i
.
The Trail of the Dead:
$ THE STRANGE EXPERIENCE , .
OF DR. ROBERT HARLAND $
By D. FLETCHER ROBINSON
(Copirllht. 1903, by
ClIAPTKIt III.
In two stride my cousm wan on the
steep nml narrow stairs. For a man
of his ago nml size tin mounted them
with a surprising acttrttr. Indeed, when
1 Rain oil the landing he was already
standing at the door of tho room. Ho
held up his hand with n warning ges
ture. I stepped up to hint softly ami
peeped oyer his shouUlor.
Hy the nltlo of an old sofa placed
ngalnst the wall of a room, half bed
chamber, half study, Professor Marnac
crouched on hla hand and knees. A
lamp stood on the tloor at his rlbow. Ite
rji working with feverih haste, yet
with a certain method, moving the lamp
ouwaril at his examination of the section
lit by Its immediate ray was completed.
It was an odd Ight, this silver-haired
ligure that crept about, peeping and
peering, like some species of elderly ape.
So absorbed wan' he that it was nigh on
a minute before, with a swift sideways
turn of the head, he caught sight of our
faces In the doorway and ros to his
feet.
"I can find no trace of It." said he.
moothlng back his hair with a sigh,
"it is excessively annoying."
"Of what, may I ask. air?" I queried.
"Of my signet ring. Mr. Harland.
A Tallied possession which I would not
lose for fifty pound."
"Pray let me assist you." said I. step
ping forward and raislug tho lamp,
which the professor had replaced ou the
table.
"No, no, Mr. Harland. Enough has
leen done; In the preenee of death we
must forget such trivialities, ltesides.
although It was on my finger when I
entered the house. It may have been
dropped In the hall or on the stair. 1
do not doubt that Hans will find It."
The professor spoko In ao reolute a
fashion that politeness did not .demand
that I should press the matter. My
cousin had already passed behind a great
wreen of stamped leather that cut off
tho bed from the rest of the apartment
Marnac had stepped after him. and I,
though at a slower pace, followed them.
To be honest, the CTcnts of the evening
liad disturbed me not a little. I had
grown suspicious, uneasy; and this an
noyed me in that I was without reason
able cause for such a frame of mind,
(.'ranted that the profeor had dis
played oddities of demeanor, yet he wa
notoriously an eccentric. And If my
cousin bau become taciturn, If his po
1 teness rang insincerely, the death of his
old friend
"Stand back, 1 1 err professor! stand
back, I say!"
It was Graden' volee, stern and de
cisive. I sprang to the corner of the
screen and peered Into the darkened
alcove beyond.
Upon his death-bed pillows the calm
and simple face of poor Von Stoekmar
gleamed like a mask carved la white
marble. Hut neither of the two men who
confronted each other across the body
looked upon It. Graden, a grim and
resolute figure, stood holding a common
wooden match-box In bis huge bands. He
had opened it carelessly, for cheap sul
phur matches were scattered on the sheet
before him. Marnae's face I could not
see, but In the pose of his back and
shoulders there was something feline
something suggestive of an animal about
to sprlug.
For a second or two the three of us
stood In silence. . .y cousin was the first
to break It.
'Tray do not let us detain you, Pro
fessor Marnac," said he. "Should we
chance upon your ring, believe me, it will
be safe."
The professor straightened himself
with a little gesture of submission and
stepped back into the lamplight. Hi
band was on the latch, when be turned
upon us for we hud followed him
with a face deformed with the most ma
Ilguaut fury.
"Au revoir, my friends." he cried. "I
wish you a pleasant evening."
And then a fit of laughter took him
smothered, diabolical merriment that
broke out In oily chueklea like water
gurgling from a bottle. The door closed
upon It. Wo stood listening as it grew
fainter, fainter, uutil It died away lu
alienee on the lower stairs.
"Turn the key, Cousin Robert. But
no; after bim, lad, and bolt him out of
the bouse. He'll be burning It down,
eU."
