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By SIR WALTnR BESANT
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CHAPTER III.
"iLen you think," said the mate
looking about him with doubt, "that we
hull do no business here?"
He was young fellow of two-and
twenty or so, a frank nnd honest-look'
Inf sailor, though his limine was that
of a cunning kidnaper. He was armed
with a revolver, ready to hand, anl a
cutlass hanging at his alile. Behind him
ware four sailors, also armeil. In readi
ness for an attack, for Polynesians art'
treacherous. But there were no Island
ers In sight, only two Europeans one a
tall man, dressed In fantastic Imitation
of the natives; and the other, apparent
ly, an ordinary beachcomber, quite out
of luck, ragged, dejected and haggard
A little way off the land lay the schoon
er. His business was to enlist, kidnap
procure or secure, by any moans In the
power of the captain and the crew, as
many natives as the ship would hold, anl
to bring them to North Queensland
where they would be hired out to plant
era.
"It Is an unlucky voyage." said the
mate, casing earnestly at the two men
before him, whose appearance and the
contrast between them putiled him.
"Two months out and five weeks becalm
ed; no business done. Bay, how did you
come here?"
"For my part," said the German, "1
am a naturalist. I make butterflies my
pedal study. I hare, I believe, enriched
science with so many rare and previ
ously unknown specimens. If I succeed
In getting them to Europe, that my nam
will be certainly remembered In scien
tific history as one of those who have
advanced knowledge, can any man ask
more ?"
"How did you get such a rig, man?"
"I am a linguist," the Baron Sergius
on Holstein went on to explain, "as
well as a naturalist. I therefore learned
the language before landing here, hav
ing found a native or two of New Ireland
In the mission of the Puke of York Isl
and. It Is a great thing to kuow how
to talk with these black children. I am
also a surgeon and a physician, so that 1
can heal their wounds and their diseases
when they get any. You see, further,
that I am bigger than most men. I am
also thorough. I adopted their dress, at
least some of it, and therefore being
able to talk to them. I landed among
them without fear. When they came
round me with their spears I shouted to
them down from the sun. And as I
know a little prestidigitation and conjur
ing, and am a bit of a ventriloquist, I
am from time to time able to work a few
of the simpler miracles; so that they
readily believe me."
"How long are you going to stay
here?"
"I know not; New Ireland Is rich In
new species; but I shall have to stop as
oon as my means of collection and de
scription come to an end. When that
day comes I shall be glad to see ship.
But it will not be yet."
"They may kill you."
"It is possible;" the baron shrugged
his tall shoulders.
"Have you no arms?"
"I have a revolver, and my reputa
tion for magic and sorcery."
"And how do you live?"
"The people bring me food every day.
If they did not, I should afflict them
with horrible misfortunes, as they very
well know. I should tell them that in
three days such a one would be dea.l.
and then it would be that man's duty
to go away and die in fulfillment of
prophecy. I suppose his friends would
never speak to him again if he refused
to fulfill the words of the prophet, so
great is their faith. They bring me the
unripe cocoanut for Its milk; there are
fish of every kind in the sea, which they
net and spear for me; there are kanga
roo and cassowary on the hills, which
they snare and trap for me; there are
birds which they shoot for me; there are
mangoes, bread-fruit, bananas, yams,
sweet potatoes. I assure you we feed
very well. Don't we, David?" He laid
his hand on the other man's shoulder.
"We have also tobacco. There is, how
ever which you. regret, David, don't
you? no rum on the island."
"Is your your chum also worship
ed asked the mate, regarding David with
an obvious decrease of interest.
"No; David is recognized as of infe
rior clay. This poor fellow was wrecked
upon the Island; he cuine ushore on a
plank, the rest of the ship's crew and
passengers having given indigestion to
the sharks. He is not happy here, and
he would like you to take him off tho
island."
"Yes," said David, eagerly, but still
in his slow way, "anywhere, so that I
can only get on my way to England."
