,
Wash., arrested for wiling game out of
season, eseajH-d on evidence satisfac
tory to the Jury that hi wife could pre
pare mutton to make It taste like veni
son. Romehow It I easier to sympathize
with a girl who get a burn In cooking
than with on who la burned 1b curl
lug ber kola.
BY A HAIR'S BREADTH.
The Great Head of the Young Man
Saved Him.
"You haven't given me your your
usual greeting, Byronia," said the
young man, with something like a cloud
on his brow. "Is anything the mat
ter?" "Haven't I, Gerald?" moodily re
piled the young woman, drumming ab
sently on the table with her fingers.
"You know you have not. And you
haven't answered my question, either."
"What question?"
"I asked you if anything was the
matter."
"No yes, everything is the matter,
it's nothing new, though. Gerald, aren't
you getting tired of this?"
"Tired of this," he echoed, feeling his
hair beginning to rise on end. "Tired
of what?".
"The whole business! See here, Ger
ald. Your people have always wanted
us to marry, havn't they?"
"Yes."
"So have mine. We haven't any rela
tives on either side that have opposed
the match, have we?"
"No."
"No. They've all done the best they
could to throw us together."
"Well, what of "
"And when you proposed to me I fell
right into your arms, didn't I?"
"Well, you did come pretty near It
that's a fact," admitted Gerald.
, "I haven't any small brothers, either,
to play tricks on us or make fool
speeches to you while you are waiting
for me in the parlor, have I?"
"No."
"No. And mamma never listens at
the, keyhole, or calls down the stair
way to ask If that young man Is here
yet, doea she?"
"Surely not"
"Surely not. And papa has never
asked you if you could support me in
the style to which I have been accus?
tomed, has he?"
"Not he. He knows "
"Yes. He knows. And we've never
quarreled, either, have we?"
"No. But, Byronia, dear "
"You've never been the least bit jeal
ous of anybody else, have you?"
"No. But "
"No. Neither have I. Doesn't all
that show, Gerald, that we really don't
care for each other? No stop hold
on! Let me finish. How do we know
that we are not making a dreadful mis
take? Think how terrible It would be
If we found out when It was too late
that we were never Intended for each
other!'"
Gerald had been doing some rapid
thinking.
He sat with his head In his hands for
two or three minutes without speak
ing. "I don't know but you are right, By
ronia. You know M1ss Hnrkalong? I
am forcibly reminded of something she
said to me the other evening. I had
called there "
"What were you doing at the Ilarka
longs'?" "Simply making a call. She said to
me the eldest one, you know tall,
rather striking girl In appearance "
Girl! She's 37 if she's a day!"
"I think not. She made some remark
about the course of true love never run
ning smooth, and then she said: 'Mr.
Hlgginslde, I have been expecting
every day to hear that It's all off be
tween you and Byronia Bllllwink.
There hasn't been enough opposition,
and '
"She said thnt, did she?"
"Yes, and I laughed a little, and said
I shouldn't won "
"She'd been expecting to hear that It
was all over between us, had she?"
"Yes. I only mention It to show that
the same Idea had occurred to others,
and "
"Liz Harkalong had the assurance to
say to you that there hadn't been
enough opposition to our marrying, had
she?"
"Yes. I suppose she "
"The drled-up old maid! What busi
ness was It of hers, I should like to
know!"
"She may have heard the same thing
from others, you know "
"I don't believe It! The malicious old
cat! Gerald dear "
"Well?"
"We'll marry now to spite her, won't
we?"
"Yes, If you look out, dear. You'll
scratch you'll scratch your face against
my scarf pin." Chicago Tribune.
Throat and Klectrlo Lights.
The difference in the condition of the
throat of public speakers and singers
since (he Introduction of the electric
light Is most marked. They have less
Irritation and less weariness during
and after their performance. This Is
accounted for on the theory that gas
and other flames dried out the atmos
phere and consumed atmospherical ele
ment necessary to the best condition
of the organ. In addition to this, the
temperature Is more even, and there I
les danger from air currents. Where
any great number of gas Jet are used
the air at the celling of the room has
the vitality totally burned out of It,
and I heated to a very high tempera
ture. An open door or window letting
in fresh air create violent agitation In
the air, sometimes et gust of air
whirling through a room, especially at
the somewhat raised portion, where
the performer are situated. A special
1st In throat troubles think that what
Is known a singers' sore throat may
become les frequent when electric
light are universally adopted.
Homely Dvvlace.
It may Ims true that Ingenious person
can manufacture presentable furniture
from packing caw and boxes, but
Jerome K. Jerome clearly doubt It
In hi latest book, "Second Thought
of an Idle Fellow," he give an ainus
lug account of a call he made on an ac
tor whose father experimented In that
sort of thing: He took mo Into the din
lug room to show me the latest outrage
-a new bookcase. A i;r-iiter disfigure
ment to the room, which wa other
wise prettily furnished, could hardly
be Imagined. There wa no Deed for
blm to assure me, a be did, that It had
been made out of nothing but egg
boxc. Oue could ee at a glance that
It wa made out of egg boxes, and bad
I ly construted egg-boxe at that egg
boxes that were a disgrace to the firm
that had turned tbetn out We went
upstair to my friend's bedroom, where
stood, or wobbled, a wardrobe made of
j packing caaes, I waa lurprUed to no
tice a very small supply of clothes with
in, although my friend Is a dressy man.
