OEORfifc TICICELI- MSS?—^ "Is Ho Sick?" 111:.\ you'll do It, Bill, for <^T* 1 the sake of old times?" j[ I queried Capt. lirundage J anxiously. "Vis." said the mate, "for old times' sake and ,|jj®'l the 25 bucks you prom- Js*l| | ised. Partikerly for the Wl'ifmu The ca i >,ain eye<l h ' m J I IJ disdainfully. wl-AW/gnJ "if 'twas me." he com dented. "I'd be glad in help out a pa!, even if 1 didn't get a cent. That's thf kind of man I am." "An' that's (lie kind I ain't," re- Joined the mate tartly. "So mebbs you'll stow this here mcralisin' busi ness an' hand over the coin, so as everything 'll be accordin' to agree ment." The skipper of the steamer Arklam muttered something uncomplimentary under his breath, but producing a bulky pocket book extracted several hills ther from and passed them to the mate, who thrust them into his pocket ar.d faced his superior with a satisfied smirk. "Now that's s';t'led. let's run over your scheme again, so as 1 can get my bearin's," he said pleas antly. "When we get to I'uffa'.o you fix yourself up with a i honv board an' wig, an' if Miss Antrim cones askin' for you I'm to toil her Capt. Brundage died worry sudden in Chicago, an' the. C'S N NEW S!'H>J 'j I" charge." ""'•iJKi't fc.n'et w I'm sup. 'ai'd to be deaf and dumb," warned the cap tain. "If she once heard my v:;ice it 'ud q-ieor the whole game." "Oh, n'.v light," responded the mate. "Only she must be a bigger fat-head than she looks if she swallows that. Who'd ever believe as a company 'ud hire a deaf dummy for captain of a big sttani freighter?" "She's got to believe it," returned the captain. "Anyway, if she sees me at all. it'll be only for a few min utes. and the news of my death 'ill upset her so that she won't stop to figure out them little details." "It wouldn't upset me." retorted the m*te. "Seems like she oughter be Joyful to hear it, if she's got any sense." "That'll be all from you," growled Brundage in high dudgeon. "Just hold your jaw and do as you're told." Shortly after the Arklam tied up at the Buffalo docks she was boarded by a buxom young damsel with a de termined chin and a pair of snappy black eyes. The watchful mate greeted her at the gang piank, and she acknowledged the salutation with a gracious smile. "Good morning, Mr. Prout," she said. "Is Capt. Brundage around?" The mate twisted his features into a becoming semblance of grief. "I'm sorry to say that I've got bad news for you. Miss Antrim," was the response, lie hesitated and shook his bead sadly. "What's the trouble?" inquired the girl, her face a shade paler at the sight of the mate's dolorous visage. "Is he sick?" "Worse than that, miss." returned the mate in a hoarse whisper. "He's werry bad —that is, I mean he ain't now. He's gone, miss, gone for ever." The girl drew a sharp breath. "What!" she gasped, "you don't mean to sav—" "That he's dead, miss; yes. that's It, an' sorry I am to tell you." Miss Antrim dabbed a handkerchief hastily across her eyes. "How did It happen?" she asked. "Why, he — be was all right when he left here on his last voyage." "Step into the cabin," requested the wily .Mr. Prout, "an' I'll teil you all about it." The girl followed him, and seating herself, prepared to listen to the mate's doleful narrative. In accordance with the instructions of bis chief, Mr. William Prout gave e very affecting sketch of the inci dents relative to the former's sud den demise, due, as he declared, to a chill followed by an attack of pt>eu- THE DUPING OF POLLY monia which had carried off the vic tim in record time. Miss Polly Antrim listened with an odd gleam in her intelligent eyes. "Wasn't there —that is—didn't he leave a message or anything of that kind for me?" she demanded, when the mate had finished his melancholy recital. "Oil, yes," replied Mr. Prout hur riedly. "The poor chap sent you his love, an' —an' hoped you'd meet him in heaven—" he concluded in a burst of inspiration. Polly Antrim glanced at the mate with tightened lips. "Very nice of him," she commented coolly. "Who did you say took his place?" "Capt. Chester," returned Prout. "Nothing like poor lirundage, though, he ain't." "I should like to see him," said "She'll Never Know Me in This Rig." Miss Antrim. "Perhaps he could tell me something more about Jim." "Not him," responded the mate, has tily. "He didn't know Jim Brundage, an', anyways," he added as an after thought, "this here Chester's deaf an' dumb; can't speak a word." A look of intense surprise deepened on his hearer's countenance. "Deaf and dumb!" she repeated. "Why, good gracious! how can a deaf mute be captain of a steamer?" The mate's face flushed. "It's this way," he explained. "His uncle's the main guy of the Sherlock Navigation Company, an' he gave Chester tiie job. He ain't much of a sailor, an' all the work falls on me." The girl eyed him steadily. "All the same," she remarked calmly, "I'm bound to see him, for I've made up my mind togo to Chicago on the Arklam." Mr. Prout uttered a horrified ex clamation. "Back on the Arklam!" he repeated. "What for?" "To visit Jim's grave," responded the artless Miss Antrim. "It's the least I can do under the circumstances. And it'll be a sort of consolation to sail on the boat he used to command, poor fellow." "Well, Capt. Chester's ashore just now." declared the mate, desperately. "That