MOLLY IN THE CHOIR In a blaze of golden sunshine, Babbath morning sunshine gay, Laughed a girl with hair all glory. Fresh young face and eyes of gray. Head uplifted, red lips parted, Caroled she of faith's desire, Sang she with a voice of heaven That was Molly in the choir. In a flood of chastened glory. Great white light from out the West, Stood a woman, loveliest, fairest, In her face her soul expressed. With a voice that pierced the stillness, Chastened sweetness rising higher, Sang she with a voice of heaven That was Molly in the choir. In the gloom of winter, beating 'Gainst the pane fierce storm and sleet, Stands a woman, sorrow-laden. With a face resigned and sweet. Still that voice that rises clearly Thrills all hearts with holy fire; Well she's used her gift from heaven That is Molly in the choir. American Farmer. A HUNDKED- DOLLAR BILL. H ELP me think. I have got to do something. I feel so o responsible," Peggy said to Mabel, who answered, sticking out her chin: "I do hope, Peggy Cray shaw, nobody else won't never die and leave you a hundred-dollar bill. You ain't good for anything In the world since your father brought It home." "If he had Just taken It with him!" Feggy sighed; "mother wanted him to, but he said it was safer here. As if anybody would think of picking pock ets at a weddingl And they won't be back until almost midnight. It's ten miles at least to Cousin Fanny Gor ham's." "I never saw a hundred-dollar bill. Let me look at yours If you know where It Is," Mabel said, almost pens ively. Peggy gave her red skirts an airy flirt, saying: "Of course I know where It Is. Do you reckon they would not tell me, so I couldn't get it first thing If the house should catch fire?" "I thought maybe they hid It until they could buy you those two cows with It," Mabel answered, meekly. Peggy smiled, but said, austerely: "Mother said I must not be vain and purseproud, and I don't mean to be; but It will be nice to have $1,000 all my own when I'm 21. And father says he will give me the keep of the cows for the calves, so the milk and butter In eight years will make me a nice little fortune " "Ohol You're like the milkmaid over In the back of the spelling book," Mabel broke in. Peggy grew very sober. "It s thlnklu' about her makes me so un easy," she said. "Suppose something should go with the money. You know In the story books something always does happen to the money, when It is left at home with nobody but girls to take care of it." "You surely ain't 'fraid of robbers?" Mabel laughed. "There never was one In the county, father says. Nor tramps neither " "You never can tell what's going to happen," Peggy said. "Anyway, I'm goln to get out the money and we'll study up where we'll put it, so It shall be perfectly sare. "Why! It's just like any other bill. I thought It would be ever so big," Mabel said, as Peggy unlocked her fa ther's desk, touched the spring of the secret drawer and drew out a bit of crisp green paper. Together they spread It flat on the desk and traced the figures with eager, happy fingers. "You see It's hundred all right!" Peggy said, with a note of triumph which she tried vainly to subdue. Mabel squinted at it critically. "If I was you I'd pin It tight to my undcrbody," she said, "then It couldn't get lost, and nobody could find It." "That won't do at all. Of course, rob bers would look In our clothes first thing, after they didn't find it in the desk." Peggy answered. "Besides, we're goin' In the orchard for a basket of sweetings, and It might work loose." "Oh, I know where it'll be safe! Let's put it under Seraphine's new face be fore we sew It on. Nobody In the world would ever find It there," Mabel cried. Peggy heard ber almost with envy. Seraphine was her biggest doll, a stout, bunchy rag damsel, who had a .new staring, clean, white countenance every year of her life. If the bill, neatly folded, made her face somewhat bloat ed, as Mabel said, nobody that ever lived would guess the reason for It. Peggy added, "We mustn't put her away In the closet, or a drawer. That might make the robbers think we'll Just throw her there on the window seat, where we can keep an eye on her, and we will look like we had been play ing with her and had dropped her." "Yes," Mabel nodded, "and If any thing comes we'll pick her up and slip out to the orchard. They never can find us If we get up high where the leaves are so thick in the tops of the trees." "Let's go there right now! I'm apple hungry " Peggy said, reaching for the basket. Mabel picked up Seraphine, but Peggy said with emphasis, "Mabel Bert, Is that all the sense you have got? Suppose we met the robbers right at the door as we came back? They'd know right off we had a reason for lugging Seraphine around!" "They'd Just think we were fond of ber. I am!" Mabel said stoutly, cud dling Seraphine and smoothing her red skirts affectionately. But Peggy snatch ed the doll and flung her against the window seat with a resounding thump, then banged the door behind ber and ran with Mabel for the apples. They were gone only a minute at least it seemed so to themselves, but when they got back a tall man hallooed