THE OPEN DOOR.
PRESIDENT LINCOLN had Just
issued a call for more troops, and
volunteers from every direction
responded with the unhesitating alac
rity of true patriots. Some of the
States failed to furnish their full quo'a,
however, and Iowa was among the de
linquents. Then came the order for a
draft, and the name of Hon. James
FIsk of . D- headed the list of
the drafted. This was no particular
credit to his fellow townsmen, for la
spite of his title (which, by the way,
was a tribute to wealth only), a meaner,
more miserly creature than James Flsk
never lived upon this earth.
He was Just In the prime of life, or
would have been had he been less self
ish, but little by little certain objec
tionable traits of character had left
their Imprint upon his countenance
until he appeared prematurely aged.
Hence the sobriquet of "Old Jim Fisk,"
which he was familiarly called by
every man, woman and child except
ing on rare occasions when discretion
was considered the better part of valor.
The Hon. James Fisk was a banker,
a railroad magnate, and a real es
tate man combined. In fact, he had
owned a large portion of the town In Its
early history, and he therefore consid
ered himself of no small importance in
the financial world at least. L:ke many
another, he loved his money first, him
self next and his country last, as well
as least; though it Is said that when
he ran for United States Senator during
the previous campaign, he made some
thrillingly patriotic speceches, and ap
parently without the slightest com
punction. In those days he was called
"Old Sodom and Gomorrah," an appel
' latlon which he never quite outgrew.
James Fisk was not the type of a
man who could conscientiously sing
"America" or "The Star Spangled Ban
ner," consequently he felt that per
sonal Insult had been directed to him
when the President had the audacity to
plnce his name with the rest of the
common herd. Nevertheless, It was a
case of compulsion, and he knew that
he must either hire a substitute or go
Into the army himself. The former
was not very easy to accomplish, as
the majority of the poor men had al
ready enlisted, and money,' at such a
time, was no Inducement to the rich
men.
He was not In an especially amiable
mood, when at the close of an unsuc
cessful day spent In search of a substi
tute, he entered his office to attend to
the afternoon mall. As he read the
last letter a heavier scowl deepened
upon his forehead and he exclaimed
harshly:
' "The young jackanapes need not
think that he can fool with a hornet
and not get stung. Extend their time,
Indeed! Why, the interest was due a
month ago! I'll foreclose the mortgage
to-morrow."
A new thought seemed to occur to
bim, for the muscles of the stern mouth
relaxed; he smiled blandly, rubbed his
bands together caressingly, and said:
"Mr. Flsk, you're a diplomat a born
diplomat. loure an honor to your
country, but more particularly to your
self. If you can only manage this thing
properly, you will be all right yes, all
right."
At the close of the foregoing soliloquy
he lillod out a telegraph blank as fol
lows: "Horace W. Packard, Carson City,
Iowa Have found a way to help you
out. Come to D on first train.
"JAMES FISK."
The message was soon dispatched,
and reached Its destination Just as Hor
ace and his mother were sitting down
to their evening meal.
"Old Moneybags Is getting awfully
considerate, all of a sudden; -what do
you suppose Is back of It, mother?"
asked the boy as he handed the tele
gram to her.
Mrs. Fackard gave a sigh which be
lied her words, but she responded hope
fully, "I don't know, dear, but we will
trust that his heart has softened a little
toward the widow and the fatherless."
"Don't you think you can go with me,
mother? I believe Jones will give us
passes, so you can offer no objection on
that score; anyway, you need a change,
for you look pretty tired these days."
And thus it was settled that Mrs.
Packard was to spend the week with
an old school friend, while her son at
tended to business matters.
Mr. Packard had been one of the first
of Iowa's sons to lay down bis life for
his country. From the hour that bis
father had marched away, Horace had
secretly cherished a desire to Join the
army. He knew that his years were
against him; then, too, bis mother's
heart was so sore at the heavy blow
which bad fallen on their home nest as
the result of the war, that he never
mentioned the subject, and Mrs. Pack
ard little dreamed of the great struggle
that wag going on in the mind of her
boy.
How his heart swelled with patriot
Ism the next day as he walked up Main
street! All D was astir with the
news of war, and a bugle was sounding
the reveille. When be passed a squad
of the drafted men in their gay uni
forms, the sight was almost too much
for him, the war fever was on bim, and
had it not been for the thoughts of bis
already bereaved mother Horace Pack
ar I would have gone at any cost.
