ALONG THE COAST. lteuag of General Interest Gleaned From the Thriving Paolfln States. PACIFIC COAST TRADE. Cruelty on the nigh Sea. At Portland, Or., on the 18th, Bailors on the German ship Margaietha told startling stories of alleged oruel treat ment on the part of Captain Rasoh. The sailors, to a man, relate a series of outrages perpetrated since the vessel left her home port some eight months ago, that if true, whether committed with or without cause, are exceedingly startling, cruel and inhuman. They allege that ever since they started out they have been in danger of getting killed one way or another, and they as sert that not for anything could they be induced to again go to sea under command of Captain llasch. The crew, 25 men all told, have laid their complaint before the German vioe consul. Portland a Deserve Cl'.y. Portland is now n reserve city, and thousands of dollars heretofore kept in San Francisco and New York by the bankers of Oregon, Washington and Idaho will oome to Portland. The con- j dition imposed upon national banks in rese've cities is that they shall oarry I 25 per cont of their deposits in avail able funds, instead of 15 per cent. I Portland banks havj been carrying from 80 to 60 per cent ever since the panic of 1893 and '93, and the new j condition will not be a haislnp to them. Steelhend Salmon Scarce. Steelhead salmon are becoming scarcer as the season draws to a olose. So few are being taken that the cold storace nlants at Astoria have refused to receive any more, and the quantities delivered of late were so small that they did not pay toi the trouble of handling them-. Private buyers are paying h and 6 cents a pound, but the supply is only sufficient for local demand. The season ends February 15. . Tnget Sound University. The new management of the Pugot Sound university, of Tacoma, propose to pay the debts of the university and endow it under a subscription scheme, to be known as the 20th century fund. All endowment notes given will be made payable within 10. years, and will draw interest at the rate of 5 per cent per annum. It will require but loO.OOO to settle all debts and put the college in good financial condition. Seattle Markets. Onions. 8590o per 100 pounds. Potatoes, 20$25. Beets, per sack, 75c. Turnips, per sack. 60 75c. .Carrots, per sack, 45 60c. Parsnips, per sack, f 1. Cauliflower, 6090o per doz. Celery, 8540o. Cabbage, native and California 1.00 1.B0 per 100 pounds. Apples, 3550c per box. Pears, 50c $ 1.50 per box. Prunes, 50c per box. Butter Creamery, 27c per pound; dairy and ranch, 18 22c per pound. Eggs, 27c. Cheese Native, 1212c. Poultry Old hens, 14c per pound; spring chickens, 14c; turkeys, 16c. Fresh meats Choice dressed beef steers, prime, 6)7c; oows, prime, 6c; mutton, 7)c; pork, 67o; veal, 68o. Wheat Feed wheat, 123. Oats Choice, per ton, $24. Hay Pugot Sound mixed, $9.00 11; choioo Eastern Washington tim othy, $15. Corn Whole, 123.50; cracked, $24; feed meal, $23.50. Barley Rolled or ground, per ton, $2526; whole, $22. Flour Patent, per barrel, $3.50; straights,1 $3.25; California brends, $3.25; buckwheat flour, $3.75; graham, per barrel, $3.60; whole wheat flour, $3.75; rye flour, $4.. Millstuffs Bran, per ton, $14; shorts, per ton, $16. feed Chopped feed, $2022 per ton; middlings, per ton, $17; oil cake meal, per ton, $35. THAT BEEF WAS BAD ODD WHITECAP RAID. Testimony of Major Daly, the Chief Surgeon. MEAT PRESERVED BY CHEMICALS General Miles Charges Strengthened Before the War Investigation Committee. Waterworks for Elgin. II. V. Gates, of Hillsboro, has con tracted to put in a gravity water iys tem and an eleotrio light plant in El gin, Or., construction, soon to com mence. The water will be carried through a flume for a distance of over two miles. A part of this power will bo used in running a large flouring mill. Mr. Gates has contracted to em ploy local labor in the construction of the plant. . Geo. W. Dent Dead. - Georce W. Dent, brother-in-law of General U. S Grant, and uncle of U. S. Giant, jr., candidate for United States senator, died at Oakland, Cal. j ..Ha was 79 years of age. For 16 years . Mr. Dent was appraiser of oustoms at San Francisco. He was appointed by ( President Grant, and held office until retired by President Cleveland. Mr. Dent came to California in 1852. ITerrlng Fishing at Port Townsend. On the 18th the docks of Port Town send were lined with people watching anglors catching herring, which were so plentiful in the bay that in a single haul of the jigger one to four herring were landed. The fishermen enjoyed the sport, while the onlookers secured a mess of herring by simply picking them up off the dock. A Thief Can ght. About a week aao $500 in ooin and Bomo valuable articles were stolen from nn old man named John Weaver, noar Canyonville, Or. Curtis Hartline, 23 years of age, was arrested thereby