Bellefonte, Pa., November 2, 19086. Smile a title, smile a little, As you go along: Not alone when life is plessant, Bat when things go wrong. Care delights to see you frowning, Loves to hear you sigh; Turn a smilling face upon her— Quick the dame will fly. Smile a little, smile a little, All along the road; Every life must have its burdens, Every he-rt its load. Why sit down in gloom and darkness, With your grief to sup? As you drink Fate's bitter tonic Smile across the cup. Smile upon the trouble pilgrimage Whom you pass and meet; Frownsare thorns and smiles are blossoms Oft for weary feet, Do not make the way seem harder By a sullen face, Bmile a little, smile a little— Brighten up the place, Smile upon your undone labor; Not for one who grieves O'er his task waits wealth or glory— Though you meet with loss and sorrow In the passing years, Smile a little, smile a little, Even through your tears. Fallen Asleep. Only a little dust— So small that a rose might hide it; And I trust in God—or I try to trust, When I kneel in the dust beside it. I kneel in the dark and say: I only dream that I weep; 8he would not leave me and go away— She had only fallen asleep, Fallen asleep, as oft She climbed to my heart to rest, Her white arms twining my neck, as soft As down on a dove'ssxeet breast, Tenderly—unawares, Sleep came in the waning light And kisses her there on the twilight stairs That lead to the morning light. And that she will wake I know, And smile at a grief like this; It could not be she would leave me so, With never a good-night kiss! 80 I kneel in the dark and say: Tonly dream that I weep; She would not leave me and go away— She has only fallen asleep. —Frank L. Stanton, CASABIANCA, Mr. Goodel’s desk reflected, in its litter. ed disorder, the need of an office boy, and to the end that one should be procured, he had inserted an advertisement in the morn- ing paper. The applicants blocked the corridor, and from the odor and hue of the atmosphere, the majority of them had been smoking cigarettes, a practice which Mr. Goodel abominated. At the end of the line that reached from the door 0 the elevator, siéed § shawl- wra gure clasping a vouth of fourteen by ey Mr. Goodel had almost fal- len over the latter who reached approxi- mately to bis knee and a« be forced his way past the candidates for employment, it oc- carred to bim that it might be a wood thing to supplement his own [feeble ideal of discipline by the stern parental author- ity which evidenced itself in the forbidding countenance of the lady near the elevators, He accordingly invited her to en ter with her chaige, who made the journey to Mr. Goodel’s sanctum hy a series of short ener- getio jerks in the wake of his mother. ‘Is this your son ?'' he asked mildly. “Yes, sir,” she replied and then address- ing the boy, ‘‘Take yer hands .ut’'n yer pockets, you.” He obeyed with an alacrity that angured well for Mr. Goodel’s service. “How old is he ?'" Mr. Goodel went on. “Fourteen,’’ she replied, “and he just uated from the grammar school.” “Is be a good boy ?"’ he inquired per- fanctorily. “He will be that,” she said with a tightening of the corners of her month. “And if he ain't,” she continued, ‘‘just let me know, that’s ali.” Mr. Goodel tried to think of something else to say and shen turned to his desk. “All right,”’ he said, “I'll engage him.’ The lady bowed austerely. “Thank ye kindly,” she murmured. “Now pay attention to the gentleman, Jimmy.” she «aid to the boy, ‘*And do wot he tells yer. D’ye mind me?" She nodded again and swept out of the “Sit down at the desk outside, boy,” said Mr. Goodel, ‘‘and when I want you, I'll ring.” A mufiled buzz of conversation without, reminded Mr. Goodel of the unsuccessful candidates. “Here, boy,’”’ he called. ‘“‘Rou oatside and tell em all to go away.” Jimmy disappeared aod an instant later a piping voice was heard in the corridor. ‘‘Beat youse,” itsaid. ‘I got de job.” ““Then began a tramping of feet and the sound of scnfiling followed by Jimmy's re. appearance smoothing bis bair with one hand and tenderly fingering a rapidly swelling lip with the other. Mr. Goodel looked up sharply. “‘Boy,”’ be said, severely, ‘‘where’s your necktie ?"’ “0b, Gee !” Jimmy exclaimed and ran out into the ball again returning with his necktie adjusted. *‘1 dropped it outside,” he muttered. It was one of the kind that fasten with an elastic loop to the collar button. “Can you copy letters?’ Mr. Goodel demanded. “I dunno. Mebbe I could il I seen it foist,’’ he answered. There was not the faintest race of im- pudence on his thin face when he spoke and Goodel, without further comment, showed him how to make a transfer of the letter into a tissue-paper book by means of the conventional copying-press in the cor- ner. ““Now copy this one and let's see how you do it.” Jia) handed him a Yael ig which mmy Jrosed to copy in manner exemplified by his employer. ‘‘Evident] he is observant,” th t Mr. Goodel. “‘But a trifle uncouth. He shall be tanght politeness.” ‘‘Boy,”’ he called again. ‘‘What’s your ion ?? the boy replied itting th mmy, e T , omitting the expected ir.” ” " “Jimmy what?" “Jimmy Brennan,’ he replied glibly. ‘Look here, boy,” el thundered. “When you speak to me, say ‘Sir.’ Do you hear me ?"’ Jimmy flushed in embarrassment. “Yes, sir,”’ he muttered. “Now go out and mail these letters,’ Goode! concluded and leaned back in his chair. Mr. Goodel was on the threshold of forty and had the appearance of well-fed pros- perity that ens an easy conscience and no wife. The sign on the door read, ‘‘In- vestments Secarities & Commercial Paper,” Lut the care of an estate of some magni- tade, inherited from his father, absorbed as much of his timeas was not taken up — tm bo eight bonds of the Niagara & Northwestern Power Company for $1,000 each, printed fresh that morning at bis request, by his brother in Brooklyn, and one bond of the same company, the handiwork of a reputa- ; ble bauk note company and authorized by the officers of the Power Corporation. At a quarter to eleven the nexs morning, Mr. Goodel called Jimmy into his private *Jimmy,’’ be said carefully, ‘you fol- lowed my instructions yesterday minutely. Today I desire you to do so absolutely. Here is a certified check for $50,000, and one bond. You are to receive from Mr. Petrie at his office No. 40} Broadway, forty- nine honds the same as this which I give you. uf they're all right let him have the ec) ’ with half a dozen clubs and a taste for | check writing innocuous verse. Once io a while he hought a vote of some sound mercantile house, well endors- ed, and occasionally purchased railroad bonds and other securities technically known as giltedged. Unfortunately for the leisure that he loved, his patrimony had consisted mostly of real property whio demanded much of his attention and con- trived to detain bim from his office; hence the advent of Jimmy as office boy. When Jim seturned it was close on to noon and Mr. 1 rose and prepared to leave for luncheon. “I shall be back at two,” he said. “If any one calls, get them to stay until I re- turn,or leave a message. Don yon under- stand ?"’ He delivered this injovction with an air of solemnity that made the words sink in. “Yes, sir,”’ said Jimmy, datifally. “All right,’’ Goodel replied and left the office. Ata quarter to two a messenger boy came with a draft from Mr. Goodel’s bank. He was a slender young man of mild and engaging manner, attired in well-pressed garments, He stood perhaps a head taller than Jimmy, who was easily his superior, however, in general physi ue. *‘Is Mr. Goodel in ?”’ the messenger in- quired. *‘Nab,be ain’t,”’ Jimmy replied. “Won't be in till two o’clock.”’ “All right, I'll be in later,” said the messenger. “D'hell yer will,” rejoined Jimmy. *‘Yer’ll sit here till he comes back or leave am e. “What's that ?’’ asked the messenger. *‘I said,’’ replied Jimmy slowly, ‘‘yer got ter leave a message. “‘Gos to, hey ?"’ the messenger jeered. “Dat’s wot I said,” Jimmy answered. ‘‘Yer gotter leave a message or stay here till be comes back. Dem’s my instructions.’ He bad risen and stood menacingly be- tween the door and the messenger, who at- tempted to brush by Liu. Then followed a very pretty hout, catch-as-catoh-can, which ended by Jimmy putting the mes- senger neatly on his back in the middle of the floor. He was sitting in triumph on his vanquished foe’s chest as Mr. Goodel opened the door. ‘‘What’s all this about,’’ he shouted. “‘Get up from there, you young dog.” Jimmy rose to his feet and brushed the dust from his clothes, and the messenger picked himself up painfully. “What's all this about ?’ Goodel de- mavded. “Dat gny dere wouldn't leave no mes- sage and he wouldn't wait till yer came back,’’ Jimmy replied. “What of that ?"’ Goodel continued. “Well, you said fer to get 'em to stay or leave a message, and dat’s wot I was doin,”’ Jimmy said, and commenced to sniffle. He had seen his duty plain before him and the injustice of this rebuke cut him to the heart. *‘He’s bigger dan I am, anyway,” he whimpered. Mr. Goodel scratched his chin. He dis- tinctly remembered his parting injune tions, and could not therefore blame Jim- my for so literal a construction of them, He took his pockethook out of his trousers. “What's the damage?’ heinguired of the messenger hoy and without waiting for answer, thrass a five dollar hill in his band. “Don’t ever fight in here again,’ he said to Jimmy, severely, ‘‘or I'll fire you on the spot. Now go to lanch.” In hiring an office hoy, he hadn’t bar- gained for a Casabianca, but felt well satis- tied nevertheless. “Got any money ?’’ he asked Jimmy, who was going out of the door. *‘No, sir,”’ Jimmy replied. ‘Well, here's a quarter. Hurry back.’ Jimmy took the quarter, and returned in ten minutes wiping the crambs from his mouth. He banded Goodel twenty cents. “What's this 2’ Goodel asked. **Dat’s de change, sir,”’ Jimmy said, and sat down as his desk. Goodel prepared to go out again. “Jimmy.” he said severely. ‘‘I’'m going uptown and I'll return at five. If any one calls, ask 'em to leave a message. If they won't do that, ask 'em their names and make a note of it. If they won't leave their names, ask ‘em to return, if they won's re- turn—well—if they won't retoru, I guess you'll bave to let is fo at that.” “All right, sir,’ Jimmy said,and smiled for the first time that day. Mr. Goodel returned at five and with him there entered a benevolent looking man of middle age. Ponderous and dignified was his person and he sat down in Mr. Goodel’s easy-chair with the calmness and solidity of three hundred pounds. ““The bonds, Mr. Goodel, are absolutely beyond cavil. It is true the concern is not well known,’’ he went on. ‘“‘But to a person of your financial acumen, investiga- tion as to its condition will present no diffi- * Pufsy thousand dollars, M Petrie, is ty thousa ars, Mr. a large sum,”’ Goodel replied. ‘‘However, I inquired of Mathias & Company this after- noon and they think well our. proposi- tion. III confirm their information to- night, I shall send you a certified check tomorrow morning and shall expect to re- ceive the bonds in return.” ; Mr. Petrie bowed and rose to take leave. “To-morrow morning at eleven, then, I'll leave you this bond to aid yon in your examination,” he said and passed heavily out of the room. As he closed the office door behind bim, he $xe0nted four o five fancy danei steps w surprising for a man of his bulk,and red al haste to his elaborately furn office on lower Broadway. Awaiting him there were two gentlemen whose noses ved the dictum of Burke that a curved line is the foundation of all beauty. They were not beautiful; they were not even passably good looking, but what had been denied them in that respect was compensated for by a very keen gift for trafficking and barter. ‘Mr. Feldstein and Mr. Levy I believe,” said Mr. Petrie. “I asked you to call so that we might 40 into the matter of the of- fice fixtnres. I bave accepted your figure at $500, and shall be ready to give you pos- session as hall pit eleven to-morrow morn. ing when I | expect you to move every- thing without delay.” He then sat down at his desk and ex- amined, with chuckling satisfaction, forty- He looked Jimmy squarely in the eye. “Do you understand me,” he said slowly. “Yes, sir,”’ Jimmy replied, and went out without further ado. Goodel smiled as the door closed hehind him. He bad no doubt of Petrie’s standing and the bonds were giltedyged. Jimmy bad been gone ahout ten minutes when a man burst wildly into the office. *‘Goodel, about those houds, Petrie'sa sharper. We just found it out.” Great Heavens ! Mathias,” Goodel cried. “The boy ie down there now with the check. He's given it to Petrie hy this." He rose and grabbed his bas. *‘Let’s go down there and see if we can intercept the scoundrel.” He sprang for the office door and canght an elevator on the run. In the meantime Jimmy bad entered Petrie’s loxarious office and was mes hy Petrie himsell. “Well boy,” he demande, ‘gat the check ?’ : ‘“Wot's all thesweat?”’ Jimmy replied calmly. ‘ Timme a look at the honds.”’ ““Here’s one of ‘em and here are the rest. Look at 'em quick. Now gimme the oheck,’’ Petrie cried and then muttered under his breath. ‘Damned young pup !"’ Jimmy compared the two genuine honds leisurely. ‘Now gimme de vdder ones,”” he said. ‘*You young hrat,”’ Petrie snorted thot- oughly aroused, ‘‘give me that check.’ He grasped the hoy by the shoulder. ‘Quit dat, yer fat slob,” Jimmy oried, *‘And let me see em.” Reluctantly he surrendered the remain Fi bonds and Jimmy thumbed them care- ully. “Well what's the matter with them Petrie growled. “1 ain’¢ seen but one uv ’em,’’ Jimmy said calmly, ‘I’m lookin’ at the rest now.’ Petrie could stand no more, “Give me the check Isay,”” he almost screamed. and sprang at Jimmy. They fell heavily to the floor,Jimmy underneath and there they rolled ard scufiled for some minutes. To Petrie's surprise, Jimmy made no outory but kicked and fought with all the vigor of his East-Side train- ing. At length Petrie stunned him with the huts of his revolver just as Goodel and Mathias broke in the door. Both made a rush for him at once, a fatal move, for he evaded the common onslaught aod, as their heads came together witha star-flashing bump, he sprang out of the office and took the stairs three ata jomp. Goodel lifted Jimmy whose face showed a ghastly white where it wasn’t hidden by blood. “Did he hort you ?’”’ Goodel cried. Jimmy shook his head and opening his mouth, voided a little wad of paper. “No, sir,”” he said politely, “I am’ hoited.”’ Goodel undid the wad with trembling fingers. It was a certified check for $50.- 000.—By Montagne Class, in MeClure's Magazine. Fall Nest Building. From “Nature and Science” in O:tober St. Nicholas. We are apt to think that birde build only in spring or in summer, becanse tbat is their ‘‘pataral’’ season and because their auvcestore did so. Bat have yon never thought that perhaps the heat or the mild- ness of the weather may have a direct in- fluence, and may actually invite them to build? Hereisa little incident which I saw last year, and which seems to point in that direction. The 24th of September was springlike in temperature; a fine rair was falling, ond I was afield, watching a host of small mig- rants, chiefly myrtle warblers and sparrows, | | but especially interested in the movements of some young goldfinches that were learn- | to q ing to feed on thistles. About a cavity in av old apple tree were four bluebirds hov- ering and warbling. Looking wore closely I noticed that each pair seemed trying to get possession of the hollow, as I have seen them fighting for a nesting place in spring. Bat to my astonishment one male had a straw in his bill. He went into the hol- low, tarried for awhile, and returned with- out the straw. Then the female went in and stayed for several minutes. The birds | were 80 much interested that I went to within a few yards of them before they left. In the hollow was the foundation of a nest. A bird, called the pine siskin, which I caught cae dap, and which roamed about the house, found an old vireo’s nest and at once took on, pulling and pick- ing curicusly at the loose fibres as if to ar- range them to a siskin’s taste. I have also seen a pair of waxwings gathering nesting material when it seemed too late in the sea- son even for them. Perhaps further study of the birds in the fine autumn weather will show that they are often led to build use- lees nests. It would be interesting to know how far they may sometimes carry those untimely Crop Estimates. According to crop experts, the condition of corn on first of October was 89.9, against an estimate of 90.3 on ber 1. From thses figures it is esti that the total yield will be about 2,750,000,000 els. Wheat crop estimates, threshing results in most counties of