Topics of the Times Secretary Hay is a grandfather, and If a boy. Bring on the little breeches. An "lmpre gnable fortress" Is merely cue requiring a larve force and mou and artillery to take. Gracious, what a glorious thing It would have been for the Russians If the Csar's boy had been twins. The moon will bear watching. Ac cording to Astronomer Pickering. It lias broken out In a new spot. Naturally the project to make paper money "velvety" has failed, and w hall go on working hard for It as of old. Hut If Carrie should appear at the door, would Bishop Totter be war ranted in saying something like 'Tar nation?" There Is a tide iu the affairs of wheat which, taken at what seems to be the flood, frequently leads on to misfortune. The power of the pessimist is shown by the public's familiarity with the word "dyspeptic" and Its unacqualnt anoe with "eupeptic." A New Jersey man has made hlin celf a suit of asbestos clothing. lie apparently has a suspicion of what the future holds in store for him. Both Japan and Russia now have about $200,000,000 Invested In the war. The differenece is that the Japs have something to show for their invest ment Just as soon as those English troops reached l.hassa they made It English by dropping the "h." They have been spelling it L'hassa all these years, and now they spell It Lassa. It Is said that the pay of the Jap anese soldier is only 45 cents a month. In view of his recent performances we believe the war office would be justi fied In raising It to half a dollar. A .fashion writer for Mr. Bok's paper says that all women should wear a beauty spot so as to be fas cinating. Some of them would be more fascinating if the beauty spot covered the entire face. Statistics now in course of collation at Washington seem' to Indicate that the sifting process applied to Immi gration at the country's ports of entry Is, to say the least, defective. Figures showing the number of aliens confined in penal and charitable Institutions have been gathered by special agents In every State and Territory. These figures, it la said, show that thousands of foreigners who, under the laws, should not have been admitted to this country, have become public charges, and, as such, liable to deportation at the expense of the steamship com panies that brought them to the Uni ted States. It should be a source of pride to very one within whose veins flows Anglo-Saxon blood that our language Is rapidly becoming the dominant ve hicle of speech throughout the earth. No longer is It necessary for an Amer ican or Englishman contemplating foreign travel and equipped only with his mother tongue to feel the least ap prehension as to his ability to go any where and everywhere along tha beaten tracks of Europe. More people now speak English as their vernacular than speak any other European lan guage. In every town and city of Im portance on the continent there are many persons, students for the most part, who are able to converse In Eng lish and who feel a Just pride in the accomplishment and take pleasure in Its exercise. As if it were not enough to reform the spelling of certain words in our language, two scientists have come forward with the purpose of reform ing the alphabet itself. They affect to have tested the speed with which the mind can recognize some of the letters, and the conclusion reached by them Is that the forms of the printed letters are badly conceived from a physio logical point of view; that If they were composed of characters of simple construction, such as are the letters T and L, the speed of the recognition of letters would be greatly increased ond the mental fatigue would be much diminished. These scientists are ehrewd enough not to say what form the other letters should take in order to relieve the mental fatigue. They end by simply making the complaint It is a curious fact that the desire for physical development for their children comes to many parents more slowly than that for intellectual de velopment. It Is prety well acknowl edged now by everybody from the il literate immigrant to the "poor white" that "book learning" is a good thing for the children. But the schools In England meet the same opposition as those in America when they try to put the development of muscle on the same basis as that of memory. Many a school principal has listened to pro tests substantially like that of the good woman who carried her views of education to the grammar school teacher: "I want ye to teach me girl readln', wrltln' and 'rlthmetlc," said she, "but she ain't t' larn anny more of this physical torture. If it's Jumplu h needs, I c'n teach her jumpln' me- elfir Presently we shall make good our return to the Greek