THE CITIES. A en bi the stretches of the night The cities to each other ball, Like Hughes of the northern light Their Arldent voices rise and fall: "What toll of human life to-duy, Of youth and hope what sacrifice, Hast thou demanded, sister, pray?" Thus city unto city cries. And through the stretches of the dark The answer Hunts upon the breeze, Where, like the lightly resting Ark, The city looks across the seus: "The toll 1 ve clulmed from man and child, Prom Innocence and guilt as well; I've smlri'hoil the pure and undented, And turned their heaven Into hell. "I've stirred ambition's fire In breasts Where only love had burnt till then, The thirst tor (told that never rests Hut drinks the lives of weaker men. I've cheapened virtue in my mart And trained the tongue to oily llos, And men to steer by flattery's chart Who on the slurs once llxed their eyes. "I've crushed tho weakling In my press, I've fixed the blush on woman's check, I've deafened ears to note distress, Thouiili keen to hear the nihility speak. I've wrung the heart of ciillttlio:d dry. Made men forget they once were young The forest s call, tho open pity, And Nature with her sylvan tongue." Wllllim Wallace Whltelock, in the New Vork Times. THE SUCCESSFUL PHILANTHROPIST "I've found her," sala I'euc.-xtor. He had Just returned to his lodgings alter a week's absence, and gat down With his friends to talk thongs over. "Found her?" "Fouud my Ideal woman," explained Pendexter. "Now, Pendexter," warned Brent, "you know you're always working yourself, up about Ideals, and you are always getting disappointed. Steer clear or them. If you must have some ruinous hobby, take up philanthropy. That at least preserves your disposi tion." Tendexter overlooked this Irrever ence. He composed himself to relate Ills experience. "She was singing in a church," he aid. "Church! How happened you in a ehurch?" "That's the point," said Pendexter, eriously. "I went up into the town one Sunday morning on an errand, and I passed this church, and hear ing a womnn's voice singing, was somehow drawn Inside. Now I don't care for music don't know one note from another. Why should I have gone In there unless it was to meet oiy ideal?" "She must havo had something wonderful in her throat to attract you," Brent mocked. "Did you speak to her?" "I did. I went to her, and not know ing what ebe to Bay, I told her I had enjoyed her singing. She looked tip Just like a child, and said, "l'hank you, sir,' In a most provincial accent, and tripped away." "Your ideal," said Brent, laughing, "was neither original nor well edu tated." ... fAi first I own I was slightly dis appointed," confessed Pendexter. "And then I saw that no lily however fair could grow absolutely perfect in such poor soil. She was as beautiful as na ture could make her in such a place. It WH3 a grave, innocent kind of beauty, too, especially captivating to a man like mo. Still, the twang in that soft voice and the little pro vincial manner were like a flaw upon an otherwise perfect thln. I deter mined at once that somehow, some way, I must remove that flaw. I turned to a man near me and asked her name. He said it .was Mary Hale." "Unromantic," pronounced Brent. "Komantlc enough, however," Pen dexter retorted, "to find her by. That afternoon I sought her out at her tome. I did not dare to say I wished to have her educated in pure accent and a more brilliant manner, so I told her that I had particularly no ticed her voice for what I believed to toe a rare brilliance and quality, and that I would send her three years to Europe to study." "I'll be hanged," ejaculated Brent In wonder, "What did she say?" "She burst out crying first," said Pendexter. "J , don't Just know why. 6he said it had always been the dream of her life to go abroad and study. She said music .was everything in life to her. She said she would reward me by unceasing study and .unfailing pains. We' shall change her idea a little, I think, later on. She shall find another way to reward me. Brent, if this girl comes back, my personified ideal, as I think she will, I will make lier my wife." Brent smiled. "She won't," he aald. "You'd better go in at the start for philanthropy." Three years later Pendextor's pro tege came home. (She had achieved bo mean fame abroad, and was fol lowing an already established repu tation home. Pendexter she asked In a delightfully grateful letter to him eomo days before her arrival not to aee her until he heard her sing at her first concert She said she wanted Ihim to be perfectly satisfied with her, and that she would sing that night especially for him. Later, when the date was made, she sent him box seats near the stage, and Pendexter, bristling with satisfaction, called up on Brent to go with him. .They made little commotion as they took their seats. Brent looked down upon the glasses levelled at them and smiled. "I carry my point," he