I .., JI I . I I . Illll Il.l.llll.lll.l.l
i The Wicked
Uncle
9
FRANK FILSON
(Copyright, 11S, by W. a. Chapman.)
I was eleven yesterday and I have
ttarted a diary. The first thing that
must go Into It li about my wicked
uncle.
When father said, casually, to moth
er, "Ned's written that he's coming
East to pay us a visit next week,"
mother sighed and flung up her
hands.
"I guess be wants some more
money, Jim," she said. "At such a
time as this"
"I'm sure Ned's settled down and
steadied himself during these seven
years," answered father.
"It isn't In the man," said mother
In a curiously constrained voice, like
Bill Buffalo's after he had confessed
to the sheriff that he stole the girl to
keep her away from his rivals, the
outlaw of the plains.
I must tell you now that while we
IJTO 1U B MJUKU1UUCUI iUUUDlUII. ITHU
four servants, we are fast approach
ing bankruptcy. Father made some
unlucky doals on the stock exchange,
and the war has cut off exports, so
what is a man to do? As father said
to mother yesterday, if those fellows
would give him time and his bank
would advance blm only ten thousand
he could keep his head above water
and not have to take furnished rooms.
.More than that, he said, If that ship
ment comes through from Rotterdam
we'll be richer than we've ever been
Was on Guard Day and Night.
In our lives before. But nobody will
trust each other In these days of de
graded politics, and there hasn't been
a man at the helm of the state worth
his salt since Urover Cleveland left
the White House, Bald father.
"You've lei that fellow Ned at
least ten thousand," said mother, in
the anguished tones of Dinah, when
the outlaw of the plains lay dying.
"Yes," said father. "But that was
between brothers, you know."
"You've started him three or tour
times over. You've put him on his
feet, and now he can't keep there.
And he's coming to borrow some
more. Promise me you won't let blm
have It."
"The extent of my benefactions to
Ned will be measured by chicken feed
dimes and nickels," answered fath
er. Tomorrow our wicked uncle starts
East. .
The wicked uncle has arrived. He
Is younger than father, and reminds
me very strongly of Diamond Dick,
the Pathan's woe, though the look
In his eyes softens at times like that
of Bill Buffalo's when Dinah refuses
to become au outlaw's bride. He
shook bands with me very frankly.
Certainly I have received a not unfa
vorable Impression of my father's
brother.
Mother was cool toward Ned. Ned
that's what be baa Instructed me to
call blm confessed to me in an after
dinner confidence that she alwayB
was cool toward him. "I don't blame
Matilda," he added, with a mournful
sigh. "She knows I'm no good ai d
never likely to be any good In this
world."
I laid my hand with a gentle but
significant pressure upon the wicked
uncle's arm.
"Cheer up, Ned!" I replied. "Nono
of us are wholly bad. There's so
much good In the worst of ua and so
much bad In the best of us, that It
ain't the lob of any of us"
"To hit ourselves on the chest of
us," said the wicked uncle. "Yes,
yes, I know. Your words are Infinite
ly consoling, my dear boy. But It's
hard to bear bard to bear!"
Next morning be had a long conver
sation with mother. I didn't mean
to overbea the first part, but a fel
low can't help lOf he's making a boat
upstairs and people choose to hold
a conversation in the passage. Moth
er was very angry with Uncle Ned.
I could tell that by the tone of her
voice.
"My husband Is ruined," she was
saying. "I want you to understand
that clearly, Ned. I don't Insinuate
that your visit here Is anything more
than one of friendship, but the poor
man Is struggling hard to keep bis
head above water. He basn't got a
hundred dollars to lend. He basn't
got fifty. I've given up my winter
clothes, and we don't even know how
Charlie can go back to school next
term."
- My heart stopped beating. It seemed
too wonderful to be true.
"That'a all I have to say to you
upon that subject, Ned," she contin
ued, at they moved away. It you un
derstand that, you are more than wel
come here."
"I understand, Matilda. Yon al
ways did think the worst of me,"
said Uncle Ned.