doesn't matter, I'll see him later," she said, airily. "I'm going home now to pack my things and get ready." Much aghast at this unexpected turn of fortune's wheel, Mr. Prout sought the presence of his -chief, who had prudently remained in seclusion during Miss Antrim's visit. Capt. Brundage, resplendent in a false beard and wig of inky blackness, as sumed to deceive his lady love's pene trating optics in case she insisted upon a personal interview, received his oflieer's tidings with a violent ex plosion of highly ornamental pro lanity. "You've bungled the whole business, «oti nigger-headed swab!" he said, ' heatedly. "What the blue blazes are |we to do now? If that girl ever \ lands in Chicago and finds out I'm I alive and have a wife and four kids, there'll be the devil to pay." ""Tain't my fault," protested the mate, sullenly. "What business had you to make love to her? Might I have known thore'd ue trouble." | "1 wasn't all to blame, Bill," a*- serted the captain. "It beats all the shine so many of these girls take to me. Can't understand why they do it." "Neither can I," agreed the mate, savagely. "It ain't your beauty, I'll swear. Mebbe it's the lies you tell 'em. Some women go daffy over a slack-mouthed liar." "That's not the point," returned Brundage, sourly. "There's only one way to square it. We don't carry passengers as a rule, and she'll likely be the only one aboard. What you've got to do now is pass the word to the crew to keep their mouths shut, and I'll keep up this deaf and dumb racket. She'll never know me in this rig, 'specially if 1 only show up after dark." "And who's to stand your watches?" demanded the mate. "Think I'm a blasted horse to be doing the work of two men? Anyhow, she'll be put wise when she reaches Chicago." "Well, it'll give me time to think the matter over," said Brundage, hopefully. "You can stand the day watches and I'll coine on at night." Mr. Prout entered a vigorous pro test, but in the end his superior's ar gument prevailed, and he hastened to irive the necessary instructions to the members of the crew. True to her word, Miss Polly Antrim installed her self as sole passenger on the Arklam, and the mate proceeded to map out a long and difficult course of deception for what promised to be a memorable voyage. Capt. Brundage, in the role of the silent Chester, passed muster before the girl's eyes in highly creditable fashion. She made no sign of recog nition, and he reflected that the stage must have lost a shining light through his failing to perceive that nature had clearly intended him for an actor. To Mr. Prout fell the agreeable task of entertaining the fair passenger, who exhibited a liveliness of spirit not wholly in keeping with the sorrow of a maiden whom death had deprived of a lover. In fact, the mate, being a single man in the »-a:!y thirties, found himself yielding to iiie witchery of her black eyes, and inwardly congrat ulated himself upon the happy chance which had thrown them together. On the second day Capt. Brundage saw fit to take the amorous Mr. Prout aside and expostulate with him on the too evident partiality he displayed for Miss Polly's society. The mate lis tened to his remonstrances and then indulged in a fine burst of longshore rhetoric, liberally flavored with harsh expletives. "A nice party you are," he con eluded, "to come givin' me advice. Wot is it to you if the girl's took a fancy to me? Heg'lar dog in the man ger, that's wot you are. Don't want her yourself an' can't bear to see any one else get her. For two pins I'd blow the whole game, an' then where'd you be?" "I was speakin' for your good, mil," pleaded the crestfallen captain. "You don't know wot an artful dame she is." "An' how about yourself?" queried the mate. "You're a fine honest hearted innocent to preach about art fulness. Anyway the jig 'ill be up I' "That Done—" when we make port an' she goes huntin' for your grave." "That's so." agreed Brundage, de jectedly. "We got to think that over, Bill." "Think it over yourself," retorted the aggrieved Mr. Prout; "but don't come any nonsense over me, for I won't stand it." The Arklam was nearing Chicago when Capt. Brundage, sitting alone in his cabin and figuring desperately on some means of escape from the net fate had thrown around him, looked up in surprise as Miss Polly entered and closed the door behind her with an emphatic slam. That done, she sat. down and surveyed her quondam suitor with malicious eyes. Brundage stared back with a sickly smile, wondering inwardly what her visit might portend. He was not left long in doubt. She suddenly stretched forth a slim, white hand, and tore the black beard from his face. Then she set her little foot upon it and spoke with much unction. "What an awful silly you are, Jim Brundage, to think that you could pull the wool over my eyes." The captain wagged his head dis mally. "All right, Polly," he said, "you've got me beat. What do you reckon to do?" 