SULLIVAN JUSSh REPUBLICAN.
W. M. CHENEY, Publisher.
VOL. XI.
One-fourth of the land surface of the
globe is occupied by English-speaking
people. "
The year 1893 began on a Sunday *nd
will finish on a Sunday, so that it will
contain fifty-three Sundays.
Indiana has more Germans than any
other State. They constituc fifty-five
per cunt, of the population.
Ex-Secretary of War Elkins inclines
to the abolition of both the sword and
the saber, ou tho grouud that they are
no longer of the slightest practical use
in actual warfare.
One of the most striking features in
connection with this ago of electricity,
remarks the New York Independent,
is tho wonderfully large and rapid
growth of books aud pamphlets bearing
upon the subject.
An electrical journal recently assured
its readers that within a comparatively
short time many trolley roads will be
constructed in country districts for the
express purpose of carrying farm pro
ducts to market.
Tho New England Farmer is authority
for the statement that "the condition of
the average farmer in Now England, all
things considered, is much better than
that of the average farmer in most other
sections of the country.
Two car-loads of Boston girls havo
gone to Texas to supply the demand
there for wives, which leads the Detroit
Free Press to exclaim that "the man who
seeks to escape from woman recklessly
tackles the impossible."
Fresh Government clerks in Washing
toil arc tempted by offers of credit on
all sides. This, explains the Atlanta
Constitution, is because persons em
ployed by the Government must pay the
dobta contracted while in office oi suffer
dismissal. When a clerk is tardy in set
tlement the creditor can have the
amoiinnt of the debt deducted from the
debtor's salary.
During the year 1892 England
published.49ls aud 1339 new
editions, or a total ot' 6351. Last year
the figures were 5706. The increase has
been especially in tho department of
novels, namely 1147 as compared with
896 in 1891. Theology reports 528,
philosophy 579, medicine 127 new pub
lications, while law has only twenty-six,
altho p3etry has 185, history 293, and
geography 250.
Chief Justice Fuller, having gono to
his doctor's house in Washington recent
ly in preference to sending tor the
physician, found that gentleman absent
and was invited into the library to await
his return. The attendant who ushered
the visitor in was ignorant of the latter's
station, but recognized him as a man of
culture and kind impulses. This was
evident from the surprising request that
the Chief Justice should improve the
time by writing a love letter for the man
who let him in. Pens, ink, paper and
envelop were proffered, and without
hesitation the favor was granted, the
missive being completed before the phy
sician's return.
It is said that when a native of Hawaii
wishes to give evidence of his sorrow
at the loss of a kiusmau he goes to some
secluded spot and endeavors to knock out
one of his front teeth. In case it is his
maiden effort at mourning, relates the
Atlanta Constitution, tho bereaved not
uufrequently bungles the job, and on
looking over the debris often finds that
he has knocked out a couple or more.
If the griet stricken party, however, lacks
the nerve or distrusts his prowess to
accomplish the tooth's displacement, a
dear and obliging frien I is always at
hand to offer his assistance. As a result
of this custom a man of middle age is
often short so ninny teeth that gastronom
ers are embarrassed in eating their
food. American dentists will do a land
office business in Hawaii if the United
States annexes the islands.
The New York Tribune maintains that
there has been no revolution in the pro
duction of cotton since Whitney in
vented the gin and took the "seeding"
of it out of the hands of the old women
and children. Now, however, there is
a prospect ot another great change.
Over 600 machines have been invented
in the last twenty years for picking the
cotton from the boll, and all have failed
to give satisfaction. But still another is
to be tested, and cotton men believe it
will bo successful. It will pick, it is
said, 10,000 pounds a day. An ordin
ary field hand can pick of the short
staple about 150 pounds a day, and of
the long staple about 350, so that the
new machine will do the work of about
forty men. Fifty cents a hundred pounds
is considered fair la the cotton
belt. The machine, therefore, will e»ra
SSO a day.
BONO.
Where wind-flowers to tho kissing wind!
r*o bend their dainty leaves,
And gold of cheery celadine
Doth mock the August sheaves—
Where blue bells, elfin marriage-bells,
Ring out their tiny chimes—
There will I baste me in the Spring,
To fashion fragrant rhymes.
There will I haste me in the Spring,
My lovely lady's charm to sing.
