vsr THE ENCHANTED MOUSE. One day the wife of a poor man caught a mouse In a wire trap. She took it to a pail of water to drown it, when, to her surprise, the mouse spoke to her. "Good madam," it said, "I am an enchanted mouse and have in days gone by been a prince. I hope some day to come into my own again. Give me life and you will never regret It." "If you will promise never to take the bread and cheese in my pantry again," said the wife, "I will grant your request." "That I will," said the mouse, "and promise to keop the other mice away also." So the wife opened the trap and the mouse ran Into a big hole in the wall. "What are you doing?" asked her husband, who came in at that moment. When the wife told him what the mouse had said he was very angry. "Why did you not make a wish?" he said. "If it is an enchanted mouse he can grant anything, and here we are living in this old hut and I never in all my lifo had enough tobacco to fill my pipe. Call him back and wish that I may have a comfortable home and a full pipe." So the wife went to the hole and called: "Mouse, mouse, pray come to me, I have a favor to ask of thee." The mouse put its head out of the hole and asked: "What do you want of me?" "I caught you in a trap," said the wife, "and let you go without wishing, My husband says I should have wished and that he is tired of living in this hut. He wishes a comfortable home and a full pipe." "Very well," said the mouse; "close your eyes, turn around three times and then open your eyes and you will have the wish." The wife did as the mouse said, and when she opened her eyes there was her husband sitting In a large easy chair smoking a pipe. "See," he said; "isn't this better than the poorly furnished hut we lived in, and I have a full pipe, too?" "Yes," replied the wife; "we should be content now, for we shall be warm In the winter in a house so well built." But one day later the husband said: "Wife, go to the mouse and tell htm if he is a prince in disguise he can Just as well build us a handsome castle." "But, huBband," pleaded the wife, "we are comfortable here, what more do we need ?" "Do as I tell you," said the husband, i So the wife went to the hole in the pantry wall and called "Mouse, mouse, pray come to me, I have a favor to ask of thee." . "What is it?" asked the mouse, put ting his head out. "My husband wishes a castle," she said; "he is tired of living in a small house." "Close your eyes, turn around three times, and then open your eyes," said the mouse, "and you will have your wish." The wife did so, and when she opened her eyes Bhe did not know "What Do You Want of Me?" where she was; everything was so beautiful, but her husband came and took her by the hand and led her through the largo rooms. I "Isn't this better than the small house?" he ask ml her. "I shall never be comfortable here," said the wife, "it is for too grand for me." Hut even this did not satisfy the husband, and one day he Bald: "I should like to be an emperor and rule a country; go to the mouse and ask him to grant It." "But I do not want to be an em press," said the wife; "pray do not nsk It, and, botildos, the mouse is only a prince in his own right; he could not grant such a wish." "Do as I tell you," said the husband, and the poor wife obeyed. "Mouse, motiBo, pray come to me, I have a favor to ask of thee." "What do you want now?" asked the mouse, putting his head out of the hole. "Alas," answered the poor woman, "my husband wished to be an em peror and rule a country," "Do you wish to be an empress?" Asked the mouse. "Oh, no!" replied the wife. "I'd far rather live in the comfortable home you first gave us, but my husband is ambitious, and would rule." "Close your eyes," the mouse said to the wife, "turn round three times and then open your eyes." When she opened her eyes there in a comfortable chair sat her husband smoking his pipe. The wife told her husband what the mouse had said and as he was afraid of being without a full pipe, he never bothered his wife again and lived peaceably ever after. MECHANIC CHOKES A HAMMER Half-Hearted Artisan May Be Sized Up by Grip on Handle Be Positive and Earnest. You may tell a good deal about a mechanic's efforts and purposes by the way In which he handles his tools. You may size up a half-hearted ar tisan by the grip on his hammer han dle. If he takes it near the extreme end he means business and hits the nail a substantial blow; if he grips it up near the hammer head, making you half expect the poor thing will open its iron jaws and gasp, why then you may be sure of a tyro and a shirker. Little things of the kind indicate clear ly the manner and determination with which a boy or man tackles any Job or hobby. Go to it with a grip on everything that means a positive and earnest effort. TEACH POULTRY IN SCHOOLS Younger Generation Kept Interested and More Efficient Poultrymen Are Brought Forth. In every school district in Okla homa there has been a poultry asso rt xrww". 