lustily at the gate. "Say! Come here, you young misses! Are the people at this place all dead or asleep? My name is John Dutch I've come twenty miles to fetch 'Squire Crayshaw that filly be said he'd buy last week." "You'll have to come In and wait, Mr. Dutch. He won't be home for ever so long," Peggy said, hospitably, setting open the door. Mr. Dutch shook his head. "Can't wait," he said, but got down from his horse and led through the yard gate a haltered filly, the very prettiest thing on four icsfa Peggy had ever seen. The filly pulled back, thea nipped at Dutch as though angry, but when. Mabel ran up to her she put down her dainty head to be stroked. "She is mad with you because you made her come too fast. See how her flanks heave," Peggy said. Dutch smiled oddly as he answered: "I had to come fast. I am bound to go buck to-night, and the days are short now. Say, miss, didn't your father leave the money for me? I can't well go with out It the filly, you see, Is just partly mine, and 'tother fellow's a cross-grained chap that don't trust anybody." "He didn't leave any money at all but my hundred dollars," Peggy said, try ing to speak carelessly. Dutch laughed again. "Funny!" he said, "but that's Just the price of this beauty. She's worth double, but I well, I don't like to be partner with a skinflint. Suppose you buy the beast, seein' the 'Squire ain't here and then tell him if he wants her, why! he must give you two hundred." "Oh, Peggy! Don't!" Mabel said eagerly, but Peggy frowned at her. "Don't you mind her, Mr. Dutch," she said. "Of course, I'll give you the money. Father must have forgotten you were coming, but I won't make him pay me quite two hundred. That wouldn't be fair would it?" "Anything's fair In a horse trade," Dutch said. "But let's finish our bar gain. I must be movln' fast. Get the money, please, while I write a receipt." "In just a minute," Peggy said, lead ing the way to her father's desk. As Dutch sat down he looked apprehens ively over his shoulder through the open door, and said almost In a whis per: "Make haste." Hand in hand, Peggy and Mabel ran to find Seraphine. Seraphine had van ished. Yet the room was undisturbed, the windows fast, the door securely latched, Tipsy, the white kitten, sleep ing peacefully beside the fire. The children looked at each other, awe struck, then began to cry. Dutch dart ed In to them. "If you've been fooling me you'll be sorry for It," he said sav agely. "You had that hundred dollars I know it I know about your aunt's will. Give It to me. Quick! Quick! Do you hear? ' I'm bound to get away." "Hardly when you leave a stolon filly plain to view," a man said, step ping behind Dutch and seizing both wrists. Dutch struggled hard, but was promptly knocked down by the Sheriff and his deputies, who had been hot on the trail. "I really thought better of you, Hanklns," the Sheriff said, as he snapped the handcuffs on his prlsouer. "It Isn't like you to botch things this way. I suppose, though, you have grown careless as you had stolen sev en horses and got away with them, you thought you'd make the rlflle with the eighth, no matter what you did." "How did he get my hundred dollar bill? Make him tell. Make him give it back. He stole It while we were In the orchard," Peggy cried, shrilly. The Sheriff looked significantly at Hank lns. Hanklns shook his head. "I came after it," he said, defiantly, "but sure as I'm in these bracelets, If it's gone, somebody else got it. If I had got It, you'd a-never caught me. The stock's dead beat I'd a-left It and struck for the railroad. I knew you were not two miles behind." Search proved that he told the truth. When the Sheriff had taken him a way Peggy and Mabel ransacked the pi-env lses. They looked under the "beds," In every drawer and cuddy, the kitchen closet, the woodshed, even-the pigeon house,' the chicken coop and the pump shed. "I don't believe it could have got to the barn," Peggy said despair ingly, "and the cellar door Is locked fast and tight," Mabel added, through sympathetic tears. Still they searched spasmodically, with no appetite for anything but sweetcake, until 'Squire Crayshaw and his wife came home from the wedding.. They brought a great bundle of goodies, the sight of which consoled Mabel to such an ex tent that Peggy said, between sobs: "I wouldn't sit there and gorge iced pound-cake, Mabel Bert, If you had had lost your whole fortune." Just 'as she said it there came a queer lumbering pit-pat on the kitchen stairs, which ran up in one corner and led to a low, dark closet. Peggy and Mabel had looked It through as best they might by light of the stnble lantern, turning Inside out everything but Bose's box bed beside the warm chim ney, In which Bose himself, most wag gish of shepherd puppies, lay curled Into a fuzzy ball. Bose was coming down the stairs now, moving sldewlse, with something scarlet and heavylsh In his mouth. At sight of his master he tumbled down the last three steps, dashed across the floor and laid the something at his feet, wagging his tall and looking up, as if for a word of praise. "Why, It's Seraphine! ne carried ffer off to his bed!" Mabel