That set me thinking. What was
the purpose of uncle's visit? I knew
he had been a desperate man In his
day. Could he have come to rob us,
and had mother suspected his designs
and uttered a friendly warning that
they would not be tolerated?
For a day or two after that mother
trailed the wicked uncle like a
shadow, especially when he was with
father. As for me, I repaired the old
pistol I bad found In the empty room,
and was on guard day and night. I
loved Uncle Ned, but I would not suf
fer him to rob those who bad be
friended him.
The mystery was explained about
a week after Ned's arrival.
Mother and I had seen him go out;'
but a few minutes later he sneaked
In by the back way and went straight
to father In his library.
I had spotted him. A man does
not Inform his womenfolk when dan
ger Is Imminent. I simply waited
under the stairs, the empty pistol In
my hands. I knew that BUI Buffalo
had cowed the Outlaw of the Plains
with a tobacco pipe, and I would not
scruple to Intimidate Uncle Ned with
an empty weapon.
I could not hear what the men
were saying, but all at once mother
came hurriedly Into the room. Her
woman's Instinct, never at fault as
Dinah knew had told her that the
crucial moment had arrived. She went
In and left the door unfastened.
Her voice was angrier than I had
ever heard it before. The men cow
ered before her feminine fury.
"I knew when you came here," she
cried, "that you were going to try to
Induce Jim to start you in life again.
Start you in life, at forty-five!"
"Only forty-three, Matilda!" said
Ned in a pained voice,
"At forty-three, then! My husband
has done more for you than any broth
er need do! And you shall not take
his last penny In the world!"
"Do you think I eame to borrow
money, Tilly?" asked the wicked
uncle.
"I do, If I know you."
"Why, Tilly, what an Idea!" pro
tested the wicked uncle, "I made
my pile In Nevada last year, and I
came home to pay back what 1 had
borrowed. But I knew a black sheep
never turned white, end I well, my
dear, I had a little fun with you.
That's all. Here's Jim's twelve thou
sand four hundred and nineteen cents,
The nineteen cents I borrowed from
him to buy a rabbit whon we were at
school together."
Then followed a silence that might
be felt. Then I heard somebody kiss
ing somebody else.
"You're still the same, Ned," said
father, In an odd, choked voice.
"What pleases me best Is that that
little chap will be able to go back to
school," said Uncle Ned.
I sheathed my weapon, I gritted my
teeth with battled rage, and sought the
seclusion of my lair. I hate my
wicked uncle. .
NECKLACE OF HUMAN FINGERS
Remarkable and Gruesome Exhibit at
Present In New National Mu
seum at Washington.
At the new National museum at
Washington there are many kinds of
necklaces, and amoug the most curi
ous and gruesome are three made of
human fingers. Two are made almost
entirely of the first Joints of fingers.
The third Ib much more pretentious.
It Is elaborately beaded, and hanging
stiffly from the collar of the necklace
are eight fingers. These are eight mid
dle fingers cut from the left hand of
hostile Indian warriors by their In
dian enemies. The bone was deftly
withdrawn from the fingers, the flesh
cured, and a Btlck, In lieu of bone,
was Inserted In each finger.
Appended to the necklace are four
or five tiny bags. This uncouth adorn
ment was a medicine necklace, and
was once the property of the Chey
ennes and Sioux Indians. Its loss was
attended with great lamentation on
the part of the Indians. The necklace
was captured In a campaign against
the Sioux and Cheyennes, In 1876-77.
In the old National museum, among
the leather goods, is a pair of boots
made from human Bkin. Nothing defi
nite can be learned concerning thl
unusual footgear.
City's Lighting to Cost Lest.
