El
1 'IMIH.MI'MMIMIIir UiMM 't1trtl ''Nt' If WW
Is Heart's
By SIR WALTER BESANT
M'iiminitfttH
CHAPTER XIV.
Ok the next day. Monday, a very sin
gular mikI inexplicable thin happened
nay, two singular thing the full mean
ing of which I did not comprehend until
accident put the solution into my hands.
I loft Sidcote at eight, before the
morning freshness was quite gone) from
the air, anil followed the road which
lead to Widdicombe. After Heytre.
the road runs for the best part of a mile
over tli opeti down where Mr. Leighan
met his accident.
I soon had the whole of the great flat
ridge to myself as I left King's Tor and
walked briskly southward. Half way
along this upland plain there stands au
upright stone of gray granite, six feet
high. Beside it lies a small fl.it stone;
It la called the Cray Wether. Who put
It up, and why it was put up, uot the
oldest inhabitant can tell.
What happened was thla. Between
the upright stone and the flat atone the
edges of the latter being irregular, then'
Is, at a certain place, an aperture or re
cess. I carried with me a stick, on which I
was leaning. Now, by this kind of
chance which we call accident. In chang
ing my position I stuck the point of tli
tick into the aperture a thing of which
one would have been hardly conscious
but for an unmistakable clicking which
followed, as of coins. The opening. I
found, was too small for a man'a hand.
The flat stone was immovable. Perbabs
with the stick I could at least feel the
coins? Yes, I made them rattle.
Now. when I took out the stick again
bit of yellow leather ahowed for a mo
ment just booked up by the ferule as
far aa the light penetrated. The eight
of the leather inspired me with a faint
hope. I reversed the stick and fished
with the handle, to such good purpose
that in a very few momenta I had the
leather thong in my fingers and hauled
It out.
The thong tied up the mouth of a
mall brown canvas bag. The bag was
a modern bank bag. and its treasure was
e collection of twenty coins.
Twenty sovereigns in a bag, a modern
brown canvas bag. Who could have
climbed up Hamil Down in order to hide
twenty pounds in a little hole like this?
I put the gold into the bag, tied it up
gain, and put it into my own pocket.
Then I walked on, meditating.
While I was thinking, a figure, which
I began dimly to perceive through the
nebulous veil of thought, was working
his way slowly down the hillside opposite
by nearly the same way as I had my
self picked among the bowlder. He
came plodding along with the heavy atep
and rolling shoulders of one who walks
much over ploughed fields and heavy
land.
He stopped finally. Then he looked
around him quickly, as If to assure him
self that no one was present to observe
him; I wonder he did not aee me. Then
he stooped down, reached within some
cavity and drew out aomethlng.
It was in a big blue bag. I could
plainly see that the blue bag, like my
, canvas bag, was weather-stained. He
' laid the bag upon a atone, and proceeded
to draw out its contents, consisting of
a single box. It was a box about two
feet long and eighteen inches wide, and
two or three inches deep. It was a tin
box. What had David got In his box,
for the man was David. I might have
walked down the hill and asked him that
Question, but one was naturally some
what ashamed to confess to looking on at
what was intended for a profound se
cret. David was so anxious to keep the se
cret that he actually took off his jacket,
wrapped it round the bag, and tied it se
curely with string. Then, without look
ing about him any more, .he turned and
walked back slowly and deliberately as
be had come, carrying the treasure under
Lis arm. As soon as his figure had sur
mounted the brow of the hill and had dis
appeared, I got up and sought the hiding
place. It really was a place into which
nobody would think of looking for any
thing. The top etone sloped downward
over the mouth, so as almost to hide it.
In this cluster of four great stones no
one would have dreamed of finding or
of looking for anything. David's hiding
place was well chosen.
Then I followed, walking slowly, so
that I might uot catch him up on hi
way home with his tin box full of queer
things from the Southern Seas, I sup
posed. In the evening I told George all that
had happened, and produced the brown
canvas bag. George took the bag, looked
at it, opened it, poured out the gold,
counted it, held It in hi hand and weigh
ed it; looked at it again, put it into the
bag, and laid the bag on the table.