Graden was Inexplicable; but I ran to
obey. As I reached the ball, I heard the
clang of the street door and the squeak
ing of the bolts as nans shot them be
bind the departing visitor.
When I re-entered the room I found
the screen pushed back against the wall
aud my cousin, lu his shirt-sleeves, lean
ing over the bed. He barked at me over
his shoulder to alt down and keep quiet,
and I humbly obeyed him. Once or twice
he turned to the lamp which he had at
Ills elbow, and I caught a glimpse of a
magnifying glass. Presently he rose,
and, carrying the lamp In his hand,
commenced a circuit of the room, lin
gering now and again to examine aome
object. At tho dressing-table be paused
for several minutes, using the magnify
luff glass repeatedly. Hut shortly after
wards he threw himself into a chair be
side me with the air of a man whose
work L done.
"It' no unrespect to our little Her
mann that I mean said be, pulling
out big briar, "but smoke I must."
ile Mt theft pufflnc tot ..minute or
and J. MALCOLM FIMSER
Josrpli U. DomIo)
two, hi head sunk forward, hi eye
ou the tloor. 1 watched him expectantly,
"It's a great gift, I observation," he
began. "It make Jut the difference
between mediocrity andtucce In game
huntcr and novel-writer, in painter of
picture aud explorer of the unknown
laud, where n man has uever a map
to help htm. Aud till same trick of ob
servation ha given me some very re
markable results this evening; aud how
remarkable you will realize when I sot
them out In proper order. You've a
logical head, Cousin Hubert, and I want
you to give me your fullest attention.
Contradict me If I overstate the case.
"Fact the firt: That a certain cele
brated scientist, Hudolf Marnac, had an
III feeling a very III and evil feeling
towards a certain brother-professor, one
Hermann Von oturkmar. Fact the sev
ond: That Vun Stockuur died sudden
ly." "Of a natural caue, as certified by a
competent physician," I added quickly.
"Exactly. Fact the thirds Marnac,
who considers you a deserter to the
Stoekmar camp as. Indeed. I Rather
Irom your own story appear In your
rooms to Inform you of the sudden death
of his enemy. Now, why should he do
that?"
"He Is an eccentric. A sudden whim,
perhaps. We were very lutlmate once,
you must remember."
"Though hardly so now, from bis man
ner of regarding you when he first an
nounced himself this evening."
"He might have caught what we were
saying. Listener hear no good of
themselves, but that does not tend to im
prove their tempers."
"Well, let that pa. It bring us to
fact number four: He tells a deliberate
lie."
"A lie! Hut when?"
"The man was worth studying. When
I first saw him this evening, I ran my
eye over him. I especially noticed hH
bands their supplene, their delicate
color, their long prehensile fingers. I
do not doubt that he I very proud of
them. He wore no ring It I not the
custom of those who deal with germs to
so adorn themselves. What was he
looking for m anxiously in this room, if
it were not a ring? ny did he leave u
lu the hall that he might conduct this
search before our presence disturbed
himr
"I cannot suggest an explanation; but
really. Cousin lira den, you seem to be I
Uu..lni a Ulna- .1 n .. u..La.. mm l.n.l. 1 I
V. V H hj M ,,V" fc UI4U W I T I J a MhIC'
eannpt imagine what result you expect
to obtain."
"A coavktlon for murder."
CHAITEIt IV.
I stared at bim in the most pro
found amazement.
"Yes, murder. Cousin Itobert; as de
liberate and cold-blooded a doing to
death of au Innocent man as has ever
befouled a corner 01 Cod's fair world."
