4
TOPICS OF
THE TIMES.
If fome. men were worms
would be too lazy to turn.
they
Wise. In tho mnn who profits by tho
costfj experience of others.
TIio Servian relgnmakera may
useless In n drought district.
be
TIio best' capital to begin life on Is
n capital wife so n womnu says.
He sure of the effect before wasting
jour time In searching for the cause.
A mnn who will not listen to reason
soon becomes a crank that caunot bo
turned.
All men ina' be born equal, but It
doesn't take the majrrlty of tticm
long to Uvu.lt down.
If all the world's n stage It's up to
each of us to contribute something to
ward the elevation of It.
riorlda has started the breeding of
pelicans. Now let Louisiana breed
storks the States need thetu.
A woman dislikes to hear a man talk
shop almost ns much as a man dislikes
to hear a woman talk shopplug.
Some men talk most of the first dol
lar they ever earned, but they think
oftenest of tho Urst dollar they ever
spent.
Wlien after acquiring sudden wealth
a man ceases to recognize his friends
they "escape the tiresome stories of his
early, struggles.
Tho decisions of a Brooklyn magis
tral that for one woman to call nn
otuerau old maid is a serious case of
disorderly conduct Increases the swell
ing ranks of our Dogberrys by one
shining member.
" TIs a rule of manners to avoid ex
aggeration." said Emerson. The Con
cord philosopher might be Inclined to
make the remark with fresh emphasis
were he here to comment on some re
cent characterizations of him.
Over In Paris tome of the fashion
able people put goggles on their dogs
and take them 'nutomoblllug. It Is
said that the fashionable people can
generally be distinguished from the
dogs because the latter as a rule are
smaller.
Arc the times accursed? One can
scarcely pick up a newspaper without
seeing an account of some terrible
tragedy. ICallroad wrecks, floods,
cloudbursts, forest fires, mine explo
sions, elevator accidents, murders and
ljnchlngs have followed each other In
rapid and terrible procession, until It
would seem that some evil Influence
were at' work to make 1003 memorable
for. Its bloody record.
That there are business men who
have faith In colleges Is evident from
the liberal-gifts of money to those
Institutions which are made by the
businessmen.' That a college educa
tion is not a sine qua non to success
In business Is evident from the number
of men rich enough to confer such
benefactions who never saw the In
side of a college until they visited col
leges In the role of munificent dis
pensers of money.
The progressive action of Trinity
College, Dublin, Is commended to the
advocates of segregation In this land
of "equal opportunity." This famous
seat of learning, "famous forever for
Greek and Latlnlty," has about decid
ed to abolish the compulsory study of
Greek a"nd open Its doors .to women.
Thus Trinity steps Into the twentieth
century with a polite bow to certain
more modern Institutions of learning
that are going the other way.
President Nash, of Lombard College.
In Illinois, told some borne truths In a
recent address. lie contended that the
universal distrust of law as shown
by lynching was a serious menace to
civilization. He referred to recent
lynchlngs and could see no Justification
In the plea that for such crimes no
punishment wits too severe, adding:
"If you should lynch one man for that
crime iu this community every wo
man's life here would be less safe."
It Is Intimated that the medal be
stowed by King Edward upon Archi
tect McKIni for his alterations In the
White House Is meant as a delicate
atonement for the Incident In 1814,
when the Ilrltlsh Invaders ate Mrs.
Madison's dinner and then burned the
house. Iteally we had almost forgot
ten that little episode, and never laid
It up against Edward anyway. De
sides, we got even for It some time
ago In the Invasion and permanent oc
cupation of England by William Wal
dorf Astor,
Canada's business men, politicians
and citizens generally aro greatly ex
cited over the projects for another
transcontinental railroad. There have
been no less than four well-thought-out
schemes under agitation, but Just at
present Interest centers on the Grand
Trunk Pacific proposals, which are on
the verge of parliamentary discussion.
The wheat fields of tho Northwest are
rich territory for a new line. The pop
ular demand U great for an all-rail,
jilUCanadlait routo from Pacific to At
lantic. Tho Grand Trunk Pacific pro
poses to get the prize and meet tho de
mand at tho same time, but It Insists
on a huge amount of government aid.
