IJJVE MtTo
HUPDY lW
KGELETTDURGESS
JLLLO 1HA1 LU
eaaymwr or crterr aunorss
SYNOPSIS.
10
Hall Bonistelle, artlet-photoirrapher, pre
Iparee for the day's work In hla atutilo.
1'lodle Klslier, his aaatstant, reminds him
ot a party he la to Klvo in the aludlo that
night, and that hla business la In bad
financial shape. Mr. Doremus, attorney
and Juellce of the peace, culla and Informs
Hull that his Uncle John's will has left
him $4,1)00,000 on condition that he marry
before his twenty-eighth birthday, which
begins at midnight tbat night Mrs. Rena
Royalton calls at the studio. Hall asks
liar to marry him. She agreea to give
him an answer at the party that night.
Miss Carolyn Dallya calls. Hall proposes
to her. Bhe agreea to give him an an
awer at the party. Rosamund Oale, art
model, calls. Hall tries to rush her Into
an Immediate marriage. Bhe, too, defers
her answer until the evening. Flodle tries
to show Hall a certain way out of the
nilxup, but he la obtuae. Jonas Haaslac
bury, heir to the millions In oaae Hall
fails to marry on time, plots with Flodle
to block Hall's marriage to any of the
three women before midnight. Flodle ar
rangea to have Hall'a three Intendeds
meet at the atudlo aa If by chance. Caro
lyn and Rosamund coma in first and com
pare notea,
CHAPTER VII Continued.
Rosamund flinched, but recovered to
sneer, "Well, tben, what answer did
you give blm, I'd like to know!"
Carolyn was, for a moment, non
plused. "Oh," she replied, finally, "1
didn't want to throw him down too
hard, you know. I said I'd let him
know later, so that I could break It
to him gently."
"Exactly. Bo did I!" Rosamund,
triumphant, scrambled upon Carolyn's
lifeboat. "But I don't intend to break
it to him very gently, after this!"
"No." Carolyn reflected grimly.
"We ought to make it JuBt a little hard
for him, don't you think? We might
even torture him a bit If possible.
The question is, how to do it." She
contemplated Rosamund, musing on
revenge.
"I don't understand it at all!" Rosa
mund complained. "Why in the world
should a man act like that?"
"My dear Miss Gale, I don't know.
But I do know that it's Just like men.
You never can tell what they'll do.
You think you know them you think
you're perfectly safe years go by and
they seem perfectly human and ra
tional and then plff ! They explode.
No woman yet has ever solved the
mystery."
Rosamund's suavity was perfect as
she looked Carolyn over pragmatical
ly. "Funny you let Hall Bonistelle go
so far with you, wasn't it! Say, he
must have shocked you awfully!"
"Now, see here!" said Carolyn firm
ly, putting her hand on Rosamund's
arm. "There's no use in our bicker
ing like this. Don't you realize that
we're in the same boat? Now, you
say you don't want to marry Hall. I'd
like to be sure, though, before I go
any further."
"Oh, you needn't worry," cried Rosa
mund, "you can have him, so far as
I'm concerned!"
Carolyn couldn't keep from smiling
now; Rosamund was too much for her.
"Oh, thank you very much; but I have
other plans tor him. And we ought to
try to find out what in the1 world he's
up to."
"Do you suppose it could possibly
be a joke?" Rosamund asked anx
iously. "It looks to me," said Carolyn, re
flecting, "as if somebody had slipped
a powder or something into his coffee.
Or, It may be a disease. Incipient in
sanity, perhaps. No doubt he's going
about proposing to everyone today,
and "
Carolyn paused. The door waa open
ing. Mrs. Royalton entered.
CHAPTER VIII.
Mrs. Royalton, in an almost too
vivid shade of purple, was, in contrast
to the two rather excited women al
ready there, calm, cool and confident.