Oh! Lady mine, what wind-blown flower
Hath half thy wayward grace?
What bloesomed gold was e'er so bright
As that which crowns thy face?
What blue bells but thine eyes would shame
And make with envy pale?
Thou art more fair than gracious Spring
E'er drest a Winter vale.
Then haste thee, baste thee, pretty
Spring, • •
That I may prove the truth I sing.
—Amelie Rives Chanter, in Onca A Week.
AT LONE MOUND STATION.
BY TOM P. MORGAN.
<p\ OOD-BYE, Hall"
- -7 the conductor
called from his
112 [ perch in tlie turret
Ixf \ °f the yellow ca
boose of freight
Isf/ train No. 43.
"Good-bye,
"rWjj&ty Abel" Keanley
\'/>V-ysL answered, as he
JKjf trudged along be
»A }y% Bide the long train
V/ toward the small
sgfh I depot, beyond the
11 brown water tank.
JJ The engine soon
slaked its thirst at
the tank and got under way again. A
moment later the caboose passed Kean
ley, and, with ever increasing speed,
swayed onward toward the curve at the
Lone Mound.
As Keanley nearcd the little depot,
the strains of a violin floated toward him.
Soft and sweet came the tune, like the
tinkle of musical glasses, and there was
in it a pathetic, wailing undertone, as if
the player was striving to tell in music
of a heart ache and trials bravely borne.
Keanley could hardly repress an ejacu
lation of surprise as he entered the little
office and beheld the wielder of the magic
bow, a pale-faced boy, almost a child.
As the lad carefully deposited the violin
in the open box at his side, and slowly
rose, Keanley saw that the little fellow
was a cripple. One leg, distorted and
shriveled, swung, a useless member.
Resting on his crutches, the boy raised
his hat.
"You're the new agent, I s'pose," he !
said.
"Yes," Keanley answered, "I am the
new agent. And who are you?" he con
tinued, kindly. "The ex-agent!"
"No, only his son," the boy replied.
"And where is your father?"
"Over there, on the slope."
The boy's chin quivered as he spoke.
Keanley looked from the window. On
the slope of the Lone Mound was a tiny
grave yard. One oblong black blotch in
its midst marked a new made grave.
The agent was there.
"Pardon me," Keanley said; "I did
not know. My instructions simply told
mc to take charge of the station. I sup
posed the agent had been promoted or
discharged."
"He was promoted," the boy said
gravely.
"And what will jou do now?" Kean
ley asked, presently.
"I don't know,"the boy answered.
"I've been thinking and thinking, but
it's no use. I don't know what to do.
P'raps the superintendent will give me a
place in an office. I can write a fair
hand and wire pretty well, but I ain't
much on heavy work."
This last with a rueful glanoe at his
crutches.
Then Keanley lied, and deliberately,
too. He had no need of an assistant,
but a lightning resolve flashed through
bis brain, and he said to the cripple:
"You arc just the chap I am looking
for. I need a boy to help me."
"What for?" asked the lad.
"To—to—why, to write and look out
for thing* generally," Keanley answered,
half desperately. "I'll feel safer to gad
about wben I have an assistant whom I
know I can trust. TheD, too, I might
be sick, you know."
The boy looked doubtfully at him.
"If you are in earnest, I'll jump at the
chauce to stay," he said.
"In earnest?" Keanley cried, in pre
tended pique at tho lad's doubt. "Of
course, 1 am. Do you think I don't
know my own mind, young man?"
The boy said nothing. And so it was
eettled, and crippled Ben became Kean
ley's assistant, although there was not
work enough to occupy half of one per
son's time.
As the days when the breeze brought
from tho slope the perfume ot the wild
verbenas wero succeeded by those when
the snow came with a rush and hiss
against iho little depot, Keanley grew
more than fond of the little cripple. To
be sure, to board and clothe the lad and
to pay him an occasional dollar made
quite a gap in each month's 3alary, but
Keuiley never grudged a penny of it.
It was pay enough to witness the boy's
gratitude, and to see tho lad's great eyes
following liim with their glances of posi
tive beatitude.
Often and often the violin sang its
sweet songs, but now they seldom had
the pitiful, wr.iling undertone.
