"TOPICS of the times.
A CHOICE SELECTION OF INTER
ESTINQ ITEMS.
vw """"""
Comment' and Criticism Dated Upon
lh Happenings of tho Day HUtorl
cal suit Ness Note.
H It always easier to weep over a
prodigal than It U to welcome him.
A woman's favorite writer l a bus
band who li capable of writing checks.
It It became a man doesn't know a
woman that ho asks her to marry him.
.The scarcity of ISO! dollars Illus
trates how little change a century has
wrought.
Mont people who think they nro de
' celvlng others only succeed In deceiv
ing themselves.
It would lo something of a calamity
If ono of those floatinu mines should
strlko tho sea serpent
The man who has found a lost Wag
tier score In Germnny affords another
Instnnco of pernicious activity.
Another death from tho shutting of
a folding bedl Why don't some folk
read tho newspapers and profit accord
ingly? A fond mother may consldor her son
tho flower of tho family and tho
neighbors may couslder blm a bloom
ing Idiot
Merely from neighborly curiosity
Uncle Sam would like to know what
llraill expects to do with the big navy
It Is building.
The king of Denmark has a fine col
lection of birds' eggs worth about $75.
000. The klug must have climbed
hundreds of trees.
Tho enterprising tobacconist may
make a hit by pushing the brand of
cigars that President Itoosevelt would
smoke If" lie smoked at all.
Tho preparedness of tho Japanese
Is well Illustrated In tho special gun
they Invented to meet tho peculiar
fighting tactics of the Cossacks.
Under the latest Supreme Court de
cision railroads kill employes with Im
punity, so long as they are not eio
cuted by direct order of tho manager
or president
A Japanese postcard has been pub
lished showing a Russian admiral
standing on the beach In diver's cos
tume with the Inscription, "Going
down to review the fleet."
The strenuous sloshing round of
Marse Henry of and concerning Jour
nals and Journalism comes mighty
near entitling him to be designated the
Mr. Wlggs of the Newspaper Fatch.
A church In Pennsylvania Is almost
disrupted because the women of the
congregation proposed serving deviled
eggs and angel cake at a sociable.
There's something, after all, In a name.
A ,cw York woman who was worth
(76,000 died the other day and left
her husband only $5 because he hadn't
kissed her for nearly seven years. Per
mitting the heart to grow cold doesn't
always pay.
Secretary Hay says that If the press
of the world should adopt the high
resolve that war should be no more,
the clamor of arms would cease. It
might; but the newspaper men would
have to fight an Indignant public de
manding suppressed dispatches, and In
such a fight gatllng guns are not avail
able. The national hymn of China Is so
long that lt.raqulres about half a day
to sing It No foreigner ever desires
to bear It sung the second time. A
German, who once listened to It said,
"Too much of that Is plenty." By the
time tho Chlnoso gets his hymn well
sung he finds the foreigner begins
thundering at tho gates of Peking If
tho foreigners left any gates last time.
Each year sees a decrease In the
number of agriculturists that reach tho
United States and a marked Increase
In the less desirable classes from
southern Europe, who settle In the
largo cities, adding to the troubles of
those already there. The officials are
powerless to prevent this practice,
which Is rapidly assuming alarming
proportions, but the time Is not far dis
tant when staps will have to be taken
to regulate the traffic. Whether this
will be through the medium of uni
form citizenship laws In the various
States and a mutual agreemont as to
supervision of aliens remains to be
seen.
Athletes are In danger. So says the
American Medical Association. They
are threatened with arterlos-clerosls
a big word which names a formidable
disease. The overstrain of physical
exercise the cinder path, the base ball
diamond, the football Held the the
aters of strenuous Ufo, cause the dis
ease. The doctors say the ailment Is
having an alarming growth. And It
It Incurable. Its symptoms are a stif
fening and deterioration of tho ar
terlet, causing premature old age and
a serious affection of the heart It Is
declared that many young college ath
lete are to-day as decrepit as their
grandfathers wero at 70 years of age.
This Is not a new objection to ath
letics, but a warning which ought to
bo heeded by college authorities and
trainers. Athletics like everything
else should be temperate. It is not
only a popular feature of college life,
but useful In tho development of physi
cal manhood. Ilut there Is n limit.
If the trainer permits his men to go
beyond the limit Into overstrain the
means may defeat the very purpose
for which they were Instituted.