Things were going very well with
Rena Royalton; she had a man in her
pocket. Rena was getting on; thirty
five had struck its warning bell; If she
were going to be married again, why
not now? Wasn't Hall Bonistelle
handsome? Wasn't he well born and
bred? Rena had thought him over,
and decided to accept him. She en
tered, therefore, In a most becomingly
amiable state of mind, lofty and some
what detached.
To Carolyn she gave a smiling but
suspicious, "Why, hello, Carolyn! You
here?" and to Rosamund the quick,
unconscious tribute due the natural
blonde.- Her eyes returned to Carolyn,
a little troubled. "I didnt expect to
see you again so soon, my dear!" she
said.
Kosamund, meanwhile, was staring
at the prototype of the portrait which
had started the discussion of Hall's
intimacies. Carolyn, noticing, Intro
duced her. Rosamund, however, did
not interest Rena Royalton so much
as did Carolyn herself.
"Where Is Mr. Bonistelle?" she
asked.
"Oh, he's out as usual," said Caro
lyn. "I expect Miss Fiflber will at
.tend to-you, though."
Mrs. Royalton shrugged her shoul
ders. "Miss Fisher will hardly do for
what I want." she said. "I'm afraid
I'll have to see Mr. Bonistelle blm
elf."
IMPROVING THE CAMP MEAL
Various Condiments That Should
Never Be Forgotten When Party
Goee on an Outing.
A well-filled box of spice will 1
thankfully remembered at every camp
meal, if somebody Is thoughtful
'enough to pack It and see that It
reaches Its destination, for even the
plainest food can be rendered appetis
ing by Judicious seasoning, and the
most appetising dainties of camp fare
6y RAY WAL
Rosamund frowned, but Carolyn
only raised her eyebrows.
"Oh, well, I expect Hall will be back
before long," said Carolyn.
Mrs. Royalton, placid as a cow, eyed
her for a moment, tben remarked
slowly, meditating, "You call him Hall,
don't you! I hadn't known you were
so intimate."
"Oh, Lord, yes. I always call him
Hall." Carolyn was beginning to be
amused.
Rosamund tossed her head and
crossed her feet, watching the new
comer sharply. -
"Well," said Mrs. Royalton, primly
ironical, "I'm delighted that you know
him so well, my dear!
"Well, now I come to think of It,
Rena, I don't know that I 'do know
him quite so well as I thought, after
all." She exchanged a smile with
Rosamund, who laughed aloud, harsh
ly, causing Mrs. Royalton to turn and
stare at her.
"I'm afraid I fall to eee the joke,1
she said haughtily. "But of course
Hall Bonistelle isn't at all the sort of
man one sees through at a glance, you
know. He's deep; a very subtle per
son, in fact. However," she smiled
complacently, "I flatter myself that I
understand him a little better than I
did."
Carolyn shot ber a suspicious
glance. "Why?" she demanded. "Made
any recent discoveries?"
Mrs. Royalton deliberately nodded
up and down, and smiled cryptically.
"Oh, I don't know I fancy he has
something on his mind in fact, I
know he has there's a well, a sort
of crisis yes, I suppose he would ap
pear a little excited but of course I
really have no business discussing it."
"What in the world are you talking
about, Rena?" Carolyn exclaimed,
"Why, I'm talking about Hall Bonis
telle, of course!,"
: "Well, you're not saying much."
' "Never mind, Carolyn, dear, it isn't
because I haven't anything to sayl
You don't expect me to go about re
peating things he has said to me In
confidence, do you?"
"Oh!" said Carolyn, narrowing her
eyes, "then Hall has been confiding
in you, too, has he?"
By this time Rosamund was hard
on the scent, having almost caught up
to Carolyn's suspicions. She said noth
ing, but her eyes were hot and shin
lng, as Bhe scrutinized Mrs. Royalton's
face
"See here," said Carolyn, now thor
oughly Interested, "I don't see why I
haven't a right to know. I'm a pretty
good friend of Hall's you know that
and I think you ought to be able to
trust me."
"Well, it Isn't only trusting you"
Mrs. Royalton looked significantly at
Rosamund, sulkily listening.