4 rrraffffmr Hen and Chicks. elation organized through the efforts of the State Poultry association. The teacher gets information regu larly from the central body, and poul try topics and poultry literature are furnished the school through the cen tral organization. By this means the younger generation is kept interested and more efficient poultrymen brought forth each year. This is all done in a state that Is far behind our Missouri valley states In production of farm products. This idea might work out for good results In many of our own rural school districts. Twentieth Cen tury Farmer. WEED WATER PIPE MATERIAL Large, Hollow, Straight Stalks of Com mon Cow Weed Used by Boy on West Virginia Farm. A boy of fourteen, on a West Vir ginia farm, has piped water from a hillside spring to the house a hundred yards away and the total expense was less than 50 cents. He used the large, hollow, straight stalks of common wild cow weed, over an Inch In diameter and each five and six feet long, fitting the little ends tightly Into the big ends after wrapping the latter with twine to keep them from splltlng and also wrapping the centers and painting the outsldes with asbestos black. The pipes are supported on forked sticks, overhead high for a part of the dis tance and for the rest are put just un der the stony ground. CR0KIN0LE IS SKILLFUL GAME Soreness of Finger May Be Entirely Overcome by Putting Propelling Digit Against Carom. A great many persons do not thor oughly enjoy the skillful game of croklnole for the reason that their fin gers become sore from shooting. To overcome this entirely put the propel ling bent finger gently against the carom, or nearly bo, and there will not only be no sting to the finger in sud den contact with the carom, but the direction of the shot may be far better controlled. Let the finger nail meet tho exact center of tho carom edge for absolute accuracy. He Understood. "I don't see why horses are afraid of automobiles," said Dick. "Well, I do," replied his ten-year-old companion. "They look like bug gies a-golng without horses." "What if they do? That is no rea son," replied Dick. "Now look here, Dick! You know you'd get scared If you saw my Butt a-walklng down the street and me not along to make it go." Something Like It. Bobby was rehearsing the patriotlo lines he was to speak at, the Sunday school Fourth of July celebration. "'It It oh, yes it glmleted well for our great and glorious'" "Glmleted? GImloted?' Why, Boo by!" the teacher interrupted. "'Au gured,' Bobby. 'Augured.' " "Oh, yes; augured! I knew it was something they bored with." MOSLEM "HOLY CITY" MECCA ONE OF THE WONDERS OF THE WORLD. Remarkable Spot to Which Every Mo hammedan Is Supposed to Make at Least One Pilgrimage During His Lifetime. Not far from where Arabian lands now form a battleground for Turk and Briton stands tho Mohammedan holy city of Mecca, toward which turn countlesB thousands of Moslems every day at the time for prayer, says a bul letin of the National Geographic soci ety. Mecca, the native place of Mahomet, Is the principal city of the Turkish vilayet of the Hejaz in Arabia and Is located a few miles back from the coast of the Red sea, Jidda being its Beaport and the landing place of near ly all its pilgrims who come by sea. its population Is difficult to determine because of its great number of visitors and at the height of the pilgrimage sea son it is usually much overcrowded. To this holy city of Islam, Mecca, every good Moslem should make at least one pilgrimage during his life time. He must arrange his affairs so that his family will be taken care of In his absence and the money he uses for his Journey, it is stipulated In his religion, must have been obtained by lawful means. The more devout of Moslems usually transact no business either along the way or after arrival at Mecca, although the rules which prescribe conduct on this devout errand do not forbid such a thing. There are, however, many of the pilgrims who must combine reli gion with business, otherwise they could never find means to accomplish the journey. These, it would seem, have always been In the majority, for Mecca Itself has, besides its religious standing, a location as an important commercial center. Mecca is surrounded by a great area of uncultivated land, called the haram, or sacred territory, where not even date palms grow, and the city is said by historians to have been founded to carry on trade with AbyBsinla in win ter and Syria in summer. Its bazaars at pilgrimage time are filled with the finest products of the East and a sin gle one of Its caravans has represented an investment of as much as $100,000. Arriving at the edge o the haram, the pilgrim changes his ordinary clothes for the ihram, the ancient pil grimage dress, consisting of two cloths wrapped around himself in a certain prescribed manner. Thus attired he proceeds to the city and after the end of his devotions begins the return Jour ney with the honorary title of hajl, which Is conferred upon all who have made the pilgrimage. In the center of Mecca Is located the great mosque which is really not much more than a great columned wall with seven minarets and is built around the most sacred relics. Inside this wall is called the haram, or sacred spot, and there stands the Kaba, the "holy of holies" of the Moslem, a rude stone building about forty feet square, the original of which is Bald to have been built by Abraham and his son Ishmael. It was the religious center of Mecca long before the time of Mahomet, who threw out its idols and made of it the sacred place of Islam. Many times it has been destroyed by fire and flood, but it has always bees rebuilt approx imately In the original design. The Ka'ba has no windows and its door is several feet above the surrounding level, entrance being effected by means of portable steps. Inside its walls are covered with silver, the gift of wealthy Mahommedans, Its floor is a mosaic of varicolored marbles and its ceiling is hung with silks of wondrous hue and texture. Outside, much of the time its walls are covered with rich brocade, on the borders of which is embroidered In gold thread quotations from the Koran. In the wall of the Ka'ba, near its southeast corner and at a convenient height, is the famous black stone said to have been given to Abraham by the angel Gabriel. In performing the tawaf, which is the custom of seven times circuiting the Ka'ba, this great stone Is kissed by the pilgrims each time it is passed. Within the walls of the mosque Is found what is supposed to be the tomb of Abraham and Btone slabs mark what Moslems believe to be the graves of Hagar and Ishmael. All these are holy spots and must be visited in mak- ing the tawaf. Among the other holy relics Inside the city is the famous Zamzam well, said to have been used by Hagar In se curing water for her son, Ishmael. The waters of this well are supposed to have wonderful curative values and a brisk traffic is driven with the pilgrims In the sale of jars and bottles for tak ing away the water. The well is be lieved to have been lost after the days of Hagar and found later by the grand father of the prophet, Mahomet. Bus Conductors' French. Bus conductors In town really are acquiring some knowledge of the French language. One was heard re cently addressing a somewhat startled French passenger somewhat thus: "Piccadilly-circus? Doo pennies, ice-ee moosoo, tray byang." It seemed to give him honest pleasure. London Evening Standard. Her Reference. Madam Have you any references? The French Maid Zee husband ol lee lady where I last worked he give me an automobile. Lite. OCCULT AIDS FOR SALESMEN "Inspirational" System of Today May Be Well Said to Suggest Hindu Mysticism. A vast amount of "inspirational" lit erature for business men is appearing nowadays. It takes the form of treatises and leaflets, series of articles In newspapers, publications by "schools" of Bupersalesmanshlp, and so on. It 1b addressed to agents and commission men and commercial trav elersto anybody, In short, who has anything to sell. But the surprising thing about it all la its method, re marks the New York Evening Post. Instead of being exhorted in the old crude way to hustle and "git thar," he is taught how to release the dyna mic energies hidden in his breast, how to make selling shirts or hats an ex ercise in transcendental philosophy. Specimens of the sort of mystic pro ductions we mean have been appear ing In a Philadelphia newspaper. They seek to convey, not advice, but stimu lus. They are not Instruction, but thrill ing messages. The goal is not merely moneymaklng, but "man building." The man is to be built very much after the fashion of a Hindu ascetic wrapped In contemplation of his inner self ex cept that here the concentration of his gaze upon his own faculties is to bi under expert direction. His mentoi stands at his elbow to shout in his ear from time to time: "Live in the 'I will' atmosphere;" "Eliminate doubt and 'It can't b done';" "Keep a true focus on the world!" "Sell to yourself first;" "Keej your dynamo working." We have no wish to decry these sol emn views of business. Earnest and even fierce preaching of energy and determination may serve to Btlr uf those qualities in some laggards. And it has always been true that exalted motives are a good thing for even lowly work. But there is, clearly, a novel ele ment in all this modern injunction to salesmen to lift themselves by their own moral bootstraps. It links itsell with the vague ideas current about oc cult, psychic powers dormant in man. Sometimes, it is believed, they may be wakened and used for healing disease, sometimes for unrolling the book ol fate, sometimes for piercing the veil ol death. The singular thing is to find all this order of thought or emotion seized upon in the endeavor to en able people to sell more buttons and tape. Golf for the Insane. 