2 Our Curious Brain.
A wonderful piece of self analysis,
worthy of St. Augustine, which oc
curs In one of John Donne's funeral
sermons gives poignant expression to
what must doubtless have been a com
mon condition of so sensitive a brain:
"I throw myself down in my chain
ber, and I call In and invite God and
his angels together, and when they
are there I neglect God and his angels
for the noise of a tty. for the rattling
of a coach, for the whining of a dog
1 talk on in the same posture of pray
er, eyes lifted up. knees bowed down,
as though I prayed to God. and if God
should ask me when I last thought of
God in that prayer I cannot tell
Sometimes 1 find that 1 forgot what
I was about, but when 1 began to for
get it I cannot teii. A memory of
yesterday's pleasures, a fear of to
morrow's dangers, a straw under my
knee, a noise in mine ear. a chimera
In my brain, troubles me In my
prayer."
It is this brain turned lDwnrd upon
Itself and darting out ou every side
In purely random excursions that was
responsible. I cannot doubt, for all the
contradictions of a career in which
the inner logic Is not at first app* rent
—Fortnightly Review.
Hospital Efficiency.
A highly developed efficiency system
In saving time and trouble for the staff
Is used in a London hospital. Indiea
tors bearing the names of the officials, ,
house doctors arid some of the staff
doctors are located in many rooms and
hallways, and these Indicators show
tit all times whether or not any one
of the officials is in the hospital and
available for consultation. When end)
doctor comes Into the building a but
ton is pressed that makes it known
on all the Indicators that he has ar
rived; and when he goes out the indi
cators are made to record that fact.
The indicators also show the word
"engaged." which means that the of
ficial or doctor Is not to he disturbed
—a push on n button in the official's
room accomplishing this. Thus, in any
part of the hospital, at any time, each
doctor knows and each nurse knows
when the various officials and doctors
may be nskpd to give attention to any
matter.—Saturday Evening I'ost.
Gods of Machinery.
The ceremony of propitiating the
gods which are supposed to reside in j
the printing machinery Is annually
performed by the Hindu members of
the Times of Malaya printing staff.
The usually prosaic machine and com- j
posing rooms are turned into weird
caverns of mystery, dimly lit by can
dles and oil lamps, and odorous with
the heavy scent of incense and per
fumes. Every machine is garlanded,
and has placed before It an offering
Of "makan." Rice and bananas and
cakes are the portion of each machine
acording In Its size and importance;
even the "stone" comes in for a share
of the gifts. At the appointed time
'braziers, containing smoking camphor
and coeoanut oil. are carried round and
held before each machine, while the
power engine, whose god presumably
Is regarded as a particularly aggros
sive personage, is "smoked" for a spe
dally long period.—Times of Malaya.
Von Moltke and His Snuff.
During the Prussian advance in the
Franco-Prussian war Von Moltke con
tlnually took pinches of snuff. When
he was told that MacMabon was
marching northward he exclaimed,
"He is surely mad!" and forthwith
nearly emptied his snuffbox as he re
tired to his tent to organize the plans
that culminated in the tremendous con
flict of Sedan. At the end of the war
Von Moltke received a bill from the
military stores with this item: "For
one pound of snuff supplied to General
Von Moltke, 1 thaler." The great sol
dier paid it without a murmur.
Accounting For Patrick Henry.
It Is related that Chief Justice Sal
mon P. Chase ou stopping at the birth
place of Patrick Henry In Virginia ex
claimed: "What an atmosphere! What
a view! What glorious mountains! No
wonder Patrick Henry grew here!"
"Whereupon an honest native dryly re
market] that the atmosphere, the view
and the mountains bad been there for
ages, but that only one Patrick Henry
had been produced.
Quite a Difference.
When a woman winds a towel
around her bead and calls for a bucket
of water it means the beginning of a
big day, but when a man winds h
towel around his bend m•: .ails lor
water it means th<-> pr... a. big night
Atlanta L^ii-ututioii.
Comparisons.
"I like athletics for girls. You ought
to see bow my daughter can run up a
rope."
