11
o
T
V
I
,1
I
I
Prisoners and Captives
By II. S. MERRIMAN
CHAPTER XIX. (('ontlniiP.il
The effect of the discovery (hut they
distinctly formed group apart waa hare
ly visible to the keenest glance. Helm's
Blow, gentle eyes were turned toward the
center of the house, bent vaguely on the
bright I. v dressed occupants of the stalls.
"I supse," Mid Helen, closing her
fan, "that all thi is rarher trivial for you
The interest you take In it must be super
fieial now that you are so buay."
"Oh. no!" Tyars hastened to begin; he
was looking past her in that strangely
persisivnt way into the theater, and eotu fu
ming he saw there made him turn bis beau
quickly toward the stage.
"Halloo !' he exclaimed. Then he
caught her wrlat in hi grasp. "Keep
till," he whiiered.
Ttie painted curtain waa bellying right
forward like the mainsail of a bark, and
from the apace at cither aide a audden
volume of smoke poured forth in huge,
uneven clouds.
In a second the whole audience waa on
Its feet, and for moment a sickening si
lence reigned the breathless alienee of
upreme four.
Then a single form appeared on the
stage. It was that of the man referred to
by Claud Tyars a moment before; he who
played the villain's part so unconsciously.
He was still in his dark wis and pallid
make-up. On his arm he carried the coat
he had just taken off. and the other arm.
clad in white shirt sleeve, was raised 'u
gesture of command.
"I must ask you." he cried, in a full.
clear voice, "to leave your soata ns "
And his tones were drowned, completely
overwhelmed by a strange, unearthly
roar; the roar of a thousand human voices
raided in one surging wail of despair, like
the din of surf upon a shingle shore.
The man shouted, and his gestures were
almost ludicrous, even at that supreme
moment, for no sound could be heard
from his lips.
Then the gas was turned out. and in the
darkness a terrible struggle began. Some
who came out of it could liken it to noth
ing on earth. Women shrieked and men
forgot themselves.
As the gaa flickered and finally col
lapsed those in the stage box caught a
momentary vision of wild, distorted face
coming toward them. The pit had over
flowed the stalls. Strong barriers crum
bled like matchwood. Into a hundred
minds at once there had flashed the hoe
of escape through the stage boxes.
"Grace! Easton 1" It was Tyar's voice
raised, and yet not shouting. The crisis
bad come, the danger was at hand, and
Helen knew who it waa that would take
the lead. She heard the two men an
swer. "Keep the people back. I will break
open the door on the stage. It la our
rest chance."
The girl felt herself lifted from the
ground and carried to the back of the
box.
-Helen !" whispered Tyara.
"Tea."
"Are you all right?"
"Yea."
"I thought you had fainted, yon were
so quiet! Hold on to my coat! Never
leave go of that!"
He turned away from ber, and above
the din and uproar came the sound of
his blows upon the woodwork of the door.
It seemed impossible that such strokes
could have been dealt by an unarmed hu
man hand.
Between the blows came the sickening
sound of the struggle at the front of the
box. Imprecations and supplications, min
gled with groans and the dull thud of mer
ciless fista upon human faces. Shoulder
to shoulder the two men the American
and the Englishman fought for the lives
of the women placed by rhe hand of God
under their protection. It was a terrible
task, though few women reached the front
of the box. Each man struck down, each
assailant beaten back was doomed, and
the defenders knew It. Oace down, once
under foot, and it was a matter of mo
ments. Fresh assailants came crowding on,
treading on the fallen and consequently
cbtaining an ever-increasing advantage as
they rose on a level with the defenders.
Neither seemed to question the wisdom
of Tyars' command. It was a matter of
life or death. Those already in the stage
box would only be crushed by the onrush
of the others were they allowed to enter.
With a dazed desperation the two men
faced the frightful odds, hammering wild
ly with both fists. Their arms ached
from sheer hard work and they panted
hoarsely. Their eyeballs throbbed with
the effort to pierce unfathomable dark
ness. It. was quite certain that their d
fense could not last long.
"Stick to It '." yelled Tyars. He might
have been on the deck of the Martial
during a white squall, so great was the
uproar all around him. At last there
was the sound of breaking wood.