"Well, I declare!" said Carolyn
calmly, "Rena Royalton, either you're
making an awful fool of yourself, or
else Hall Bonistelle has actually "
She got no further. Flodle, head up,
with a busy air, bustled into the room,
carrying a handful of prints. She
stopped suddenly, with a fine imitation
of surprise, and gased at Mrs. Royal
ton. Oh, Mrs. Royalton!" she exclaimed.
"Why didn't you let me know you
were here? I've got your proofs all
ready for you. I think they are splen
did!"
She handed them over, and ap
proached Carolyn with two other
proofs. "Here are yours, Miss Dallys.
I'm sorry to have kept you waiting so
long." She returned to Mrs. Royalton.
"Oh, how I dread to look at them!"
that lady was saying. She was, nev
ertheless, perusing them hungrily.
Carolyn meanwhHe had stridden
across the room to Rosamund, and the
two girls conspired as Mrs. Royalton
loBt herself in her portraits.
"Oh, I don't like that one . . .
Really? ... Why, I look a hundred
years old! ... There! That's more
like me. . . . Which one do you like
best, Mrss Fisher? . . . No, do you?
Why, I think it's awful. My eyes are
so hard to take right; you don't get
the soul in them, somehow . . . Oh,
I think I ought to try another sitting,
don't you? . . . Say, where Is Mr. Boni
stelle, anyway?"
There came a ring at the telephone.
Flodle jumped to snatch up the re
ceiver. "Hello! . . . Yes . . . Why, what's
the matter? ... Oh, naturally . , .
Walt just a minute, please!"
Flodle stopped and held ber hand
over the transmitter. "Oh, Miss Dallys,
would you and Miss Gale mind not
talking quite so loud for a minute?
can't hear very well."
There was a long pause, and the
three women, all studying Flodie's
face, saw a dozen different expressions
pass over it in quick succession. Then
she spoke again: "Really? Oh, you
know, Mr. Bonistelle well, personally
I loathe them . . , Oh, I don't knew,
but a big diamond is so funny, some
how . . . What?" Then: "Oh, yes
. . . well, I know . . . Oh, but it's awful
to pawn that! Why, It was your fa
ther's, wasn't it? . . . Well, of course
you know best . . . Ob, didn't you?
Well, I might send it by the jani
tor .. . where did you leave it? . . ,
can be improved by spices that bring
out their flavor.
Of course, you will remember to
take along salt and pepper, but If you
want the taste Immortal tare the last
ot cayenne. A box of paprika, too,
will give at tasteless moments a pleas
ant fillip, while lemons and garlle will
be worth their weight In gold at all
times. Remember the following things
as well: onion juice, herb bouquet
and a flask of whisky or brandy. A
tablespoonful ot the last may be put
in canned meat soups Instead of sher-
When will you be here? ... All right,
good-by!":
Mrs. Royalton and Rosamund still
sat as if entranced, but Carolyn Dallys
rose impatiently now, and glanced
about, as If In search of an excuse. The
room was tensely charged with elec
tricity. It was evident that in another
minute the explosion must come. But,
first, bow to get rid of this Important,
busy little Miss Fisher?
Flodle herself answered the un
voiced question. Wasn't she as desir
ous as any of them to bring the thing
to a head? Yes; so she must fly and
leave the field of battle clear, Still
smiling, she disappeared Into the
stockroom. She left the door ajar.
Mrs. Royalton rose, with a self-con
scious smile. "Well, Carolyn," she said,
"I suppose I'll have to tell you, now.
It (a most unfortunate that Miss Fisher
wasn't more discreet In her conversa
tion. But so long as she has let the
cat out of the bag, I might as well in
form you tbat the ring she was talk
ing to Hall about is for this finger!"
She held up her left hand, her thumb
pointing to her tblrd finger.
Carolyn, with a whoop, fell into
Rosamund's arms, and the two laughed
until they cried.