Con stable T. J. Butoher on a oharge of having stolen the money. After his arrest Hartline admitted his guilt and was held to answer. Boggs Makes Revelations. Ex-Treasurer Boggs testified in court recently that about $70,000 of the war rants involved in the warrant suit against the city were not signed by him while he was treasurer of the city, but were signed three days after hit term expired. Soldier From Walla Walla Dead. F. J. Carlyle, of Walla Walla, re ceived a telegram from Manila, infoim ing him of the death of Allen Carlyle, his brothei. The deceased was a mem ber of company I, Washington volun teers, now at Manila. His death was ascribed to typhoid fever. The Astoria 1'ugh Club. Secretary Lyman, of the Astoria Push Club, has been authorized to visit the creameries at Albany, Rainier and Skamokawa for the purpose of making observations and reporting to the creamery committee of the association. First Columbia Kiver Smelt. The first Columbia river smelt o! the Boason were offered for sale in an Astoria market on the 18th. They were taken at Cathlamet, and tho con signment did not exceed over 60 pounds. - The Dalles Slot Machines. As a result of the semiannual license recently placed upon all electrical slot machines by The Dalles council, $250 lias already been collectod and turned into the city treasury. F. E. Thompson, who left a trail ot bad checks on a local bank from Seattle to Kamloops, in the interior of British Columbia, is under arrest at the latter point. He has drawn between $500 and $1,000 on a $10 deposit made at Seattle tie day before Christmas. There will be more new fishing gear on the Columbia river daring the next season than there has been for several years. The price for raw fish promisea to be good, and in anticipation of it, nearly every local fisherman is knitting himself a new net. and, what is a more promising sign, the cannerymen are not hesitating about giving the fisher men plenty of credit for twine." Fortland Market. Wheat Walla Walla, 69c; Valley, 61c; Bluostem, 63o per bushel. ' Flour Best grades, $3.20; graham, $2.65; superfine, $2.15 per barrel. Oats Choice white, 4l42c; choice gray, 89 40c per bushel. j Barley Feed barley, $2224; brew ing, $23.50 per ton. Millattifls Bran, $17 per ton; mid dlings, $22; shorts, $18; chop, $16.00 per ton. Hay Timothy. $910; clover. $7 8; Oregon wild hay, $6 per ton. Butter Fancy creamery, 5055o; seconds, 4550o; dairy, 4045o store, 2580o. Cheese Oregon full cream, 12o; Young America, 15o; new cheese, 10c per pound. Poultry Chickens, mixed, $2. 25 3 per dozen; hens, $3. 50 4. 00; springs, $1.253; goese, $6.007.00 for old, $4.505 for young; ducks, $5.00 6.50 per dozen; turkeys, live, 15 16c per pound. Potatoes 65 70o per sack; sweets, 2c per pound. Vegetables Beets, 90c; turnips, 75c per sack; garlic, 7o per pound; cab bage, $11.25 per 100 pounds; cauli flower, 75o per dozen; parsnips, 75c per sack; beans, 8c per pound; celery 70 75c per dozen; cucumbers, 60c pet box; peas, 83)c per pound. Onions Oregon, 75o$l per sack. Hops 1517c; 1897 crop, 46o. Wool Valley, 1012o per pound; Eastern Oregon, 8 12c; mohair, i 20c per pound. Mutton Gross, best sheep, wethen and ewes, 4c; dressed mutton, Tcj spring lambs, 71,(c per lb. Hogs Gross, choice heavy, $4.35; light and feeders, $3.00 4.00; dressed, $5.005.50 per 100 pounds. Beef Gross, top Bteers, 8.60$3.75; cows, $2. 50 3. 00; dressed beef, 66fc'c per pound. Veal Large, 67c; small, 7 8c per pound. ' Washington, Jan. 23. Major W. H. Daly, chief Burgeon with General Miles, and whose field servioe stretched from Tampa to Porto Rico, whose re port condemning beef furnished the expeditionary forces oreated a sensation lome weeks ago, made his long awaited appearance as a witness before the war investigation committee today. Daly's report was the strongest in language of those submitted by Miles, in substantiation of his attaok on the beef supplies. On being sworn the witness identified the report submitted as his own. He was willing, he said, to stand by his report. It was wholly voluntary, and was not called out by any request or in obedience to any oir oular or letter. At Tampa he had no- ' tioed a quarter of beef hanging free in the sun on shipboard, and ha became i interested in the experiment of having freBh slaughtered beef plaoed under suoh moist climatic conditions to see how long it could stand it. "I observed," he said, "that flies, especially bull flies, did not affect it; did not alight on it, or if they did they got away from it veiy quickly." He had cut off a piece of that beef at Tampa and cooked it, but it neither smelled or tasted naturally. He no ticed indications of chemical presence in the meat that brought back recollec tions of oheraioal 6tuff he had used to preserve elk in hunting expeditions in the Rocky mountains some years be fore. All that day