China exports 15,000,000 fans every
pear. Yet he; financial condition
shows that she cannot raise the wind,
DO matter how hard she tries.
The segregation of criminals in
our prisons that is now in progress is
t good thing. Begiuners in crime
should not be thrown iuto company
with hardened ruffians. Imprison
ment should be reformatory, not en
souraging to or instructive in crime.
Well, the mule has come out of it
kli gloriously. His war career, begun
magnificently at Matauzas, closes
prosperously at Chattanooga, where
900 of his kind have just been auc
tioned off by the government for
120,000. The price is unprecedented
for so large a lot, aud proves that dis
tinguished service is highly appreci
ated in Tennessee.
The decision of Lord Jiit'jbeuer to
Abandon Omdurman and lay it waste
was due, it is said, to the outbreak of
cerebro spinal meningitis caused by
the unsanitary condition of the town.
That is also said to be the reason T\liy
the Khalifa evacuated Khartoum aud
built Omdurmau in the first place. It
is not at all unlikely that the Soudan
ese tribes have been doing this for
centuries, and that this fact, qnite as
much as incidents of war and weather,
aoconnts for the relics of ruined cities
of which the desert is full. The na
tives simply stayed in a place until
they produced epidemics, and then
they moved to some new spot and
founded a city there.
Formerly tubercular lung trouble,
or consumption, caused one-quarter
of all deaths that occurred. Now it
ia estimated that the proportion has
been reduced to one-seventh or eighth.
There has been a steady decrease in
its ravages all over the world since
1883. Two years before that time
Koch announced his discovery of the
tubercular bacillus, the micro-organ
ism that causes consumption. The
press took up the subject, announc
ing everywhere that the old-fashioned
idea of the contagiousness of the dis
ease was absolutely correct,and urged
the utmost precautions against the
spread of; this portable and communi
cable disorder. The lesson was quick
ly leaded. Today, in the most con
tracked city home, health officers and
inspectors find a surprising knowledge
and alertness. All discharges from
"the respiratory tract are quirkly
burned, the sufferer has a bed to him
self, and all possible care is taken to
spare others and mitigate personal
pain.
As intelligence, culture, and the
conception of human brotherhood in
crease in a community, it becomes
more and more difficult to secure ve *•
diets of "guilty" in murder trials,
when juries know that death is to be
the fate of the poor wretch in the
prisoner's box. It was an easy matter
a hundred years ago for a judge on a
eingle circuit in Ireland to sentence
98 persons to death for various crimes,
97 of whom were executed. But to
day, in Great Britain and in this coun
try, it is almost impossible to enforce
the law against murder. Th«ne are
about 2500 murders annually in the
United States, and only about 100
hangings and electrocutions, with an
other 100 lyuchings. The fact is that
men shrink from fixing the irrevoca
ble doom of a brother man, aud con
victions where death is the penalty are
•xceedingly difficult to secure.
Bostou is educating more person tc
be teachers than it has use for, and
the problem is worrying the board o*
education and the superintendent. I'
appears that there are annually falling
vacant, on the averege, about fifty
places in the primary and gramma)
schools, of such a character that it if
safe to appoint to them beginners at
teaching, such as the graduates ol
the normal school. But there arf
now in attendance at the norma'
school 261 pupils. This is an increase
of 79 in four years. In other words,
the mere increase in the number of
normal school pupils is enough tc
more than fill all the probable vacan
cies for a year. At the present time,
not only most of last year's graduates,
but a majority of those also of 1897
*nd considerable numbers of those oi
earlier years, are waiting for opportu
nities which do not come. The su
perinteudent's sensible remedy is tc
limit the annual admissions to tli«
normal school to seventy-five,these tc
be chosen by competitive examination
He argues logically that if there is tc
be disappointment among those aspir
ing to be teachers, it is better that i<
be faced at the threshold of the norma
school course than at its conclusion.
Much weight attaches also to the eco
nomic argument that the public rnone,
should not be waste ! in the prepara
tion of teachers for whom the city hai
no need. *
The governor-general of Guam, th
newly Acquired possession of UncL
Sam out on the Pacific, is very nicel;
located. He has the island fort
building spot and the oceaa for an out
look.
More than 15,000,000 visits are pai<
annually to London pawnbrokers, or,
to be more exact, 41,000 a day on ai
average. The number of pledges de
posited throughout the country is sai<
to amount to 190,000,000 every year.
M. Jules Clarette, the director o:
La ComedieFrancaise in Paris, France
says there are in all Europe at tin
present moment 1061 theatres whicl
comparison would place in the first
class. France leads the list with 394
Italy comes next with 388; then Ger
many with 264: the United Kingdom
205; Spain, 190; Austria, 182; Russia
99; Belgium,s9; Sweden and Norway,
46; Holland 42; Switzerland, 35
Portugal, 14; Denmark, 13; Turkey,
9; Greece, 8; Roumania, 7; and Ser
via 4.
There is|an interesting item in the re
port of tha librarian of Bishopsgate in
stitute, London. According to the read
ing done in the free library of that build
ing for one day there were 543 per
sons who chose works of fiction, 51
whcvielected books of travel and his
tory, 36 biography,2s natural sciences,
and so on down the list to philosophy
aud religion, for which there were 15
readers. There is something very sig
nificant in a comparison between the
extremes. Scarcely a century ago the
order would very likely have been re
versed.
Secret service men always have an
iuclinatiou to emphasize the impor
tance of their work, aud when
deal with counterfeiters their pub
lished reports have a sensational fla
vor that sometimes tends to make
them excellent literature for"green
goods" swindlers. Notwithstanding
this tendency, the capture of a gang
of counterfeiters in Pennsylvania, to
gether with their materials of manu.
facture,must be regarded as a credita
ble achievement. The detected con
spiracy is remarkable for its elaborate
organization, extensive plant and the
youth of its members.