He rose from - -s chair and plowed
heavily up aud down the room. The
veins started In his forehead; his huge
baud knotted themselves tensely,
"Listen. This afternoon a man lay
asleep on that couch In the corner. We
know the manner of man a keen In
vestigator, an indefatigable worker, an
honest fighter; but one who bad never
done In all bis life a mean or Ignoble
action. There comes a creak upon the
stairs, the door is opened softly, a bead
peers In. He the murderer enters the
room. He knew the custom of the house
in this warm September weather: the
doors open, the old servant asleep, the
master taking his regular siesta. How
far is be a criminal, how far a luna
tic? Is this act premeditated, or the
sudden tempting of opportunity? Who
can say? It i enough that In bis dis
eased Imagination he has come to regard
the sleepor as an enemy who maliciously
set himself to destroy bis theories and
to bring ridicule ou the laborious work of
years. Ills desire for revenge Is con
centrated on the man before bim.
"How the 'tiling' came Into bis pot
sessiou I cannot guess, though thitt
should to a point easily discovered. He
himself may have obtained It from Af
rica, or it may bare como Into his hands
uy chance, as the chief of the Entomo
logical Museum. Hut he has it safe
enough shut up in the tin box which fell
from bis pocket in your rooms. The
spring of tho lid was defective, you may
remember; it Is that same defective
spring that will bang him.
"He stands over there, listening and
watching. There Is no sound; the sleeper
will not wake. He opens the case upon
the dressing-table and lift the 'thing'
with tweezers for wary hair of it has
Its poison. With scissors be cuts off
some score of hairs, catching them In
the crease of 8 folded sheet of note
paper. He replaces it In the case and
closes the lid. Like an ugly shadow
he Hits across to the couch, kneel by It
aide, and one, two, tbreo times blows
the hairs from tho creased paper across
the intake of the sleeper's breath. Ho
turns, snatches up the case from tho
table, and is gone. In five hours Profes
sor Von Stoekmar is dead of Inflamma
tion of the lungs. There is not a doc
tor In all Germany who would chal
lenge that diagnosis. In nine hours Pro
fessor Hudolf Marnac Is accused by me,
Henry Graden, of murder."
"Hut this deadly 'thing'" I cried, with
a linking horror at my heart. , "This
beast, reptile, insect what 1 it? Where
U It now?" .
For answer ho thrust Ms linger Into
hi pocket nud drew out the same wooden
match-box that I had soon him with by
the bedside of thv dead lunu. He slid
It hnlf open nud tapped It sideways ou
the table under tho lamp. A round,
fluffy ball rolled out and lay mutlunle.
Suddenly n little black head protruded,
a sore of tiny feet puddled Into motion,
and aero the tnblo there crept n hairy
caterpillar n loathsome, disreputable.
object, for new It back lay a ragged
scar, whore tho hulr. had been shorn
away.
"Do you recognise the specie?"
In a fatut-heurtod way I leaned ncross
to grnp It, but with n sudden motion ho
' brushed my baud aside.
I "I see you do not," said he grimly
"It I common enough lu South Africa."
I With the end of a match he carefully
pushed the lueet back Into the box,
ami replaced It lu his pocket.
"The luck wa ngalut Marnac." he
continued. "Not for one moment do I
sugget that otherwise I should have sus
peeled the truth. To begin with, the de
fective sprlug of the case allowed the
caterpillar to ecapo while he wa bend
ing 'over poor Hermann. After he had
done hi awful work he slipped It back
hastily into hi pocket. He never real
ized what had occurred until, upon acci
dentally pulling It out with hi hand
kerchief in your lodging, he found It
empty. It wa for that reason he
searched so anxiously. What became of
It did not matter so long a It wa not
found lu thl roam; though, a a matter
of fact, there was very small danger even
then of It affording a clue.
"And now we come to a stroke of
abominable luck, of which Maniac ha
every right to complain. I found the
caterpillar on the sheet of the lied,
where It had crawled lu It wandering.