"Grace !" shouted the voice of Tyars.
"Yes."
"Look after Miss Winter when we
go."
"Easton !" he cried again.
"Yes, old man !"
"Come last, and keep them back If you
can." Then a minute later he shouted,
"Come !"
At rhe same Instant the roaring crowd
of madmen poured In over the front of
the box, like soldiers storming a bastion.
The door which Tyars had succeeded in
opening was so narrow as to admit of
the passage of only one person at a time,
but at this Instant the larger door leading
Into a narrow passage, the real exit from
the stage box, broke down before a pres
sure from without, and from this point
also a stream of half-demented beings
tried to force an entrance.
The only advantage possessed by the
original occupants of the box was that
they knew the position of the small
door.
The subsequent recollection of auoh In
dividuals as survived were so fragmentary
and vague that no connected story of the
terrible tragedy In the stage box of the
Kplc Theater waa aver given to th pub
lic. Miss Winter remembered finding herself
caught up In a strong pair of anna, which
he presumed to ba those of Oswin Grace.
Almost at tha same moment she and ber
protector were thrown to the ground
After that tha next thing aha could re
Minbar waa tha touch of a hand over
her face and hair and a whispered voice
in her ear :
"Agnes Winter Is this yon?"
She recognised the peculiar American
twang which was never unpleasaut. At
that moment, she almost laughed.
"Yes-yes," she answered.
"Then crawl to your feet. iHm't try
to get up; crawl over this man. I don't
know who he Is, but I surmise he Is
dead."
She obeyed, and found her way out of
the narrow door and up some steps.
Close behind her followed some one, whom
she took to be Matthew Mark Easton,
but It ultimately turned out to be Oswin
(race, who was lu his turn followed by
the American, but not until later.
Helen Grace heard the word "Come,"
and submitted obediently to the support
ing arm, which half dragged, half carried
her up some steps. She remembered be
ing carried like a child through some dark
some place where the atmosphere was cold
and damp. Then she was conscious of a
halt, followed cloaely by the sound of
breaking wood and the tearing of some
material probably canvas, for they were
among the scenery. After that she prob
ably fainted, and was only brought to
consciousness by the shock of a violent
fall in which her companion was under
most. Then she heard a voice calling out :
this way. sir; this way.
She recollected seeing a fireman stand
ing iu a narrow passage waving a lan
tern. Ry the time that .she reached the
oen air she was quite conscious.
"Iet me walk," she said, "I am all
right. Where is Agnes?"
"They are behind." answered Tyars.
She is all right. She has two men to
look after her. You have only me."
"Wait for them." said the girl. "I will
not go home without them."
"All right ; we shall wait outside. Let
us get out first."
They were standing In a small room,
probably the office of the theater, and a
policeman stationed near the window, of
which the framework had been broken
away, called to them Impatiently.
The window was about four feet from
the ground, and Helen wondered momen
tarily why Claud Tyars accomplished the
drop so clumsily. In the narrow street he
turned to a police inspector and pointed
to the window.
"Lift the lady down," he said.
A cab was near at hand, and in It they
waited seated side by side in silence
for what seemed hours. The crowd dropped
away, seking some more interesting spot.
At last there was a movement at the win
dow, and Tyars got out of the cab and
went away, leaving Helen in an agony
of mute suspense. In a few moments It
was over and the girl breathed freely.
It seemed strangely unreal and dream
like to hear Agnes Winter's voice again ;
to see her standing on the pavement be
neath the yellow gaa lamp, drawing to
gether the gay little opera cloak round
her shoulders.
As Miss Winter stepped into the cab
she leaned forward and kissed Helen.
That waa all ; no word waa said. Rut
the two women sat hand in hand during
the drive home.
Tyars and Oswin spoke together a few
words in a lowered tone quite overwhelm
ed by the rattle of the cab, and then sat
silently. The light of occasional lamps
flashed in through the unwashed window,
and showed that the men's clothes were
covered with dirt and dust, which neither
attempted to brush off.
When the cab atopped In Rrook street.
Oswin got out first, and going up the
steps opened rhe front door noiselessly
with a latch key. Tyars paid the cab
man, and followed the ladies into the
house.