Mrs. Royalton stared as if they bad
suddenly gone mad. Then she ex
claimed angrily, "I'd like to know what
there is to laugh at! I don't eee any
thing particularly amusing In the fact
tbat I'm going to marry Hall Boni
stelle!" "Oh, don't your Carolyn gurgled.
Miss Gale, do you see anything tunny
in It?" ...
'Funny! It's a scream!" Rosamund
shouted with mirth. "Who'll be the
next one?"
"Oh, the more the merrier!" cried
Carolyn.
Rena Royalton drew herself up
proudly. "I think you're exceedingly
Impertinent!" she replied.
Carolyn dried her eyes on a lace
handkerchief. "Rena," she said, still
giggling, "I don't know whether It's too
true to be funny, or too funny to be
true. But you ought to be in on this
Joke, really, my dear. It will inter
est you strangely!"
"Well, I don't call it a joke. It's an
outrage!" cried Rosamund.
"Say, Miss Gale," Carolyn turned
confidentially, "d'you know, we ought
really to form a society of the sur
vivors, you know. Rena's the oldest,
and we'll elect her president! "
Mrs. Royaiton stared from one to
the other, her temper rising. Finally
she remarked cuttingly, "I must say,
"Hello!
. Yes . . . Why, What'e
the Matter?"
Carolyn, I always thought you were a
lady!" and she walked swiftly toward
the door.
'Oh, don't go yet!" Carolyn called
out. "You've got a laugh coming to
you, too, Rena. You haven't heard our
news, yet!"
Mrs. Royalton trembled on the
threshold. "Your news? What d'you
mean?"
"Listen here," said Rosamund, walk
ing over to her coolly. "Hall Boni
stelle proposed to Miss Dallys at ten
thirty this morning and he proposed to
me at a quarter to eleven. Now, what
time did he propose to you?"
Mrs. Royalton put out a hand trem
bling with appeal. "Carolyn!" she Im
plored. Carolyn nodded unsympathetlcally.
Mrs. Royalton dropped Into a chair.
speechless, and burst into tears. Caro
lyn walked up to her and laid a hand
on the heaving purple shoulder.
"Brace up!" she said, "It won't hurt
but a minute! See here, Rena, were
you carried off your feet by his wild
wooing, or did you take notice of the
time?"
"Why here this morning, Caro
lyn," Mrs. Royalton sobbed, "I left just
before you came. It was It was be
fore that." Her tears poured forth
afresh.
Carolyn nodded to Rosamund. "Make
It ten-fifteen, then. I expect be pro
poses every quarter of an hour, rain or
shine."
"But I don't see," said Rosamund, "It
she accepted him, why he ever pr
posed to us!
(TO BE) CONTINUED.)
Red Sea Colored by Weeds.
The drowning of Pharaoh and his
host in the Red sea had nothing to do
with Its name. It takes this from a
peculiar reddish color remarked at
certain seasons of the year In parts
of this sea, due to marine plants, or
to reddish animalculae, called by
sailors "whale feed," which float on It
like scum; or to the reefs of red
coral which abound in many parts ot
It; or, possibly, to the fact that Its
upper course was one of the bound
aries of Edom, "the red." No Biblical
scholar of any repute has ever as
serted that the sea took Its name from
the overthrow of Pharaoh.
ry, which is more bulky to carry.
Tomatoes always liven up a canned
soup, and so also a shaving of garlic
and a squeexe of lemon juice. When
using the sauce remember that It must
be cooked with the soup, A raw egg,
beaten into the soup after It hat been
taken from the fire, or milk cooked
with It, Is a splendid reviver.
Shocking.
"Speaking of electrifying modern
dances, have you seen the Induction
coil." Cornell Widow.
corynioMT rciue
HOW JAMIE FOUND A HOME.
Jamie was a little boy eight years
old, but he -felt the weight ot years
upon his shoulders as he looked at
little Alice sleeping and saw a tear
still wet upon her little thin cheek.