The lad's father had planned to do
justice to his talent by having him taught
by a master of the violin. Now, Kean
ley and little Bon planned in a happy,
visionary way. Tlicy were to save what
monoy they could, and thus littlo Ben
was to havo the coveted musical instruc
tion. But, at best, the accumulation of
funds went on slowly.
Tho plans of the two went further than
this. Keanloyhad, "once upon atime,"
been foolish enough to fall in love with
old Senator Ilicks's daughter, and she
returned his love. The old senator,
when he found how uiattors stood, pro
LAPORTE, PA., FRIDAY, APRIL 14, 1893.
ceeded to squelch the whole affair. He
even forgot the time when he had been
as much of a pauper aa the young fellow
he sent packing from his presence.
The girl, with her tear-wet face up
turned to his, promised Keanley to wait
for him till he succeeded in accumulating
the SIO,OOO that the old senator named
as the amount of wealth Keanley must
possess before he could aspire to winning
her. Then, when orders had sent Kean
ley to the west, he had gone with the
determination strong within him to Very
soon gain the money and the girl;
But he speedily grew despondent.
The fates seemed against him. He struck
no bonanza or highway to speedy wealth,
and finally half gave up the stiuggle.
The money that would flow to Utile Ben
as the substantial reward of his genius
was to be invested by Keanley, who, in
this manner, would soon obtain the
coveted SIO,OOO. Then when prosper
ity smiled upon the senator s new
found son-in-law, little Ben'a wealth
was to be returned to him. The two
plotters placed great faith in this plan,
chimerical as it was.
Then, came the great storms, and,
with them, one that the "oldest inhabi
tant," popularly supposed to 1 now every
thing, declared was tho largest and
heaviest rainfall since '3l. The creeks
seemed to have wholly forgotten their
boundaries, and, later, the work begun
by the rain was completed by the cloud
burst, over in the next county, near the
head of Hackberry Creek. It was nearly
10 o'clock when a message went clicking
Dy, and Keanley, who had been nursing
an aching tooth all day, remarked to
Ben, who was playing the violin loudly,
to shut out the sound ot the rushing rain:
"Dispatcher is telling them to look out
for an east bound special that leaves
Hamilton at 10:40. That means 11:20
when it passes here."
, Ben nodded and went on with his
tune. Presently the train dispatcher was
heard calling "G." That was Giddings,
the station just beyond, where the rail
road bridge spanned Htc'.<berry Creek.
"What is the condition of bridge
331?" the message ran.
The operator at Giddings presently
clicked back the answer:
"Bridge 381 is O. K. Water high but
not dangerous."
The cloud burst had not yet oc
curred.
Meanwhile Keanley's tooth grew more
painful, tilt its victim did little but
walk the floor and anathematize the of
fending molar.
"If it don't ease up soon," he said,
presently, "I'll tiamp over to the settle
ment and have it out, storm or no
storm."
Soon, the pain not abating, he donned
his rubber coat and boots and started
away in the darkness and storm.
With his violin tor company little Ben
scarcely felt lonely. He wondered pres
ently if it were not time for Keanley's
return. Suddenly the sender began to
click furiously: "H. H. H."—the
Hamilton call.
Then came the message:
"Bridge 381 is down. For God's
sake, hold the special I"
The cloud burst had done its work.
Ben glanced quickly at the clock. The
hands indicated a fraction of a minute
less than 12:26. The special was on
time, and, even as Ben turned, there
came the flash of the headlight through
the storm that drowned the noise of the
engine's approach. No time even to-take
the red lantern from the cuddy and
light it.
Little Ben remembered afterward how,
even in the intense excitement of the
moment, it had flashed through his mind
how useless the effort of the frightened
operator at Giddings had been iu tele
graphing to Hamilton, when he might
have known that the special had passed
there half an hour before.
The engine gave no call for brakes,
and Ben knew that no stop would bo
made there and that tho train would rush
onto destruction at the wrecked bridge
at Hackberry Creok. The headlight
seemed abreast of him as he flung
open the door, and, with a mighty
spring on his crutches,, threw himself
out on the platform of the little depot.
Th sre was no use or time to signal, and
there seemed nothing to do but to let
the train rush onto wreck. Then, like
a flash, the little cripple raised his right
crutch, and, with the rapidity almost of
lightning, hurled it, lance-fashion, at
tho window of the engine cab, just as it
flashed past him. Then he slipped and
fell headlong on tho wet platform.