screamed. Peggy had her arms about the puppy's neck. "Oh, you darling! You saved my hun dred dollar bill!" she cried. Cincinnati Commercial Gazette. NEW HANDSHAKE. Introduced in Washing-ton by Assist ant Secretary Meiklejohn. Representative Amos J. Cummings was one of a party of twelve who at tended a dinner given by a public of ficial a few evenings since. He knew all the diners save one, a Western politi cian, who was a friend of the host The host Introduced bis Congressional friends to his guest from the West. Mr. Cummings was the first to be intro duced. The Westerner, wearing an evening suit, patent leather shoes, etc., advanced, holding his right band on a level with his forehead. Mr. Cummings approached to within a few feet of the extended band and baited. He looked the Westerner squarely In the eye, glanced hastily at the outstretched arm, and as he grasped It said smil ingly: "Ugh! You shake bands like Meikle john." At this everybody laughed. Mr. Meiklejohn, who helps Mr. Alger man age the War Department, Is noted for his handshake, and his friends have a little quiet fun with him because of his affected manners. It may be remarked in passing that the Westerner Is an In timate friend of the Assistant Secre tary and has acquired the top-lofty handshake from association with him. Washington special New York World. There Is always a quarrel going on as to which is tie more fickle, men or women. Both are so fickle that the abould be ashamed of themselves. Since the news of the surrender of Santiago was signaled to Admiral Sampson by the heliograph, that de vice has become a more popular con sideration in a prominent and Interest ing way. From time Immemorial there has existed with all nations some sys tem of communication by sight or sound. In this country it dates back to the aborigines, who made use of a method involving the waving of a blanket to obscure fire or smoke at long and short Intervals. From this crude system of the red man there has evolved by slow stages the perfect heliograph code of to-day, whereby flashes of sunlight are sent scores of miles by the Morse system of telegra phy, conveying messages from one body of troops to another; or from headquar ters to a detachment in the field. In the larger cities, of late years, when there Is a street parade and the na tional guard turns out, spectators have noticed a peculiar detachment of troops following In the wake of each regiment men with crossed flags on their sleeves, long leather-bound cases like gun cases under their nrms, and other unfamiliar paraphernalia. These men constitute the "signal corps," and this branch of the service is now on a plane with the costly regular army. The heliograph, or sun glass, Is the greatest of modern improvements In the field of signalling devices. In form It is a glass four Inches square, and In Its center is a minute hole. The operator holds the glass to the sun in such a position that, sighting through the aperture, he strikes a spot on the sight ing rod. This, on rifle principle, is gauged by distance, and Is set by ex periment until the operator knows that a certain point upon it will give him the range o! the point he desires to Bend his message to by flashes. The communication, In dots and dashes, Is carried on by a shutter with which the operator cuts off the flashes or elongates them at will. A short flash Is a dot a long one a dash. The heli ograph can send Its sunlight a wonder ful distance. Last year In the Rocky Mountains, Captain Glassford, of the department of the Colorado, flashed a message from Mount Ellen to Mount Uncompaghre, a distance of 185 miles. The power of the light Is also great Turned on to the dome of a State cap ital building one day recently, from a station miles away, the refraction of the rays proved so great that the dome could not be seen. The shutters are worked by two little rings, arranged like the handles of a scissors, Into which the thumb and one finger of the operator fits. When the hand Is closed the shutters fly back, exposing the mirror to the sun light, and a flash is at once emitted like that with which a small boy tan talizes one in a window with a piece of mirror. With a few minutes' practice any telegraph operator can manage a heliograph. Reading the flashes as they came over miles of space to the other station Is not so easy, however. One soldier stands behind the Instru ment which is not In use, and reads off the message flashed to him by the distant Instrument to another man, who takes it down In regular form on a telegraph blank. In November, 1893. Assistant Super intendent Lloyd, of the Western Union, tendered his services to the Second Illinois Regiment for the organization of a signal corps. This led to an or ganization, so that now in three State brigades there are ninety skilled signal men. The first Important work of the corps was during the thirty-three days of camp service during the great Debs labor strike at Chicago. The system was here found to be Invaluable, for In at least half a dozen instances the sun flashes warned bodies of soldiers of the approaching riot, or served to con vey calls for