"It is weather-stained, old man," he
aid, "and smells of the mold. I should
think it had been there some time." He
took it up again and turned it round.
"Look!" he said, "here are initials; they
re nearly faded, but they are certainly
Initials. I make out an A no, a B; or
Is tl a D? and an L. Certainly an L;
13. L. or D. L., which Is ltT"
"Looks to me," I said, turning the bag
about in the light, "looks like B. A.; but
It may be D. L."
"Will," be cried, "I believe you have
really found something important. Six
years ago, when Daniel Leighan fell off
his pony, he always declared that lie lost
twenty pounds in gold. It was tied up,
he always says, in a canvas bag. This
must be bis bag and these must be bis
Initials. I am quite sure of it."
"Very odd, If it is so. Why should a
man steal a bag of money only to put
it money and all Into a hols and then
to away and leave it?"
"Well, I take It that the thief put the
bag there meaning to return for It, but
forgot where he put It
"You can't forget tha Gray Wether
Btone, George. There is only one Gray
Wether Btone on Hamll Down, and who
la the world would go all up Hamll on
purpose to hide a bag of money when
there are biding places la every stone
wail about tha fields r
m
Desire
mmmmmmm mum
"Take It to Daniel to-morrow and
show it to him. Will. He always de
clare that he was robbed of this money
at well as of his bonds and securities.
Nobody ha ever believed him. because It
seems unreasonable that a robber should
take twenty pound and leave fifty. But
If It Is proved that he Is right about the
money, he may also be right about tha
bonds."
Strange that neither of us thought of
connecting David's box with his uncle's
bonds. But then I did not know that
the bonds were in a box; one thinks of
bonds as a roll of paper.
"As for David's box," said George.
"I agree with you, Will, that it Is best
to say nothing about It. Let him keep
hi secret. If It is valuable, so much
the better. We will keep the thing to
ourselves. But as for the canvas bag,
you must certainly take it to G rat nor
to-morrow, and give Daniel the chauce
of claimiug it."
CHAPTER XV.
Had I taken that canvas bag to Grat
nor early In the morning instead of the
evening, many things might have turned
out differently; among other things, Da
vid's extraordinary scheme of revenge
might never have been possible. If I
had told Daniel Leighan the strange
thing I had witnessed from Hooknor Tor.
he must certainly have connected the
box taken from Grimspound with the
box of his own papers.
The scheme was almost worthy of Da
vid's American pals the gentlemen who
had all "done something." Tha box,
when David had carried it home, proved
to be quite full of papers. His own
knowledge of their value was slight, but
he knew very well that signed papers
had been bis own destruction, and that
the possession of signed papers made his
uncle rich.
David called upon his nncle abont 11
o'clock in the forenoon. He was receiv
ed with the cordiality generatly extended
to all needy relations. Mr. Leighan shuf
fled his papers as a sign that be was
busy and wished the call to be short,
nodded his head with scant courtesy, and
asked his nephew what he came for.
"I've come, uncle," David began very
slowly, spreading himself upon a chair
and producing a small brown paper
packet. "I've come, uncle"
"Don't be longer than you can help,
David. Get to the subject at once, if
you can. Say what you came to say,
and then go away and leave ma with my
own business. It's high time you were
looking after your own. Will George
Sidcote give yon a job? I hear you bor
rowed a bed yesterday, and a chair and
a table, and that you have settled In the
cottage my cottage. Very good. I don't
mind if you have it rent free till you
get Into work, when you'll have to pay
your rent like your neighbors. If yon be
gin any more nonsense about robbing you
of your land you go oat at once."
David, at the risk of seeming monot
onous, uttered a forceful wish for the
destruction of his uncle's cottage.
"If that is all you csme to say,
nephew, the sooner you go the better.
And the sooner you clear out of my cot
tage and leave the parish, the better, or
I'll make the place too hot for you "
"I didn't come to rail at you, uncle,"
said David, more meekly. "If you
wouldn't keep on thire, I've done; now
hold your tongue and listen. I've got
something very serious to aay, and it's
about your business, too!"