"He was just getting off his plank,
and the people were preparing to receive
him joyfully, warmly, and hospitably,
after their fashion; that Is to say, into
their pots they have a beautiful method
of cooking, in a kind of sunken pot,
which would greatly Interest you if you
were a captive and expecting your turn
when I fortunately arrived, and suc
ceeded, by promising an eclipse If I was
obeyed, In saving him. The eclipse came
in good time; but I had forgiven the
people for their momentary mutiny, and
I averted its power for evil, no long as
David sticks close to me now he is safe.
If be leaves me, his end is certain. But
he Is no ime to me, and for certain rea
sons I should very much prefer that he
was gone. Will you take him?"
"The ship doesn't carry passengers,"
aald the mate; "besides "
"He is harmless, and you can trust
him not to make mischief. I will pay
for him if you like."
"What does he want to go home for?"
asked the mate, doubtfully. Indeed, the
appearance of the man did not warrant
the belief that he would be welcomed
by his friends.
"lie has to pay a pilgrimage; he has
to deliver a message before a magistrate,
and to be subsisiueutly elevated to a pot
of great distinction," said the baron.
"Humph!" said tue mate. "He looks
as if he'd done something. Better keep
la these latitudes, stranger, where no one
Desire
asks and no one cares. But ahonf his
fare; who's to pay his passage and his
gruh. If we take him?"
"Yon will return some time to Queens
land. Take or semi this note." He took
his note book, tore off half a leaf, and
wrote a few wonls upon It. "Send this
note to Messrs. Hctigstenburg & Com
pany, Sydney. Tell them where yon got
It, and they will give you 20 for It, and
will thank you Into the bargain for let
ting them know that, so far. the Baron
Sergius von Holstein Is safe. If there
Is any money left after paying for your
passenger, give It to this poor fellow.
He Is not such a had fellow, though he
looks so miserable, unless he begins to
contide In you. When he does that, loci:
him up In a cabin. Perhaps he has done
something, as yon say; what do we
know? As for doing things," he said
regarding his humble companion with the
utmost severity, "a man who Is tempted
to commit a crime ought always to re
member that he will some day, In all
probability, be wrecked on a desert Isl
and, an Island of cannibals. In the com
pany of one, and only one, other Euro
pean, and that man greatly his superior:
aud he ought truly to resolve that under
no temptations will he do anything which
may make hlin a nuisance and a bore to
that companion through the vehemence
of his repentance." David Lelghan
groaned. "Man." added the baron, sen
tentlously, "does not live for himself
alone; and he who rashly commits a
crime may hereafter seriously Interfere
with the comfort of his brother man."
David hung his head. "I forgive you.
David. I have protected you from the
natives' spears and their pots and carv
ing knives for six months, though It has
coat me many foolish threats and vain
curses. I have fed you and sheltered
you. I have been rewarded by peniten
tial groans anil by outward tokens of
fervent contrition. These have saddened
my days ,and have disturbed my slum
bers. tJroan, henceforth into other ear.
I forgive you, however, only on one con
dition, that yon return no more. If you
do, you shall be speared and potted with
out remorse. As for the document In mv
notebook "
'I shall get to England before you.''
said David; "and when I get there I
shall go at once to Challacoruhe and
make a statement just like the one you
have in your uotebook. By the time you
come to England I shall be "
'Exactly." said the baron, amlllng
sweetly. "You will have been a public (
character. Well, to each man comes '
somehow his chance of greatness. I hope
you may enjoy your reputation, David.
though it may be short-lived.
CHAPTER IV.
The mate meantime waa considering
the note put into his hands. It was
very short, and was a simple draft upon
a merchant's house In Sydney the short
est draft. I suppose, ever written, and on
the smallest piece of paper.
"Messrs. Hengstenberg & Co., Sydney.
Pay bearer I'M. New Ireland, 1SS4.
Baron Sergius von Holstein."
"I will take him," said the mate. "I
expect to be out another three or four
months. He can come aboard with me.
But,, stranger," he said, persuasively,
"can no business be done? Are they
open to reason?" He looked round nt
the forest and deserted huts. "Can we
trade for a few natives, you and me,
between us? If I could only see my way
to persuade 'em to worship me, I'd
blessed I wouldn't! I would ship the
whole island. There would be a fortune
In it."
"They are open to no reason at all.
