Benoit
Belletonte, Pa., February 25, 1916.
I
THE BIRTH OF THE OPAL.
The sunbeam loved the moonbeam,
And followed her low and high,
And the moonbeam fled and hid her head,
She was so shy, so shy.
The sunbeam wooed with passion—
Ah! he was a lover bold—
And his heart was afire with desire,
For the moonbeam pale and cold.
But she fled like a dream before him,
Her hair was a shining sheen;
And oh, that face would annihilate
The space that lay between!
Just as the day lay panting
In the arms of the twilight dim,
The sunbeam caught the one hesought,
And drew her close to him.
Out of his warm arm startled,
And stirred by love's first shock,
She sprang, afraid, like a trembling maid
And hid in the niche of a rock.
And the sunbeam followed and found her
And led her to love’s own feast;
And they were wed on that rocky bed
And thedying day was their priest.
And lo! the beautiful opal,
That rare and wondrous gem.
Where the moon and the sun blend into one
Is the child that was born to them.
HOW TO GROW SWEET PEAS SUC-
CESSFULLY.
If we except the rose, the sweet pea is
easily the most popular of all flowers.
This is not to be wondered at when we
consider their comparatively easy cul-
ture, delicious fragrance and the im-
mense quantity of flowers which may be
culled from quite a short row, while in
favorable locations the vines will con-
tinue blooming for at least three months.
The late Henry Eckford of Englahd
may be called the father of the sweet
pea, as previous to his making this beau-
tiful and fragrant annual his life study
there were only a few small flowered
varieties then in cultivation. It was in
1870 that he started his life-work on the
sweet pea, and the development since
that date has been one of the wonders of
the floral world. :
It is said that some scientific botanists
believe that certain races of plants have
rare periods which may occur once in
every few hundred years when they
develop all sorts of eccentricities; and if
this be so, the year 1901 marks one of
these rare periodsin the history of the
sweet pea, as it was in the summer of
that year that a new type of sweet pea
was found in at least three gardens, one
of these being in Northamptonshire, one
in Somersetshire and the other in Cam-
bridgeshire, England. All these evolu-
tions or sports are said to have been
found in that fine old pink grandiflora
variety, Prima Donna. This new variety
was of very large size, the standard and
wings being beautifully waved and crimp-
ed, and thus the new and glorious Spen-
cer race of sweet peas was born.
The first of this new type to be exhib-
ited was the one found by Mr. Cole,
gardener to Earl Spencer, Althorp Park,
Northampton, and under the name of
Countess Spencer, the color of the flower
being a rich rose pink; and its appear-
ance at the annual exhibition of the Na-
tional Sweet Pea Society’s show in Lon-
don created great excitement and ad-
miration among the enthusiasts. This
new variety was offered to the public in
1904 and now Countess Spencer has
many hundred offspring, embracing all
colors previously found in this family
and others of quite new shades. In fact,
it might be said that only two colors still
baffle the sweet pea hybridizer, these be-
ing a pure yellow and a rich full deep
blue, such as is found in Salvia Patens.
Although the sweet pea was first in-
troduced from Sicily about 1600, prac-
tically ninety per cent. of all the sweet
pea seed used throughout the world is
now grown in California, it being esti-
mated that 2,000 acres are grown there
every year. As one acrewill, in an aver-
age season, produce from 600 to 1,000
pounds of seed, it will be at once ap-
parent that this seed will eventually pass
into the hands of thousands, nay millions
of amateur and professional growers. I
ought to state, however, that many of
the finest Spencer varieties do not as a
rule produce more than 200 to 300 pounds
of seed to the acre. Although in this
section the sweet pea vines reach a
height of not more than four to five feet
except in exceptional seasons and loca-
tions, in our Northern States and in
Canada the plants attain a height of from
ten to twelve feet, and there bloom from
June until frost.