"Then make haste about It."
"Six years ago, they tell me, you
were robbed, that night when you fell
off your pony, after I'd gone away."
"It was the evening of that very day."
"Ah!" David's eyes smiled, though
bis lips did not "we little thought when
I used those words with which we part
ed how quick they'd come true. When
you lay there on the broad of your back,
now, your face white and your eyes open,
but never seeing so much as the moon in
the sky, did you think of your nephew.
whose farm you d robbed, and did you
say, 'David, 'tis a Judgment?' "
"No, I didn't, David."
"You felt it all the more, then. Very
well. While you lay there, as they tell
me, some one comes along and robs you.
What did you lose, uncle? Was it your
watch and chain and all your money?"
"No; my watch and chain were not
taken, and ouly a little of the money."
"Uncle, are you sure you were robbed?
Do you think that robbers ever leave
money behind them? Was the money
taken in notes, or was It In gold?"
"It was all in gold. Fifty- pounds In
one bag, twenty pounds In the other, and
both bags In one pocket. The small bag
was taken and the big bag left. But
what does It matter to you?"
"You shall see presently. I am going
to surprise you, uncle. What else did
you lose besides the little bag?"
"I lost a box of papers but what does
it matter to you? Did you come here
to inquire about my robbery? I suppose
you are glad to hear of It."
"Never mind, uncle. You go on an
swering my questions; I've got my rea
sons. I am going to surprise you. Wait
a bit."
"Well, then; but what can you know?
It was a tin box secured by a lock and
tied round with a leather strap; I car
ried It In a blue bag a luwyer's bag
hanging around my neck for safety."
"What was in that box, did you say?"
"David!" the old man changed color,
and became perfectly white, and clutch
ed at the arms of his chair and pulled
himself upright, moved by the thought,
"David! have you beard anything? have
you found anything?"
"Wait a bit; all in good time. What
was la that box, did you aay, again?"
"Papers. I lost with that box papers
to tha tuna of three thousand pounds
all la coupons I"
"It was a judgmentl Why, my mort
gages were not so very much mora. Three
thousand pounds! Gome, even you would
feel that, wouldn't yon? Were there ac
tually three thousand pounds In that
boxr
"The man who stole that box might
nave presented these coupons one by one.
and got them paid as they fell due. with
out questions asked that Is, he could un
til I stopped them. Oh! I could stop
them, and 1 did; but I could never get
them paid until I presented them through
my own banker. David, if you are re
vengeful, you may laugh; for It is a blow
from which I have never recovered. They
say that the paralysis In my leg was
caused by falling from the pony, where
by I got. It seems, concussion of the
brain. But I know better, David. A
mau like me doe not get paralysed in
the leg by falling on hi head, 'Twa
the loss of all the money that caused
the paralysis. And now I sit here all
day long 1 who used to ride about on
my own laud all day long! and 1 try
to think. aH day and all night, if I could
have left that box anywhere, or given
to any one that bag of twenty sovereign.
David, tell me I will reward you If you
tell me anything to my advantage have
you heard something?"
CHAITER XVI.
David nodded his head slowly.
"Three thousand pound," he repeated.
It was threo thousand pounds."
"I'm not a rich man, David, though
you think I am. As for taking your
farm if . h.v.u't taken it, somebody
clse would! for you were a ruined man.
And now, even, if I leave it to you hi my
will. It would bo little use, because
Mary's money must come out of it. Oh!
it was a hard blow a cruel, bard blow."
"Yea," said David. "A a Judgment,
it was a a a wuuucr. 1 never heard
of a nobler judgment. Three thousand
pounds! and a fall off your pony! and
n paralysis! all for robbing me of my
land. Did you ever offer any rewarl?"
"No. What was the good?"
"Would you give any reward?"
"I would give I would give yes I
would give ten pounds to get that box
back again."
"Ten pounds for three thousand.
That's a generous offer, isn't It?"
"I'd give fifty pounds I'd give a hun
dred two hundred four hundred, Da
vid." He multiplied his offer by two ev
er) time that David shook his head.