In fact, if they were at this moment to
come down upon us unexpectedly, It
would be a painful necessity for me If
I valued my reputation as a prophet to
order them to attack and spear both you
and your crew; otherwise I should be
considered a false prophet. They are
wonderfully handy with their lances, anil
they move in largo bodies. Those pop
guns of yours would knock over two or
three, but would be of no avail to save
your own lives. Therefore, I would ad
vise that you get into your boat and
aboard your ship with as little delay as
possible."
The mate took his advice and departed
with his passenger.
"And now," said the Baron Sergius,
"I am alone at last, ami can enjoy my
self without any of that fellow's groans.
I ne-ver knew before how extremely dis
agreeable one single murder may make
a man."
That evening the rescued man, David
Lelghan, sat on the deck with his friend
the mute. The Islund of New Ireland
was now a black patch low down on
the horizon, the night was clear, aud the
sky full of stars. David was off the isl
and at last, aud once more free to re
turn to England; yet he diil not look
happier; on the contrary, the gloom upon
his face was blacker than ever.
It proved a inoBt unlucky voyage. They
lost two men in an encounter with the na
tives; they had no success In trailing;
the captain continued to drink. The em
came unexpectedly.
One night the watch on deck were
startled by a bright light in the cap
tain's cabin. The light shot Into a flame,
and the flame leaped and ran along the
sides of the cabin and caught in the deck
and licked the timbers of the ship. The
old schooner was as dry as tinder, and
caught fire like a piece of paper. In
five minutes It became apparent that they
must take to their boats. As to the
drunken man who had done the mischief,
lie came out of the burning cabin and
danced and sung until the llames drag
ged him down.
Ill the fierce glare of the burning ship
the mate looked at David reproachfully.
Implying that this misfortune wus en
tirely due to his presence.
"Even now," he whispered, "I will not
tell the men you have ruined the voy
age, burned the snip, killed the cnp:ain,
and mny be will kill us as well, 'What
have you done that we should be punish
ed like this for taking you on bourd? Is
it is it murder V"
Davl.1 nodded his head gloomily,
"Then," said the mate, "whatever hap
pens to us. you'll get safe ashore. You
won't be drowned, and you won't be
starved."
Three weeks later there were only two
survivors In that boat. The other men
hsd all drunk sea water, and so gone mad
one after the other, and leaped over
board In their delirium. Only David
Lelghan was left with the mate, and they
were lying one In the bow and one lu
the stern, as far apart as the boat would
allow, and they were black In the face,
gaunt and hollow eyed.
When they were picked up the signs
of life were so -faint In them that the
skipper, a humane person, took counsel
with his mate whether it would not save
the poor men trouble to drop them Into
the water at once. But In the end he
hoisted them aboard anil laid them oil
the deck, with their heads propped up.
For the rest of the voyage the rescued
mate kept aloof from the rescued passen
ger. He would not speak to him; he
avoided that part of the ship where h
happened to be. As for the latter he
found a place abaft near the helm, where
he could sit upon a coll of rope, his head
upon his knees. And there he remained,
gloomy and silent.
There was trouble, too. First, the ship
sprung a leak, and the pumps had to be
worked. Next, there was a bad storm,
and the mirien mast went by the board.
Thirdly, a ffre broke out, and was sub
dued with dllllculty. However, the ship
at last sighted land, and arrived, batter
ed anil shattered, at the port of Sydney.
hen they landed, and not till then, the
rescued mate spoke his mind.
First he went to the house of Hcug
stenburg & Co., where he presented the
baron's draft, gave news of his safety
and touched the money. He then led his
passenger to a tavern and entered into a
serious conversation with him.
"As for this money," he said, "you
weren't a passenger more than a few
days, and I can't rightly charge you
much. Take fifteen, aud I'll take five.
With fifteen pounds you can get home,
which I take to be your desire, and give
yourself up, which I take to be your
duty." It will be understood that the un
fortunate David, In the extremity of his
starvation and remorse, had been talk
ing. "A Providence It Is." said the mate,
"that where so many honest fellows were
took, I was spared, else you would never
have had this money, and you wouldn't,
therefore, have been able to give yourself
up, and you would never have been
hung. A clear Providence It is. and you
must regard It as such, and remember
it when they take yon out comfortably
with the chaplain and the rope."
