Prisoners and Captives
By H. S.
CHAPTER I.
Onp nfterun.il, some years ago, the
copper-bright rays of a cruel sun burned
the surface of the tepid ocean. The
stillness (f the ntniosphore was phe
nomenal, even in the latitudes where a
great calm reigns from month to month.
It is almost impossible to present to
northern eyes this picture of a southern
sea gleaming beneath a sun which had
known no cloud for weeks; impossible to
portray the brilliant monotony of . it . all
with any degree of reality. The sun
rises day by day, week iu and week out,
unclouded from ' the' straight horizon,
fails right overhead, and at last sinks
westward umlnnmed by thinnest vapor.
Month after month, year after yeas, aye,
century after century, this day's work
is performed. The scotching orb of light
rises at the Same 'monotonous-hour and
sets, just as he did when this world was
one vast ocean, with but one ship sail
ing on it.
. l-'rim the dark, mysterious depths of
the ocean, wavering ripples mounting
In rad.ation to the surface, broke at
times the blue uniformity of its bosom.
Occasionally a delicate nautilus floated
along before some unappreciable breath,
presently to fold its sails and disappear.
Iojig trailers uf seaweed floating idly
almost seemed to be endowed with a
einuou life and movement.
No bird in the air, no fish in the sea!
Nothing to break the awful silence! A
wreck might float and drift lure or there
upon these aimless waters fur years to
gether and never be found.
But Chance, the fickle, ruled that two
vessels should break the monotony of
sea and sky on this particular afternoon.
One, a mighty structure, with tall taper
ing blasts, perfect in itself, an ideal
merchantman. The other, small, of ex
quisite yacht-like form, and with every
outward sign of a great speed obtaina
ble. There was obviously something amiss
with the larger vessel. Instead of white
sa'ls aloft on every spar, bare poles
and slack rpes stood nakedly against
the blue ether.
Iu contrast, the other carried every
foot of canvas. Carried it literally; for
the white cloth hung mostly idle, only
at times flapping softly to a breath of
air that was not felt on deck. Since
dawn the smaller vessel had been stead
ily, though very slowly, decreasing the
distance between them, and now there
were signs of activity on her deck, as
though a boat were about to be lowered.
Across the silent waters trilled the call
of a boatswain's whistle. The vessel
was plainly a man-of-war. As a matter
of fact, she was one of the quick -sailing
schooners built and designed by the Brit
ish government for the suppression of
the slave trade on the west coast of Af
rica. Every knob of brass gleamed in the
sun, every inch of deck was holy-stoned
as white as milk. Aloft no rope was
frayed, no seizing adrift. It was easy
to see that this trim vessel carried a
large crew under strict discipline.
And now the melodious song of sailors
hauling together floated through the
flittering air to the great vessel of the
dead. No answering cry was heard
no expectant faces peered over the
black bulwarks. The signal flags, "Do
you want help?" hung unnoticed. The
scene was suggestive of that fable tell
ing of a mouse proffering aid to a lion;
the huge, still merchantman could have
taken the slave catcher upon its broad
decks.
Fresenily a boat left the smaller ves
sel and skimmed over the water, impell
ed by shnrp, regular strokes. The sound
of the oars alone broke the silence of
Nature.
In the stern of the boat sat a square
ehouldered little man, whose brown face
and glistening chestnut beard, pleasant
ly suggestive of cleanly refinement, com
bined with readiness of resource. His
pleasant eyes were scarcely hazel, and
yet could not be described as gray, be
cause the two colors were mixed. As
the boat approached the great mer
chantman, this officer formed his two
bands into a circle and raised his prac
ticed voice:
"Ahoy there !"
There was no reply; and a moment or
two later the small boat swung in be
neath the high bulwarks. There was a
rope hanging almost to the water, and
with a quick jerk the young fellow scram
bled up the ship's side like a monkey.
