Fa A BewcatMitc. Bellefonte, Pa., January 9, 1903. WHEN POP SWORE OFF. When Pop swore off last New Year's My Maw was awful glad, Although she sorter cried a bit, But that’s a way she had. Pop said that he'd a done it Jest after Christmas night, Except that he was waitin’ fer New Year's to do it right. When Pop swore off last New Year's It seemed like he was sore. He scolded Maw, and kicked the cat Clean through the kitchen door. An’ as fer me, good gracious ! He licked me good enough, Jest ’cause I asked him how it felt To do without the stuff. When Pop swore off last New Year's, He didn’t smile fer days, But seemed to mope around the house With jest a stony gaze; An’ there was simply nothin’ That you could do for him. I never seen a man so stern, An’ grumpy like, an’ grim. ‘When Pop swore off last New Year's 1t lasted fer a spell, An’ when ne started up again Maw said "twas just as well. 1 guess she knows her business; It made Pop act so queer. I hope he ain’t a-goin’ to do No swearin’ off this year. —S. 8.8. THE DRAMATIC RIGHTS TO “LAUREL CROWNS.” Martin Page, the author of ‘‘Laurel Crowns,’’ sat at his desk, reading his let- ters. These letters were a daily renewed source of some pleasure and more hewil- derment to Martin. He could not realize his own success, of which they were one outcome. His book had been of absorbing interest and enchanting delight to himself. That it was no less interesting and delight- ful to the great world seemed incredible. While he lay awake in the night and plauned it, the book had been no less real to him than his own breathing. During the hours in which subsequently he had . written it, it had yet been as actual and vital to him as the hand which guided the pen; but the moment the hook was publish- ed, he lost it. Instead of the thrilling joy which he had often imagined himself ex- periencing in the presence of his first print- ed book, he had a lonely little feeling to- ward it that made him begin to write a second book. It will be seen that Martin had temper- ament. He also had youth and an almost ohildlike simplicity of outlook. The author of ‘‘Laurel Crowns’’ was kindly to a degree. Seven of his letters were requests for autographs. Martin won- dered why anyone wanted his autograph, but he cheerfully wrote his name seven times. One correspondent requested the authorship of the quotation with which “Laurel Crowns’’ was concluded. She en- closed no stamp, and the quotation was from the quality-of-mercy speech in ‘‘The Merchant of Venice,’’ but Martin courteous- ly wrote a reply. Usually, he had little difficulty in an- swering his letters, but this mail had brought three, each of which demanded much more than a signature, a postage stamp or a slight introduction to the plays of William Shakespeare. Martin read and reread them with increasing embarrass- ment. The first was from his publisher :— ‘‘Dear Mr. Page :—’’ it said, cautiously. “‘If, as we are inclined to understand, ‘Winfield Stone solicits the dramatic rights to ‘Laurel Crowns,” we would strongly ad- vise vou to accept his offer. He is, as you are aware, the most powerful theatrical nianager in the country——'’ and then the publishers reiterated their strong advice. The second letter was brief to the point of curtuess :— ‘‘Martin Page: Dear Sir:—I want the dramatic rights to ‘Laurel Crown.’ **Winfield Stone.” It is obvious that Martin would bave had no dilemma whatever to face had there been no third lester, but there was a third letter. It was written on a small sheet of heavy, white paper, at the top of which, in old- blue ink, were the letters J. C., daintily embossed in a fantastically obscure mono- gram. The handwriting was heavy and black and expansive. To persons who like 40 find a revelation of character in so arbi- trary a thing as chirography, it might have suggested impulsiveness. The letter itself more than suggested impulsiveness. “Dear Martin :(—?? it said, ‘‘Don’t tell me you have already let some one else have the dramatic rights to ‘Laurel Crowns! I want them! The part of Ruth—why did you name her Ruth ?—just fits me, precise- ly fits me; and I want to star in it. Yes, I do! To-day I went up and told Winfield Stone that I was tired leading and wanted to star. Indeed, I did! He looked at me reflectively. I thought he was going to say : ‘Exactly ; and I will star you !” Bat he didn't! ‘I--cannot—star—you—' he began in that drawl which he sometimes uses, and I was so furious that I instantly left the place, without waiting for him to say another word. The idea of his saying he could not star me! Don’t you think I can act well enough to star? The idea of Winfield Stone *‘But I shall star myself, if youn still have the dramatic rights to ‘Laurel Crowns.’ Will you dramatize it—or get some one who is used to dramatizing things ? Let me know instantly, if you still have the rights to ‘Laurel Crowns.’ ‘‘Hastily your friend, Jeannette Curtis.” Martin held the letter in his hand and absently rabbed his thumb over the mono- gram. ‘‘Now, what is a fellow to do?" he interrogated. ‘‘The part of Ruth exaotly fits her! It would be strange if it didn’t ! She is Ruth !"? : He read the letter again. ‘‘Of course, she must have it, if she wants it,”’ he said, simply ; ‘‘but still, a man owes something to his publishers. If Winfield Stone pro- duces it, it will double the sales of the book; and what a blatant idiot people will think I am, if they hear I've refused it to Winfield Stone !’’ His face suddenly flush- ed. “They will say I let Jeannette have it because—1I love her.’”” Martin stopped,and read Jeannette’s letter again, “Well, I do,’’ he said, boldly, ‘but—she wonldn’t want to have everybody saying it. She won’t let me say it, and she doesn’t love me. ‘Your friend,” ”” he read aloud from Jeannette’s letter. ‘‘I wish she wouldn't emphasize it so !”’ Martin took the great manager’s letter in hig other hand. He smiled, grimly. It was go different from Jeannette’'s letter in out- ward semblance and so identical with it in fpirit. | Crowns”’ to large advantage; As he held the letters side by side and stared at them in perplexity, he started. Jeannette’s letter was dated a day in ad- vance of Winfield Stone’s. Martin's face cleared as if my magic. ‘‘I might have thought of that!’ hecried. ‘‘Her’s was written first! Careless girl, she forgot to mail it, as usual ! That settles it I’”” He turned to his desk, and quickly began to reply to the no longer vexatious letters. To Jeannette he said : “My dear girl :—Of course you may have the dramatic rights to ‘Laurel Crowns!’ What do I know about starring? But I think you act well enough to do anything. I’ll dramatize it, or yon can, or we'll get some one to dramatize it, just as you pre- fer.” Martin concluded the letter with several additional betrayals of his naive ignorance in regard to the practicalities of dramatic | affairs. As he had inferred, Martin knew little about starring; but he had known Jeannette Curtis from her childhood. The dramatic rights to ‘‘Laurel Crowns’ were by no means first among his possessions to be hestowed upon her. Martin was aware that Jeannette might not use ‘‘Laurel but he was very gentle, and so he was happy mn the mere giving of his love and his bounty. Taking out another sheet of paper, he wrote to Winfield Stone. His letter was as laconic as the manager's own :— “Winfield Stone: Dear Sir :—I have al- ready disposed of the dramatic rights to ‘Laurel Crowns.’ ‘‘Martin Page.’’ Martin slowly blotted the letter. ‘‘Won’t he be surprised. though !”” he thought. ‘‘He has always had what he said he want- ed. It’s a pity Jeannette has quarrelled with him. He was making her career—and I don’t believe she knows how to star by herself, even in ‘Laurel Crowns.’ ”’ Jeannette’s letter had fallen to the floor. He reached for it, and laughed as he again unfolded it. ‘‘I’ve read it enough times,” he reflected, *‘to know every word of it! ‘Let me know instantly,’ she says. Ididn’t notice that ! Well, I will !”’ He sprang to his feet, seized his letter to Jeannette, and taking his hat, rushed to the door. He threw it open, and then stopped short. A girl, a charming girl, who curi- ously resembled him in appearance, stood at the door, her band lifted in the very act of knocking. She broke into alow, sur- prised laugh. ‘‘Why, Martin, what in the world 77 ghe began. Her voice had a marvelous ringing tone, as soft as it was clear. Winfield Stone had said that this voice was more than half of her professional equipment. “Oh, Jeannette! Won’t you come in ?”’ Martin said. ‘‘I got your letter this morn- ing, and I was just going to get a messenger to take an answer toit.”’ He looked at her, and smiled mischievously. ‘Yon said to les you know instantly,’’ he concluded. Jeannette took the letter from his hand. “I didn’t say anything about your turning yourself into a cyclone over it,”’ she said. She looked up into his face; and then they both laughed. She took the chair at Martin's desk: Opening her letter, she read it. Martin seated himself on an absurd little divan made of a steamer trunk and a Bagdad por- tiere, and watched her. He did not know how strong was the re- semblance between them. Jeannette’s dif- ference in coloring served to conceal it, even from persons more keen sighted than Mar- tin. She was very fair; her face had almost no trace of color, ber eyes were the gray of silver, and her bair was the palest possible brown; but like Martin’s face, Jeaunette’s was particularly eager and vivid. Like Martin’s her eyes were strangely gentle ; but unlike Martin’s, her mouth bad a wist- fulness in its curve, even when she smiled. She looked up from her letter as she read it, and smiled. *“'Ishouldn’t say you did know much about starring,’’ she observed. Martin laughed. ‘'How much do you know about it yourself 2’? he retorted. ‘“Well,”? said