According to the annual report of
William Williams, commissioner of
the department of water supply, gas
and electricity of the city of New
York, for 1914, the street lighting bill
for 1915 will be $400,000 less than
for 1914. A good portion of the sav
ing Is said to have been effected by
the use of nitrogen-filled tungsten
lamps in place of the arc lamps. The
former are being rapidly Introduced
all over the city. In fact, before the
end of the year it ia expected that
16,000 gas lamps will be replaced by
the electric lucandescont lamps. An
Interesting comparison between the
relative cost of operating nitrogen
tilled tungsten lamps and arc lamps
is presented in the following figures:
300,-watt nitrogen-filled tungsten
lamps cost $70 a year each to operate,
while the 400-watt lamps cost $77. The
cost of operating arc lamps was $86
each; a reduction of S5 having been
effected in the course of the current
year.
Preparedness.
"Ye have turned very Industrious
lately, Tim," said one Ttpperary man
to another.
"That I have, bedad," replied the
other. "I was up befort the magis
trate last week for battherln' Casstdy,
and the Judge tould me If I came back
on the same charge he would fine mt
tin dollars.''
"Did he?" said the first speaker.
"And ye're working hard so as to kapa
yer hands oil Cassldy?"
. "Don't ye believe It," said tba indus
trious man. "I'm working ha-r-rrd to
save up the tin dollars." Buffalo Cour
ier. Many London Pawnbrokers.
Ther are 692 pa n brokers' shops
within a radius of ten milts from tba
Royal Exchange In London.
THERE Is nothing very literary
about the average man's con
ception of the Cossack. This
formidable individual Is ordi
narily looked upon as a member of
an elite, redoubtable, savage cavalry,
who are absolutely Insensible to any
Buch emotion as fear. And, to be
sure, the present war has provided
both ample opportunity for the test
ing of that fearlessness and proof of
Its steadfast refusal to be Intimidated.
The Cossacks have faced every mur
derous resource of the twentieth cen
tury science with the same courage
that has distinguished tbem from
their earliest days, writes Dr. I. Gold
berg In the Boston Transcript,
Their fire, their spirit, their abso
lute recklessness through fire, water
and steel are those of a military com
munity which at one time bade fair to
become a nation all its own, but the
role of a modern, purely warrior state
was left by history for the Prussia of
Frederick the Second.
War, however, endangers literature;
the warrior needs a Homer for his
Iliad. And so, if the Cossacks have
themselves beeu too busy fighting to
have time for the production of any
thing but a rude literature, they have,
on the other hand, inspired genuine
works of art in England, France, Rus
sia, Poland. The last-named country
owes very much Indeed to the Inspi
ration of the wild men of the steppes.
The original meaning of the word
"cossack" is that of free marauder,
brigand, nomad. "The Steppe," Bays
Gabriel Sarrazin, in his work on the
great romantic poets of Poland, "en
genders Cossacks." Here, In the mid
dle ages was the place of refuge for
all manner of criminals, vagabonds,
C052ACO
refugees and fugitives, who banded to
gether Into a confederation.
Cossack life and that of Poland have
time and again interpenetrated, now
in combat against each other, now
Joined side by side in a fight against
a common enemy. The attack of
Bohdan Chmlelnlcki (1648-1657) 1b the
subject of Slenklewicz's widely-read
novel, "By Fire and Sword." The
Cossacks of the Don gave Russia no
little trouble. Under the leadership
of Stenka Razine, who promised free
dom to all who would follow bis
standard, the Cossacks rallied faith
fully to battle, As with all such fig
ures, legends have grown up around
Razine, one of which Imputes to him
a felt cap which rendered him Invis
ible. He was finally captured In 1671,
dying by torture without so much
sb a murmur.
For a long time the death of the
famous leader was doubted, and le
gend has It that he made various ap
pearances, now among Russian sail
ors, among Persian prisoners and on
the Caspian sea. He is here repre
sented as a white-haired old man.
One hundred years later it was be
lieved that Pougatcheff, who then
played a role similar to that of Ra
zine, was really an Incarnation of the
adventurous bandit and good fellow.
Soldiers First of All.
Fellcien Pascal, writing In one of
the leading European magazines of
the Cossacks and their effects upon
the literature of the surrounding na
tions, points out that In the novel of
the Pole Michael CzaJkowskl, entitled,
"The Zaporog's Sweetheart," the life
of the Cossack and the Ideals for
which he lives finds oue of Its moat
effective and realistic settings.