system, which Included music and Kymuastics es sentials to education, and so produced a wonderfully balanced creature with body, mind and spirit In such due proportion that no one could overtop the other. The professional athlete, the puny scholar and the religious recluse are each the result of the rep aration of one department of educa tion from the others. The symmetrical man Is the result of the well-considered union of all the departments. Once every year the soldiers of th? Civil War who still survive are accus tomed to gather somewhere for their national encampment Three days are given to reunions and business meet ings and a parade. This practice has continued so long that It has become an old story In all the northern half of the country; for the Grand Army has both encamped In Maine and In California. It la an old story In one sense, but a perennially new one In other senses. This year, for the third time, the Grand Army held Its en campment in Boston. The city was decorated, of course, and unusually crowded. There were blue uniforms and black soft hats everywhere. The same white-haired men marched in the parade, a little sttffer in the knees and somewhat fewer In number, and they were cheered from end to end of the route. But there was nothing new about any of these things. Yet the encampment as a whole did produce It always produces something new and fresh: a rebirth of patriotism, a acknowledgment of the debt due to these men, a new perception of what the war cost them. No one can watch the parade of the veterans without seeing that the vast majority of those In line are men In moderate circum stances. They consider themselves fortunate Indeed that the are able to be present at all. Thousands of their old comrades, they will tell you, could not come because of the expense. Here Is the new lesson which tne encamp ment teaches, or the old lesson which It constantly repeats the lifelong sac rifice of the men who fought and lived, as well as the short but com plete sacrifice of those who died. The war ruined the chances of financial success for tens of thousands of sol diers, who, if they had been more selfish and less patriotic, would be richer to-day in the goods of this world; but how infinitely poorer both they and we should be In things which wealth cannot measure or money buy! Born unto trouble, there rests a babe in the royal palace of Russia for whom go out the rejoicings of a great na tion. The accident of birth has given an heir to the throne of the Roman offs. From a man of melancholy, it is announced that the Czar has ad vanced to cheerfulness, and In the ad vent of his son. the Russian natlou. always siiperstltlous, sees an augury of wondrous things. Analysis of con ditions In Russia previous to the great event which, barring death, has settled the Romanoff succession, will show why so much depends upon this little boy. The four daughters born to the Czar are mere nonentities, though Nicholas had it In his power to repeal the salic law and make them eligible to the throne. Just as Isabella was made eligible to the Spanish throne by her father, Ferdinand VII. But the Russians are set against "petticoat rule," regardless of the fact that uut little more than a century ago Cather ine II. ruled so strenuously that she figures in Russian history as the great est monarch since the days of Peter the Great This thtnur alone has turned the people against the Czarina, who four times has disappointed them by giving them what court circles call n "makeshift" instead of a ruler. It has even been said that she was to be di vorced, "for state reasons" much after the order of the "state reasons" which parted Napoleon and Josephine. The person who bore the title of Czarevitch In the absence of a direct heir of the Czar is the uncle of Nicholas, the Grand Duke Michael, than who;ji there Is no more unpopular person in the whole Russian Empire. The con tempt the Grand Duke holds for his nephew has never been hidden, and loyal Russians have resented it even more than the Czar himself. It Is not difficult to see, therefore, how the na tion regards the birth of the new Romanoff as a pleasant omen for Rus sia and an augury of better days. For it has given them back the Czarind, who at heart Is really loved, and ha relieved them of the ruling presence of the Grand Duke Michael, whose ascent of the throne would be regard ed as a national calamity. CHARLES E. SHIVELY. The new Supreme Chancellor of tha Knights of Pythias. He has been a member of the order since 1873, and resides at Richmond, Ind. A man never realizes how high a fence he can Jump until he is badly scared. OPINIONS OF GREAT PAPERS ON IMPORTANT SUBJECTS Still a Nation