Bellefonte, Pa., Aug. 25, 1905.
EE ESR,
MRS. PUFFER'S CONVERT.
When the bridegroom cometh will your robes
be white?
Are you washed in the blood of the Lamb?
Will your soul be ready for the mansions
bright?
Are you Washed in the blood of the Lamb?
The voice of Mrs. Puffer rose high and
joyously as she sang the words of thc re-
vival hymn to a martial air. When I
entered the laundry she was bending over
the washboard, keeping time with her arms
as she washed, and sang in a voice not un-
pleasant to the ear:
Are you washed in the blood—
In the soul-cleansing blood of the Lamb?
Are your garments spotless? Are they white as
snow? ]
Are you washed in the blood of the Lamb?
“La, good-morning, ma’am! Ain’ I the
noisy one? Puffer says I'd make a good
Salvation Army captain, becanze I’d make
so much racket. I tell him I might be
something a good deal worse. I know a
good deal about the work of the Army,
and I tell you they do some real good.
Still, I ain’t no mind to put on one o’ them
unbecomin’ scoop-shovel bunuits and go
round thumping on a banjo for the benefit
of the heathen here to home. That ain’t
my forty, and yet I do want to be of some
good to others in the world. What do you
think o’ this big revival movement that
seems to have broke out in spots all over
the land?”’
“I pelieve in it, Mrs. Puffer, and I think
it is needed.”’ -
“Well, I just guess! I don’t take no
stock in this talk that the world is goin’
plumb to rack and ruin, and that it never
wae 80 bad asitis to-day. But the Lord
knows it’s bad enough and there's full
need of all that good folks are doin’ to
make it better! The devilment that there
is runnin’ rampant in this big city calls
for a revival sure enough! An’ drink is at
the bottom of a lot of it. La, I could
freeze the young blood in your veins and
barrer up your feelin’s till you’d most faint | I
if I was to tell you all I know of the drink
curse right in the neighborhood I live in!
But I won’t. I’ve been goin’ to some
revival meetin’s in a mission near my
house ev’ry night for more’n a week.
“Puffer says he expects me to sprout
winge soon, and I sass back by tellin’ him
that it wouldn’t e’prise me none if he
eprouted horns. But of course neither of
us mean it. It’s just the fool way men
and women have of complimentin’ each
other when they’ve been married as long
as Puffer and me have. Ain’t it right queer.
that a man who would just about lay
down his life for his wife loves to say tor-
mentin’, eneerin’ little things to her, while
a woman who would murder anyone that
said things ag’in’ her husband never says a
decent thing to him herself? Funny, ain’t
it?
‘It is strange.”
“What in time makes us do it? Is it
this thing called ‘hereditary’ or ‘environ.
ment’ or something like that? It ain’ just
clear to me what them things mean; bus I
reckon that a man I heard talk the other
night hit it off all right when he said that
hereditary was what a man blamed his
father and mother for, and environment
was what he laid onto his wife and ohil-
dren. I reckon he meant by that that we
always try to shift the responsibility for
our own devilment off onto some one else.
But about these here revival meetin’s. You
been to any of ’em?’’
‘‘Yes, to several.”’
‘Well, the ones I’ve been to have been
real upliftin’, and I ain’t a mite o’ doubt
but that they have done a lot o’ good.
And, as I say, there’s bowlin’ need of it.
This revivalist where I went is of the kind
I like. He builds up all the time, instead
o’ tearin’ down. I mean by that that he
he ain’6 allus pitchin’ into other folks’s
religion an’ tellin’ ’em it ain’t good for
nothin’ and they can’t get into Heaven
even over the back fence with it. And he
ain’t no sissy preacher whose very looks
shows that he’s primped before the glass
balf an hour before he come to church.
And he talks as a man should talk. There’s
nothin’ meachin’ about him, and he’s got
somethin’ to say—a real message—and
that’s what men are ready to hear from a
real man. He’s doin’ good, that man is!
He’s makin’ a man out o’ Jim Haley.”
*‘Who is Jim Haley.” .
She wiped the suds from her muscular
red arms and dried them on her apron as
shesaid:
“Jim Haley? Lord bless you, ma'am,
he’s my convert! Anyhow that’s what the
revivalist calls him, and it’s a real comfort
to me to feel tbat I bave had a part in
belpin’ to bring Jim into ‘the marvelous
light,’ as they call it. And I have faith to
believe that Jim will stick. He will, if I
and this here revivalist can help him to.