She had cried herself to sleep from
hunger, and Jamie felt that something
must be done at once. His mother
had been dead four weeks now. At
first his father kept sober and worked,
and they managed to get along very
well. Jamie took care ot Alice and
the house, but one night his father
did not come home, and then Jamie
was told that the Judge had sent him
away for six months. The fuel was
nearly gone and the food had given
out the day before. Jamie had not
eaten anything but crusts of bread
for two days. He had managed to
get milk for Alice until today, but the
last of the money he bad received for
a locket of his mother's was gone
now.
"I shall have to sell her ring," said
Jamie, taking it from a corner ot a
drawer, "and she told me to keep it
for Alice and tell her when she was
old enough that she left It tor her,
He Looked at the Houses as He Went
Along.
but I cannot let Alice Btarve," he
said, "and I will go while she is
asleep."
He could not keep back the tears
when he banded the ring to the pawn
broker. "What'B the matter, kid?" asked
the man, good-naturedly.
Jamie told him as well as he could,
for he was crying now-
The man looked around, to be sure
that ho one saw him, for it would
never do to let anyone think he had
a kind heart; then he took a quarter
from his pocket and gave it to Jamie.
"Here's the ring," he said; "keep
it."
Jamie was too surprised to say
anything but "Thank you," and he ran
to the store and home as fast as he
could.
Alice was awake and crying for
"brover." He gave her some bread
and milk, and then he washed her
face and combed her hair. Then he
put on another dress, which was not
quite so ragged as the one he took
off.
"Alice go out," she said. But Jamie
did not answer; he was thinking.
Alice went to Bleep -when it was
dark, and Jamie put on his coat and
cap. He then wrapped a shawl around
Alice, and taking her in his arms,
opened the door and went out. He
walked a long distance, and when he
came to the part of the city where
the rich people lived he turned into
one of the streets. He looked at the
houses as he went along; one was
more brilliantly lighted than the oth
ers, and Jamie ' went up the steps.
He kissed Alice, who was still sleep
ing, and then laid her carefully in the
vestibule; then he rang the bell and
hurried down the stops. He went
across the street and watched. He
saw the maid open the door; then
several people came, and a lady took
Alice, who was crying by this time,
and carried her into the house. It
took all of Jamie's willpower to keep
from running across the street when
he heard Alice cry; but when the door
was closed he walked down the street.
Then he stopped. "Suppose they
do not keep her," he said, "and put
her out in the cold again or send
her to the orphans' home." He went
back and walked up and down in front
of the bouse, but the door did not
open again, and he felt sure Alice
had found a home and he went back
to his lonely room. Poor little Jamie!
He cried himself to sleep and tben
awoke with a start, thinking he heard
Alice cry.
The next morning he took the few
things that belonged to him and made
a bundle of them and started out. He
knew that the landlord would take the
furniture for rent, and he also kne-v
that he must find work or starve.
But he could not go away without
knowing if the people with whom he
had left Alice were going to keep her.
He went to the house and rang the
bell.
"Are you going to keep her?" be
asked the maid who opened the door.
"What do you want?" she asked,
thinking he was a beggar.
"I just wanted to make sure you
would let Alice stay here before I
went away," he said.
"You young scamp," said the maid,
pulling him into the hall; "did you
leave that poor little thing on the
steps in the cold? You ought to be
beaten."
Jamie did not answer. He knew
that she was angry, but he did not
understand.
"Here's the villain that left the
baby," she said as a lady cams down
the stairs.
Lai.
Jamie asked again. But Alice had
heard his voice. "Brover, brover,"
she called, running as fast as her
little legs would carry her.
Jamie dropped his bundle and tpok
her in bis arms, the tears streaming
down his cheeks, while Alico covered
bis face with kisses.
The maid wiped her eyes, and the
lady told Jamie to sit down and tell
her why he had left Alice on her
steps. Jamie told her that his mother
was dead and that the Judge had sent
his father away; that he had tried to
take care ot Alice, but be was too
small to get work that would support
both of them. He wanted Alice to
have a good home, and he thought as
they were rich they might want a
little girl, and so be brought her there.
