IN THE AFTERNOON OF LIFE. When a feller's eyes are fillin’ an’ his hair's a turnin’ gray folks allow there's danger of his gettin’ in the way rounger people's pleasures, an’ aside he'd orter stand, When youth an’ laughter are a march- in’ hand in hand. Thev say when starts the fiddle that he shouldn't have the chance showin’ those around him “how the young folks used t' dance,” In truth he ain't expected any spirit t' display When he finds his eyes are fillin' an’ his hair's a turnin’ gray. Some Ot ot They say that with his youthful pranks a man should be at “outs.” An' quiet by the time he's forty-five, er thereabouts, honest sort o’ fun o' horses run A mighty even quarter, track at the fair. In fact they say there's no excuse for one a bein’ there on the race- should stay, When he finds his eyes are fillin’ his hair's a gettin’ gray. an’ Now, mebbe I'm peculiar, but it's this way with me: I'm goin’ t' look for pleasure iong as [ can A few gray hairs won't stop me a feelin’ good, | know; Fm sure I'd laugh as often if my head was white as snow. Theve ain't no being’ joyment out-o'-tune Because the sun sinks manhood’'s afte: One orter plan some pier each day When he finds his eyes are fillin’ his hair's a gettin’ gray. —Roy Farrell Greene jes jes as seo! sense in with en- lower in noon ; system t’ an’ fons eo 272 wy > N 85 SS Vo { 1 WLW ha € FF FURS 2BIR ERATE Dan was Nova Scotian, with a heavy voice and a He was well liked joined the gang “Big Dan” bed two inches in more than tw nearly all muscle an Dan was a man of and was a slow thinks and the instinct of was strong in him His working partner much like Dan in different in everyt He had graduated from one of the larger West. ern universities the year before with a fociball record and a good, passing grade in mechanics Ambitious to leara the business thoroughly, he had started at the bottom to work his way up. In November John Johnson's gang, in which these men were working, was engaged in raising a forty-wire line over a new coal shed The setting of the new and higher poles was quickly accomplished, and Johnson turned his attention to getting the wires up the additional height without crossing or breaking them Johnson's knowledge and experience were too limited for the position of re a big. jolly face. day he fed him homely the n cal from The m ause iucation, but his energy common gense”’ Hubble, was but very evolved the idea that as the each side were count of the building. the crogs-arms could be raised the additional distance —nearly twenty foot- sliding them up the new without "cutting slack into the This operation was made particular. ly difficult by the fact that the position of the wires below made the handling of blocks and tackle of much size al most impossible it was Johnson's opinicn that two men could carry the arms up the poles by main strength, climbing as best they could under their weight, Dan openly scouted Hubble shook his head Johnson was firm. He the Little group of men and asked for volunteers. No one moved. Probably it was the of the college man asserting itself: it might have been a sense of duty; at auy rate, Hubble put on his spurs at the second call and walked to one of the poles. He stuck his tools into his belt and began climbing, jamming his spurs into the soft pine with shocks that made the insulation rattle. No one followed him. Big Dan, still in doubt, was looking sidewise at the pole, In three minutes Hubble had the arm unbolted and ready to be raised. He looked down with a smile at the group of men below, “Coming Dan?” he said. Dan put on his spurs in silence and went up the pole, Johnson could not have selected two men better fitted for the task than these two. Both were of almost the same height and weight. and were the most powerful men in the gang. They had been trained, however, in entirely different schools. Dan's was the strength which comes with a hard life in the lumber camps. Hubble was fresh from the football field. They swung under the arm and went up with it, slowly. Progress at first did not require great effort, but as they increased the distance from the pole below, the slack In the neighboring sections of wire was rapidly exhaust ed. Hubble called a halt when they were half-way up. “Hold her a minute, Dan! This is no race!” Hi poles on of extra height, on ac- hw Uy poles wires idea, and over it but the “Geottin’ tired already?” asked Dan. “Expected better of you than that.” “I'm not tired yet. But hold your wind,” answered Hubble; “you'll need iL." Agein they started upward. The light braaze sang through