And if be does, it will be a modern mara-
cle, and one as great as them old maracles
about the loaves and the fishes and the
turning of water into wine. Ob, you don’t
have to hark away back to the time when
the Lord walked the earth to discover
maracles! There's lots of em happenin’
all the time right here on our earth, and if
Jim Haley holds out thas will be one. It'll
be literally takin’ a man up out o’ the
gutter and makin’ a man out o’ him, for
I’ve seen Jim Haley actually in the gutter
and the street Arabs peltin’ him with mud
balls, and him too beastly full to help
hisself, and I’ve helped him to his
feet and to his tenement myself to
keep him from bein’ run in. Disgustin’,
ain’f it?’,
*‘Is certainly is, Mrs.Puffer.’’
“Ain’t¢ it though? Tarrible! Well, at
the first 0’ the jrevival meetin’s I went to
the preacher asked all that would promise
to bring some unconverted person that
needed convertin’ mighsy blamed bad to
the meetin’ the next night to hold up their
hands, and I held up my band. Of course
that was a promise, and one I felt bound
to keep; so next day I begun to look round
to see who needed to be converted; and I
didn’t have to look far. Of course I had to
sweep up my own dooryard firs, and I
ain’t a mite ashamed to say that I gos right
down on my prayer bones and asked the
Log to make me better to start out
with.
‘Then I thought o’ Jim Haley, pore
thing! He’s a real smars young married
man with a wife and two real nice little
boys, one four and the other two years old,
and—well, the stork is likely to light down
in Jim’s tenement most any time now.
And under such circumstances a man is in
duty bound to hark back to what be prom-
ised on bis weddin’-day, and not go and
git full. Jim isa plamber by trade, and
such a good one he kin make his thirty
dollars a week ev'ry week in the year that
he'll keep sober; but he’s got to workin’
two days and spreein’ the other four, and
that means that he’ll soon be out o’ work
the aisle with me.
altogether, for it will come to be known
thas he ain’t to be depended upon.
‘‘He’s a real nice, lovable chap when he
ain’t in licker, and when he is—well,
back, everybody! Talk about holy serrorsl
If Sim Haley ain’t one when he’s full, e
dunno who is. More than once his wifr
and babies have come runnin’ for their
lives into my tenement, and him a man
that wouldn’t lay a band on ’em when he’s
gober. Don’t you think he needs either
convertin’ or a hosswhip?’’
‘*He does indeed.”
‘But yon look at the other side. His
wife is one o’these slack, frettin’, dawdlin’,
whimperin’ women, oue o’ the kind that
meets a man when he comes from his hard
day’s work in an old calico Mother Hub-
bard, her hair in crimpin’-pins or curl-
papers, no collar on, the children dirty, the
house topsyturvy, the supper half-cooked
and flung on the table just anyway, and
while he eats it she sete and complains
about the children or what she has bad to
put up with all day, and what a good time
she had before she was married; baker’s
bread and pie on the table and sometimes
no cloth. Say, don’t you think there was
need o’ two conversions in that bouse?’’
“1 do.”
“I tell you, ma’am, there’s often need o’
two conversions or two hoss-whippin’s in
drunkards’ homes, and, glory be! I think
it likely that there’ll be two in Jim Haley’s
house. There's gob to be if Jim is to stick
to his conversion.
“But I'm gittin’ ahead o’ my story.
You see I1aid for Jim the next evenin’.
IfI was thirty years younger and Puffer
was capable o’ bein’ jealous o’ me, which
he ain’t nor never was, he might o’ been
jealous over the way I haunted the door-
way of our tenement-house the next even-
in’, layin’ low for Jim Haley. He never
stays at home an evenin’, drunk or sober.
How could he be expected to? I know he'd
be comin’ out about seven o'clock, and
when he did I nabbed him.
‘Jim,’ says I, ‘I want you to domea
favor. Will you?
‘““Well, he was sober as a jedge that
night, and a more obligin’ man never lived
than Jim Haley when he’s sober, and he
says real hearty-like: ‘I'd be glad o’ the
chance to do you a favor, Susan Paffer.
Yon’ve done me many a good turn, and
I’l1 do you any favor I can.’
““That’s a promise, isn’t it, Jim?’ says
“641% is,’ he says; ‘and I'll stick to it.’
“Phen,” says !I, ‘youn’ll go to church
with me to-night. Come right along,
young man.’