Jeannette, meditatively, *‘I don’t know as much as Winfield Stone, —but I’ve made up my mind to star, and star I shall, even if Winfield Stone won’t ?? ghe ceased abruptly, for on Martin’s desk she saw the envelope of Winfield Stone’s letter. She glanced quickly at Martin, but the young man was pushing the cushions of the divan into a heap, and did not see her startled eyes. ‘‘Martin,’”’ she began, warm —-"" Martin turned to her. “You don’t look particularly warm,’ he said, eritically. “‘I like that dull Pompeian color,’’ he added, as he gazed at her linen gown, ‘‘and that hat. Blondes hardly ever have enough ar- tistic sense to wear red touched off with black; they usnally go in for blue and ecru —— But you dont look warm.”’ ““Well—I am.”’ Jeannette insisted. ‘If you can’t take me at my word—'' she added, offendedly. The author of *‘Laurel Crowns’’ laughed. “I can try !”’ he exclaimed. ‘‘Now, how shall I cool you off? A fan? Idon’t own afan! I have it, I'll run over to the cor- ner and get you an ice cream soda !”’ Jeannette’s conscience smote her when Martin had left the room; but she did not call to him to return. She waited until she heard the bang of the elevator door as he closed it ; then she hastily searched among the letters scattered over the desk. She put her own letter impatiently aside, but the publisher’s and manager’s she grasped, and read with parted lips. She found the envelope and the other two ; then she com- pared the post marks. A faint color came into her fair cheeks. ‘‘He got them all in this morning’s mail !"’ she whispered. In her haste she had moved the blotter, which Martin had left over his letter to Winfield Stone. = The letter lav before her eyes, and sheread it. Then she read again “I am very the letter Martin had written to her ; then | she stared unseeingly at the floor for an in- stant, and then he covered her face with her hands, and trembled with a strange ex- citement. ‘‘He loves me! He does really love me! But he shan’t do it! I'll be leading wom- an all my life first! - Winfield Stone wants ‘Laurel Crowns!” Good gracious! Martin’s fortune is made—and he loves me enongh to unmake it! And to think I never wonld believe he loved me at all !”’ Jeannette lifted her shining eyes. She seized her letter to Martin in one hand and Martin’s pen in the other; then, laughing softly, she drew two heavy lines throngh the word ‘‘friend.”” “Think of the time and energy I've wasted making him believe I didn’t love him ! But truly I didn’t think he really loved me, and I conldn’s tell him I did love him !’’ she sighed, happily. “You certainly look warm enough now,”’ Martin remarked, when he returned. ‘‘You look positively overheated. “Tam,’’ Jeannette replied; ‘‘bunt it would take something more than ice cream soda to cool me off! And, anyway, I must go. I’ve decided not to star—that isright away. Winfield Stone knows more ahout it than Ido. I’m going right over to see him now ahout being leading woman again next year.,’ *‘But, Jeannette——'’ said Martin in amazement, Jeannette almost ran to the door. ‘‘Good- by !"? she said. Martin caught her hand. Jeannette’s cheeks paled again. In her hand, she still held her letter to Martin. “Why, Jeannette,”” he cried, as his eyes, led by the rustling of the paper, fell upon the unmistakable blue monogram. She allowed him to take the letter. Half mechanically, he unfolded it. The two lines drawn throngh the word ‘“‘friend”’ flashed before him. ‘‘Jeannette!"’ he ex- claimed. ‘‘Really?"’ Jeannette turned slowly, and looked at him. His gentle eyes shone happily, and her smile had lost its wistfuiness. ‘‘Yes,” she said: and he seized both her hands. **Oh, no, no don’t !"’ she protested ; and again her face was flooded with delicate color. ‘‘I’m going; I must go!” Martin still held her hands. ‘When, Jeannette, when ?’’ he questioned, but Jeannette would not look at him. ‘‘ Please let me go,’’ she hesought him. “But the dramatic rights to ‘Laurel Crowns’ ?’’ he queried. ‘What has that to do with——"’ *‘I am not going to star, and I don’t want them,’”’ she replied, her beautiful voice trembling. “If you don’t let me go this moment, I'll write ‘friend’ in again !’’ she added, suddenly; and Martin let her go. She flew to the door and down the hall to the elevator. The door of the elevator had just been opened; Jeannette swept blindly into it, to the astonishment and very near- ly the annihilation of its one oconpant. *‘I beg your pardon !”’ she exclaimed, without turning her eyes. ‘Good heavens, vou should! You are the most precipitate person I ever knew. First you whirl out of my office, and then LE Jeannette gasped. said breathlessly. ‘‘Exactly,’’ replied the manager, urbane- ly. “Iam going to ask Mr. Martin Page why he doesn’t answer his letters prompt- ly. Young authors are so conceited ! Do you happen to know Martin Page?’ he added suddenly. ‘Know him !”’ cried Jeannette. known him all my life. marry him.” ** What !”’ ejaculated the manager. "Yes, ’” said Jeannette, ‘‘I am; but you may have the dramatic rights to ‘Laurel Crowns’—? ‘‘But,”’ shouted the manager, ‘‘buf, you say | Are you going to retire now, after all I’ve done for you ?”’ *‘Retire ?”’ echoed Jeannette. ‘‘Of course I'm wot going to retire! I'll go yight on being leading woman —"’ The manpager led her from the elevator into the hall, and scrigtinized her face with genuine anxiety. ‘‘Would you object to telling me whether by any chance you have lost your mind ?’’ he said. “Perhaps I have,” faltered Jeannette. “‘I wouldn’t be sure.”’ “Yon told me you wanted to star——’’ ‘And you told me you couldn’t star me,’’ Jeannette returned. ‘‘And you got up, and whirled off, asI have said before. If you had less sudden- ness and more serenity of manner, you would have waited until I bad at least, fin- ished my sentence,’’ the manager drawled. “What I started to say, was that I couldn’t star you, unless I could get the dramatic rights to ‘Laurel Crowns’——"’ “For me?’ cried Jeannette, wildly. ‘Exactly. For whom else? The part of Rath just fits yon —"’ “It certainly does !’* put in Jeannette. “And yon say I may have the dramatic rights—"’ ‘Yes, oh, yes!” “And yet you said you want to go right on being leading woman—-"’ ‘No, I don’t,” Jeannette exclaimed, ex- citedly. ‘‘I don’t! I want to star; I want vou to star me; I want to starin ‘Laurel Crowns’ !"? *‘Then what in heaven’s name is all the trouble about ?’’ the manager demanded, fiercely. Jeannette laughed like a happy child. “*There isn’t any trouble,’ she said with a new and lovelier ring in her rare voice. “‘There isn’t any trouble in the whole wide world !"” And leaving the manager staring after her, she ran down the hall, opened the door withont knocking, and rushing up to the astonished author of ‘Laurel Crowns’ flung her arms around his neck and kissed him. “Winfield Stone is in the ball,’’ she said, ‘and I think you’d better take him out the ice cream soda; he needs something !’’ —By Elizaheth McCracken in The Cosmopol- itan for December. ‘Mr. Stone !’”’ she “T’ve I—I am going to A Present for the President. President Roosevelt has received a New Year’s present from an ardent colored ad- mirer named James Atkinson of Rome, Georgia. It is a wonderfully but some- what crudely carved walking cane which the negro asked the President '‘to please stoop so low as to allow me to present this cane as a New Year's gift.”’ On the cane are carved 103 images. They begin at the top, include, George Washington, Presi- dent Roosevelt, Queen Victoria. Mrs. Ida McKinley, widow of the late President and Christ on the cross. There are fifteen fowls, three dogs, six houses on the cane. The other images include a butterfly. honey bee, housefly, bear, ox, hare, monkey, chair, pot, ax hand and balance, cannon, seven small guns, ship. four flags, a horn, three shrubs, pockes-knife, a sea dog, pig, goat, reindeer head, mule’s head, sword, shoe, book, turtle, giraffe, fish, rose, three links, insignia of the Odd Fellows, chip- munk, sheep’s head, squirrel, Masonic star, heart, moon, umbrella, six figures, six letters, a snake and a rope. Finds Girl After 17 Years. Francis Rosborg Has Reunion With Long-Los Daughter. ; After a search covering 17 years, Francis Roshorg, head of one of the departments of the Pullman company at Chicago, has found the daughter who was secretly taken from him in 1885, when she was a child of 5. and placed in a Boston convent. : The lost daughter is now Mrs. Alfred Boyle, 749 Halsey street, Brooklyn. She was married four months ago to Mr. Boyle, who is connected with the Equitable Lite Insurance company. The long separation was brought about, when in 1885 Mr. Roshoig paid a visit to his former howe in Austria, leaving his wife and child behind. The wife fled during his ahsence, taking the child with her. Last November the danghter saw the story of Roshoig’s search in a daily paper. Correspondence ensued, and after an ex- change of photographs, Roshorg went to Brooklyn and a rennion took place. Additional Endowment for Bucknell. Public announcement was made in Lew- isburg, recently of the snecessful com- pletion of the effort to secure $100,000 additional endowment for Bucknell Uni- versity, The property of the university is now valued ar $1,000,000. The attendance this year is 620. ——Subscribe for the WATCHMAN, L Birds and Their Tales. Origin and Use of an Important Member of the Bird's Body—The First Airbrake. Birds have not always had the graceful fan-like bunch of feathers which is the typical form of tail of most living species. Their ancestors, the lizard like birds, trailed along appendages composed of many | listle hones of vertebrae, with a pair of per- fectly developed feathers growing from each separate piece of the backbone. If we look at the skeleton of the sparrow or dove we will see, at the tail end