Hut that was not the worst of It. for
I happened to be tho one man In all
Heidelberg who knew of It peculiar
properties; who knew that It hair are
slightly poisoned, sutllclent Indeed to
raise a nasty rash on (he hand; who
knew that the old-time Hottentot em
ployed it for removing their enemies by
blowing the hairs Into their lung. I
took out a match-box, emptied it, and
collected the caterpillar. I wa chxlug
the box when I looked up and saw Mar
nac watching me with a shocking ex
pression, which could hardly have dis
torted the face of a perfectly sane man,
however provoked. Nearly every mur
derer has a screw looe somewhere; but,
lu my opinion, Maniac Is In an unusually
bad way. It may turn out more of an
asylum than a gallows buslue, after
all."
"Hut tho detail of the ccne you pic
ture; how- did you obtain them?"
"I am a quick thiuker. aud the event
of the evening began to arrange them
solve In a sort of sequence, crowned
by the discovery of the caterpillar. Tho
inference to lie gathered from them wa
obvious. I examined the nostril of the
dead man, ami found four of the eater
pillar hairs caught therein. On the dre-lug-table
lay an ordinary pair of nail
scissors. Two balr were Jammed where
the blade met. On the creased shret of
paper, which I found behind the eoueh,
thero wa no sign; but the ue to which
it hail been put was plain. From -Hans
I knew the custom of the houe: the
sleep after the midday meal, the open
doors, the opportunity. Is the matter
plain to you?"
"What are you going to de7T It was
all that I could say.
"Nothing to-night. To appear at a
German police-station at this hour with
such an extraordinary story would be
for two foreigners, at least the bright
of absurdity, ltesides, there Is no hurry;
Marnac win't budge. He'll sit it out,
uever fear."
One o'clock clanged out from the
steeples as I bade good-night to Graden
at the door of my lodgings. He had al
ready secured a room in a neighboring
hotel,
"Have you a lock on your bedroom
door said he.
"I believe so."
"Well, use It to-night. We've nn ugly
customer to deal with; and the worst of
it Is that, unless I am much mistaken,
ho know how much we know."
I watched him as he rolled away, a
gigantic figure in the moonlight, waving
the thick stick he carried. Never had
my stairs seemed so uncomfortably dark,
never had they creaked behind me so
mysteriously. It was with a sigh of re
lief that I gained my room Htid by a
quick glance assured myseii that I was
alone.
It so mod that I had ouly Ju-t dropped
off into ilrMtlilland for, Indeed, sleep
had been hard to woo that night when
a knocking at my door brought me from
my bed. I unlocked and opened It.
Cousin Graden filled the foreground.
"I didn't ..think ho'd throw up the
sponge," said lie. "Hut be has, uoue the
less. Marnac ha bolted!"
"And your
"I shall follow,"
Ho commenced those strange wander
ings which I shall entitle "The Trail of
the Dead."
(To be continued.)
Xarrotv Kscnpe,
"I can euro you, I believe," snid tho
young doctor, "but you must drink uo
coffee "
"I nuver do drink coffee," interrupt
ed tho patient.
"E-r, don't interrupt me. Ah I wa
anylng, you uiuat drink no coffco but
purest Moclin. You must drink n lit
tlo of that uvery luornliig." Plilladol.
(ihiii Pros..
A Ileop One,
"Senator Slyo udvlso all young men
to bo honest."
"Well?"
"Hut Iio'h an old grafter."
"Just eo. And ho wnntu to reduce
competition In bis line." Philadelphia
Dulletlu.
SFi0 ja.
ii m .rvR-Hir .rJ-' j-nr
Lc3--&v
lml Mn.l.rr, l,rvrl-r miiiI llrriic.