Said. "What ever you may be when this night is over, you are established for life as a philanthropist. That girl has given you a'l the credit due you at any rata. Everybody baa been allowed to know that you have made her what she It." "If only she Is what I want her to be," murmured Pendexter, "I have not paid high for her education." She came on then and silence set tled over the house. She was beauti ful. She was more than that Bhe was in every way perfect as she stood there. She was as gravely composed as when Pendexter had heard her sing In the little church three years before. ' "Why she's glorious' " muttered Brent, "I wouldn't wonder If after all you'd make good." Pendexter sat through It In a dream. He wanted to shout, to cry her name aloud. But he waited as patiently as he could until the performance closed. Then he and Brent followed a man who had been sent to conduct them to the singer, and Pendexter at last stood with the seeming embodiment of his ideal close beside him. Her hands were in his. Her lips were parted In grave smiles. "Did you think it was all right?" she asked. Brent could hardly be lieve his ears. Pendexter dropped her hands. Her accent, although her speaking voice was charmingly mod ulated, was careless, provincial In the last degree. The commonplace ques tion became almost flippant on her grave ilps. They recovered themselves and Pen dexter sat down near her. She told them briefly of her triumphs abroad, of her delight In her work, and of her gratitude to her patron. Her mis takes in grammar were appalling. It gradually was forced upon them that her Improvement had been solely In the direction In which she herself had an Interest. In every other way she remained exactly as beautiful and as comiVonplace as when Pendexter had found her. An hour later the friends rose to leave her. She detained them, saying that she had yet something to tell them and something to do. "I always told you about every thing," she said to Pendexter, "so I want to let you know myself that I'm going to get married in the spring to Alverro the big tenor. We're going to sing opera in the same company." Pendexter said quite fervently that he hoped she would be happy. "You've spent about 50,000 on me, clothes and keep and everything, haven't you?" she went on, practical ly. "I'm grateful and I'm going to pay it now. Oh, I've got more than that," she added, smiling as he protested. She wrote a check and held it toward him. Pendexter stood looking at It a moment with a sort of whimsical Irony. Then he took the bit of paper and put it in his pocket. They were half way home before Pendexter spoke. "Well," he said, sighing a little, "I am no good as an Idealist. But It's something in these times to be a suc cessful philanthropist." Boston Post. SCHOOLBOY HOWLERS. Remarkable Answer to 8chool Ques tions Given by Children. The following Is a selection from a large number of "howlers" submitted In connection with a prize competi tion, arranscl by the university cor respondent, for the best collection of twelve mistakes made by schoolboys: Lord Raleigh was the first man to see the Invisible Armada. In India a man out of cask may net marry a woman out of another cask. Tennyson wrote "In Memorandum." George Eliot left a wife and chil dren to mourn his genii. Thomas Becket used to wash the feet of leopards. Henry I died of eating Palfreys. Louis XVI was gelatlned during the French revolution. Romulus obtained the first citizens for Rome by opening a lunatic asy lum. The Rhine is bordered by wooden mountains. Algebraical symbols are used when you don't know what you are talking about. Geometry teaches us how to blsex angels. Gravitation is that which if there were none we should all fly away. A renegade is a man who kills a king. The press today is the mouth organ of the people. A He is an aversion to the truth. A deacon is the lowest kind of Christian. Pythagoras built a bridge for asses. Etymology Is a man who catches butterflies and stuffs them. Women's suffrage Is the state of suffering to which they were born. II pleut a verses He cries at -poetry. Le coeur puriflo The disinfected yard. Ad hostes suppllces sacredotes ven erunt The priest came to the enemy in their surplices. Terra tribus scofu'Hs vastum pro currit in aequor The earth being laid waste by three scorpions runs into the sea. Celerl sauclus malus Afrlco Celery sauoe 13 bad for an African. Hors de combat The hour of battle. London Correspondence 4 New York Sun. Coal Briquets. In commenting on the briquets made in Swansea, Consul Jesse H. Johnson says: "There are mountains of coal dust in the anthracite districts of Pennsylvania, and there is no rea son why these should not be utilized. Such an industry would benefit the American coal owners and the bri quets would find a ready sale in the home markets and abroad, particu larly to countries wfacre favorable freights could