1 Much amusement has been created by paragraphers and others over the use of the game of golf as a means ol quieting Insane patients. It Is a fact, however, that excellent results are: ob tained in this fashion. Swinging golt clubs against an innocent little rub ber ball apparently takes care of the energy that might be expressed in vi olence that not only does serious dam age to property but retards recovery on the part of patients. Here is the testimony of Dr. Gahagan, superintend ent of the state hospital for the In sane at Elgin. It is an excerpt from a letter written to Doctor Zeller of the stats board of administration: "I wish to report excellent results on the golf links. Several of the moat disturbed caaes on the C wards who are principally engaged in personal as saults, breaking windows, etc. hava been taken out and have fairly quiet ed down as the result of fresh air and diversion gained on the golf links. I wish especially to report our friend. Eddie Maxwell, who has written you on many occasions. Since Eddie has had access to the links he has been very docile and thankful for the lib erties given him. While Eddie was In the ward you will remember thai on various occasions he was guilty ot most violent conduct." Dinner Cost $150 a Plate. ' A dinner, costing 150 a plate, it It said, was given in the presidential suit of the Biltmore one night recent ly In honor of Louis C. Walllck by John McE. Bowman and other hotel men, to mark the close of the suoess ful winter season. Mr, Bowman sent the Invitations out several days ago, It was said, and many ot the 25 diners came from other cities. Saying that the dinner was private, Mr. Bowman refused to give out menu, nor would he give out a com plete list of the guests. It was said that when a dinner costB $150 a plate only a small part of that amount is spent for things to eat. A dinner cost ing more than $250 a plate was served nn the Savoy in London a few years ago, one roan said in speaking of the Biltmore party, but the proportion spent for food was small. At the end of the dinner a silver punch bowl, inscribed with his name, was presented to Mr. Walllck, and 25 woman guests came in to hear the speeches. New York World. When the Dean Remonstrated. The Manchester Guardian says this is a true Btory from the front: Two Tommies wandering on a part of the line with which they were not famil lar found on many of the trenches nearly painted signs displaying the names with which their occupants had labeled them. They came to a trench marked "The Deanery." '"Ello," ex claimed one of the Tommies, "hit 'ere ain't a d deanery!" At that in stant a head popped out of the trench ana the chaplain retorted: . "Yes, my man, and I'm the d dean, so please moderate your language." Women Now Belong. For the first time in its history the British Royal Astronomical society has admitted women to membership. HER IDEAL AT LAST MODERN MAIDEN'S SEARCH FOR "TRUE MAN" REWARDED. Willing to Delight In Any Foolish Fad or Frenzied Fancy She Might Want to Pursue Drew Line at One Thing. the The modern young woman critically at the modorn young man. "You are sure," Bhe said, "that you wish to marry me? Nothing could al ter your decision?" "Nothing." "In case I should accept you, would you be willing to fill in at any time at one of my dinner or bridge parties I mean, of course, when I really need someone?" "I should be delighted." "You will, I presume, permit me to go away in the summer time and spend as much money as I please at any place which my fancy dictates? "Certainly." "In case I should desire to roam over Europe alone, you would have no objections?" "None whatever." "It is necessary for me, in order to maintain my position in metropolitan circles, to become hysterical over all the latest fads. This means that I will probably have literary freaks, bo hemlan impossibilities, suffragette caucuses and other highbrow functions in our house at any time. You would welcome all of these, would you?" "With open armB, for your sake.' "I shall, of course, have to indulge in the latest and smartest effects In clothes, no matter what the extremes may lead to. I trust that this would not disturb your serenity or make you express in any way any feeling of shame?" "Impossible! You can go as far as you like." "Suppose that I should become eu- genically inclined?" It would be my great pleasure to praise your efforts." The young woman moved a trine nearer. "Just one more question," she said. "Will you go to the opera with me at the matinees every Saturday after noon?" Then the young man got up, folded his arms sternly and replied: Never! I love you dearly, I am willing to make all kinds of a fool of myself and to do anything that any metropolitan husband is obliged to do in these halcyon days, but I'll be eternally frizzled if I lose my self-respect to the extent of attending the opera with any grown woman in day light." Answered like a hero!" she ex claimed, clasping him fondly in her arms. "It is the one thing that I didn't want you to do. Oh, how grand it is to feel at least that I am marrying a true man." New York Sun. Activities of Women. The women of Japan are generally hard workers. Woman school teachers in Germany number over 30,000. Japanese drama Was founded by a woman, a priestess of the Temple of Kitzuka. France now has more than a million more women and girls than men and boys. A large auto truck concern in the West employs a woman to run their demonstrating truck, which has a ca pacity of five tons. Woman conductors in the London tramway cars are proving so success ful that it is a question as to whether they will be retained indefinitely. Rev. Ann T. Allenbach, an