Its proposal, to which tho Luurler
ministry Is understood to have given
Its approval, Is that the government
shall build a Itao from Moucton, N, n.,
In the East to Quebec, and thenco
straight through the unsettled forests
far north of Montreal and Toronto to
Winnipeg. This Hue the company of
fers to lease for fifty years, paying
practically nothing tho first ten years
and 3 per cent on Its cost for the next
rorty years. West of Winnipeg the
company propose to build Its own line
tj Tort Simpson, on Hie Pacific, but
It asks a government guarantee of
bonds to cover 73 per cent of the post
of construction lp to $111,000 n mllo
on the prairie, section and $.10,000 n
mile on the mountain section. Of a to
tal estimated cost or construction for
the whole route, of $HXOO.i00O the
government l naked to provide or
guarantee $70.ooo,000. As to the ulti
mate profits of the western half of the
road there con be no question. Tho
eastern end, from Quebec to Moneton.
would, however, pome into competition
with the Intercolonial lto.nl. which the
Dominion government owns, and
which, owing to limited trailtc, has al
ways been run at a loss. The project
has some anient friends, but to Judge
from the Canadian press Its critics are
In the majority. The contest before
action Is taken by, the government is
sure to be wnrm.
It Is not so long ago that the horse
was said to be losing pretlge a a
tamed or a wild and untamed spirit of
the n ad, since the bicycle had been
found to equal him In being a rood
family steed. While the automobile
was able to kick, balk or run away
Just as viciously or d;sastruuly 11
good many people prophesied that the
day of the horse's value, except for
utility, was over. Man has a liking for
combat and danger, and Hie c.n iiiet
of a mettled horse was nee an unfail
ing pr script on for liver c.miplalnt.
That was bjfore the days of machine
made horses, however, and when horse
thieves stole horses Instead of bicycles.
Horse stealing went out of fashion a
good many years ago. and seems likely
never to resume its old vogue, although
a man In South Dakota was reported
not long ago to have ridden away
with 105 horses at one swipe. It must
be a comfort to automobile owners
that n wholesale steal of these to the
extent of 105 Is not likely. In this re
spct the marhln? Is ahead of the
horse. Yet the horse is to be with us
ns a friend and a Joy, after all the
doubt about him. Poetry was not sym
lollZ(tl as a winged steed for nothing.
Those old ancients were all right when
they put the Centaur Into mythology
and the Gemini Into the Zodiac. Man
and the horse were meant to bo com
rades true and no temporary unfaith
fulness on the part of man can long
oust the horse from his established
rights of prlmo-genlture In the oihii
road and the curve of the race track.
Horses were here before man and his
man-made machines. Everything that
a machine can do a horse can do, and
make much lees fuss about. As for
the things a machine can't do that a
horse can are tbey not bound up with
the history of the world's circuit of the
globe T
That fashion again Insists on keep
ing the horse up to the old mark, as
the final arbiter of the dignified and
correct In the usage of locomotion, is
a return to nature that pleases every
body. Even In his ugliest tempers he
Is only a tract on the ethics of horse
education. You can shape and train
horse nature so that It Is reliable for
something definite. The horse Intelli
gence will step in to piece out the fall
ing powers of the man. Can any other
motor machine do that?
THEY MARRY ANYHOW.
pPeople of the Caucasus Would 'Jott as
Lief Die as Not.
In the northern Caucasus nearly half
the death-rnte of the Inhabitants Is
caused by vendetta, and at least three-
fmlrthc nf thk vpniTnttn mim nr. tha '
result of a curious marriage custom
which la now decimating the popula
tion. The native of those parts wjio
wishes to take unto himself a wife
cannot arrange the matter in the
simple ofT-baud manner In vogue In
western Europe by "popping the ques
tion." He must go home, and sell his be
longings, and buy her fairly and
squarely of her parents, the price rang
ing from $175 to $1,000. This ls a
costly custom in many wayes, for It Is
not crery young man who can afford
to Invest such a large sum In a wife,
however accomplished. What general
ly happens In such cases Is that the In
digent candidate for the order of Hene
dlck Induces a few stalwart comrades
to seize the maiden and carry her off:
What too often follows then may be
gathered from a case In point which
has Just taken place In Sossiambek.
Uokayeft Is the bridegroom's name,
and Nesbkbo that of the girl of sweet
sixteen who had the misfortune to find
favor In his eyes. Ills pockets being
empty he, persuaded three comrades to
kidnap the maid, whom he then took
off to another village as his wife.
Hut her father, on discovering her
whereabouts, had her sent back by the
police, and then demanded $150 for loss
of her services, as we should say. Bo
kayeff, to whom the demand was
made, would not or could not pay. Tho
girl's father thereupon claimed that
sum from the bridegroom's compan
ions, who are equally liable. They ad
mitted the Justice of his claim and call
ed upon Uokayeft to hand over the sum
to them. On his refusal they shot him
dead, that being the custom of the
country, although daggers are also al
lowed to take the place of bullets.
English Household Troops.
