TOPICS OF
THE TIMES.
Dentists, are dealers a extracts.
Hurled treasure U as useful as con
coaled knowledge.
'if
Self-reliance lifts a miin up' self-con-celt
dragsYhlui ddwn.
Poverty may Jilncli nn 'honest man,
but It never destroys htm.
Nobility of birth does not always ln
ure nobility of character.
- '-
A man doVsn't harts to work otertlme
x ueu it conies to making a rool or ultu.
elf.
Thoro la nothing' new under the sun
except the methods of oxpressiug old
thoughts.
Telt a beggar to All his basket and
he will set up a howl because be didn't
bring a larger one.
An old bachelor says that woman Is
the only animal aflllcted with tho bargain-hunting,
habit.
President I-oubet lu I.oudon told the
King ho was "more than touched" by
the reception given hlni. But not so
touched as when the Czar visited Paris
and struck France for a loan at the
tame moment
John lturroughs says that If them
are not bo. many birds In the West as
In the East, there nre more wild How
its. Nevetbeles there need be no sc
tlonal jealousy. The West can a,wa)s
tny that u dower lu the baud Is worth
two birds In the bush.
This talk about the Kaiser having
Impertinently "nosed" about the Hear
targe adds to William's list ot versatile
accomplishments that of expert engi
neer and-shipbuilder. -For ho must
have seen at a glance what the ordi
nary expert could have discovered only
after the most minute scrutiny.
The good -men do Is not always In
terred with their bones. It was an
nounced not many days ago for the
Hi it time that the flve-thousand-dollar
uuonyinous' contribution which beaded
tbe national subscription for the relief
of tbe starving Cubans, before the
Spanish war, was made by William
ileKInlcy.
"I'll do anything In my power for the
old soldiers, collectively or Individual
ly," said an officer who served In the
Civil War, "except to attend Grand
Army meetings, reunions and places
where they assemble. To see them get
ting older and feeble, to see bow the
ranks are thinned year after year,
makes me feel mighty uncomfortable.
I keep up my affiliation In the post,
pay all my dues and contribute to all
the soldier charities, but I simply can't
go among them at these celebrations.
It makes me feel more as If I were at
tending a funeral than a festive occa
sion. I don't like to see the soldiers
get old." "
Tbe great body of the Russian people
are content with their government. It
may be harsh, viewed from an Ameri
can standpoint, but It does not seem so
to them. They know nothing better,
and although their material condition
It poor they trouble themselves but
little about political questions. The
Russians are also exceedingly patrl-
otic They love their country fully as
much as the people of Germany or
France love theirs, and, as a rule, they
are loyal to the Czar, of whom, how
ever, they have but little personal
knowledge. It will be difficult to stir
poeple of this kind to Join a revolution,
especially against the government of
the present Czar, who has in many
ways shown a disposition to help them.
That a conflict between Japan and
Russia is inevitable and not fur off is
evident to even a casual observer of
political conditions In the Orient The
basis of the coming difficulty is neither
sentimental nor Insignificant, and
moreover it is one that diplomacy can'
not alter or avert Japan has the larg-
est shipping and carrying trade In
Manchuria, having had 177 ships with
a tonnage of -103,000 entering the port
of Nluchwang In 112, and a much
larger proportion for the year 1003 up
to the present time. Her Imports at
this port amounted to 2,100,329 taels
and the exports from this port to
Japan for the year 1002 amounted to
8,740,-158 taels. Tho Russian shipping
amounted to one steamer, and her
Imports and exports were none.
Japan's exports to Korea In 1001 were
11,372,350 yen and her Imports from
Korea were 10,032,43s yen; while Rus
slan Imports and exports were merely
nominal. Japan's exports to all of
China amounted, In 1001, to 42,025,570
yen, having doubled In four years, and
her Imports from China were 27,250,
two yen.