Three of the boat's crew prepared to fol
low him.
lie sat for a moment balanced on the
blistered rail, and then leaped lightly on
to the deck. Between the planks the pitch
had oozed up and glistened like jet, in
some places the seasoned wood had warp
ed. He stood for a moment alone amid
the tangled ropes, and there were beads
of perspiration on his brown forehead. It
Is no pleasant duty to board a derelict
ship, 'for somewhere or other there will
probably be an unpleasant sight, such as
is remembered through the remainder of
the behold.-r's life.
There was something crude and hard
In the entire picture. In the merciless,
almost shadowless light of a midday sun
every detail stood out in hard outline.
The perfect ship, with its forlorn, Iwdrag-p!-
d d-k ; the clean spars towering up
into th heavens, with llvir loose cord
:'. their clumsily furled sails; and upon
the moss-grown dVck this square-shouldered
little officer trim. seaman-like,
prompt, amid the universal slackness
the sun gleaming on his white cap and
gilt buttons.
While he stood for a moment hesitat
ing, he heard a strange, unknown sound.
It was more like the rattle in a choking
man's throat than anything else that he
could think of. He turned quickly, and
Hood gating upon the saddest sight he
Lad yet seen in all bis life. Over the
tangled rops the gount figure of a white
dog wai creeping toward him. This poor
dumb brute was most piteous and heart
rending, for the very dumbness of its
tongue endowed its bloodshot, staring
yes with a heaven-born eloquence.
As It approached thera came from Its
throat a repetition of the sickening
crackle. The young officer stooped over
It with kindly word and cares. Then,
ta4 than otdj, 414 ht realise Oat the
MERRIMAN
black and shriveled object hanging from
its open lips was naught else but the
poor brute's tongue. This was more like
a piece of dried-up leather than living
flesh.
"Water!" said the officer quickly to the
man climbing over the rail behind him.
Some moments elapsed before the small
beaker was handed up from the boat, and
during these the officer moistened his fin
ger at his own lips, touching the dog's
tongue tenderly and skillfully.
"lvook after the poor brute," he said
to the man, who at length brought the
water. "Don't give him too much at
first."
With a lighter step he walked aft, and
climbed the brass-bound companion lad
der, while two of the boat's crew follow
ed upon 'his -heels, .-
Upon the upper deck he stopped sud
denly, and the color left his lips. There,
at the wheel, upon an ordinary kitchen
chair, sat a man. , Ills two hands clutch
ed the brass-bound spokes ; his head lay
prone upon his arms. A large Panama
hat completely hid his features, and the
wide, graceful brim touched his bent
shoulders.
As the stately vessel slowly rocked up
on the glassy sweep of rolling wave the
great wheel perked from side to side,
swaying the man's body with it. From
one muscular arm the shirt sleeve had
fallen back, displaying sinews like cords
beneath the skin. Here was Death steer
ing a dead ship through lifeless waters.
And yet In the dramatic picture there
was a strange sense of purpose. The
man was lashed to the chair. If life
had left him this lonely mariner had at
least fought a good fight. Beneath the
old Panama hat an unusual brain had
at one time throbbed and planned and
conceived a purpose. This was visible
in the very simplicity of his environ
ments, for he was at least comfortable.
Some biscuits lay upon tne grating beside
him there was bunting on the seat and
back of the chair while the rope loosely
knotted around his person seemed to in
dicate that sleep, and perhaps death,
had been provided for and foreseen.
CHAPTER II.
Gently and with excusable hesitation
the naval officer raised the brim of the
large hat and displayed the face of a
living man. There could be no doubt
about it. The strong face bore the signs
of perfect health the brown hair and
closely cropped beard were glossy with
life.
"He's asleep !" whispered one of the
sailors a young man who had not
known discipline long.
"Halloo, my man ! Wake up !" called
out the young officer, clapping the
sleeper on the back.
The effect was instantaneous. The
sleeper opened his eyes and rose to his
feet simultaneously, releasing himself
from the rope which was hitched over
the back of his chair. Despite ragged
shirt and trousers, despite the old Pana
ma hat with its limp brim, despite bare
feet and tarry hands, there was some
thing about this sailor which placed him
on a par with the officer. These social
distinctions are too subtle for most of us.