The privileges of the household
troops, which are now being called
Into question, date from the establish
ment of the regiments from Charles
II., according to the London Chronicle.
A fortnight before his coming from
Holland be selected eighty cavalier
gentlemen and formed them Into n
corps of life guards under Lord Ger
ard. Increased to 000 men, they formed
the king's bodyguard and escorted him
into bis own again.
Parliament disbanded the Ironside
army, but an outburst of fifth mon
archy fanatics In January, 1001, af
forded Charles a pretext for maintain
ing troops for his personal protection.
Out of Monk's disbanded army tho
king Increased the life guard by 500
men, raised a regiment of foot guards,
transformed tho Coldstream regiments
Into a second corps of foot guards
and converted troops of Cromwelllan
cavalry Into royal borso guards. The
third regiment of foot guards was es
tablished In 1713, In honor of the
union with Scotland, Tho earl of Lin
lithgow's fusiliers were brought to
London and converted Into "Scott's
guards." These five regiments forawd
the nucleus of the British army.
OPINIONS OF GREAT PAPERS ON IMPORTANT SUBJECTS
form nntl Good Itoculs.
l(ll'l!i:S in ken from Ihn Inst
ti" Heinsuscs lllustiatc s.rltilngly
H' I roods to the iou".iy through which they nio
H
num. 1110 ursi io.ui coiisirucicu 111 ,cw iotk
State under the Armstrong lllgblel.iw were lie
gun in ISuR. whrn the State appropriated S50.-
km as lis half of the cost. S.nce that
have been constructed. The ccisus reports show that farm
lands In New York State doeioaspd
from ISOO to 1000. Highway Improvement on n broad and
liberal seal was begun In New Jersey In lSOi and since
that time farm values In that State have Increased S27.
000.000. That Increase-Is unquestionably due to a great ex
tent to good mails.
That tht construction of good roads on a systematic
plan throughout New York State will contribute much to
ward restoring farm riUv s there Is no douobt. Transpor
tat Ion of farm produce over had roads
and expensive operation. On the Kails
dltlon of unimproved roads It costs $1.25
freight live miles by wagon. If the
properly Improved It would not cost half
a inn of frelgtit as under present condition, and with good
roads the products of farms lylttT s uue distances from mar
ken would be broitjht Into lil.wt competition with pro
duce grown on lands near the market
result In benefit to the distant producers In tho country
and to the consumer.
Good roads will aid In solving the school question In the
country districts by making possible
school districts through easier communication, thus giving
opportunity for larger and better schools In place of the
smaller country schools.
The extension of free mall delivery
be promoted by good roads, llural mall
farmer Into closer touch with the great world from which
he Is romov-d by force of circumstances. This boon will
be enjoyed oy farmers In sections remote from postottlces
when good -oads make it easier to drive to distant points.
These n"e buta few of the considerations that ought
to Induce '.lie farmer, who will reap the greatest benefit,
and who Is asked under the law to contribute the smallest
proportion of cost, to favor energetic action toward secur
ing Improved highways throughout the country. Syracuse
Herald.
Tho German Menace of Cubn.
HI.? IntltMfltlftn nf tlin Oupmin nnvjimmAn
r
I I the Cuban representative at
soon be time to take up the German claims
against Cuba naturally arouses Intense Interest
In Havana. The Cubans did not know that
any such claims were In existence, and they
mm
do 110. know yet ou what they rest. Hut they aro un
doubtedly war claims growing out of the destruction or
injury of German property duhlng the Insurrection against
Spain.
Cuba would be much less able to cope with any foreign
Government than Venezuela, and without tho support of the
United States It would be powerless. .If Germany presents
war claims Prance and other nations may be expected to
do the same thing. There Is no ground for them: but the
course Cuba has pursued so far has not been of the kind
to make the t'nlted States unduly active In Its behalf. The
Monroe Doctrine would be enforced, but that did not pre
vent war against Venezuela. Cuba should bestir herself If
she desires the cordl.il support of the United States. Phila
delphia Press,
Worry That Killed.
T It said of the young bank vice president who
killed himself that "he was n worrying man."
He had come up from the lowest place In a
bank's service to one of the highest and had
Jus stepped from one position of trust to a
most enviable post of honor with another- flnan-
mm
clai
Institution of high character. At 41
be admired for what he had accomplished and congratu
lated on his future. Hut In .1 moment of rash depression
be ended It all instantly with a revolver.
It takes a good deal of worry to get along In the world.
The "don't worry" clubs have few bank presidents or bnl
FORTUNE IN THIS BRICK.
I?argeatand Most Perfect Kver BUown
at Dead wood Assny Office.