Somewhat more than a year ago
there was an exhibition in Berlin de
voted exclusively to tbe display ot
material, processes and apparatus con
nected with the economic uses of al
cohol. This year a similar exhibition,
or ono designed for tbe same purpose,
became really a most astonishing
revelation of the uses of the potato
and the largo place which It occupies
among German products. No doubt
members of the wide-awake geogra
phy class of to-day know that potatoes
aro one of the most valuable crops in
tho world: yet oven they may be as
tonished to learn tfiiit iri"jermany one
ono hundred and sixty acres are plant
ed with potatoes for each ten thous
and Inhabitants, whereas In the United
States tho area so planted is but a
fraction over thirty-four acres, and in
Great Britain and Ireland thirty-one
acres. Not only are the German work
ing peoplo largo eaters- of potatoes,
liut they make varied and extensive
use of them for other purposes. In
dian corn is not grown extensively
anywhere snvo In tho United States, In
Germany potatoes take its place as
food for cattle, XWa has led to the
Invention of special evaporating ma
chinery, for the large amount of water j
In potatoes makes them decay quick
ly, and they lose much ot their food
value when they sprout The-cvapora-tor
makes ttiem available fqr forago
the year round. Sthrch, dextrin, pota
to flour and starch syrup are also pro
duced In largo quantities, but alcohol
Is by far tho largest product. Alcohol
In Germany la maUe to play an, Im
portant part In economic and Industrial
life. Heating and cooking stoves.
street and household tamps, stationary
. . . . .
engines ana locomouve motors, an are
fed by It. Doth in tho German and
In the Russian, navy alcohol, engines up
to three hundred horse-power have
been used with great success.
To girdle the earth with a message
In nine and a half minutes, aa did
President Mackay recently, Is a mar
velous achievement In telegraphy,
mado possible by she triumphs of
science and engineering In a great
country. The message which went
around tho world In this remarkably
brief time was sent over the fiovr
American Pacific cable by President
Mackay, ot the Pacific Commercial
Cable company, from New York to
President Roosevelt at Oyster Ray,
Long Island. It closely followed a
message sent by President Roosevelt
t6 President Mackay, which was flash
ed around the globe In twelve minutes.
Over halt the Journey of these globe
glrdllng messages, representing a total
mileage ot 23,333, was made on Ameri
can lines. Tbe only part of Its trip
where the Mackay message was forced
to traverse foreign cables was that
between Hongkong and the Azores.
From New York to Chloago, thence by
Postal Telegraph company to San
Francisco, thence along the new PadBc
cable to Honolulu, Hawatl, on again
to Midway Island, and then to Guam.
From Guam It was flashed under the
Pacltlc to Manila, thence through the
China Sea to Hongkong, thence to
Saigon, to Singapore, to renaug, to
Madras, under the Indian ocean, thence
by land across India to Bombay, then
under the Arabian Sea to Aden, then
up the Red Sea to Suez, through Egypt
to Alexandria, under the Mediterran
ean to Malta, by land to Gibraltar,
thence to Lisbon and to tho Azores.
Here It left the foreign cables and
wires, was taken up by the Commer
cial Cable company and flashed to
Canso, Nova Scoria, and then to New
York and Oyster Bay. If this message
could have been transmitted without a
break It would hare made a circuit of
the globe In leas than one-eighth of
a second. The new cable gives a direct
route to the Orient and saves 3000
miles from New York to the Philip
pines. It place Washington in direct
communication not only with the larg
er towns In Hawaii and the Philip
pines, but will ultimately enable the
government to quickly reach the min
ing centers In Alaska. When Shakes
peare made Puck say to Oberon, "I'll
put a girdle around the earth In forty
minutes." he was supposed to be writ-
Ing under the Privilege, of "poetic
license." The latest achievement.
however, far transcends the poetic
fancy ot the Imaginative bard ot Avon.
From forty minutes to nine and a halt
minutes represents the far astride of
genius from the fancy of the poet to
the fact of scientific accomplishment I
EVERY PERSON HAS A DOUBLE.
So Bmjm an Old Prorerb A Beggar Ba
aemblea the King,
Br argument of an ancient uroverb
there nre alwava on this earth at the
same time two human beings who re- Kregate together as much as possible,
semble each other In all respects, and In maDJ' western cities there is a quar
a European occultist points out that ter called Chinatown." the bouses of
this Is certainly true in the case of , "bleh. ""ed like rabbit-warrens
rulers.
An old beggar who lives In White
chapel bears, according to him, a
startling resemblance to King Edward
ot England so startling. Indeed, that
It tbe beggar were dressed In royal
raiment be could not be distinguished
from tho real king.
The British ruler, however. Is not the
only one who has a double, writes
the Detroit Free Press. The czar and
the Prince of Wales are wonderfully
like each other. Indeed, more than
one photographer In Europo Invaria
bly sells a photograph of tbe prince
to anyone who asks for a photograph
of the czar.
M. Bertolanl, a photographer of
Salerno, was tbe double of the late
King Humbert of Italy, and so proud
of Ids resemblance was he that he
spent much of his spare time study
ing the attitudes and gestures of his
sovereign. For this labor be was well
rewarded, sluco the soldiers, mlstuklng
him for the king, saluted hltn.