There is no royal road to success in
growing the sweet pea. The amateur
and small grower is quite as likely to
make a success of his culture as the pro-
fessional gardener, provided a few simple
rules are followed. The ground must be
thoroughly cultivated and deeply dug. It
must also be well manured and the seed
should be sown as early as possible. Of
course, the ordinary cultivation as ex-
tended to the vegetable plot will give
fair results, but for those who are anx-
ious to have flowers the “best ever” and
far surpassing those of their neighbors,
some extra labor must necessarily be
expended in preparing the soil. If it is
intended to grow the peas in rows, a
trench should be made at least two feet
wide and two spadings deep. In removing
the soil, throw the top layer on one side
and the bottom or sub-soil on the other
side of the trench. Loosen the bottom
of the trench with a fork, or should it
be too hard, take a pick, breaking it up
well, and mix with it any old garden re-
fuse or rough stable litter, on top of
which put a two or three-inch layer of
decayed stable or cow manure, then re-
place the bottom part of the soil, mixing
this again with well-rotted manure and a
little bone meal; then fill up with the top
soil with which incorporate thoroughly
rotted farm-yard manure, bone meal, and
a little sulphate of potash. If this could
be done in the late fall so much the bet-
ter 10r the future well-being of the plants;
failing which of course it must be done
in the spring, but should be allowed to
settle for some days previous to planting.
Unless the trench is thoroughly consoli-
dated the soil will dry out very quickly,
therefore tread it well before sowing the
seed. When the trench is completed, ap-
ply a good dressing of freshly slaked
lime, sufficient to give the ground the
appearance of a cover of snow, raking or
pointing it into the top two inches of the
soil. It should, however, be applied a
few days previous to sowing or planting.
soot might be dusted along either side of
| Philadelphia Record.
i
thickly. Make a drill along the center
of the trench two inches deep and place
| the seed from one to two inches apart,
{ and after covering make all firm, either
{ with the back of the spade or treading.
When the seedlings are about two inches '
! in height thin out to four inches apart,
| and stake as soon as possible. The best
material for this great essential in the
well-being of the sweet pea is good
twiggy brush, failing which poultry wire
or string, run horizontally from poles
placed in the ground four or five feet
apart, may be used. During dry weather
the plants must be regularly supplied
with water, but never give it in small
doses. Unless you have the time and
facilities for giving the plants a thorough
soaking, better leave them alone. The
hoe must also be used at least once a
week, oftener if possible. This will keep
down the weeds and at the same time
form a dust mulch and so conserve the
moisture that is in the soil. Should the
vines be troubled with green aphis or
pea louse, spray immediately with weak
kerosene emulsion and arsenate of lead,
using it every four days until the plants
are perfectly clean again. Alternate this
spraying with one of pure water. It is
seldom that sweet peas or other plants
are attacked by insects when they are
growing strongly, therefore, it is well to
apply a little liquid manure at this stage.
This might take the form of acid phos-
phate, dissolving one ounce in two gal-
lons of water, or acid phosphate or Scolch
the row, applying it after first stirring
the ground, then thoroughly water it in.
To prolong the flowering season never
allow a seed pod to form. The more
flowers you cut the more there will be to
cut.
To those who have the convenience of
a cool green-house or cold frame, even
better results may be had by starting the
seed in pots; this'method being exten-
sively used by the majority of the best
growers. Two or three seeds are sown
in a three and one-half or four-inch flower
pot, during February, the plants being
set out in ground prepared as above, some
time in April, each potful being turned
out one foot to eighteen inches apart in
the row, and undoubtedly much better
results are to be had by this method. The
plants must, however, be carefully “hard-
ened off” ere setting out.
flower, regular applications of liquid ma-
nuer should be given at least once a
week. Superphosphate or acid phosphate
is excellent, also nitrate of potash or
sulphate of ammonia at the rate of half
an ounce dissolved in one gallon of
water. For a “change of diet” use liquid
manure, made by steeping cow, horse or
sheep dropping in a tub, or the drainings
fpom a farm cesspool or pig-sty may be
used. It must not be applied in too
strong a form, rather start the first ap-
plications quite weak, and increase in
strength as the doses are repeated.