The lady was crying when Jamie fin
ished his story.
"We do want a little girl," she said.
"We have lost our little girl and
our little boy, too, and we are very
lonely, You and Alice must Btay here
until your father returns and then
we will see what can be done."
And so Jamie found a home for him
self as well as Alice, for when their
father came home he was soon sent
away again by the judgo, who also de
cided that their father was not the
sort ot a man to have the care ot
two such good children as Jamie and
Alice.
CLUBS FOR BOYS AND GIRLS
Objects and Methods of Movement to
Make Rural Life Fuller and More
Appealing to Youth.
The primary object of the boys' and
girls' clubs which are being organized
throughout the country with ;he as
sistance of the United State depart1
ment of agriculture, but in co-operation
with the state colleges of agri
culture Is to aid young people to be
come more efficient and more content
ed farmers and home-builders. By
cultivating In boys and girls habits of
industry and thrift, the possibilities
of farm and country life are revealed
not only to them but to their elders.
I The best methods of handling farm
products and preventing waste are
demonstrated, the spirit of co-opera
tion in family and community Is de
veloped, and the dignity ot the farm
er's vocation enhanced by presenting
It as a skilled occupation, capable ot
returning adequate rewards to the
competent. Finally; the school lite
and the home life ot boys and girls
are brought Into closer relationship,
and the rural school teacher aided In
the task of making agricultural In
struction a vital thing.
The clubs may be organized under
the leadership of the county superln
tendent of schools or any of the
teachers under him. If the education
al authorities of the county are not
yet alive to the possibilities of these
clubs, the county demonstration
agent may take charge of the move
ment, or if there is no demonstration
Getting a Good Start Ducks Afford
Good Playmates for Growing Lads
Many Poultry Partnerships Have
Been Started In This Way.
agent In the county such organiza
tions as local chambers of commerce,
the grange, woman's clubs, etc., may
assume the leadership. The names
and addresses of the boys and girls
included in the clubs are collected and
sent to the state agent, who will fur
nish organization and cultural In
structions upon request.
Experience has shown, however,
that the difficulty Is not in organizing
club with a large enrollment of
members, but in inducing these mem
bers to complete their work and to re
port on the results. The test of ef
ficiency Is not so much the organiza
tion of new clubs as continuing Inter
est in those already formed. The
leader's duty therefore Is to keep in
touch with the members of the club,
encourage those who need encourage
ment, and to see that once a project
has been started it is carried on to
completion.
They Hope for Spring.
An examination was being held In
little Emma's school, and one- of the
questions asked was:
"On what do hibernating animals
subsist during the winter?"
Emma thought tor several minutes
and then wrote:
"On the hope of a coming spring.
Stays on Longer.
A mother said to her daughter
"Edna, look at your dirty hands, and
I saw you wash them only half an
hour ago."
"Yes, mamma," answered Edna,
just cant understand It, but your
washing stays on ever so much longer
than mine does."
Not Ready for Kisses.
Small Bobby bad hurt his linger and
was crying bitterly. ,,
"Come here," said his mother, "and
let me kiss the tears away."
"W-walt a minute," sobbed the
little fellow. "I a-aln't done c -try la
yet."
Little Calico-Colored Cow.
Small Dorothy was visiting in the
country and spied a red and white
calf.
"Oh, mamma," she exclaimed, "look
at the little calico-colored cow!"
Children Like Bees.
Children In their teens can care tor
"
VILNA has been one of the most
important objectives of the
Teutonic drives In Russia. A
description of this railway,
1..JI-. anil mannfffllttlirlnB
trailing
city Is given by the National geo
graphic society.
Vilna li a city of no.oou, an indus
trial and trale center, situated in the
midst of a region of tangled forests,
almost Impassable marsheB and low-
lying lakes, at the Intersection ot tne
railways from Warsaw to Petrograd
and from Llbau, the Baltio port, to
Rostof, at the mouth ot the Don. It
lies nearly mid way between tho cities
of Grodno and Dvlnsk, two other
points upon the Warsaw-Petrograd
railway. Petrograd lies 436 miles
away to the north-northwest of Vllna,
and the country in between is a laby
rinth of lake, morass, woodland and
wet meadowland. It Is more than no
miles from the German frontier, to
ward which It is guarded by the for
tress of Kovno In the northwest
-Ancient and Properous.