Sir Jns. Crlcbton-Hrowne, the emi
nent English authority on mental and
nervous diseases, has aligned himself
with thoso who have long demanded
that the marriage certificate bo made
accompanied by o medical certificate
of physical nnd mental fitness for tho
marriage relation. This Is no new
proposition In this country. It Is not
without recognition In the statutes of
some of tho States. In practically all
tho States Insanity Is a ground for
divorce, though In few of them Is It In
Its milder forms a bar to marriage.
Sir James contends that a large part
of tho mental and moral degeneracy
of vast classes In the great cities, par
ticularly London, where ho especially
observed. Is due to marriage of the
unlit, insanity, epilepsy and weak
nilndednnss he declares to be In most
cases Inherited. The army of the In
sane has been crsntcd. he contends, by
Improper marriages, that the law
should prevent. There can be no doubt
that society owes Itself better pro
tectlvo measures. It Is the common
thing to hear drunkenness, crime and
poverty, ns well as mental and physi
cal weaknesses, accounted for on the
ground of heredity. If there Is noth
lug In this commonly accepted theory
It Is time mankind wero finding It out.
If It Is true. It Is time mankind were
doing something derisive to prevent
tho perpetuation of the worst that Is In
the species.
How tho South grows! Hy leaps and
bounds Its commerce broadens until
It has beoomo a factor everywhere.
Since 1SS0 tho population of the South
has Increasrd nbottt 00 per cent, tho
while Its manufactured products have
Increased 2T1 per cent, which Is dolef
opmcnt extraordinary. Itallroadmlleago
has Increased 101 per cent nnd tho pro
duction of pig Iron 731 per cent. In
the coal Industry alone the output has
jumped since 1SS0 from $0,000 annual
ly to $tlU,00.000. It Is not necessary
to quote figures beyond those already
given. The development has been
steady In all lines, and has been as
marked In matters municipal and civic
as It has been in the growing of cotton
and corn. Time was when a Southern
city was knowu by Its peculiar types
of architecture. Now the skyscraper
has como to stay. Tho mule no longer
hauls the street ear. for electricity has
been found as valuable an aid to prog
ress In Georgia as In Massachusetts.
Whatever Is good enough for the East
has been fouud nono too good for the
Inhabitants of that vast territory that
cuds with the coast of Florida. Money
Is plentiful. The South Is Just learn
ing that she has a gold mine In her
sunshine, and the North gladly sends
her uncounted millions for her fruits
and vegetables. Fortunes are made
every year in truck farming, and there
are still larger fortunes to be made,
for the market for this kind of prod
uce Is limitless, and the science of
getting more and more but of the land
Is becoming a matter of common
knowledge. The development of the
great West made the Fnlted States the
richest nation on the globe. The de
velopment of the South, carried, out on
the present lines of progression, will
put this country beyond dream of com
petition. M I CROBES AND MONhY.
We Must Have Money, len with
Microbes on It.
The fear of contagion from disease
microbes which our ancestors ncer
felt because ' Ignorance was blUs" to
them seems to be putting Its ban upon
one thing after another, says the Chi
cago Tribune. One may not Indulge
longer In clams, oysters, watercress,
spinach, lettuce, shaving, kissing, pub
lic library books, feather dusters, and
numerous everyday necessities with
out taking antiseptic precautions. Now
comes a chemist at Washington who
has fouud a grienlaik which was the
favorite resort of 141 different kinds
of the disease microbes. Startled by
the announcement some brokers al
ready are moving to protect cashiers
and tellers by disinfecting all currency.
One Hoston chemist has suggested
the placing of cotton waste, saturated
with formaldehyde, In the safe or
money drawer, and another the pouring
of a spoonful of It In a vault each
night, which boards of health say will
destroy millions of gorms. Some bank
ers are Inclined to sniff at the pre
cautions. They rightly affirm that the
microbe, though a comparatively nen
discovery. Is as old as time; that paper
money Is nearly as old as time; that
ennhlers and tellers have b.en handling
the microbe and the currency without
destroying the one or tteril z'.ng the
other, and that they were healthy and
long-lived, even though they directly
exposed themselves by putilng their
lingers to their Hps when counting
money, which cashiers and tellers no
longer do.
The microbe and money matter, If It
should occasion any widespread ap
prehension of contagion, will make life
much harder than It Is now. We must
have money, even with microbes on
It, and cannot stop to Inquire who had
It last or through how many pockets
It has passed, gathering new styles of
microbes at eery remove. If the
microbes would confine themselves to
$1,000 bills It would not be to bad,
because they do not circulate so free
ly as fives do, but the microbe Is no
respector of bills. The microbe might
have some dlfllculty In finding the
$1,000 bills, but It can find dol'ar bills
with ease, and they are softer and
more homelike than the others.