Hcrr Adolph Hlrschfeld, the double
of Emperlor William of Germany, Is
by no means proud of his resemblance.
nd ho feels very uncomfortable when
anyone mistakes him for the kaiser,
for he fears that the latter will frown
on him sooner or later and will request
him to leave Germany.
t T, .. , T ,
j,. utmtuc, a neu.uij Btuubiuail VI
Lyons, Is the living Imago of King ,g co;ered notIcCi( on bligbt re(,
0scar ot Sweden. pnppri wlth back IetterSi wuleh ar
" . . read with much apparent Interest by
No language of Their Own. tfao Culnaraen. 0n the sidewalks in
Among the peoples of tho world the Ule front of ,he storcs aro 8ta ,rJjere
Swiss are alone In having no language frulti vegetnLes and edibles of un
tbey can call their own. According famniar and unprepossessing appear
to a recent visitor to the littlo country ance are exposed for sale. In the door
about three-fourths of the people of ways nI)li corners tailors and cobblers
Switzerland speak German, while the piy their trades. A fortune-teller sits
remainder dlvldo four other languages at a little table, on the wall behind
among them, mainly French and Ital- which a largo notice sets forth his
Ion, the languages varying as a rule powers and pretensions,
according to the proximity of tbe peo-1 The proprietor of a drug store is
pie to each country whose tongue they j frequently a physician waring large-
njieuK. i uuik uutuuii-mo unu uuuees ,
are printed In both French and Ger
man. In the Swiss congress or national
parliament the members make their
speeches either In French or German,
for nearly all the members understand
both languages. The orders of the presi
dent are translated by an official inter
preter and furnished to the newspapers
in both languages. Probably It would
puzzle even Mocaulay'g learned school
boy to name tbe president of tbe
Swiss republic. He Is M, Adolf Deu
cher, a name that will be strange to
many oven of thoso who ore familiar
with tbe names and titles of every
European ruler.
When the malls Anally arrive, thost
people who are always expecting a let
ter, and who never get any, really
ought to receive a letter or two.
THE CHINAMAN IN
THE UNITED STATES
(Tom Frank btilU'i MtfMtn.
I estimated that there arc about
minMthln.,. t.. tt,. HhIIa.1 3tAtM
-,vw . ... u. ......
" i-u.msj or tuem are in pan
Francisco, There Is a considerable
Chinese colony lu New York, and theie.
are mall colonies In Philadelphia, ilea
Ton and Chicago. Though they do not
belong to the educated classes, ninety
live per cent, of them can read and
write. A dally paper In the Chinese
language Is published in San Fran
Cisco, and another In New York.
Nearly all the Chinamen In the Unit
ed States come from the single pror
I nee of Kwong Tung, the most pop
Ulcus of the eighteen provinces of the
Chtuene empire. Its capital Is Can
ton. In 18S9 an educated Chinaman
front the province of Shan Tung said
that beside himself there were only
two Chluamen in the United States
that came from any province In China
other than Kwong Tung. The Inhabl
tants of this province have for cen
turies been more adventurous and
fonder ot traveling than tti rest of
THE COBnl.tR AND HIS (MOT.
their fellow-countrymen, and they are
always ready to face danger If there
Is a good chance ot profit The emi
grants are generally farmers or me
chanics, who, finding business dull,
borrow money and Journey to a foreign
land In tbe hope of bettering their
lot
Of the Chinamen In the United
States perhaps one-twentieth are mer
chants, who deal chiefly In Chinese
products, such as ducks' feet stuffed
with chicken liver, wrapped In en
trails, dried oysters, shad preserved
In oil, pork cured In sugar, dried cab
bages, salted turnips, ancient eggs of
ducks and many other things esteemed
dainties by the Chinese palate. These
articles, on account of the freight and
has w tm-ts 1 1 f. rm a va varv wtatlv
bnt nQ c'raDaman .jers a menu
complete without them. The Chinese
merchants export from tbe United
States woollen clorh, nannal, cotton
goods, petroleum, ginseng, and many
other articles. Shoes and cigars are
,-,,,, ,....,,,, h , nh,n.
,.,.. of r,Mrin.v,r. ,,.,,
estimated at several thousands.