and next ha had an unpleasant taste. In that previous hunting expedition ho had analyzed the chemical preserv ative and found it to contain borax and salicylic acids. These were to be used externally on elk, but he had rubbed it into the raw flesh and also injected it. Questioned as to these ingredients he said borax was not safe to be used in connection with food, nor for ordi nary medicinal purposes, while sali cylic acid was most nauseous, loath gome and disgusting, and almOBt al ways destructive of digestion. tt Coat a Witness $30, bat the 6am Wasn't Grudged. "Strangest experience I ever had," said the man who used to do a whole sale business In live stock, "was out In Iowa, and not very many years ago, either. I had put up at a little country tavern In a sparsely settled country, where It looked as though the Inhabit ants were having a pretty hard struggle to keep the wolf from the door. About mldnleht there was a great hubbub about the place, and there came an Im perative demand for me to show my self. I found a dozen masked men, and my first Impression was that they were after my money. But they declared that they were whltecaps, that they were going to make a raid, and that they wanted a witness. It was no use to protest, and after they had put me lu one of their ugly disguises I rode with them some eight or ten miles, when they routed out a poor old couple who lived In the meanest kind of a cabin. '"You owe $40 on this place, and haven't paid It,' said the leader sternly. " 'I couldn't," was the old man's trem ulous answer. 'Me and Beckle has saved and scrimped and done the best we could.' " 'You let one of your cows get killed and that was another $23 lost.' " 'She was struck by lightnln', sir. Are you goin to punish us fur that?' This was from Beetle. " 'You're lettln' this shanty go to pieces. It needs patehln' and a new roof. This Is no way to live, aud we won't have It.' "Tho old man only groaned, while Bockle's eves flashed and she wished their son Jim had lived. " 'Twenty-five, forty, we'll call It a hundred,' aaid the captain, and I made up my mind to fight rather than see the cruelty of 100 lashes Inflicted upon this good old couple. 'There It Is,' and the captain handed over $100. I promptly added $50. and we left the happiest pair you ever saw. "'Thats the kind of whltecaps we are,' laughed the captain, as we rode homeward. 'We never let people like that suffer, though we do sometimes bring bad citizens up with a short turn." Detroit Free Tress. FROM A DIFFERENT SOURCE. The San Franclseo Market. Wool Spring Nevada, 1012c pel pound; Oregon, Eastern, 1012o; Val ley, 1517c; Noithern, 9llc. Millstuffs Middlings, $222400; bran, $20.5021.60 per 'o Onions Si 1 verskin, 50 75c per sack. Butter Fancy creamery, 24o; do seconds, 21 23c; fanoy dairy, 22o; do seconds, 18 20c per pound. Eggs Store, 2728o; fancy ranch, 2931o. Citrus Fruit Oranges, Valencia, $3 2.50; Mexican limes, $6 6.50; Cali fornia lemons, $2.00. 800; do choice, $3.504.50; per box. German Version of the Present Difficulty in Samoa. Hamburg, Jan. 23. Aooording to news received from Samoa, Chief Jus- tioe Chambers on December 81 an nulled the election of Mataafa.who was returned by a sextuple majority, and . declared Malietoa Tanus, son of the latter king, Malietoa, who is still a minor, to be king. The three consuls recognized Mataafa's people as the pro visional government. I Malietoa Tanus, Tamusese, another olaimant for the throne, and Chief Jus . tice Chambers. . it. is. addud, .. wont, on .board a British warship, whereupon the provisional government closed the court. A British warship then landed a detachment of blue jackets, and later the court was reopened under the pro tests of the provisional government. No Official Keport at Washington. Washington, Jan. 23. There is still lack of official reports as to the situa tion in Samoa, but it can be said that the state department is moving in the matter with duo deliberation, and with I full regard for maintenance of the tri ' partite agrooment for government of the islands. I The navy department's order to Ad miral Kautz, on board the Philadol ' phia, at San Diego, wont today. They I were simply to "make ready." If, as 'stated in the press dispatches, the Philadelphia is not in condition to go ' to Apia, it is supposed the vessel's hull will be cleaned by divers. PAUL JONES LOST. The Chinese Chopstlok. With the evidences of Asiatic con tact supposed to be strong In Central America, one might have Imagined that so useful a device as the simple chopsticks w'ould have secured a foot ing. These two sticks, held In one hand and known In China as "hasteners, or nimble lads," are certainly the most ef ficient device for their purposes ever Invented by man. Throughout that vast Asian region, embracing a population of 500,000,000, the chopstick Is used as a substitute