KAFIRS MAKING A FIRE.
WATCllINQ for A flaw:.
Tho natives of South Africa still
build their fires In the primitive way
ot revolving n stick between tho palms,
the friction on tho horizontal stick,
held on the ground, being so great ai
to produce a Hume.
Not Doing It,
"Ho left numerous relatives to
mourn his death."
"Well, he might as well have taken
them with him; they're not carrying
out Instructions." New Orleans
Times-Democrat
One good thing about the projecting
hats tho women wear they can't get
their faces near enough together to
kiss.
Wo all hao lessons enough, but they
are not burned In,
OPINIONS OF GREAT PAPERS ON IMPORTANT SUBJECTS
'ho ScnsJt'so Temperament Octongs
T ft Ml comfort It Is better to have a thick skin.
W, 'si l.iut for accomplishment that Is worth while
P I wwer lies In the sensitive temperament. The
I .......Itl.-.v t.il. allfr.t.a m i-v.,.l in.ll lll W1IV
(trough life, lie Is Jarred by discord and op
,osltlon. Ills craving Is for peace; criticism
Mings hint like a whip. Sensitive men, as a
rule endeavor to hide their sufferings from the public gate.
In this endeavor they assume an arrogance or a cynicism
that Is not genuine. Some of tho boldest tlouters of critics
and opponents are really the most sensitive, llehlml their
outward show of contempt they suiter the keenest agonies
of soul-torture.
Hut the sensitive Is the creative temperament A man
that does not feel cannot perform, lie Is not creative, nor
original. The sensitive man shuns polemics, the give and
take of contest but once In a tight he stays. All the great
men have been sensitive. The sensitive man takes things
seriously. The sensitive temperament Is tho temperament
of the thoroughbred whose pride keeps him from ever gH
tug up. It Is the sensitive men that battle for an Ideal, for
a principal.
Sensitiveness Is a symptom of brains. Tho dull wit Is
protected by a thick skin. Hut the thinker Is scnsltUe
because he thinks. He Is self-analytical. He meditates on
criticism and measures himself by It. To the world he
may appear to be as hard as steel and as cold as lee. but
he feels deeply as very man of brains docs. Intensity ot
fcellrg Is n necessary element of genius nnd Intensity ot
feeling Is possible only to the sensitive temperament.
Genuine sensitiveness must not be mistaken for a spurl
ous sensitiveness which Is very common and which Is noth
ing but vault and conceit One finds people proclaiming
themselves "sensitive" because their vanity Is easily of
fended. These people are quick to Imagine slights where
none were Intended They expect from the world a defer
ence to which they are not entitled and they fret when
this deference Is denied. The true sensitive does not cry
out his hurts. He suffers in silence as every great soul
does. His feeling Is not a shallow vanity, but a deep move
ment of the souL San Francisco llulletln.
II! tory of Japan's Commerce.
A PAN has a history antedating that of any of
he nations of Europe now existing. Its pages
.iave been shut to us on account of our Ignor
inee of the Japanese language and literature,
ut these obstacles to the acquisition of knowl
edge are gradually being removed nud many
interesting and Important facts nro coming
rUaVtViVV
to light.
The subjugation of Korea In 200 A. I)., Is proof that
Japan had made considerable advancement In maritime
power at an early date. The use of paekhorses and oxen,
the spanning of rivers by bridges, and the establishment of
stations at the distance of a day's Journey apart, as far
back as 313 A. I)., show that domestic trade and commerce
and Interior means of communication at that time hail
reached a fair state of development Peddlers were know ti
as early as 437 A. I)., while a systematized market was
organized and a law of measurement and prices was en
acted In 701; and In 700 the ratio of monetary metals was
established at the rate of one to ten for gold ami silver,
and one to a hundred for sliver ajul copper.
Hy 1540 more than 2.000 Chinese merchant vessels, It Is
said, went yearly to Japan, mostly to buy silk. Prior to
this, and about 12S0, tho Japan Islands were made known
to European nations by an Italian who had lived many
years In China. The first navigation line from Europe to
Japan was established In 1541 by three Portuguese mer
chants. The Spanish secured a few trade privileges in l.Mii.
and In lliOl the Dutch came and began to do a largo busi
ness under the name of the East India Company.
But before or shortly after these events Japan had es
tablished herself as a sea power through her own efforts in
the Pacific Ocean. The communication with the Philippine
Islands, with Annan, with Slam and with India began be
fore 1500. and there were then more than boo Japanese
emigrants living at Manila, and thousands living In Si.im.