Though many Chinamen are scat
tered about the suburbs of western
towns as cooks, household servants or
laundrymen, and many others live on
ranches or orchards, most of them con
with yellow humanity, wear a squalid,
tumble-down, greasy, forlorn air. and
are pervaded by a curious, indefinable
""11. which everywhere perceptible
and often overpowering. Tho streets
ot a Chinese quarter swarm with men,
women and children; the shops are
adorned with gaudy gilt signs and
lanterns of various shapes, sizes and
Willi,
,, I !,.,. ,, ,ll, ,l
rimmed spectacles and assuming a
mysterious air. Among bis curative
agents aro powdered beetles, cock
roaches, skins of caterpillars, snakes'
bones, lizards, deer-borns and the blood
of toads. The drug ginseng Is found
in every store, and Is believed to be a
preservative of youth.
The restaurants occupy the upper
floors of three-storied buildings, and
are distinguished by gaily painted and
gilded balconies, adorned with rows
ot great lanterns. The rooms are
decorated with handsome Chinese fur
niture and elaborately carved screens.
Here tbe rich Chinamen give big din
ners with many courses and musical
accompaniments, Tbe eating-houses
for poor Chinamen are chiefly In cel
lars, and are rudely furnished. Tbe
merchants bare their own kitchens, and
eat their meals at the back ot their
shops, helping themselves from a large
X CHINESE FORTUNE-TELLER.
dish placed In the center of the small
UtiU ami miIh- t...Ktl..L-a
..... v..,....t
It has been said, and with truth,
that the Chinaman In the United States
does not even change bis tailor br lid
barber. Through the windows ot the
barber's shops you may see Chluamen
having their beads and foreheads shar
ed, their scanty beards trimmed, their
queues combed and braided with silk
to Increase the length, nnd other toilet
operations performed, such as pound
ing the back, cleaning the eye-balls,
and scraping the ears. The queue Is
universally worn In China, having been
Introduced by tho Tartars as a bodge
of subjection wtoeu they conquered
China, and having since become merely
a national custom. Some Chlnameu In
the United States dispense with the
queue, but let It grow again when they
are about to visit their native' land.
When at work the queue Is often colled
on tbe top ot the head.
When a Chinaman dies his body Is
dressed In his best clothes and laid on
the coftln; pigs roasted whole and other
viands arc spread out to feed the
spirits ot (he dead, and In many rases
mourners are hired to chant the praises
of the deceased. When the ceremony
Is over the body is placed In the coffln,
nnd the procession mores out to the
cemetery. Children dressed In white
often walk barefooted behind the cottlu
ot their father or mother. Strips of
brown paper pierced with holes are
scattered along the road to keep off
any bad spirits that may bo hovering
near.
The Chinaman, though hardworking
and frugal In tho highest degree. Is
rarely free from the vices of gambling
nnd opium-smoking. In a city there is
an exodus ot Chinese house-servants
eery night from the suburbs to the
Chinese quarter, and It one happens to
be out late one will certainly see China
men stealing quietly to the employers'
homes after a night of gambling and
dissipation. But in the morning the
Incrutnble oriental will be ready with
breakfast Just as usual.
The Chinese are Idolators, and have
temples containing the Images' of noble
characters, whom they ask to present
their petitions to the Great Being
Shlng," who dwells somewhere In the
sky. Roasted pigs, chickens, and
sweetmeats are presented to the "Joss,"
In whose honor candles are lighted.
Incense and Joss sticks burned. The
worshipper kneels and touches the
floor with his head as he utters his
prayer.
In every Chinese quarter are under
ground opium dens, to which narrow
flights of tottering stairs lead. They
are doathly still, and the atmosphere
reeks with the fumes of the drug.
Every lodging-bouse, restaurant and
guild-ball supplies facilities for Indul
gence In the drug. The Chinaman's
favorite drink Is tea, though he has a
spirit called "Samshoo," which Is dis
tilled from rice, and drunk from small
cups hardly larger than thimbles.
GUARDS RUINS OF POMPEII.
Agad fUntrr Keapa Hlghtaaara Out of
Araa rtf fc.xcavatlnna.
Old Lulgl has occupied week by
week for twenty-two years bis little
sentry box on the topmost point of the
highest heap of ashes and scoriae that
the excavators have cast up out of
Pompeii to the northward, says a cor
respondent of tbe New York Evening
Post. There be sits, and smokes In
peace his diminutive pipe of execrable
but not cheap tobacco. While the other
guards are hurrying through the gap
ing ruins below blm successive groups
of drooping travelers, apparently Just
come from the building of Babel, old
Lulgi's only duty Is to keep a weather
eye open for the unduly Inquisitive
stranger who may want to make his
way into the forbidden area of the ex
cavations still In progress, or for the
more pertinacious native who advance
a hundred plausible reasons for similar
transgression from tbe beaten paths of
tbe adjacent vineyards and orchards.