An hour later be came out of the of
fice of James Fisk with a determined
look on bis manly face, and It seemed
as If be bad grown an Inch taller.
Mrs. Packard met him at the door,
ana. affectionate greetings were ex
changed. The boy tried to smile, but
when be looked Into bis mother's eyes
be made a miserable failure of It, and
the tears welled up Instead. Tbey were
as quickly dried and be said, "You see,
mother, It Is just like this. Fisk was
going to foreclose the mortgage, but he
eays he will give you a clear title If I
will go as bis substitute. I can't bear
to leave you, little mother, but I do
want to go and fight for my father's
country," and the boy's eyes flashed.
Then he added quietly, "I should go
ooner or later, anyway. This Is our
one opportunity to free oar home from
debt, and you will not say nay,' will
you, mother miner
4 Eat Mrs, Packard sat as If ibe were
&J
3
petrified. At Inst her voice came to her,
aud all the mother love asserted Itself
as she clasped the stalwart lad lu her
arms and kissed him passionately.
"Oh, my boy, my all, how can I let you
go? What will mother do without
you?"
.
"How old are you, my man?" asked
the examining physician of Horace,
later in the dny?
"Seventeen, sir," responded the boy,
promptly.
"Una! Urn!" was the suggestive ex
clamation. This was followed by more
questions. "I see, I see," said the old
doctor. "Why didn't you add a year to
It; that's what lots of them do. You'd
have stood a better chance If you had."
Horace stretched himself to his full
height, and the physician continued. "I
don't need to ask you if you are strong,
for your physique speaks for Itself, but
your age certainly stands In the way.
Do you think you would bo able to
shoulder a musket all day?"
For reply Horace placed five chairs
In a row, leaped over each in turn, then
faced around, and vaulted over the en
tire group with one bound.
The physician smiled at the exhibi
tion, but said, "Something of an ath
lete, my man; well, I think we will give
you a trial."
When Horace entered the Hon. James
Flsk's office his heart smote him pain
fully, for boy though he was, he saw
a sight that Is stamped upon his mem
ory to this day.
The mother stood before the desk of
the griin-faced man pleading for her
PLKADINO FOB HUB BOY.
boy; but the two elder people were so
engrossed that they did not hear Hor
ace enter.
"For God's sake, James Flsk, for tbe
sake of the love you once professed to
have for me, spare me the misery of
sending my boy to the war. What Is a
paltry six hundred dollars to you?
Foreclose the mortgage to-morrow,
turn us In the street, but don't influence
my child to sacrifice himself on the
altar of love for me."
For an Instant the woman thought
that she caught a glimpse of feeling In
thii cold eyes, but It passed as quickly
as It had come.
"Mrs. Packard," responded the me
tallic voice with staccato-like precis
Ion, "business Is business. You are too
late, for the contract Is signed, and this
day I have canceled the mortgage. Al
low me to say, madam, that revenge,
such as this, Is sweet"
The woman gave hlra a swift sad
look, her lips opened as if to speak, then
she turned nnd left the office. That
night the Hon. James Flsk was sud
denly called to Join the great majority
where no proxy could take his place.
He had evidently not left the office
since his interview with Mrs. Packard,
for the errand boy found him the next
morning with his legal documents scat
tered about him. "Heart failure!" the
doctor pronounced it, thai convenient
post-mortem phrase which covers a
multitude of errors.
In the tightly closed hand was a min
iature picture of a fair-faced girl a
pensive countenance at that sweel
time when she Is
"Standing with reluctant feet
Where the brook and river met,
Womanhood and childhood fleet."
"It must be the sister who died years
ago," said Madam Grundy.
However, one person knew the truth
of the matter, for on bis desk was a
note addressed to Mrs. Packard, and It
read:
Friend Margaret: I have reconsid
ered my hasty words and have decided
to go myself. Have destroyed the con
tract, and thus release the lad. (How
like you he Is!) Please keep your con
tract for the sake of auld lang syne,
Obediently, J. L. FISK."
Ohio Farmer.
Collaborating In Soul-Having.
"In the days of my early ministry,"
said a well-known clergyman, "I
thought It necessary to Impress
thoughts of salvation by everything I
uttered.