the tighten- ing wires in a steadily heightening key. The ties on the neighboring poles were twisting with the strain. he pressure upon the spur-shanks was 0 great that they bent from the men's legs, and the straps seemed to wear into the bones of thelr knees. If any strap broke both men would fall. Johnson, on the ground below, saw his mistake now, and called to the | men to stop. But it was too late. While it is possible to get a good grip it is a different story | a man is going down with a heavy load. At the first step downward the spurs | would probably have cut out and both men would have fallen. Falling from they were then would mean | for they were working directly above the top of the old pole. “Can ye stand it the rest of the way up?” he panted anxiously. “Yes,” was the answer, the same old, | desire to reach the goal Again they advanced. Only two feet remained, but they were much the mos. difficult and most dangerous of entire distance The blackened wood curled from beneath the men's spurs; the strain was telling there. At each step the spurs slid gradually down the pole, and fresh grips must be taken instant. Then Hubble's knowledge of the value organized effort ca to his aid. Hitherto they had been taking the arm up one end at a time “Jet's pull together, Dan. pull! Ready, pull!” At each of these ten inches were every me of Ready mad efforts eight or gained, that the in place; but the difficult task all remained. Althcugh the bolt was already placed in the it must be driven through the hole in the crossarm. One of the two men must hold his end of the arm with one hand while striking. Hubble volunteered again. “Clinch your left arm over the arm,” said. “Support it shoulder as much as you can, my ieft hand around the I strike an did so H irom his belt, gight the bolt. “About two inch T far: 1 80 of pole, CTOSS your and hold pole while he on 81 ik lifted the leaned in hand- close thble and vs farther up. Ready Lt it down! Easy. hold it there!” swung at the bolt head it) Now it's in the With that he with all his might, supporting his end of the crossarm with his left shoulder, and relying upon Dan to keep him on the pole The axe fell notch: true. The bolt shot through the arm, and their hard task was over. But in swinging the heavy av Hubble had involuntarily followed it with his weight and his two hundred pounds were suddenly thrown upon a single spur. The strain was too great, and in an instant it had cut out of the wood, and he fell Tha whole thing occurred ond or less. Before in a sec the holt was fairly and still grasped his left band Hubble fell he swung clear of pole and twisted Dan around, so that his spurs cut out also. Dan now | found himself hanging by his left el bow to a loosely bolted Cross-arm, kept horizontal only by its square notch in the pole and its unboited He was twenty feet above the with its rough, jagged top and it net of insulators, pins and wires; and a two hundred pound man was hanging to his right hand. The iden swing unnerved Hubble completely, and he glanced up at Dan, his face blanched with fear. Dan, can you hold me?” he cried. Dan did not answer The same question had occurred to him, and he was debating it as fast as his natur ally slow brain would allow. The! situation demanded quick thought, for Dan was wellnigh exhausted by his severe exertion He looked down, first at Hubble, | hanging there pale and motionless, | and then at the top of the pole direct. Big Dan When the old pole WOrK gue slowly back and forth toward the pole from which he had fallen. The men below saw the agony | this effort brought him, for the rocking | came upon his elbow, and the sharp | cornered crossarm tore it cruelly. | Wider and wider became the swing of | this human pendulum, every move men: torturing the man above. Dan's face was now upturned, and the men on the ground could not see the agony expressed there. Johnson, fearful of the injury which might reach the men by reason of his folly, was trying to get some spurs adjusted to come to their help. The whole event, however, occurred in so short a space that it was over hy the time he reached the first arm of the lower pole, Dan had swung Hubble so far that the Iatter touched the pole with his feet. One more effort, and he caught with his knees, set his spurs in an in- stant, and held. Dan felt himself re leved! of the weight, and knew that Hubble was safe, then he swung back without his load, his strength left him at the same Instant and he dropped. The impetus of the backward swing threw him clear of the pole below, but he struck the topmost arm upon bis right hip. Johnson, who had just arrived at that point, reached him in an stant, and balanced him over the wires until the men could lower him with tackle. They found his right leg broken at the hip, and his left arm so lacerated ” that the bone was visible through the tora muscles, It was six months fong, weary ones to an active man-— before Dan went up a pole again. Th» accident cost Johnson his place, and was the means of getting Dan the subforemanship.