The city Is an ancient one, ot which
fact its appearance bears every testi
mony, for its Irregular ground-plan
straggles among, around and over the
knot of low hillB upon which the city
is built In accordance with the tradi
tional aimlessness of the middle agea.
its streets are narrow and not espe
cially well-kept. It wears, however, a
general air of comfortable prosperity;
for Vllna sends large quantities of
goods to the Black sea and to the Hal
tlo. It handles a very extensive busi
ness In grains and timber, articles
which It exported before the present
war in great quantities to Germany, to
Holland and to England. It also has
Important textile and leather indus
tries. Vilna manufactures conslder-
ible tobacco, knit goods, clothing, ar
tificial flowers and gloves.
The old town Is rich In memories.
4. mass of ruins that were once a bril-
iant castle of the Jagellons is here.
Vilna was probably founded in the
aarly part of the tenth century, but
pHsanwuHJiMiiuiiMiiiiiiiiiiiii wimimmmiimmmn
-k h
r'mX
8 H!
I ft $ -
Rive,r Front or vilna
Is first mentioned as the chief fortified
town of the Lithuanians In 1128. It
was the nucleus about which the great
Lithuanian power grew, and a capital
in which the ancient religious service
was continued until the end of the
fourteenth century. The god Porkunas
was housod here In a splendid temple
and protected his people In their
swamp and woodland until the temple
was destroyed ruthlessly In 1387 by
Prince Jaglello after his conversion
and baptism.
Wars, plague and destructive fires
have played havoc with the clty'B
prosperity and growth. It was nearly
ruined altogether In the seventeenth
century, during the struggle between
RusBla and Poland. Russia finally
took possession of the city In 1795,
:ter Poland's partition. The Poles
of Vllna aided the uprisings against
their Russian overlords in 1831 and in
1863, and bitter punishment was ad
ministered for ttils by the czar's gov
ernment. The native Russian element
in the city is small. It is estimated
that more than 60 per cent ot the
population is Jewish, while the Lithu
anians and Poles make up the greatest
part of the remainder.
Something About Kovno.
Kovno, the key to the railway sys
tem ot northwestern Russia, is the
central fortress In the Russian north
western chain ot frontier strongholds.
It stands at the confluence of the Nle
men and the Vtliya rivers, east of
central East Prussia. Petrograd lies
650 miles by railroad to the northwest,
while bohlnd Kovno, and between this
fortress anC Petrograd, the Russian
plain Is strewn as thickly with lakes
as fallow meadow lands are with July
and August daisies. Mltau, Kovno,
Grodno and Lemberg lie nearly In the
same line, north and south.
The railway from Eydtkuhnen, East
Prussia, to Vilna runs through Kovno,
EARTH'S MOST COSTLY GEMS
They Are the Superb Black Opals,
Which Are Found Only In One
Desolate Spot.
American women were greatly ex
cited over the magnificent show of
black opals which the Australian gov
Qrnment sent to the Punania exposi
tion. These exquisite gems, which were
practically unknown up till compara
tively recently, cost more, carat for
carat, than do diamonds even, while
experts declare that they are superbly
beautiful.
And in this connection It may be
pointed out fiat the term "black opal"
Is distinctly misleading. It was coined
to distinguish it from the familiar
'light opal." As a matter of fact tbe
black onal Is alive with myriad shades
at flaming splendor, from brightest
tints ot green glowing fire to meteoric
gold or lavender, that In an Ins'ant
julvers to crimson, or slips into mol
ten ruby or sapphire, as the angle of
light alters.
mack ooals are so dear, not only be
and at Its terminus joins the trunkllne
between Warsaw and Petrograd. Kov
no is a fortress ot tlfti first class, and
has been considerably strengthened in
recent years. Its main defense con
sists ot a girdle ot 11 torts, surround
ing the town In an arc with a radius
of about two and one-half miles. The
fork of the river Junction is an Import
ant feature ot the city's strength. Here
It is guarded by three torts In the
direction of Vllna, one of which com
mands the Vllna bridge. The fortress
Is 55 miles from the East Prussian,
border.