"My first work was In a Western
mining camp, and I had to remain over
night at a rough hotel to wait for a
stage to convey me to my destination.
At the table a savage looking man said
gruffly:
'"What might be your line, young
feller?"
" 'Saving souls,' I said solemnly.
. " 'Ugh,' was the only response.
"After supper, a coarsely dressed
man approached me and said:
" 'Pardner, let's make some kind o'
dicker. We're In ther same line, an'
thar ain't room fer both. Thar's a
camp furder up the trick whar yo'
could set up and do well.'
"'I think you are mistaken, my
friend, I said. 'I am a minister of the
Gospel.'
"'Sense me, parson; I was mistaken
In yo'; I thought yo' was a cobbler.' "
Saturday Evening Post
Ancient War Customs.
In tbe ancient wars It was the cus
tom for both armies to go Into winter
quarters, but nowadays such a thing is
quite unknown, and several battles dur
ing this century have been fought on
Christmas Day and New Year's Day.
When a married woman begins to
exaggerate tbe size of the milk bills to
her husband, ber next move will be to
suggest that be buy a cow.
Speaking of colleges, old age usuall
improve- their faculties.
CAMPAIGN ANDOTHEPt BUTTONS
Wa-ilng Fad Ont of Which an Iowa
Woiiau Made a Small Fortune.
"1 beoauie Interested In campaign
buttons a few years ago," said a Chl
cag.ian who is constantly on the look
out for novelties which will sell, '"and
was fortunate enough to catch the
craze Just at the right time. We bad
quite a large plant and were able to
turn out 100,000 buttons- a day. The
device was printed on disks of special
ly prepared celluloid, which were then
slightly softened and pressed on metal
rings with a stud fastening. That part
was doue by a machine which was in
vented by a womaii In Iowa. She
made about $15,000 out of her patent.
The first buttons were nearly all po
litical, but the fad soon extended to
other varieties, and at one time we
made over 300 different sets, each set
having, sometimes, ns many as forty
separate designs. Making the draw
ings alone kept a corps of ten men
busy. Tbey were originally printed lu
black, but after a while the demand
for novelty forced us to put In color
presses nnd some of the work was real
ly artistic. Eventually we used pho
tography also, and printed from the
negatives direct to the celluloid. The
process was a secret one, and we had
to pay -a pretty stiff royalty.
"There was a great difference In the
quality of tbe buttons. Some of them
sold for half a cent apiece wholesale,
and some brought as high as a quarter.
The latter were the large photographic
buttons with German silver mounts.
Of course a few are still sold, but not
a hundredth part as many as were for
merly called for. We thought that the
war would create a demand for but
tons bearing portraits of the celebrities,
but we were badly left. We got out
several series with pictures of Dewey
Hobson, Sampson, Schley and all the
rest of them, but somehow they didn't
catch on, and a set with pictures of the
ships also got the cold shoulder. One
order that we recently filled was for
100,000 handsome Roosevelt buttons,
which went to New York and were
bought by partisans of the rough rider,
A phase of the fad that shows some
vitality Is the personal button embel
lished with one's own portrait or that
of one's sweetheart. A great many of
thets are made to order. We sell to
the dealers, and they dispose of their
waies to the hawkers. Nearly all the
buttons In the market are peddled on
the curb." Chicago Chronicle.
HIS TRIBE OWNED CHICAGO.
Simon' Father Sold the City's Site for
Ihree Cents an Acre.
Simon Pokagon, chief of the Potta
watomie tribe of Indians, who died re
cently at Benton Harbor, Mich., had
led a prosaic life. He had many of the
characteristics of his race, but they
'iv
CniEF SIMON POKABOIT.
were the fine ones, and, in addition, be
had some of the best qualities of the
white people. He was honest to a de
gree, and he was a bright, intelligent
talker. Although his education was
Just what he had picked up here and
there, he was really a cultivated man.
He spent much of his time reading, and
had quite a collection of books and
curios. He could write well, too, and
produced at least one poem which pos
sessed merit.
Simon was 70 years old. The topic
upon which he delighted to talk was
the sale by bis father of the site of Chi
cago. The land on which the second
city of the Union now stands was own
ed by the Pottawatomles, and Poke
gaw, Simon's father, sold It to the gov
ernment for 3 cents an acre.
WATERLOO DANCER STILL ALIVE
Lady Carew, Belle of the Brnaaela Ball,
Complete Her Hnndretli Year.