for fork, tongs and certain forms of tweezers. Even fish, omelet and cake are separated with the chop sticks, and the cook, the street scaven ger and the watch repairer use this de vice in the form of Iron, long bamboo and delicate Ivory. Tho bamboo chopstick was known In China 1000 B. C, and shortly after this date the Ivory form was devised. Their use is one of great antiquity in Japan, as attested by references to It in the ancient records of that country. One amy search 4u valu (or tho trace of any object In the nature of a chopstick in entral or South America. Knitting needles of wood are found In the work baskets associated with ancient Peru vlan mummies, but the chopstick has not been found. Curious pottery rests for the chopsticks are exhumed in anan. but even this enduring testi mony or its cany use is yet to do re vealed In this country. Popular Sci ence Monthly. EGYPTIAN NEWSPAPER OFFICE. Compositors and Pressmen in White Turbans and Mare Lena. I went the other day to see the edltoi of an Arab newspaper In Cairo. His office Is a disused palace; all new khe dives build new palaces In this country, so that It Is difficult to find a house ol any size that has not begun life as s palace. In the middle wing sits the editor writing his leader a string ol Arabic cobwebs down a narrow slip ol paper, xiie editor is a stout man lr fez, blue serge and yellow elastic-sided boots, with two warts on his nose and a deep-blue dimple on his chin; he writes In a light overcoat and a rug over his knees, for It Is a very cold win terclouds half-way over the blue sky, aud you must shut your windows by 5. He has Just finished a slip of copy; he rings a bell, and there comes la a little brown-faced devil lu a f?z, blue gown, bare brown legs and slippers. May you see the office? Of course"- and out we go to the left-hand wing ol the milaee. Here are about six nare rooms, all open to the ot tiers, me pias ter peeling here and there from the high walls. Here stand the eases of curly Arab type bigger than ours, because the language has more symbols; here are the bare-legged compositors at work, In the next room the paper 18 going to press on the old-fiish!on';d sort of midline; as the whlte-timmned, brow i-Iegged, white bicycle-skirted na tive '.urns at the wheel for lils life, the half-printed sheets swing slowly over, one after another, a maze of twirls and dots and qulggles that you would say no man on earth could read. And not many can. The sub-editors can, of course rour giave-niceu young men In the inevitable fez and overcoat, solemnly translating from the Times; they salaam respectfully, and when the Englishman, who looks as If lie u.vi money, returns their salute, as being brother Journalists, It surprises them much. "But," says the editor, "our circulation is as large as any In the east, but not large enough to necessi tate a rotary machine; yet we sell 5000 conies dally; It Is something lu a place like this. It is difficult; other naive papers are subsidized by France or Tni-kev or others: we. because we are independent, must shift for ourselves, Rtuf it irrnws and crows: our paper Is read In India and Somalllnud." Lon don Mall. INDIRECTION. Fair are the flowers and the children, but their subtle suggestion is fairer; Rare is the rose-burst of dawn, but the secret that clasps it is rarer; Sweet the exultanee of song, but the strain that precedes it is sweeter, And never was poem yet writ, but the meaning outmastered the meter. Never a daisy that grows but a mystery guidth the growing; Never a river that flows, but a majesty scepters the flowing; Never a Shakspeare that soared, but a stronger than he did enfold him, Nor ever a prophet foretells, but a might ier seer hath foretold him. Back of tho canvas that throbs the paint er is hinted and hidden; Into the statue that breathes the soul of the sculntor Is bidden; Under the joy that is felt lie the Infinite Issues of feeling; Crowning the glory revealed Is the glory that crowns the revealing. the symbols of being, but that which is s.vmbolled Is greater; Vast the create and beheld, but vaster the inward creator; Back of the sound broods the silence, back of the gift stands the giving; Back of the hand that receives thrill the sensitive nerves of receiving. Bpace is as nothing to spirit, the deed Is ntitilone liv the doing; TIia honrt nf Hie wooer is warm, out warmer the heart of the wooing; Anil nn from the nit where these shiver, and up from the heights wuere uiose shine Twin voices and shadows swim starward and the essence of life is divine. Washington Star. Brave Girl. "It's a dreadful thing," he said, with a gloomy air, "that ice oreani makers are getting so unscrupulous that they put glue in the frozen mix ture to give it firmness." The pretty girl set her lips together Jonegj ag0 The total rainfall in Ashland thus far in January