of the spinal column, a curious wedge-shaped boue, which is known as the plooghshare bone. This is all that is left of the lizard tail, but the rest of the appendage, in the course of its evolutions through the ages, has not dropped off, nor, like the tail of a polly- wog, has it been absorbed. It has heen telescoped or crowded together, the bones nearer the body bulging out slightly, on either side. So at the present day, tail feathers grow, not like the webs on the shaft of the feather; but fanlike fiom a composite mass of bone. Now that we have evolved our modern bird’s tail, let us see to what uses 1t may be put and a fine place to do this is in the New York zoological park. Of course, its use as an aid to flight is the first thought which comes to our mind, and rightly, too, for the parts which is plays in this respect in various birds, are many. The tail is used as a rudder, especially when it is long and powerful, enabling birds such as tropic birds and magpies to make quick turns in the air. Tails somelimes perform the function of brakes. When a great pelican settles gradually toward the surface of the water the tail, widespread and lowered, is of great importance in regulating theshock of alighting. The tail iz aided in this func- tion of brake by the great expanse of web between the toes, both feet being comically stretched out in front. Birds which have very short tails are unable to turn quickly, and their flight is very direct, or even when there is a long tail, if it is principally for an ornament, and not well muscled, it is of little use in helping its owner to change the direction of flight. Among other uses of tails we must men- tion props. Woodpeckers and creepers really sit on their tails, the feathers of which are stiffened, and with just enough resistance at the tips to admit of their bending into and making use of every crevice in the bark. As we watth a brown creeper hop rapidly up a tree trunk, never missing a foothold, no matter what smooth places it may encounter, we sav to our- selves, how impossible this mode of pro- gression would be without the all-impor- taut caudal appendage. But here, as every- where, nature confronts us with surprises. Our natural philosophers tell us that the law of gravitation is universal, and vet in almost every grove of trees in winter, we will find what are apparent exceptions. Associated with the brown creepers, little blue and white birds will often be seen— nut hatecher—which run and hop merrily over the trunks and branches, upside down, wrong side up, any way, any place which promises an insect tidbit. And most won- derful of all, it is only by means of theif eight little claws that they do this, the rather short tail is often bent far forward over the back and in every case never touches the bark. Even the innate characteristics of birds are often portrayed in the manner of carry- ing the tail, quiet, soft mannered birds carrving it low beneath the wing tips, while active, nervous species carry it more or less raised. The peacock’s real tail con- sists of small brown feathers which serve as a support to the magnificent train of feath- ers growing from the lower back. The motmots, birds of Central and South America, not satisfied with baving long decorative tail feathers, proceed to embel- lish farther, and when full grown, pull off the barbs from a portion of each of these feathers, leaving a rounded disk at the tip. Even birds which have been reared from the nest, carrying out this habit through inheritance. The males of certain weaker birds—the window finches—have elegant tails much longer than their bodies. And most gracefully do they carry them, flying through foliage without injuring their long trains in the least. In some birds, as in our meadow lark and vesper sparrow, the central tails of the bird are protectively colored, and when the bird is at rest help to conceal it from observa- tion. The minute these birds take wing, the pure white outer feathers flash out con- spicnously. It is said that these are like the ‘‘cotton tail’’ of the rabbit——a signal to its young, or to other members of the flock, to follow and escape, the older and more experienced birds being stronger and there- fore usually in the lead. The tinamous of South America has no tail at all.