The gas In the hall and dining room
had been lowered, and they all stood for
a moment In the gloom round the daintily
dressed table. When Oswin Grace turned
up the gna they looked at each other curi
ously. Miss Winter kept her opera-cloak
losed. simply stating that her dress was
torn. H-r hair was becomingly untidy.
but she showed no sign of scratch or hurt.
Helen was hardly ruffled beyond a few
little strav curls, almost golden in color,
stealing down beside her ears. She
doubtless owed her Immunity from
harm, and in all human probability the
safety of her life to the enormous bodily
strength of Claud Tyars. It was she who
spoke first.
'Your arm: sue said, pointing to
Tvnr's right sleeve. "Have you hurt it?"
He looked down at the limb, which was
hanging in a peculiar way very close to
his body, with a vague and questioning
smile, as If it were not his property.
"Yes," he said, "It is broken.
Miss Winter and Oswin went to his
side at once. Helen alone remained stand
ing at the table. She said no word, bur.
continued looking at him with very bright
eyes, her lips slightly parted, breathing
deeply.
He avoided meeting her glance In the
same awkward, embarrassed way which
she had not noticed Is-fore : answering the
questions put to him with a reassuring
smile.
"It happened," he said, "during the
first rush. We fell down somewhere
through some scenery, and my arm same
underneath."
"You put It underneath," corrected
Helen, almost coldly, "to save me, I
suppose."
"Instinct," he exclaimed, tersely.
"Shall I fetch a doctor, or will you
come with me?" asked the practical
Oswin, gently forcing his friend Into a
chair. "We are surrounded by them in
Rrook street."
"I wil go with you," answered Tyars.
Refusing all offers of hospitality made
by Oswin and his sister, Claud Tyars
went off with his friend to tha doctor's,
leaving the ladles comfortably installed
in arm chairs by the fire.
They protested that they could not
possibly sleep, and that, as it waa only
twelve o'clock, they would await Oswin'a
return.
And the two ladies left there sat, each
In her deep arm chair, toasting bar neatly
hod toea on tha fender, and aald never
word. They both stared Into tha lira
with auoh a marked persistence that one
might almost have uapected them of bar
ing to meat each other's glance.
At las) Dalao moved. 8h had avldant-
ly Just become aware of a black mail
on the soft mauve material of her dress.
With her gloved hand she attempted to
brush It c IT, and as this hud no effect sh
began rubbing It with a liny handker
chief. Then she ruisis.1 her eyes. Miss
Winter was watching her with a curious
smile -a smile much more suggestive of
pain Ihau of pleasure.
Their eyes met, and for some moments
both seemed on the verge of saying some
thing which was never said. Then and
denly Helen leaned forwrd and covered
her face with her two hands.
Helen recovered herself ns suddenly ns
she had given way, and, rising from
her chair, stood with her shoulder turned
toward her friend, her two hands upon
the mantel piece, looking down Into thit
tire. Her attitude, moral and physical,
waa reflective.
"I wonder," she said, "if every on A
got out of the theater?"
"Mr. Easton phomised to come and tell
us." answered Miss Winter.
Helen raised her head and looked crit
ically at her own reflection in the old
fashioned mirror over the fireplace. The
trace of tears had almost vanished from
her young eyes it is only older counte
nance that lwar the marks for long.
Refore she moved again the sound if
cab wheels made Itself audible In the
street, and the vehicle was heard to stop
at the door. Miss Winter rose and went
to let la the newcomer.
It was Matthew Mark Easton. He fol
lowed Miss Winter into the dining room,
walking lightly an unnecessary precau
tion, for his step was like that of a
child.
"I do not know," he was saying, "the
etiquette observed In England on these
points, but I could not resist coming
along to se if you had arrived safely.
No one hurt, I trust?" continued he.
"Yes," answered the girl, gently; "Mr.
Tyars is hurt his nrm ia broken."
Easton's mobile lips closed together
with a snap, letraylng the fact that he
had allowed himself the luxury of an ex
pletive In his reprehensible American
way. He turned aside, and walked back
ward and forward for a few minutes, like
a man made restless by the receipt of
very bad news.