There Is still living at Woodsdown
nouse, County Waterford, Ireland, a
remarkable woman, the Dowager
Lady Carew, whose career takes us
back to one of the most historic and
dramatic periods In the world's his
tory. Lady Carew was one of "the
fair women" who danced with "brave
men" at the ball given In Brussels on
LADY CAREW.
the eve of the battle of Waterloo,
where tbe star of Napoleon went down
In gloom and that of Wellington
ascended. The event was graphically
described by Lord Byron in bis "Chllde
Harold's Pilgrimage."
Lady Carew recently celebrated her
100th birthday, and is said to be one of
the two survivors of the historic ball.
She Is still well preserved for a woman
of ber age and ber mind Is still uncloud
ed. She was a Miss Cllffe, daughter of
Major Anthony Cliffe, of New Ross,
Ireland, when she danced In Brussels
on that historic night The following
yearlSlft she married Lord Carew,
whom she bas long survived.
Tbe Population f the World.
The periodical estimates of the
world's population, made by Professors
Wagner and Supan, of Germany, are
always widely accepted as oa the
whole the most careful computations
relating to this difficult question. No
one can tell, of course, how far the best
estimates may vary from the truth, and
it would not be surprising if the figures
given by Wagner and Supan In 1891,
who then put the world's population at
1,480,000,000, were fifty to a hundred
millions out of the way. These careful
statisticians, however, are always able
to assign good reasons for their con
clusions, and at least no other estimaies
are entitled to higher credence. In his
latest text-book of geography, Dr. Su
pan estimates the present population
of the earth at fifteen hundred mil
lions, or an Increase of twenty millions
In the past seven years. There Is no
doubt that population is rapidly In
creasing almost everywhere on the in
habited globe, and particularly within
the domain of civilization, where labor
saving machinery and improved meth
ods of working the soil have vastly In
creased the means of subsistence.
JOURNALIST AND DIPLOMAT.
Brilliant Career of J. Kusscll Young-,
Who Wed Recently.
By the death of J. Russell Young,
librarian in Congress, at his home In
Washington, the nation lost a most ca
pable and devoted servant, and Jour
nalism one of Its most distinguished
nnd successful men. Mr. Young was
appointed librarian of Congress In
J. RUSSELL YOUNG.
July, 1897, and since his appointment
worked almost day and night In his en
thusiasm to bring the library up to his
standard of perfection.
His career Is a varied and highly In
teresting one. Mr. Young was born a
little more than fifty-nine years ago In
Chester County, Pennsylvania, and, af
ter having with much difficulty and
great effort and sacrifice, obtained a
high school education, he began active
life as a copy holder in the office of the
Philadelphia Press," and soon graduat
ed to the news editor's desk. At the
outbreak of the civil war he was sent
to the front as the war correspondent
of the Press. He was successful, and
at the close of the war became chief
editor of the Press, a position which he
resigned, going to London and Paris
as the New York Herald's foreign cor
respondent. He gained national fame
by his letters to the Herald while trav
eling around the world with Grant. Re
turning to America In 1879, he did edi
torial work for three years.on the Her
ald, and In 1882 was appointed minister
to China by President Arthur. He has
left nn exceedingly well written manu
script of the life of Grant.
IN HONOR OF RUSSIAN HEROES.
Monument Erected to Foldlers Who
Fell Fighting the Turks.
A monument over the grave of the
Russian soldiers who fell in the war
against Turkey was unveiled near Con
stantinople the other day by the Grand
Duke Nicholas of Russia.
The monument stands in a square of
about six acres, surrounded by a cren
elated wall, with a tower at each cor-
MUNUMKNT TO CZAR'S SOLDIERS.
ner. It Is built of gray rough-dressed
granite, with embellishments of white
French stone. Over the main entrance
Is a painting of Christ, aud on the oth
er side is a picture of Vladimir, and
on the other one of Alexander Newsky.