'if I was a man," said the girl, scornfully, "I'd thrash you well, but I suppose I must get satisfaction an other way. What hurts me most isn't your falseness, but the idea that you considered me such a fool. I've found out all about you, and unless you want your wife to know every thing, you'll do as 1 say. "When you passed yourself off as a single man you showed me your bankbook and calculated that SSOO would start us nicely in housekeeping. Now, when we reach Chicago, Jimmy dear, you'll go straight to the bank, draw $250, and hand it over to me. Then I'll say good-by and you can thank your stars for getting off so easily." The unmasked conspirator swore bitterly and protested fervently, but Miss Polly was adamant and he finally agreed to her terms. His disclosure to Mr. Prout of the conditions upon which he had surrendered was re ceived by that unfeeling seaman with a hoarse laugh, which was distinctly aggravating to his commander's trou bled mind. The Arklam lay at the Clark street dock with Miss Antrim seated in the captain's cabin placidly awaiting his return from the bank. Beside her laughed Mr. William Prout, smoking the pipe of peace. Brundage entered with a look of intense gloom over shadowing his countenance, and sig naled the mate to retire. Miss Polly waved her hand in dissent. "Stay where you are," she said, ge nially. "Count out the money, Jim, and hurry up." The mate grinned broadly as his skipper lugged out the well-knowi> pocketbook, and, sighing deeply, hand ed $250 in United States currency to his female Nemesis. Polly beamed graciously upon the uncheerful giver. "That's a good boy, Jim," she said, sweetly, "and now we'll go ashore happy. By the way, it may interest you to know that Mr. Prout and 1 mean to set up housekeeping on the strength of your kind gift." The captain's emotion was too deep for mere words to express. He rose to his feet, still staring helplessly, as Miss Antrim, leaning on the arm of the gratified mate, tripped merrily along the gang plank to the wharf. (Copyright, by W. G. Chapman.) Editor Appointed Director-General. Gen. James Evelyn Pilcher, editor of the Military Surgeon, Is the new direc tor-general of the National Volunteer Emergency corps. The corps was or ganized in l!t00, to render aid in time of national calamity or in the event of war. The corps is now being re organized on the lines of the medical corps of th« United States arm/. rnnOftk ff<sf 4>* Give the little pigs plenty of room to exercise. Keep the lambs growing. Don't let them have a back set. Shear the tops of early celery and get the plants out as soon as possible. An alfalfa field and a bunch of good rniloh cows puts a farmer on easy street. Putin a lot of sweet corn to help out when the pasturage gets short along in July and August. Chilly nights and on days when there are cold rains house the sheep. You will be repaid for your trouble. The day of low-priced eggs seems gone forever, and the farmer more than ever finds a source of profit in his poultry. There is nothing mean or small about the American hen. She is do ing great things for the country, es pecially the farmer. Raise the collars on the horses oc casionally, and wipe away the sweat. It will prevent chafing and will make the animals feel more comfortable. In the feeding of soft and moldy corn some farmers during the past winter have found that sulphur and Glauber salts have prevented any ill results. Don't let the taste of the surround ing get into the butter. Set the cream and make the butter in a clean, sweet place away from the odors of the kitchen. Know a man by the appearance of his cows when the first go out to pas ture. Some men are either too la/.y or too ignorant to feed and care for their stock right. Watch the cow's bag just before calving. Be sure it does not get in a caky condition. Better milk her occa sionally than to run the risk of serious trouble at the time of calving. When soil is in the proper physical condition at the time of planting, the cultivation of corn Is comparatively easy, provided the cultivations are frequent enough to kill the weeds as soon as they start The experiment stations are advis ing as a remedy for gapes in young chicks the placing of the affected chicks in a basket over a tub contain ing a hot brick and some carbolic acid. The chicks must not inhale the fumes more than a minute at a time. Aphis, or plant lice, those tiny, black, green or red insects, are more easily killed by using a strong solu tion of tobacco in water. Or kerosene emulsion, or whale oil soap solution. Apply remedy early, when lice first hatch out and before they are hidden by the curl of infested leaves. It is only the stock which are in creasing in size and weight which ere producing a profit for their owner. When a ration is fed which only keeps the stock from losing ground, the farmer is losing money. In some experiments to test the amount of feed needed to keep a 1,000-pound steer in condition without making him grow, it was found that there was required 15 pounds timothy hay, 12 pounds clover hay and seven pounds corn meal. In other words, unless more than this amount of feed was consumed the steer would not make a growth worth considering. Separate the milk as soon aft/rr milking as possible. If the milking is done through sterilized cheese cloth, the cows having been brushed and wiped off, the milk may be poured directly into the supply can of the separator without straining. The dairyman who depends upon the strainer to clean the milk rather than by using cleanly methods of milking is the one who makes the poorest butter. Never speed your separator up too rapidly, but begin slowly and bring machine