When the hot season has “come to
stay” it is advisable to mulch the rows,
‘using thoroughly rotted short manure,
or lawn clippings, working it well around
the plants and for at least a foot on each
side of the row. The plants are much
benefited by thorough overhead spray-
ing, but this should only be applied after
the sun has gone down.
One of the great secrets of success in
sweet pea culture is early sowing. Get
the seed into the soil at the first possible
moment after the frost is out of the
ground. This early start allows the
seedlings to make strong deep root
growth under cool conditions, the plants
being thus in a better condition to with-
stand the heat and drought of late spring
and summer.
BEST SWEET PEAS.
In choosing varieties, much naturally
depends on individual taste as to colors,
and there are now so many fine sorts on
the market that he would be a bold man
indeed to name arbitrarily any set as be-
ing the very best. However, I feel cer-
tain that the following includes the finest
varieties now in cultivation either for
garden and house decoration, or exhibi-
tion purposes, and all are true Spencers.
I head the list with Yarrawa, a beauti-
ful large rosy-pink with lighter wings.
It is the only early flowering variety in
my set, and worthy of a place in all gar-
dens, as it comes into flower at least two
weeks earlier than any of the following:
; Ming White, easily the best pure white
self.
Primrose Spencer, rich cream self.
Hircules, rich pink self—an improved
and larger Countess Spencer.
Elfrida Pearson, blush-pink, somewhat
similar to Lady Evelyn Eyre.
‘Mrs. Routzhan, cream-pink, suffused
amber.
Doris Usher, lovely salmon-pink.
Margaret Atlee, rich apricot-pink on
cream ground.
George Herbert, large rosy-cerise self.
ing Edward Spencer, rich crimson
self.
Illuminator, rose on salmon.
Royal Purple, a large, clear purple self.
Dainty Spencer, white, edged rose.
Margaret Madison, sky-blue self.
Wedgwood, clear blue self.
Orchid, pure lavender self.
King Manuel, deep blackish-maroon.
Thomas Stevenson, orange-scarlet self,
though this will be superceded by the
new variety, The President, which is
very much larger and” altogether a bet-
ter flower.
Fiery Cross, scorching fire-red, a great
and decided advance.
Robert Sydenham, rich orange-salmon.
Mrs. W. J. Unwin, white, flaked,
orange-red.—By George W. Kerr, in the
einen]
COUNTING OUT RHYMES.
To Determine Who Shall Pay for Theatre’
Ticket
FOR MUSICAL COMEDY
Onery, orey, calcium lights,
Filason, folason, pink silk tights;
Who'll finance our party through?
Queevy, quayy, out goes—you!
FOR GRAND OPERA
Pagliadci, Carmen, Faust,
And Meistersinger funny;
You're the jolly little man
Who gets to spend his money!
FOR DRAMA
Maughn, Pinero, Knoblauch, Shaw,
Let us at their dramas gnaw;
Here's one we would like to see, -
If you will paymaster be!
FOR VAUDEVILLE
Rag-time music, monologues,
Acrobatics, dancing dogs;
We their charms will gladly note,
Crack-a-feeny, you're the goat!
FOR THE MOVIES
Eni, meni, mini, mo.
The average grower sows his seed too ! -
From the time the vines are in full | gog
Let's go to the Picture Show!