— New York Post. > John Mitchell’s Family. Sketch of the Labor Leader's Home Life in lilin- ols. Miss Elizabeth C. Morris, private secre- tary to John Mitchell, writes interestingly in the current Independent on the labor leader’s home’life. Spring Valley, Ill., is his dwelling place. There, in June, 1891, he was married to Miss Katherine O'Rourke, the daughter of a prosperous miner, who was prominent in the local la- bor movement. Mr. and Mrs. Mitchell made and yet re- tain their home in Spring Valley. They have a bright and interesting family of three hoys and a girl, ranging in age from 9} to 3% years. A little son, born about two years ago, and called John Mitchell, died at the age of 6 months. For seven years after their marriage Mr. and Mrs. Mitchell lived the lives of the majority of American people, happy in their home and busy with the training of their children, but with Mr. Mitchell’sele- vation to the vice presidency of the United Mine Worker's came that break iu the home life which seems to be the common fate of men connected with the labor move- ment. Busy traveling from State to State, remaining scarcely long enough in any city to make headquarters there, Mr. Mitchell has been separated from his family practi- cally 11 months of the year since 1898. All the family aie members of the Catho- lic church, and Richard, the eldest, is an altar boy for his father’s Jong time friend. Rev. John F. Power, whose library fur- nished many of the books and whose gen- ial heart prompted many of the lessons that guided the young miner during the foima- tive period of his life. Value of Weather Warning. A Service That Has Cost $1,250,000 a Year Has Saved Millions. At the session of the American Scientific Association last week Prof. Willis L. Moore, Chief of the Weather Bureau, said that it cost $1,250,000 a year to make she forecast; that the frost warnings of a few days ago in Florida saved millions of dol- late to the people of that State, and the forewarning of a single cold wave recently saved shippers $4,000,000. Five Days on a Raft. The Sufferings of the Survivors of a Shipwreck. The stories told by the survivors found on the raft from the Elingamite, which was picked up by H. M. S. Penguin, leave no doubt of the terrible sufferings experienced by those on hoard, says a Wellingten dis- patch in the London Graphic. The raft left the wrecked vessel on Sunday morning with nineteen persons, three of whom were afterward taken off by one of the boats. With the sixteen remaining the raft was still overloaded, the deck was snbmerged, and it was impossible to steer. Once the raft passed within a hundred yards of the shore, but,despite the despair- ing efforts of the people on board, failed to make any headway, and was washed out to sea again. The other raft and some of the boats were more fortunate, and reached the land safely. By the next morning the raft had drifted out of sight of the shore. The only food on hoard cousisted of two apples. On that Monday the sufferings of the cast- aways were dreadful. Their only food was one apple divided into sixteen parts. Oue passenger died that night from exhaustion, and two more were found dead in the morn ing. One of these was Mr. A. G. Ander- son, a representative of the firm of Messrs. Lyburg, Sessie & Co., of Sheffield. On the Tuesday the weather was fine, but the sea was wrapt in mist. The distress of the crew grew in intensity. Reluctantly they cast overhoard the bodies of the dead in order to lighten the raft. Notwithstanding all warnings, some drank sea water. During Tuesday night the castaways saw a steam- er’s light and shouted. A boat was lower- ed, and passed within fifty yards of the afc but missed it in the darkness,and the steam er ultimately steamed away, leaviig those on the raft to their suffering. After this a passenger, who had been drinking sea wa- ter, became light-headed and jumped over- board. On Wednesday morning the twelve sur- vivors ate the second apple and chewed pieces of linen to stay their raging hunger. Before nightfall, occurred another tragedy. A passenger became insane, and. in spite of the «fforts of his companions to restrain him, leaped overboard. During the night yet another followed, singing deliriously as be drifted away, ‘‘O death!” ? Next morning the survivors, soaked with sea water and blistered by the sun, had abandoned all hope. The stewardess, who was the only woman on the raft, and who bad behaved heroically, died that morning and shortly afterward the second steward snccumbed. Four houis later the warship Penguin came in sight and rescued the eight remaining persons. All of them are pio- gressing satisfactorily. Altcgether 149 of the passengers and crew cf the Elingamite have been saved. Three bodies were found on the scene of the wreck, eight died on the raft, and one woman died from exposure. One boat, which is still missing, is sugposed to contain thir- ty persons. The Penguin and another steamer are still searching for it. Portugal To-day. Life Begins Early in the Day in Town and Coun- try. Portugal in all parts being extremely hil- ly, you have, as a rule, only to goa few yards up the road to geta magnificent view wherever you may be. More often you get many magnificent views, stretching far away among hills and pines, with winding white roads and patches of white houses as far as youn can see. The hills are great hills snow-clad for months of the year, and an incredible purple for the rest. The maize fields supply the bright green that might be missed in a country