ordained minister and a graduate of Columbus university and the Union Theological seminary, has formed in New York a new religious cult, which Is known a the First Woman's Christian Com munity church. New Ways to Make Money. When Jkomes to thlnkine un new ways of mSfing money you have got to hand It to the people of the East side. A woman over there has jUBt been sent to Jail for making fish with aged and chastened expressions look like fresh caught. With one paint brush, a tin of red paint and the skill of her good right hand the lady can turn the most discouraged collection of last year's cod into the lifelike semblance of fish just pulled out of the river. One look at the carmine gills would tell anyone not possessing a keen sense of smell that the fish were fresh and wholesome. A board of health inspec tor who confiscated the woman's mer chandise declares there are many modern painters of still life in that section of town who make It pay. New York Times. Mill Saw Reveals Honey. Escaping the notice of all the camp hands who fell and bucked the tree, a hollow white fir yielded more than fifty pounds of choice honey when cut into by the sawmill band saw. The honey was not discovered until the combs had been severed and a con siderable quantity had escaped through the log carriage. Westwood Dispatch to the Sacramento Bee. Two Humorous Errors. The error of the newest Chambers biographical dictionary in which it is said that from 1898 to 1900 Roosevelt was "president of New York" reminds the Philadelphia Public Ledger of the fine old typographical error that crept into one of Horace Greeley's editorials "There is no barn in Guilford" assert ed the editorial, Greeley having writ ten, "There is no balm in Gilead." MANY GASES i OF STOMACH AND BOWEL DISORDERS are traceable to delay Moral HOSTETTERS Stomach Bitters At the first sign of trouble Recklessness. We ought to be contented With conditions as they come. Fate can't be circumvented And you've got to suffer some. We'll mlsB the wintry blowing When the sultry sunbeams dance And July Is fiercely glowing But I'd like to take a chance. Every hope is a delusion When it once Is realized. Wealth that comes in great profusion By the prudent Is not prized. They declare In language pensive That our sorrow we enhance By an idleness expensive But I'd like to take a chance. April Century. When the Worm Turned. "Your honor," declared Officer Mc Pherson, "I heard an awful yellin' back in the wagon yard, and when I got there this man was beating his wife." Judge Broyles turned sharply on the prisoner, a tall, gaunt fanner, with clay-colored complexion. 'Is this true? Were you beating your wife, sir?" the judge demanded. Yes, your honor. s "How did you come to do it?" "Lord knows, Judge. For 2p years she alluz wuz th' one what did the beatin', but I jes' happened ter catch her when she wasn't feelin' right." Saturday Journal. Otherwise Engaged. "I used to think I'd like to make a name for myself," said Mr. Chuggins. "Then I got interested in an automo bile." "What difference did that make?" VHadn't time to think about names. Was doing well enough to keep track of my numbers." Washington Star. Practice and Theory. "Who wrote that article on how to support a family of six on $10 a week?" a friend asked Woggles, the editor of the Ladles Household Friend. "Bingham, one of our best men," said Woggles without a smile. "We pay him $5,000 a year." Louisville Courier-Journal. Matrimonial Ideas. "Why do you object to my marrying your daughter?" "Because you can't support her in the style to which she has been accus tomed all her life." "How do you know I can't? I can start her on bread and milk, same as you did." Philadelphia Ledger. The Lookout. "The ship of state is getting into troubled waters." "That's so. I only hope it won't have to be piloted by a tug of war." Baltimore American. Kelly Pool. "Here's your pill," said Mrs. John to her husband, who was suffering from grip. "All right," said John, waking from a doze. "I'll go you one more game, but this is positively the last" New York World. "I DON'T SUFFER ANY MORE" "Feel Like a New Person," says Mrs. Hamilton. New Castle, Ind. "From ths time I was eleven years old until I was seven teen I suffered each month so I had to be in bed I had head ache, backache and such pains I would cramp double every month. I did not know what it was to be easy a minute. My health was all run down and the doctors did not do me any rood. A neighbor told my mother about Lydia E. Pinkham's Vegetable Compound and I took it, and now I feel like a new person. I don't suffer any more and I am regular every month." Mrs. Hazei Hamilton, 822 South 15th St. When a remedy has lived for forty years, steadily growing in popularity and influence, and thousands upon thousands of women declare they owe their health to it, is it not reasona ble to believe that it is an article of great merit? If yon want special advice write to Lydia E. Pinkham Medicine Co. (confidential), Lynn, Mass. Your letter will be opened, read and answered by a woman and. held in strict confidence. mm III Iff Hi fvf - fl taXCjftJ lift-.