Passing just above tho back of the dre
man, as be bent to open the furnace
door, the crutch struck the engineer's
shoulder with a force that made him cry
out. His quick perception took in the
situation, and he knew that something
serious had caused the train to be sig
naled in that manner. Soon the train
came to a standstill. Then it backed up
to the little depot, and the engineer,
crctch in hand, descended hurriedly
from the cab. He found the owner of
the crutch crawling to his feet with a
face much paler than usual. Tho story
was soou told, and then it was retold in
the parlor car, where the conductor
spceidily carried little Ben.
In the cab, the engineer said to the
grimy fireman: "Bill, it almost makes
me ashamed of myself to have my life
saved by sucb a weak, pale little feller,
an' a cripple at that." Though not
numerous, the passengers in the parlor
car were generous, and the sum of
money that they droped iuto the hat,
passed by a white-bearded man whom
they called "Senator," was a goodly one.
Then, when little Ben had bashfully
expressed his gratitude, ho asked,
timidly, if any one present could tell
him where togo to obtain tho coveted
musical education. The story of his
hopes had to be told, and when he was
done, the while-bearded man cleared his
throat in a manner that sounded sus
piciously as if he was choking back a
sob. Then he took Ben into the little
depot, and the two talked earnestly to
gether.
When Keanley returned, muddy and
wet but minus the aching tooth, he was
I astonished to see the special stauding in
front of the depot, and Senator Hicks
and little Ben in earnest conversation in
the office. The old senator did not ap
pear to recognize KeanMy.
"So y~u are the agent, young man,"
he said. "Allow me to congratulate you
upon your good judgment in selecting so
efficient an assistant. Now let me in
troduce my recently engaged private
secretary, who will accompany me when
the special leaves."
The old man laid bis hand caressingly
on Ben's shoulder.
"And," spoke Ben, eagerly, "he says
I shall have the best teacher he can find,
and all the time I want to study I"
Soon the special left to return to
Hamilton, and with it went little Ben.
"Good-bye! Good-bye!" the cripple
called from the receding parlor car, and
Keanley answered with a mechanical
farewell.
Then he sat in the little office and
stared moodily at the fire for a long
time.
"How lonesome it is without himl"
he said, "I loved that little cripple, I
think."
Then the sounder began to click Irom
Hamilton, and the message came:
"Good-by, old fellow. Little Ben."
Then Keanley sat listening to the fall
ing rain for a long time.
Three months later he was surprise*]
at seeing Senator Hicks and little Ben
alight from a train at the faded station.
"Young man," said the Senator,
abruptly, "ho v much of that SIO,OOO
have you accumulated, hey?"
"A trifle over $100," Keanley an
swered, dejectedly.
"Near enough, near enough 1" jerked
out the old man."This boy has been
continually talking of you, and—and—l
sometimes change my mind, and—well,
there is a girl at my house who seems
anxious to see you."
And so it all turned out happily, just
as all stories should.
There is a new agent at Lone Mound
station now, and Hal Keanley is rising
in the lucrative position procured for him
by the old senator.
At the wedding that made Keanley
Senator Hicks's son-in-law, a young
musical artist, who, though a cripple, is
rapidly rising in popular favor, held tho
guests almost spellbound by the strains
of a violin, that seemed singing a song
of happiness.—Romance.
A Stork Monopolist.
In Skane, in the southern part of
Sweden, a pair of storkß lived for many
years on the roof of my father's parson
age. One spring, a pair of young storks
appeared in the place, who, after survey
ing the old nest—probably their parental
home—set about building tbeir habita
tion on tho opposite side of the roof.
Wben it was finished and tho eggs had
been laid, the old female stork returned,
took a look at the new-comers, but al
lowed them to remain in their home in
peace. Her attention was soon occupied
by a number of youog suitors, who zeal
ously wooed her, though she rejectod all
their offers. Some days later, this Pene
lope among birds wa3 rewarded by the
arrival of her old mate.