The largest and most perfect gold
brick to be received at the United
States assay office has been deposited
at Dcadwood, S. D by the Spearflsh
Gold Mining and Iteductlou company,
from the cyanide mill In the llmestono
belt. It weighs 1,175 ounces nnd !s
over 000 fine, being worth approxi
mately $22,000. It Is seldom that gold
of such flnenesM Is brought to the
Deadwood office from plants In the
hills, and, while the office has receiv
ed bars weighing nbout us much, they
have not possessed the samo value or
anywhere near It. The gold Is usual
ly associated with silver and copper.
The last bar from the Spearflsh
weighs over ninety pounds, troy
weight. Is well formed, and the gold
Is of a particularly bright yellow color.
This brick was tho result of a four
teen days' run at the 200-ton cyanide
plant of the Spenrllsh company on oro
that assays from $5 to $7 a ton. At
this rnte the company is able to clean
up over $10,Q00 a mouth. The Increase
In the amount of the clcau-up Is at
tributable to greater richness of tho
ore than formerly, and to tho fact that
the company Is able with experience
to get n greater efficiency In the mill
ing facilities.
A gold brick that In fineness Is equal
to that dejioslted by the Spearflsh com
pany has Just been brought down by
the Deadwood-Standard Gold Mining
company. It Is worth between $1,000
and $5,000, but In Its perfect propor
tions and tho luster of tho metal It Is
the Spearflsh bar reproduced on a
small scale. It represents a two
weeks' run at the 125-ton plant, 011
oro Identical In character with the
Spearflsh ore, the two properties being
adjoining. Minneapolis Journal
PED1QREES FOR BOGUS CURIOS.
Collectors Swindled by Bliarty Dealer
with Help of Ncedr Lord.
Never has there been more heard
about bogus art antiques, falso and
fabricated old masters nnd the llko
than lately, but still a gnat many rich
purchasers lay the flattering unction to
their bonis that they, at least, have not
been gulled, inasmuch as they have a
pedigree of an authentic kind attach
ed to every curio they have ever
bought, uiys London Tlt-IIIU.
Hut Just as much artfulness nnd
pains have been employed In tho fabri
cation of "authentic" histories to old
mastprs as have been expended on
these latter works themselves. Here Is
an actual case absolutely known at
first hand to the writer, who learned
the whole of the details of shams, each
tnn Hulled States
the value of giant
time nbout 355 tulles
$TI1,!103,01H1 in value
Is n dllllcnlt, tedious
of the present eon
to move a ton of
country roads were
as much to move
centers, which would
the consolidation of
In the country will
delivery brings the
Hcrlln that It will
In trade there are
mm
A
employment he generally llmls ns his rival tho boy who was
never educated licyond the grammar school, who went Into
tho counting room at the age of 1'.' or 15 years at 11 few
dollars a week. This boy has been learning the business
while the college mnn Is nt his books, ami when tho latter
has graduated be finds that tho boy of his age has com
pleted his apprenticeship and Is In the possession of n good
position. The college man who Is over '.'1 years of age
Is not ordinarily willing to begin with the duties and wages
of the 12-yenr-old lad. and this Is often tho only place open
to him. If he should enter the raco he might have every
chance of overtaking and passing the uneducated boy. It
certainly cannot be nny disadvantage to a man to have
his mind, bis reasoning faculties and his Judgment trained
any more than such training can Injure a professional man.
Knowledge Is power, and the lack of knowledge Is a serious
handicap on a man who wishes to succeed In life. Haiti-mt-e
Sun.
he was a man to
one with n written pedigree, put off
upon collectors. About town In I-on-don
was u certain degenerate nnd
titled m em her of the nrlstocracy. The
only sign or shadow of property left
to him was a beautiful ancient manor
house thut was mortgaged up to the
very hilt.
The house stood In a rt-mote spot
and had scarcely 11 stick of furniture
left In It. A shady dealer In curios of
all kinds sought out the titled ne'er-do-well
and made certain proposals to
him. As a consequence the mortgages
on the ancient manor were paid off
and .transtcmd to the dealer In anti
quities. Directly afterward van loids
of paintings, of black oak furniture, of
arms and armor, of worm-eaten tapes
try and of every conceivable art oIh
Ject began to arrive nt the almost
empty manor house. Then, In n few
weeks, announcements began to appear
to the effect that "tho ancestral home
of the last of an ancient race (name
given) was nbout to bo denuded of the
treasures of art that had been acquired
during the lives of ancestors for 1,000
years."