We can feel them, but to explain is be
yond us. We recognize a gentleman, but
we can in nowise define one. This sail
or's action was perfectly spontaneous and
natural as he faced the officer. It was
an unconscious assertion of social equal
ity.
"An English officer!" he exclaimed,
holding out his hand. "I am glad to
see the uniform again."
The small man nodded his head with
out speaking, but he grasped the brown
hand somewhat ceremoniously. The form
of greeting was also extended to the two
seamen by the ragged sailor.
"Are you in command of this vessel?"
inquired Lieut. Grace, looking round crit
ically. "I am at present. I shipped as sec
ond mate, but have now the honor of be
ing captain, and bottle washer."
The men moved away, looking about
them curiously. The younger made for
the deck house, seeking the compan
ion way below.
"Halloo!" exclaimed the solitary mari
ner, "where are you men going to? Hold
hard, there, you fellows ! Let me go
down first."
The stoutly built little officer held up
a warning hand to his men. Then he
turned and looked keenly into his com
panion's face. The glance was returned
with the calm speculation of a man who
had not yet found his normal match.
"Yellow fever?" interrogated Grace.
"Yellow fever," answered the other,
with a short nod. "I will go first."
Suiting the action to the word, he led
the way, and the young officer followed
closely. At the head of the companion
ladder the sailor stopped.
"What is to-day?" he Inquired, ab
ruptly. "Thursday." .
"It was Tuesday when I lashed myself
to that chair. I must have been sleep
ing forty-eight hours."
"And you have had no food since
then?"
"I don't know. I really cannot tell
you. I rememler taking the wheel at
midday on Tuesday; since then I don't
exactly know what I have done."
lie had di stended the brass-bound steps,
and as he sjxke the last words he led the
way into the saloon. A sail had been
cast over the o;en skylight, so that the
full glare of day f.iihd to penetrate into
the roomy cabin. t"on th oilcloth-covered
table lay a rolled sheet of brown
patier in the rough form of a torch, and
beside it a box of mathe.
"I burn brown paper," said the sailor,
quietly, as he strur-k a light and ignited
the paper "it is the only disinfectant I
have left."
"You need It I" exclaimed the officer.
In the meantime the other had advanc
ed further Into the cabin. Upon the floor,
beyond the table, with their heads resting
upon the hatch of the latarette, lay two
men whose forms were distinguishable be
neath the dusky sheta cast over them.
"Thoae sre the laat of nineteen," said
the ragged man, waving aside the acrid
moke. "I have burled seventeen my
self, and nursed nineteen. That la the
steward, this the first mat. Thty Quar-
I reled when they were alive, ft seems
to be mado up now eh? I did my best,
i but the more I got to know of yellow fe-
! ver the if renter was mv respect for It. I
; nursed them to the best of my knowledge
aud then I played parson."
lie pointed to an open Bible lying on
the floor. The little officer was watching
him with peculiar and continuous scru
tiny. He barely glanced at the Bible or
at the still forms beneath the unwashed
sheet. All his attention was concentrat
ed upon the survivor.
"And now," he said, deliberately, "if
you will kindly go on board the Foam I
shall take charge of this ship.
"Eh?"
Thev stood looking at each other. It
is rather a difficult task for a small man
to look up into a face that Is oonsidera
bly. above him, with a continued dignity
"I'll take command of the ship," he
said, soothingly; "you are only lit for the
sick list."
Across the long and sunken face there
gleamed again an unpleasant smile a
mere contraction of the features, for the
eyes remained terribly solemn. Then ha
looked round the cabin in a dreamy way,
and moved toward the base of the mliaen
mast.
"I have navigated her alaiost single
handed for a fortnight." he said ; I am
glad you came."-
Then the officer led him away from the
cabin.
CHAPTER III.
From the moment that the ragged
steersman opened his mournful gray eyes
and looked upon the sunburned race or
Lieut. Grace he had felt himself insensi
bly drawn toward his rescuer. This feel
ing was not the mere sense of gratitude
which was naturally awakened, but some
thing stronger. It was almost a convic
tion that this chance meeting on the deck
of a fever-stricken ship was something
more than an incident. It was a begin
ning the beginning of a new Influence
upon his life.