For the troublesome native Lulgl has
short words nnd but scant courtesy.
Toward the Ignorant foreigner he It
more affably disposed and a pipeful of
Imported tobacco and a few frlend'y
words onen both his heart aud his llm.
Lulgl has a magnificent view from
his high perch. Behind blm Is the lord
of the landscape, Vesuvius. He has
been wrapped for an hour In a private
mantle of cloud nnd thnt has Just lift-
cd to show bis great gray sliouldirs
white with unaccustomed snow. Lulgl
says It will be a hard nftcrnoon for the
travelcrs at the summit. Immediately
In front are the roofless, ashen walls
of tbe mlns of tho ancient city, slop
ing down to the very edge of that pre
historic lava stream that marks the
earllerand greater rage of the monarch
who visited sudden destruction upon
the people that ventured to build upon
the skirts ot his trailing robe. Beyond
stretches the almost level plain of the
Sarno, laid out In rectangular garden
patches all the way across toward the
rugged, towering heights of Monto
Saut Angelo, now capped with tbe late
snows of departing winter.
In a sheltered nook, half-way up the
steep, nestle behind tho frowning out
posts ot u ruined castle the pink and
yellow and whlto houses of the little
vlll.igo. of Lettere, whence, Just 1,850
years ago, tbe last king of the Goths
marched down to meet defeat at the
hands of Nurses In tbe plain below.
Farther to tbe left one can Just maku
out tbe castle of Nocera, wnere Helena,
Manfred's widow, wept her life away
In captivity after the lamentablit
slaughter at Beneventum. At the right
beyond the clustered buildings of
Castetlamare, the blue Mediterranean
glitters out to the twin heights of Capri
and the massive dome of Ischla,
Making Hare of Her I'laoe.
"Do you ever have any difficulty in
making your cook keep her place?"
"No, indeed; she began to run tho
house from tbe minute she camo Into
It, and she's never stopped. Cincin
nati Commercial Tribune.
Tiio man who gets there acts as his
own crutch; he doesn't lean on others.
(Edward Charles, In the Wide World.i
With most cities life begins at the
ground floor (cellars, sewers aud elec
tric ttibrs nlwnja excepted! nnd ends
at the top story, but In Paris, while
business Is being profitably conducted
In the bright sunshine of tho loftiest
story. It Is also being ns protllnbly pur
sued In the darkness of the depths be
luw, far beneath even the sewers ami
the famous Metropolian Rnllway ot
which the Parisians are so proud. For
Paris Is hnney-cotubed with suit, r-
rn Hi-nil vaults and passages. It Is
II orally built upon columns and nails,
and If one fine morning the world
awoke to learn that the bottom had
fallen out of the (lay Capital ami It
had crumpled up like a liotite ot cards
It would be no surprising thing to
those familiar with the underground
world of Paris. It would seem
ns though the former Inhabitants had
devoted their efforts to hewing out a
place wherein they might seek refuge
lu case of dre necessity, for. though
few are aware of the fact, the entire
CllAUl'lUMlSMtirt.M AT WOMK.
IMipulatlon of Paris could bide Itself
beneath the city.
To build the city we know well
to-day past generations delrd and dug
beneath It for the 0vct.-d stifne. What
theu were quarries hae now become
caves, portions ot which have been
Ci nverted into cutacomls all I contain
the bones of the dead, wlille others are
used for the very mundane purpoM of
growing mushrooms. The miudiroum
is a comestible particularly fuvcmil
by the French Wagon loads fruiu
Uiar and far find their way Into the
central markets of the city every day
In the year, aud the annual consump
tion by the Parisians of this vegetable
represent a value of over $1.2."iO,luo.
Both beneath the city Itself and out
side It, these strange mushroom c-avrs
extend for miles in nil directions; and
In them hundreds of men, who often
never M-e da) light from morn till ete.
pass their lltes In cultivating the
"I was told that I should And these 1
"under-boulevnrda" of the great city
well worthy of a visit, and I accepted
tbe offer of an Influential friend to oh
tain permission for mself and a photo
grapher to descend Into the bowels of
the earth and leant something ot the
art of underground uiunbioom grow
Ing. ie departed one nne morning,
the photographer and I, for Malakoff,
nn the outskirts of Paris. We found
the mushroom fanner in his farm
awaiting u a well-built, bluff, hearty
specimen of French "fe.-niler." M
Burvingt by name. I looked around
for signs of caves, but fulled to find
them, nor did I see any hills In tbe
neighborhood under which tbey might
be. In answer to a question I was In
formed that they were Just 15 metres
under our feet.