Come what will and come what may,
You'rethe one who has to pay! :
Values of Penna. Farm Land. {
Improved farm land in Pennsylvania is
worth on an average $76 an acre and un-
improved farm land is worth $50 an acre
according to statistics gathered by the |
Department of Agriculture. |
The range of prices for improved farm
! land runs from $278 an acre in Philadel-
phia county to $26 an acre in Cameron
county. For unimproved farm land
Philadelphia county leads with an aver- |
age of $240 an acre and Cameron unim-
proved farm land is worth $16 an acre. |
In considering the variance in prices, |
the locality and general condition of the
country are the two big features, as the
value of landon the outskirts of the larg- |
er cities is greatly increased over that’
of the real farm centers in the interior |
part of the State. In many sections the |
timber and coal lands are not profitable |
for farming and the value of the land for |
agricultural purposes is greatly reduced. |
For improved farm land Philadelphia’s
figures of $278 an acre leads. Delaware!
county farm land, which is practically |
adjacent to the Quaker City is worth
$210 an acre. The price for improved
farm land in Lancaster county is $180
an acre. Lancaster county is sometimes
called the “garden spot of the country,” |
and it is claimed that it is the richest |
agricultural county in the United States
The rich tobacco lands aid materially in
bringing up the Lancaster average. Al-!
legheny county land, close to Pittsburgh, |
is valued at $175 an acre and Montgomery |
county at $130 an acre. Other high |
values are: Cumberland $120, Lehigh
$106, Bucks $105 and Chester, Snyder, |
Union and Westmoreland $100 an acre. |
For the unimproved farm land which
includes the average land with wooded
fields, Philadelphia leads at $240 an acre !
|
[
|
with Delaware second at $140 an acre. |
Other figures are: Lancaster $120, Alle- |
gheny $118, Cumberland and Montgomery |
$80 an acre.
The interior counties show low aver-
ages per acre for improved land as fol- |
lows: Cameron $26, Potter $32, Pike $38, |
Warren $40, Wayne $42, Clinton $44, |
Forest and Susquehanna $45, Luzerne
and Monroe $46.
For the unimproved land the low fig-
ures per acre in the State are: Cameron
$16, Fulton and Potter $20, Clearfield,
Elk, Forest and Wayne $25, Susquekanna
$26, Sullivan $27 and Monroe and Pike
How Treasure Island was Written.
Boys who have read Treasure Island
with delight may not know that Robert
Louis Stevenson wrote it to please his
step-son, Lloyd Osbourne, whom he de-
scribed as “a schoolboy home for the holi-
days, and much in want of something
craggy to break his mind upon.” Mr.
Osbourne recently told the way in which
“R. L. S.,” as he is called by those who
love his books, wrote this splendid sea
story, which all of you must read, if you
have not already done so.
“As most people know,” says Mr. Os-
bourne, “Treasure Island was directly in-
spired by a small map I drew as a boy.
When the map was finished, R. L. S.
happened to lean over my shoulder, and
added, tremendously to my delight and
not a little to his own, the crosses for
buried treasure and the deliciously ro-
mantic names now so well known. Then
he said enthusiastically: ‘I'll have to
write a story all about it” And I said:
‘Yes, something really interesting—who
it was that buried the treasure, and why
the little island was called Skeleton Is-
land—and not like your other books.’
And he said: ‘O, no—nothing so stupid
or tiresome, but full of pirates,and buried
treasure, and the things everybody really
likes.’
“These were not the exact words, but
I can remember the gist of that conversa-
tion as though it were yesterday, and
Mr. Stevenson's eager, mantling, whimsi-
cal face. The next day I was electrified
to have the first chapter read aloud to
me—the first chapter of ‘my’ book. The
others followed in almost daily succes-
sion. That the book was marketable or
had any future outside the family circle
did not occur to R. L. S. until a consid-
erable time afterwards. Yet this was the
beginning of his success.”
Treasure Island became so popular
that Stevenson’s other books began to
sell, too, and it is interesting to know
that a schoolboy had a part in his success
as a writer.
. Penn. Faims Own 22,698 Autos.
Pennsylvania farmers own over four-
teen per cent. of the automobiles regis-
tered in the State during the past year.