Ftrst of all, as one by this time may
easily guess, the Cossack is a soldier.
For battle lie ia born, and In battle he
finds his most glorious death, To la
bor Ib a calamity, and work is looked
DOG ENTITLED TO PRIVILEGE
No Published Regulations at to the
Matter, but It Is Understood
In France. .
There Is a quiet little town in the
south ot France quiet In spite of the
cruel war, and for all that It, Is the
capital of an arrondlssement For
some cause the Inhabitants of this
town are no lovers of dogs they cher
ish an undlscriminatlng animosity
equally toward the high bred collie,
the noble mastiff, the mongrel puppy
and the cur of low degree. No good
citizen omits any opportunity to make
war on any sort of dog.
It seems that recently a very fine
bull terrier strayed Into the municipal
and official tobacco shop. The tobac
conist was about to drive him out with
scaut ceremony when a gendarme in
tervened. The uniformed representa
tive ot the law drew himself up,
brought his heels together and raised
his hand In salute to his kept.
"The dog of monsieur the subpre
fect" be proclaimed
I n (i ) A 1 T SB""'
down upon. Every true Cossack moat
bristle with a fierce Independent,
must burn with a passion for war.
And thus In the tale of the Cossack
and his sweetheart, when we find Os
tap ready to thrust aside the sword
for the love of Marlenka, we must
see In his abandonment of the fight
the greatest sacrifice possible to a
Cossack. We come to the marriage
of Ostap and Marlenka. At this mo
ment a troop of Cossacks la going by,
within Ostap's hearing. The latter,
despite all vows, seizes his white
steed, jumps on his back and makes
a mad dash across hedges, ditches and
reaches the plain where the Cossack
army is on the march. The war-god
has claimed his own. Day by day
Marlenka watches for the return of
her sweetheart, and at last the army
comes back. But Ostap ia no longer
alive. Marlenka takes one look at
the corpse, brought back with full
honors. She smiles sadly, sighs, falls
and expires.
For to Cossacks the war passion Is
even stronger than that of love. Most
of the regular Cossacks, Pascal tells
us, form really a cellbatory corpora
tion. Not that this should betoken
any continence on their part It Is
the freedom from domestic ties rather
than any absence of sensuality which
is thus denoted.
So strong Is the appetite for drink
that to gratify it a Cossack is often
led to sell his horse. And their
horses are really part of their very
selves.
But mere plunder is not for the Cos
sack. For he has written somewhere:
"He who desires nothing has nothing.
Let the Tartar be content with simple
pillage. As for the Cossack, he must
or The don
astonish the world. If there were a
ladder to heaven Itself, or a staircase
to hell, the Cossack would find his
way thither and revel in his con
quests!" Sorcerers and Superstitions.
There was among the Cossacks no
constitution or legislative body for
the steppe. Custom was the only
guide. A conference usually elected
the chief. They are firm believers in
magic and sorcery, and not even the
Introduction of Christianity has
wholly succeeded In stamping out su
perstition. In CzaJkowskl'B Cossack
tales there is a characteristic scene
where a witch is visited for Informa
tion. We find her with her associ
ates, Maruska the cat, and a rooster.
Fire and wax complete the magic out
fit. She lights a fire in the cave and
calls the cat forward. Maruska makes
a circle around the fire, all the time
mewing softly. The witch then melts
her yellow wax and places the ques
tioner In the magic circle described
by the cat. Strange letters are writ
ten down, followed by a good deal ot
hocus-pocus, and while the rooster
crows and the cat slinks Into a cor
ner, the witch pronounces a terrible
horoscope of love, blood and damna
tion.
The steppe Ib the symbol of silence,
ot dreams and melancholy. The Cos
sacks have their type, of lyric effu
sion, which represents, as Chojeckl
has written, "bitter voluptuousness of
suffering Intoxicated with itself." But
this Is true, concludes Pascal, only of
the more Intimate songs. For their
warrior ballads reveal the true Cos
sack, with their wild pulsation ot the
Joy of combat, and their ardent pas
sion for the life of strife.