This clod timher, leu'ler and drug
out ulso be used for mushing down
cornstalk nml weed. Cut off n lug
about twelie Indie in diameter that
will split stmlght through the middle
nicely, take off the burk from lUi
piece, that will leave one tlat side uiul
one rounding side to each piece; get
Mime old li.lir Inch rod iron, six piece
about fifteen linhe lung, have tap on
one end ami hook aUiut two lncho
long, bent ou the other end; bore two
auger hole In each phv n foot from
each end; put the hook with tajw
through bole. (Jet two tbsi of old
log elmln. with three link eaeli, wlilcli
will fasten the two plive of timber to
gether. Hore two wore hole In otie-of
the piece nlniut two feet from well
end. ami take one long truce elmln ami
fasten to douhletnv. Letter A slum
Iun of the roU. If you want to
WXW riKIH tfK'STRIVA.ICC.
make It heavier, ilnqi a Ie on Uie
chain between the log. This will
make as flue n drug. d crusher, bind
leveler, stalk Mild weml knocker n you
would wish to u.
rhrnp I'url Alrol.til.
DciiaturliuM alcohol will pnibuhly be
come another great product of the
southern state. It I claimed that cot-toli-ctti
oil machinery Is jKirfeetly
adapted to making Industrial alcohol
from the potato. If till Is successfully
proven, the many cottt)ncd oil mills
of the south, which ure Idlu each sum
mer season for lack of material, will te
able to operate all the time and keep
their employe together. Furthermore,
lclng already cqulpcd with the ma
chinery, they will, no doubt, be able to
manufacture the alcohol wry cheaply.
Fanners would also le benefited by the
Immense demand for ixitatoc that
would rexult. In Cuba nlcubol Is pro
duced and sold from twelve to tlfteen
cents a gallon, and It Is mild to make
an excellent fuel for running engines.
It produces uo iwxit or disagreeable
odora. When the law recently passed
by congrcrut to denalurlze alcohol In
tho United States liecoiiie oenitlr! It
is expected greatly to Increase I lie use
of the article both for fuel and other
punseM.
'Ilm War l MhU Mens .Moult.
Otie of tho flchleiMiiPiiU of modern
jwultry keeping is that of forcing a hen
to iloff her old coat, ami grow a new
one before tho titan when alio would
do naturally, Many hens Hhod their
feathers so late lu the Mwson, natural
ly, that cold weather overtakes them
!ofore they get now siiIIm, consequently
they seldom begin laying before spring.
If the moult can be hastened no that
a new coat of feathers Is grown and
tiio laying can ho atarted before cold
weather, the prospect Is good for n
xuppiy of egg during fall and winter.
The result Is usually iiccouipllHhcd
by cutting off nil meat and iiuihIi foods,
putting tlio hens ou short rations of
grain for a week or ao to atop tho lay
ing, then allow moro liberty nnd feeI n
full ration high In protein. Thin loosena
the old feathera, which drop off quickly
anil starts a rapid growth or the new,
A liberal nllowaneo of beef wrap la
essential, and linseed meal Is nil advan
tage. Sunflower needs ure also Rood
during the moult
llmlilrr Alfalfa's linemy,
Tbo worst enemy to alfalfa Is dod
der, a yellow twining paraalta that
liven ou alfalfa and clover and rapidly
destroy a them. Tho needs are mnall and
yellow and most of tho alfalfa Keexla
from tho West nro infeated with dod
der. Tho New York Motion ayo that
tho dodder need a can Ik removed by
Rifting tho ccd through a slovo having
twenty mealies to tho Inch. Careful
seedHmen will sift the seeds, but farm
ers should be on their guard u gainst
common seeds that may be on the
market
w
lliiiiucmii (urn IV(.
The cornstalk liorer lia lfcsled vn
rUui part of (he count) 'or many
'year, but bus not dune great diiliuigo
, In most purts of the corn belt. It lime
H'gtiii to uieur III low n nun iwnimis in
(lie lust two or three yourx.