For a short while the Philippine Islands were under the
control of Japan. In 1000 William Adams, an English
shipwrecked mariner, landed In Japan, and was naturalized.
Captain John Smith, sent by James II., arrived In 1013. In
2 CN THE WINGS OF THE WIND. j
The dangers of ballooning, writes
Santos-Duinont In "My Air Ships," are
confined usually to the landing. Ilut
the sea of air presents many kinds of
dangers, and sometimes the balloonist
encounters more than one on the same
voyage. In Nice. In 11)00. be went up
from the Plnce Massena In a good
sized balloon, alone, Intending to drift
a few hours amid the enchanting
scenery of the mountains and the sea.
His experiences were enough to make
most people content with solid earth.
The weather was fine, but the bar
ometer soon fell, which Indicated a
storm. For a time the wind took mo
lu the direction ot Clmlez; but as It
threatened to carry me out to sea, I
threw out ballast, abandoned the cur
rent, and mounted to the height of
about n mile. Soon I noticed that I
had ceased descending. As I had de
termined to land soon, I pulled on the
valve rope and let out more gas, ana
here the terrible experience began.
I could not go down! I glanced at
the barometer and found that I was
going up. Yet I ought to be descend
ing, and I felt, by tho wind und every
thing, that- I must be descending. I
discovered only too soon what was
wrong. In spite of my continuous ap
parent descent, I was, nevertheless,
being lifted by an enormous column of
air rushing upward.
The barometer showed that I had
reached u still greater altitude, and I
could now tako account of the fact hy
tho way In which the land-was disap
pearing under me. The upward-rushing
column of air continued to take
me to a height of almost two miles.
After what seemed a long time the
barometer showed that I hud begun to
descend.
When I began to see land, I threw
out ballast, not to strike the earth too
quickly. Now I could percelvo tho
trees and shrubbery. Up In tho storm
Itself I had felt nothing.
Now, too, as I continued fulling
lower I could see how swiftly I was
being curried laterally. Hy tho time
I perceived the coming dunger I was
In It. Carried along at a terrific rato.
knocking against tho tops of trees and
continually threatened wltli a painful
death, I throw out my anchor. It
caught In trees and shrubs and broke
away. I was dragged, through the
small trees and yielding shrubbery,
my face a mass of cuts and bruises,
my clothes torn from my back, fear
lug tho worst and able to do nothing to
avo myself.
Just as I had given myself up tor
to All Great Men.
lost the guide rope wound Itself round
a tree and held. I was precipitated
from the basket and fell unconscious.
When I camo to I had to walk several
miles until I found some peasants.
They helped mo back to Nice, where
I went to bed and had the doctors sew
me up.
DIVORCE LAWS OF CANADA.
They Are Far More Stringent Tlinn
Those Kil.tliig In the United Htutea.
It will not bo advisable for mis
uiatcd couples in tills country who
may desire a legal separation to go to
Canada to obtain It Itecently publish
ed statistics hIio w that during one gen
eration of thirty-four years those prc
ciHling the yeur 1001 tho dlvorceH
granted In Cunada numbered only sixty-nine.
In the United States during
tho same period tho number ot di
vorces was almost 700,000. The popu
lation of the Unltisl States has aver
aged twelve times that of the Domin
ion, while Its divorces wero 10,000
times as many.
If divorces In tho United States dur
ing tliu time mentioned had been the
same per capita as In tho Dominion
there would have been less than 2,000
in this country reduced, In other
words, by GCS.OOO.
Were these figures reversed If Ca
nadians hud outnumbered our divorce
decrees by 10,000 times, relatively
would wo not bo looking upon our
"lady of the snows" with something of
the regard bestowed upon the biblical
scarlet woman' Vet no especial op
probrium, nationally speaking, has
been attached to our national laxity.
Hero a trivial excuse, splilur-wcbby
In Its validity, mny serve as a pretext
for seperatlon. Hut In Canada It Is a
much more serious affair. Only ono
cause, the Scriptural, may bo taken us
ground for legal separation, and then
the matter is not left to tho Indifferent,
Insignificant weighing of a local Justlco
of the peace, or even to tho courts; It
Is made the concern of Parliament
both houses of which must pass tho
bill which Is entered by counsel lu be
half of his client
In addition, a published notice of In
tention to apply for divorce, giving
namo of applicant and accused with
ground of accusation, must bo Insert
eel for six months In two newspapers
published In tho applicant's residential
town as well as In the Canada Gazette,
the oillclal government organ.