And this sale positively lasted over
several weeks as though the very
cellars had been packed with art treas
ures. Collectors everywhere, even us
ually suspicious ones, pointed to this
or that dearly acquired object and
said, proudly: "That cane frotn Hlank
manor bouse, the wonderful depository
that Lord Nemo dispersed." Even
after that Lord Nemo disused of n
fuw things still left In his town house.
I THE GAME OF GOSSIP.
Examples of tho way In which
stories grow by repetition until the
real fact In the case Is lost In vague
and uncertain statements aro Illustrat
ed by this story from tho Washington
Post, told by a woman who had been
spending some time In a winter resort.
"Of course I made many acquain
tances at the hotel," sho said, "and
ono day Mrs, Jones was rather rude.
I didn't caro particularly for Mrs.
Jones, but I was curious to know why
she had acted as she did, for she hud
been especially cordial to uiej so I
asked Mrs. Smith.
"Mrs. Smith said that Mrs. Jones
said she had been told that' I had
spoken of her as a 'smart Aleck.' Mrs,
Smith further stated that It was all
over tho place that I bad used the ex
pression. She said Mrs. Drown had
told Mrs. Jones.
"I went to Mrs. Brown and asked
her about It. She said that Mrs. Oreeu
had told her I said It I went to Mrs.
ness men of large caliber In their membership. When the
clerk In question was rising from runner to clerk, from
clerk to teller, he was worrying, and his worry was mak
ing him nil tho mote valuable mi employe. Hut when the
habit grew to tho point where It meant Sunday trips to
the Imnk to see that everything was right It became n ills,
ease. Then came dyspepsia, and In Its train melancholia,
which was the preliminary to the Insane Impulso of self
destruction. Fortunate Is the man who strikes an even balance be
tween carelessness and Indifference nntl the extreme over
carefulness. Worry Is n good servant, but u bad master.
New York Evening World.
Money and Marring.
HEN our fathers uero at the courting stage of
hi It was customary for people to marry oil
wry little or nothing certain a year. A girl
was expected and usually was willing to take
a man for better, for worse, when the chances
of Its bring for worse were at least equal to
n us iieiug ror tietter. The uocirino mat two couiu
live as cheaply as one was then an article of faith seldom
disputed. Perhaps, fifty years ago. It might have been
possible for two to live as cheaply as one, If tho wife made
aer owu clothes and bats and did all the housework. In
eluding the washing, mid took In boarders. Jinny n man,
whose daughter could not exist with less than $75 a month
pin money, married the daughter's mother when his total
Income was less than $50 n mouth, and there was no clear
prospect of more. Young married people thlrtj years ago
were willing to commence modestly. They did not pretend
to entertain. The wife dressed cheaply, and made no at
tempt to vie with her rich acquaintances, If she were so
fortunate, or unfortunate, ns to have any.
Those were the times, however, when the country was
still regarded as new, and we Americans had tho only
homely and provincial wnys. living was plainer,
simpler and cheaper. It was deemed not lospoctitblo for a
family to live beyond Its means, and bad form to make a
display that It could not reasonably afford.
Girls demand more of .1 suitor In this sophisticated
period. He must have some money saved up. nnd must
have an Income that will be sulllcleut to pay the rent of
n Hat In a .fashionable part of town and the wages of a
woman to do the housework. There Is no sentimental
nonsense In the modern girl about two living as rheaply
as one. xtio usual American girl Is not In a hurry
to marry because sho Is pretty well off single. Consequent
ly she Is deliberate and waits for n man to appear who Is
In every way eligible. If such a man does not appear, she
can comfort herself with reflections on the troubles of tho
married women about her. There are things for an old
maid to do nowadays besides petting a cat and talking
to a parrot; and young women know It. Sao Frauclsco
llulletln.
Tho Collegian In Justness.
ritOSPEItoi'S business man sends his son to
college and finds a place for him In his count
ing room when the son graduates, am! the road
to success Is open to such a one. Hut In tho
case of the graduate who father has no place
to offer him nnd who has no capital to embark
serious dlltlcultlcs. When ho applies for
Green and she admitted telling Mrs.
Hrown that I had said Mrs. Jones was
entirely too smart; not a 'smart Aleck,'
but entirely too smart. Mrs. Grvvn
had not heard me say It, but Miss
Grey, who told her, bad.
"I went to .Miss Grey. Miss Grey de
clared that she had It from Mrs. White
that 1 had said Mrs, Jones was too
smart, not 'entirely too smnrt,' but Just
'too smart." So I went to Mrs. White.
"Mrs. White stood firm. She said I
had railed Mrs. Jones too smart, and
she heard me say It clear across tho
room, and that Mrs. Hlack was with
me when I said It.