The bnse of the building Is a charnel
house, In which the boues of the sol
diers have been deposited. Above Is the
chapel, which is surmounted by a cam
panile and over that Is a spire. The
work of building the monument was
begun In 1883, under the supervision of
Col. Pesbkoff, who designed the monu
ment. Why Jenner Worn a Guinea,
Sir William Jenner, the Queen's phy
sician, wore at his watch chain a
guinea piece which bore a pleasant
little history. One day be found among
bis patients In his consulting room a
humble carpenter. On remarking to
the man that his disease had, through
neglect of treatment, made great prog
ress, he received tilt' following reply:
"I have been waiting to see you for
three years, sir." "Why, my man?"
queried the physician. "Couldn't you
afford to come sooner?" "Oh, yes," an
swered the carpenter; "but I could not
get a gold guinea piece anywhere; and
I heard you'd take nothing else."
Sir William wears that guinea on his
chain, but though he completely cured
tbe patient within eight months, he
never took another fee from the poor
fellow who bad tried so hard to find
that guinea, and had waited so patient
ly to consult bim.
When a woman speaks of ber hired
girl as a "maid," she Is thinking seri
ously of putting ber In uniform.
So man need expect much of a dis
play at bis funeral, unless be is a color
ed man, and belongs to a lodge.
HABITS OP THE HORSE.
Fear of Wolves, Speed of Colts and the
Habit of thylng.
Another animal which, when In a
state of nature, lives in droves, Is the
horse. It Is almost as defenseless as
the sheep, and when a herd of wild
horses Is attacked by wolves there Is
no escape but In flight, says Our Ani
mal Friends. In Its wild state the
horse's natural habitat Is on the open
plains, not in mountainous regions, but
on the steppes of Asia, and when at
tacked by wolves its only safety lies In
Its superior speed. If the young foal
were not as swift' ns Its parents It
would fall nn easy prey to the pursuer,
aud so, within a few generations, the
wild horse might be utterly destroyed
by Its enemies. The curious thing Is
that the foal Is quite as swift as Us
parents. When one looks at it, even in
Its domesticated condition, it seems to
be all legs, and one is surprised to see
how easily the slight body is borne
along on those long legs, beside the
mother, even when she Is running at
her swiftest rate. In that fact lies the
safety of the wild horse from destruc
tion, and the thousands of generations
in which that useful animal has been
domesticated have brought no change
In the peculiar conformation of the
fonl's limbs, though it Is no longer need
ed for Its original purpose.
Another curious thing is that one of
the faults of tbe horse of which we are
apt to complain, we mean the habit oi
shying, Is a survival of an old habit
which was useful and necessary when
Its ancestors were still roaming wild
upon the plains. Then every hoie was
constantly on the outlook for an enemy,
and It did not look only with one eye.
It habitually kept turuing Its car lu all
directions, so as to catch the slightest
sound which should Indicate the pres
ence of danger. Not only when a wolf
was seen did the herd take flight; any
sound, as of the wolf breaking through
the long grass, caused an Instantaneous
stampede; nnd something of that habit
still survives. Tbe horse seldom fears
the objects which it sees unless they
appear suddenly; but the sudden ap
pearance of some light thing driven by
the wind, or some slight sound thct
perhaps may not be heard by his mas
ter, may cause an Instant and involun
tary shy, such as the poor brute would
Instinctively make If he were still wild
upon the plains. How unjust it Is, and
how utterly stupid, to justify his terror
by whipping hlin for such a fault! To
do so Is to make him only so much the
readier to shy ngaln, remembering
and he Is sure to remember that, even
If there has been no reason for his In
voluntary shying, there Is something
to dread Immediately afterward. The
only sensible way to deal with this
remnant of wildness in the domesti
cated horse is to stop nnd let him feel
that there Is nothing to fear, and so
break down the remnant of his old and
perfectly natural habit of flight from
possible danger.
It takes more than 12,000 election offi
cers to man the precincts lu New York
city.
Boston Is to have free lee water foun
tains In all parts of the cltynext sum
mer. During the war the dally output of
magazine rifles from the Springfield
armory Increased from 120 to 303.
A Jury In Mexico consists of nine
men. A majority makes the verdict.
If the nine are unanimous there Is u
appeal.
Longwood, Bonaparte's bouse at St.
Helena, Is now a barn; the room In
which he died Is a stable; on the site
of bis grave Is a machine for grinding
corn.
Copenhagen's round tower, built In
the eleventh century and 150 feet high,
is to be moved bodily a distance of 150
feet In order to widen a business
street.
The greatest pilgrimage to the Holy
Laud are undertaken by the Russians.
It has been calculated that between
80,000 and 40,000 Russians visit Pales
tine every year.