On the first of the year there were 22,698
automobiles in the hands of the farmers
of the State, according to the estimates
of the Bureau of Statistics of the Depart-
ment of Agriculture. The report shows
that 9.5 per cent. of the farmers are car
owners and this means that there is an
automobile on one out of every ten
farms.
A year ago it was estimated that there
were 15,000 automobiles in the hands of
the farmers of the State.
In 1915 there were 159,984 automobiles
registered in Pennsylvania and the farm-
ers are shown to own 14.1 per cent. of
that total. The rural residents undoubt-
edly led by afair margin all other classes
as purchasers of cars during the year.
In ten out of sixty-seven counties the
reports show that from fifteen to eigh-
teen per cent. of the farmers own cars
and in thirty-one counties ten per cent.
or more of the farmers are shown as car
owners. Lancaster county leads with
over eighteen per cent. of the farmers
owning an estimated total of 1842 cars.
Chester county farmers own 1019 cars
and Bucks county farmers 963 cars.
Edison Prophet at 69 Says.
Thomas A. Edison celebrated the sixty-
ninth anniversary of his birth by work-
ing hard in his laboratory, as he has done
almost every day for many years. He
talked with newspaper men for a few
minutes and said the following things:
“The war will last two years longer.
“The allies will win, because of their
ability to get the things necessary to
carry on the war properly.
“The United States will not become
involved in the conflict. The worst that
can possibly happen will be the breaking
off of diplomatic relations. :
“There should be a law against any-
one under 21 years smoking cigarettes.
Mr. Edison would prefer to see a boy
with a revolver rather than a cigarette.
‘Women will vote, and there should
be a national amendment to that effect.
The instincts of women are good and
they are bound to have their voice in
government.’
—Put your ad. in the WATCHMAN.
POTASH MADE OF FELDSPAR
Discovery, It is Said, Will Enable
America to Produce All the
Amount Needed.
The European war has brought the
United States face to face with the
problem of supplying its own potash.
Several new methods of providing a
substitute for German fertilizers have
been brought to the attention of the
government. The most promising of
these is that patented by a Canadian,
which provides for the extracting of
potash from ordinary feldspar. The
feldspar is heated with limestone and
iron oxide at a temperature of about
2,200 degrees Fahrenheit, which pro-
duces a partly fused mass that is eas-
ily decomposed by a weak acid. From
this product the potash salts can be
readily extracted for further purifica-
tion.
Another method of obtaining potash
will be tried out at a New Orleans dis-
tillery where molasses is used in large
quantities. In the distilleries where
molasses is fermented it is said that
more than one hundred and six tons of
potash is wasted daily, and is it this
waste the New Orleans company is en-
deavoring to forestall. It is possible
to make fertilizer from this otherwise
worthless material at a price that will
meet competition even after the war
is over.
| BRUSHED CAR OFF HIS EAR
So Declared Owner When He Was De-
scribing His Escape After
Collision.
In telling the details later, William
A. Lucas said he brushed the car off
his ear, but that was somewhat of an
exaggeration. He was explaining an
accident that occurred at Washington
street and Vermont avenue, when the
car in which he was riding with his
wife and her sister, Mrs. Kate Holmes, !
all of 652 Towne avenue, was struck
amidships by an unknown motorist in
a powerful machine.
The small car which Mr. Lucas was
driving was turned over, and Mr.
Lucas was thrown out, so he fell with
the full weight of the machine on his
head. The car was one of the light
ones about which so many jokes are
attempted. :
By bracing himself Mr. Lucas suc-
ceeded in raising the machine enough
to escape. He was not seriously in-
jured. Nor was his wife or sister-in-
law. All are more than sixty years
old.—Los Angeles Times.
Celebrities Cheap.
Sam Gompertz is said to be going
to build a new amusement place at
Coney island, on the site of Dream-
land, with everything free except ten
cents admission. Probably that is
why he was the largest bidder at the
auction of the contents of the Eden i
He bought John Purroy Mit- |
Musee.
chel, William the S. O. Bill Sulzer, W.