-—-Youth's Companion. HANGING LAKE, COLORADO, An Interesting Body of Water Up in the Rocky Mountains. Hanging Lake is generally known as Dead Horse Lake, a name 4s inappro- priate as it is possible to imagine, for the reason that no kind of a horse This lake is situated about one mile from the canon known as Dead Horse Canon, which is opposite Shoshone station on the Denver and Rio Grande Railroad, eleven miles from Glenwood Springs. It is one of the most beautiful lakes the mind can conceive of. The water The minutest object lying on the bot- tom of the lake can be seen as well as an object floating on the surface, The depth is from two to probably 100 feet. This lake hangs in the corner of two perpendicular walls of rock which seem to tower 2.000 or more feet above it. The outer wall of the lake from one cf to the other is circular in gen- eral form with a zig-zag edge from three inches to six in width, formed by the vegetation which has grown there and then become petrified by the water of the lake running over it. From the appearance of the wall it is growing and confining more water enclosure, There trees lying overed with lime, limb, knot or indenture, no matter how amatl or great the indenture may ‘here 18 no sign of animal life in the lake or anywhere around it. [It is very doubtful whether it freezes over in the winter, for it is fed from an im- mense spring gushing out of the rocks several hundred feet above it. Under neath the lake are several caves that are some twenty feet long and ten feet wide and high enough for a man to walk upright in jut you will certain 1 ive a shower bath before you i¥ rede or the 8 and get it in the lake that showing every are are « be. rock climb where is dry. From the lake are There are broken stalactites which have centuries p There are skele the buffalo that have perished have bee high the midst of a terrible snow hes of Ovi n to the things trees, mouth of the very CAN wonderful of of lain there some parts petrified various unmoles tons of or that n driven over the cliffs in long that by a 3 ago, bund have gathered themselves together rock or bush lying in the little stream of lime water aand have themselves become and the and form as the leaves that grow on the trees the summer About one-half mile from the mouth of the canon is a very large lime rock that formed itself around a large tree 80 long ago that the tree has decayed and passed out of existence, but the prints of the bark are as perfect on the inside of the hole in the rock as they were the day they were formed. From the appearance of the bark signs it was a red spruce tree about fourteen inches in diameter. There are several limb holes in the rock that are as perfect as the tree hole A few feet below there is another rock showing that it grew around a tree while it was standing up, but from rock was the the rock Dead Horge Canon canon of wonders. There may lie hid- den between those massive walls of rock some bodies of the buffalo that are petrified From surface indica- tions there have been hundreds them perished there. Some of the old heads that are there show that the animal was of great size. Some of the bones have lain there for ages while others are in 8 good state of Glenwood Advance, storm 1 x ICRAVYEeS rock, are perfect as past has been parted where enclosed and only the form tree body about four feet from ground is left in the side of the is certainly a Ancient Choristers. One of the most remarkable clubs in Alameda, Cal ing admitted to it who has not the gift of song and who has not passed at ‘east nis sixiy-ifth Yirthday. club has 101 members, with an aggre- gate age of 6,666 years. The only wo the Senora Benina This old Span- the danced in the Spanish City of Mexico while in the first blush of wo- manhood, and the picturesque cave asliers of those times pelted her with roses. To the tinkling accompani ment of a guitar they sang love songs underneath her window. Those, she gays, were merry days. The weary feet, which at their owner's request danced once more in order that a few extra dollars might be added to the fund for the poor, were as light as in the bygone days, and if the aged voice quavered no one noticed it—The Strand, Sheep From lceland. One of the principal industries of the far-off, semi-Arctic island of Iceland is sheep raising. Last year no less than 62,762 Iceland slicep were exported to England, There were also ponies. The island is a Danish poe session. A AAA SANA, Revolutionize through the ballot. box.