When Grace laid his sunburned hand
upon the sleeper's shoulder he had felt
pleasantly conscious of a contact which
had further import than mere warm flan
nel and living muscle. It was distinctly
sympathetic in its influence, for there is
a meaning in touch. As the two men
emerged on dock the officer turned to
ward his companion.
"In another hour," he said, "that small
dog would have been dead."
"Ah! you've saved him?" exclaimed the
other.
"Yes. He will recover. I know dogs,"
"He's had no water since Tuesday."
"He looked rather like it. Come. We
will go on board my ship and report to
the old man, while you get a meal some
soup I should think will be the best. You
will have to be careful."
He led the way aft, toward the rail
where the men, having found a rope lad
der, wore lowering it over the side. Be
fore reaching them he turned.
"By the way," he said, quietly, "what
Is your name?"
"Tyars Claud Tyars."
"Claud Tyars," repeated the little offi
cer, musingly, as If searching In his mind
for some recollection. "There was a
Tyars in the Cambridge boat two years
ago a .Trinity man."
"Yes thero was."
Lieut. Grace looked up in his singu
lar, searching way.
"You are the man?"
"I am the man."
With a little nod the young officer con
tinued his way. They did not speak
again until they were seated in the gig on
the way toward the . Foam.
"I had a cousin," the officer remarked
then In a cheerfully conversational man
ner, "at Cambridge. Ha would be a eon
temporary of yours. My name Is Grace."
The rescued man acknowledged this
neat introduction with a grave nod.
'I remember him well," he replied. "A
great mathematician."
"I believe he was," answered Grace.
He was looking toward his ship, which
was near at hand. The crew were group
ed amidships, peering over the rail, while
a tall old man on the quarter deck, stop
ping In his meditative promenade occa
sionally, watched their approach with the
aid of a pair of marine glasses.
"The skipper is on the lookout for us,"
continued the young officer in a low tone
of voice requiring no reply.
"A slaver?" inquired Tyars, following
the direction of his companion's eyes.
"Yes, a slaver, and the quickest ship
upon the coast."
Propelled by strong and willing arms,
the boat soon reached the yacht-like ves
sel, and In a few minutes Claud Tyars
was repeating his story to her captain
a genial, white-haired, red-faced sailor.
(To be continued.)
Would Wlh Illm Lack.
"How would you feel if I should try
to kiss you?" lie nsked.
"You know I have always been desir
ous of seeing you successful In nil your
undertakings," replied tho girl demure
ly. Louisville Courier-Journal.
An Expert.
Boss My chief requirement In a
stenographer Is extraordinary speed.
Applicant I can write letters almost
as fast ns they do on the stage.
Boss Name your wages. Cleveland
Leader.
German Klrlnv KeKulatlon.
. The new musketry regulations of
the German army prescribe firing at
human figure targets only, and these
are to bo colored gray. For kneel
ing and prone firing portable rests are
used.
An Elneldntlon.
"Why does that member of Congress
assume to lie unfamiliar with the
phrase 'stand iat?' "
"Because he's bluffing," answered
the other. Washington tSar.
Degradation for Woman py.
A Russian woman named Zanalda
Smollnnmoff, who had moved in the
highest circles In the German capital,
has been sentenced at Lelpslc to nine
months'- Imprisonment for espionage.
A Warn In-.
"Never marry an architect, my dear."
Wt y not, mamma V
"Because he Is sure to be a designing
creatu'e." Baltimore American.
Mental power cannot be got from Ill
fed brains.
T- 1 -J.
Place for Sitting liens.
We have always bad a preference
for having the nests of sitters low
down, if iRissible, on the ground. In
some cases we have scattered barrels,
laid on their sides and slightly sunk
into the ground, all over the orchard,
which served as a run for our laying
hens. The h; would select them for
nests, and u they became broody,
could be' allowed to sit and hatch, and
take care of their brood for at least a
few weeks, right in the nest of their
own selection. In the hatching room,
too, we have regularly endeavored to
have the nests near the ground, and
if possible on the natural earth floor;
or if in tiers, at least the lower one
on the ground. Eggs usually hatch
well 'on the natural earth floor. A
reader of the Fanner, William Elwick,
of Hanklnson, N. Dak., gives herewith
a plan of coop for sitting hens, that
may prove decidedly serviceable m
many cases. lie makes these coops In
rows. HI feet long, 10 nests In a row,
and It! Inches square. The nests are
covered by a board H Inches wide by
1(5 feet long, and inclosed by slide
CONVENIENT NEST COOP.
doors between nest and feed coop.