"I went then to Mrs. Hlack nnd put
the matter to her. Mrs. Hlack Is an
English woman. I asked her when
and where I had spoken 111 of Mrs.
Jones. She could not remember at
first; then a ft it a bit sho began to
laugh.
"I know liow tho story started now,"
she said. "Don't you remember tho
cloudy morning when you and I wero
sitting In the pnrlor, and Mrs. Jones
camo through dressed In that bluo
foulard? I said whin I saw her, "How
smart Mrs. Jones Is today!" and you
said, "Too smart for day llko this. It's
going to rain."
"And there It all was. I had thought
Mrs. Jones too smartly dressisl to ven
ture forth under 11 threatening sky.
Did I go to Mrs. Jones? No. I was
so disgusted with the whole affair that
I never mentioned the matter ngnln,
nnd I suppose Mrs. Jones will always
believe. I culled her a 'smart Aleck.' "
Fatal Oversight,
Hip Vnn Wlultlo hud awakened from
his long sleep, tried ills dialect on him
self ami found It uninjured, and had
returned to bis old town, wbcro Ids
story was generally believed.
Hut 0110 day somebody asked Mm,
"Hip, what huvo you been doing to
your linger nnllH'"
"Nix," ho replied, In good stage Ger
man. "Vot you means py dot?"
"Whnt! Haven't you trimmed them
slnco you woko up?"
"Neln."
"Don't you know, old mnn, thnt If
you and slept twenty years thoy would
huvo been a foot und a half long by
this time? Your hair nnd beard nro
all right, but your short finger nails
aro n doad glvo-uway. You aro un
Impostor!"
And they drovo him back Into tho
mountains.
Many n woman would gladly recall
her past, but tho averago man Is satis
fied If ho can get his presents back.
Domestic discord is an appla of
which the man In tho case guts tbti
cram-
4,.Mrr-r-r-M-4-H
TSie LazSest IV!
J.j.-r-v.H
CrpAtil. grasses on the bank waviil
L'eiillv: a blundering buinblelKv
tumbled upon the btnad face of
a bindock leaf, loo overladen with pol
leu to lly; Intel locked brunches traced
11 lacewoik p ittein on the groiilii, nnd
the .September sunlight shimmering up
on the bank and water was l.ke a bene
(1 KM toll.
Itlligold lay at length beside lite foot
palh, dat upon his back, one leg over
the other, lints thrusting 11 very trim
and will shod foot Into the air, and
with his hands dipped behind his head
pihowcd on 11 hammock.
Ho watched 11 spider busily spinning
a thriwd so line that as It was carried
ftti.li r nnd runner nut over the walir
on the bos., 111 of tho breeze Us end was
linally lost to Night. Hitch 11 busy little
creature as that spider was, tool It
positively made Itlngoiil feel 11 dilre
to lie doing something himself, Just to
see the sp. liner at wark. So he lit an
oilur clmtieite ami purred steadily. A
man can always find something lo do
when he's In the country on 11 vaca
tion. Ily and by the spider, evidently b
II 'Vlug his aerial ship, or kite, or wbnT
evir he Was making, ot sufficient
strength, cut liluisiir looso mid went
lly lug awny at the cud or his thread.
Fp and up the spider soared, and
away over the river; and having hcvii
tho ascension ItliiKUld was nblu to fol
low' the truck uf the cunning Insect at
the cud of Ills floating thread for sonic
nnls.
"That's it line way to crois a river,"
lie said to hlmseir. "Wish 1 cuuld do it
us easily."
S.nioli Sholes, the storekeeper, raiiie
tro.tiiig along the path. "Ill, Hobby!
What nte you d uitg there)" be asked,
casting a rather suspicious glance at
the rcctimlieut figure.
"Sawing wood, Mr. S les," respond
ed the buy one.
Shnlc-t chiicMid rather doubtfully,
and went 011. Itjngotd knew he would
go down to his store and report that
Hob was Just as lazy us ever. Three
years In the city hadn't changed hlui
s mite!
Dr. Newell hove In sight 11 moment
later. Iteally, Uie river path hoc mod 11
favorite way to the village todayl
"That jou Itlligold? Taking It easy?"
"()h, no, sir! I'm plowing fur out."
"I ;eckon you would plow ror oats
this time o' year. Itlligold. It would be
Just like you," said the old physician
dryly, us be went on, his roattiills dap
ping nvir tils li cked hands.
'.Makes these folks Jealous to see n
man rotting," dcclari-d Itlligold to him.
self.
'Humph! Working Just about as
you liseter, hey?" was old Peleg Mar-
nay's sharp remark as be pnsM-d a
minute later. And he scowled down at
the man of lase. lie remembered
when Itlligold had stolen his golden
russets.