Kovno has shared In the expansion
caused by the demands ot the present
generation of Russians for a home in
dustry of sufficient development to
hasten the supply of the young nation '
with the material element of modern
civilization. It has developed several
Important metal Industries, and has
large factories producing nails, wire,
barbed wire and machines. It has also
developed a large commission busi
ness, and was an Important entrepot
for timber, cereals, flax, flour, spirits,
fish, coal and building stone, products
ot trade between western Russia and
Prussia. It has a population of about
76,000. Kovno was founded In the
eleventh century, and, between" 1384
and 1398, It was a possession of the
Teutonic Knights.
Expanslveness of Compound Interest.
The wealth of the world grows very
slowly and the amount ot real saving
is amazingly small. If, tor example,
the wealth of the United States when
George Washington became president
was equivalent to a billion dollars
(and that perhaps Is not a bad guess),
and this amount could have steadily
earned a little over five per cent every
year since, this gain, compounded,
would exceed the present estimated
wealth of this country. This means
that all the rest of the saving and the
gains from new enterprises and a rap
idly Increasing population have only
just about balanced the annual waste)
WW
my
and loss. True, more than two-thirds
of the wealth of nations is still the
human machine and not the visible
taxable property. But the fact serves
to show bow slight is the annual gain
even in the premier get-rich-quick
country of the world the United
States. Carl Snyder In Collier'!
Weekly.
Life In Its Various Forms.
The sea teems with plant and ani
mals, and it has been estimated that
the amount of life In the sea exceeds
that of the land, square mile for square
mile. Animal life Is found nearly
everywhere, even at the greatest
depth; but It flourishes best at or near
the shore. On the other hand, plant
lite seems to be absent over tbe bot
toms of tbe ocean basins, but plentiful
at the surface, where the sunlight
plays an important part in Its growth.
When Death Supervenes.
Indicating that the old and the
young are most subject to the call of
death, the Springfield (111.) survey ot
the Russell Sago Foundation shows
that in 1910 In that city 140 infants
died to each 1,000 infants less than
one year old. 67 died to each 1,000
more than sixty-five years old and
only Beven died to each 1,000 from
twenty-five to forty-four years of age.
Anxious to Please.
"So you are expected to do a kind
act every day?"
"Yes," replied the boy scout.
"How about today?"
"Well, the teacher has been having
a little trouble with me. Don't you
think I might stay away from school
and give her a rest?"
New Zealand has only one town
with a population ot more than 100,
000. cause they are so beautiful, but be
cause they are so rare. They are
found only at one spot, a comparative
ly small tract of ground In New South
Wales, adjoining the Queensland bor
der. Tbe field is called Lightning Ridge.
It is a wild and desolate spot. Tbe
nearest towns to It are Walgett and
Collarendabrl, and it is about 600
miles from Sydney, as the crow files.
Black opal mining is about the big
gest gamble extant. There is really
nothing to guide the miner in select
ing a likely spot. The work Is hard.
The shafts average 40 teet in depth,
and all rock has to be "bucketed" to
the top. Water Is scarce, food almost
unobtainable. On the other hand, the
prospector who Is lucky enough to
stumble upon a "pocket" of fair-sized,
flawless stones reaps a fortune forth
with Pearson's Magazine.
Get Wrong Impression.
"A heap of unhappiness," remarked.
Uncle Eben, "Is due to de way a girl
figures out de chance of a man's beln'
a good pervlder by his willingness to
buy loe cream soda."
M
11
"Are you going to keep her?"
bees and will enjoy doing it