It Is u large, white, brown spotted
caterpillar which (Mires Into it stalk of
young corn. When fully grown It bur
row down lulu tlu taproot, and lu
tin spring IrniisfKius to n pupa, from
which the adult soon emerges and lays
Its eggs on (he young corn near the ax
il. The young larvae hatching from them
I mi re Into the stalk nud upward through
the pith. When fully grown they Uire
outward to (he surface, making a hole,
front which (he moth eenv and trans
forms in pupa lu (he burrow. Tills III
sect Is two-brooded, Hie second linn!
feeding ou the old stalks, generally be
twi-oii the second Joint nud the ground.
and becoming -full grown n'mut harvest
lime, when they go into winter quar
ters. When corn wo seriously Infested
Inst year nml the stalks left standing
a second Infestation"' may lm cxinvlnl
this year iiuUxi the fanner bus rnkisl
and burned, n method which we lme
always suggested when the cornstalk
wen known lnharttor any kind of In
sect Nt. Corn Is too good to be w lib
out Is full supply of enemies, which at
tituk It from the wry time It Is planted
lu the ground until It Is lu the full
ur.
Vnlnx nf Unlrr I'rmlurl,
Then were IS.I I'h'VMhViO jHUind of
milk and rSN,N!,l7l lmud of cream
ued lu l.U lu the manufacture of
s.m.'.ts.iii Hiiind of biitt.tr. :ti:...w.v
J".) pounds of cheese and .'tdH.ISI.IHU
tHiiind of eomlensisl milk. These fig
ure n wrl of the cetiu ef manufac
ture for ll.. The total eet of Ihe
material ul lu (he Industry was
$1 r.MCiU'T". wlille the value of the pro
duct was liw.v.',7ss, an Increase oi
the for r of at.,1 mt cent, and of tlio
latter of lis.il .er cent. The number
of establishment ilnipjHsl from l."l
to VCti. while the capital luereasisl SO
r relit to (17,'JA.VmU. 'I here were
.I...O, salaried oillclnl ami clerk nud
I7.AA7 engaged In the iimiiufaetiire of
thes, article. Those received salaries
and wages amounting to ?l.7Mi,fKtil.
Arrnniclnic l.nrtli Kelilr,
This Illustration given a plan to s
up a kettle In butchering lime which U
much better than Ihe old way with
Pm,U and pole Take one and one half.
ro
HOW TO HtT TUB KfTTIC
Inch old wagon tire to the blackmail!!
shoo nud get a ring made tho size of
your kettle, wlUi three legs welded to
u, ami you can move your Kettin nnj
place where wanted, and iiothtmt Is li
your way to go around It.
Tniie Worm In TurUwj-a,
Tho presence of the tapeworm may
be recognized through tho Indolent,
drowsy splrlta of turkeys Infested by
It; a careful examination of voiding
will rveal Its presence, na those In
fostisl will hsn small (tortious of the
worm. Powdered male fern la nn ef
fective remedy, and mny be adminis
tered In doses of from thirty grain
to ouo dram of the powder; or of the
liquid extract, fifteen to thirty drops.
This should be administered morning
and evening bo f nro feeding; tho mini
mum dono to the younger, Increasing
tho doso as they grow older, -Oil of
turpentine I an excellent remedy
against worms of all kind which In
habit the dlgestlvo organ of poultry.
A common remedy for the removal of
worms from fowls Is one drop of kero
sene oil night and morning, This
should not be administered to tho very
young, but may lie used with Impuni
ty after they are a few weeks old.
NllnKit' for Href Animal,
Tho Virginia Experiment Station has
Just Issued a bulletin ou feeding silage
to beef animals. It conclude that sllago
after nil will enable tho feeders to
maintain their uulmabt at a lower cost
nud to secure greater gains than they
havo heretofore obtulned ; that animals
to bo fed for Immediate (daughter can
safely receive sllngo as tho solo rough,
neaa. Animals so fed will kill out a
high per cent of dressed jnoat, will help
ship well, and will show a superior
finish to animals fed on dry, goafm
roughness.
'r ti m i s
'1 i; '" .li JP
aivuN lcqion cnooa.
tleriiliitnll Deeornleil tllti Much
I'rlsed Uoihleio nl I'reueli (Inter.