The Grand canyon of Arizona, the
greatest known, Is about 200 miles long,
upward of 7,000 feet deep, and at some
points, from rim to rim, measures ten
to twelve miles In breudth.
A Bar Harbor well digger declares
that he was shocked by electricity
while digging. To test thoroughly the
matter he lowered a dog Into the well,
and when the was taken out It was
dead.
The first Monday In September Is a
legal holiday In thirty-seven States and
the District of Columbia; Florida
makes Sept 12 Labor Dny and a legal
holiday, aud Lousiauu recognizes Nov.
25 in tbe same way.
Statisticians say that Spain has
more blind men than any other coun
try In western Europe. The proportion
Is 148 to every 100,000 Inhabitants,
while In France, Germany and England
It Is 84, 85 and 88 respectively.
The newest thing provided for iiniok
crs Is the all-amber pipe. The effect
produced by an amber bowl in pleas
ing to the onlooker, as the smoker
seems to Iks Inhaling his comfort from
tobacco actually burning In amber.
In Gardiner, Me., both the local and
standard systems of time are In vogue,
and the hands of the two town clocks
are kept twenty-one minutes apart
Each has Its own devotees, and the.
consequence Is that there Is much con
fusion In keeping business and social
engagements.
Tbe Chinese look upon all suicides
with honor, except when the suicide Is
from trouble caused by gambling. Fre
quently If a Chinaman Imtults another
the quarrel Is followed by the suicide
of the Insulted man, who thinks he bas
cast ignominy on bis aggressor by tak
ing his own life.
Women are running men closely In
professional competition In the United
States. There are 4,000 actresses and
35,000 lady vocalists In the State;
11,000 follow art as a protection; 2,800
literature, and 890 Journalism. The
women also try their hand at dramatic
authorship and managing theaters. The
number so employed Is 0OO.
This may be seen at Utrecht The
cathedral was built la the thirteenth 1
century upon the site of an cider one
founded by S. Wlllebrodus. After a
severe storm lu 1674 the nave fell, leav
ing a large space between the tower
and the chancel. The tower Is 350
feet high and very beautiful. A new
nave was built, but between It and
the tower a moderately wide street
runs. This is still considered conse
crated ground, and the utilitarian mu
nicipality has shocked the faithful by
the Innovation of a tramway.
Here are some official statistics to
prove that a bombardment Is not sucn
a terrible thing after all. In 1870-71
the bombardment of Belfort lasted
seventy-three days, during which 99,453
projectiles fell within the city, and
there were but sixty victims killed or
fatally wounded. At Strasburg, dur
ing the siege of thirty-eight days, the
Germans fired upon the city, mostly at
close range, 193,722 shells, with a rec
ord of only 300 victims. Finally, at
Paris, where the bombardment lasted
only twenty-three days, 10,000 siege
shells were thrown, killing and wound
ing 107 persons.
SULTAN'S PRIVATE LIFE.
How the Despot of the Turka Spends
Hia Leisure.
The Sultan rises at 8 o'clock, we are
told. He does not get into uniform at
once, like his friend, the Kaiser, satis
fying himself with a dark-colored
dressing gown. It Is only when he ex
pects an early state visit that he puts
on his "Stnmbulln," or gold-embrolder-ed
coat. As soon as his prayers are
ended he has aa early breakfast. The
officer of the day then approaches with
papers which the first secretary has
prepared. These usually relate to ap
pointments, dismissals, decorations and
promotions of various Ottoman officials
throughout the Empire. Then come the
telegrams from the embassies In vari
ous lands, and tbe secret dispatches
from the attaches, who are spies on the
actions of the ambassadors.
At the second, breakfast, the chief
meal of the day, Abdul Hamld appears
In some state. There is a curious cere
mony observed at this meal. The dish
es appear on the table sealed. The
seals are broken in the presence of the
Sultan, and a specially-appointed offi
cer tastes each dish before It Is pre
sented to his Majesty. Hitherto Abdul
Hamld by these precautions has avoid
ed poisoning. After dinner he has cof
fee and a cigarette made out of tobacco
specially grown and sorted for his own
Imperial use. This Is followed by a
siesta of two hours. Late in the after
noon the secret reports of his spies and
police agents In Constantinople are
brought to him, and when nothing of
moment presses he occupies his even
lugs listening to French ballet muslo
ou the piano. Leisure Hour.