be secured." Off to School. Hurry! hurry! Is the rule On the days we go to school. Just us soon as bieakfust's done, Hound about the house we run, Looking here and looking there, finding things 'most anywhere, father, wulking to and fro, Hurries Jack who's always slow. Mother, glancing at the clock, Smoothes out Mary's rumpled frock; i'ells us children to make haste; bays there Isn t time to waste; Uoes down with us to the gate; Bays she hopes we won't be late. Then away we hurry fast, Off to Bchool again at lust. Alden Arthur Knlpe, In St. Nicholas. Better Boy, "Well, Hurry," said the minister, who was making a call, "do you think you will be a better boy tuta year than you were last?" "I hope so," replied the little fellow. "I was sick more than half the time lust year." Chdcago News. My Turtle. I am going to toll you about my lit tle turtle. His name is Swipe. He Is about one inch long and thrte-quarters of au inch wide. Of course, 1 guess you know lie must be very small. We have had him about four months, aud he doesn't seem to grow. Swipe Is a water snapper, but he never snaps at me, even if I put him to my cheek. I feed him every morning with very tiny scraps of meat. He lives In a glass globe all by himself, and has a small piece of wood to float on. Swipe Is al ways happy when I change the water. Hoping that you will all like this small story. Frederic Behrens, in the New York Tribune. Playing A Mean Trick. I hope you wll be interested In this story about a poor Italian organ grind er and his monkey. ' Some days ago be stopped in front of a bouse occupied by two youngsters looking for what mischief they could do. While the Italian was playing one boy opened the window and put a redhot cent on the sill. The monkey climbed up to the window to gqt the money, but as Boon as he touched it lie dropped to the ground. The Italian hit the mon key and told him to get the money. The monkey went up again, but came down empty handed. The Italian couldn't understand thr reason, so went to Investigate. No sooner was he under the window than he was drenched with water. The poor organ grinder probably didn't have another change of clothes to put on. The two boys stood at the window and laughed and made all sorts of fun of him. The organ grinder picked up a big stone end smashed the window they were looking out of, but still they kept the Jeering up, so ho broke all the win dows that were in sight and walked off smiling, saying, "Who gotta da best of ft, you or me?" Louis Jobln, in the New York Tribune. Discontented Little Ones. The southern sun was beating down on a little South Carolina town, and the wind was geutly blowing the einoke from a smoldering wood lire that was burning in the back yard of tho village hotel, a small unpreten tious hostelry, but tho best the town afforded. Tho place seemed utterly asleep town and hotel save for a busy little black child who stood close to the wood fire. Over the fire swung a huge black "soap pot," aud the lit tle Negro girl, dressed In frock of faded calico, was sirring the boiling contents of the vessel with a long, crooked stick. As she slowly dipped the end of the stick into the steam ing liquid, she crooned in a childish way: "How ole is the stick? How olo is the house? How ole is Mammy Jane? How ole Is the pot? How ole Is lis " and her soft velvety eyes of black sought an eld dotton-press near by "how ole Is the cotton?" Then the little worker wearily paus ed In her stirring and glanced about Her eyes fell on the form of an old negro woman, a bent form it was, tho form of one whese life had been pass ed In doing heavy work. The old wo man had come to the kitchen door for a moment, but immediately disap peared into the house again, returning to her washtub. "How ole is Mammy Jane?" again crooned the child at the soap pot, turning the stick slowly. "How ole fs Mammy Jane? Lawsy, I done reckon she's a thousan' yeahs ole a thousan' yeahs ole." Then she suddenly be came silent, her hands idle. A Ught came Into her soft sleepy eyes. "If It wasn't foh ole Mammy Jane," she mused, "I wouldn't be stlrrin' dls heart soap, an' I'd be done playln' behin' the old sawmill dls mfnute." A bee hummed near to the black child's ear, a slow, sleepy hum. Tho sun was so warm and bright, there in the back yard, and the soap sent out a vapor of white steam. The little worker sat down beside the fire, push ing into the coals a bit of dry stick. As the fuel flamed up the child again mused: "I hates to stir the soap pot I hates to work. Some day I'll run away from ole Mammy Jane, un' then I'll nevah work no mcah. I'll go to a big city where dar ain't no soft soap beln' made; an' I'll nevah have to stir soap any moah. Oh " And she closed her eyes sleepily "oh, how ole is the stick How ole is the pot How ole Is Mammy Jane " The child's eyes remained closed now, and she lpaned against a conven lent stump. The