As a further bar tho cost of securing
a dlvorco Is so Mgh that fow people of
the lowor classes can afford It. The
fee varies according to tho omlnenco
of the counsel retained, but the aver
ago coat Including traveling expenses
for both applicant and icovsed must
September, Kill, a world atlas was first Introduced Into
the country and stimulated the study of geography and the
desire for trade and discovery. So wltli the assistance ot
William Adams two schooners were built. In them tin
Japanese orossd the Pacific and opened trade relations
with Mexico, only eighty years after t'oltmibus discovered
America. So active was the commercial spirit that during
this epoch over 1,000,000 Japanese emigrants had settled
In the Islands and mainland of Southern Asia.
Hut In livid the Japanese Government became afraid of
foreign religious Inltucm-c and alarmed on account of the
enormous export of gold; so It Issued n law shutting up
ports, confiscating all ships large enough to go to sea, and
prohibiting shipbuilding. China and Holland alone were
allowed to continue trade relations, but their operations
wore confined to one port As a result of this law, the
growing power of Japan was crippled, and for over 200
years she led practically a hermit existence. Kansas City
Journal.
Mute Aid to Good Roods.
EVHltAL of the Eastern States are Inking a
practical part In road building. New Jersey,
the first to make a State appropriation, passed a
law In 1MU by which the State pays one-third
of the cost of improving the roads. The conn
ties furnish the other two thirds, with the prlv
liege of charging a part ot tills proportion to
the towns In which the roads are built. At first tho farm
ers were opposed to the measure, but now co-operato with
it gladly. A State Commissioner of Highways furnishes the
plans. .Nearly 1,000 miles of roads In New Jersey have
been uiacadamlited since tho law went Into effect. In
Massachusetts the State meets the entire cost, but requires
the counties to pay back one-fourth. The State appropria
tions of $50O,0HO n year have reached a total of $5.ik0.i.
and, as n result, Massachusetts has constructed hundreds
of miles of tine roads. Connecticut operates on much the
same system, and Its $1.Mh,oho In appropriations has pro
duced 500 miles of excellent roads, tin a smaller scale
Maine. New- Hampshire, Vermont llluxle Island and Del
aware assist In the building of good roads.
Hy the New York plan the State pays one-half the cost
of building roads, the counties 35 per cent and the town
ships 15 per cent Appropriations have reached a total of
over $2,00i.0iX, last year's Installment being JUOO.OOO. Penn
sylvanla, at the Inst session of the Legislature, appropriated
a lump sum of $tl,50O,u0O for good roads, the State to paj
two-thirds and the counties and townships one sixth each
Hut there seems to be a loophole In the law In the matter
of determining routes, and tho rivalry, or Jealousy, of
neighborhoods has prevented much headway thus far. The
principle of Stato aid to Improved roads has been firmly
csMlill.shcd, on the ground that tho whole people are In
let i--ted In the best highways and that alt citizens should
lie ii- a fair proportion of their cost Already the roads
Im 1 1 - o i this basis III Massachusetts, New York, New Jer
sey and Connecticut are an Impressive lesson on the valuo
of the good 1-o.ids moveiucut St. Louis Globe Democrat
The, Morals of Americans.
It. CHARLES Cl'THIIEItT HAM. thinks that
Dihr moral standard of the American people is
degenerating. Dr. Hall Is president uf the
Union Theological Seminary In New York, tu
tgffiQS. tho course of an address before the Ilellglous
VSyP Educational Association In Chicago he spoke of
the "relatively good sttte of the common mor
ality of the Amerlcau people." but a deeper examination of
the social side of our American life reveals, be thinks, a sit
nation that causes anything but satisfaction. Our activity
has astonished tho world, "but morally we are rapidly go
ing astern so rapidly that one Is duuifounded at tho con
trast after a visit to some of the countries of Europe." He
llglon. ho finds, has very little part In our civilization to
day; our home life might bo belter, and our people are
generally apathetic about their spiritual Interests. To inui-h
the some Intent but more specific are the conclusions of Dr
Coyle. of Denver as disclosed by him .May 10 at the open
ing of tho Presbyterian general assembly at Hurfalo. He
noted the drift of tho people away from lofty Ideals and
from organized Christianity. It means something, lie
thought, when conservative observers called our time "the
age of graft" Harper's Weekly.
appear at Ottawa, tho sent of govern
inent when the bill Is hoard govern
ment fee, solicitor and counsel fees
and so on, Is not less than $5m, and
oftenur roaches $1,000 or more.
A DICTIONARY PUZZLE.