He Wanted Pons'on.
Ople Read tells a funny story of a
colored man who had conceived the
Idea that he could get a pension from
the Government. He went to a pension
agent to learn whnt steps It would be
necessary for bim to take to bring
about the desired result
"Were you really in the army, Sam?"
asked the agent.
"Yns, Bah; Indeed I was, sah; I was
in de army for niore'n a year, sah."
"What regiment were you In, Sam?"
"Wall, sah, I don't Just this minute
reeommeniber, but I'se gwlne to bring
you nil de papers and dat will explain
de matter."
"But you surely remember whom
you were with, Sain?"
"Oh, yes, snh; I reeommeniber dat all
right; I wns wld my young mastei."
"Oh, then, you were lu the Coufyler.
ate army, were you?"
"Yas, sah; yas, snh."
"Were you ever wounded, Snnl
"Yas, sah; Indeed I was; see dat scar,
sah; I got dat sear In de army, sah."
"What was It hit you, Sam?"
"Wall, snh, It was a skillet, sah; In
deed It was; a big Iron skillet, sab."
"Now, see here, Sum, what chance can
you have to get a pension? In the first
place, you were In the rebel army, and
then the only wound you received, any
way, wns from a skillet; what In the
world has our government got to do
with your case?"
"Wall, sah, It was a government skill
et, sah." Chicago Times-Herald.
He Obeyed Instruction.
The Club Women tells an amusing
story of a party of women who recently
visited Pike's Peak. A youth, still in
knee breeches, although he wore a col
lar of extraordinary height and stiff
ness, was their guide, but his knowl
edge of the points of Interest appeared
to be slight.
Every few minutes he stood up and
shouted the names of certain boulders
aud streams. When we were nearly
at the top he called out:
"On the right Is tbe Lion's Mouth!"
"Why is it cnlled the Lion's Mouth?"
nuked a skeptical lady, who had pes
tered him with "whys" all the way.
"Aw, I dunno," said the lad, tired of
being asked for Information. "I was
told to holler these names. I dunno
why uothlu'. It's my Job to holler, and
so I holler."
Speed of th Frigate Bird.
Many sailors believe that tbo frigate
bird can start at daybreak with the
trade winds from the coast of Africa
and roost tbe same night on tbe Ameri
can shore. Whether this Is a fact or
not has yet to be determined, but It is
certain that the bird Is the swiftest of
winged creatures, and Is able to fly un
der favorable conditions two hundred
miles an hour.
A Clear Held.
Hardfax Hello, Iloneydewl Have
n't seen you In ail age. What are you
doing now?
Honeydew I'm living In Chicago,
trying to make an honest living.
"Well, old boy, you ought to suc
ceed. You haven't any competition."
Life.
Horseflesh Food.
Over 100,000 horses are killed every
year for food lo Paris, and there are
score of restaurants where horseflesh
Is served as an article of food. The use
of this meat has recently extended to
many other cities of Europe.
Bolldom Aristocracy,
"My doll can shut ber eyes and go to
-1 4.....
Sit rJ JUOl JUVfljr,
"Huh! My doll never goes to sleep
at all; she's got luwommer," Chicago
Record,
THINGS WORTH KNOWING.
Item of Useful Information Stated in
Brief Form.
A mile Is 320 rods.
A mile Is 1,760 yards.
A mile is 5,280 feet
A rod is 16V4 feet or 5 yafds.
A square rod Is 2724 square feet
An acre contains 160 square rods.
An acre contains 43,500 square feet
An acre Is about 208 feet square.
A pint of water weighs one pound.
A solid foot contains 7.48 solid pints.
A square foot Is 144 square inches.
An acre contains 4,840 square yards.
A quarter section contains 100 acres.
A solid foot contains 1,728 solid
inches.
A pint of water holds 28 solid
Inches.
A gallon of water holds 231 solid
Inches.
An acre Is 8 rods wide by 20 rods
long.
An acre Is 10 rods wide by 10 rods
long.
A solid foot of water weighs 62
pounds.
A barrel (31 gallons) holds 4 solid
feet.
A bushel (struck) contains 2,150 solid
Inches.
A gallon of milk weighs 8 pounds 10
ounces.
A bushel (heaping) contains 14 struck
bushels.
A struck bushel contains about IVi
solid feet.
A section, or square mile, contains
640 acres.