assistance. There was a signal station at every threatened point Later, at Camp Lincoln en campments, the system was advanced I to the very highest grade of proflcl eneyi In addition to the heliograph, the .various signal corps are now fully .equipped with flags for day use, , torches for night service, telegraph In struments and reels of wire, and every known device for transmitting mes sages by sight or sound, skilled slg- ' nailers can telegraph by wire, by wig wag, by flashes, by torch, by knife or fork. They can make a common mlr- f fr do heliograph duty in time of meed, and can clogdance to the dots and dashes of the Morse alphabet. During the war of the rebellion signalling was mainly done by flags. The code was cumbersome then, the heliograph un known. Yet the signal corps was an effective aid to every division of the army. Grant signalled the orders that concentrated the brigades below Vicks burg, and In the later battle of Look out Mountain, the famous "battle above the clouds," accurate Information of the enemy's position was waved from cliff to valley headquarters, and from tree to riverside. General Albert J. Meyer was the father of the army sig nal service, and his principles save as to code are still followed. The flag code now Is very complete, and every move of the red flag to right or left, up or down, or swung In cir cles, conveys a definite message to field-glasses far away. During the In dian wars out West signalling was an Important feature of an erratic and dif ficult warfare. The far-distance sys tem was there In general vogue. It was the heliograph which caused the surrender of the terrible Apache chief, Geronimo. When he was corralled In some hundreds of square miles of Ari zona desert, a signal service station was placed at every watering place. The flashes gave warning whenever the thirsty remnant of the once powerful band approached any of the springs. Finding that he would die of thirst un less he made a hopeless attack upon the troops, the chief a.t last consented to a parley and to final surrender. The effectiveness of the signal system with both land and sea forces during the Cuban war, Is one of the most Interest ing and Important features of that campaign. Everywhere the heliograph and the wig-wag system of flags were in use, and the signal corps were In fluential in hastening the course of many events upon which hung the destinies of army and fleet. Duties of a Landsmen. An uptown drug clerk desired to en list In the United States navy. He was SOLDIERS USING TnE HELIOGRAPH. an efficient druggist, but he strenuously disliked being In undignified haste over anything. In fact, his disposition to take everything slowly and In the most dignified manner had seriously stood In the way of his advancement even In his own particular calling, and It was part ly for this reason that be desired to join the navy. "In what capacity do you wish to en list?" asked the recruiting otlicer very briskly. "As a druggist, sir," replied the appli cant "Can't do it; we'll have to ship you as a landsman." "What does a landsman have to do?" questioned the applicant, doubtfully. "Anything he's told, and do it quick, too." New Orleans Times-Democrat OLD BANBURY CROSS. Once a beat Thing Its Bite Is Still Marked. Old Banbury Cross, of which every one has heard in the rhyme, "Ride a cock horse," Is not a fiction. It once stood In Banbury, which Is a town that dates back even to the Reformation. In literature, too, It has had secure men tion any time the last 300 or 400 years. r' mi ere It Is, therefore, as a disappointment to be told although we knew It before, we always know It that Banbury Is a mere country place In England, which for centuries remained of no little com mercial Importance, even crediting It with plenty of cheese and tarts of Its own production. These, It Is true, are still famous all over England. In re cent years there has been an accession of business there In the manufacture of agricultural Implements. It Is a mar ket and borough town, situated on the River Cher well, sixty Ave miles from i.Mi, London. It boast? a large church that hi an imitation of St. Paul's cathedral. The original Banbury cross was, un fortunately, destroyed by the Puritans at the Reformation. A steeple type of structure, something on the lines of the Martyrs' Memorial at Oxford, now marks the place where It stood. The fine lady of the nursery jingle Is an al lusion to the habit of the "old woman of Banbury," known also as the "witch of the white horse." Like the cross, she has loug since disappeared, but her memory Is kept green by the procession In the town at royal Jubilees, occasions of rare occurrence, except In recent years under the present happy reign. FATHER OF PENNY POSTAGE. J. Hennlker Heaton, M. P., Receiving Great Praise for His Work. J. Honniker Heaton, M. P., the father of the Imperial penny postage In the British Empire, is receiving no end of praise for his work, especially from the colonists. He has been In Parliament many years, and has made himself Im mensely popular by his labors for a re duction of the letter postage which is almost international. Perhaps