WHEN NUTS ARE RIPE, The frost king comes by stealth at night, Painting the loaves in colors bright. With magic wand, in impish glee, He breaths upon each shrub and tree; O'ar hickory, walnut and the oak He sheds a variegated cloak, And as they ope’ their sleepy oyes His breath comes thick from chilly skies, The morning sun, in mild reproof, Bweeps from the fences and the root The crystal footsteps of that raid ; He smiles upon each loaf and blade, And welcomes to his genial rays The friendship of a mystic hase, While voices through the hill and dell Echo clear as silver bell, Glad, golden days! 0, mystic hazow And all the swelling symphonies Of ringing shout and childish mirth The brown nuts pattering to earth ; The scolding ofa saucy jay. Ah, glories of an autumn day ! Of earthly paradise a type — The frost-croyned woods ripe, when nuts are -Good Housekeoping. NIECES. BY PAULINE WESLEY, rn A —— EPHRAIM DODD'S UMBERTON | felt a pity people certain for Mr. Mrs, Ephraim two orphan daughters of Mr. Dodds younger broth- er from a Western came up their abode with the old couple; but Ephraim and delighted of their honestly Busan Dodd were with sudden nieces to the Mrs. Dodd s neighbors with complac respon y of bru aud wi back 1 this addition amily circle wn began to ETAY 3 friendly, was thirt rived-—two ve ash : Martha " : ars old when she ar- ars older than bh e had passed her six &r sister ire ah ana a otter school It w it w a a | forded it KO Away to rion al sad day for the Dodds leathern trunk bumped to the railway station behind one of Uncle Ephraim’s OX teams Ephraim, Ev#lina and her Aunt Susan clung to Marthe with a frantic earnestuess saying good-by and then stared at one another tearfully when the train whirled weeping Marth and her belongings n Lum berton On the nd 3 w! ‘ bs | wien RIGA in in aw fro way back to the farm Mrs Dodd snd Evel sat on a board ikced ser the cart railings, Epbrsion walked beside his oxen. After a while emnly “Taint that I ain't go in Marthy," said he “I think sh turn out fust-rate; but if there is any meanness in her nature, or any hidden dust in the corners of it, Il know it before long. She's started out on the testin’ tin yf her life “Morey,” Mrs. Dodd dashing » tear from her eye, talk, Eph 1A ras and ther t confiden La] we 109 exclaimed, “how you raim! You make cold shiv- turn ont fast-rate.” t al int 1 man repeated ; *‘but she » ot and gaze of tears, ! autumn a sat r sen tha the three, ’ ) tinted country roadsides home, There great the farmhouse. They felt 1t ev Lounging for Martha, they read and re-read the letters which she sent regularly once a week, written in an uncertain giriish band abounding in little eurves. She told all about her studies snd her teachers and her friends, sometimes even specifying the day's bill of fare, or the color of a classmate’s eyes Ephraim read all the letters aloud on Saturday evenings, piecing them to gether like a continued story, and Mrs. Dodd and Evelina listened. It brought the writer very near to them They always felt breathlessly inter ested After Martha had returned home for two visits, she was allowed to spond a long vacation with one of the school- girls in her city home. Then the Jet. ters, arriving oftener than before, took "Treen went slowly Was in ry day. vacancy eager ly on brighter tints, and gave glimpses of a luxurions townhouse vastly dif- | forent from the Dodd bhomstead, with | fits wooden “winge'’ and air of humble thrift Ephraim Dodd read these letters in ns serious, faltering voice while Evelina and her sunt listened rather suxions ly, knowing his troubled thoughts The faded comfort of their old sitting room somehow touched them with » wistful foreboding. Would it seem dingy to Martha! Might not her new surroundings teach her to despise the simple bomelife of Lumberton village? At lust eame o letter describing her frignd’s bedroom: “I wish you could seo what a charm- Wg boudoir Dorothy has! The bed- is brass, snd it glitters like gold. erheud bangs a ear of pale blue and white, fringed with ribbons, I feel like a princess sleeping on a royal souch, The floor is covered with soft - aro oceans of eushions I never saw