"This shaft leads right Into them,"
raid the fanner. Indicating n covered
circular bole In the ground I hud not
hitherto noticed. He pulled tho boards
away, and 1 looked down, shudderlug,
for I looked only Into fathomless durk
liens. How we were to get down puz
zled me; how the photographic appara
tus was going to fare worried tho pho
tographer, and we were both Immense
ly relieved to leant that this shaft was
not the entrance, but only tho place
where they pitched th? innuuro down.
I still had hopes of g.-iilug entrance
other than -by descending a shaft a
gentle slope or something of flint wrt
wn wl)at I wanted nnd I Mt con-
vlnced that this would be the case
wl'en our guide said we had rather ii
wo. Ik: before us. It provtd u go d
three-quarters of an hour's Joiino-y,
over fields -and down country lanes,
" '"' stopped suddenly before a small
wiunre fence nnd told us we had reitch-
ta ol,r destination. And we bad been
following tho Hue of one of the under
ground passages all the time.
Opening a gate, the fnrnier revealed
a shaft; my hopes were scattered to
the winds. I hnd never done, any ladder-climbing,
and I really did not fancy
the feat of "monkeying" down a pole,
the rungs of which were Just short Iron
bnrs lnsertid, nono too near ono an
other, on either side, and which sway
ed to and fru like a hough In the wind.
"I can't see the bottom," said tho
photographer, somewhat ruefully.
For my part that did not matter so
much, I was only anxious not to feel
It too suddenly, for there was nothing
to brink a drop ot 43 feet, unless hit
ting against tho sides as one fell might
be regarded us breaking It The first
dlfllculty was to get the photographic
apparatus below. Camcnutaud, and
flash lumps were packed Into a basket,
which was hooked on to a rope, and
away It sped, but quick as tbe rope
went through tho bauds of the "chant
plgnonnlste" the camera-stand was
was quicker In Its descent. The farmer
uttered a cry of dismay, and the pho
tographer gave me a look ot pain
which clearly Indicated bis fear that
there would be no photographs taken
that day. After our guldo bad disap
peared over the ledge uhd reached the
bottom, the photograptier followed him,
anxious, no doubt, to discover what
was broken. When the primitive lad
der oscillated no longer beneath hs
weight I went slowly and silently
down, landing safely In abcut three
Inches of mud, I found my colleague
busily engaged In cleaning the broken
camera-stand.
"Good thing It wasn't tho camera,''
he remarked and t ogrved.
It had lvcu 120 degrees In the sun up
above, for the day was particularly
tine. Down here It was cold, damp.dark
and uninviting! su rold that 1 shivered
In my shirt-sleeves, for I had left my
coat above; so damp that I developed
a violent cold next day; and so black
that out of tin circle of light that came
dowM the ilinft mu could not have seen
line's hand before one's eye had It
been held thvro. Our guide shouted,
and his voice, bi-lug In keeping with his
stature, tilled the blackneiui, rumbling
away down the many artrrles leading
from where we were standing and coin
ing hark again from a dozen different
directions, lu answer to bis call there
presently daucett III the dark void
ahead of us a couple ot lights.
Thry heralded the approach of a
couple of "eliatuplgnoiinlstes," who,
emerging from th.r habitual gloom,
dtcloscd themselves as short, dark In
dividuals, of none too prepossessing ap
pearance, attired, with but scant' re
gard for the tempera lure, In blue cot
ton trousrrs, blouse, and "sabots,"
Their coats they had dim-anted. Ixk
lug at the condition of the ground I
envied them their substantial foot-cov-crlugs,
and the more ho whrn, later,
I found myself wading through a verit
able morass of slimy sand.
Provided with lights small round
colza-oil lamps fixed on the ends of
sticks and encumbered with the pho
tographic materials, we moved forward
and then the real torture of the ex
parliiiee began.
"Mluds your heads." said the guide.
"Ilend your backs! Preiir garde la!"