David took the money, rolled it up In a
rag and placed it In his pocket, but said
nothing.
(To be continued.)
WITH A LITTLE DIPLOMACY.
How Real Virginia Colored Worn a a
Ueta What Hhe Want.
There Is a certain young married
woman in Washington who has a
charming flat in one of the uptown
apartment houses. She was born nnd
retired in Virginia, and, consequently,
seta great store by the colored race
from her ow-n particular State, says
the Washington Star. She maintains
that they make the most reliable na
well ns the most efficient help, and her
servants are always from the Old Do
minion. A chum of hers felt privileged to
often admire her exquisite taste In
dress, especially some of the pretty
negliges which are always particular
ly dainty when worn by a pretty wom
an. While calling on her the other
day this chum asked to see a flimsy
pink thing which she hud seen her
friend occasionally wear and which
she wished to have copied. What was
her astonishment when her friend said
that she had given It to the cook, who
had such a cute way of getting around
one that it was simply Impossible to
refuse the poor thing even one's pret
tiest neglige.
Being from the North, It was utterly
Impossible for the visitor to compre
hend how a colored maid servant could
perform a feat of diplomatic strategy
so complete as to fairly wrest away a
pretty woman's dearest treasure a
pink silk kimono, all folds of billowy
lace. However, her ears were soon to
be opened and her eyes made to see,
for just then the mother of the friend's
laundress came Into the room and
asked for the weekly wash. She was
a beaming old black "mammy" and sat
down familiarly on a low seat while
Mrs. X. proceeded to count and check
off from her list the clothes the wom
an had brought. Then began the con
versation which was to illustrate tho
diplomacy of the Virginia colored race.
"I declar'. Miss Mildred, I surely Is
glad to see you so sprightly this rnorn
ln'. I never Reed you look prettier,
with the roses all bloomin' In your
(dieeks an' your face mos fat again.
I guess you' wonderin' why LI1 didn't
come for the wash this inornln'. Now,
maybe you don't know It, Miss Mil
dred, but that there gal o' mine surely
does love you. This inornln' she came
downstairs and says to me: 'Ma, 1
droumt las' night that Miss Mildred
was took to the hospital and was cut
all up, and I's scared to go after the
elo's this mornln', 'cause I's feared I'll
gee crape linngin' on the door.'
"So I tol' her I'd come for them
clo's and I lef that gul so worried she
won't able to do a mite o work. De
Lord knows, chile, I surely Is glad to
see you lookln' so much wellor than I
'speetod, an' I mils' say ag'ln that I
neber did see you lookln' ho down
right pretty. Miss Mildred, honey, you
ain't got no kind o' drink around han
dy to heat a body up with this col
mornin', is you, honey?"
The brain of the caller was suddenly
illumined, and "innminy" went on her
way, wanned and rejoicing.
MiiMCiilliie View,
Mrs. Shopps I see Cutt & Slashed!
are advertising mine lovely house
gowns at a bargain.
Shopps Well, our house doesn't
need a gown, but It ouht to have
coat of paint
rail
17 rlt"" """"
Tank for IHiiiilAtf Htirrp.
Tliero are several plans for making
A tank In which to lli sheep, nnd If
ono has . (lock of considerable alo It
la wise to obtnln some of the plans
that are offered by ninnufnoturor. If.
however, tho flock Is not large, a home
tnndo affair Is easily built and nt com
paratively small cost. A tnnk of this
kind Is mndo as follows: A convenient
U la ten foot long, four feet wide
and two and one luilf foot deep. It
should bo made ao that the tank con
taining the dip Is reached by a slat
ted walkway loading down to It, nnd
another slatted walk lending up to the
lauding from which they go down Into
the tank.
There should be sufficient of the dip
mixture placed In tho tank to cover
the back of the iinlmiil, which should
bo Immersed for ntsMit one minute,
then allowed to come up on the land
HOMK MAPIC DIITIMU TANK.
ing, w here the dip Is niueeied out of
the wool nnd tho animal allowed fo
staud to drain. The illustration shows
how this tank Is built. B Indicates
the slatted walkway and A shows the
exact shape of the side portion of the
box: tho little drawing alsve the tank
shows a walk down front the end of
the drainage box which will prevent
tho sheep from Injuring their logn.
which they would be likely to do lu
Jumping.