~Lincoln. A SEA OF MOULTEN ROCK ONCE COVERED 200,000 SQUARE MILES OF THIS COUNTRY. Washington, Oregon, and a Large Part of Idaho Were Once Overrun—Ex- amined by the Geological Survey With Reference to Its Water Supply. A lava sea 200,000 square miles in extent and upward of 4,000 feet deep is not usually thought of as forming a part of the United States, yet nearly the whole of Washington, Oregon, and a large part of Idaho were once over widespread remains of which form most of their surface today. the ancient lava beds the feet deep, some of which, of the Snake, even rival Canon of Colorado, except in brilllancy of rock coloring. Between the rivers, on the upland plains the country is a series of roll ing plateaus om which the soil is thick and rich. Here is the great wheat. growing country of the large areas being particularly adapted to agriculture. One of the needs of the section, however, is a larger supply of water for irrigation in the Summer season, for stock and for town and city needs. Thick lay- ers of gravel and water-bearing rocks are known to lie between the lava sheets, and it is from these that water is looked for. During the Summer of 1800 the Unit. ed States Geological Survey, through Prof. Israel C. Russell, made a detailed examination Nez Perce County, Idaho, a typical portion of the lava covered country, with spec ence to its water supply of this investigation published by the in its series of water supply gation papers Besides explanation of the of the region on which the ply depends, the paper gestions of the localities water is likely to be found, explains the prin ciples for the occurrence or artyfian waters and gives practical suggestions for testing wells during the process of boring also made of the useful stones to be I in the luding the limestones, whose facture of of the probable metals of al The res just beer Sy have Geological Irvey and irri- geology water sup- contains sug where Mention is building section mind native manu explained, f th ine value for the ment is and iocatior u such as goid discussed The pplication to th d States CGeologl per, is had on if the U vey, Wa As 8 the gical Survey is stu Florida springs the be nite hington part of the water res the United lying the and lakes from rivers of the Kissingen Springs, in County, is one these The has a temperature 70 degrees Fahrenheit and is strongly impregnat- ed with sulphur, iron and other in gredients that characterize artesian waters in that region The spring evidently artesian well The water ail from one point, gushing up vertically with great force through a circular ori. fice in the bottom of the basin, and although the basin is thirty feet deep or more the force is so great that the water directly over the orifice is con siderably higher than the surface of the lake at the battks. While swim country States Geolo wonderful which have Polk water most of their rise state of of is to be exceedingly difficult to keep in a position over this spring boll and im to sink in the water at that The outflow the spring as measured by the hydrogaphers of the Geological Survey was found to be 14, 000 gailons each minute, From $10,000,000 worth of fruit products are yearly ship ped from southern California, a coun try which was in many places aimost a desert until water was apphed it from its numerous streams There are still large tracts of the Missouri millions of acres which are awaiting development through the application of water of to $15,000 000 to went their share to the business and velopment of the country when the run through ture and life. Many of these streams are now being studied by the hydrog- sources of the whole country and the facts concerning their flow and high and low water conditions are being rollected which will be needed as de- mands are made upon their waters for the devalopment of the adjacent lands. ~Indianapolis Journal. An Old Superstition. Superstition connected with the seventh child of a seventh child is rommemorated by a tombstone in a village church yard near Bridgewater, Jomerset. This inscription runs: ‘Sacred to the memory of Doctress Annie Pounsberry, who departed this ife December 11, 