This in a way is a farewell appre
ciation of the Cossack, for the pres
ent war has demonstrated the com
parative uselessness of cavalry, and
the Cossack soldier Is above all things
a cavalryman.
Thereupon the official tobacconist
and those who had come to buy their
dally allowance of the official tobacco
drew back respectfully while the bull
terrier made a deliberate and dignified
exit to the Btreet.
Examination ot the published regu
lations fails to show exactly what are
the honors prescribed to be rendered
to the dogs ot subprefects.'but at least
a precedent now exists to serve as
guidance In future cases Involving
these privileged and distinguished
quadrupeds.
Next Door.
"How's our marksmanship?" asked
the bandit chief.
"Improving," replied the trusty lieu
tenant. "I tried out a man this morn
ing In a shooting across-the-border
test"
"Did he bit his mark?"
"No. But be came close. Ht
aimed at New Mexico and bit Art-
xona."
Sleep, riches and health art only
truly enjoyed after they have bttt
tnttrrunted. Rlchter
DOING MORE THAN HIS SHARF
Laborer at Bottom of Wall Not Will
ing to Perform Work of Ttn
Rather Qivt Orders.
Two laborers were engaged to deep
en a well which bad become dry. Ont
ot them sent bis mat down Into the
well while he sat at the top and direct
ed the work.
He first ordered tht other man to
'dig a bit on this sldt ," then "dig a lit
tle mors on that side," until tht latter,
tired of both tht work and the orders,
exclaimed: "You tit up there and use
your tongue while I havt to do all tht
work!" ,, '
"Ont man here giving directions,"
said tht man at tht top, "can do as
much as ten men down there." -
Thereupon his matt threw down his
pick and climbed up beside tht other
man. "What art you doing here?" In
quired tht latter. "Two men up here."
answered his mate, "can do as much
as twtnty down tbtrt."
Wistful Waiting.
"Cart much for fishing?"
"No," replied tbt melancholy man,
"It's great sport"
"I haven't found It so. In fact It
has a very bad effect on me."
"Impossible!"
"True, nevertheless. Fish seldom
bite fast enough to require my undi
vided attention and the longer 1 sit
and watch a cork the mora I'm In
clined to brood over my troubles."
A Corpultnt One.
"It's rather curious about tbt Gads-
bys."
"Yes?"
"They have a family skeleton."
"Nearly all families do."
"But tht funny part about It is that
the Gadsbys family skeleton la a rela
tive of Mr. Gadsby, who once traveled
about the country as a fat woman In
a side show."
ONLY THING LEFT.
"George, dear, tht cook we took
without a recommendation has left
us."
'I suppose that Is because we are
among the things she didn't consider
ot sufficient value to take with her."
Can't Charge Admission.
"Scadson believes In getting his
money's worth."
"He doesn't always succeed, though."
"I thought blm rather shrewd."
"Oh, the man who swaps dollars
with him usually pays 20 per cent for
the privilege, but whenever Mrs. Scad
son gives a party, so far aa Scadson
la concerned, lt'a a dead loss."
Trouble In 8tort.
"I'm not worthy of you, my dear."
"I know It, Henry, but after I take
you In hand I dare say you will do
very well."
"So I'm to be made over, eh?"
"Oh, no. You will merely be altered
to conform to certain plana and spe
cifications mother and I had In mind
befort you appeared on the scene."
A Long Walt
The self-made man stalked Into the
office of a great financier with whom
be had an appointment
"Yon probably don't remember mt,"
be began, "but twenty years ago, when
I was a poor messenger boy, you gave
me a message to carry"
"Yet, yes!" cried the financier.
"Where's the answer?" Argonaut.
Gosh, How Ha Drtadt It!
"When your wife gets the ballot, art
you prepared to accompany her to the
polls?"
"Not yet" answered the timorous
man. "But give me a little time. I'm
gradually screwing up my courage to
the sticking point, for it Is already set
tled that I'm to be ber escort '
Lovtra All Right
"They're very much in love with
tach other."