"And you ought to see how mine can
run up a bill."—Baltimore American.
Woman's Advantage.
It's easy for a woman to clean up.
She can rub a little powder on her nose
and cheeks, but a man has to take off
his collar and necktie and w.ash.—De
troit Free Press.
Iron Ore. .
Next to the United States. Germany .
and France are the largest producers
of iron in the world. _
Wonderful Sewers.
The sewers of Taris are the m*st
wonderful in the world and constitute
one of the sights of the city. Visitors
are allowed to inspect iliem on certain
days each week, and it is certainly an
experience to make a "personally con
ducted" tour of the two main sewers j
The journey is trade on electric cars
and launches, which draw up occasion
iy at brightly Uiuioiaoud stations.
i
Straw For Hats.
The greater part of the straw em
ployed for making summer hats comes
from Italy. To obtain suitable straw
for this purpose the wheat is sown as
thickly as possible In order that the
growth of the plant may be impover
ished as well as to produce a thin
stalk.
The Italian wheat blooms at the be
ginning of June and is pulled up by
the roots when the grain is half de
veloped. Should it be allowed to re
main in tile ground a longer time the
straw would become too brittle for its
purpose.
Uprooted straws to the number of
about five dozen, the size of the com
pass of the two hands, are firmly tied
together in little sheaves and stowed
away in barns. After that the straw
Is again spread out to catch the heavy
summer dews and to bleach in the sun.
When the product has been sufficiently
bleached it is put into small bundles
and classified.
The last step is to cut it close above
the first joint from the top, when it is
again tied up in small bundles contain
ing sixty stalks each and is then ready
for the market—Chicago Ilerald.
Too Much of a Breakfast.
Even Peacock's generous ideas of
suitable provisious for a breakfast
were surpassed by a London host who
entertained J. L. Motley. Aug. 3. 1807,
Motley writes to his daughter: "I went
to the last breakfast of the season of
the Philobiblon society, given by Mr.
Turner, a collector of rare books. Be
ginning with coffee and tea, we ended
with sherry, champagne and maraschi
no; fish, cutlets, rotis, salads, game,
puddings and ice going on meanwhile
In regular order. If you asked me
what 1 did I can only say I opened
my ears to the animated and intellec
tual conversation and my mouth, not
to eat, but to gape and gasp and won
der at the prodigious consumption of
victuals at that hour of the day. When
I reflected that all those people would
lunch at 2 and dine at 8 I bowed my
head in humiliation, and the fork drop
ped from my nerveless grasp."—Lon
don Chronicle.
Looking Down From High Places.
Why do you feel giddy when you
look down from the top of the house
or even from tin* upstairs porch? Just
because it's so high. h? That's true,
but it's only hair' the answer You
know, of course, that your power to
keep your balance on your feet de
j pends largely on your vision or sight
When you walk in the dark you stum
ble aud buuip against things because
you are not used to walking without
seeing. It's the same when you are
away up above the ground and cannot
see familiar things in their familiar
places. Your eyes play you tricks,
you seem to lose your balance, and
your head feels giddy and your steps
are uncertain. If you practice long
enough you can learn to walk without
seeing, but until you have learned that
lesson be cayeful when you climb to
high places.—Wisconsin State Journal.
Scott Liked Work Pressure.
Scott, who was poet, novelist, law
yer, too, would have been greatest of
all as journalist. Listen to this from
his journal for Feb. 15, IS2G: "Yester
day 1 did not write a line of 'Wood
stock.' Partly, I was a little out of
spirits. * ♦ * Partly, I wanted to
wait for some new Ideas. * * *
Partly, I was a little too far beyond
the press. I cannot pull well in long
traces, when the draft is too far be
hind me. I love to hafe the press
thumping, clattering and banging in
my rear. It creates the necessity
which almost makes me work best
Needs must when the devil drives."
♦ * * There is the very spirit of jour
nalism, and that devil surely is the
printer's devil!— London Standard.
Do You Know?