After Twenty Yenrn Cue of One, u
Moil Mukea u lllni-ntery
"I have," said a man who has more
or less frequent occasion to look up
the exact meaning ot words, "u dic
tionary that I havo been using for
uliout twenty years. With constant
use for so long a time a considerable
number of tho leaves have broken
loose from their binding, which Is no
more than might bo expected; but I
Und myself to-day for tho first time
realizing that with one narrow exeep
(Ion, those broken leaves nil lie be
tween the letters O to T Inclusive; the
exception being some loose leaves
found within the compass of the let
ter F.
"In other words, so far us I can tell
by the loosu leaves lu tho book, and I
havo no reason to doubt their evidence,
tho words that I havo had occasion to
look up In tho past twenty years have,
lu a great majority of cases, begun
with ono or another of these letters:
F, O. P, Q, It, H or T. Isn't that curi
ous? It may bo that to some persons
more familiar with words than 1 It
will appear simple enough, but to me
It Is curious and Interesting.
"This dictionary, lying open In Its
holder on n trIHd book support, I have
commonly used ns a sort of desk or
tahlo upon which to lay, nt my elbow,
papers and memorandums, and In
opening tho liook to put It to tills use I
havo commonly opened It at tho middle
or somewhere further along In the vol
ume, und this might account for the
loose leaves, In Homo measure; but 1
am convinced that It accounts for
them, If at all, In slight measure only,
for when I come to think this matter
over a Utile I find that I very rarely
havo occasion to look up a word In tho
first half of tho book, excepting, as
shown by the loose leaves there, In tho
letter F, and I realize nlso that I have
us rarely occasion to look up words be
ginning with any of the letters follow
ing tho letter T; as u matter of fact
almost nil tho words I havo to look up
begin with some ono of tho six letters
running from O to T Inclusive.
"As I said before, this Is to mo curi
ous and Interesting, though It may bo
simple enough to porsons more famil
iar than I with words and their uses.
Now York Sun.
Just plain, ordinary stubbornness of
ten musqucrades as strength of character.
PRESIDENTS A3BPOHT8MBN.
Ituoeetelt Not llio Only Una to Indulge
In Hunting.
Persons Interested In (he big ganid
hunting Hips and the dally nllilelld
exercises of President Hoossvolt need
only to examine th records ot form
er presidents to learn that hn Is by
no means tho first oiuoulho lo spend
hit Mirations and leisure hours In tho
pursuance of sports, tayt tho Phila
delphia Ledger. No more arduous fish
erman and duck shooter could bo tin
nglned than President Cleveland. At
his home near llutzard'a Hay hn spent
every moment of his leisure time In
hit faroilte pastime with the rod and
reel, It was a common thing to sen
Mr. Cleveland out to catch the proper
tide even before dawn, and his skill
U said to have been equal to that of
any of the old shellbacks In Ihe neigh
borhood when It came to playing a
bass.
Nor was President Cleveland tho
tlrst to dignify the ground which Is
popularly called the "presidential hunt
ing present's." President Harrison
went duck shooting along tho shores
of these waterways and hunted oory
foot of them clear to tho sea. All
sorts of wild duck abound tu this illi
trlet, among them cainasbaeks, and
besides theseqiiall, pheasant, snipe, and
wild turkey are lo be found. Pr. slibuit
Harrison was a fairly good shut ui.li
n gun, but his tlrst venture tinned
slightly disappointing, for ho mliloolt
a black pig belonging to a negro for n
raivoon. He offered at once lo settle
for the pig, but the patriotic owned
declared on the giound that he had
teen highly honored by a president of
the United States shooting bis pig.
nnd that the proud distinction would
lie handed down from one geui ration
to another In his family. President
Harrison never teiok much to horso
I nek riding nor to field spurts, but
with shooting hn fell more and umro
In love as he became older. Ilo even
shot buck from a "sne.ik lm," an
achievement of which nny duck huiitor
iiiny well bo proud.
Ileforo (leorge Washington become
tlen. Washington ho hunt, d all over
this same ground. After he became
a general ho had little tlmo for bunt
ing and shooting, but he was passion
ately fond of horseback riding and
was considered an excellent horseman
een during tho days when lumbering
stago coaches wero responsible for
much riding lu the saddle and when
horsemen wero plentiful.
Curious to say, fond as Presld -nt
Cleveland and Harrlso.i were of tho
water front neither of them mer found
pleasure lu swimming. President John
(Jnltioy Adams was by all odds tho
swimmer president of tho Whlto
House. Next to Henjamln Franklin
he was the best swinuuvr of any pnlillo
man In Washington. Presldi nt Adau.si
also was remarkable walker und
frequently comblnrd his to hobble
Often be arose before dawn, walked
as far as (icorgetown, whero bo had
a secluded nook, and stripping plung
ed Into tho Potomac. Then, nftrr n
long, refreshing swim, he would dress
and walk back to his home, whe:o ho
arrived by break of day, tevidy for
whatever came.