bee returned to hum close to her ear. Its song seemed to say : "How ol e ts t h e t I ck How ole is tho pot How ole 1b Mammy Jane?" And then It seemed to say: "Run-away-Uttle-gal. Run-away-llttle-gal. Don't ever come back to old Mammy Jane." Then some files added their song to that of the bee's, saying over and over in a dron ing way: "Run away little gaj. Don't ever come back to ole Mammy Jane." A whirlwind came flying round the corner of the bouse and fanned the slumbering fire. A little red flame crept out on the dry bit of stick, soon reaching the end farthest from the bed of coals. It lifted Its hot tongue and tasted the frayed hem of the fad ed calico frock, which lay so tempting ly near. The whirlwind Eave It an other little fanning; then disappeared across the unkept yard, rushing wild ly down a hillside to try its strength on the tender saplings which grew be Blde a creek. In the meanwhile the little sleeper beside tho Are forgot to wake and stir the soap. Away, away toward the Great Won drous city 'ran the little black girl. Away, away from the soap pot; away, away from old Mammy Jane! Ah, how beautiful the world was! She entered the city, but It was not so delightful, so wondrous, as she had dreamed It would be. There were crowds of hur rying people, and they disdained to notice her. She was very tired, but nowhere could she find a place to rest She cried out to several people who crowded and Jostled her, but did not heed her. She fell to the hard pave ment, for a terrible pain was cutting through her foot and ankle. And, oh, how the sun burned her flesh! And how the fumes from somewhere smothered her! Ah, she would return to Mammy Jane good Mammy Jane. Yes, she was sorry now that ebe had fled from her own old home, so poor and simple, but a home for all that, and one whore a child could rest when tPred and sick, if she might go again to her little bed In Mammy Jane's funny old room, where the brass can dlesticks gleanpd on the mantelpiece a gift to Mammy Jane from some great lady mnny, many years ago! And how she longed to set eyes once more on the strip of rag carpet so warm to Qier feet In winter that stretched In front of her little bed. And the four-patch quilt that spread her bed so beautifully! Oh, would she never see any of these dear things again? But the pain In her foot and ankle was so terrible that she forgot Mammy Jnne, even forgotthat she had run away from the place where she had spent the ten years of her poor life. Then she began to sob, to sob as she hnd done on day when they led her to a black box to look for the last time on the face of her mother. Inside that black box the one dearest to her on earth had been shut from sight, and she had then gone to Mammy Jane. And on Mammy Jane's wnrm bosom she had wept out the grief of a broken little heart. And now she wept In that same way, only this time It came from agony of pain Instead of aony of grief. But of a sudden something cool and gentle stroked her cheek. She open ed her eyes. To her wonder she look ed into the loving face of old Mammy Jane. And, strangest of all, she was on her own little bed. But what weTe the strangers doing In the room? Why, there were the white doctor and Mrs. Jones, the landlady of the hotel, where Mammy Jane worked for their living. And then she saw that one of her feet was all wrapped in white bandages, and both Mammy Jane's hands and arms were bandaged the same way. It was one of Mammy Jane's bandaged hands that was strok ing her face. "Doan cry, honey sugar lump," said old Mammy Jane. "You'll be peart again in a tew days, chile. You done fallen asleep by the soap pot an' the fire done cotch yer dress. An' old mammy Jes seen you in time, and run an' smothered out the flame fore it cotch you above the knees. So, go to sleep, li'l chile, an' mammyll sing you a song. Go to sleep, honey chile." The black child smiled, and as the white doctor and tho landlady, seeing that she was all right again and in safe hands, left the room, she whis pered: "Oh, Mammy Jane, I lubs you, I do, an I am glad it was Jes the Are an' not the Great City dat got me. 1 wanted to run away fromyou Mammy Jane. But now I know dat I lubs you as I use to lub my own mammy. You is my grand.