1813, aged seventy- shree years. Stand still and consider ‘he wondrous works of God.” "Doe ress” was not merely an epithet, but i baptismal name, for she was a seventh daughter, and was, therefore, sredited with powers of healing. She sracticed in herbs and charms For ting’s evil this was her prescription: “Take the legs of a toad. Bake and grind them to powder with pestle and mortar. Place the powder in a bag sound the neck of the sufferer.” Lon. Chronicle » The highest point in NewYork City # at Ocean T and Tood Hill ed gr hen By 409 foot SIGNALS INSIDE LOCOMOTIVES. Austrian Invention to Keep Warning Before the Engineer's Eyes. A new and highly interesting sys tem of preventing railway accidents has been invented by Herr Bartelmus, an Austrian electrician, says a Vienna telegram in the London Chronicle night's sitting of the Austrian Rail way Officials’ Club. The inventor em ploys a single eleciric current in order that a stopping or moving engine may transmit signals to the stations and | signal boxes “and vice versa. The invention, it is said, makes it possi { ble to prevent accidents arising from trains meeting one another, from at express train running into the back of a goods train, or from leaving some carriages or trucks behind. The in vention would further prevent ons train colliding with another standing { at the platform, or with a single truck or coach; likewise it would obviate accidents arising from opening the wrong points, or from the Imperfect | closing of them, to mention only the commonest causes of catastrophes. Herr Bartelmus exhibited a model of his apparatus, and explained its work ing and construction. Before the en gine driver there burns a white glow lamp to signify that the electric ap paratus is in action. Should there he an obstruction on the A Rreer lamp would take the place of the white one as soon as the train got withis 2.400 metres of the obstacle, and af the loud bell would be gin to ring “drive ignored line, same time a The slowly.” If the engine drive that signa! and the train got within 1.200 metres of the object, the green light would go out and a red appear, the latter being the signal stopping the train. But if the iver did not stop, but approached the truction within about Herr Bartelmus' apparatus tomatically either off apply the brakes and train in time When a ars ono for dr obs 5040 would au shut steam or gtop the leaves the n the next two signal wotric lamps are apparatus indi nalmen over whic travel. The apparat is train it rung at bells boxes, and possibly els # # ey ¢ “wt and a special these sig % lighted cates to ] is to ad vantage that it enables officials at the st on or signal in me to 10 sig an the sig ap ngement would auto rain from pro have block made to Akewise ingeniou arra train of the ft were in I * any ot them r iocked wWenting any un altering them points it ight FLOATING ISLANDS. ‘ One island, Covering Two Acres, Seen in the Guif Stream. Of all the carried by wean currents floating islands are the most interesting, says Ainslee’'s Mag azine. Many of them have been found voyaging on the Atlantic. These is lands were originally parts of low ly ing river banks which broke away un der stress of storm or flood and float ed out to sea. The Orinoco, the Ama zon, the La Platta and other tropical rivers often send forth such pleces of their shores. Some of the bits of land are of large size and carry ani | mals, insects and vegetation. even at times including trees, the roots of which serve to hold the land intact while their branches and leaves serve as sails for the wind, Generally the waves break up these islands shortly after they put to sea, but sometimes under favorable conditions, they travel long distances The longest voyage of a floating is land, according to Government records took place in 1883. This island was first seen off Florida, and apparently it had an area of two acres. It bore no trees, but it was thickly covered with bushes, and in one place it wae thirty feet high above the sea level It was in the Gulf stream. traveling | slowly and with occasional undulations | to show where the ground swell wae Probably it got i away from its river anchorage in the + spring of the year, for toward the lat | ter part of July it had reached the lati | tude of Wilmington, Del. No large animal life had been seen on it though there must have been myriads of the small creeping things which abound in the tropics. By the end of August it had passed Cape Cod and was veering toward the Grand banks. It followed the steamer lane routes quite accurately, and