"You'd have to come down more hand
some than four hundred to get back three
thousand pounds. Well," he rose as If
to go, "that's all I've got to say this
morning. That will do for to-lay. Much
more handsome you would have to come
down."
"David!" cried his uncle, eagerly.
"what do you mean by being more hand
some? Tell me, David do you know
nythlng?"
"Why," said David. "I may know, or
I may not know. What did I tell you?
Didn't I say that I might have something
to sell? Well that's enough for this
morning!" He moved toward the door.
"David, David, come back! What have
you got to sell?"
"That is my secret he stood with
his hand on the door handle "if you tell
a secret, what is the good of It?"
"David, stop stop! ' Do you know
where that box was taken? Oh! David,
put away your hard thoughts. Remem
ber you were ruined already. I didn't
ruin you; my heart bled to see your fath
er's son ruining himself."
"Look here, uncle; perhaps the box ex
ists, and perhaps it doesn't. Perhaps
I have learned where it Is and perhaps
I haven't. Perhaps 1 ve got a paper out
of the box in my pocket at this minute,
and perhaps well, what would you give
me for a paper out of the box. taken
out this very morning, none of the other
papers having been so much as touched?
What would you give for that. Just to
show that the others can be laid hold
of?"
"Oh! give it to me. David," the oil
man stretched out both hands with yearn
ing eyes; "let me look at it. Can It be
that the box is found after all, and safe?"
"If it la found, depend upon It that
It is safe, uncle. Take your oath of that.
The man who's got that box won't let it
go in a hurry, particularly when be
knows what's inside it. Three thousand
pounds! and, perhaps, if he knew it, his
own, for the trouble of presenting them
at the right place."
"They've been stopped," Daniel ex
plained for the second time. "You dou't
know what that means, perhaps; it mentis
that any one who presents those papers
for payment will find the money stopped,
and himself taken up for unlawful pos
session of the coupons, David which is
seven years, I believe!"
(To be continued.)
Tlie President Smiled.
"Rough, tough, we're the stuff! We
want to light and we can't get enough!
Whoop-e-e-e!"
President Roosevelt stood with a cup
of coffee In his hand and ripped out
that battle cry as lustily as the khaki
clad rough riders who wen gathered
around him. Indeed, the presidential
voice put a high C crescendo on that
"Whoop-e-e-e!" that drowned every
thing except the bass of MaJ. Llewel
lyn, says the San Antonio correspond
ent of the New York World.
The president took tne lid off when
he foregathered with his rough riders
at the fair grounds In the afternoon.
Until that time he had been president
Then, with his high hat pushed back
displaying every tooth, he was a rough
rider himself. The only drawback,
his comrades said, waa that he did not
wear his uniform. Their fond hopes
that In some way he would get a
chance to put on his khakl suit were
dashed early In the dny. There was
no bundle under the seat In the car
riage. Mr. Roosevelt kept to the presi
dential attire, but be entered into the
affair so heartily that his collar was
wilted wlien he started home and his
face streaked with dust.
The rough riders were mobilized on
the fair grounds, about three miles
from San Antonio, in May, 1808. The
president had not been In San Antonio
since, but he had not forgotten that
he started here the career that made
him president of the United States.
He spoke about it to the crowd.
"When I was last here," he added,
"nobody In the world dreamed I would
return as president"
The rough riders disagreed.
H 1" they said, ""We know It all
tho time."
Then tho president waved a depre
cating band, but ho smiled.
The boauty soon li parti la Mm
who It Botoo.
Ml, 'J1',
Simile for Huinll Htock.
Most farmers iiiuko sumo attempt to
provide shade In t ho pasture for their
horses and cows, but let tin' swim,
sheep wild poultry go without It, which
Is certainly a mistake, for nil nittninl
mid birds like shade In summer. It I
mi easy mutter to erect a number of
small shade place on the pasture, nnd
lit small expense. If one Is willing to
Invest the small timoiint of labor inves
wiry. If there I a wood lot on the
farm what la easier than to cut n n um
ber of poles to use for posts, nnd then
n number of lighter brunches to use
n the foundation for the roof. Set
the pole (Irmly In the ground, making
four post for the corners, then, with
the branches mid a lot of waste buy or
straw, n thatched roof Is easily con
structed. Spend enough time on the work to
make It strong enough so that the wind
will not blow It over. When you llnlsli
you will have a shade house something
like that shown In the cut and the
stock will enjoy It and be all the better
for it. They would thank you for It If
they could, so spend a little time build
ing some, even two or three, by way of
experiment Indianapolis News.