amounts to 3.06 inches, within half an inch of the average tor the entire month of January, as shown by the records lor 17 years past. for an instant. "That may be true," she responded, rubbing the spoon suggestively over her empty plate, "but I do not believe one dish of it ever would make anybody stuck up." And he had to order a second allow anoe. N. Y. Recorder. Straggle! ef the Young Mind. The following are extracts from ex amination papers presented by pupils at a prominent private school in this neigh borhood: In history Q.: "What was tho character of Henry VIII?" A.: "Henry VIII was a congenial libertine." In rhetoric Q.: "What is an epigram?" A.: "An epigram is a figure of speech sometimes used in a Joke and some times on tombstones." Definitions "A myth is a half fish and half woman." "The vowels are five a, e, i, o, and n, and sometimes w and y.' jnow xorK xriuune. From the Found. Lodger How do you buy your sau sages, Mrs. Knag? Mrs. Knag Oh, by the pound. Lodger Ah, I thought it was some where near the pound, from the horse flavor. Larks. It is 18 years since the first Japanese newspaper was established, and now there ate in existence 675 daily and weekly papers, 85 law magazines, 85 medical magazines, 11 scientific and a large number of religious journals. Plenty of Change. "Have yon any change abont yon?" "Can't hear a word ye say." "Becauset. if you have, I can pay you that bet about the war, that I owe you." "Oh, I guess I have change enough for that" Brooklyn Life. Old gentleman f who has received a present of batter from one of hie ten ants) And how does your mother make all these beautiful pattern! on these little cakes, my dear? Meosemrer Wif our comb, air.- Punch. Part of Her Stern Fonnd on liretoa Island Was Blown Up. Mobile, Ala., Jan. 23. The govern ment steamer Pansy touched at Biloxi, Miss., this afternoon, and reports find ing on Breton island a part of the stern of the naphtha launch t'aul a yawl boat with bow smashed and other small articles from the launch. The condition of the wreckage tends to show that the napl tha tank blew un and tote the boat to pieces. The Pansy met the Maud with Messrs. Jones and Taggart on board The latter visited the wreckage and identified it as part of the Paul Jones. No bodies were found. The launch had the following pleas ure seekers on board: Joseph Brink ham. Louisville: Miss Margerie Wood 'land. Chicago: Colonel Harry O. Yo- cum, St. Louis; Miss Florence Yooum, his daughter. The crew consisted of three men whose names are unknown. A Carious Seattle Verdict. Seattle, Wash., Jan. 21. The jury in the trial of Isadore Schopps, for the mnrder of Gus Hoyer, has brought in a verdict of "not guilty by reason ot insanity." Nothing for Coos Bay, Washington, Jan. 23. It is learned that the rivers and harbors committee has left out the appropriation for Coos bay. An item of $100,000 waa made by the department. The committee savs there is not enouirh commerce at that point to warrant the expenditure. A Itank Barglarlced. Arthur, III., Jan. 23. The bank here was entered by burglars last night. The loss is betweeen $1,000 and $5,000. The bandits escaped. Central I'aelfle Stock I p. Ban Francisco, Jan. 23. Central Pacific railroad stock, which lesa than three months ago was quoted at 13, has advanced to 48. Mrs. Stanford own 83.833 shares of the stock, and at 13 it was worth $433,329. At tb present rate she might sell it for tl. 699.981. and it is said she baa re ceived even a better offer. Pop Convalescent- Rome. Jan. 23. Dr. Lapponi, phy lician of the pope, says the pontiff, who has been suffering from a slight attack of influenza, if convalescent. Sea Lions as lint-Catcher. The wonderful alertness and activity of sea lions lu tho water which enables them to get fish for their food In arctic seas are qualities that are manifested In a still more striking way by the cap tlve specimens at the Zoo. These three sprightly individuals in the big outdoor tank have developed into rat-catchers that never miss their prey. Hats are pests that naturally thrive about the animal houses, aud at nlghfs, when the Zoo Is deserted by visitors, tho rodents run in all directions. They are fond of water, aud they flud their way In con siderable number to the sea lion tank to dabble at the water's edge. They may go to the lake and seal pond with im punity, but when they venture to the home of the sea Hons that visit is their last Swiftlossly and noiselessly tho sea Hon dives and reappears at the Bur face precisely at the spot where the rat Is peering Into the tank. One snap and Is all over. The rat goes down the hungry throat at a single gulp. So many rats do the sea lions catch In this fashion that they are sometimes Indis posed to take their early morning meal of fish thrown to them by the keepers. Philadelphia Record. Thepa Aro Others. Ludwlg Lush! Is a