It was a matter of a second only. Like
a serpent s fang the man s keen evs
flashed toward her and away again. Th
peculiarly nervous face instantly assumed
an expression ns near stolidity as could
be expressed by features each and all
laden with an exceptional Intelligence.
Then he turned away, and took 4ip a
broken fan lying on the table, opeuing tt
tenderly and critically.
Rut Miss Winter was as quick as he.
She knew then that he had guessed.
Whatever he might have suspected before.
she hail no doubt now that Matthew
Mark Easton knew that Helen loved
Claud Tyars.
"The worst of it," he broke out, with
sudden airiness, "is that there was no
fire at all. It was extinguished on the
stage. The performance might have been
continued."
"It only makes It more horrible," said
Miss Winter; "for I suppose there were
some killed."
"That is so," he answered. "They took
forty-two corpses out of our box alone."
"I did not know," sold Helen, after a
painful pause, "that It was so bad as
that."
Oswin Grace came In, opening the front
door with his latch-key. He was greeted
with an Interrogatory "Well?" from
Miss Winter.
"He Is all right," he answered. "It
waa a simple fracture. Old Rarker set It
very nicely, and I sent him off to his club
in a cab."
"Then." said Easton, holding out hi
hand to say good-by, "I shall go and
help him into bed tuck him in, and sinu
a soft lullaby over his pillow. Good
night, Miss Winter. Good night, Mis
Grace."
(To be continued.)
The Halberd.
The distinctive weapon of the Swlw
was the halberd, which waa their prlii
lrial weapon at Morgarten nnd Lnu
pen. It la curious to note now trie leu
tonic nations, even to tills day. prefer
the cut and the Lntln nations the dnt.
We have been told by German officer
that when the German ami r rend.
avalrv met in the war of 1H70 the Gcr
man sword blades always Hashed ver
tically, over their head, while thf
reticli darted In ami out horizontally
in a succession of thrusts. Even the
German dead lay In whole ranks with
their swords at arm's length. So the
English at Hustings worked havo
with their battleaxes. The Ntherlum)
mercenaries carried a hewing wcasm
Roiivines. The Flemings at ( our
tral used their godomhigs fitted alike
both for cut and thrust, and finally the
Swiss made play with their halbenlH,
an Improvement on the godemhig.
The halberds had n tsdnt for thrust
1 nvc. a hook wherewith to pull men from
the saddle and above all a broad, heavy
lade, "most terrific weaisttis' (vnhk
enibilia ). to use the words of John of
Vinterth'ur. "cleaving men asunder
like a wedge ami cutting mem inu;
small pieces." One can Imagine how
such a blade at the end of an eight
foot shaft must have surprised gallop
ing young gntlemen who thought them
selves Invulnerable In their armor.
Macmillnn'H Magazine.
As It I" 1,1 hloatto.
Jack Reaeon Yes, In Roston we
have all cultured love making. When
a young man goes wooing In the Hub
he must embrace nil foreign phrases
and ioetlcul quotations. You don't see
anything like that In prosaic Chicago.
Dick Lakeside I should nay not.
Here a fellow la satisfied to embrace
the girl. .
Holt He ton!d Do.
"You know," Bald the young man In
the case, "that I am poor, but don't
you think we might he able to live on
bread and cheese and kisses?"
"Yea," replied the fair maid, but "
"Then," he Interrupted, "see If you
can work your father for the bread and
cheese apd I'll attend to the rest"
More Important.
"Here's en article In thla paper en
titled 'How to Tell Good Milk.' "
"I'd much sooner rend an article on
How to Tell a Oood Milkman.'
Cleveland Plain Dealer.
3
It
Hume-Matte Milk Cooler.
It ts not an easy task for those who
have but n small quantity of milk to
care for to do It with economy. Tha
large cooling tanks or refrigerator
which dairymen on n large scale can
afford are not for the man with the
single can. hence he must resort to
some plan on the home made Idea.