"You see," he explained, "I dare not
use it more than I can help. I am a
clumsy chap, and as likely as not, if I
happened to be In a hurry, I'd have the
whole thing over," which seemed prob
able. I asked him how he contrived,
and he admitted that he kept most of
his things In the bath-room. He show
ed me a chest of drawers. One draw
er stood half open.
"I'm bound to leave that drawer
open," he said; "I keep the things I use
In that. They don't shut quite easily,
these drawers; or, rather, they shut all
right, but then they won't open. It Is
the weather, I think. They will open
and shut all right in the summer, I dare
say." He Is of a hopeful disposition.
In St. Petersburg no ontdoor musical
performances are permitted.
A red hot iron will soften old putty so
that it can be readily removed.
False teeth are now made from
paper, and are said to last a lifetime.
The Chinest national anthem Is so
long that people take half a day to
listen to It.
It Is stated on high authority that
one-half of the flesh eaten in Germany
Is horse meat.
It is reported of a Kensington cat
that her lost family of kltteus has
brought up her total to 105.
The oldest coin known Is in the mint
collection in Philadelphia. It was
coined at Aeglna In the year 700 B. O.
A horse will eat in a year nine times
his own weight, a cow nine times, an
ox six times, and a sheep six times.
According to the beliefs of the Ari
zona Indians, the cliff dwellers built
along the bluffs because they feared
another deluge.
It has been estimated that electric
railways haVb already displaced 1,100,
000 car horses. This Is probably less
than the actual number.
In France, If a structural defect In a
bicycle causes an Injury to the person
using it, the manufacturer Is legally
accountable for damages.
In many parts of Germany the roots
of the dandelion are gathered late,
dried, roasted, ground, and substituted
for coffee by the poor.
Cyclometers are usel In cabs In Ber
lin, Leipslc and Dresden. They rec
ord the exact amount of miles traveled
and the legal fare of the occupants.
The slowest breeders of all known
animals, a pair of elephants would be
come the progenitors of 10,000,000 ele
phants In 750 years, if death did not
Interfere.
A single bee, with Its Industry,
energy, and the Innumerable Journeys
It has to perform, will not collect much
more than a teaspoonful of honey In a
single season.
Gray hairs at an early age are here
ditary In certain families. It is thought
to be a result of men with dark hair
marrying women with dark hair
through several generations.
Cries of sea birds especially sea gulls,
ore very valuable as fog signals. The
birds cluster on the cliffs and coast,
and their cries warn boatsmen that
they are near the land.
The onk furnishes food and home
for 300 species of Insects, the elm 61,
and the pine for 151. In addition,
these trees respectively furnish lodging
and shelter to 150, 30, and 20 species.
Were It not for the- multitude of
storks that throng to Egypt every win
ter there would be no living in the
country, for after every inundation
frogs appear In most Incredible num
bers. The name "Rothschild," so famous in
finance, signifies in German "Hod
Shield," and Is taken from the sign of
a shop In the Jcwb' quarter, Frankfort,
where the foundations of the family
fortunes were laid.
The air tight compartment theory of
building ships was copied from a pro
vision of nature shown In the case of
the nautilus. The shell of this ani
mal has forty or fifty compartment,
Into which air or water may be ad
mitted to allow the occupant to sluk
or float as It pleases.
Lighting Gas with the Finger.
This statement Is somewhat startling
at first sight, but is. quite a common
experiment In some mills and work
shops. Those employed in paper works
know that a large amount of electricity
Is given off by the paper as It travels
along the machine to the winding roller
at the end. While visiting a paper mill
In Fife lately, standing at the end of
the machine where the paper was being
wound on the roller, I felt the sparks
quite sharp through my clothes, and by
way of entertainment the two work
men at the machine performed the ex
periment of lighting the gas. They
Joined hands, one laid bis hand on the
paper as It wa being wound on tho
roll, tho other reached to the ga brack
et, turned on the gas, held his finger to
the burner, and tho ga Immediately
burst Into flame, the current passing
through both the men' bodies without
the slightest bud effect
New Way to Arreat Weeding.
liy the electric heniostat of Lawson
Talt bleeding I arrested without tho
use of a ligature. It I practically a
pair of forceps for nipping the artery,
but tho forceps contain a platinum wire
heated by electricity, and the com
presesd artery I cauterized In a few
seconds, thus preventing further escape
of blood.
The Hkuok a Friend to Hop Grower.
The much despised and maligned
skunk has at last fouud friend who
respect, cherish and encourage blm.
They are the hop grower of New York
State, who find tho skunk their main
reliance In keeping down a very de
structive grub which otherwise would
ruin their crop.
Pay In the Japanese Navy,
A Japanese admiral receive, by a
recent ordinance, 0,(XKi silver dollar a
year, a vice admiral 4,000, while first
and second class captain get 2,406 and
2,'21'pH respectively.