where grass will not grow, and you can look atalmost any view without being confronted with its possibil- ities as a signed engraving at a guinea each. But the whole is curionsly reminiscent of the Japan that Mortimer Mempes brought home to us recently. Life begins early in the day, whether in town or conntry—a suggestive state of af- fairs in connection with a people fabled as lazy and shiftless. Long before youn think of rising yourself you may hear the fish- wives crying their wares, and if you go on to the veranda in the sunshine of the morn- ing you will probably find that the street is bright with gay garments. Hours ago the fisherman from DMattozinhos and Leca, hoisted brown lateen saiis to their peaked boats after a night’s toil on the Atlantic fringe, and having crossed the bar are shov- ing their thole pinned oars through the wa ter as they come on the tide to the market. The shore-side gang is carrying hacalhao— dried, evil-smelling codfish from Newfound- land—in loads up the steep slope of the Rua Santa Catharina, and the ubiquitous Welsh schooners from Port Madoo have re- sumed the labor of taking the ballast. More ballast seems to go to Port Madoc than to any other place in the wcrld—at least you are inclined to think so as youn watch the stream of laughing, singing girls passing to and from the barges to the ship with their astonudingly heavy loads poised on their heads. Then, under your veranda, comes the sonnd of slow - moving, greaseless, wheels, and an ox-cart creaks up the hill as lazily as willing oxen will let it to an intermittent admonition of ‘‘E-e-Bue-e-e’’ and the pinpricks of an ox-goad. By these things you may know that Portugal is awake.—London Post. Four Eclipses this Year. In the year 1903 there will be four eclipses, two of the san and two of the moon, as follows : 1. An annual eclipse of the sun, March 28.29, visible to Alaska and the greater pars of Asia. 2. Partial eclipse of the moon, April 11, visible more or less to North and Sounth America, Europe, Asia, Africa and the Atlantic ocean. Eclipse begins 5.39 p. m. Middle of eclipse 7.18 p. m. Moon leaves shadow 8.56 p. m. Ends 10.05 p. m. 3. A total eclipse of the sun Septem- ber 21, invisible. Visible to southern part of Africa, the southern edge of Aus- tralia and the South Indian ocean. 4. A partial eclipse of the moon Octo- ber 6-7, invisible. Visible in part to the western coast of North America, Europe and Africa, and wholly to Australia and Asia. Jack the Kisser Caught and Beaten by Disguised Men. “Jack the Kisser,”’ who has heen terror- izing women and girls in Homewood, Pitts- burg, for a couple of months, was caught and badly beaten by two Braddock athletes disguised as women recently. The youths were Roy Shaffer and David Herrington and they were accosted by a strange man who pursued one of the apparently fright- ened ‘‘girls,”” planting a kiss on ‘‘her’’ face, when he received a blow from behind that nearly broke his neck. The other ‘girl’? then knocked him down by a blow between the eyes. The miscreant fought desperately, but after he had been given a good drubbing he was allowed to go on promise not to molest any more women. RE Theosophy. What the Members of the Strange Cult Believe The Tingley-Times libel case seems to have revived an interest in theosophy which has been lying dormant since the death of the notorious Madame Blavatsky. Her teacup | miracles, so amusingly caricatured by Kip- ling, in one of his early stories, and the clever jugelery of which she pretended to annihilate time and space, probably encom- pass all that the average reader knows of Esoteric Buddhim. But as a background of all this nonsense there lies a very ancient. philosophy, strange and mystical, which gives a certain dignity to the cult, and makes it possible to understand how men of intellect and education have been drawn into the brotherhood. From Buddah’s time till now the esoteric science referred to has been jealously guarded as a precious heritage belonging exclusively to regularly initiated members. of mysteriously organized hedies. To gain the supernatural powers. suppcsed to be possessed by a- Mahatma, the initiated must live an ascetic and blameless life for many years. The ascetic then, purified and per- fected, begins to practice supernatural fac- ulties. He finds himself able to pase through material obstacles, walls, ramparts. ete., he is able to throw his phantasmal ap- pearance, or astral body, into many places at once. He acquires the power of hearing sounds of the unseen world as distinctly as those of the common earth, and he can also read the most secret thought, of others. Last of all he can annihilate time and space as Madame Blavatsky pretended to do. So much for the miraculous po wers pos- sessed by an initiated brother, who has be- comg an adept in esoteric science; his phil- osophy or religion is not so easy to explain. He expects to