Each feed coop (or ran) Is covered
with a lath door. If hens sit well, he
lets them off in the morning, and shuts
them In at night Thus they can lie
kept under full control all the time.
At A is shown the empty nest ; at B
the hen sitting; at C 'the slide door
fastened down, with sitting hen Inside ;
at D the lath cover on top of run, con
fining the sitter to nest and run. The
runs are 4 feet long. Dakota Farmer.
Green Food for Small Chicks.
As soon as the little chick begins to
grow feathers, that is, after the down
age Is past, green food is quite necos
sary to Its happiness. If there is no
danger of the bird being chilled or get
ting wet, then let it have the grassy
run to pick over ; even if the weather is
cool, it wiy do no harm to let the chicks
on to the grass in the warm part of the
day, but they must be watched, so that
they do not stay too long and become
chilled. One of the most successful
poultrymen we know makes it a prac
tice to grow a quantity of lettuce In
hotbeds especially for feeding his young
chicks for green food. This seems to bo
a good plan In his case, because his
birds are hatched very early, before it
Is fit to turn them on to the grass.
Don't attempt to raise young chicks
wholly on grain.
Daalneaa Methods In Farming.
Thousands of farmers In the more
opulent agricultural regions of the
country still conduct their farms In a
haphazard way, but everywhere the ad
vantage and necessity of the business
spirit are being recognized, says the
Boston Globe.
The west has been warned, for ex
ample, that tho fertilizer problem of
the east and the south will have to be
met before many 'decades unless the
soils are put under better rotations and
economy of land Is being preached.
It is now generally accepted ns a
truism that the better business man the
agriculturist of today liecomes, the
more profitable will be found that oc
cupation, which once was descrllied by
a keen, though not wholly wise farmer,
in the statement that "farmin' ain't nil
keepln books, by a long shot"
Planning; Work Ahead.
Suppose just before the work of the
spring opens, each field Is planned out,
the manure to be applied figured on,
the quantity of seed required and Its
cost, together with the time the field
should be prepared for planting and
about the time required for the work.
Then take each Item of the work to be
done each week and plan it out careful
ly tho day before. So many hours for
this task, so many for that, and so
many for the other, and so on through
the season. A half hour or even an
hour spent each day In planning ahead,
and then working in accordance with
tho plan, will save much time and la
lior. One of our troubles, as farmers,
comes from our disinclination to sys
tematize affairs, and we dart thither
and hither and lose much valuable time
dally.
Wound on Fruit Trees.
An pastern fruit grower says:
"Wounds of any considerable size
should lie given a coat of paint or some
other durable substance. A sultible
dressing must possess two distinct
proiicrtles. It must check the weath
ering of the wound and prevent the
growth of bacteria and fungi, and It
must bo of such a nature as not to In
jure the surrounding bark. The dress
ing Is of no ralue In the healing of the
wound, except as It prevents decay.
For general purposes, a white lead
paint Is most satisfactory. It adheres
closely to the wood. Wax, shellac, tal
low, etc., are lacking In both respects.
Bordeaux mixture would be an admira
ble material for this purpose If It were
mora durable."
1 l'-.XL-J'.P.''-'r-SiS'
Water for IToraea la limner.