But then camo an end to the truce with
the young birds. That very evening the
old stork, followed by his female com
panion, flew to the nest of the new
comers. By -violent blows of their beaks
they first put the young male stork to
Bight, and then began to attack the sit
ting hen. Patiently she suffered all ill
usage and remained upon her oggs. The
assailants then altered their tactics. On<
continued to attack the young mother
bird, while the other, watching till iu
her struggles to evade the blows an egg
became uncovered, instantly pushed it
out of the nest. Thus, one by one, the
four precious eggs were remorsely sacri
ficed. When all the eggs had been de
stroyed, the young fomale stork, after
standing for some time in the courtyard,
looking up to her ruined home as in de
spair, sadly flew away. There was never
any sign of that pair of storks on our
roof again. The old ones had attained
their end; henceforth they were tho only
storks in that part ot the country, and
were left in sole possession of its food
supply. To the inhabitants of our par
sonage, whose sympathies for the old
storks wore thus rudely shaken, it seemed
a just retribution that, though the birds
had some eggs that summer, none were
hatched, and thus the old storks had to
return alone to tbeir Southern quarters
that winter—a solitary pair.—London
Spectator.
How to Bun Fast.
In the mountainous villages of Ger
many the letter carriers are the hardest
worked people in the country. They
carry all the mail and are compelled to
go at the rate of about five miles an
hour. You know that in running even
a short distance you quickly get "out of
breath," as you say. The German letter
carriers, to avoid this shortness of
breath, carry a quill in the mouth so
that the air caunot be so rapidly ex
pelled from the lungs. If boys who
want to become "sprinters," or very fast
runners, will practice carrying some
thing in tho mouth when running, they
will find that they caa soon run a long
time without losing breath. They must
be very careful, though, not to swallow
what they are carrying in the mouth.
And they must be such careful runners
that they will not fall. Very young
sprinters would do well to wait awhile
before trying to become champions.—
New York Ledger.
Mongolian Pheasants.
If the Mongolian pheasant at all re
sembles in gamy spirit its European af
finity it is more fitted for a barnyard
fowl than a sportsman's trophy. Proba
bly it is just as easy of domestication.
It is a common thing to hatch out
pheasant* under ordinary fowls, and
they readily come at the call for lood.
1 The less of the game quality they have
I the better are they fitted for the spit. It
!is amusing to learn that as the Mongo-
I lian pheasants are greedy grain feeders
they should be boarded out on tho farm
-1 ers of the Sacramento and San Joaquin,
j —Marysville (Cal.) Appeal.
UiNCLB SAM'S GRKAT SEAL.
ITS TBUE HISTORY AS PREPARED
BY THE STATE DEPABTMENT.
It is Contained In * Husite Mihoj
anjr Bo* and la Caret all jr Guard
ed by the Clerk*.
T | THE great seal of the United
1 ; States, which is contained in a
| massive mahogany box in the
"5* State Department and carefully
guarded by the clerks, Whose duties are
to see that its impress is properly affixed
to State papers, is of much interest to
visitors to the department, but its true
history was never written until a few
months ago, when, under orders from
the Cabinet, an account of it was pre
pared by one of the historians of the de
partment and printed at the Govern
ment's expense for distribution among
State libraries and prominent persons.
The pamphlet was prepared with ail the
care that its importance carried, beuad
in rich covering, with the stamp of the
seal imprinted upon the outside. It tells
that the final attempt to perfect a seal
was made by order of the Continental
Congress, which appointed a committee,
consisting of Thomas Jefferson, Jobn
Adams and Benjamin Franklin, who
were told togo ahead and prepare a de
vice for the National seal and coat of
arms. After several months' labor the
committee suggested a design most
elaborate in execution, but which did
not meet with very general approval.
This device represented Pbaroah sitting
in an open chariot, with a crown on his
head and a sword in his hand, passing
through the waters of tho Red Sea in
pursuit of the Israelites. Rays from a
pillar of fire in a cloud, expressive of the
Divine presence and command, beamed
upon Moses, who stood on the shore and
extended a hand over the sea, which
caused it to overwhelm Pbaroah. Under
neath was the motto, "Robellion to ty
rants is obedience to God."
Later on another attempt was made to
arrange a device by a second committee,
which resulted iu one not quite so ela
borate and pretentious. This design
contained a constellation of thirteen stars,
with the same number of alternate stripes.
This, too, met with disapproval, and the
matter was let alone for some years.