Jennings Bryan, Anna Held, Sarah
Bernhardt and 12 other assorted fa-
mous people, all in a lump, for $190, or |
$10 apiece. He just missed getting 19
“makers of history,” from Cleopatra
to Roosevelt, which went en masse for
$230. Thomas A. Edison, clad in a
check suit, was sold separately for !
$10, and Colonel Goethals brought $10. |
Both beat Governor Whitman, who
was disposed of, “scenery and every-
thing,” for $7. Some of the large
prices of the day, paid for group fig-
ures, in which the auctioneer protest-
ed that the very wax at 256 cents a
pound was worth more than the bid,
were Admiral Fletcher bombarding
Vera Cruz, five figures, $25; General
Funston entering Vera Cruz, eight fig-
ures, $49; Lee’s surrender at Appo-
mattox, 14 figures, $100; Pope Pius
lying in state, four figures, $40; “Hor-
rors of the Spanish Inquisition,” $50;
Hans Schmidt, $10; and the execu-
tion of the four gunmen, $40.—New
York Commercial.
The King and the Peasant.
A lot of good space, time, ink and
sympatay is being wasted on old King
Peter of Serbia, in telling what a sad
thing it is for him to be a king with-
out a kingdom, of how he was lifted
tenderly from his horse, of how he was
taken to Italy and is to live in a
palace in that country until the time
comes when he may return to his own
land.
And while all this is being written
the Serbian people, the peasants who
have been tramping barefooted along
frozen roads, whose homes have been
destroyed and whose loved ones have,
in many cases, been killed in battle,
are forgotten.—Savannah News.
Buried by Lantern Light.
By the light of lanterns the body ef
Annie M. Scott of Phoenixville was
interred at Grove Methodist Episcopal
cemetery, West Whiteland, after a
trip of ten miles, which had consumed
two days.
By night the procession had reached
Kimberton, five miles from the start-
ing point, where the trip was aban-
doned and resumed in the morning,
but it required until late the second
evening to reach the cemetery, the
road leading for the main part through
fields because heavy snowdrifts closed
the highways.—West Chester, Pa., Dis-
patch to Philadelphia Inquirer.
Good and Faithful Servant.
Sir S. Ponsonby-Fane is dead at an
age of ninety-one years. The span
of his years becomes apparent when
you appreciate that he was an attache
of the British legation at Washington
in 1846-47. That was when James K.
Polk was president, James Buchanan
secretary of state and the Mexican
war was on.—Cincinnati Times-Star.
“SWAT RABBIT,” NEW SLOGAN
‘They're Vermin, Not Game, English
Timber Owners Are Now Be- i
i ing Told. i
© To encourage the growing of more
timber in England by organizing all
resources of labor, a committee has
{been appointed by the government un- |
{der the chairmanship of Francis Ac
land, the London Chronicle states. :
Lord Selborne, minister for agricul
ture, drew attention to this step at an
exhibition of English timber organ-
ized by the English Ferestry associa-
tion at the Surveyors’ institution,
Westchester.
He said that the committee was ap-
pealing to land owners and land
agents to let them see their woods
and make proposals for the purchase !
of timber. The committee appealed !
to the owners to give what help they ,
possibly could in the felling, conver-
sion and hauling of the timber.
If an English landowner would con-
sider that rabbits are not game but’
‘vermin, as they certainly are, and go
in for the cultivation of timber, it
would be to his great benefit, the com. !
mittee said. i
The war bas.created a big demand |
for timber, boards and scantling, espe- |
cially the kind used in the erection of
huts. During the last twelve months |
more pit wood has found its way to |
the English coal field than has been
the case for the last twenty years.
Some of the men present said that |
while they would do all that was pos-
sible to give aid to the government in
i this direction, they were disinclined
to feather the nests of the timber deal-
ers.