such a beaus rugs, Toace everywhere, tiful room." When Evelina read the alluring par- agraph, her heart was filled with a sudden longing. She believed that Martha would surely cherish her home, in spite of its limitations, if the room where she slept could be made a lit tle less unlike that eity bondoir, Now Evelina Dodd had an energetic mind and active hands, The follow- ing noon she gently broached the sub- | joot of her meditations to her Uncle Ephraim and his wife, “I might kind of chirk it up, and give it a sort of stylish look,” she re- TAME Iniinky AA ALDERALAN Ephraim Dood pondered some time before he answered. “ "Tain't that I don't like ns the way we are as well as ever,” he said, awkwardly. “But it's in case she shouldn't; in that case it think she'll might be wiser to fix things up a little | fancier, an’ if you're mind to do it home and took | { Eveleny, I'll help you." Mra. Dodd had strong faith in Martha, yet possibilities loomed dis | agreeably as she thought of her hus. | band's words, and she secretly worried in the midst of the sewing and plan- | ning which began almost immediately. *‘I shouldn't care "bout the house or ourselves,” she confided to Ephraim, “‘so much as I would if Marthy hap- | pened to get to ws ttin' herself up above and | Eveleny. I couldn't bear to see Eve- i | leny's feelin's hurt." Dodd whenthe | Mr. Dodd kept his thoughts to him- self as he joined in the efforts which { were gradually transforming one of the old-fashioned sleeping-rooms above stairs, indeed, Were It was well that Evelina possesse d no knowledge of the havoe worked by her loving For the massive furniture of 1ld not be adapted well decoration. The Istend was out of ntastic spider-shaped Dodd » Remarkable changes, being made, zeal, old-fashioned Martha'sroor to modern taste plain 148 in mahog with a mnufac not abnndar that their la After the « h Iraped with blue denim to netting, Mrs. Dodd lina stood and sdmired it fro: Fhey believed t Msrtha wo 1 mosqgul ase Martha Dodd came back to Lin ton in midsummer, & time which al ways found the place full of verdant was carried to the » shining buggy, recently pur- Her Aunt Busan and Evelina iling in the yard, and show- pon her, be Eph her out « CAL , they sent her up- irder to surprise her Pris 2 beauty. Sha farm chased. 1 ig fore {f the I remained She sat 1d stared about her Whe gr 3 0 Ks ap were snner expectant her ches it Ks ¥ hoeve asked ; “who = ," Ephraim answered, red with pleasure “*Ah, tha said, and put her arms aro ‘H did you nestioned ag canopy? “re, ‘EYellny twas lovely « " Mar- : ! nu { i Mid shie went over JSTelBA ind h she 1 a aa le w MALAY ‘ ‘Who the w" 3 rents . : ighed affec- t away, but to him, embraced lier nncle He tried to ge tht him and clung was radiant “You kind 1" she eried; vat, nnele, you needn't have done it. I liked it th it was, Dida't you know I liked it?" A fortnight later Martha's Dorothy Rundle, secompanied by her two sisters, accepted invitations to spend a fortnight at Miss Dodd's home. On the day of their arrival a county fair was being held in the next town, and Mrs. Dodd watched some neigh bors’ vehicles fly past the door with a good deal of interest, “If "twa'n't for company comin'” she said to the girls, “I might have gone myself. I aint been to a fair for three years.” To stray ve been 80 WAY friend, her surprise Martha seized the idea almost eagerly. The girl { talked to her unsle so earnestly about the matter that he resolved to take his | wife and Evelins to the gaily decorated grounds and stay the entire day. Thus the house chanced to be comparatively still when four girls entered merrily and rushed up the stairs to Martha Dodd's “boudoir.” “Why, what in the world!” Bertha | Rundle exclaimed wonderingly, as soon a4 she had surveyed the room. | Two old pecple and a girl trundling | over the turnpike road were two fer | away to bear the peals of laughter that suddouly rang through the house, i “0 Martha Dodd,” said one of the | girls, * it's the funniest sight I ever | saw in all my life.” “Who did it!" another asked, and then the laughter began again, But only three giris innghed. Mor tha sat among some queer looking