Take a box. which may be Isnight at
any store for a low price, high enough
to contain a barrel of good dimen
sions. El In the isitlom of the box
several Indies deep with sawdust, and
on this set a barrel cut down so that
when a inllk can Is set Into It It will
O(SII)
come Just below the level of the top
of the barrel. Around this barrel,
eight Inches deep, pack sawdust. Set
the can of milk In the barrel and isuir
In cold water ami. If possible, add sev
eral large pieces of Ice. Arrange u
faucet which shall run through the
barrel and the 1mx so that the water
may be drawn off when It gets warm."
The Illustration shows the Idea plain
ly. In the small drawings at the Isit
tom "M" represents the l)X, "L" the
barrel and "A" the can of milk, and
In the drawing to tlie left "G" shows
how the faucet U placed near the Isit
tom of the box. Any one can rendlly
make this milk cooler at aiuall ex
pense. Indianapolis News,
irala and Sllaare.
The object of an experiment at the
Ohio station was to determine whether
silage might not be substituted for a
considerable portion of the grain usual
ly fed to dairy cows. Two ration were
fed carrying practically the same
amount of dry matter. In one ration
over W) per cent of this dry matter was
derived from silage, and less than IS
per cent was derived from gruln. In
the other ration over 57 !'r cent of
the dry matter wan derived from grain,
no silage being fed. The cows fed the
silage ration produced !Hl.7 pound of
milk and .'.OS pounds of butter fat a
hundred pounds of dry matter. The
cow fed the grain ration produced Hl..'
pounds of milk and .'!.! pounds of butter
fat a hundred pounds of dry matter.
The cost of feed a hundred pounds of
milk was $o.i;.s" with the silage ration
and $l.(i." with the grain ration. The
cost of feed a hundred sninds of butter
fat wns l.'U cents with the silage ration
and 22.1 cents with the grain ration.
The average net profit a cow a month
(over cost of labor) was $.".HiiI with
the silage ration, and ?2.Kio with the
grain ration.
Mine and Salt Keep I'nu".
The water-glass method Is not the
only one of keeping eggs In fairly good
condition for fjulte u long period. Some
years ago the Rhode Island Experiment
Station tested a number of different
methods, and found that salt brine and
lime water stood second only to wuter
glass us a preservative. The eggs were
held over a year In the pickle, and all
came out good. The station reported
an follows; The surface of the liquid
was crusted, and considerable silt had
settled to the bottom of the Jar. The
shells of the eggs which were sunken
In this silt appeared very fresh. The
exteriors of the shells were clean and
clear. The air cells were not Increased
In size. The whites and yolks were
normal In uppeuranee. The whites beat
up nicely, but had n slightly saline
taste. Several used us dropped eggs
appeared to be nice, but had a slightly
sharp taste. This old fashioned method
of preserving eggs Is thus aguln proved
effective.
Winter Wtieat for North.
For l!M):i toHX).r) the best three win
ter wheats nnd the best three spring
wheats at the Minnesota experiment
farm, Ht. Anthony I'urk, showed an In
crease In favor of the winter wheats
of 8.3 bushels to the acre. Iteorts of
winter wheat on the valley lands along
the Minnesota River during 1004 and
1005 were favorable, and It will be only
a few yeara when varieties will be
found that are adapted to the prairie
regions of the State. Farmers are ad
vised to be conservative about growing
winter wheat and give It a fair teat on
a small acreage for at least two yean
before relying upon It as a profitable
market crop. Only Minnesota-grown
a4 should be used.
''' K5j
J
MII.K ('IH)IHI.
DM
Itl
u. i..... Malilla of Sheep.
To compile all the peculiar habits of
sheep would require a great deal of
space. It Is quite generally known that
where one sheep of a llock goes the
whole flock Is sure to follow. One
sheep finds n breach In the ,",, n'"1
s.toii the whole flock Is out and some
of IIiciii may not even wnlt to Hml the
breach, but will go out In any way iss
slide, even If they are compelled to
Jump. Sheep do not like to get their
feet muddy and they are averse to
putting their fict In the water, nnd
they will permit themselves to Im sub
jected to almost any punishment rather
than step lu water. In defense of lambs
ewes will put up a peculiar light, de
pending on the use of the fore feet In
stead of the head as Is usual In other
Instances. Iu eating they are fastidious
and will not eat out of an unclean
trough, even though hunger drives tliciil
to make the attempt. When III all
health they will not hesitate to eat nl
most anything, such as dirt, pieces of
metal and other foreign substances.