A "hair's breadth" is one forty-eighth
of an Inch.
Space has a temperature of 200 de
grees below zero.
A grain of magnesia will cover 50,
000,000 grains of water.
An inch of rainfall Is equal to 14,500,
000 gallons per square mile.
Gold can be beaten 1,200 times thin
ner than printing paper; one ounce will
cover 140 square feet.
The falls of Niagara carry down 10,
000,000 cubic feet of water per minute,
equal to 3,000,000 horse-power.
The longest tunnel In the world Is
that of Mount St. Gothard, 49,170 feet
The Hoosac tunnel Is 23,700 feet In
length.
The lowest temperature hitherto at
tained, 220 degrees, Is produced by
evaporating In vacuo a mixture of solid
protoxide of nitrogen, carbonic acid
and carbon bisulphide.
The big trees (redwoods) of Calaveras
County, California, are 92 In number,
ten being 80 feet in diameter. They
range in height from 150 to 237 feet,
and in age from 1,000 to 3,000 years.
A grain of utrychnlne will impart a
perceptible flavor to 1,750,000 grains of
water, and In each of these grains of
water though containing butthe 1,750,
000th of a grain of strychnine the fla
vor of strychnine can be distinctly
tasted.
Two heaping bushels of corn on the
cob will make one struck bushel of
shellod corn. Some claim that 1
bushels of ear will make one bushel of
shelled corn. Much will depend upon
the kind of corn, shape of ear, size of
cob, etc.
The velocity of sound depends on the
elasticity and density of the medium;
the elasticity acts like a spring be
tween the molecules of the medium;
the greater the density the slower the
motion, because there are more mole
cules to be set In motion, nnd hence
more time la required. Warm air Is
rarer than cold air, hence sound travels
more rapidly In warm air than cold air.
At the freezing point sound waves
travel 1,090 feet per second. A change
of one degree varies the velocity about
one foot per second. Farm, Field and
Fireside.
' A Plain Truth.
No man has a right to marry till. In
every human probability, assured that
he can support a family lu his own sta
tion. Mere love or Improvident matches
seldom turn out well; poverty comes,
and there la so much self-reproach on
either side that gall Is added to Its bit
terness; their tempers are soured, and
they soon wish themselves unmarried.
But when trials assail nn attached, a
reasonable pair, sorrow unites them
closer; the man, feeling how much de
pends on him, never flags In his exer
tion, and often recovers the lost step;
If not, there Is still consolation In his
wife's unvarying love lu her sweet,
noiseless sacrifices. In these uncertain
times there are few commercial men
but have met with reverses, and they
will often say:
"Had It not been for those at home,
I should have blown my brains out; I
could not have stood It."
Wife and children! They are a bea
con to us In our troubled sea; we renew
the struggle when ready to sink be
neath the wave, and at last are saved.
At the worst, when nil Is black when
friends are cooled or reproachful
when the crudest doubts assail us
there Is still one who respects and loves
us; at home we are still dear. New
York Ledger.
The Coining; Black Hhoep.
The Rev. Dr. Meredith, a well known
Brooklyn clergyman, tries to cultivate
friendly relations with the younger
memlers of bis flock. In a recent talk
to his Sunday school he urged the
children to speak to him wheuever they
met
The next dny a dirty-faced urchin,
having a generally disreputable appear
ance, accosted him In the street with;
"How do. Doc?"
The clergymnn stopped, and cordlnl
ly Inquired: "And who are yon, sir?"
"I'm one of your little Iambs," re
plied the boy, affably. "Fine day."
And, tilting bis lint to tbo back of his
head, be swaggered off, leaving the
worthy divine speechless with nmazo
went Saturday Evening Post.
Tit for Tat.
Brothers and sister ought to be glad
to give and receive mutual assistance.
"You show such bad taste In the se
lection of your neckties, Horace," said
the elder sister of a youth In his teens..
"They always look so wrinkled and
shapeless, too. You ought to let me
buy them and tie them for you."
"I'm willing, tla," he answered, look
ing at her pinched waist, "If you'll let
me buy your belts and fasten them
arouud you." Youth's Companion.
Old Venetian Colnn.
Venetian coins of 1570 and 1577, bear
ing the uauia of one of the doges, have
been found Ln MaHbonalaud, lu the lu
terlor of SouttJ Africa,