of farmer.. HE recently published census report on "gain- & 4 Iful pursuits" In the United 1 1 dtscusslou of the possible Tom agriculture. Have we nation of fanners,' and are on growing at the expense of We do not need the poet to tell us country, and that man made the town. furnish us dally with evidences that they are man made lu situations, ami that In the making of most of them man did a very bungling Jib. That tile wealth of the country comes from the soil, and that our national prosperity rests upon agriculture are propositions ao self evident as to re quire no demonstration by expert economists. The truth of these propositions will be generally nwgulzed, no mat ter what the census figures may say. The census report on occupations would Indicate to the superficial thinker that agriculture has ceased to Ih the leading Industry of our people. The table showing the pro portion engaged In the five principal classes of occupation In 1SS0 and 11VH Is as follows: Agricultural pursuits Professional Domestic and personal Trade and transportation Manufacturing The table Indicates a decline In the relative Importance of agriculture among the gainful pursuits. It shows a de crease of D..V) per cent In the proportion of persons en gaged In agriculture since ISSo and an Increase of 0.4d In the proportion engaged In commerce and manufacturing. But those who are Inclined to grow pessimistic over the threatened "extinction" of agriculture will need to go deeper Into the figures. It Is found that the number of persons ac tually engaged In agriculture Increased between 1SNO and 1900 from 7.714.000 to 10.SS2.000. It Is to be rememlvered also that this number Is likely to keep on Increasing for many years, not only through the opening of irrigable pub lic lands to homesteaders, but because of the drift toward smaller farms and more Intensive farming. The scientific agriculturist of the future will get more out of a fifty-acre tract than the old -time "farmer" got out of a quarter sec tion. Springfield Republican. Success in Life. ITCESS In life Is relative. To no two minds does it mean the same. To no two conditions does can it be alike applicable. The success of the farmer, for Instance, who adds to his lands, rears his family in righteousness and passes his days In peace and content, far from the turmoil and triumphs of more swiftly mov s ing life, would not seem to the lawyer, city merchant to be a success at all. The crossroads storekeeper may be his own estimation and that of his neighborhood, though his brother of the city, who thinks in millions, cannot help looking down upon him with scorn. There can be no material standard reason that the outlook, the aspiration of any man are his alone. No two can occupy the same viewpoint. No two can regard success from the same mind and heart The school-teacher, who ever gives, figure In a biographical dictionary beside the millionaire, who ever gets. But In the real building up of the Intellect and morality and happiness of the world the giant and be the pigmy. The poor underpaid preacher whose congregation Is small because he preaches religion undented may In the common estimate be a failure. But who can foretell the harvest to come from the pregnant seed thus sown In good ground? Another generation may see arise, that some rich man puts a gorgeous window In and calls his monument. Which Is the more successful life a great window or the one that stimulates makes a church? Possibly nine-tenths of us have no Htm44444H4m4mm $ 4 GRANDMOTHER'S CLOCKS. Long before the Western express had come within whistling distance of the Summervllle station Uncle Charles declared he could hear the bells of grandmother's clocks. "Haven't heard 'em since I was a boy," he said, "but 1 know how they'll sound all golntf together and every one of 'era right. I tell you, Lettle, you ought to have mother's sense of time. You can't even keep our mantel clock straight. Why, mother has a hall clock seven feet high and over a century old. Thea there's the 'banjo' clock In the dining room, and the 'sun' in the kitchen we call in the 'sun' because of aground hole In the door-picture to see the pen dulum through. There are three or four others besides, and the way mother keeps them straight is a mar vel. It must be the old wooden wheels. Nothing like them made nowadays!" Half an hour later grandmother greeted her home-coming flock at the door of the neat white farmhouse, and sent them to their rooms to prepare for a waiting dinner. "Hello:" said Uncle Charles, as be followed Aunt Lettle Into the east chamber. "There's Uncle Hiram Doty's old 'bullfrog' clock. Has a voice like a frog when It's getting ready to