good man. lit preached a most valuable sermon to women the other day, and his text was that nmenlficent piece of slang, a gen uine classic In Its way, "There Are Oth ers." A willful young woman who was nrnn-pri tn marrv Lushl threw hlin over "at the last moment without word of warning. She did not really mean It. for five days afterward she telegraphed Lushl to come to another her. and marry her. No doubt she had pictured the distracted Lushl wandering by the rivers briiitt In the moonlight, heaving sighs that raised a heavy sea ou the unusually nnnr.oflll U'dtprS. Ond dwelling OU thoughts of suicidal tinge, mu i-usm was not that sort of a man. ue was one of the men who say: "mere nie fw in the. five days which had nnaseil he bad made the acqualntauc ,. ... hint mnrl'lnrt or nnntner m. nun m.-., her. Iu answer to the telegram he sent imr marked conies of the papers con tnlnlnir the wedding notices. Now Girl No. 1 will go through life with the cheerful conviction that by her folly she lost a real num. But perhaps that kind of a girl would be happier In th end with a man of dougu. .New oi Times. Thn U-turn of the Rations. in Mm pivll was as well as In that Jus nnst our soldiers faced privation and imiornr. A little story. In II. Clay m-.,iuiir recent book. "War Memor les of a Chaplain," tells of the spirit which they sometimes did It. wiith. l.efore Petersburg, doing siege ,.-.ni.- in Hip summer of 1MH, our mi had wormy hardtack served out to them. It was a severe trial to the men. Breaking open the biscuits and finding live worms In them, they would inrow the pieces In the trenches, although tho orders were to keep the trendies clean. A brigade officer of the day, seeing some of these scraps along our front, called out sharply to our men: "Throw that hardtack out of ths trenches." Then, as the men promptly gathered It up. he added. "Don't you know that you've no business to throw hardtack In the trenches?" Out from the Injured soldier heart there came the reasonable explanation: "We've thrown It out two or three tirnci, sir, but it crawls back." Well, for a day or two a few maj remark my absence, and then " He finished the sentence with a care less wave of his hand, to denote tht ephemeral nature of the friendship he conceived was felt for him. "But there are no nice girls there," she remarked, mischievously. She was trying to get back to the coquette again. But her eyes were moist. That Isn't a consideration,"-he an swered, gloomily. "There's only one girl In this world for whose smile I'd give the hopes I entertain for my busi ness future, and I'm afraid that In her eyes I'm but as all the rest of the world." "Who Is the young lady, may I ask; do I know her?" she queried, with an attempt at gayety. Warren glanced at her, but she wasn't looking at him. She seemed to be manifesting an ex traordinary Interest In picking at the end of a ribbon on her dress. "I've just been reading the Social Gossip," wrote Marlon, who hud gone West for a month on a business trip, "and I congratulate you. But why In tho name of all that's absurd did you hesitate to call for a show of hands, when you held a flush? One of these fine days you will want a crest. How would this suggestion meet your ap proval: 'A bold bluff painted ou a field of blue?'" And he underscored two words In the last sentence. Boston Herald. . A GAME OF BLUFF. A- Ma Had Spelling a Disease. A medical authority claims that bad spelling is caused by a disease. In c r tain conditions of brain and nerves the patient frequently writes "of instead of "to." In another slightly varying form, instead of "the," tho first letter is omitted, and so In many other sho;t words. The malady usually affects the brain only In connection with words of one syllable, but caKes have occurred where longer words have been so distorted that It was difficult to get their sense. It Is a question whether one would be comforted by being told that bad spelling wus caused by mental disease or whether out would prefer to have this lack of ac curacy set down to Ignorance or care lessness. That It is not always a p:o:l of defective education Is quite certain. Philadelphia Lodger. It HarTron. Saffron would strike an ordinary ob server as decidedly expensive at 50 shil lines a pound, until told that It Is com posed of the central small portions only of the flowers of a crocus, 70,000 of which It takes to yield the material for one pound. Chambers' Journal. Poisonous Castor Oil l'lant. There Is no plant which animals so detest as the castor oil plant, It being poisonous to the whole animal world. A goat will starve rather than eat It, and those destroyers of everything green, the locust and army worm, wllj not feed upon It. Old Well. Over GO.OOO oil wells have been struck In the United States. , Tree's Itoot In a Tomb. Meehan's Monthly has recorded trees prowluz from