reach, through a series of earthy incarnations, protracted, perhaps, through uncountable centuries, a state of perfect spiritual being known as Nirvana. Before reaching Nirvana, however, he stops and casts a backward glance. From this high spiritual plane he can look over the curious masquerade of earthly existences, even over the minutest details of any of these earth lives. This state is spoken of in esoteric literature as the threshold of Nirv- ana, and even here the almost spiritually perfect brother may linger for incalculable ages. Then comes Nirvana-a sublime state of conscious rest and omniscience. The philosophy or religion is not without a certain mystic beauty, aside from the ab- surdities of the ocenlt science. But it was the supposed possession of supernatural fac: ulties which enabled Madame Blavatsky to dupe ber many victims, and which has, of late years, given Mrs. Catharine Tingley complete authority over the California brotherhood. As the evidence brought forth: by the libel suit shows, she helieves that. she has, while still inhabiting her earthly body, reached a state of spiritual perfection which renders her divine. In other words, she is a Buddhesta,or earthly manifestation: of the power and perfection of Gautama- Buddha. Killed by a Trolley Car. Tragedy Which Occurred Near Lancaster Sunday. Jacob Zook, an Omish farmer, residing near Eden, two miles east of Lancaster, was driving from church on Sunday with his two daughters, Fanny, aged 18, and Katie, aged 9, at noon Sunday and was in view of his home when a trolley car crashed into his team, killing Fanny instantly and inflicting serious injuries upon Mr. Zook and his younger daughter. The accident occurred at a grade crossing: on the New Holland turnpike, where the view is obstructed by a house. The motor- man sounded his gong as he approached the crossing, but Mr. Zook did not hear it until too late to stop his horse, which was a spirited animal and going at a lively pace. His horse crossed the tiack safely but the car struck the wagon fairly. Mr. Zook, who was on the front seat, fell clear of the tracks, and Katie, seated with her sister in the rear of the wagon, also was thrown out of reach of the wheels. Fanuy was caught in the wreckage and shoved along the track for several hundred feet before the car could be stopped. Her body was horribly multilated, with the skull crushed and both legs cut off. Katie sustained a frac- ture of the leg and severe scalp wounds. She and her father, who was badly cut about the head, was taken to St. Joseph's hospital. Both are believed to be hurt internally. . Last summer Mr. Zook’s barn wasstruck by lightning and destroyed, and a short time ago his wife died. Lost To Friends 15 Years. Indiana Man Turns Up And Begins Paying His Debts. Fifteen years ago James Christy, of Ful- ton county, Ind., asked a neighbor to goin bashing with him in Fletcher lake, and the- two entered the water just after dark. After a few minutes Christy called to his friend that he bad cramps, and asked him to: go for assistance. When the friend return- ed Christy had disappeared. The lake was dragged several times, but the body was. not recovered. A year later Mrs. Christy sold her prop- erty and moved away, and the’ incident was forgotten except hy a number of per- sons whom Christy owed. Friday Christy appeared at his old home- and began paying the old scores. He laughed over his disappearance and said that when his friend went after help he swam to the opposite side of the lake, put on some clothes that he had concealed there and went to Illinois, where he started anew and prospered. © The Biggest Liar. A clergyman passing through a village street saw a number of boys surrounding a. dog. Thinking that some cruel deed was in progress, the clergyman bastened to- wards the boys and asked what they were doing. One of the lads replied that they were telling lies, and the boy who told the biggest lie would get the dog. The olergy- man was shocked at such depravity, and began to lecture them on the sin of lying, aud concluded his remarks by saying, *‘why when I was a little hoy I never told lies.’” The boys were silent for a second, when one of them said, sadly, ‘Hand him the dog.’” State Will Build Bridges at Lewls- burg. The state board of property has decided to build the new bridge over the Susque- hanna at Lewishurg, authorized by the legislature of 1901, without delay, and the plans will be drawn at once. The bridge will he about 1,200 feet long and will be constructed of steel with stone abutments. The construction of this bridge has been advocated for years and the bill for its eon- struction, which was passed in 1901, is the only one which puts eonstruction of a state bridge into the hands of the board of prop- erty. The other bridges have heen built under direction of the board of public huild- ings and grounds.
Significant historical Pennsylvania newspapers