President Arthur was nlwnys espe
cially fond of camping and hunting
and fishing, and on one occasion win
1(H) miles from where ho might havo
been reached by telegraph wire. Iluss
and trout were .Mr. Arthur's favorites.
He Is said to hao been reinarkab'y
expert at casting the tly. and once,
when on a visit south, the FIshlnij
club of I.oulsvHlo presented him with
an exquisite rod. suitably engraved,
and of this the president ever felt espe
cially proud.
President (iarlleld was also given to
tho pursuit of sports. He did not core
for fishing, however. Hunting was his
pot diversion. Hut aside from this ho
took a lively Interest In all sorts of
Held sports, especially In tho unt'nnul
gauu baseball. At no time was tlielo
a more enthusiastic baseball "crank"
In Washington thnn was the president
He was elected an honorary ine.nbcr
of the old Nutloual baseball club, mil
he frequently attended tho games play
ed by his team, and fullowid Its victor
ies with a Jealous eye In the morning
newspapers. Hllllards was another
favorite diversion with Pr slduit Jnr
fleld. During his ndiiilnMr.itl in n now
billiard table' wns placed lu the Iiiimo
incut of tho White House, nnd hero he
played almost regularly every after
noon. President (Inrtliid ubn was fiunl
of horseback riding. Taking hlui all
In all, be was probably the most all
round sporting president, for no mut
ter what the spurt he felt at least a
mild Interest In It.
WiiHii't "Dear."
"Madam! Won't you take this sent?''
Inquired a little wrinkled man of n
largo woman who had Just enteied
a crowded street cur on Ind ana me
nno. Ho nroso from his Ke.it and tip
ped bis hat In a htunblo sort of fashion.
The woman seated herself.
"Come here, dear, and sit on my
lap," sho wheezed In a thin voice.
"Why, uh ah I I " The llltlo
man was embarrassed. Ills face red
dened and he bowed und stammeied.
, The woman leaned over nnd repeated
what she had sulil. The lltllo man
turned and retreated to the platform.
As ho turned about n dog about ai
big as a medium sized rat rushed up
to tho nmazon and leaped Into her lap
"There, that's a dear," she said, but
tho man never knew. Chicago Inter-
Ocean. i
Original Deaoeut.
Mrs. Mushroom That's a very
pretty dinner service you'e got, Mrs.
Lineage.
Mrs, I.lneago Yes, thoso aro sumo
specimens of our family heliinuius.
They havo been In our family for gen
tfrntlous. You see, each plico bears
our family crest
Sirs. Mushroom That's Just splen
did! Hut wait till you seo tho family
china l'vo ordsred. I'm going to havo
a different family crest on ench plate.
Izoud anil Discordant,
"Qraciousl Look ut the glaring pink,
green and blue band he's got niuuud
his straw hat"
"Yes, that's English, very English,
you know,"
"Huh! It's mora llko n Herman
band." Philadelphia Ledger.
Somo doctors claim to be ublo to
cure anybody who Is sick,
"1 can ninny tell when jou are go
ing to tell a lie," said t'rogg to l.vgg.
"HowT" asked I.egg "I toe you open
your mouth," said Cregg Town
Topics. '
Old llentlenian (lo small boy, who
Is nursing a skinned knee) Did )ou
fall down, llltlo chap? Small Hoy
I Ver didn't think I fell up und hashed
.agin n cloud, did yrr?
Unities Termer -1 nut In a quandary.
I havo been offered an engagement by
I two inn angers, und I don't know how
to net Sun llrelto- Well, don't worry,
j Thc)il soon Hud It out
"And do you think," he asked, "Unit
men progress after death!" "Well,"
she replied, "If they don't, It would
Utmost seem useless for dome of them
. to die." Chicago Record.
I Mother Willie, whal's Tommy cry
lug fori Willie Hilly because be
, doesn't iviinl to learn anything. 1 Just
1 took III sweets and showed him how
to eal lliem, and ho si-reamed.
"Thomas, spell weather," said Urn
J teacher. Thomaa - V I a e t Ii t h I
e n r. Teacher You may sit down.
Thomas. You'te given us Ihe worst
' spell of weather we've had this jour.