Feeding Too Maur Fowls.
When the hutching season I over
there Is no necessity for retaining the
roosters, ns the hen will lay without
their presence, and their room Is val
uable, while they cost more for food
than they are worth, says Fnnn and
Fireside. It Is well to retain the best
of the early pullets, but all pullets that
do not show evidence of thrift or of
reaching maturity before winter
should be disposed of. The young
cockerels should be disposed of Just as
soon as they are large enough for mar
ket or the table. It la better to give
the growing stock plenty of room than
to crowd them. The poultry house Is
usually a warm place In summer when
well filled with birds, due to the ani
mal heat of the Invites, and the flock
should consequently be reduced to the
lowest number consistent with the fa
cilities. Borrowed Trouble.
There are people who have genuine
troubles, but the woe of genuine trou
ble Is nothing compared to troubles
which are expected and which never
come. Too many fnnners borrow trou
ble when It rains, because of the fear
that the ruin will continue too long
the downfall will be too great When
It discontinues for a few days the fear
and the prediction is that a drought Is
In prospect that will destroy the crops.
All this borrowed trouble Is wholly un
necessary, and If It affects the general
result at all. It affects It for the worst
It Is better to be cheerful and make
the most of conditions as they arise
and take chances for the fntura with
out worry. Journal of Agriculture.
Bhropshlre Kan.
THK CHAMPION BIIHOP8HIRE.
This champion Shropshire ram Is
owned by George Allen, of Vermilion
County, Illinois.
Potato Quality.
The quality of potatoes Is the sub
ject of Interesting tests by the New
York Experiment Station. There Is
reason to believe that good quality Is
developed in a soil temperature of 05
degrees to 73 degrees, and the tubers
growing from one and two to five Inch
es below the surface are subject to
these conditions. Great fluctuation in
the soli temperature Is detrimental to
the best development of potatoes, and
tubers growing too near the surface
are subject to this fluctuation, A too
low temperature also injures the devel
opment of ripening and the soil tex
ture probably has sometlhng to do with
ripening and flavor. Hence, if pota
toes aro planted shallower than three
Inches or deeper than six inches tho
conditions are unfavorable.
Treatment for Fence Poets,
A cheap and effectual method of
preventing the rotting of fence posts is
said to bo practiced by French fann
ers. The posts are piled In a tank and
tho whole thickly covered with a quick
lime, which Is gradually slacked with
water. Another plan, used in this
country, Is to char tho posts to tho
depth of bait aa Inch, and then dip
ir tr.ni v a i
4 &iL&$. Jji2&
them In coal tat but the con,l tnr
Should be so used ni to extend nbovn
the surface of the ground, when the
posts are In place. While this may not
prevent decay, yet it will prolong the
period of durability of the posts,
Working In the Wheat lipid.
Most people are probably familiar In
a general way with the principles nnd
methods used In wheat shocking. Yet
there are detail the conformation to
or neglect of which makes nil the dif
ference between a Mist class Job mid a
poor one. I wish to show hero some of
the detail which make for convenience
and excellence In the work, says a
Rural New Yorker writer.
I And the following plan of setting
up a shock most satisfactory: Set down
four bundle In a row and follow with
one lu (be middle on each able. Now
place a bundle In each of the four va
cant plncc and put on two cap. For
cap select bundle with long straw
above the bund. They will cover the
shock better ond will not fall off so
easily. Place the bend of the caps In
the direction from which the strongest
wind blow. If the bead face the
wind the cap will not blow off as
readily il they will If the butts face It.