Then, after some experiments, a device
was submitted that suited, and was
adopted on June 20, 1782. The first
seal was cut out of brass, and was first
used upon the commission granting full
power and authority to Washington to
arrange with the British for an exchange
of prisoners. This device was in use for
fifty years, and varies little from the pres
ent seal except in detail of execution.
The second seal was cut in Philadel
phiain 1841, and, by tome mistake, seven
of the thirteen arrows which it should
have had were left out. The present seal
was made by Tiffany in 1885 by order of
Secretary Freyliughuysen alter the de
sign had been passed upon by a commit
tee of historical scholars and authorities
on heraldry. It is not true, as generally
supposed, that the seal is affixed to all
appointments made by the President, as
its impress is put only upon commissions
of Cabinet officers, ceremonious commu
nications from the President to heads of
foreign Governments, conventions, treat
ies, and formal agreements of the Pres
ident with foreign powers, pardons, or
commutations of sentence, warrants and
miscellaneous commissions of civil of
ficers, whose appointments are not now
especially directed to be signed under a
different seal. All treaties to which the
seal is affixed have the impression made
also with a wax wafer, with a red, white
and blue cord running through it. The
treaties are then packed in boxes of
highly-polished and expensive woods, to
be sent to the country negotiating them
with us. The treaties of some foreign
Gavercments have been sent in boxes of
gold and silver, richly ornamented, in
some instances, with valuable stones.
These boxes are carefully stored in the
archieves of the department.—New York
Suu.
The Conraxe of Elephants.
They will submit day day after day to
have painful wounds dressed in obedi
ence to their keeper, and meet danger in
obedience to orders, though their intel
ligence is sufficient to understand the
peril, and far too great for man to trick
them into a belief that it is non-existent*
No animal will face danger more readily
at man's bidding. As an instanco take
the following incident, which recently
occurred in India and was communicated
to the writer. A small female elephant
was charged by a buffalo in high grass,
and hei rider, in the hurry of the mo
ment and perhaps owing to the sudden
stopping of the elephant, fired an ex
plosive shell from his rifle, not into the
buffald, but into the elephant's shoulder.
The wound was so severe that it had not
healed a year later. Yet the elephant
stood firm, although it was gored by the
buffalo, which was then killed by an
other gun. What is even more strange
is that the elephant was not "gun-shy"
afterward."—Loudon Spectator-
Frozen in a Hospital.
It seems to be a tacitly understood
principle in England that one who is not
robust enough to resist the effects of cold
is not fit to survive, and any attempt to
keep public places reasonably warm in
the winter is seldom made. A public
hospital is the last place in the world,
one would think, that could do without
heat, but it is reported that a child was
actually frozen to death the other day in
the waiti'Jg room of Guy s Hospital, one
of the roost famous institutions of Lon
don. The child was sick with teething,
and the mother took it to the hospital
to sec the doctor. She had to *ait five
hours in tho cold till her turn came, and
when the doctor finally did see the baby,
he found it iu the last stages of freezing
to death. An inquest was held, and
there has been much talk about cold
waiting rooius, but so far as heard from
do stove has beon put up in that one.—
New Orleans Picayune.
Terms—sl.oo in Advance; 51.25 after Three Months.
&Gi£Niit'iC ANl> INJiJSi'iitAL.
Professor Hermann has photographed
the sound of vowels.
Tanning extract is used to treat rail-'
road ties to preserve them from decay.
Bacteria grow most rapidly in the
warm, sultry conditions which usually
precede a thunderstorm.
Among some recently observed inter
esting results of application of cold, M.
Raoul Pictet has found that at 150 de
grees all chemical reaction is suppressed.
A Brussels dispatch says a new phar
maceutical bottle has recently been in
vented which indicates the hour at which
the medicine is to be taken. A Belgian
establishment has secured the sole right
to manufacture these bottles.
A considerable freight business is be
ing carried on by an electric railroad in
Maryland operating eighteen miles of
track in a good farming country which is
not reached by steam roads. The cars
used have a capacity of five tuns.
Sugar is nothing but charcoal and
water, combined in certain proportions.
This is proved by weighing resultants
into which sugar resolves. If weight
wero less, something lost; if more,
something gained. But weight of ro
solved charcoal always equals weight of
sugar.