"What makes you think tor
"She doesn't mind the mistakes ht
makes when he's ber partner in a
bridge game, and be never complains
when she Insists on driving his cat
from the rear aeat"
Delaying tht Count
"Do you think mirrors will be placed
In voting booths for the woman voter r
"I hardly think so," replied the prac
tical politician. "It would mean that
avery woman voter would spend at
leaat half an hour In a booth and at
that ratt an election would requlrt a
week of mora."
Mtrctnary Motive.
"What was tba subject of tbt lec
turer's address f
" 'Peace at Any Price.' "
"Did he prove hia case?"
"No. Tht audlenct waa rather small
and he cut out tome of bla moat elo
quent periods because be failed to get
bis price."
Nothing But Frowns.
"Frown at tbt world and It frowns
back. Smile, ard yon get a smllt la
return."
"I dunno about that I've had that
last part tall to work when trying It
on a pretty girt."
Of Court.
"That fallow ia an old from p. Ht'd
b tour If you went to him with a
golden opportunity."
"Well, a golden opportunity ought
to b ablt to ttand a llttlt acid."
tej of the
r-.i-. flt ;i;,7fplxgrT " "ft" T"
Al-ONO the
TIOMAS FALKNER, in his
book, speaks of the Rio Negro
aa the largest river of Pata
gonia. It Is not only the larg
tst river of Patagonia but, next to the
La Plata and Its two large tributaries,
which do not, however, belong to Ar
gentina alone, the largest ot the Ar
gentine Republic. Roughly speaking,
It drains a large triangular piece of
territory lying between 36 and 42 de
grees of latitude south, with the base
following the lln i of the watershed be
tween Chile and Argentina and the
apex resting at the mouth of the river
on the Atlantic coast Just south of
the fortieth parallel of latitude. Falk
ner gives quite a list of names for this
stream, of which the Indian name of
Curu Leuvu has been retained to this
day In the Spanish translation of Rio
Negro.
It is not to be wondered at that the
Spaniards neglected the inhospitable
coast of southern Argentina In those
early days of conquest and settlement.
No one could be expected to settle
down In an unattractive and desert
country while there was an unlimited
supply of more desirable lands closer
at hand and to be had only for the
asking or taking. It Is only when the
good land has become exhausted and
when railroads and science make tho
INDIANS Or
desert more accessible and more easy
and certain of remunerative develop
ment that the eyes of the colonist are
turned toward the less attractive,
says Waltor Fischer In the Bulletin of
the Pan-American Union.
The moat convenient method of
reaching tho valley toda; Is for tho
travelor to take tho tialn which leaves
Buenos Airjs at 6:37 in tho evening,
arriving at Bhhla Blanca at 9:25 the
following morning. Leaving Bahla
Blanca again at 9:55 on one of the tri
weekly trains he reaches Neuq'ien at
10:35 that nljht; there he passes tho
night in a hotel or 'nn, leaves at 6:20
!n tho morning and gets to the end of
'.he line on a n.'ied freight and pas
secgor train at either 10:30 or 12:46
noon, according to which of tbe bi
weekly trains ha happens to have
taken.
River Is Da. k and Swift.
We are mjro particularly concerned
with that part ot the valley extending
eastward one degree- of longitude, or
about sixty mllei, from tho juncture
of the two rivers to '.he email station
of Chlchlnalos. The villey is narrow
here, not more than ten miles from
bl'ift to bluff, with the fertile, Irr'gable
land north of the llrer about Ua'f that
width at Ha widest ai.4 narrowing
down to almost nothing where the
rivers moot. The R!o Negro Itself Is a
dark and silent, deep and rapid
stream; a i-tuer tt said to take only
aa many town to make tLe down trip
JUDGE SETTLED HIS STATUS
No Doum at to Where Colored Man
Would iJf.onq for ths Next
Su Months.
Tht "Vtrg'.nli Judgo," mad familiar
to taeatenroors ty Walter Ke'ly, was
modeled upoi Judge Brown of New
port Nw, vh passed nv-iy some
months ago.