Here are a few general suggestions:
If tho shock bus been set tip us here
directed It will contain twelve bun
dles. Experience tenches that till I
very nearly the right number. Some
little variation, of course, Is allowable.
But If a shock I much smaller It lack
stability, and the same I true if the
shock I much larger, especially If the
wheat Is dead ripe. When the wheat
I dead ripe the bend stand out, and,
especially In a large shock, the bun
dle are liable to fall down. If the
head stand out It I a good plan to
hug the shock tightly Iwfore capping.
In a large shock slightly green wheat
Is apt to mold. When starting n shock
If convenient start It In the middle of
the bunch of bundles. This will save
the time and latxir Involved In carry
ing bundles around the shock.
A New Apple Picker.
A Washington State fruit grower
has Invented an apple picker which
attracts considerable attention among
fruit growers In that section. It seems
to be a telescopic device which can be
instantly adjusted to reach tho fruit
on any level of the tree. At the upper
part Is a ring with the cutting edge
operated by a trigger. The ring cut.
off the fruit which drop from the
horn, or telescope, to the canvas bag
attached to the shoulder of the opera
tor. It Is claimed fruit can Ix picked
without bruising and In about half
the time required by the common
method.
UwDown Kark for Cora.
Whoever raises sorghum for any
purpose but grazing and cuts corn
stalks whole will need a low-down
rack for this sort of work. No Job on
LOW-IKIWN RACK.
the ordinary farm Is more laborious
than cutting and handling this kind of
forage and anything Unit facilitates the
lifting and loading Is a good thing to
have. It saves both time and muscle,
for both corn stalks anil sorghum, and
especially the latter, are very heavy to
lift and load on n high nick. In the
absence of a "low-down" wagon, a
ruck like the accompanying Illustration
will be found to be a great help.
Fngllah Lime Ratphtir I Hp.
In England, an experiment was
made In dipping sheep with n lime-sul-phur
dip containing 2." pounds of sul
phur per 12' pounds of lime. A quan
tity of water was used sulllclent to
give a dark red color, nnd In-fore using
tho liquid was diluted to 100 gallons.
The dip proved effective for sheep scab
and did not materially Injure the wool.
Wheat Screen In as.
Wheat screenings, either ground or
unground, are very satisfactory for
sheep feed. At the Minnesota station
It required 18 per cent more wheat
screenings than wheat to produce a
given gruln. As the screenings are n
production of the northwestern wheat
fields, their value as a feed may easily
be seen.
Redacting Heed Potatoes.
Varieties of potatoes may be pre
vented from running out nnd even im
proved by selection. To select pota
toes, dig by hand-picking which will
separate and select the seed from the
best hills. In a few years by thla
process the yield of merchantable pota
toes can be easily Improved.
Farm Notes.
Poor food for tho cow and poor
treatment effect the milk supply.
Cows in the stable can be protected
from files; nets and screens are both
used.
Sponge off the horse thoroughly and
dry him well before putting him in his
stall.
New York City consumes on an aver
age about 85,000 sheep and lambs
weekly.
Do not use any preservative to prr
vent milk from souring; keep it cool
and clean.
Keep a wet sponge, straw bat or
cabbage leaf on tho horse's bead on
warm days.
Tick tomatoes as soon as they begin
to turn color and spread them out un
der glass. This will help them to ripen
quickly.
Pull up onions aa soon as tho bulbs
aro well formed and leave them on tho
ground until cured. Then spread them
thinly under cover until wanted.
m 4 k. SB m V
It Is naturally presumed that tho
dear lady In Chicago who wants to put
a ban on Mother Gi reads Homer
to her little lap dog. Philadelphia
Telegraph,
When the Knlser has completed hla
task of looking nfler other people's
business ho might go home and spend
a few months building his own fences.
Pittsburg Dispatch.
Tho popular contempt of wsrfsro
against tho mosquito proves the ca
pacity of the American public for
straining nt a gnat nnd swallowing an
epidemic. New York Mall.
A mull I largely determined by hla
environment. Christopher Columbus
might have been a New York police
man for twenty years without discov
ering even u poolroom.--Puck.