Mnnure ld to I'rnll Trees.
A lViinvlvHiilau states that be has
never ii"od commercial fertilizers lu an
apple orchard. If the ground Is too
poor to produce apples, nothing Is bet
ter than barnyard manure, which an
swers every purpose, both for a luuli h
or for enriching the ground. In plant
lug an apple orchard the ground should
be farmed every year for nNuit tea
years, growing such crops as potatoes,
truck, etc., so that the ground will get
manure as often ns the crops will re
quire It, nnd that will l sufllclcut for
the growth of the apple trees mid fruit.
After that time the laud may be K.sMivl
down and occasionally farmed and
manured sutllclciitly to keep the land
lu a fertile condition.
Ilorae-llouf (utter.
If In resboelng a horse the horse
shoer does not trim the hoof smooth
ly, and the shoe consequently docs not
tit the fist perfictly, the horse there
by feels uncomfortable, would be a
quest Ion very dltllcutt to answer. It
Is natural to Infer, nevertheless, that
when such Is the case the horse Is tin
eer more or less strain. To accom
plish a more uniform nnd even par
ing of the hoof a Canadian Inventor
has devised the hoof-cutter shown In
the Illustration. In this cutter two
knives are pivoted to a central bar,
which terminates Into a luxik. This
hook Is clamped In jsltlon on the
hoof as shown. The operator then
grasps the center handle and one of
the knife handles firmly In one hand.
With the other hand he swings the
remaining handle back to the point In
dicated by the dotted lines. Thus
with one stroke be Is able to pare one
side of the hoof from heel to toe. The
other knife Is then swung back In the
JKIMS 1IIK Hunt.
sumo maimer, trimming tho other side
of the hoof. A quicker or more elll
cient inaner of trimming a horse's hoof
would be hard to Imagine.
Montr for Hsperliuent Work.
Tho Adams bill becomes a law by the
approval of the I'resldent. I'nder Its
provisions the annual Federal appro
priation for State agricultural experi
ment stations Is Increased from $1."),(K0
to $20,000 at once, and thereafter by
tho addition of f.'.iKMi annually until a
total of $15,000 Is reached. At the end
of five years each State station will
receive $:S(),(Ki0 annually from the gov
ernment, which must be expended In
experimental work, not Instruction.
Not to exceed fi per cent of the addi
tional Adams appropriation can bo ex
pended for building, repairs, pun-base
or rental. It means more work for the
stations ond this material aid will be
heartily welcomed.
( Land Piaster for Clover.
' When applied early In the spring,
land plaster usually proves very bene
ficial to clover. Alsnit UK) pounds to
the acre Is sufficient and the cost Is but
a trifle. Fluster has ulso been found
excellent on corn, us It attracts moist
ure, and, although not regurdod as a
fertilizer, yet on some fields where
plaster has been used It gave an early
start to corn and the leaves had a deep
er tinge of green than where no plaster
was used.
Greatest Alfalfa Field.
Kansas has the largest continuous al
falfa field In the world. This belongs
to Colonel J. W. Robinson, Eldorado,
and Includes mors than 2,500 acres, tha
product of which brings a small for
tuna to Its owner each year.
NOT HIS LINE.
Not nil men nre titled for nil things.
The fact that hii Individual shim lit
one profession Is no ptisif that be may
adopt any career with equal success.
Rob, whose ndveuliires are recorded In
Mr. Wbltmnrsh's "The World's Rough
Hand." wns a good fellow, nnd doubt
less played bis part In the world wHU
credit to himself, but he wns hot Imiiii
to be S diver, as his experiences show,
due of the greatest dangers In diving Is
that of panic.
The quality a diver needs more I hint
any other Is presence of mind. A young
Scotchmnu, six feet tall, by the inline
of Hob, applied to me for n position ns
diver. II" had a sweetheart at home,
and, tempted by tho high wages, was
iiuxtous to learn the business, ouu
time, when work was slack, 1 let lit 1 1
go do II.