im- portance, are for 16.2 bushels acre for winter wheat, or a total of 584,000 bushels; for spring wheat, 144 ls per acre, xa total 15s Ri 719,000 bushels, 0 t whea - O00 rks, Fo total ro of cate se ly a eimilar estimate of 03000 C00 inet last year. Thea eid this is estimated at 30.7 Vio Sila yom ~—— Exports of coal and coke from the United States in 1905 over $31,- 000,000 for 1 a decade earlier. The United States third among nations as an exporter of coal, the first place as a producer. g —The man who gets there with both Tew doesn’t let his enthusiasm run away . a — —1t sometimes happens that the thi that are given to us cost us more than t things we buy. . | NERY REOPENS BRIBERY GASES i | Incidental to speculation on the out- | come of Contractor James P. McNich- | ol’s challenge for production of proof | by Lewis Emery, Jr. that McNichol | nought five votes at $15,000 apiece to | vlect Marshall speaker of the house | in 1901, is the recollection that Me- | Nichol's deep interest in that neces- sary preliminary to Quay's election as | United States Senator, prompted him to bet £5000 that Marshall would win. In the present woe of the Gangsters over the revelations cf new capitol | graft. the forcing upon the pubiic of | reminiszcences of the notoriously large amount of big bribery done in what, up to that time, was “The Gang's” worst legislature, makes the capitol! “furnishers’ ” burden of worry unbear- able. But the McNichol controversy natu- | rally recalls that on the eve of the vote on Marshall and Koontz for the speakerzship, McNichol, while at din- | ner in the Commonwealth Hotel with | Broker Frank F. Bell, of Philadelphia, | and one or two others, offered to make | the $5000 bet with “Archie” Mackrell, | of Pittsburg. Mackrell agreed, and | went out to consult with “Bill” Flinn. Mackrell soon had the “wherewith,” and he and McNichol put the $10,000 into the hands of Broker Bell ag stakeholder. That's all, and it is only interesting now as a reminder of the “flush” days referred to by Emery in his story of the allegation against Me- Nichol. But the following extract from a published narrative is also ap- ropos: Carnival of Bribery. From the very hour the session opened, on Janvaty 1, 1901, down ta the time the gavels fell at final ad- journment on June 25, the carnival of fraud, bribery, corruption, debauch- ery and riotous disregard for the rights of the people was continuous. Among incidents to show the desper- ation of the Gang in efforts to prean, ize both branches, one anti-Machine Republican member from a county ad- oining Philadelphia was offered $60,- | if he would go into the “regular” speakership caucus and take the two other anti-Machine members from his county with him. The same sum was paid for three of the Democratic votes recorded for Marshall, but the men who did the voting did not get all the money. A member elected as an anti-machine Republican ‘tayed away when the leg- islature was organized, but turned up to vote for Quay on January 15. He is said to be $10,000 richer than when he was elected. A Lackawanna Republican, after seeming to be a loyal insurgent, and voting against Marshall, cast his vote for Quay. He was quoted as a $500C LOllvEm to “regularity and majority rule. A Pittsburg member elected as an in. surgent and captured in time to save Marshall, is quoted on the list al hought and sold at $11,000, and the ex- penses of a Philadelphia intermediary to the Paris Exposition. A "regular” Republican member from an eastern county sold his vote on the Pittsburg Ripper to both sides, and, because the Gang would not buy him twice, refused to vote at all. These few incidents were only among the preliminaries to the wholesale huy- and selling on through the session. “Open and Barefaced,” Said Gobin. The Republican Lieutenant Gover: nor, John P. S. Gobin, always an “or: ganization” man, who personally pre- sided over almost every session of the achine-controlled senate, said in ittsburg, on September 8, 1901, as Suoted Ja the principal newspapers of | “I am done with politics. That last legislature settled — it was enough rive any man out.” | “How {Is that, Governor? TI don’ lquite catch what im mean,” asked for- mer