A Ft Killing Cow.
No fewer than six persons are at
present suffering from Injuries Inflict
ed by a w, evidently of Texas fight
ing stock, which broke loose In the
streets of an English town, a few days
ago, creating extraordinary seen s.
The animal was being led by a halter,
but when near the slaughter house It
suddenly rushed at the man uiid-'r
whose charge it was, and tossed him
high lu the air. Extraordinary excite
ment at once nrose, as the animal bolt
ed from street to street, attacking or
frightening all It saw. A little girl,
aged seven, was wounded In the thigh
with Its horns, and a man knocked
down. Leaving the town the animal
directed Its course towards the village,
whence It had been brought. A farm
er who attempted to capture It was
gored In the thigh, and finally the
"casualty list" was brought to a close
by a man In Gordon yard, which It had
left two hours previously, having one
of his hands run through by a horn.
New England Homestead.
Hhncle for Poultry.
. It Is easy to give the poultry the
needed shade when the range Is fairly
well covered with trees or even small
brush, but where It Is entirely open
poultry suffer so much from the heat
of the sun that the freedom does tliem
little good; indeed, it would be bet
ter for them to be confined In largo
yards, where they might have shade
-.pro--
- -
nil aim. -cooi' ton rori.'iuv.
during the day nnd a run on tho
grass ufter the sun goes down. How
ever, It Is not an expensive plan to ar
range a number of tents on tho ocii
range by erecting a frame of light
strips of (xh1 anil covering this frame
with unbleached muslin. By sharpen
ing the ends of the posts the frame
may be Heoured to the ground, yet
easily lifted and removed to another
portion of the range when desired.
The plan Is worth the attention of all
poultrymen.
Itlch Milk Gave Lower Coat Butter.
Tho results obtained with 172 dairy
herds In Denmark, aggregating UJT.l
cows, were recently studied. The cows
were arranged lu eight classes accord
ing to the average per cent of fat In
their milk, each class having about tho
same number of cows. In the case of
Class 1 richest milk), 70.8 food units
were required for the production of
one hundred pounds of milk, against
(15.0 units lu the case of Class H (poor
est milk). ne pound of butter re
quired Hi.H.'i food units In Class 1, and
lO.fili In ('lass 8. Tho skiinmllk ob
tained per pound of butter was
and 2M.4 pounds respectively for the
two classes.' At ordinary prices of
feeds and products it was found that a
pound of butter was produced 2.8 cents
cheaper by the cows producing rich
milk than by those yielding milk low
In butter fat. American Cultivator.
Prizes for Trade.
Merchants In Home towns are try
ing the prize system to Induce trade
and are making It pay. They give
fk s.,,sK'b
prlr.e to the farmer's wife bringing
tho most eggs, etc,, nnd recently tho
plan was Introduced of giving a prize
to tho farmer who brought tho most
women to town. When tho women
i'oiiio In business picks up at all tho
stores. The plan worked, one farmer
putting cushions on a hay rack and
bringing over a hundred In tho course
of a day, Denver Field and Farm.
I nvestlaat log the Holla,
For tho sake of supplying definite
and absolutely reliable Inforifiatlou In
regard to every square mllo of land
In the (".".', n.'KI which compose the
area of the Fulled Stales of America,
I'ncle Sam, through tho Bureau of
Soils of tho I cpartiucut of Agricul
ture, will spend eighteen years aud
nt least fil.iKHi.lHXl. When the work
of the Bureau of .Mills has been com
pleted, It will be possible for a man
Intending to purchase a farm to write
to the Department of Agriculture, and
secure from that department a detail
ed map of the section In which his
farm Is located, together with a de
scription of the section. Then by look
ing up his Intended purchase on the
map and consulting the descriptive
booklet, he can determine to a nicety
Its value. The map will show by diff
erent colors the nature of the soil,
while the descriptive booklet will tell
Its value which has been determined
by examination of the soil, study of tho j
railroad facilities, and the examina
tion of the markets aud other qualify
ing conditions. The soli maps and
booklets will enable many farmers,
who have been only partially success
ful, to learn wherein they have fnlKI
by trying to raise crops unadapled b
the nature of their lauds, nnd will In
struct them as To what crops are best
suited to their farms. It will Instruct
them also as to the best method of
cultivating soils of different kinds.