If one will stop to think bow hard
It is to go through the work of the
morning In a dry, dusty field on a hot
day without a drink, one will then have
an, idea of how horses feel under the
same conditions. An excellent plan of
feeding and watering the horse during
the warm weather is to give theni wa
ter In the morning, then the hay and
then the grain; at noon the water, a
little hay and then the grain and at
night tho water, the grain and some
time afterward, usually two hurs or
more, all the hay the animal will eat
up clean. It will be noticed that the
water always precedes the meal of
hay and grain. During the forenoon
nnd during the afternoon the horses
should have at least one cooling drink
It will do them no harm and they will
do all the better work in consequence
then, at night, see that they are prop
erly groomed and that they have a
good, comfortable bed for their tired
bodies. Treated In this manner, one
will get a full day's work from every
horse and he will not suffer from it
either.
Donbt an to Shredding; Corn.
It Is not universally admitted that
shredding corn fodder pays. Many
who have tried it seem to feel about
like an Indiana farmer, who says :
"I shred my corn fodder, but am not
satisfied that it is a success. Labor
Is too high, and while cattle do very
well on it horses do not seem to do
ns well. In my opinion, corn, oats nnd
timothy hay is, the best combination of
feed for horses ; corn and clover hay
with some bran for beef cattle, nnd
clover buy, bran, oats and n little corn
for sheep. I do not use concentrated
feed. I do not grow nny special va
rlety of corn. The average yield to the
acre one year with another Is about
forty bushels. I cut from five to twenty
acres each year, using the corn har
vester. I keep five horses, about twen
ty-five hogs, and from ten to fifteen
cattle."
Waste of Feed.
Straw, corn fodder and rough hny
are known as coarse foods, because
much of such foods contain either an
excess of woody fiber nnd little nu
trition In proportion to the bulk, or are
not as readily eaten by stock as Is good
hny or food of a better quality. For
this reason there Is a large waste of
valuable feeding- material In the Unit
ed States that might be saved nnd
used If proper attention Is given to
the preparation of foods nnd tho com
bining of the different materials in a
manner by which all can be utilized,
nnd a eorrosjKinding gain In meat or
milk thereby secured. Millions of
stacks of straw and a still larger mini
her of "shocks" or corn fodder rot in
the fields, or are damaged In a manner
to render tho food valueless, though all
of such could be made to perform serv
ice.
The Soprean Tomato.
One of the most promising of the sev
eral new varieties of tomatoes afforded
to planters this spring Is Success. It
has its chief merits In Its brilliant red
color and Its splendid shipping quali
ties. It ripens evenly and almost to the
very stem, the skin Is smooth and, ns
yet It has shown no tendency to crack.
It Is very firm and yet the flesh Is not
hard, but yielding and Juicy. In habit
of growth it is exceetljngly promising.
the vines being vigorous and compact
and the fruit setting abundantly In
clusters. Taken altogether It i.Ta sorl
that will make a mark for Itself un
less it should develop, under field cul
ture, some traits not now seen In the
testing grounds.
It ought to be a variety of great vnl
ue for shippers and those who grow
tomatoes for distant markets are ad
vised to watch the variety closely.
Indianapolis News.
Let the Calf Hare Hay.
When the young calf or the young
lamb is large enough to move around
freely It ought to have some fine hay
of good quality before it all the time so
that It can liogin to eat ns soon ns na
ture Intends It should. Bear In mind
that until Its stomach Is In condition to
properly take care of the hay its In
stinct will keep the animal from eating
much of It The idea that nny Injury
will result Is wrong. If the young calf
must be kept In the bam try and lo
cate Its stall where it will have plenty
of light, especially sunlight, and nil the
fresh air It needs. Keep the stall clean
with the nice hay always at hand for
It to nibble nnd It will thrive. Of
course this stall must be located for a
time, at least where the cow can see
lier baby at nil times ; then one will
have a good cow and a good calf.
Paper Iloraeahoea.
The latest device for helping man.
by helping those who help man. Is In
the shape of a paper horseshoe. This
Is said to be as durable, easier to fit
lighter and less trying on the horse
than the present Iron shoes. Car
wheels, notably the wheels of Pullman
cars, have long been made of com
pressed paper.
THE SL'CCESS TOMATO. ,
PROPHESIED CALAMITIES.
French Seereaa Who Claim to Har
Foretold Year'a Dlaaatera.