strike." Mechanically he pulled out his watch and consulted It, then glanced again at the clock. He hesitated, then with out comment stepped forward and set the clock half an hour ahead. Aunt Lettle smiled, but said nothing. "A little later, entering the kitchen, he beheld the "sun" ticking merrily in its accustomed place. Uncle Charles compared It with his watch. Grand mother was out of the room. Stealthily he opened the clock door and moved the hands back twenty minutes.' Dinner had hardly begun when from east chamber and kitchen came simul taneous wheezing and banging of bells. The "sun" counted ix and stopped. The "bullfrog" did better and made it thirteen. Grandmother pose la life than to get the best living wt can. Wt are absorbed In our own little affaire our wants and our en joyments, ailments and ease. Jealousies and envlea, and hatreds and love. The greater the degree to which we sat isfy our wauu aud triumphs over our ruetulca the greater our success we think. But to gratify our wants Is only to create new ones. Human longing Is like a sea the more we pour Into It the more It spreads. The millionaire longs for more as eagerly as does the poor man. Content does not He lu the direction of acquisition or Indulgence. Success In life consists In fitting one's self to one's en vlronment, and one thing more elevating the environ ment. Chicago Journal. States has evoked social and political ceased to be a the cities to keep the rural districts? that God made the The larger cities 1SS). 4.Vjy 3.4H 20.00 10.0S '.'1.17 l'XK). 8.V7D 4.30 11V20 10.30 24.41 the politician or the a success In life In of success, for the and the attainment may cut a sorry it Is she who Is mighty church the one that builds the spirit which other serlons pur looked up In alarm and gazed at the "banjo-clock" before her. It was, so Uncle Charles discovered, an hour and a half fast That alarmed her still more. "Charles," said grandmother, se verely, "have you been settln' ray clocks?" "Why, yes, mother. I fixed the 'mn' and the 'bullfrog.' They seemed a little off." "Well, mercy sales! How ever shall I tell the time now?" "By them, of course. They're right now." "Yes, but they won't be to-morrow. You see, Lettie" (this apologetically to her daughter-in-law), "they're all clocks that Just won't go right I know about how much each gains or loses In a day, so when I hear one strike I can tell about what time it is. For Instance, this morning when the big hall clock struck three, I knew the band said quarter to eight The 'banjo' Is an hour slower, so It said quarter to seven, and would strike ten In fifteen minutes. When that struck ten the 'sun' would say ten minutes to six, and would be almost ready to strike twelve. The 'sun' is fifty min utes ahead of the 'bullfrog,' which said quarter to five, and in twenty minutes would strike three, and that Is twenty-five minutes behind Sarah Pettlt's alarm-clock with the brass works that she set by the town clock last week, and Isn't more than five minutes out; so it was about quarter after five and time to get up." She looked at Uncle Charles re proachfully. "I do declare, Charles." she said, "you've gone and mixed me up so now I d'now's I ever shall get It figured out again." Youth's Com panion. CURIOUS 8NUFF BOXES They Were Made in Manx Cases to Bait Fancies of Users. In the days when a snuff box was considered a necessary attribute to the perquisites of a beauor a belle, for that matter much Ingenuity was brought to bear upon the manufacture of these dainty trifles. , The reaulta were often very novel, s. mm Barbarous Waste In War. OMK International pact should be achieved that will compel respect for ships aud good us ob jects of economic value in the whole world's rating, whether subject to seizure ns contra hand of war or otherwise. The Russian are warranted lu arresting those trading steamers that are carrying supplies to their enemies. but neither they nor any other people are Justified In do. stroking what the world needs as food, as fuel, as clothing, as medicine, and especially as ships. To empty a ship of Its freight and then send her to the bottom, or, worse still, to send her down with her cargo, Is barbarous. The con I supply Is growing short. Not a ton of It should be wasted. If It Is ueccssury to prevent Its falling Into the hands of the Japanese, let It be landed and sold to the highest bid der of a neutral nation, provided that circumstances pre vent the captors from using It to their owu advautage. And the same with the captured ship. This Is a Work of skill and value, and la needed In facilitating the com merce of all countries. If It has made Itself liable to scls ure by trading In forbidden