Most people are fond of good puz
zles, and many are not entirely happy
until they have solved them, but the
man who resolves not to go to bed un
til he has found a divisor without a
remainder (other than 1 and itself) for
1,111,111,111,111,111,111 will be able to
earn a good living afterward as a sleep
less wonder, for nobody in the world
yet knows whether that number has s
divisor or not
Songs of a Nation.
Andrew Fletcher, a Scotch writer,
who died in 171G, wrote to the Marquis
of Montrose, the Earl of Rothes and
others, "I once knew a very wise man
that believed that if a man were per
ffiitted to make all the ballads ut a
nation he need not care who should
make the laws of a nation."
Impossible.
Insurance Agent—lt was you who set
the house on tire with your alcohol
lamp. Tenant—Me? Not on your life!
In the first place, I haven't got a lamp,
and in the second place I'm a lifelong
member of the Temperance league.—
Journal Amusant
A Nice, Polite Man.
"There's some good things In town
this week," said the girl who was hint
ing for an invitation to the theater.
"Well," respouded Mr. Grouch, "I
ain't one of 'em."
Breakfast Table Talk.
Mrs. Hascho (to new boarder)— How
did you find your steak this morning,
Mr Jobson? Jobson—Oh, quite easily;
1' a detective!— London Answers.
Old, but Pointed.
Willis—Putting a pin in a person's
chair Is an old joke. Wallace —Yes.
but it hasn't lost Its point yet.—London
Telegraph.
Xfeore ft no grace In a benefit that
to tho fl ngen* --Seneca.
i I
FIGHTING IN THE STREETS OF ALOST.
- - 11 - - - ■ - • ■ ——Hill .1 -- ni. I I - ■ i . nipi*
This picture was made by a moving picture machine operator as men w.mv falling in front of him while firing
from behind a street barricade. A few moments later the photographer hurried away to save his precious film.
RUSSIAN AKi'i ¥0? t iL&Kb UM GALICIA.
——————
Photo o> rt.nei ir.vri I're.ss Association.
Many of the officers serving in the czar's fighting force of foreign parentage. Most of those shown here
are Scots. At the right is Colonel Gillivray. and next to him is Colonel Robertson.
WOMEN REFUGEES^! N STRICKEN EELGiUMU
v......-• 'l"'
R Hl r - nmnnmr- ■. m '" v. Vv- • r nn -ftwft; c • . , -.. .v. M
V
Photo by American Press Association.
Could anything better show the horrors of war? With their husbands killed these .aged sisters and the daugh
ter of one of them took what belongings tliey had saved and started on a search for another home.
An Important Advantage.
"Do you think a college education af
fords a man an important advantage in
life?"
"Oh. yes! One has to have it In order
to get into a university club."—Chicago
Herald.
UMPIRES OF THE WORLD'S SERIES GAMES.
'— ® •
r ■ " *:%.h —^
flp§yjiWv?w(| JD|^^vj
JiHp mS&
Photo by American press AssoettOoß. •
Frotn left to J ight a - Tron . Hildebrand, Ivlem and Dinecn. Each of them received $l,OOO for his work during the
r, m . eS T K ;VT en \ ah i* adel P hia athletics and the Boston Braves. Byron and Klein are National league arbitrators,
while Inldebrand and Dmeen represent the American league.
Cheerful.
A certain philosopher used to thank
his lucky stars when he bad the gout
that it was not the toothache, and
when he had the toothache he gave
thanks because he had not both com
plaints at ouce.
Human Stepping Stones.
When a Chinese lady approaches a
muddy place she beckons a boy. The
boy drops ou his li <• '* aud knees in
the mud. and the h. . uses him as a
stepping stone, for which service she
gives him a small coin.
ART TREASURES OF FRANCE.
Precautions That Guard Them at tho
Louvre, In Paris.
Those who visit the Louvre do not
suspect the labor that is necessary in
keeping the building in order, it must
be protected at night against fire aud
burglars by watchmen, who, witn re
volvers at hip and dark lanterns in
hand, make their rounds, accompanied
by police dogs.