-mamy, an' I'll stay with you forevah an' forevah, an' I'll do all younh work, Mammy Jane, as soon as I get well, for you burned youah pore han's savin' me from dat Are." Tears streamed down old Mammy Jane's face as she bent over the child. "You Is all ole mammy has got, honey chile, an' I'm thankln' the good Lord he sent me to cotch you out'n the fire in time. We'll both be well soon, honey, and we'll be happy, too." "Yes, Mammy, an' we'll have some fried chicken an' gravy for supper, won't we?" asked the child, smiling. ' "Trus" ole Mammy Jane foh dat, honey. You shall eat chicken an' gravy and dumplln's while these ole han's can cook 'em foh you." Wash ington Star. Mr. Gunbusta Will you go sailing down the stream of life with me? Miss Avlatola No; but I'll go aviat ing throush life's air with you. Judge. Candy for Children. The average healthy child of ten or 12 should be able to eat of pure candy the equivalent in weight of two or three lumps of sugar after bis midday meal. This, however, should not be given him unless other proper iooda in sufficient quantity are eaten and Bhould never be allowed between meals. Butter taffy and molasses can dy made at home of pure materials are especially to be recommended and may be conslded valuable articles of food. Woman's Home Companion. Mourning, A year Is the shortest length of time to wear mourning for a parent. Some persons wear crepe, or crepe trimmings, for a year and then go Into second mourning, which Is black and white, gray and purple or lavender. Deep mourning may be shortened by wearing crepe for only six mouths, go ing Into the lighter colors of second mourning at the end of that time. In the latter case any colors might be worn after a year One never goes di rectly from crepe Into colors. New York Telegram. Takes Up Equal Suffrage. The University of Pennsylvania is now falling actively into line with the cause of equal suffrage by the formation of a woman's suffrage club among the girl undergraduates. For ty members were enrolled in the first meeting, and the promoters say the movement Is spreading in a most sat isfactory way. The active part that Bcott Nearlng, Instructor In econo mics in the university, has been tak ing in the promotion of the suffragUt cause, has helped greatly to arouse the general Interest of the students, and the U. of P. girls are pledged themselves to further the cause In ev ery way that lies In their power. New York Press. Smuggles Trees, Not Trinkets. Smuggling If trees seems a pecu liar action, but several women have engaged in It not as a business, of course, but on their return from Eu ropean trips. The trees are these at tractive little Dutch cedars for Chri3t mas. In American cities their price Is high, whereas over in Rotterdam Dne fat little trees in the most showy of majolica pots may be bought cheap. A thrifty matron from the Quaker City who was abroad recognized the possibility of such importations, and ihe bought a round dozen before she left Holland. When she disembarked en the side with her little forest, she suavely explained that she was pas sionately fond of green things, and sympathizing friends had presented the plants to aid her In passing the time on the ocean. The customs in spector did not have the courage to suggest the lumber duty applied to such trifles; so In they came. Friends are following Mrs. Penn's example. New York Press. The Small Waist. The dressmakers say that the aver age waist measurement this year 13 8 Inches. Women with good figures own up to 30 inches, and one dress maker who sews for well dressed wo men says that the smallest waist she has fitted in two years is 26 Inches. The 'doctors and health reformers Bhould throw their bats to the sides in Joyfulness. It is they who have preached from the house tops anent the terrifying evils of tight lacing. Fashionable women paid no attention to either cltss. When Paris set down the law for a large waist, women followed it like sheep. Whether this reform is perma nent or temporary, no one knows, not even the corset makers. One thing is certain: it remains In style for this winter. The new cor sets are built on these lines. There is no use trying to pull them In. for they won't pull; and the woman who wants to lace will have to go back a year or two in corsets and get old models. American women are not going to the extreme that the Frenchwomen are in padding the front of the gown at the waist line with an oblong pil low to keep It straight. We allow some curve in at the waist line, but precious little In comparison with the curves of other days. The wonderment of it is that wo men do not care a rap about the size of their waists. All they fret about is the size of their hips, They will go through any martyrdom to keep these on a straight line at back and sides. Not much discomfort is experienced In doing this with the new corset. In truth, it is the most comfortable affair that has been invented and perfected in our time. Dress historians cannot go back to a period since Catherine de Medici evolved the boned stay and Introduced it, to the, world, when It was so easy in At. Even in its Infancy it was perni cious, for de Medici made it a court rule that the waist should be only 13 Inches, and women brought all kinds of ills on themselves by adhering to it. Even Elizabeth of England, who in troduced the stay into British society, allowed a trifle more latitude, for the beef-fed women of Britain were not as easily compressed as the chocolate-fed women of France. It is a far cry from these days to ours, and, while tho