In alarm, ns the bewildered photo
grapher was about to dispute the solid
ity of the celling above. Wo bent our
backs, lient ourselves nearly double lu
fact, and yet felt our beads scrap
ing the roof of Hit passage; and bent
and rraniH-d like this we were for two
mortal hours. I said that the place
was cold, damp, black, and uulnrltlng:
let ino now add that It was very un
comfortable, for the celling nbove us.
of solid stone was not more than 3
feet from the floor. If ever there was
a time when I have not licen proud of
my height It was during those two aw
ful hours. We formed a weird and
ghostly procession as we iiiovkI for
ward through the Inky blackness, the
silence broken only by our footsteps as
I wesplnshed along through the puddles.
tbe solemn drip, drip of water from the
walls and roof, an exclamation now
and then from myfelf as I nearly trip-
ovcr 0,w ot ",ul'ruu' .
UOl'TII or THE TUNNEL,
and strange mtttterings from the man
who was to work the camera.
The famous mushrootn-ticds were at
our feet. We were, In fact, walking In
the narrow space between them n
path perhnps a font lu width. Thcv
ran along tlin eaves In rows, two
agnlnst the sides, nnd n pair down the
centre. They seemed to be banks of
sand ionic- 2 feet In height, nnd Inclin
ing up from u 2 feet Intue to n round
ed top. The soli was clammy nnd
crumbling to the touch, nnd Inlaid with
round white discs, varying lu circum
ference from the dimensions of a quar
ter to a smalt-sized saucer the pre
cious mushrooms.
"Is there much of this?" I asked of
tho farmer leading ns, who seemed pre
pared to walk on for ever.
"Seven or eight kilometres," he an
swered unconcernedly.
We bad nrrlved at n bend. How long
I hnd been creeping onward", bumping
now my bead and now nn arm. Mum
bling, sprawling nnd saying things, I
know not; but my back nched fright
fully, and I appreciated mora than ever
before tbe comforts of being u short
man.
It seemed we bad walked for uges,
"We will take a photograph here," I
sntd, which brought tho party to u halt.
While the photographer made ready
his camera I explanued to our friends
tho mystery ot the flash-lamp, and
when he was qulto ready gave them
tho signal to put out their lamps. They
did so. Tho blackness could almoKl
liavo been cut with a knife, and tho
stillness was m Intense that we could
hear each other's regular breathing,
Terrible thoughts scurried through
my brain. What must It be, I thought
to lo lost In such a place without a
light, without food, or to be In there
with an enemy who was fumlitar with
Its ramifications? It was a place to
loso one's self In, to go mad In, to bo
murdered In without the world being a
Jot the wiser. And what was that?
Something crawling over my face, here
and there and everywhere; something
creeping up my arras; something glid
ing round my neck, Would that lamp
never flash? It sc.emcd an age, but
was In reality not a second. A blue,
blinding glare went up, Illumining tbo
spaco around with such a light as It
bad never seen before, and showing
up plainly tbe trio ot "champignon
nlstes" crouched down as thoy worked,
and scaring a pillion flies and spiders
and goodness alone knows what other
Insects and vermin. Tho light died
down and went out, and again the
lamps sprang Into Ufa and shed ttiolr
flickering, welcome gleams around.
After securing some other pictures
nnd n very flue acctimulullon ttf small
tiles on our lamps )mkod. the oll-we)U,
were black ,wltht tbeiu-Mvni glsdlyi
sought the upper world agntu. I had
no ambition to explore the caves In
their entirely, but only to get my
cramped spine onen more Into lis nor
mal position, to sit down and rrst lu a
neighboring Inn and gather mushroom
knowledge from the lips of the grower
himself. Fifty years before, he told
nie, tho caves lind been open to III"
broad light of day. They were th
scene of great activity, reoum1lng'con
tluually with the eipWlnus of gun
lowder, fur thvre uieu were quarrying
... . .. ... ...... ... I. ..II. I llH.1.
I viiu sump iiini neipru iu mum , mm,
j Later on they had hoeil abandoned and,
covered lu, to be finally tnken over by
the cultivators of mushrooms. This is
the history of most of the caves which
aro wow used for this purpose, not only
In the ltrlghtiorhcod of the capital, but
throughout France.
But all nre not of the kind I have
Just described, otherwise I should not
have gone myself and prevailed upon
the photographer to accompany me to
tb famous caves of Istyltn-Mollnenux,
owned by champlgnoiinlste Haurnicrot.