The voice of a man popping the
question baa the true engagement ring.
Atchison Globe Sights.
The druggist and 'the doctor are
cousins.
People are tired of seeug smart chil
dren do smart things.
Some people act all the time as
though they were at a p!?nlc.
Every man who starves his wife is
said by the neighbors to be rich.
The woman who never marries never
finds out what a poor cook she is.
A good many cooks make a good
quality of hard tack and don't know It
It Is never safe to accept an amateur
singer's verdict of an opera company.
A woman's Idea of getting real reck
less Is to cut loose, and tell all she
knows.
Cirosls of the liver Is hard to spell;
think how much harder It must be to
have it.
Atchison has a man who refuses to
go to places because his wife won't go
with him.
Every girl who has never known a
grief In her life tries particularly hard
to look pensive.
A woman never becomes so rich that
she can resist the temptation to wear
calico shirt waists.
After a woman passes. 35, If she mar
ries at all, the chances are that she
will marry a man younger than herself.
As a rule, those who talk most about
longing for a higher life do least to Im
prove the life they are compelled to
live.
You can occasionally meet all kinds
of people; even the man who means It
when he asks you to come and visit
him.
About half the time a man feels like
a cat which has Just eaten the canaiy;
he Is getting a lot of abuse for eating
a mighty poor bird.
The man whose hair has come out
can make himself very Interesting to
any woman by announcing that it came
out through a fever.
There isn't any one so good that it
doesn't make him mad to go home to
dinner, and find some one sitting in
his chair at the table.
Whenever we see a man having a
"good time," we are glad that we have
quit There Is. nothing so dismal as
having a "good time."
It should be as much the duty of the
"committee of safetv" to eet loafers
out of town as it should be to bring de
sirable men to town.
Whenever you see a girl with her
hair neatly braided In two braids you
can make a pretty good guess that her
mother Is a neat housekeeper.
A man went Into a store to-day, and
said: "I want enough rope to rope my
bed." Are you old-fashioned enough
to remember a bed that was roped?
Young people are apt to stuff their
pocket books with parer, to appe.tr rich.
Older people, however, have found It
wise to appear poorer than they are.
It is well to remember that If your
fa-lends think you are a charming con
versationalist, your enemies regard you
as a great gossip, and that they may be
right.
Corean Gcomancera.
The Influence of the geomancers ex
tends from the King to his humblest
subjects, and Illustrates the cunning
and simplicity which are combined In '
tho Corean character. These profes
sional oracles are consulted on all occa
sions by all sorts of people. The King
never thinks of doing anything without
first asking their opinion. They are
more Important to hlin than legal ad
visers are to railways and other corpor
ations thnt employ them, and they are
attached to all the departments of the
government. At the Bauie tlmo they are
notoriously corrupt, and their advice
Is always Influenced by the payment of
money.
If any one desires to obtain a favor
from the King ho usually endeavors to
secure the good office of the geomancer
who Is likely to lie consulted, and the
amount of the bribe corresponds to the
Importance of the matter. While the
geomancer pretends to consult the spir
its and observe the movements of the
stars, bis client knows that It I the
money that governs his action. Never
theless, when the client Is required to
perforin some ofllclul act, he consults
the same old humbug, who has been
brlled by some one else to Influence
his decision, and he Is perfectly aware
of the fact. Chautouquan.
Perfectly Practical.
An odd and convenient custom exists
In Genoa. Many of the well-to-do peo
ple as well os those In moderate cir
cumstances do not own either horse
or coaches; they own only an Interest
in them. Four or five or a half-dozen
great families club together and buy a
conch ond horses, then they arrange
among themselves the days the differ
ent families will use It. Thus one fam
ily uses the couch on Mondays, another
on Tuesdays and a third on Wednes
days, so that an establishment that
would bo Impossible for one family be
comes perfectly practical when the cost
is divided among five or six. Euch fam
ily has a set of doors for the coach with
their own coat-of-arms on the panels,
which are chnnged according to the
family which Is going to use the couch.
The builders of thee vehicle seldom
think of building a coach without five
or six sets of doors, and arrangement
ore made so that they ore very easily
changed.
Whre Doe Papa Comt In?
The Ixlpzig Tngeblott devote a col
umn to the marriage market An ad-
I vertlseineiit published lately was as fol
low: "A son, elderly, solid and aerl-
otis, I seeking for hi father (a strict
and solid man in a quiet business) an
alone standing widow and maiden with
some ready money. Offers, with full
statement of particulars, to be address
ed . The n ('nn he Interviewed by
appolntmeut between the hour of 9
and 11."
Itemed y for Ilurn.
A Frenchman ha discovered a reme
dy instantaneous In It effect for th
horrible burn caused by the use of oil
of vitriol. It I a soft paste of cul
c I lied magnesia and water, with which
the part burned are covered to the
thlckmti of an Inch. It alleviate th
pain almost Immediately, and when the
paste I removed no scar renialu.
Ungrammatically apcuklog the pluraj
of baby must be twin.