If old man Sherman hud only waited
around long enough to see the peace
envoy start for Portsmouth be might
not have emitted such a cantankerous
opinion about war. Philadelphia Tele
graph. Turkey has ordered In France a tor
pedo bout destroyer, three gunboats,
two transport nnd artillery lining,
and It Is rumored that as soon a (hose
urn ilellvensl th.i Snlliin Intends to nut
Out his tongue at the C.ar. -I guidon
Punch.
The "lingo" of the yellow fever re
jport might bo applied to the dally
'new from the Agricultural Depart
jiiient nt Washington. New "foci" ami
i"sut foci" are constantly appearing un
der Secretary Wilson's nose. Spring
Held Republican.
Portland, Me., Is scouring the conn
try for subscriptions to Its Thomas It.
Reed memorial fund. They want f."0,.
ou) and have on hand about fin,!").
Tom wouldn't have approved this dun
ning bis friends for such a purpose.
Boston II cm id.
A woman swearing offends no nioro
against moral than a man swearing,
but she offends more against manners,
and by about as much a we are tho
more shocked at her swesrlng than nt
his, by so nun li do we bold maimers
abovo morals. Life.
Our old friend, Wu Ting Fung. Is
said to have been commissioned by tho
l'ekln court for tho task of forcing this
country to a fair course of treatment
of Chinese subject. The childlike Mr.
Wu knows us well, and how to pinch
where It will hurt us the worst. Buf
falo Courier.
The Russian government according
to a St. Petersburg dispatch, has d
clded to Issue a second Internal loan.
The amount Is said to be $ Iixi.isni.iss).
The Russian Internal loan of $!, ,
INSI last March came like pulling teeth;
this one, it Is fair to presume, w ill bo
like killing tho nerve. Hartford Cou
nt nt.
Tho dirt nt Panama Isn't flying, nnd
the government has lit last decided
that It won't fly until sanitary condi
tions nre so Improved (but a sulllclent
number of workmen can be uttracteil
to the Isthmus. The original Idea that
the only thing needed to Insure thw
canal was the money has been stil
Ntuntlally modified. Buffalo Courier.
So many subjects of his majesty Ed
ward VII. fear that America's future
Is threatened by China and Japan, tho
yellow peril, that there come an Irro
slstlble temptation to remind tbeiii
that the United States ha managed
to Increase some "o.oo.ikki In popula
tion In the last century without an ori
ental market. We can probably play
along. Seattle Post-Intelligencer.
Senator Mitchell, or Oregon, has
been tried, convicted and sentenced to
six months' imprisonment and to pay a
fine of $10,000; but still holds on to his
seat as a Senator fnnn Oregon. Tho
salary, mileage and perquisites of Sen
ator Mitchell forn year will abont pay
his flue, but tills Is a new way to uso
the ofllee of United States Senator,
nnd will probably be very unpopular.
Louisville Post.
The suggestion tbnt there be a na
tional celebration of the two hundredth
nniilvcrsnry of Benjamin Fninklln's)
birthday next Jiinuiiry was to be ex
pected about this time. The day will
surely bo observed In various places,
and one of them should be Boston,
which Frunklln ran away from at no
early age. A truly national celebra
tion, however, might be dllhVult to
inunage. Springfield Republican.
It would be Interesting to know how
much money has been spent, first und
lust, on the search for the north polo.
When the Imposing total hns been as
certained, the question may be asked
whether more prolltablo results would
not have been obtained If the money
had been spent In some other way.
The backers of an arctic explorer have
a right to spend their money on htm
if they please, but they would benefit
humanity more If they put their dol
lars into model tenement house's or
consumption hospitals. Chicago Trib
une. Another plot has been discovered In
Constantinople tha purpose of whloli
was the removal of the Sultan. Tho
Sultan's time Is all filled dodging
bombs when he li not dodging bills.
Chicago Inter Ocean.
Short Personals.
Tolstoi spends much of his time la
roaming through tho woods.
Gen. Booth, commander of the Salva
tion army, Is said to be a slave to work.
O. li. Rustard of Duluth, Minn., is a
direct descendant of tho old royal family
of Norway,