patchwork cushions, and viewed the surroundings gravely, “You may langh all you like,” she aid; “nobody ean hear you, 1 : eheoked herself and the girls looked at her, “Why did they do it?" Dorothy asked at Inst, Martha gazed out of the window be. fore she nnswered. “They did it," she said, slowly, “because they love me. I wrote about this something like it. My little sis ter Evelina—-"" she paused, The listeners drew nearer and stood around her in a little circle, “They did the best they knew { how," she continued, *‘and I like my room as well as Dorothy's. The eano- | py is ugly, but when I wake and look un at it. I think how their love covers | | | your room, and they hoped to make | me night and day; so you seceit's a | { pleasure,’ { *““The rungs are funnier,” Berths re { marked finally, in order to break the silence, and her sisters smiled, but { they did not laugh again, in the same WY, They began to feel an interest in Evelioa, and this increased through the happy days which marked their stay in Lumberton, Ephraim Dodd's generous heart warmed as Martha's city company bade him a reluctant good-by on the station platform, The eldest Rundle girl shook his hand cordially. “Well,” Mr. Dodd," said she, “we've had about the pleasantest visit we ever had. And when Martha comes to see us again, we want Evelina to too.” The old man blushed nearly interrupted thanks “I'll stay at home and let Evelina “We sha'n't leave Aunt Susan sand Uncle Ephraim alone That evening, Ephraim nnburdened himself to Mrs. Dodd, a little remorse- fully. “We needn't have bout Marthy," he turned out first rate; amount of testin’, Mrs. Dodd | hie extinguished , and Martha his stammering go," she explained 1 felt no uneasiness declared. ‘She's and any ill Eveline, ™ an’ 8 ir ta width, a # each carrying aloft up its green disk. They will strip a large tree of which they fancy the leaves in twenty-four h But nature has limited their ravages in the way which Darwin and Wallace to spect Many species prot the ties which we cannot inches ight as a flag urs teach us ted against det Lo A a serried 1 them width, attack Bat brine Ura Ss inches in will not choice eigner ¢ planta from eve al 1 eh the arcod mixed, abundanes ever could iw : authorities have made a law len of a land « to suffer,” stablishes ms Ih With unprote the ants « fore WAY any neighbor's ground «if And any one ol nests ue tonal An Elevator For Cats, Tt has been venience to be such an everyday eons livisted in an elevator car at railroad speed, to the teenth floor of a high office building, that one regards it as a matter of It has remained for an East Weymouth Mass.) couple, however, to apply the principle of the elevator to the feline economy of the household with grati- fying results. Mr. and Mrs G. in upper apartments; therefore Mr. Gi. had to go down and upstairs every time their half-grown kitten was put ont of doors or let in. This became monotonous, so one day Mr. G. placed the cat in » basket, tied a rope to the haudie and lowered the cat, Paul-like, to the ground. The cat evidently grasped the situstion at once, for since that time she has rarely been let in or out of the door, but has made her perpendicnlar pilgrimages with all the gravity of an old business man, The most remarkable circumstance is that she now gets into the basket as it rests on the ground beneath the window and mews lustily until taken in. If there were a set of eleetrio buttons for her to push, ‘ap once, down twice,” she would probably learn the combina- tion. As it is she is the causes of a mild little sensation in the town, and is as prondly exhibited by her Course, live ' owner as would be the feline heroine of the balad, which in ansient num- ber is declared to have returned, New York Telegram. - at E——— British Empire, Roughly speaking, the British em- pire extends over one continent, 100 seninsulas, 000 promontories, 1000 on, 2000 rivers, and 10,5000 islands, The Asyrian empire was not =o wealth as this is; the Roman empire was not so populous ; the Persian em- pire was nos so extensive ; the Spanish wanted you to get used to it, befoze the come home I-—" she empire was not so powerlal : THE MERRY SIDE OF LIFE STORIES THAT ARE TOLD BY THE FUNNY MEN OF THE PRESS, A Race of Strong Men-An O14 Tale A Precedent -His Vocation—A Difficult Question, Kte,, Ete. Let Bandow his blankets fold up, For his wonderiul strength is vain, One man in the West oan hold up A bank and a railroad train, ~ Atlanta Constitution, A DIFFICULT QUESTION, “They n giraffe thousand dollars.” “That's a good deal of money for a giraffe. How much is thet a yard on the average?” Bis sells for five HIS VOUATION, he “Weren't you surprised that Wildrake should make a surgeon?” He-~'*Not in the least. 