The operation of the electric under
ground road to South London has not
only demoralized the telephone service
of the entire vicinity, but has rendered
futile observations on the earth's poten
tial. At Greenwich Observatory, some
miles distant, it has been found neces
sary to abandon the tests.
A Frenchman has recently conducted
a series of experiments which will go far
towards correcting a popular impression
regarding the effects of electricity oa
vegetable growth. He has demonstrated
that currents of electricity passed
through the roots of vegetables tends to
injure them, but that static electricity
might be considered slightly beneficial.
A wide awake New York real estate
agent proposes to remodel antique office
buildings on the electrical plan. He has
a large steam plant lying idle in the
basement of one of his buildings, and ho
is utilizing this plant for the generation
of electric powei to bo distributed to
manufacturing concerns in the same
block with the office building, besides
installing in the building itself electric
elevators, electric lights, electric fans
and electric beaters.
An effective method of warning line
men who may be at various working
points of a city, of the approach of the
electric current, has been provided in
the "screecher" whistle. One of these
whistles has been attached to the boiler
at the electric-light station io Chatham,
and will be blown ea£h day feve minutes
before starting the dynamos. There can
bo no mistake as to the fitness of this
instrument for the purpose to which it
has been applied, as it is guaranteed to
bo heard at a distance of fifteen miles.
A startling proof of the value of the
fire-proof wire was given by its in
ventor, who, takiug a number of
pieces of various insulated wires and
joining them together, had a current of
150 amperes passed through the circuit.
Tho current destroyed the pieces on the
outside of either hand, but the section
of wire held between the hands remained
in such a cool condition that its holder,
in spite of the risk he would have run
with au ordinary wire, was tho calmest
and least concerned member of the
party.
Best Way to Get Bill of Bats.
The best way to get rid of rats and
mice is not to poison them, but to mike
them thoroughly tired of the locality and
so induce them to leave. They are gen
erally too smart to eat poison, even when
it is prepared for their benefit in the
most seductive fashion, but they are not
so particular about tartar emetic. When
a little of this is mixed with any favorite
food they will eat as greedily as though
the phy«ic were not there, but in two or
three hours there will be the most dis
couraged lot of rats about the place
that anybody ever saw. Tue tartar will
not kill them, it only makes them deathly
sick. If you put your ear to their holes
you can hear them trying to vomit;
sometimes they will crawl out and walk
about like a soasick man, so ill that they
do not seein to care what becomes of
them. But it disgusts them with tho
whole vicinity, and as soon as they are
able to travel they march off and you see
them no more.—New York News.
A Change of Air inn Slok Boom.
A clever doctor has just completed a
wonderful invention, whereby a change
of air desirable for any patient may be
brought direct to tho sick room. Bot
tled ozone, condensed Alpine air, or
tinned tropical summers; these are the
possibilities the discovery appears to
open up. The poor patient whose means
do not reach the sum necessary for the
physician's prescribed change of air will
perhaps, before long, take half an hour's
inhalation four times a day before meals,
or the overworked business man, unable
to leave town for a holiday, may take his
fresh air into the city with him every
day. However, the invention does not
go so far just at present. What can be
accomplished is the impregnation of a
sick room with the fragrance of pine
forests, the health restoring perfumo
which delicate persons are sent to
Switzerland to breath. New York
Times. .
A Quaint Epitaph.
A collector of curious epitaphs—and
there seem to be aa many such as there
are collectors of coins and stamps and
insects and ferns—claims, according to
Harper's Young People, to have found
this singular inscription upon a grave
stone in a New Hampshire burying
ground:
To all my friends 1 bid adieu,
A more sudden death yon naver knew—
As 1 was leading the old mare to drink
She kicked, and killed me quicker'n wink.
NO. 27.
inti WITCHINQ HOUR.
Snow for hourshad blown and drifted.
And the rack went scudding by}
Spectrally the branches lift*!
Naked arms against -the
What oared we though time WM flltttoC-
Wtat oared we though winds iwdl nW,
In the witching twilight sitting
All alone?
She with a rocker oo«y,
I upon a hassock low, v . r .
Watching o'er her face thp romf
Cupid dimples coma and go; Tj
For the lover firelight heightened J
Every blush with ardor bold.
And her looks of brown were brightened
Into gold.