“Well, he was tuck back, now I tell
ou! '
i“Why, why,’ says he, ‘I—I—I ain’t
been $0 church for years and years.’
«All the more reason why you should
gonow,’ says I. ‘You promised you’d do
me a favor, Jim, and I know you'll stick
to your word.’
‘‘He said he would—to tell the plain
truth, heswore that be would—and he did,
and I marched into that meetin’ with my
promise of the night before kept and a man
in terrible need o’ conversion walkin’ down
You b’leeve in prayer
don’t you, ma’am?’”
“Most assuredly I do, Mrs. Puffer.”
“So doI. Well, I just set in that meet-
in’ prayin’ with might and main for Jim
Haley and his wife,” for she needed it bad
ashe did. And I set there and prayed
that that preacher might say just the word
that poor, sinful, licker-cursed soul by my
side needed, and he said it—yes, he did!
And i6 took right hold o’ Jim, and what
do you think? When the invitation come
for them that would like to be prayed for
to rise Jim shot right up, and when he set
down I give his hand a good squeeze, if he
was another woman’s husband. He stayed
to the alter-meetin’, and I saw to it that
the preacher had a word with him, and I
had a good talk with him on the way home,
and the next day I had one with his wife,
and, what was more to the purpose, I took
bold and give the tenement the best clean-
in’ it had ever had. Of course I had the
good excuse that she wa’n’t fit to do if at
that time,and she wa’n’t and that it ought
to be done before the stork arrived. Then
when the four rooms was all sweet and
clean I says to her, says I:
‘Letty, the house looksso nice you
ought to slick yourself up to match it—
vou and the children. Come, I'll scrub
the children and dress ’em up while you
slip on that blue-cloth dress o’ yours and
that pretty white apron some one give you
Christmas.” She kind o’ fell in with the
idee, and then I made the excuse that she
didn’t look strong enough to fly around
gittin’ supper, so I got it myself, and pat
it pipin’ hot on the table when
I heard Jim on the stairs, S’prised? I
never see a man more 8’prised. He just
stood there in the doorway with his tin
dinner pail in his hauds and looked around
dazed-like. Then what do you think he
did? He marched right over to where
Letty was settin’ in a big rockin’-chair
lookin’ real purty—she is very purty—and
he stooped over and kissed her, and then
grabbed up the babies and kissed them,
and I could see somethin’ shinin’ on his
eyelashes and I—well, I lit out.
‘‘Well, Jim went to church with me
ag’in that night, and he went right for-
ward with the others when the usual invi-
tation was given, and I could see that the
Spirit was strivin’ mightily with him. The
next day I bad a real good talk with
Letty.
‘Letty,’ says I, ‘that man’s future lays
purty largely within yon. He’s a man to
’preciate a nice tidy home and a tidy wife
and children and real home comforts,’ says
I. ‘Now’, says I, ‘you just keep your own
little troubles to yourself for awhile, and
be real cheerfnl and smilin’ and keep the
home nice and invitin’, and see if Jim
don’t prefer it to the street or the grog-
shop,’ says I. I told her I'd run in and
help her some ev'ry day until she was
stronger, and that we must do ali we
could to reclaim Jim now, or I was
afeerd he’d never’d be reclaimed. I
talked religion to her. Faot is, I had a
listle prayer-meetin’ with her—just us two.
Of course prayer and faith and works
should all go together, so ‘I helped Letty
get another good supper for Jim, and we
ad the house all in applepie order when
he got home.
‘“You have to be a little foxy,even ‘when
you are in the convertin’ bizoess; but, as
the old sayin’ is, the end justifies the
means. Well, the upshot of it all is that
Jim goes to meetin’ with me ev’ry night,
and Letty is goin’ when she’s able, so I'm
likely to have two converts to my credis,
and I tell yon, ma’am, that there’s a day
comin’ when it will be wu’th somethin’
to have the savin’ of a human soul to one’s
credit—or as much of it to one’s credit as
it is posssble for her to have. I b’leeve
that Jim Haley is a converted man this
day, and I b’leeve he’ll hold out. If he
does, it will be the best job I ever had a
band in. Makin’ fun o’ real religion is
mighty small bizness, and no one ever
does it when they know from experience
what it can do for a pore sinburdened and
storm-tossed soul. Ain't I right?”
‘I am sure yon are.’’