1 told him minutely how to manage,
screwed on his face glass and sent hint
under. I felt him laud on the bottom
and signal that nil was right. Then be
walked away from the boat, pnlug out
most of the Hue. After n little bo
stopped. 1 Imagined lillil resting, ami
thought be wns doing remarkably well.
Ail at once 1 noticed a dark, bladder
like olJst floating nt soini) distance,
from the Isiat. At first I thought tt
was a turtle. Something made im- louk
at It more carefully, and then I began
to haul the Hue In. The "turtle" was
Uob. As be drew nearer we inuld hear
lilm screaming bis loudest Inside tho
swollen dress. I got him alongside, un-
screwisl the escape vahe, and hauled
111 Hi on dck. All the time he was cry
ing. "Let me out !'
When Rob cnuie to bis sens,-. w
learned that he had become filgbleiied
lest bis dress should hurst, and had
screwed (he escape vahe the wroim
way. keeping lu the air Instead of let
ting It escape, lie lost bis presence .f
mind nitogi-thcr, and fell down. Tho
confined air liis-umulatcd lu Hie bulk
iest part of the dress and lloated him.
'Che isniid attempt Rob made as 11
d!cr nearly cost blm his life, lie made
the very same mistake with the vahe.
Then, crnred by fear, be Isgau to un
screw bis fine glass. Fortunately for
bis sweetheart, be lost consciousness
before he got It off. lie was delirious
for some hours after we had hauled
him up. We derided he was not lit
for n diver, and that bis rond to for
tune lay In some other dlris-tlon,
HOUSE KEPT ON PROBATION.
Afler a Week's Trial Widow aad
Widower Are Italy Marrlrd.
I..imnr County furnishes a ease of
marriage nfter prubntloii that la uulquo
and suggestive.
A widower farmer desiring a wife
wns Introduced by a mutual friend to a
widow with children temporarily abid
ing In a charity Institution.
Roth were favorably Impressed st
first acquaintance, but the woman sug
gested that she keep house for the farm-
'er for a week and at the end of that
time each could more Intelligently de
termine the grave question of a union
for life. Accordingly she went with
ber children nnd was duly Installed ns
housekeeper.
The experiment wns eminently satis
factory to Isith parties ami nt the end
of the week they were married.
Perhaps It will shs k the sentimental
nml the romantic, but the Incident con
tains the wise suggestion that folk de
siring to lasMiue husband and wife
should be sure of knowing each other
lu their common clothes nnd under
workaday conditions.
l'urlor manners on the part of tho
woman and picnic gallantry on the part
of the man are not conclusive Indexes
of character, nor Is the yiimyuui ecstasy
of infatuation sullh'leut evidence of
compatibility.
Keeping company nowadays runs to
much to bonbons and embossed stationer-.
Of course, there Is abundant op
portunity to get acquainted after tho
engagement, but It Is before the avowal
tlmt the pair ought to put each other
through the practical paces.
It would save many a heartache,
though It mny play the dickens with
the business of the dlvorco lawyers.
Fort Worth Record.
The World.
They tell us In our childhood days
The world Is round nnr wl,
With youthful hetsllessness, Sw-cept
Tho doctrine easily.
When wo nre grown to man estate
We are so overwrought
With cousin nt struggling we've no time
To give Its shape a thought.
At last when we approach the end
And seo how small a Ij"
Of stuff we've gathered an compared
With what some folks havu got,
What we were told comes bad- and wa
Are quite prepared to swear
Whatever other shape It hns,
It surely Isn't squnr.
W. J. Inmptoa In Judge,
Not Ills.
"I don't nee why l'eckham should
ninko a ixsir mouth all the time. He
commands a good salary every week of
his life."
"Ho may command It, but hi wife
demands It every week." I'hlladelphla
Ixnlger.
t'lruuuistautlal Iflvldence.
Lawyer Has there ever beeu any In
sanity In your family?
Witness Well cr I have a daugh
ter who Jilted a plumber and ran off
with a poet. Judge.
Heat Thing- to lo.
Cretnnltz White I'd do anything la
the world for art
J. Caustic Well, why don't you quit
painting T Judge.
t