Mr. Heaton was not altogether disinterest ed in the scheme, for he is the proprie tor of one of the largest newspaper J. HBNXIKtCR BEATON. properties In Australia. At the same time he is receiving the blessings of millions of her majesty's subjects who write letters to friends beyond the seas. The penny postage plan went into ef fect on Christmas day, and is only one of Its author's schemes for postal re- form. It was he who Introduced the telegraph money order system Into Great Britain. He likewise showed the French postal authorities the utilities and beauties of the parcel post. Mr, Heaton has other phases of character than that of postal reformer. He is an author of ability and a contributor to the periodicals. Ills "Australian Dic tionary of Dates and Men of the Time" Is an authority and a most useful book. He was born at Rochester In 1818 and Is a very rich man. Among his other achievements is that of Inaugurating International parliamentary chess matches between Great Britain and the United States. COAL IS KING. Its Mighty Power Controls Onr En tire Civilization. We could not do without coal. This commodity has become an absolute nc cesslty of modern life. A failure In the coal supply would deprive us at one blow of the means of locomotion, light, warmth and cooked food. It would more than treble the cost of all coin modltles which are at present manu factured by steam power. In our great cities It would at once cause an unprec edented famine, ns It would bo lmpos slble to meet the requirements of the markets. It would convert our navy Into a collection of useless hulks, and would probably establish Norway or Sweden as the greatest naval power In the world. It would make Russia the greatest commercial power, as this Is the only country which uses oil almost entirely for purposes of locomotion, and which has enormous stores of that commodity within Its borders. Coun tries with large populations would be come uninhabitable, and the world would drift back Into a pastoral condi tion. The vast majority of stocks and shares would be converted Into so much waste paper. It would probably take at least a century to repair the devasta tion that would ensue. Pearls of Great Price. The most magnificent and costly pearl necklace In the world Is in the possession of the Countess Heuckel, well known in London and Paris. It Is made of three historical necklaces, each of which has enjoyed considerable celebrity In former times. One of them, valued at 2,000, was sold to the Count ess by a grandee of Spain, and Is known as the "necklace of the Virgin of Atokha." The second belonged to the ex-Queen of Naples, and the third was the famous necklace belonging to the Empress Eugenie and by her lately sold to a London Jeweler for f 20,000. An Old Palace. Lambeth Palace, Loudon, has been the home of the primates of Canter bury for seven centuries. This place can show specimens of almost every style of architecture which has pre vailed since 1100. If a young man takes a girl out sleigh riding, he has a light to demand that she bold his hands when they get home, to thaw them out SENATOR WILLIAM M. STEWART. United States Senator William Morris Stewart of Nevada is known as tha "Santa Claus" of the Senate. The Senator gets this name by way of his plentiful crop of shiny gray whiskers and his rubicund face, which beams through its snowy frame of beard with the incandescence of that robust health the old miner has ever enjoyed. Stewart was first elected to the Senate In 1804 and was re-elected in 18G9. After that he practiced law in Nevada until 1887, when he was sent back to his sent to succeed Senator Fair, and he was re-elected in 1893. Senator Stewart has passed through some exciting and dangerous incidents during his long life. Born in New York, brought up in Ohio, and half educated at Yale, he went West in 1850 to dig gold, and found it. In 1800 he settled In Nevada and has been prominent In mining, law and politics ever since. Stewart likes to tell stories of his early mining experiences and to relate marvelous tales of his ability, ns a pistol shot, of certain brave Work he did among the desperate men of '49. Stewart has ever shouted about Nevnda "my Nevada" and his tremendous knowledge of mining laws won him a big practice and caused him to be popular. He has been the foremost champion of free silver In tiie Senate, and the foremost In Cougress, with the exception of Richard Parks Bland, v I REV. CHARLES CHINIQUY. His Career Was Unparalleled in Cana da's Hlstorjr. The death of Rev. Charles CMulquy, which occurred in Montreal recently, removed a prominent figure In Cana dian religious circles and one who had a career unparalleled. Brought up a devout Roman Catholic and ordained a priest, he devoted the last thlrty-nlfle years of his life to teaching a doctrine that was entirely opposed to the one he to zealously propagated in his youth. He was born at Kamomaska, Quebec, In 1809 and was educated In the Catho lic faith. When only 8 years of age he was thoroughly acquainted with the main facts of Bible history. He entered upon a theological course and was or dained In the Cathedral of