Upstairs and downstairs and along
the corridors, says the l'aris corre
spondent of the New York Sun. the
distance they travel amounts to four
miles, and in every room the watch
men miht "punch" the clock that
shows whether the rooms have been
inspected and how often
During the night the most valuable
works or' art are kept under lock and
key. When the galleries are closed to
the public a clever piece of mechanism
is set in motion that carries the royal
jewels, worth millions of dollars, into
a special burglar proof chamber. Tbe
Venus de Mllo. too. has her own spe
cial bedroom. An iron shutter rises
from the ground in front of her and
hides the marble features of the god
dess.
In the early mo. uing nu army of
custodians pours through the rooms,
and the process of cleaning begins. A
force of 150 men sets to work with
brooms, dusters and floor polishers.
The custodians exceed the strength of
a company of soldiers on a war toot
ing. There are one chief custodian,
three underchiefs. twenty-seven supe
rior and 148 inferior custodians. To
these must be added the Louvre's arti
sans, for the great place has its own
works department and almost its owih
factory.
RADiUM AND LIGHTING. ■
And the Better Protection of Hordes
During Thunderstorms.
Radium has been discovered vastly
to improve lightning rods in their pro
tection of buildings during thunder
storms. Of course the enormous cost
of radium prevents any practical use
*f tile fact as yet But there is a very
fair possibility that the information
gained in this way wiii lead to a new
form of lightning rod which will be
more effieioi't or that further experi
ments will show that a tiny quantity
of radium at a reasonable cost will Im
prove the protection.
The purpose of lightning rods, of
course, is to catch the electrical cur
rents in tlie air during a storm aud
lead them safely Into the ground in
stead of allowing the lightning to pick
its own course down through a house
or church steeple, and their use is
based on the principle that a metal rod
will give the electricity a smooths
path of less resistance than ordinary
building material.
The whole trouble with lightning
rods now iu that, though they can bt
made to do the trick if the electrical
discharge is near them, there is no way
to lead electricity through the air to
the rod. Radium will do this part of
the work, as has been demonstrated it*
scientific experiments. Two milli
grams of radium on the end of a rod
made the air a considerable distance
away J vastly better conductor.
Thus any electrical discharge within
several yards of the rod bad a path
open for it along the radium rays tc
the rod and then down the rod to the
earth.—Saturday Evening Post
Out of the Mouths of Babes.
Sunday School Teacher—Can you tell
me who dwelt in the Garden of Eden?
Little May— Yes, ma'am; the Ad
amses.
"What is an amateur, Bobby?" quer
ied his small sister.
"An amateur," replied Bobby, "is
anything that isn't nature."
"Mamma," queried little Myra, "do
you think grandpa hus really gone to
heaven?"
"Yes, dear," was the reply.
"Well, continued Myra, "I'll bet he
sneaks outside once in awhile to smoke
b's pipe."
In the lesson mention had been made
of the cauthook that is used in rolling
logs.
"Can you tell me what a ce.ntbook
Is, Tommy?" asked the teacher.
"Sure," replied Tommy. "It's a cow
that hasn't any horns."—Detroit Free
Press.
What Bobwhite Eats.
Fifteen per cent of the food of the
bobwhite is composed of insects, in
cluding several of the most serious
pests of agriculture. Half of its food
consists of weed seeds, one-fourth of
grain and about one-sixteenth of wild
fruits. Taken in all the bobwhite is
very useful to the farmer, and while
it may not be necessary to remove It
from the list of game birds every
farmer should see that his own farm
Is not depleted by sportsmen.
Father Foots the Bill.
Father (having just accepted cigar
from son)— And what do you pay for
these? Son—Two for a quarter. Fa
ther—What! And I content myself
with two for a dime! Son—Well, you
know, dad, our cases are different. If
I had as large a family as you to sup
port 1 shouldn't smoke at all.—Boston
Transcript.
Watch and Watch.
First Pickpocket—Here he comes,
now! Second Pickpocket—All right
You keep a watch on Mm while I tako
a watch off 'imJ— London Answers.
Where to Find It.
Wigwag— I never knew such a fel
low as Bjones. He is always looking
for trouble. Henpeckke—Then why
doesn't b; get mrrried?