While the examination of soils has
been carried on for perhaps a hundred
years by laboratory methods, the pres
ent Investigation Is along entirely dif
ferent and far more practicable lines.
The soils division was established as
separate bureau of the Department
of Agriculture on July 1. llil, and
since that time Its force has been In
creased more than twelvefold. I'p to
Dei-ember .'!!, I'.sii, the bureau lias
mapped H.s,',, square miles. In small
patches scattered over the w hole Flitt
ed States, and It Is estimate! (bat
eighteen years more will be required
to complete the work.
Flavor of Mutter.
To a very large extent the flavor
of butter depends on the kind of bac
teria working lu the cream. It Is
desired to have all of these of the
species that produce lactic add fer
ment, for then the flavor will be both
clean and pleasant. But in too many
enses the bacteria belong to the put re
factlve order and set up putrefaction
In the casein. There Is generally a
little casein left In the butter, In spite
of the work of the best butterinaker,
and this casein forms a base for the
work of the putrefactive bacteria.
There are other bacteria that cause de
composition of the fat Itself, and if
these are present the work of develop
ing bad flnvor goes on rapidly. Pas
teurisation can do little to remedy this,
If tfie undesirable bacteria have been
nt work for a few hours. The prob
lem Is to keep them out altogether.
I-KKS l,,c Million.
The western part of Virginia has
been known for years as a great sec
tion for raising poultry, and the In
dustry Is Increasing at a rapid rate.
The shipment of Thanksgiving turkeys
ami chickens for all seasons brings lu
a considerable revenue. In Uocklng
ham county last year, .IO.imki crates
were shipped to market, a total of 10,
Kisi.ins) eggs sold from one county In
a single year. Thin does not Include
many thousands consumed on the
farms where they were laid. The low
est price of the year was 14 to 1.1 cents
a dozen, nnd In December ,TJ cents was
paid. The average for the lust ye:ir
was 2'J cents. The profit from eggs
alone to Bocklnghain county funnels
was nearly f.MO.000.
I'll re Air In Htable.
Is tho air lu the stable pure f.nd free
from dust during milking? Would he
be willing mid glad to eat a plate of
soup while be Is milking a cow? If
not, why not? Isn't milk a human
food and Isn't the milk pall that is
under the cow being filled with food
for his table? Prairie Farmer.
The CrowliiK I'Iks,
The growing pigs may be helped
along In two ways; one Is by feeding,
sows liberally on those feeds that tend
to produce milk; the other Is by giv
ing the pigs clenn food of the tight
kind, Htioh hs clover and alfalfa.
lrcaaiiK for Tomutoea.
A tomato fertilizer very popular on
the Pacific coast Is mndo as follows:
Nitrate of soda, one part; dried blood,
two parts; superphosphate of bono
meal, four parts; kainlt, three parts, all
by weight.
Barn uikI I'ualure.
Put the Idle maro on tho pasture.
Wide tires save much horse power.
A sandy or muddy road doubles t tie
work.
Axle grease pays 1,000 per cent
profit.
The best drivers talk much to their
animals.
Aluminum horseshoes have been
thoroughly tested by the Russian
army. They have proved quite satis
factory, saving tho horses feet more
than Iron shoes do.
(loud ventilation, clean bedding and
plenty of light and comfortable stalls
are also necessary In tho cow Htable.
Dusty bedding and any feed that Is
dusty will need it with millions of
germs and these will develop taints
aud defects that are not desirable.
Conquest Great
American Desert j
Has Nevada always been nn arid and
desert region? Its geological records,
as Indelibly carved In sandstone and
granite, showing the shore Hues of
ancient lakes, proclaim that It has not,
but that at one time n vast body of
water, ns great In area as Lake Erie,
covered a portion of tho State. To
day, however, the aridity of the coun
try Is unquestioned aud the .I'll, (mm)
acres, to part of which Fncle Hum Is
to apply water, will practically double
Its well Irrigated area and Its agricul
tural population.