the mortar of stone walls and on church steeples. It Is said that a horse chestnut several years old is still growing from a tomb Inside an old church at Ketnpscy, near Worcester, Fnirland. The monument Dulil in the church Is to the memory of Sir Edmund Wylde, who died In 10'JO. The tree is now several years old, having sprouted In the crevices of the mortar on the back of the tomb, spreads toward the light and forms a leafy canopy over the stone form of the old kulght as cut on the surface. A llus4ian Sect. A new religious sect tins been found ed lu Russia, iu the province of Sara tov, the main Idea of the members of whldi Is thut while the soul Is Iminor tul the body Is of the devil and should therefore be neglected as far as possi ble. In KukhWi this possibility goes further than anywhere ebo in the world. The leader of this sect Is a fa natic of the name of Panjuckko, and neither be nor bis followers will con sent to wash, thunge their clothes or clean their bouses. Indeed, their gos pel Is dirt. Marriageable In Turkey. The Turkish woman Is marriageable at the nee of 0 years, and by Turkish law, at that age, If married, she Is com Detent to manage her property and dls- nose of one-third of her fortune. Tho law allows her to abandon her hus band's bouse for just cause, and will protect her In so doing. She cannot bo compdk-d to labor for tho support of her husband. Soms people are so skcptlcul that they even doubt their own doubts. t ( a ItAG and a bone and a hank hair," cynically quoted Marlon. The next moment he renented his words, when he noted the hurt look, accompanied by the flash of resentment. In Warren s eyes. Marlon meant to be sympatnetic, after the manner of men, by uttering philosophical platitudes as a balm for .,,Mm..ntiii honrt troubles, but he quickly realized that the case before him was too genuine ana severe to ue cured by such superficial ointment as quotations from cynical Kipling. So he took another tact. "Of course, old man, there are women and women. Some can be naa tor me asking, while others play for all the line they can get. It's JUBt into nsn Ing" his metaphor suggesting an Il lustration from out his sporting pro clivities "a hornpout will bite at al most anything, but a gamy trout in sists ou a nice fly for nn attraction, and even after you've got one really hooked you've got to play It until your patience Is almost gone. Now, you'd rather have a girl with some spirit, one who'd stand you off for a time, than one who was all the time throw ing herself at your head, wouldn't you?" Warren vouchsafed a weaif, aouoirui "Yes." "By the way, have you asked hor7 "No. That's the difficulty. I don't really get a chance. Just as I get my self spurred up to the mark some con founded interruntiori lntortercsr orsne switches me off on a sidetrack with some remark or other." "You think the girl really cares for you?" asked Marlon, dropping bis rail lery and becoming serious. "I think she does," frankly answered Wurren, "although sometimes I feel as If I didn't know whether she did or nrtt." be continued, somewhat dubi ously. "Well, there's only one way to find out," remarked Marlon, "and that Is to-sny, I have a plan," breaking abruptly Into his sentence. "I have a plan," he slowly repeated, "and I be lieve It will work If you follow my ad vice. Put yourself In my hands," he continued, his face brightening ns hit) plan was unfolded to his mlml, "and I'll bet dollars to doughnuts that you u win out." Then he buttonholed Wur .. . . ... . i .1 run, puneu mm into a corner, unu uu- ressod him In a low, earnest tone, in terspersing his remarks with emphatic gestures. When ho had finished War ren still looked dubious, but somewhat more hopeful. "Oh, good evening, Mr. Warren. I'm so glaa to see you. were gum puck lng up, getting ready to go to tho moun tains." Indeed! Lovely weather. Hope you'll have a pleasant time." But he might have been a pnonograpn, or a runch-ond-Judy operator, for all tho expression he put into ins wonis. "Oh, I've no doubt wo will," she an swered, with a toss of her head. "There's so much going on there nil the time, and so many interesting peo ple to meet," she continued, with a bored air, as If her Immediate sur roundings were productive of nothing but ennui. "yes," he nssentcd, In a listless mono tone, which might mean anything or nothing. Shu pretended not to notice bis ab stracted manner, and rattled on. "My friends write me there are ever O many nice people mem, unu wuu coif and driving and dancing there'll be no end of fun." "Yes." Again that tone of polite Indifference "Well. I'm going for a trip myself," he added, rousing hlm.