Like the fabulous "Jack Hornar"
Of the merry nursery page, t
Gleeful from a dusky corner _ <
Grinned an idol gray with age;
And metbought his dark Hps muttered,
What I longed to there avow:
"Tell her I" were the words be uttereJ,
"Tell her now!"
Then there fell a silenoe sweeter
Than when air is stirred with song.
Than when strains in mellow meter
Swing with rhythmic t weep along.
In her eyes a look beguiling
Bade me not to break the spell.
Something told me in her smiling
All was well.
Slowly grew the firelight dimmer
Till the angles of the room.
Lighted by no ruddy glimmer.
Melted in the shrouded gloom I
And not e'en the ancient idol
Saw love's apotheosis.
Or the presage of a bridal
In a kiss.
—Clinton Scollard, in Munsey's.
HUMOR OF THE DAT.
Stand and deliver—Saleswomen.
A common report—The sunset gup.
A force pump—A reporter's inter
view.
Out of the fashion—A dressmaker's
profits.
A checkered career —The chess
player's.
Love is merely a very pleasant faith
cure.—Galveston News.
The auctioneer is a man who likes
to havo you talk back.—Statesman.
Even when hard at work the cooper
has a staving good time. Boston
Courier.
"We will let it go at that," said the
young boy as he threw an apple at a
dude. Harvard Lampoon.
When a man says that the world is
growing better, it means that the opinion
of himself is growing higher.—Ram's
Horn.
"I can dispose of a whoifi boat loftd
jof sailors," remarked the whale, "but
it's when I swallow their yarns that I
feel worsted."—Elmira Gazette,
When doctors disagree.
An' (luauo what does ail yer.
Then, 'twixt you an' me,
They jes' c.tlls it "bearc failure 1"
—Fuck.
The bee of Northern Greenland has no
sting. But there is nothing in Northern
Greenland worth stinging. - Nature sel
dom makes a blunder.—Chicago Tri
bune.
The great difficulty about politics is
that it is utterly impossible for the ap
pointments to make any kind of a nu
merical showing alongside of the disap
pointments.
The idea of employing pretty women
for bill collectors looks feasiblo, but it
would not work. Tiie delinquent debt
ors would all want them to call again.—
Somerville Journal.
The question of deportment is not au
unimportant one. A man always looks
better who carries himself well than
when two or more friends arc trying to
carry him.—Philadelphia Times.
Be talke I of love in a cottage,
It was his fondest dream.
But he forgot the awful expense
Of beating it by steam.
—Chicago Inter-Ocean.
Physician—"Considering the weak
state of your eyes, it will be as well if
you gaze as much as possible into empty
space." Patient—"All right, then; I'll
keep looking into my purse."—Blumen
lese.
Yapsley—"Miss Passay seemed offend
ed at you last evening. What did you
say?" Mudge—"Blessed if I know. I
only asked her if she didn't dread having
to wear hoops -Again." —lndianapolis
Journal.
"I thought the Miltons were going to
give a largo party." "Tiioy were, but
a water pipe broke in the house."
"Couldn't it be mended?" "Yes, but
the plumber took the house as part pay."
—Chicago Inter-Ocean.
Flora—"Why docs Mrs. Minton
Worcester invariably wear white this
season?" Dora—"Oh, hadn't you heard
that her S3OOO vase was broken? And
white, you know, is the mourning color
—for China."—Vogue.
Wife—"Oh, George, the water pipe
is leaking and the water is spoiling the
new hall c irpet. Go iiud got a plumber,
quick!" Husband—"That's all right,
my dear; let it go; it's cheiper to get a
new carpet."—Harvard Lampoon.
Cook (on the day after hor arrival)—
"Please, mum, I'm a bit fiery at times,
and when I'm tiery I'm apt to be a bit
rough spoken ; but you needn't let that
put you about—with a little present you
cau alius briug uic round again."—Tit
Bits.
Mistress—"Now, Jaue, clear away the
break tast dishes and then \oo'& after tho
children. I'm around the corner
to have a dress fitted." Faithful—
"Yes. mum. Will ye take the night key,
or shall I set up for ye?"—Texai Sift
ing*.
New Boy—-"There's a man outside as
acts as if he owued the place." Ajjent
—"Tell him I'm out. (Liter) What
did he say?" New Boy—" I'bac if you
couldn't stay here ami attend to business
he would get an agent who would."—
New YorkSuu.