Nevada's ancient
known ns Lake Ln
one of several groat
Inland sen I
Ilontnn; It wan
prehistoric hike
distributed over the
I ireat I'.nsln of
the arid region, among them Luke
Bonneville, of which the tireat Salt
Lake was the deepest portion. Its ares
was nine times greater than the Croat
Halt, or almost as large as Lake Mich
igan, and much deeper.
The contracted remains of Lake I.e.
Hontan In Nevada are found In Pyra
mid Lake and a number of other small
enclosed lakes which were tho deepest
portions of the ancient lake. Since
thesa large prehistoric lakes wern
land locked and did not overflow. It
follows that the rainfall which fed
them was much heavier than It Is
to day.
Should conditions revert, many of
the lmMirtant points situated lu tbit
(Jre-it Basin would be hopelessly
flooded, such, for Instance, as the Mor
mon Temple, which would stand In fif
ty feet of water, while 7 miles of
railroad would lie submerged.
These prehistoric lakes are said to
tie of very recent origin - that Is. recent
by the geologists' count perhaps Jli),.
rmo or 40.000 years old. Fossils have
been found allowing the presence of
primitive man along their ancient
shores nnd embankments, which In
many instances are as perfect In con
tour and as distinct ns If the waters
had receded only a few years since.
These lakes Included su.-h aril and
fear Inspiring localities of today as
the Black Ilock Desert. Skull Valley,
Peith Valley, and a score of other
places where the blenched bones of
man and animal attest to nn awful
lack of water.
When the State was admitted to
tho I'nlou. In place of receiving the
nsual donation of alternate school oe
tlone in and .12 ln each township
she secured a flat grant from the gov
ernment of two million acres of pnhllo
land to be locatisl wherever her law
makers saw fit. The State Legisla
ture passed as much as desired of this
great and valuable resource Into pri
vate ownership of stockmen, at ns low
a figure as 2.1 cents an acre. These
lands tieve been located up and down
the sides of every river and stream
and around every spring and water
hole ln the State, so that while Nevada
has to-day some UO.Oon isni acres of
public land, there li notfi quarter sec
tion of It upon which a homesteader
could make a living. The Ian. I grant
ed to the State for school purHises
disposed of by the State for a mess
of pottngo controls the lands of the
State.
The government's Irrigation, when
worked out, will Immediately double
Nevada'a population; It will provide a
new llfehlood of settlement and citi
zenship for a region of unsurpussej
agriculture.
Irrigation In th Fnai.
That irrigation may be employed a
usefully In the humid portion of the
L'n'ted States ns lu the arid section t
announced by the Department of Agri
culture. A bulletin has been Issutvl,
showing the results of many experlj
iii'iits In this field, In which a steady
water source was drawn on as an
auxiliary to an Irregular rain supply.
Near Pouglikeepsle, N. Y.. where
rnln is ordinarily bountiful for tho
crops, a grower of strawberries lias
found that the addition of a plant for
Irrigation enables him to Insure a per
fect stand and rapid growth of new
plants. Spraying, nnd Irrigation be
tween the rows, put lu fine condition
for marketing a crop of berries which
fur lack of rain nt the critical moment
had colored ami hardened without
sweetening.
Market gardeners ln many other
parts of the East an? having similar
results. The experts at Washington
believe that ns tho country becomes
more compactly settled and more In
tense gardening Is required It will
be found necessary to depend more
and more upon Irrigation as nn Insur
ance against drought and consequent
crop failure.
' Ilr Leasee! Cable.
The anarchist had Just burled
the
bomb.
Simultaneously the democratic, head
of President Ixuibrt and the royal pate
of Alfonso XIII. ducked to avoid the
Hying fragments.
"M. le President," muttered the boy
king, "which one of us do you thlulc
that fellow was after?"
With true (Jallle politeness, Loubet
disclaimed the honor.
"After you, my dear Alfonse," he
murmured, bowing deeply, Cleveland
Lender.
He Hpoko TlioiigtubMsly,
"He said he'd never marry a
WD-
man for her money."
"That waa before ho knew what it
waa to need It." Cluvtdand Plala
Dealer.