I went up to my room, and from the
laundry there came up to me faintly, like
the soand of a far-away melody, the sonnd
of Susan Puffer’s voice singing:
Down at the cross where I first saw the light—
+ Glory to His Name!
Down at the cross with the Crucified—
Glory to His name?
—By J. L. Harbour.—Sunday Magazine
for August 6, 1905.
Champion Girl Swimmer Wants to Beat
Yankees.
“Do you think the Americans will like
my swimming?’’ This question was asked
under somewhat remarkable circumstances.
It came from Miss Annette Kellermanon, of
Australia, who bad just got well started on
her recent long distance swim in the River
Thames, England. During this journey
she completely overshadowed all previons
performances under similar conditions—in-
cluding that of Capt. Webb—making 13 1-4
miles in three hours and 54 minutes and
16 seconds.
While thus creating a new world’s record
the Australian girl found no difficulty in
carrying on a most animated and interest-
ing conversation with the New York Press
correspondent, who, with her father and of-
ficial time keeper,occupied a launch which
kept about an oar’s length away from the
fair swimmer. Miss Kellermann began her
phenomenal swim with a dive off historic
Putney bridge, and in spite of the distance
and the fact that she had talked nearly all
the way, was the freshest member of the
party when she got out of the water at
Blackwell Pier and ingenuously demanded
something to eas.
COMING IN SEPTEMBER.
This Australian girl is carious to know
how her swimming will be regarded by
Americans as she expects to visit the Unit-
ed States in September. :
Miss Kellermann, who is now only 19,
has never been defeated in any contest of
long distance swimming or artistic diving,
either by man or woman. So far her rec-
ord is one continuous report of victories. At
15 she won the amateur mile championship
of Australia in still water in 29 minutes,
which was three minutes and 49 seconds
faster than any woman in the world has
done. She then made2 1-4 milesin 46
minutes and 30 seconds. When she had
acquired all the amateur Australian cham-
pionships Miss Kellerman became a pro-
fessional. In the last three years she has
won every Australian long-distance swim,
making five miles in one hour 48 minutes
and 34 seconds, and 10 1-4 miles in four
hours and 23 minutes. So far her other
speed records are 100 yardsin 1 minute and
18 seconds, the best ever made by a woman;
and a quarter mile in seven minutes and
two seconds, although she prefers the long-
distance tasks. She is also the holder of
many championship prizes won in diving
contests.
DAINTY AND WELL EDUCAETD.
With it all she has found time to educate
herself greatly beyond ber years. She has
an intense admiration for things American
and she is looking forward with aoncom-
mon interest to her coming visit to the
United States.
The Australian girl’s beautifully model-
ed limbs and remarkably well developed
shoulders have nothing masculine about
them, but leave no doubt of their strength.
The movement of her hands and feet when
in the water is good to contemplate. Her
feet are small, instep high, and as they
move throogh the air during a dive resem-
ble those of a Parisian premiere danseuse.
The activity of this 148-pound, 5-feet 7-
inch young woman betokens an immense
nervous energy, under perfect control. This
same characteristic is notable in Miss May
Sutton, the American tennis champion.
Both girls are cool and decisive in action,
quick witted, educated and refined.
LOVES DANCING AND TENNIS.
Out of the water Miss Kellermann would
be taken for an American product,so close-
ly does she resemble the outdoor sport-lov-
ing college girl. In dress her taste is de-
cidedly American. After being assured that
there could be no doubt of the favor with
which she would be received in the United
States, Miss Kellermann told me much of
herself and her ambitions. Daring this
nearly four hours conversation she chatted
with the greatest comfort and ease, not
once changing her stroke of pace—a truly
remarkable performance.
‘Training?’ she asked. ‘‘Well I doso
little it is hardly worth mentioning. Iam
a great believer in proper development. For
instance, I practiced ballet dancing for two
years. Privately, though, for I would not
for worlds dance a ballet in public. But
you have no idea how useful dancing has
been to me, particularly in diving. I know
of no other method to train the muscles so
the feet may take on the suppleness of the
hands. Then I’m very fond of tennis and
have won several championships, but do not
play; as I dance, to help my swimming.
When there is a semblance of training re-
quired I usually run a few miles for sever-
al days before a contest. Otherwise, I do
not believe in doing too much. It wears
one down. I eat the same things other peo-
ple do,but only take one drink of any kind
of liquid each day. This helps the wind.”