ANXIOUS ABOUT HIS HEALTH
Guest at St. Louis Hotel, Not Satisfied
Made a Somewhat Humorous
Request.
Fred Thompson, night clerk at the
Laclede hotel, St. Louis, is asking his
friends to believe this one:
“About eight o'clock the other
night,” Thompson says, “a tall, rangy
ruralite entered the lobby of the hotel
and approached the desk. After I had
fixed him up with a room he asked me
if I would take care of some money
{| for him. I told him I would be glad
| to put it in the safe. He fished down
{ in his trousers pocket and produced a
! $2 bill.
| “Just put that away,’ he said, ‘I am
going out for a little while and I don’t
want to take any chances with these
city slickers.’
“I kept my face straight and assured
him it would be safe on his return. He
started to leave and then turned
| around and asked me how late we
i kept open. .
“‘Oh, I'll be here when yocu get
back,” I told him.
“Well, I don’t know,” he replied. ‘I
calculate I'll be pretty late. Most ten
o'clock, likely.’
“I assured him I would be on deck,
but he did not seem satisfied. After
pondering a few moments he asked:
“‘Could I see Mr. Laclede?
“That had me going for a few min-
utes, but when I recovered I told him
Mr. Laclede had gone to bed.”
Pierre Lac.ede, the founder of St.
Louis, for whom the hotel was named,
died in 1778.
Jap Statesman of Prominence.
Governor Hattori of Hyogo prefec-
ture, who was among those awarded
honors at the coronation of the em-
peror of Japan, has held his post since
1900, a unique distinction among his
gubernatorial confreres. The happy
relations which he enjoys with all offi-:
cial and private classes in Hyogo pre-
fecture have caused him to repeatedly
decline offers of promotion, by which
he might have held a seat in the cabi-
net and exercised diplomatic abilities
in higher and more stormy spheres.
He was born in 1851 and is a graduate
of an American college, Rutgers, from
which he received the degree in the
"10s of bachelor of commerce. He
was nominated a member of the house
of peers in 1903.
Signs of Paratyphoid.
Paratyphoid has recently come to
the front as a disease. Among the al-
lied troops in France there have been
more than 1,200 cases, with a case
mortality of 1.5 per cent. The Lon-
don Lancet says it is not always pos-
sible to distinguish it from typhoid,
but in general it is a milder disease
with shorter duration and often ap-
pears as a sudden onset with shiver-
ing, abdominal pain and aching limbs,
without abdominal distension and
when there is an eruption this is of
large and palpable spots. Abnormally
slow heart action is characteristic.
The mosquito is suspected as the
means of transmission from patient to
patient, but this is still in doubt.
Much Beef Goes to Waste.
Although various estimates place
the number of cattle in Paraguay all
the way from one to four million head,
the cattle industry, with untold possi-
bilities, is scarcely out of the stage
when the animals are slaughtered for
their hides alone. While all the world
is clamoring for meat, cattle in Para-
guay sell for but little morc than what
their skins will bring.
Inexperienced.
“We are getting up ao symposium
on the subject ‘Is Marriage a Fail-
ure? ” we remarked to the celebrated
actress whom we had been sent to in-
terview, “and we would like to hear
wour views on the matter.”
“Dear me!” she exclaimed. “How
can you expect me to throw any light
on such a question? Why, I have
“earlier than in temperate zones.
been married only five or six times.”
‘SMALL MAN WINS HIS SPURS
Trenches Make Him a Better Fighter
Than the Larger Soldier, It Is
Now Said.
A “Bantam Corps” now is organiz
ing ‘in British Columbia. It may not
be easy to explain why, but the fact
is that energy and pugnacity seem ta
become intensified as the physical
bulk diminishes in all animals, includ:
ing man. The capacity for enduring
physical hardships generally dimin.
ishes as the size and weight increase,
so that the idea of a “Bantam Corps”
is one of the most practical and valu
‘able of the suggestions offered in con:
nection with recruiting.