"Harder," was the reply. "I'm mak
ing hay while the sun shines. I'M sell
you a ton at 11 discount. Peleg," said
Itlligold. He knew the old man's full,
lug.
Hy and by there was another step on
the path. Itlligold had been waiting
for It. but be did not rnlse bis head.
"I thought I would find you here."
aid a voice scornfully. "You are, Hob.
crt, the very laziest man in the world!"
"Think ho?"
"I know so!" The girl tapped the
patent leather toe of her shoe with the
tip of her parasol. "And you mean to
say that they pay you $:i',000 a year Iu
New York.
"Thnt's the figure." '
"What for?"
"For thinking."
"And I Hiipioso you have been think
ing all this livelong afternoon that you
huvo lulu here?"
"No; I've In en doing better."
"What, pray?"
"Watching spiders!" exclaimed Itllig
old, laughing and getting lazily ujhiii
his reel. Then be walked along by the
girl's side. Hut she kept her race turn
ml loftily fmmiiliu, nnd Hint evening
sho went to tho church sociable with
young Sholes, the storekeeper's son.
"I like a mnn who does tilings," she
told Itlligold when be complained.
Tho last week or his month's vaca
tion coincided with Itlngold's hopes.
To say thu lenst, the weather was un
certain. Most of tho tlmo It ruined.
When It did not rain It poured. Tho
river rose enormously. Tho water had
not lieen so high (theso bo the words
of the oldest Inhabitant) since tho
gTeat storm In '60. Tho meadows wero
atlood. Where Itlligold bad lain and
dreamed away tho sunny afternoon the
water was two feet deep. If ho hud
not mndo up bis mind to nlmnjlon a
part of his Ill-gotten gains the humble
bee must have been drowned, and the
spider bad shown his good senso In
changing his quarters.
Thtirday night the foot nnd carriage
brldgo went. Tho next morning the
dam burst, and the onrush or tho great
Hood which swept the valley carried
tho timbers of the railroad trestle with
It, leaving only tho twisted Ironwork
hanging to the pillars on cither bank.
At tho village station a long, vestlbul
ed train hud been held Just In season
to cscapo destruction, Tho wlro told
them that retreat was cut off by the
loss of tho brldgo over tho ravine two
miles up the road. I'crforco tho pas
sengers wero obliged to submit to a
considerable) stay ut this ouo-liorso
town.
"If It looks ns mean and small to
thorn ns t does to mo, thoy won't llko
It," thought Itlligold. Ho strolled dowu
to tho Htntloii, "for tho privilege or see
ing u well dresHid woman and n silk
tile ouco more," ho said. Everybody
seemed so glnd to hnvo escaped tho
wreck or tho brldgo that they wero not
yet troubling over tho delay. All but
ono man. Ho was squat, ruddy faced
whlto haired, quick motioned. Itlng
old's eyes opened wider, Ho know
him, And Wall street know hlm.Itlng.
old had not qulto lost run of financial
affairs. A Now York paper was waft
ed Into town on occasion.
"He was going home In a hurry and
I don't blamo blm, considering- tht way
O. and P, Is dropping," muttered tho
an. i
lazy num. "And I'd bet thai lm won't
gain niijililllg for being held up here."
Thoiuitdy faced liiau thought so, too.
lie went down to the I'llgo or the liver
which had now Income 11 bike. "Is
there any way or crossing?" ho asked.
Tho natives stared at liltu. "I reckon
not. A bout wouldn't live 11 inlliule In
that current. And It's llko to lulu
agin To in night."
"I've got In get neross now; I cnu't
wait." said tho 1 tidily racist until.
"Where's the html?"
"Thcro nln'l none nearer than the
sea-shore Union mile away. What
we had was lost In the rust flood."
"Hut I've got In get over," declared
tho man, Insistently.
Tlx! bucolic ultlziMVi left blm. They
iimdii np thvlr minds that he wssn't
exactly "rfght," Itlligold went over.
"What's It worth?" he asked eolinly.
"I'll! me across the liver I ran get
a special to meet me thcro, I find anil
I'll give you
lie lookid Itlligold over, nnd llnlshid;
"A bundled dollars."
"Tin so nnn't tny rlothes," Itlligold
said sotlly. "Vim see,' I pit my own
wet. I it tn ooumvtid Milli Page .V
Jcssop. They cull mo their Conililentlal
clerk."
"You misunderstood lite," said tho
ruddy fuciil man, quickly. "I said a
thiiiiMiinU"
"And expetisis?"
"And expense," with n sigh.
"All right. Yon wire ror your train.
You'll in cd II nbout 1 o'clock."