WILL CHALLENGE ANY MAN.
“What do you think of the relative
speed merits of men and women ia the
wate1?’’ I asked.
‘It’s no use for a woman to try and bea
a man at short distances. That is a ques-
sion of brute strength. But for long dis-
tances I certainly favor my sex, because we
have more patience. I am willing to swim
any man in the world at any distance more
than 10 miles. I dohopel will be able to
get some of your American champions to
try a long-distance with me.”’
California’ Fruit Wealth.
Whether classed as small fruits, or ses in
a class by themselves, the ambrosial grapes
of the country call for thirteen thousand
fruit cars, each oarrying 15 tons, to take
the lascicus bunches from the vineyards to
she market place.
Raisins, first produce in 1867, became of
commercial note in 1873. This branch is
carried'on in California only. It takes
from three to four pounds of grapes for one
pound of raisins, and production in recent
. Jan has ranged close to one hundred mil-
on pound of raisins annually. The price
of grapes at the vineyards has changed
greatly. In New York thirty years ago
the price was five to six cents per pound.
From 1896 to 1901 about six-tenths of a
Sent, Sales have Jeep hy much low-
er prioes. n ornia good grape land
costs about $200 per acre; cultivation, $40
to $75 per acre; returns range from $125 to
$500 per acre. Many California vineyards
contain five hundred acres each. The larg-
er ones cover from one thousand to two
thousand five hundred acres each. That of
the late Leland Stanford was over seven
miies long,and contained nearly five thous-
and acres. — F. W. Hewes, in Harper's
Weekly.
——Sabecribe for the WATCHMAN.
A Sirange Community.
A community which closely approxi-
mates Bellamy’s ‘Looking Backward’ is
Cosme, a little settlement near Assuncion,
Paraguay, described by Wilhelm Laemann
in the Leipsir Gronzboten. Equality, de-
mocracy and community of wealth are the
principles on which it was founded in 1894
by a split in a colony of Australian immi-
grants to Paraguay. ‘‘The houses of the
settlers lie together and form a small vil-
lage, and are small, pretty and clean, they
have only one story and are built of boards
and shingled or rooffed with mazega grass.
The roof hangs clear over theside walls and
is supported by posts, a detail which al-
lows for 2 wide verunda—a most welcome
adjunct in the hot weather. On one sile
of the house is asmall outbuilding which
contains the kitchen, and every house bas
its garden.
“Up to the present the dwelling houses
cover only a quarter of the space which has
been reserved for the village, and when
Herr Lacmann visited the place there were
some 20 houses occupied and 108 incounrse
of erection. In time the buildings will
form a large square, which will lie ahout a
larger square. In addition a number of
smaller public places have heen provided
for, which will lie, as those already in ex-
istence, hetween the houses. There is an
absolute community of goods in Cosme, the
only exception being that objects of house-
bold or personal use—furniture, cooking
utensils, clothing and food—remain the
property of their users. When one enters
the colony he must bring his entire proper-
ty in with these exceptions. When, how-
ever, one wishes to withdraw he does not
receive back the amount of his contribu-
tion, but only the amount which ocorres-
ponds to bis share for the last working per-
i i
Every one must go through a probation
of one year, and before this period is
completed no membership is obtained nor
any contribution of goods made. Every
applicant upon entering must pay the treas-
ary $25 for each adult member of the fam-
ily and half of this amount for each child.
If then the probationers decide not to re-
main in the colony their expenses to Buen-
0s Ayres are paid, but this is not done un-
less the applicant remains in the colony
three months. The only requirements are
that the applicant be strong and healthy.
*‘Under no circumstances are colored per-
sons admitted.”
A Warning Shot.
One of the strange incidents of war, es-
pecially during a state of siege, is the
friendly relations which exist hetween ene-
mies when off duty. At one moment the
soldiers of the opposing armies will be
chatting sociably and exchanging favors,
the next—shooting each other down as
deadly foes. A little incident told by Mr.
Ripley in his *‘Story of Company F,’’gives
a glimpse of a genial interlude in the grim
civil war.
Daring the siege of Petersburg it was the
custom for the opposing pickets to grant
temporary truces for the purpose of prepar-
ing food. Half an boar, perhaps, would be
agreed upon, and its limit would be scru-
pulonsly observed when ‘‘time’’ was call-
ed. Thenevery man would hurry un-
der cover.