Senator J. W. Lee, of Franklin, who was present. , “Why, you've heard about all the stories of bribery and corruption down t Harrisburg,” replied the Lieutenant vernor, in a tone that indicated he lieved every man, woman and child n Pennsylvania should know of the ou at had been Thetrated at th booters e state capitol while gin .. the brihery of , mean the the legislators. _ Yes, I know nt ou ean, now, replied Mr. Lee, Then llowed a discussion about the open uying ot votes of members of the “Open,” exclaimed General Gobin. ‘I never heard of agptyl fever knew a time w a open and barefaced. Why, everybody ed to know it. People on ths ts talked about it, and pointed out and that man who had received s0 much fo. his vote on this or that . The knowledge of it ed to the poll wae 201 eans. Everyone seemed to a rs I Icey aia and who 20! ra d of the other. laughed about it, and the men who re- ceived the money talked about it among themselves.” , Emery says he has nothing to re- tract, and is ready to give the ald scandal an airing in court. McNichol, next to Penrose, is now the chief Phil. adelphio boss of the Gang Machine. GANG BEGS TO PROBE Wouldn't Trust It to “Farmer” Creasy and Anti-Machine Legislature. Very appropriately the “Republican” idate for Auditor General, Robert . Young, hurried down from Greens- to the Bellevue-Stratford in Phil. elphia, to collaborate with the badly red “advisers of Penrose and Wes- ey R. Andrews, upon an “address” ing the public not to defeat Young nd Stuart or their colleagues on tha cket on account of the State Capitol isclosures made by the man whom rnor Pennypacker, speaking te uditor General Snyder, contemptuous. like it. was sc | mittee” i campaign.” | the issue, although the President wouid ' that the anti-machine men y called “that babbler” (Berry). As Ie Toute wat fiomBie. io mat Te soliei- tor paid by the state to keep the Capi- tol Commission from going wrong, he must have either known all about the graft or been such an unobservant and unsophisticated “Solicitor” as to be as unfitted for that place as he has proved himself to be for the Auditor General. ship. But the Penrose-Andrews annex mas- querading as the “State Advisory Com- evidently considered that Young ought to know more than any of them about the plundering, and, there- fore, they called him into the confer. ence which drew up the “statement” to the public, asking that no credence be placed in that man, Berry. Although every well informed citi. Zen in the state knows that the capitol graft is second to nothing among the issues agitating the commonwealth, the “advisory” statement alleges that “Em- ery and his colleagues are turning away from the real issue of the state Roosevelt is declared to be have excused himself from attending the “dedication” of the capitol if he i had received the invitation after Berry | began to lift the lid. As it was, Roose- i velt, in his speech, did not even men- tion the capitol or make the slightest reference to its existence. The Presi. | dent skipped everything in Pennsylva- nia affairs from the rise of Quay down to the present moment except the ex- tra session of the legislature. The assinine “advisers” go on to say “cannol make the capitol an issue.” The “ad- visers” admit, however, that any public robbers found out must be punished, but they don’t want to entrust the pun- ishing to Emery, or to have the investi. gating done by an anti-machine legis- lature, backed up by “Farmer” Creasy as Auditor General. The “statement,” in view of the fact that it would be im- possible to have a court's disposal of the graft cases in advance of the elec: tion, makes the perfectly safe challenge to Berry that he shall haul the offend- ers into either the civil or criminal courts, or hoth. The trouble with the “advisers” Is the fear that the cases may be prepared for the courts by hon- est and fearless officials in Harrisburg after the legislature gets down to all the recipients of the loot. NO INSURANCE IF CAPITOL BURNED Grafters Strove to Hide Underwriters’ Demand For Costly Tearing Out of “Extras” Before Adjust. ing Rate. Every time the hysterical “Advisory Committee” which is backing Penrose and Andrews “challenges” State Treas urer