"l'a often ttiougbt." a rocirbor of a
Cleveland golf cluh anU the other day,
"that If Kelly hada't made so much of
Judge Brown, anotnr Virginia Judge
might have long aincc ccai In for the
attention h-i deserves, .'nite Crutch
Held ot Richmond is the mm. I bad
tho honor, one day, ot sitting rn the
bench with him, and ot hern him
ultar oca of hit famous snappy Judg
ments. Ht had. seen me enir the
courtroom and ha interrupted tLe pro
ceedings to lnvlti me to a sit boside
blm. "Now, then," he said. "t,o cn with
your story." The defendant, a flashily
iraattyt coloreJ g.ul-ma ., mak
ing a "tx lame denial of h' sh ire In
a catting sel e the nfghi boior , and
a wound up ith this:
Rivra
as It takes days to ascend the swift
current.
The winds of the southern Paciflo
lose most of their moisture on com
ing in contact vlth the cold peaks of
the Cordilleras and then sweep down
across the Patagonian tablelands like
an ocean gale. They often last for
days, obscuring the sky and landscape
with clouds of dust and are at times of
such velocity as to hurl small-sized
pebbles, but they are most frequent
in spring and summer, and when once
over are soon forgotten In the delight
ful weather which otherwise prevails
warm or very hot days, according to
the time of year, usually with breeze
and cool nights always, with the tem
perature seldom below 20 degrees F,
In winter. The climate most closely
resembles that of the Interior of the
state of Washington. As snow seldom
falls, the abundance of verdure which
follows every winter rain is available
for grazing cattle and sheep.
Good Place for Hunters.
Hunting Is very good, as many kinds
of game are plentiful; the guanaco,
the small silver fox, the skunk, the
Patagonian hare, three species of
armadillo (the peludo, plchi and
mollta), and three species of gopher
or pralrle-doglike rodents (the biz
cacho, the tucutuco and the qutse)
THE VALLEY
are abundant In the valley, while oth
er species of game are common In
tho mountains not far away; In the
river are otter and plenty of fish.
The Inhabitants are aa cosmopolitan
a lot as Is to be found almost any
where. As In the greater part of Ar
gentina, the Italian predominates on
the farms and the Spaniard In the
small towns; there are a few Ger
mans, English and Scandinavians, In
fact practically every country in Eu
rope is represented, usually by Immi
grants of the humbler classes.
A great Impetus was given to set
tling and farming by several droughts
and crop failures in other parts of
Argentina which drove up tho price of'
alfalfa, a crop which was absolutely
guaranteed under Irrigation. Other
crops such as wheat, barley, and to a
slight extent maize, are grown, but
lately the planting of the vine has as
sumed enormous proportions. There
are vineyards of nearly 1,000 acres
and several wine presses have been
erected, one at Roca having a capac
ity ot 3,000 hogsheads. Sheep and cat
tle coming from the mountains and
from across the desert are bought,
fed and then shipped on again: hogs,
too, are raised locally; the drying of
the natural pastures In summer does
not, however, permit of local ranch
ing. Fruits of all kinds grow well
and are being planted, so that In gen
eral the small and mixed farm Is on
the increase.
"No sah. Judge, I wouldn't behave
In dat way. I knows bettah. Yo' see,
I'm a New York niggah; I ain't none
o' dese yere common Virginia nig
gahs "
"You'll be a Virginia niggah for six
months," said the Judge. "Next
case!"
Captious Person.
"You say you enjoy readlnr the
sporting page, although you don't
care particularly for sports?"
"Yes," replied the thoughtful man.
"Our Bports are still played practical
ly without mechanical assistance, and
it's a positive relief to read about
some field of human endeavor which
Thomas A. Edison and his fellow in
ventors have not yet revolutionized."
The Suspect.
EEs My husband is so unpatriot
ic. I almost think sometimes that he
must have foreign sympathies.
Elsie Dtar me! What has he
done?
Eflie Oh. ht made the most awful
row over the cost ot my new milt
tarv costume.