Harnli llornlmiilt has been decorated
wllli Hie Cross of the Legion of Honor
lu Paris, after yearn of agitation iner
ihe question whether that distinction
could be conferred ou her.
Mine. Ileriihardl Is one of (ho few
women who limn been ndnilllcd Into
the famous order founded by N'itoleou,
although of II living member she I
by fur the most widely known mid inott
fatuous. Merit lu military or civil llfo
being the picrcqulltii fur Ihe decora
llou. (ho Held of artistic endeavor Is tho
ouly one In which a woman can hope to
achieve Ihe renown that will lirlng her
I ln coveted emblem. Eton then slm
must Ix a llosn llouheitr or a Horn-
hanll lu order to win recognition.
For many years ilm cimdiil decora
tion was denied to Mute. Ileruhardt, al
though nuollier actress, Mine. Hartet,
reccltist It more than a year ngo. Tim
first woman to ho honored with this
distinction was Mine llonheiir who
raucMMaLaV
iV
8AKAII HUl.NIUWrr.
was decorated in INK. Twenty yenrt
later the list of women legionaries In
cluded es than a score.
The Order uf the legion of Honor
was established lu 1W. w hcti Nnkiloui
was at the height of his glory. It be
came a prize for which the olthvrs and
men In Ihe NhkiIcoiiIc armies went
ready In lake the mot di-sperato
chance on the field of battle, and tho
man uu whose brast the order was
pinned by the iHiiMror himself, after
some bant won victory, felt that no
gnsiter honor could be I- to wed ukhi
him.
The decoration was not limited, how
eter. In the heroe of war. Distin
guished service In Ihe state r III" Hlb
He hi eli II life also was rewarded by
Ihe cross, which muie In be so dear
lo Hie heart of the Fnmeh cople that
the onier was maintained after tho
fall of the Napoleonic regime.
...i ill Am.
The oblest youngster In Ihe Henstn of
tho United State is I'ettll of Ala
bama. Tim Koiitbenier say that it
man who does not gmw old n rapidly
a do hi friend I at a certain dis
advantage In tliMr presence. Tho Sen
ator I moved to thl reflection by an
Incident (xvurrlng nt the recent certs
moult attending the laying of tho corner-stone
of I lie new Senate office build
ing. A venerable old fellow, much letit
aud broken, approached the Alabaman,
whom bo took by the hand, affection
ately Inquiring a to his health,
"I am In excellent health." briskly
rcsismdM Mr. I'etliw, not recognizing;
the old gentleman,
"Why, don't you know me, Pettu?"
came in mirprls"d lono from the other,
wlio gave such clear evidence of tho
flight of years, "we were ol a sain a tea."
VhercuH)ii Mr. Pettu remembered;
and tint two hud a friendly chat.
When tho old chap had departed,
Mr. Pettu turned to n colleague, oh
serving: "I knew tiiat gentleman was Just my
age, but God hie mo, I didn't dream
lliat I wa hU!" American Spectator.
Pessimistic.
"Good news!" cried tho lawyer, war.
Ing u paper above Ida head. "I've so
cured a reprieve for you."
"A reprieve?" replied tho eonvlet.M
murderer, Indifferently,
"Why, yea; don't you sec, you ought
to lai happy "
"Ah I" replied Ilm prisoner, gloomily,
"that simply means a delay, nud Pro
nlways been taught that delays are dan
Kerou." CatlKille Slandanl nnd Time.
Verve,
"Mr, Fnrayto went tno over to nk you
If you'd lend him your uinbrellor?"
said tho hoy,
"Certainly," replied Hubiibba; "but
wluit does lie want with it? It Isn't
raining."
"No, sir; but ho aald It was pretty)
sure to lw rnliilii' aomo day noon, ami
ho'd need it thou." Cuthullo Standnni
und Times.
Cut In Telepliouo Ilntes,
To meet tho tolcphono competition It
Is proiiosed In England to reduce the
cost of a sis-word toloernm. ImoIh.ii.h.
the address, to 0 cents.