On one occasion a Confederate was slow
to respond to the warning. He, toall ap-
pearances, did not realize that he was in
sight. While the others hurried to their
posts, he sat quietly blowing bis coffee and
munching his hardtack. Fortunately for
“him, he was in plain sight of a sentinel less
bloodthirsty than some. This man thought
it only fair to give him further warning.
“I say Johnny,” he shouted, ‘‘time’s
up! Get into your hole!’
“All right,’”’ replied
blowing his coffee.
‘Just hold that cup still a minute and
I'll show you whether its all right or not!’
shouted the sharpshooter.
The confederate began to suspect that he
was in fact visible,and he held his cup still
for an instant as he looked np and around.
This afforded the desired opportunity for
the sharpshooter. With a well-sent bullet
he knocked the cup clean out of the own-
er’s hand. With sudden agility the sur-
prised Confederate made haste to disappear
amid the jeers and langhter of both lines of
pickets.
“Johnny,” still
\
Great Grangers’ Picnic.
The 320d annual greats Grangers’ picnic
exhibition will be held at Williams’ Grove,
August 28th to September 20d, 1905. This
is undoubtedly the largest and finest dis-
play of farm machinery held in the east.
The beauty of the exhibit is that so much
of it is running. Saw mills, shingle mills,
threshing machinery, traction engines and
encilage cutters galore are all shown in
operation. A splendid stock exhibit is
promised. The auditorinmn will be attrac-
tive as usual. Daring the day addresses
by leading Grangers and agriculturists.
Tuesday and Wednesday evenings illustras-
ed lectures by Frank R. Roberson. Thurs-
day and Friday evenings musical and
literary entertainments by the hest of
Chautauqua talent. Major R. H. Hender-
shot and son the most wonderful drummers
and fifers in the world. Everything first
class, Tickets good from August 23rd to
September 6th,atlow rates on all railroads.
Consult your nearest ticket agent.
Farmers Will Enforce Trespass Laws.
The beginning of the fruit season and
the near approach of the time for hunting
has caused the usual annoyance to farmers
from persons strolling over their farms.
Some of the farmers have already provided
themselves with trespass notices and will
make things interesting for those who
come on the farms. Under the recent tres-
pass law, it is much easier to convict per-
sons for trespassing than under the old
law, and the new law will be enforced, if
the annoyance becomes as great as it has
generally been in the past years. The mere
facs of one invividual going on land owned
by another constitutes a olear case of tres.
and throws the tres r liable to
conviction and a fine. In faot, there is no
escape from conviction, if it is shown that
he has been on the land. Those who de-
light in going to the country, would do
well to look up the law and not forget its
provisions.
——There are many ouariosities of the
mosquito. A correspondent of the Chicago
Record-Herald, writing from Colorado
Springs, reports that mosquitoes are found
in mines 1,200 and even 1,500 feet below
the surface of the earth. ‘‘Experienced
miners tell me,”’ he writes, ‘‘that the mos-
quitoes sometimes become so bad that the
men are unable to work. This phenom-
enon occurs only in shafts and tunnels
where there is stagnant water, but the sur-
rounding country is entirely arid—as dry
as a bone—withont any swamps or ponds
or other places where mosquitoes might
breed. Mosquitoes are scarce in high alti-
tudes simply for that reason, and hence it
is a mystery where those came from that
are found in the mines.”’
EE ——_—_—__—_———,,—,ee ee
CHANCES OF PEACE ARE IMPROVED
President Rooeevelt Makes Last Effort to Effect Com-
promise.
Portsmouth, N. H., Aug 21.—The
chances of peace have undoubtedly
been improved by President Roose-
velt’s action in stepping into the
breach in a last heroic endeavor to
induce the warring countries to com-
promise their “irreconcilable differ-
ences,” but the result is still in sus-
pense.
The Associated Press is able to an-
nounce that the feature of the propo-
sition of President Roosevelt, com-
municated through Baron de Rosen to
Mr. Witte, and transmitted by the
latter to Emperor Nicholas, was based
upon the principle of arbitration.
Whether the proposal contemplates ar-
bitration of all the articles upon which
the plenipotentiaries have failed to
pgree or only upon the question of in-
demnity, cannot be stated with posi-
tiveness, but it is more than probable
that it relates only to indemnity or to
indemnity and the cession of the
island of Sakhalin. Neither is it pos-
sible to say whether the president has
yet made a similar proposition to Ja-
pan. Acceptance by both sides would
involve a great extension of the prin-
ciple of arbitration, as nations have
heretofore declined to arbitrate ques-
tions involving their “honor and dig-
nity.” Both Mr. Takahira and Mr.