up to the required speed gradually at the same time turn ing on the milk flow gradually. When all the milk lias passed from the sup ply can one quart or so of the skim milk should be caught and poured through to flush out the cream that will remain in the bowl. Unless this is done some of the butter fat wiH ad here to the surfaces and a small amount remain in the center of the bowl, not being able to get out of the machine because there is no more milk flowing into force It through. Pouring in the skim milk forces it all out. Warm water may be used for this purpose, but usually it is not BO convenient. Never let the surface of the ground crust over. Pure water for the cow If you ward pure milk from the cow. Look ftir lice on the little chickens which do not seem to be thriving. Sour milk is Rood for the little chicks. Good for the laying hens also. Spray the currant, and gooseberry bushea with white helebore to kill the worniß. Feed the lambs a mixture of oats, wheat bran and oil meal if you want them to make specially rapid growth. Sow some rape for the pigs. It can be drilled in or broadcasted. It win be ready for pasturing in about five weeks. If weeds gets up before the com run a weeder through the field. 11 will knock the weeds out and wil bring up the corn faster. The farmer who tests his seed coin is the farmer who is saved the dia appointment of planting a whole fieltf and not having any of it come up. It is the pig that grows right from the start which proves the most profit able animal to raise. See that condi tions are right lo produce the best re sults. Too much stock <>ii the pa;;tuiO Is i mistake, it provider insufficient food for the stock and causes them to graze it down so close as to permanently in jure It. It takes Kenerous feeding tj build up the muscle cells broken down by the hard work of the busy season. You cannot do this by feeding corn to your horses. Feed oats. A bull's a bull to some farmers, nc matter of what breed, or color, or dis position. But never was greater mf» take made by a farmer than this. Tb« bull is more than half of the herd. The farmer who puts off securing his seed corn until the last thing anc then plauts anything he can get ready quickly deserves no sympathy whec his cornfields prove a disappointment There is such a thing as false econ» omy in feeding. If a third more ex pense in feeding gives you three times the profit, you can easily figure out th" wisdom of generous rations. Fee# wisely, but not niggaidly. On the first rainy day now get. the haying tools in shape. Haying wil? be upon us almost before wo realize it. This promises to be a good bay ing year. Prices may be lower, bat the larger crops will bring the profits up to fully what they were last year. Wet wood is an aggravation, and there is a temptation to use coal oil to hurry matters. Rut don't do it. Many a person has tried it and been* injured or fatally burned. Hut wiry wet wood at all? Why not have the wood supply tinder shelter and so far ahead that it will have good time t-c season. Encysted worms in sheep cannot be reached by drugs. Treatment must be preventive. The mature worm* must be expelled from the bowels by the administration of a vermifuge, surface waters must be avoided and pastures known to be infected shonMS be pastured by other stock for a jreai or two. Theory and then practice. PwV' some of the new ideas you have gained fiom reading during the winter and from the discussions at the farm ers' institutes you attended to work for you. There is chance for improve ment in the methods on almost every farm. There is on easier or better way of doing things than has been is* practice. Get next to the new way*, save ail the labor you can without danger of jeopardizing the crop. A good scoop can be made out of e quart or two quart tin vegetable can by melting or cutting off the top and beginning at this open end, slitting back to within an inch of the bottom. On the opposite side of the can make a similar slit and then cut out th«- tin between thes*e two slits on oo« side. Round off the corners at the* open end. Take a piece of broom han dle and drive a nail through the bot tom of the center of the can and into the center of the broom handle and there you are. The scoop is complete. Perhaps not quite as strong as »- boughten one but very seiviceable. Systematic rotation of crops will' prove most effective in overcoming all corn pests, especially root, peste such as the root louse atul the dif ferent corn root worms. The com plant is the one upon which tbey thrive best and if it is removed from the ground for a year or two, it will effectively exterminate them. If you have a corn plat that was infested with any of these insectsv you had better sow to millet or cowpeas this year than to attempt another crop o3 corn and expect it to be free from, pests. The failure of the Illinois sta tion with oil of lemon on seed com as a protector from the corn root loose shows that little is to be expected' from applying fluids to the seed. So long as the weather is dry and irfeai' for the growth of the plant, there was little trouble and the application seemed to be effective; but when the weather was extremely wet —the ideal* weather for this pest— the oil nfc lemon was not effective.
Significant historical Pennsylvania newspapers