Berry to take somebody inte court, Berry just goes ahead and makes some new exposure of the capi tol graft. While Berry has been thus employed, other probers have dug ug things of which he did not scem to be aware. For instance, it now appears that the hoard of fire underwriters of the middle department have declined to’ name a premium rate on the new $13.000,000 palace until many costly changes shall be made in the electri cal installation, which has been de clared faulty by the insurance inspec tors. It is startling enough to hear that the luxurious capitol cannot be insured at present, and that pending settle ment of the existing trouble with the underwriters, if the building burned down the state would be at a dead loss of not only all the millions that may have been honestly put into the gor geous pile, but also, probably, of most of the tangible evidence upon which it is hoped to have the grafters convict ed and compelled to disgorge by genuine investigating committee ap pointed by an honest legislature. Isn't it a comforting thought to the voters that the $2,000,000 chandeliers the $1,500,000 filing cabinets, the mil lion dollars’ worth of chairs, tables sofas and carpets, etc., are without any protection in case of fire? Instead ol taking immediate steps to rectify the conditions which have been condemn ed by the fire underwriters, the build ing and grounds commissioners, whe include Governor Pennypacker and Auditor General Snyder, are evidently waiting unti after the election. It fe now an open secret that the gang grafters hoped that at least this fea ture of the ast scheme of plunder would not be uncovered before No vember 6. Overwhelmed by the storm of protests which has been raging throughout the state since the dis closures of Berry were first made pub lic, caution has been counseled lest any steps that might be taken toward adjusting the defects should add to the fury of the tempest. It is strongly in timated in insurance circles that the requisite changes in the electrical sys tem will be very costly—the estimate varying from a quarter of a million to a half million dollars. Fear Wires Would Meit. At the general offices of the under writers, on Walnut street, Philadel phia, it is admitted that their inspec tors declined to pass favorably upon the completed work, and that no rate on the building has been adjusted. An. swers to queries made to men famil far with the electrical work in the cap itol indicate that several thousand more lights than were originally pro vided for in the specifications, have been put in the building, on account of the unnecessarily huge size and | mobi weight, not to speak of the amazing number, of the $4-a-pound chandeliers. Consequently it appears that the wire: are not sufficient to carry the needed current without danger of melting and getting fire to the building. In other words, the cause of the hold-up ap- pears to be the installation of wires that are too small and must be torn out. Mon aware of the real facts are very cautious in talking, and say that what- ever they have to disclose will be re- served for the anticipated legislative investigating committee. But they hint at the great loss that this tearing out may mean. As the wires run in conduits through the ceilings, the job of putting in larger wire, if that is what is required, will be enormous. In many places the walls, decorated at great expense, and the ceilings, cov- ered with expensive gold leaf, will have to be opened. The heavy chande- liers, many of them weighing tons. may have to be taken down, and the cost of the entire labor involved may therefore be estimated at a staggering figure. Not only would the electrical contractors be called upon to do extra work, but plasterers, decorators, paint. ers, gilders, etc., will also have a finger in the pie which is still to be cut. While Berry is going on with the analysis of the “overcharges,” which he estimates as amounting to half of the $9,000,000 for “extras,” ex-State ‘Treasurer Mathues, as if panic-strick: en like the rest of the Penrcse outfit, makes an extremely lame effort to ex: plain away the fact that between the time of Berry's election and his taking charge of the treasury, there