1 member when he wasu't given to cut- ting up, "Judge. can't ro- AN OLD TAI “Do you know, be ginving to call me Clara actually maid," Mand — “Yon mean that y beginning to hear them." are an oid HELLO! “Really, Mrs 8 Ald Brown- awfully remarked 18, ‘tele pluone peoj 1 or In what way?" growled Mr. Jones “Why, they always return a call as soon us it is made A PRECEDENT. Briggs ‘Say, old man, I want yon to introduce me to your club “They hom th Griggs very particular, old fell wl admit Briggs ork Heral CIBOUMYENTING RN hy on ten a Spats to lend 3 heard him wilgrass for that amount and failing to get it?” Bloobumper—*"That's just the rea Mallins. If I hadn't he'd to me next trying to bor ask Mullins lars just after you Sn over neking son I asked have been J row.’ i Fg AER THAN THE DOLLARS Her St Br WITH Wis 1" a] ' I have nomone queer " “Hah | ma that she intended to sw 1s aes I heard PAN know that you peace of your scoount I cannot sleep?” said Dudley Canesucker to Miss Birdie McGinnis, Dudl y the Ww sudden ; mind s of my on on being boarder with MeGinnis “This had better Canesucker,” family is 80 however, you mother, Mr replied Birdie, simper- peak to my ing “Speak to your mother! I thought it was you who banged that blamed piano in the parlor until 1 o'clock every night." Texas Siftings. BQUAL TO THE OCCASION, "Why do you wish me to be your wife?” ‘‘Because | love you-~jove you to distraction.” “Did you say that to Mamie Jones when you proposed to her?” “How could I?" “Why couldn't yon?” Bocause sho has neither beauty, dignity, grace, amiability ror refine. ment. These are the qualities that in. spire ardent attachment, and you are the only girl I know who possesses them in a superemment degree. Need I say more?” He had said enough. New York Press. A RISING MARKET, “You,” said the old man, addressing his young visitor, ‘I'm proud of my girls, and should like to seo them all comfortably married; aud as I've made a littie money, they won't go to their husbands penniless. There's Mary, twenty-five years old, and & real girl. 1ahall give her a thousand when she marries. Then comes Bot, who won't see thirty five Ar Re i man w who is foriy, will have three thousand with her.” The young man reflected a moment or so, und then nervously inquired, “You haven't one about fifty, have you?" —Tit-Bits, AX APPEAL TO HER BEST FVEELTIGH, “I haven't always been as you ses me now, ma'sm,” ssid Reckless Tag. sey, addressing Mrs, Goodsoul, who was hanging out her clothes in the yard, “I should hope not,” said the lady, as she removed a clothespin from her garments of the gentleman who ae costed her. “No, ma'am, no,” he added ; ** | OneT a8 Weil dressed as mom oi © “And what brought you to present condition?” she asked, ia He drews deep sigh, placed his hand | { | | upon his heart and said : “Dissap’intment in love, ma'am.” Ho had struck the right spot, touched her woman's heart. Going to the house she brought him out a plate of corned beef and eabbage, which he eaused to disapps ar so rapidly as to show that if | his heart was lacerated { was still in splendid order. Press, his stomach New York EASY ENOUGH. In a certain church in Ireland young priest was detailed to preach This occasion was his first appearance, and he took for his text: **The Feed. ing of the Multitude.’ He said, “And they fed ten peo with ten thousand loaves of ten thousand fishes,” An old Irishman bedad, 1 ' which ti} n le bread and “That's do that my- anid, conld e priest overheard. priest an- he had it no | miracle ; WISE WOR HAR skhead cannot ¢ 1 m ia, nor stand hike a man « providen wident in the 1 with what 3 A . +11 + fat 14 | Has Aon HU never mm Me IAIDOoUs | what he will do than by belie ing —— Higator en Their Hook, Alex Wes verlin to spend Canghkt a Big A Last Sanday C Fowler, and Henry Irving tervelt, Willie Lyons a: Aim] nt out to the j the day banks of the Nueces River Fowler and Alex Stevenson got in a skiff and went troi- ling for Fowler was at the oars and St was handl- ing the line when suddenly the boat gave a lurch that almost threw them both out Something had got fas tened on the hook, which thay imag. ined was a sure enough whale, so, tell- ing Stevenson to “give him line,” Fowler sat once pulled for the shore, I'he shore being gained, the fishermen | began pulling in the line to see what | was on the other end of it. [to be a monster alligator, hook having in some way become fes- | tened to one of his forelegs After pulling the ‘gator to the shore they were unable to land him for fear of breaking the line, so they ealled to some Mexicans, who came to the res. one with a rope The alligator was then roped, after whick it was but an | easy matter to land him. He lashed { the groand and the air furiously with his tail. but it did no good, and he was soon securely tied to a stout sapling, after which he was dispatched with a rifle ball. The ‘gator measured twelve foot and seven inches in length, and was able to drown and devour a . sized calf. Corpus Christi (Texas) Caller. | RSE Choosing the Less of Two Evils, There is in Vienna a musician who plays in the orchestra and loathes the music of Johannes Brahms, Although be ridionies openiy this music, he is constantly with Brahms ; he walks with him, he bannts his rooms, he sits in the restaurant with him. When asked the remson of this contradiction, he answered with a smile: *“Tis trae I hate Brahms's music; but when I am with him he cann st 00m pose. "Boston St wi amp ho on the Claude alligator gars yenson %. Journal, Sixty Miles ~f Locusts, ‘fhe African Bteamship Company's stenmer Winnebah hos had a most une. asual experience when stemming be tween the latitudes of Cape Verd and 8t. Louis, Senegal. For sixty miles the wvesser steamed through which were so thickly packed to gether on top of the water that they completely covered the for locen war fae month and east her eyes on the tattered | ! conant your | L. proved i the large ! miles around ; indeed, they appeared | to be lying on the ses as far as the eve had Lo M IF OCE ihled could reach, The locusts doubt, been blown from the into the The ¥ Bi resol | gigantic grasshoppers, and one which Iwas | po wan secured was five inchos on mil drowned, bunt Winnebah did YOU READ mn length, foeumss those © not course, ha DO The testi A sia nt Mn ft 1 ures 74) ur most trusted neig Hood's 7 I Was Civen y Houd = Pills A'sHILOHS § @ CURE. § ave you Uslasth ? This remedy is Susan. toed to cure you. Price b0cta, lujector (ree, XY» 47 “MOTHER'S .. FRIEND” .- is a scientifically prepared Liniment and harmless; every ingredient is of recognized value and in constant use by the medical profession. It short. ens Labor, Lessens Pain, Diminishes Danger to life of Mother and Child, Book “To Mothers” mailed free, con. taining waluable information and voluntary testimonials Sent by express, charpes of price, $1.20 per bottle. BRADFIELD REGULATOR CO., Atlanta, Bs. Sold by all druggists 1, ¢ rec Breed Pasa Yo um ———— — MES. MI”LY FERGUSON, Ty. XN. T The following tribute to DANA'S ower over OLD CHRONIC COM. CLAINTS, was sent ws by Wm, Groom of the wellknown “GROOMS PHAR. MACY,” 120 Congress St., Troy. N.Y.» GENTLEMEN «1 have boon troatmed with LIVER COMPLAINT, CONSTIPA- TION and DYSPEPSIA for a Jong time, 1 employed the best Doctors In the oity; they told me Old Chronic Complaints were hard to "ni. Thelr medicine me ne good. n wking ) le of DAY aught WAARSAPARI A. Before | had taken half of it & tlt bottes. | have taken three bottles of DANA'S SARSAPARILLA! am better than for years. IT HAS WONDERS FOR ME, } ean dees hy USON. the lonst. Yours Troy, N.Y. MRS, MIT LY OANA SARSAPRRILLA CO. , DELFAST, ME. Fox, Mink, Otter and Peles RE TQ Davies & On, 05 to WA Rey
Significant historical Pennsylvania newspapers