Among the many cherished but now
fossil delusions of militarism that have
been for centuries regarded as axi
omatic this one of coupling power of
endurance with size of frame is the
most obstructive of progress. Hun.
dreds of thousands of eager recruits
have been rejected because they were
a trifle below the prescribed dimen.
sions, or for slight defects of eyesight
or teeth.
Trench fighting has revolutionized
i the prevailing ideas about war in this
as in other respects. A small man may
endure the strain of trench work bet.
, ter than a large man, may be a better
sniper, is a less expansive target for
the enemy’s bullets and is likely to be
less expensive to maintain. In the
| old style of fighting, which was large
ly a matter of charging on foot or on
horseback, weight might tell in favor
of the heavier man, but there is com-
paratively little of that sort of fight
ing now.
HEAT WON'T HELP MATURITY
Result of Columbia Professor's Studies
Conflicts With Former
Views.
Children do not reach maturity in
tropical climates more quickly than in
temperate climates. This remarkable
conclusion, which runs contrary to a
widely held belief, has been reached
by Prof. Franz Boas, professor of an-
thropology at Columbia university.
Professor Boas, fresh from participa-
tion in a scientific ‘survey of Porto
Rico, has just made his report to the
New York Academy of Sciences, which
undertook the investigation.
“The first of our anthropological in-
quiries had for its cbject the study of
conditions of growth of the body in a
tropical environment,” Professor Boas
says. “It is generally assumed that
heat has the effect of accelerating the
physiological development so that in
warm climates children reach maturity
Our
inquiries do not substantiate this view,
The material has not yet been collated,
but from the general character of the
data I venture to say that they will be
of the greatest importance for prac-
tical measures relating to the hygiene
of childhood and for the management
of schools.”
Leprosy in Boston.
A case of leprosy was discovered in
Boston a few days ago. This males
two cases within five weeks. The
latest victim is a sailor, about seventy-
two years old. He was born in the
United States and has followed the
sea for many years, having visited
Asiatic ports, where he evidently con-
tracted the disease. It is said that
his present illness began about ten
years ago, but that he never before
applied for treatment in Boston. When
he appeared at one of the local hos-
pitals the case was recognized and
was reported to the health depart-
ment. The other case of leprosy, that
of a dishwasher, was not diagnosed for
seven months, though the man was un-
der treatment much of the time at
the same hospital.
Marks on Aeroplanes.
The distinguishing marks of the
aeroplanes of the fighting powers are
as follows: France, Belgium and
Serbia—the device of a blue center
ring with white and red rings outside.
Great Britain—a dark red ring; the
device of a red center with a blue
outer ring, similar to the French, is
also used. The Russian mark con-
sists of three horizontal bands of
white, blue and red. The central pow-:
ers, Germany and Austria, use a black
“Iron Cross” painted on a white
ground as a device, while Turkey uses
p crescent and star upon a red!
ground.
Granted Two Days to Marry.
Furloughs from the front are fixed
by the generalissimo at six complete
days, but the heads of corps may give
two days extra to soldiers who have
been the object of citation entitling!
them to wear the cross of war and to!
those who can produce a certificate
from a mayor stating that they are
about to get married.—European Edi-
tion New York Herald.
Tries to Pin Up Heart.
Frank Gati, thirty-eight years old, of
406 East Fiftieth street, tried to kill:
himself in the erysipelas ward of
Bellevue hospital by sticking a safety,
pin through his heart. He was pre-
vented from carrying out his inten-
tion by a nurse, but he grimly told
the doctors that he would succeed;
next time. He is charged with at-
tempted suicide—New York Evening;
Sun,
Usual Result.
“Good heavens! Another riot call!”
“Yes.” ”
“What’s happened now?” .
“Nothing out of the ordinary. A
crowd of pacifists have been holding
a ‘get-together’ meeting.” :