supplies, there is no reason why it should thereforo be destroyed. It carries no fight ing machinery, it Is not a danger to the war fleet of the nation that makes the arrest. It may be carrying merely a few tons of contraband articles, aud a deckful of sup plies intended for neutrals or for people engaged In peace ful pursuits, ami In such a case It Is a wanton waste to Ink It If. Indeed, It Is not a defiance of International law. Powder and arms might be used by the captors, or might even be throwu overboard If there were no time to take them or room to stow them: but not the textiles, fruit, meat and manufactured products that nations exchange with one another. Warships are fair prey. They are to be sunk by the enemy whenever possible, or converted to the uses of the winning side, but to scuttle a nillllon-dollar ship because of the accident of her trade la to commit a crime against all humanity, whose needs that ahlp Is ca pable of serving. Brooklyn Eagle. The Marrying Age. HE dictum of Gov. Wartleld thai girls should & u I not marry until Utey are twenty-six has nat I lurally caused considerable discussion among Ifhiiuo nimr int nfAutiw1t)ilk frlrla t hntnttnlvnii IMWdl. Ml.'Vk ...... .... ...... their parents, and the young men who do not waut to wait for a bride until she Is verging on old-maldhood. The first question of Interest Is a matter of fact: Are our girls generally marrying at too early an age? Some light Is thrown on this matter by City Registrar McGlenan, of Boston. In the Globe of that city. He shows that In the year 1002, out of 0,172 brides, only 120, or a little more than 2 per cent, were less than eighteen. While more then half the total numlter were under twenty five, "yet 4,180, more than two-thirds of the whole num ber of brides, wero married between the ages of twenty and twenty-nine." ' These figures, the Registrar thinks, "do not Indicate that all girls are marrying at an abnormally early age." Other writers on the subject testify that marriage Is entered Into by both sexes at a later average age than in former gen erations in this country. There are many reasons for this. The growing independence of women, the more extensive fields for their employment the Importance given to edu cation, operate to defer marriage, as the Increased cost of the wedded state deters many young men until they ran "afford it." New York World. and even Uie most captious and exact ing snufftaker found something suited to bis wants. Those with a taste fur the morbid could buy boxes made from the wood of scaffolds, chairs that mur derers had sat upon or parts of their houses. Sporting men could find pleas ure In the little miniatures depicting scenes in the chase. Sailors had their boxes made from the timbers of some historical ship the hull of the Royal George waa turned to this purpose more than once. Soldiers bad battle scene In minia ture upon their boxes, and these were often executed with the finest work manship and great attention waa given to detail. The Scotch, always great muff tak ers, were very fond of manufacturing their snuff boxes from a crumpled horn. The end of the horn waa hol lowed out to hold the anuff and a little mallet was attached by which to tap the snuff from the sides if It adhered, Sometimes a brush was added to flick away particles from the nose. The ordinary Scotchman had a plain mall snuff box, but those belonging to the lairds were often embossed with silver mountings and precious stones, making them valuable as well as picturesque, One of the most popular and well known snuff boxes was that given to Napoleon by Pope Plus VI. When Na poleon died he left the box as a keep sake to Lady Holland, who had been very kind to him during his Imprison ment on St. Helena. Lord Carlisle, who urged the lady to reject the gift, sug gested that every time the box was opened horror and murder would leap out. The box was bequeathed by Lady Holland at her death to the museum. London Dally Mail. No Increase In the Laundry DHL Housekeeper Half the thinga you wash are torn to pieces. Washerwoman Yes, mum; but when a thing is torn In two or more pieces, mum, I count them as only one piece, mum. New York Weekly. Was there ever a boy who dldn have to carry somebody's dinner down town? JUDICIAL DECISIONS A withdrawal of an action for di vorce, brought by a wife, la held. In Oppenhctmcr vs. Collins (Wis ), W U It. A. 40d, not to be sufficient to sup port a conveyance by the husband t the wife of his Interest In bis father's estate as agalust the claims of his cred itors. An occupier of land who undertake to bum rubbish thereon Is held, lit Paulino vs. McKcndall (It 1). 