I found them, as I bad been told 1
should, to lie In decided contrast to
thtMcprevtousty visited; as large as thn
other were small MO feet In hslght at
least. And there was no ladder to de
scend one walked strnlght Into the tun
nel from tlm daylight, for It pierced a
hill, a chalk hill whence had breti quar
ried thousands of tons of chalk of Iho
quality that makes acquaintance with
tlm tips of billiard cues. Thn main tun
nel, cutting rlean Into the hill for s dis
tance of not Iras than 250 yards
would bare easily admitted a carriage
nnd pair, carrying auothrr vehicle on
top. Aa mushroom caves go It was Cer
tainly s huudnjuie one, but Just aa colli
and damp as nny other, with a switch
back sort of road leading from tlm en
trance to the bottom of the raves.
Here there was space far six Hues of
mushroom beds to wend their Irregular
ways side by side, as wilt bo wen In
our photograph.
Ther were six of thcao large galler
ies, from which numerous others ran
off, twisting and winding about to thn
length of some Seven kilometre. Cut
In the sides of the panaagc were num
erous llltlo "chapels," ome on a level
with the ground, others high up In thn
side of the wall. In all these raves
contained some sixty kilometres of Attn
mushroom-beds; spiders and files we
found there In their millions, the only
occupants beyond rnts and the cats
thnt are kept there to catch them.
lu no rase of such dlmeusluns are sit
the mushroom beds In the same stage
of advancement at once. While some
thousands of metres are In full bloom,
others are not so far advanced, and In
some passages the beds are only Just
being laid down, while lu others tho
work of clearing out old and useless
beds Is being carried on. Why this Is
so will Iw apparent when It Is ststed
that It would take fifty turn employed
lu the caves nt Moulluenux right
months to fill them with the (W.OCO
metres they nre capable of accommo
dating. Scrupulous cleanliness Is an alwolutn
sine qua linn ere a new bed can he
laid down. The care must be cleared
of the old bed entirely; not a particle
of It must be left, for with nit the
mushroom's aptitude for lightning
growing, It Is something of a dandy
In the vegetable world. There are cer
tain things It dors not like: that It pre
ftrsdeathto. In fact, and amongst them
may be mentioned dead rats, old Iron,
and a parasitical Insect with a special
weakness for the nutritious mushroom.
When this Insect gets In Its dendlly
work, the farmer has good ri-nn.ui tu
sigh. Dead rats are frequently found
In tbo raves with drad mushrooms all
around them, for tho mushroom ap
parently cannot tolerate dead rats any
more than It can rusty horse-shoes or
any other rusty pieces ot Iron. Huch
things spell loss to the "champignon
nlste." Now beds are laid down every flvo
or six months, and as they do not benr
until three mouths have paused, the
harvest need be a rich one, for tho
nvarnge cost of a bed en It shows
signs of produce Is francs per
metre. First the manure has to ha
secured, and then, ere It can he used,
It bus to be prepnrcd, the work taking
from three to six weeks. When ready
It Is carried Into the cave or shovelled
down a shaft, ns occasion requires.
The building of the ImiIs Is n peculiar
nnd laborious proce-m. Sitting ustrldo
the portion of the I mm I be hits first mado
tho worker gntlirrn nnnfuls ot mnnuro
nnd presses the materials down to an
even height lu front of him. Thus bo
Is always provided with n sent. Ero
tho spawn Is sown the tcmpcrnturo ot
the beds must linvo reached about 1"
degrees to II degrees Fnhr. (No won
der we had het-n cold lu our shirt
sleeves) The spawn sown, tho mnnuro
Is covered with sand, nnd then every
two or three dnys tho hods must bo
liberally watered. At the end of three
months the "buttons" poko their heads
through, then gradually tho beds be
como covered with white howls, which,
on attaining tho required size, aro col
lected for market. Unless, however, a
metro yields four kilos of mushrooms
at tho least, tho proprietor of tho cavo
has llltlo occasion to be cheerful, for
Its creation and enre account for an
outlny of threo francs, while the har
vest only fetches a franc per kilo.
Winter Is the best season for the
"champlgnonnlste." Then M. Hntiva
geot told me, he sends to mnrkot no
fow tlm n one hundred baskets a day,
which means 1,100 kllot, while- during
tho other seasons of the year forty
boskets or 410 kilos Is the dally output.
In tbe production ot this perennial har
vest thousands of workmen find em
ployment round Paris alone mon who
puss their days lu damp and darkness
with only spklers and flies to keep
tnem company, ana yet seem to ex.
perlence no evil effects ns the result of
their strange surroundings.
Canada's Trailn In Cattle.
The Increase In Canadian rnttln ai,f
to Great Britain Is enormous from
10.103 In the first four months nr iw
to 27,300 in tho first four months this
year.
When a boy Isn't in mischief. It la
because he Is being compelled to toko
time to repent