Witte in the earlier stages of the con-
ference absolutely rejected the idea
of arbitration, and only yesterday both
reiterated their disbelief in such a so-
lution. It was noticed, however, that
Mr, Witte’s opinion was not expressed
as strongly as it was last week.
In the oral discussion of the terms
Mr. Witte yielded upon two articles,
but substantially the result of the 13
sittings of the plenipotentiaries has
only been to emphasize the position
taken by Mr. Witte in the written
reply he presented last Saturday to
the Japanese terms. And now both
sides turn to home for the last word
before the cards are thrown face up-
ward upon the table next Tuesday, for
the impasse reached by the plenipo-
tentiaries is recognized to be only a
diplomatic fiction. If in the interim
fresh instructions are received by
either side compromise is yet possi-
ble. But the chances are recognized to
be slim. So far as the Russian pleni-
potentiaries are concerned there never
was a chance of their yielding both in-
demnity and Sakhalin.
The cession of Sakhalin without in-
demnity was, according to the best
inside information, the extreme limit
to which Mr. Witte would ever con-
sent to go, and the emperor has not
yet given the word even to concede
that. And suddenly a new factor has
beeen introduced which in the opinion
of those most competent to judge les-
sens materially the chances that he
might do so, namely, the issuance of
his manifesto granting a popular rep-
resentative body to his subjects. The
bearings of this “historic document,”
as Mr. Witte described it a few days
ago, upon the issue are easily compre-
hensible. It is bound to ameliorate the
internal situation in Russia. It is the
entering wedge for the realization of
the century-old dream of the Russian
people.
The president declines either to con-
firm or to deny any of the statements
about the proposition which he sub-
mitted to the Russian envoys through
Baron Rosen. There is strong reason
for the statement, however, that the
proposition involved far more than a
mere suggestion that the matters in
difference between the envoys be sub-
mitted to the arbitrament of an impar-
tial tribunal. The statement heretofore
made in these dispatches that powerful
pressure not alone from President
Roosevelt, but from neutral powers of
Europe, is being brought to bear upon
the governments of Russia and Japan
to insure a successful issue of the con-
ference can be reiterated. Whether
that influence takes the form of a sug-
gestion of a modification of Japan's
terms, of an insistence that Russia
make the best bargain she can, or of
an entirely new plan to bring about an
agreement, cannot be ascertained.
RUSSIA'S ANSWER READY
Czar Said to Have Made Sincere Ef-
fort For Peace.
St. Petersburg, Aug. 22.—The Rus-
sian government's final communica-
tions to Mr. Witte, outlining the course
that he shall pursue at the reopening
of the peace conference at Portsmouth,
are still in process of being put into
cipher prior to being forwarded to
America. With the receipt of St. Pe-
tersburg’s last message the brief
breathing spell will have ended. St.
Petersburg leaves the final word with
her representative at Portsmouth.
The Associated Press is in a position
to state that when the nature of these
communications becomes generally
known, it will be seen that in a sin-
cere desire to effect a satisfactory set-
tlement the government has gone so far
as its extremely vital state interests
will permit. It can further be said that
for this reason the goverment is
firmlw convinced that in case of failure
of the negotiations the responsibility
will not rest with Russia, which has
conceded much already.
While it is impossible to learn the
actual contents of the government's
communications to Mr. Witte, it can
be declared that the requirements of
the state make concessions on the
questions of indemnity and Sakhalin,
as these questions were originally pre-
sented by the Japanese, impossible.
It is certain that in the matter of
concession the four points now in dis-
pute have been considered and studied
here in the light of concessions Russia
already has granted on the other eight
articles. :
The foregoing is a brief but accurate
outline of the platform upon which Mr,
Witte will met the Japanese plenipo-
tentiaries today.
It is believed that the questions of
the surrender of the interned ships and
the limitation of Russia’s naval power
in the Far Hast will be satisfactorily
settled. There remains, then, the ques-
tions of the payment of indemnity and
the cession of Sakhalin by Russia.
The first may be overcome by Russia
following Japan’s lead in avoiding the
use of the word “indemnity,” but con-
senting to make certain payments to
Japan on other scores, the chief of
these being Japan’s bill for keeping
100,000 prisoners, which is expected to
be very heavy. The sums mentioned
as the possible payment on account of
these prisoners range from $50,000,000
to $150,000,000.