-elf f.om his leth orgy, aud almost blurting out his re nin rk. "Indeed! Where V This was her turn, and she countered forcibly In the mutter of polite Indif ference. "To Hongkong." "To Hongkong?" This time she was Interested, In spit;? of herself. She repeated his remark, with distinct emphasis on the words, and a rising Inflection on the end of each. "Oh, come, now, you're Joking. You're " "No, really," he asserted; "there's an Opening there In our house. They want a young man to take charge of their No bird can fly backward without turning. The dragon fly, however, can accomplish this feat and outstrip any swallow. Oysters, after they have been brought away from the sea, know by Instinct the exact hour when the tide Is rising and approaching their beds and bo, of their own accord, open their shells to receive their food from the sea, as If they were still at home. The tongues of the cat family are covered with recurving spines. In the common domestic cat these are small, but sufficiently well developed to give the tongue a feeling of roughness. But In the lion and tiger the spines are strong enough to enable the animal to tear away the skin of a man's hand merely by licking It. There are several species of fish, rep tiles and Insects which never sleep dur ing their stay in this world. Among fish It is now positively known that pike, snlmon and goldfish never sleep at all. Also that there are several others of the fish family that never sleep more than" a few minutes during a month. There are dozens of species of files which never Indulge In slumber and from three to five species of serpents which the naturalists have never yet been able to catch napping. Women are strongest when Incased t the armor of their weakness. branch banking-house there, and I can have the place. It looks like a good opening, and I thought I'd tuke It. Of course, It means"-clearing his thsoat "tearing one's self away from one's friends, but then, I probably will not bo greutly missed." "Oh, Mr. Warren," broke In the girl, reproachfully. Tho coquettish manner was gone. The genuine woman was sneaking. The Pig Was Stolen. Whether "a llo told and stuck to artorwnrflsriiros "?flinrTTieti'tiTir was debated at the dinner table where a niooi was sitting one day, and It brought out the following story from a rather dysieptlc-lookIng man who had oaten very sparingly: "I used to llvo In the country," said he. "One of my neighbors,' an unlucky, unthrifty sort of a man, killed a pig one day with tho aid of a local butcher, ity jinks, Sam, I hate to cut up that pig.' 'Why?' "Cause, you see, I'm owln' most everybody hero a piece of pork, n,nd If I cut up the pig I'll hnvo to give most of him away.' 'I tell you what to do,' said the butehor. 'What's that?' 'I'd have the pig hung up out doors till twelve o'clock at night, then take him In and give out tho next morn ing that bo's leen stolen. 'By Jinks, I'll do it; "It was a wonderfully fine plan, tho farmer thought, and he left the pig hanging out, as tho butcher suggested. t eleven o'clock the butcher him self eamo along and packed the pork Into his cart. It was not there when the farmer wont out after It. "The next day, with a long face, ho addressed tho butcher In a hoarse whisper: 'I sny, Sam, somebody did really steal that pig.' 'That's right,' said the butcher, nudging him and winking wickedly at tho same time. 'But, by Jinks, the pig was really stolen.' 'That's right; you stick to that and you'll bo all right,' said the butcher, encouragingly, and he hurried off, leaving his friend In a most be wildered stato of mind, from whldi I don't think ho ever fully emerged." Muslo Hath Charm. A couple of sailors, returned from a long voyage, strolled Into the bar parlor of a public hoiiBo near the docks. Above the rumble of the traffic In tho street could bo heard at Intervals a harsh, unmusical voice. After listening Intently for a moment one of the sullors turned to his com panion and suld: "Eh, Jack, lad; It's a long time since wo heard that song." "What song?" "The one thnt fellow's singing In the streot-'The Light of Other Dnys.' " "Stow It!" ejaculated tho other gruff ly. "That fellow ain't singing 'Tho Light of Other Dnys' ut all, man. I'vo been listening to him. He's a plplng 'The Bauks of Allan Water. " Each sailor was certain ho was right, nnd, with characteristic contempt for money, a wager was made a mouth's wages depended ou the result. "Here, Tommy!" called out ono of tho men to the llttlo son of the land lord, "run out and get to know what that fellow's singing." Tommy departed on his errand, which did not tuko many minutes. "Well," demanded Jack when tho youngster returned, "which of us is right?" "Naythur," replied Timy, grinning. "The feller's not singing. He's hawk lug fly-papers!" Answers. "I niuist be getting old," sa'd a woman to-day. "All the friends I go to see are In trouble. I can remember when I didn't have a friend who bad grief." If there Is anything particularly use less lying arouud tho house, you can make up your mind It was wou sa a prize at a card partr.