Quebec In 1833. He became specially Interested In temperance work in Quebec province and met with flattering success. His tame as a temperance advocate grew apace and the Parliament of Lower Canada In 1851 passed him a vote of thanks and 500 In recognition of his light against drunkenness. The city of Montreal gave him a gold medal. The pope sent his benediction to Chlnoquy tor bis work and the bishop of bis dio cese bestowed upon him the title of "Apostle of Temperance." In 1850 he was called by Bishop Van develde, of Chicago, to found a Roman Catholic colony In the valley of the Mississippi. He accepted the task and brought over 5,000 French Canadians to St. Anne, 111. Everything went well for a time, but Bishop Vandeveldo died and his successor treated Father Chl nlquy's colony In a way that displeased the priest, who appealed to the higher authorities of the church for protection against his bishop. In fact, Father ChirJquy's theologilcnl views were un dergoing a change. The bishop Inter dicted him and a land speculator named Spink hnd him arrested on a certain charge. Chlniquy was defended by "Abe" Lincoln, and was honorably ac quitted. Bishop O'Regan was deposed, but his successor, Bishop Smith, wish ed to subdue Chlniquy, and after a stormy Interview declared that Chlni quy was no longer a priest of Rome. The latter returned to his colony, told them what had taken place, ex- plained bow his views bud changed and that he intended applying for admis sion to a Protestant body. Ills parish ioners stood by him to a man and In 18W the pnstor and congregation were received Into the Tresbyterlan Church. inventions Intended to Discourage the Noble profession of Jlurglary, Applications have been made to tho Patent Office In Washington for the protection of three Inventions to dis courage burglary and more especially train robbery. They provide punish ments compared with which the tor FAMOUS HEADLESS Mil 'FATlIKIl" ClIINISIur. This picture shows China's famous headless sword, which has been an Institu tion ever since the foundation of the Chinese empire. It gives the right to behead any person at sight regardless of rank or dignity. Although the "bhang Fund" sword has been an institution ever since earliest Chinese history, it has been, ouljr ones bestowed during the present dynasty, tures of the Inquisition were mere pas times. The penalties are electrical. Th rvsfl who make use of them may choose be tween scalding a burglar to death, fin ing him full of lead, or merely shocking him into unconsciousness, if it Is not desired to execute him by machinery, i The best device Is quite original. It! provides for a kind of trap door directly in front of the safe, placed In such a position that it will bo Impossible for, the burglar to reach the safe unless h steps upon It Directly he touches this trap tne robber will be enveloped in hissing, blistering steam. . I The purely electrical protector Is more Interesting. It can be adjusted so that It will paralyze, malm or kill as, Is desired. A powerful electrical bat tery is connected with a safe. In front of the safe is a steel mat. When the thief stands on the mat and touches the knob or any part of the safe he will receive a shock that will put an end of his energy. New York World. BEECHER RIFLES CHURCH. : One of the Oldest in Kansas and One of the Most Interesting. One of the most Interesting churches In Kansas and a striking reminder of the character of Henry Ward Beecher stands In the little town of Wabaunsee. It Is the Beecher Rifles Church, erected by the men who went out from Hart- BKKCIIER RIFLES CIIUItCK. ford, Conn., In 1854 to help free Kan sas. Beecher went to the meeting at which the company was organized, and standing before tho large audience sub scribed enough to buy a rlflo for ono of the men. He went home to Brook lyn and raised enough In his own con gregation to purchaso a rifle, a BIblo and a hymn-book for every member of the compnny, and these were carried away when the 125 men marched out of their home city toward tho West They built the church soon after found ing their colony, and called it after their regiment, the Beecher Rifles. They went to church carrying the rifles, and stored them In the vestibule. Once they were called upon to attack Indians nnd Southerners while the service was In progress. The preacher adjourned until the skirmish was over and then returned to his sermon. The church Is perhaps the oldest In the State, and Is cherished ns a reminder of a great mn and of stirring times. l ow a Town Is Populated. Every town has a liar or two, a smart Aleck, some pretty girls, more loafers than It needs, a woman or two that tattles, an old fogy that the town would be better off without, men who stand on the street corners and make re marks about the women, a man who laughs an idiotic laugh every time ho says anything, scores of men with tha caboose of their trousers worn smooth as glass, men who can tell you about how the war question should be set tled, tho weather and bow to run other people's business, but who have made a dismal failure of their own. North port News. i 1 SWORD OP CHINA. lilll 5