was such an awful rush of payments of bills to the capitol grafters that settlements aggregating nearly three and a hall millions were made with them during that period. Mathues, as treasurer, paid out all that money. The hustling indicated that the gang were afraid that after Berry got in, it would not take him long to find out the graft and call a halt on the payments. It has been shown by recent events that the foresight of the gang was excellent, and yet it is hard to reconcile it with the evident belief prevailing last sum- mer and into September that the cat would not get out of the bag before the election. Perhaps that false sense of security was due in some measure to the fact that Berry, as he admits, was fooled by the “smooth fellows” on the first bill that reached him—the one for the $90,000 balance on “parquetry,” but after that Mr. Berry got “wise.” But Mathues makes a poor fist of it by saying that “Berry is liable to do anything. He lied sbout the treasury in saying that he found the books in chaos. and therefore nothing that he says now surprises me.” Mathues may be half right if he means that the pub lic has already learned so much that it would not be surprised to find out that Berry is too low in his estimate of the total graft. Government Investigation of Rodent Epldemies. It is well known thas many species of rodents which live in colonie~, wuch as prairie dogs, spermophiles, field mice, and rats, are subject at reegular intervals to miciobic direases in the vature of epidem- ies, which greatly reduc: their number. The Department of Agriculinie desires to he informed of the presence of such epidem- ies, with a view to conducting investiga- trons regarding the, isolation and preserva- tion of the microbe for use in destroying mammals injurious 10 agriculture, The Department, therefore, requesin that it be formed where possible by those noticin, such epidemic diseases among the wil animals of the character specified, now or at any future time. Soch diseases are usually indicated hy the presence of un- merous sick or dead animals. The investi- gations on these lines vhould prove of great value to agricaltorists throughout the country, and it is to be hoped that farm- ers and ranchers will take sufficient inter- est in these proceedings to supply the De- partment with whatever information it is in their power to forward regarding the question.~-Scientific American. Husband and Wite Must Quit. President Roosevelt has determined to prevent the farther employment in Govern- mental service of husband and wife. Either may remain, but the other must retire. The president bas asked the Civil Service Com- mission for a list of cases in which husband and wile are employed in any of the ex- eontive departments here. It is understood he bas been advised of at least 100 cases of this kind. It is not the intention of the President to interfere where two or more members of the same family are in the Government service. He will only break up the prac- tice of both husband and wife serving the Governments at the same time. Oh, Hurry Up! Do you get your share of fun? arry up! Life will mighty soon be done, Hurry up! Take the Pleasures as they go, Grab the blossoms as they blow They will plant you =oov0, you know, Hurry up! ~—‘‘And in conclusion,’ said the girl's mother, ‘‘he is a mere [lortane-hunting ecanmp.”’ "Why ma!” exclaimed the girl, “I'm surprised that you should make such an assault upon him when he's not present to defend himself.” ‘Never miod,” chimed in her father, “I'll square that. I'll make another as- sault on him when he is presens.” Harry’s mother bad given him an apple and told him to peel it before he ate it. Returning to the room after afew moment’s absence, and seeing no peeling, she asked: ” . you our apple, EL ou do wit she saked. ’ ed — the twelve months ending June 30, 1906, the value of American anto- les was $3,497,016, which is a millian dollars more than during the previous year. Ol a little more than half a million dollars’ worth of cars that were exported daring June, took the greatest , $194, with British North An n second, Mexico third, and France fourth. *N ¥ - . NRE i
Significant historical Pennsylvania newspapers