I Sho Hut If you sny you can't hear
! the girl, why ever did you proKie? lis
i- Well, 'tier people havo always been
' good lo mo and II' the only wuy 1
'could return their hospitality I'uiu-lu
I Miss Cutting That dog of jours
'seems to bo remarkably Intelligent
jSoftlelgh Yaws, Indeed! I aw -could
not begin to tell Jou nil ha
knows. Miss Uniting No, of courm
not New Yoiker.
Illenur I regret to I cum Hint your
son Reginald failed In Ills graduating
examination at Harvard. Husser
Iteggy could stand that If only his crew
had not been beaten In the boat race -Ohio
Stuto Journal.
tleiitlemnii (to man on hurscbacki -Why,
my man, how do you eipoct to
got that horse along with a spur on
one sldo only? Horseman Well, sir,
If I gels that 'ere side to go, ain't the
other bound to keep up?
"What a polite little boy you are,"
exclaimed Mix Anno Teeli. "and do
you always take off your hat llko that
when you speak to ladles?" "N'o'ui."
replied the nilltii little boy. "only old
Indies." Philadelphia Press.
"I think I'll take till bracelet." said
a lady nhose husband bad suddenly
amassed a fortune. "Are you sure It's
made of refined gold?" "Oh, ye." an
swered tho Jeweler. "Hecnuso 1 do
Jetest nnjtlilug that Isn't refined!" "ltd
the lady.
Tho t'nelo Well, here's the mouey
i you've bron bothering tuo for. Now,
remember the old saying that "A fool
'and his money nro easily parted.
I Tho Nephew I don't know nliout
! that I've had to coax you for more
' than n week for this.
I "I wonder why the groomsman nt n
! wedding Is called tho best man?"
I queried the leup year girl "I suppose,"
' rejoined the old bachelor. "It Is be
! i-iiuo be bns shown Ills superior In
tellect In not posing ns the victim lu
the tragedy."- Chicago News.
She was city bred, and hud the usual
fear of cows. "Why," she asked, when
the danger was past, "did you take mo
across this lot?" Tho small country
I Ind chuckled. "1 thought It would be
I fun," be said, "to seo jou try to climb
la tree." Then after another chuckle:
I "And it wn.'' Philadelphia Ledger.
"Yes," said Mrs. Wordsworth; "tho
family nro moat Interesting. John
dances divinely, Tom slugs like an an
gel, David Is a famous footballer, Hu
saline paints with great taste." "And
Henry?" "Oh, Henry! Well, he' n
rather dull sort of a fellow, jou know.
Ho only works and supports the oth
ers." "John," said the bargain hunting
half of the matrimonial trust us they
sat al the breakfast table, "1 wish jou
would let nit- have $25 this morning."
"My dear," replied Ihe meek and
lowly husband, "I wish you would
break jourself of the habit you have
of dreaming that I mnrrled an heiress."
Tlt-lllts.
Employer- You are having a decided
11 Irt a t Ion wiib the girl who has charge
of our telephone wire? Truthful Clerk
(with cold chills running up and down
Ills spine, ami with visions of Instant
dismissal) Y o-e s, sir; but please,
sir Employer- -Well, keep It up.
She will give more attention to our
calls If you do.
Tliu small boy was having his face
bathed by a slsler, who perhaps show
ed rather more entliusjasm "in the mat
ter than was altogether nei-essary, for
tho victim wriggled In her grasp. "Let
mo go," he said gaspingly, when ha
hud shaken off the folds of the bit of
Turkish toweling used for a face cloth,
"I can't see why you wash my face,
any way; I never use It."
llnrac-IluUliig Hlnles
Erroneous Impressions nro In circu
lation ns legards thu leading hnrse
rnslug States. Ono Is Impressed that
Kentucky Is entltlod to the lead from
tho frequency that llio horses of thu
blucgrnss Stuto nro eulogized. Yet
there nro fifteen States Unit surpass
Kentucky In the number of their
horses, while tho aveingo vuluo lu
twenty-three Slules rules higher than
tho horses of the bluegrass Stato. Tho
horses of New Jersey u vertigo $1)0.23
ii bend, and of Now Mexico $17.52, tho
extremes, of uverngo prices In the dif
ferent States and Territories,
Poor OiinnIo.
"I noticed (lusslo Woodby reading
a book the other day "
"Yes, It was tho Autocrut at the
llreakfiist Tahiti.' "
"I didn't supposo ho was Interested
In anything outside of tho society col
umn." "Well, you seo It was all u mistake,
which he didn't discover for some
time. Ho thought It was tho 'Aristo
crat at tho Ureukfast Tuble.' " Phila
delphia Press.