several vessels reported it. One month later it was in midocean, northwest of Azores, and its voyage evidently was beginning to tell on it. It was much smaller and less compact. It was not seen again, and probably it met destruction in the October gales. But it had traveled at least 1000 miles, and if, as was thought, it came from the Orinoco, it must have covered twice that distance. It is quite possible that floating islands larger than this one, under more fa voring circumstances, might during the past ages have made the complete journey Crom America to Europe or Africa and so brotght about a distribution of animal species. Of course, it is not absolutely a that this island went to Sat 4 It might, though this is probable, have floated down region of clama and is would longer bo passengers | working beneath it wove tidewater. TR THE YOUNG MAN'S DILEMMA. There was a young man named Ig- natius Who lived in an attic quite spacious, When he tore his apparel He'd sit in a barrel Until he could mend ’'em—My gra clous!—Indianapolis News, NO PROTECTION. First Lady—Dear me, I never gay Mrs. Potts look so pale. Second Lady-—Nor I; she’s probably been out in the wet without an um- brella.— Pearson's Weekly. TRIED TO EXPLAIN IT. Mr. Fatley—Yes, self-made man. Prof. material at a News. I'm a get the “Chicago Studiosis—Er bargain 3 TE sate? AINING TALKER. is an entertaining AN ENTERT She talker? He- tain kers G You say she can Oh, my herself for hours yes! She a time- enters at Yon- Statesman XPLANATION. the de AN INTERIOPER'S E then,” cried what has made f possible? “Now, woman, frage Male man at all.- ep-volced emale suf ifferance.” repli suf! ied the rude ! there who had no busi Philadelphia ness to be Press LABOR. member of Con- asked “Do Eress the you thing a really earns his salary?” inquisiti “Of course 1 do,” stats what a lot of work it your is tt answered the “You new have no ig 10 con are ly elected sman idea vince worki constituen Washington you ng Star PHYSICAL “They purpose of than girls “Yes coming of the hats more for the conversation at American say,” he said ting a anytl l th have pre{uy American } Chicago AN URGENT When the one nignt himself | fr m come dows quiet game “Emily d«¢ wife, “1 am again, ant appears to be a very seri there are already | tendance. — rk Times rang + instru- urgent practition late ment appeal ers Ww ar, called out US case, two New Ors HOME st had no ids Monte Cario a sensation.” ican “Well,” strong INDUSTRY. sa that would gambling at so much of very rich Amer- my Create said the the sent friend, “there is a local iment in America. People couldn't understand why, if you determined to gamble for high stakes, you shouid not leave the money is Wall street "Washington Star said Were NEVER HIT HIM AT The Judge—What did you man with anyway? Prisoner—-1 didn’t hit thing, yer honor. The Judge—But look in a horrible condition. didn’t do that with your fists. Prisoner--No, yer honor. 1 ketched im be the heels and bumped "im again a brick wall a few times. But I didn’t hit "im wit’ annything wanst.—Chi- cago Record-Herald ALL. hit this im with’ anny- him Surely He's you * at A MAN WITH A MOTIVE “I'l go to dinner with you," said the friend. “on one condition. You musgt assure me that there won't be any special preparation on my ac count.” “Well” said Mr. Meekton, “of course, it is just as you say, but it's a bit of a disappointment. It is only by inviting a friend now and then that I can vary the monotony of tea, biscuits and marmalade for our evea- ing repast.”—Washington Star, HIS SUBTERFUGE. The patient was very talkative, and the doctor thought the consultation would never end. Finally he request ed the lady to put out her tongue, and silence reigned while the doctor went on writing. Whan he had finished the prescription he handed it to her and, reaching fo: his hat, (1arted for the door, “But, doctor,” reproachfully ex- claimed the lady, “you have not look- ed at my tongue yet!” “That's all right.” calmly responded the doctor, “1 only wanted to finish the prescription.” —New York Times. SORRY HE SPOKE He was in the parlor of a St. Louis residence while his flancee was play ing a Chopin sonata on the piano, Her mother was seated almost opposite her future sondnlaw, and when the proper opportunity presented itself she said: “Don’t you think Edna has a great ear for music?” “I certainly do," replied the young man. “It you'd stretch a few strings across it would make a lovely gui tare" But be poser Suished Bg sentencs— nce. New Y ork Herald.
Significant historical Pennsylvania newspapers