Perhaps the most-tnlketl-of person In
Paris Is Mme. do Thebes, the mystio
prophetess, who, it Is claimed, has
"made good." Mme. Thebes bus been
noted for years for her prophecies of
dire events to come. It is said that
she predicted the assassination of Mc-
Klnley, and popular belief Is tnat sue
foretold many great occurrences of late
year.
Her prophecy of last December,
couched In mysterious words, told of
the terrors that the world would go
through in the yenr lUOfl. The tenor of
it all was that It would be a yenr of
trouble. She said thnt there would be
holocaust, famine, earthquake disturb
ances wldesprend, with wholesale casu
alties. The forces of nnture, she de
clared, would rise up ngnlnst man nnd
millions would suffer death or nngulsli
or loss. She predicted that there would
MME. DK THERE S.
be wnr. She said that the order of
things would be upset, nnd lucldentnlly
thnt Belgium would play a curious pnrt
In It America, she prophesied, would
not escape the general misfortune, but
would suffer some great disaster, the
character of which she did not specify.
So widespread and shocking would
be the calamities and suffering, she
said, that man would wonder If all
things were nenrlng an end. Humanity
would turn Its attention with a unanim
ity never before known to the teachings
of religion, and the most mnrked re
sult of all the trouble of the yenr would
be a great moral wave sweeping around
the world. Wnr would give way to
pence, and a brotherliood of mankind
without regard to rnce, color or sect
would follow.
The believers In the jwnvers of the
soeress and the superstitious nre now
snylng that all her prophecies, except
wnr, came true In the first four months
of the year. These Include the famine
In Japan, 1,000,000 suffering; mine ex
plosion at Ceurrleres, France, 1,200
killed. Two earthquakes In Formosa,
2..VI0 killed. Eruption of Vesuvius, 2,000
killed. Tahiti tidal wave. Thousands
dend or homeless. And the earthquake
at Snn Francisco.
OWN YOUR OWN WIRELESS.
Pocket Sender nnd Vmbrelln Heqnl-
Kites Not Yet, bnt Soon, May lie.
Every man his own wireless station
with the nld of nn umbrella Is tho
promise mndo by nn officer of tlie
American Do Forest Wireless Tele
grnph Company. He made this nn
nouncement while telling some details
concerning the efforts to reach Ireland
from America by wireless, says tho
New York Times.
By the pocket wireless apparatus, It
Is declared, any one can, with a knowl
edge of the Morse alphabet, telegraph
from nny point In New York City to
Coney Island and possibly to distances
farther away, even to ships at sea.
Tills apparatus might be ready In a
few weeks, It was asserted.
Dr. Lee Do Forest tho Inventor of
the system thnt bears his name, Is now
n Ireland, the guest of Lord Arm
strong, president of the British branch
of the company, nnd already Dr. De
Forest, the officers of the company say.
has received Coo words sent from this
side to apparatus placed temporarily
on top of Lord Armstrong's castle In
South Ireland. Messages, the De For
est people sny, nre going only one way
ust now, but before long, It Is pre
dicted, they will be going In both di
rections.
Abraham White, the president of the
American De Forest Wireless Tele
graph Company, gave out the state
ment nbout the pocket wireless ma
chines and the possibility of utilizing
umbrellas ns nntonnm in the sending
of messages from a person's pocket to
stations nnd ships, miles away. In a
few weeks, ho explained, there will lie
nn exhibition of the machines, so thnt
nny one enn see how easy It Is to tell
your troubles to somebody twenty
miles or more away.
Appropriate.
I'atron I see you have a new chef.
What Is his name?
Proprietor Oh, we cnll him Poult
liey Blgelow.
Patron That's odd. Why should you
give him such n distinguished name?
Proprietor Oh, because he Is such a
good roaster. Columbus Dispatch.
Ilia I'octlc Head.
"He's proud of lielng prematurely
gray. He thinks that cn Id mine effect
over his ears makes him look poetic"
"Well, It does remind me of a poem."
"What poem?"
"'When the Frost Is on the Pump
kin.' " Cleveland Leader.
A country woman regards a com
pliment very much as the . average
woman does a husband's explanation.
If you want to keep out of the poor
house, quit some of your fool ways.