He studied nwuy as calmly ns ever,
but there mint have been something III
Ills eye that linprcssitl the Wall street
man more than It did Itlngold's old
neighbors mid friends. At any rate bo
teleginphisl for the special.
Itlligold did a little wiring himself.
Luckily there was n roundabout way of
telegraphing to the other side or the
river, and Al Cuslck lived there. Ho
could depend uou Al to do Just what
he was told 110 more, no less.
Then Ithuold Hindu soinv purchases
at Mholes's store. Young Sholes told
the girl when she bnppeuisl In a llttlo
later that he guessed Hob Itlligold
must be getting Into his mvoiiiI child
hood, buying children's toys!
"And pa nnd ma thought them left
over balloons we bad ror tho picnic
was n dead loss," said the store
keeper's son. Ills grammar wns ono
thing tbnt made the girl wish Itlligold
was not so lazy!
or course, she could not keep away
from the edge of tin- otcrflowcd mead
ows. Half the population and most of
tho delayed paaseligi-ni were then-. At
iiiiii side was Itlligold and two men
busily at work. On tho other shore 11
W'lignu had driven down to tho tdge of
the water, nnd she heard minihidy say
that It was Al Cuslck' team. Hy nnd
by other people noticed Itlngold's ac
tions. They exclaimed In wonder nod laugh
ed not n little when a bunch or toy
balloons, rntftciicd to a strong silk
thread, row In the air nnd was wafliil
over the water. The wind blew direct
ly mcmss the stream, wbch was yellow
ami ntigry In Its central channel. Hut
the bullous Honied the silken strand
high nhove It. lly and by tho pressuro
or the air causing the balloons to leak,
they dropped down. Hut It was on tho
further bank, and Al Cuslck caught
the thread.
Ill n moment Itlligold signaled blm to
pull nwny. A cord rollowcd the silken
thread over the river. Then n small,
strong rope followed the cord. Seiernt
men had Joined Cuslck on the further
shore. Itlligold attached a new cable
to the rope, and under the lusty
"hisivi'-hossi" or the group on the other
side the yellow ninnlla Hplnshcd
through the Hood. With it went an
other cord, which, when the cable was
fast 011 either shore, was used to pull
a block nnd breeches buoy which Itllig
old hud made from 11 sail.
Tin re wns n banner of smoke against
the overcast sky oil the other skin of
the river. "Your spiclal's Just Iu, sir,"
Itlligold said to Hie ruddy faced man.
"It's 11 quarter to 1. I guarantee you'll
get across without so much us wet.
ting your hoolsolc."
Tho ruddy faced man shook bands
"Yon call nt my office when you come
to town," he said. "I think you ought
to bo something Ixitcr than conil
ilentlal clerk to Pago & Jcssop ir you
want to change."
The girl heard him, and she squeezed
Itlngold's arm In delight.
"Oh, oh!" sho whispered, "Did you
hear that, Hubert? Isn't that splendid?
Why, we can "
"That extra thousand will furnish 11
pretty decent fiat In llnrlciu," finish
11I tho laziest man Philadelphia
Ledger.
Eyn-Htrnlii.
Tho interesting conclusion has been
reached by Dr, Georgo M. Gould, In his
"Hlognipbic Clinics," that Drowning,
Do Qulncoy nnd Curlylo all owed their
mental ntlllctlon to tho one cause of
oyo-strnlti. From an examination of
Do liulncoy'H portrait, tho niithor be
lieves that ho had a disease known
among oculists ns oxophorla. It Is not
squinting, but Is rather a dlvergenco
of tho eyo loading to a great mus
cular strain.
Tho use of opium would narrow tho
pupils to tho smallest diameter. This
would greatly ntd In shutting out con
fusing rays, and would, In n way,
mako tho vision better. So the groat
nuthor's uso of tho drug may not hnvo
reunited wholly frotn weakness of will,
but becaitso he round tbnt It fitted him
temporarily ror Ids work.
Cnrlylo's sufferings find nn nmpln
explanation Iu eyo-straln, After each
completed work, Indeed artcr each
busy day, hq had to rest, and tho ox
biliistlon thnt overtook him .,.,.r,wi
despair. Yet Intellectual nctlvlty did
not uro nun, nut mo physical labor In
volved In rinding and writing,
Itobcrt Ill-owning llvod a tcmperato)
liro under tho best conditions. H,
nrtcr every ottempt at reading anil
writing, ho found himself aflllctcd by
headaches and vertigo. Dnrwln anil
Huxley also suffered In tho same way.
When a boy gets candy ou his fla.
ecu,' bt knows how to get It off.