Little or nothing is obtainable here
regarding the possible disposition of
the question relating to Sakhalin.
ASSEMBLY FOR RUSSIA
Announced By Emperor Nicholas In
Manifesto to People. :
St. Petersburg, Aug. 19. — Russia’s
national representative assembly, the
fruit of decades of stress and strug-
gling for reform, which endows the
Russian people with the right of being
consulted through their chosen rep-
resentatives in the suggestion, prep-
aration and repeal of legislation, takes
its place among the fundamental in-
stitutions of the empire.
The national assembly will be a
consultative organization in connec-
tion with the council of the empire
and not a legislative body. The pow-
ers of the emperor remain theoreti-
caly absolute. As the emperor is the
supreme law-giver and autocrat, the
decisions of the douma have only a
recommendation and not a binding
force, though the rejection of any
legislative measures by a two-thirds
majority of both houses is sufficient
to prevent the measure from becoming
law. The representatives of the people
will have:not only the right to be
heard on any legislation proposed by
the government, but also can voice
their desires on new laws, and will
have the right to exert a certain su-
pervision over budgetary expendi-
tures. :
The suffrage, though wide, is not
universal. It is based on property
qualification, the peasantry having a
vote through membership in com-
munal organizations.
LORD CURZON RESIGNS
Viceroy of India Retires Owing to Dis-
satisfaction.
London, Aug. 21.—The resignation
of Lord Curzon of Kedleston as vice
roy of India and the appointment of
the Earl of Minto as his successor,
was announced at the India Office.
According to the correspondence,
which ig issued in the form of a White
Book, it appears that Lord Curzon’s
resignation was cabled to that office
on August. The correspondence shows
a decidedly bitter feeling between
Lord Curzon, the India Office and Lord
itchener, commander-in-chief of the
forces in India, over the new plan of
army administration in India. Lord
Curzon’s dissatisfaction came to a
head with the refusal of the cabinet
to appoint Major General Sir Edmund
Barrow, on Lord Curzon’s recommen-
dation, military supply member of the
council.
MORE FEVER CASES
Scourge Bounds Forward and Situa-
tion Is Unsatisfactory.
New Orleans, Aug. 22.—Yellow fever
tock a bound forward in New Orleans
and the situation in the state is far
from satisfactory.
Report up to last night: New cases,
61; total to date, 1446; deaths, 9; to-
tal, 205; new foci, 16; total foci, 322;
cases under treatment, 328.
Nine persons died of yellow fever,
more than in any one day since Au-
gust 14, when a record of 12 deaths
was made. Health officers explain that
the report is always high on Monday
because of unavoidable laxity in re-
porting on Sunday.
MAY BE TRIPLE DROWNING
Upturned Boat and Man’s Body Found
On Lake Ganoga.
Wilkesbarre, Pa., Aug. 22.—An up-
turned rowboat was found floating on
Ganoga lake on the North mountain.
Investigation was made and the dead
body of Arthur Potter, of Ellentown,
Bradford county, was fished from the
bottom of the lake. He was foreman
for Colonel R. Bruce Ricketts in the
construction of monster dams there.
Potter was last seen alive on Friday
evening, when he was rowing two
strangers across the lake. It is now
thought that the two men have also
been drowned.
Frost Hit South Jersey.
Belleplain, 'N. J., Aug. 21.—Consid-
erable damage was done by a heavy
frost, which covered a large part of
the farming district, Saturday night.
Hundreds of acres of sweet potatoes
have beeen injured, and in a number
of fields the vines are black. Lima
beans and melons felt the effect of
the frost, but the other vegetabies
were not injured.
Will Fight the Beef Trust.
Chicago, Aug. 22. — Chicago hotel
men, wholesale butchers and restaur-
ant keepers have formed a combina-
tion to fight the “beef trust” Two
plants—one costing $150,000 and the
other $800,000—are in course of erec-
tion and a third to cost $500,000 is
contemplated.
Oldest Western Marylander Dead.
Cumberland, Md., Aug. 21.—Daniei
Kean, the oldest citizen of Western
Maryland, died, aged 101 years. He
helped build the Chesapeake & Ohio
| canal before the days of railroads.
Among his descendants are an ex-
postmaster and an ex-mayor of this
city.