map of the world has been changed, the shape of cor sets has remained the same. The email waist died hard and seme women there are who still think the) hour gloss figure Is the mold of form. But they look hopelessly outclassed by the woman with the healthy fig ure. It is ouly in their own minds when before their own mirrors that admiration is to be found. It is rather remarkable to hear the tirades against the extra long corset by those who have not looked into its comfort and Its physical advan tage A great deal is heard of the way the heavy bones bruise the flesh. The truth of It is the bones are not continued beyond the ordinary and comfortable length. The stiffened coutll or b.ocade makes the bandage around the abdo men, and it can be pulled as tightly as a woman wishes, for it is no more or less than the bandage that physi cians often urge every women to wear. It supports the sensitive organs and keeps them from being attacked by cold. It gives a strong support to the lower muscles of the back and the end of the spine. Another comment often heard against the modern way of adjusting the corset is the way that the flesh of the hips and abdomen is drawn up by the hands Into the waist of the cor set. It is true this is done for the pur pose of gaining a better figure, yet physicians endorse it. It keeps the abdomen from sagging, which It Is likely to do when it gets fleshy. Of course, the greatest advantage of all in the present corsets, and the modern silhouette, Is this large waist. When a woman does not try to pull in below 28 inches It means that her waist is not constricted, that her di gestion has free play, and that her di aphragm is left unhindered. Of course there Is the other side. Ther always Is. There are women, usually misguided girls, who attenu ate their figures to a degree of ab surdity. They do without meals, al most lap their corsets, cut their clothes as though they were building a tube Instead of a gown, and are obsessed by the belief that the more they resemble a lead pencil the more fashionable they are. Flesh is bad; none but the Turks uphold it, but the figure that Is reduced to a phantom has not beauty or charm in any coun try at any time. One wants to reduce curves if they become too Insistent, but one must have curves to reduce. It Is difficult to make the American figure look like the French figure, for the latter is famous for what is cleverly called false thinness. It has no muscles to take into consideration; It Is as soft and pliable as a kitten. The American figure, or silhouette, must be Individual and American wo men are making it so. They refuse the padded waist line because, as a rule, their figures are quite straight over the front of the waist. As their shoul ders are wide and straight, therefore ihey do not affect the narrow, droop ing line that is characteristic of the French. With the modern corset, tight at the hips, loose at the waist and nar row at the bust. It would be absurd for them to Indulge in the old method of padding the shoulders. So they adopt the French method without get ting the same effect; that Is, they cut the shoulders right Into the armhole and no further, put In the sleeves without pleats or gathers, and omit canvas. New York Times. Fashion Notes. Quaint is a bag of white suede in a raised pattern of a swan outlined in brilliants. The coming season is to give much importance to thin stuffs of all kinds. High shoes of white buckskin prom ise to be very popular the coming season. Gret round bolster muffs are riv als to the flat and large envelope af fairs. The Russian blouse is one .of the prominent features of advance styles. Flowers for the new hats are lovely when fashioned from tulle, braid and lace. The marabout handbag, which matches the turban, is one of the new est things to arrive. As long as the tunic . remains In vogue border trimming will be con tinue to be liked. The new embrolderd French linens are very attractive and will be used for waists. The newest black silk stockings are embroidered up to the Instep with tiny Jet beads. Quaint is a bag of white suede in a raised pattern of a swan outlined in brilliants. Many a gown will have the skirt made up of a series of ruffles of vary ing length. Dresses of colored embroidery on white will be among the unusual gowns. It is not unusual to find four, five and even si kinds cf lace In com bination on a single gown. Silk and cotton and silk nnd linen mixtures are to be much in evidence in dress materials. The newest theatre bags are of gold cloth with a raised embroidery of gold cord in a pattern. Work with auto coats are gloves of brown or gray chamois or rein deer, with wide gauntlef cuffs. Black and deep blue velvet have been constantly resorted to as becom ing contrasts in Paris neckwear. Some of the white leghorns have the brims facd with black. f f-
Significant historical Pennsylvania newspapers