00 L. It. A. 1W, to be under no obligation to guard children of tender years, who are In the habit of resorting there to play, from Injury by approaching the fire. Physical Injury or disease resulting from fright or nervous shock caused by ucgltgcut acts, where such result might with reasonable certainty have Ihhmi anticipated or the negligence wis gross. Is held. In Watklus vs. Kaolin Manufacturing Company (N. ('.), M I.. U. A. 017. to give a right of action for la lunges. A license to sell Intoxicating liquor Is held. In Wallace vs. Kemi (Nevl. I.. It. A., to confer no vested right up on the licensee, and to be rcvis-ablo before the expiration of the time fr which It has been granted, by act of the Legislature, or by municipal' oil! ccrs acting under statutory authority. with or without iioth-e to the licensee. An attempt to board a train of cars running at eight or ten tulles an hour by a young, strong aud active iiimii. wltli experience as n "traveling man" In hoarding and alighting from moving cars, Is held. In Small vs. Traveler Protective Asso. Ga.). 03 I It. A. .Mo. to be au exposure to "obvious risk of Injury" within the meaning of an acci dent Insurance ltcy. A mortgage executed In Ute mime of a third person ou chattels not yet ac quired by (lie mortgagor, which doe not purport to cover after-acquired property, Is held. In New Kuglniid Na tional Hank vs. Northwestern Nntloiial Bank (Mo), 00 I 11. A. 2TU, not to bind such property as against a mort gage to another person executed by the mortgagor In bis own name after th property has come Into his possession. A foreman of a bridge construction gang Is held, In Southern Indiana Rail way Company vs. Harrell (Ind). ca !. It. A. 4U. not to represent the inns ter In directing, at a time when a train Is passing, the raising by a derrick, so. constructed as to swing toward the track, of a stone to be placed In n pier of a railroad bridge, the effect of which Is that the stone swings ngalnst the train and Is forced against un em ploye, to his Injury. Krectlng In or beside a highway a crane for delivering mull to pasMlng trains, which, when the mall bag Is strung uton It Is calculated to frighten horses or ordinary gentleness, Is held. In Cleghorn vs. Western Railway of Alabama (Ala.), (10 L. It. A. 2H!l, to be negligence which will render the rail road company liable to one who Is In jured by the frightening of his horse thereby, although the bag Is actually placed in position by government em ployes. DANCINQ DOOMED IN LONDON. Man's Interest In the Hall Koom Habl to lie Dci'lInliiK. The matrons of Belgravla nnd May fair are said to bo deeply concerned at the decline of Interest In dancing among young men. It Is even rumored that they are driven to the dire neces sity of engaging professional dancers. presentable men from "Blankney's" or some other universal provider, who will help at a ball ami go meekly home with the hired plants In the morning. The war In South Africa undoubted ly led to a decline In the graceful art. for the men were away lighting aud the women stayed at home to think and weep. It Is not Inconceivable that with the return of peace men who had been accustomed to nn active, stirring life on the "Illimitable veldt" were dslnclliied for the easy dalliance of the ballroom. That Is the sugges tion, but Is Is discountenanced by such an experienced teacher of dan cing as Miss Vincent, of St Juinen street "Nonsense!" she said, emphatically; "dancing is not on the decline among the people of Belgravla and Mayfalr. I don't know what It may be In the counties, but I understand that a con slderable number of house parties aro being given, and dancing Is Just an fashionable as ever. High-class ball room dancing among society people U certainly not doomed." Another proof Is that ladles, In In creasing numbers, aro seeking to qualify as teachers of dancing. If the dismal prophecies of decadence wero Justified their occupation would bo gone, instead of which It Is n flourish ing and profitable profession. There is, therefore, no foundation for the statement that West lind hostesses, especially those with marriageable daughters, are' lamenting the dearth of those opportunities for effecting mnt rlmonlal alliance which a ballroom af fords: Neither the aftermath of tho war nor the craze for nniateur theatri cals hns affected the passion for dan cing. London Chronicle. Better Thun Medicine. "Did you tell my wife that I had made my will and left all my property to her?" asked the sick man. "I did," replied the lawyer. "What did she say?" queried the in valid. "Oh," answered his legal adviser, "she glanced In the mirror aud asked If I thought she would look well In black." ' And that Is why the undertaker lost 0 Jub.