When the flying machine finally
flies, the world will exclaim at no one's
having discovered the right way be
fore—as the Spanish court exclaimed
at Columbus's egg. Each mechanical
step, so plain, once it is taken, looke
beforehand like a leap into the un
known. It is a phase of evolution as
6urely as the natural weeding out
method of nature with animals; and
were it not for rust and the melting
crucible, generations to come would
stumble across thousauds of skeletons
of machines that had to succumb to
other more capable machines, just as
we stumble across the bones of the
mastodon, who died out before his
nimbler opponents.
For some reason the south pole has
never had the attraction for people
that the north pole has. Yet more
remains to be discovered, by far, at
the southern than at the northern end
of things. Perhaps that is it. The
glial has been so nearly reached at the
north, and so great a reward will be
his, who makes the final step, that all
aro striving to do it. An Englishman
has just given $25,000 toward a Brit
ish Antarctic expedition, aud that will
probably give a powerful impetus to
the interest in the southern axis of
the earth. Commercially speaking
there is not much to be gained by
these expeditions. But tliey will con
tinue while the viriliiy remains in the
northern races; aud what they do not
accomplish in practical value they
make ap in picturesqueness.
Some writers of natural history
books for youth say that the serpent
always devours its own kind, when so
inclined, tail foremost. This peculiar
ity has been so often repeated that it
is generally believed. At dinner time
the other day in the reptile house of
the London Zoological Garden a live
rabbit was fed to a boa. The reptile
crushed hi 3 prey and then began to
devour it in the usual fashion, but be
fore it had entirely disappeared down
his maw a huge python shot forth and
seized the half engulfed rabbit, and,
after swallowing it, began on the boa.
The head of the boa and a good por
tion of his body had disappeared be
fore the keeper came to the rescue and
attempted to withdraw the smaller
reptile from his unusual retreat. As
this mode of procedure failed to make
the python disgorge, the latter was
seizt.l and beaten with a whip. This
was more to the point, aud the boa
finally wriggled free aud betook him
self to a corner of the cage, minus,
however, his dinner. This little inci
dent goes to show tha r reptiles, under
•xtraordinary circumstances at least,
will swallow their kind head foremost.
tr.
"If 1 were a maa," the woman said, "If I were rich," the poor man thought,
"I'd make my mark ere I was dead; "I'd Rive my all for the poor's support;
I'd lead the world with a battle-cry, \ d open my door.and 112 d.open myheart,
And I'd be famous ere I *ould dlel ** never part-
If I were a man." ___
"If I wore a youth," the old man cried,
I'd win my way to the highest place, The poor man rich—then in all truth.
Ind stick to honor, and seek His grace— This world would be,when we got through,
If I were a youth." Just as it is! -v , a
—James Oppenheim, in New York Sun.
j THE EXPLOIT OF ANTOINE AND POBeI
3 >
j By Franklin Welles CMklns. J|
This is the true story of an exploit
of Antoine and Pierre Le Beau, lads
who were born in the little Freuch-
Indian village of La Sausuail. Their
father, Baptiste Le Beau, was a trader
in peltries and their mother a half
blood Mandan woman.
Pierre was two years the older and
very Indian and lazy by nature. An
toine was more like the French, and
clever, and therefore was sent away
to school iu St. Louis, where he re
mained until his father was killed, an
accidental victim, in a fight between
Red Dog's and Three Feathers' bands
of Bois-Brules.
Autoine found that during the four
years of his absence the fur trade had
been ruined. Settlers and stockmen
had come into the country across the
river from La Saussail. He found
Charbonueau, his father's partner, iu
possession of the store and his mother
and Pierre with nothing left them
save a few ponies, the log house they
lived in and the Indian title to a tract
of laud above the village.
Although but 15 years old, Autoine,
thrifty and clever,saw his opportunity
in the control of the land, which in
cluded some excellent graziug ground.
The stockmen across the river had
great droves of horses and cattle, aud
they were already crowded for room.
So Autoine took horses to herd. He
succeeded in gathering 300 during the
first spriug aud received two dollars
per head for the season. He lost but
two out of this "bunch," aud the ani
mals did so well that more than 500
were placed iu bis charge the follow
ing year.
So the Le Beans were again highly
important among the people of mixed
complexion of La Saussail. Pierre
wore the gayest of blanket jackets,
lived merrily and sometimes amused
himself by going fishing. He loafed
much iu Charbonnean's dingy store,
which smelled of hides, dried fish and
stale tobacco.
Now it happened one chilly morn
ing, when Antoine had come into
warm his hands by Charbonneau's
fire, that a couple of young meu from
the settlements were in the store seek
ing to buy rope aud blankets.
"This old rope—no good," said
Pierre, as one of the newcomers
stopped to examine a coil upon the
floor. "My brudder Antoine, bees
bny some of dat rope las' summer,and
de knots dey rot off bees picket-pins."
At this Charbouneau flew into a
rage, called Pierre some hard names
in French and ordered him out of the
store. Theu, as Pierre merely grinned,
Charbonueau rushed at him and flung
him violently upon the floor.
Antoiue's French-Indian blood got
the upper band of his school training
at this. He seized the irate trader by
the beard, thrust a pistol iu his face
and said such emphatic things that
Charbonnean's legs shook like willows
in the wind, aud his customers left iu
alarm.
Charbouneau begged pardon, aud
Antoine's wrath quickly subsided. The
lad was rather ashamed, in fact,for he
knew Pierre had been impertinout in
talking to customers about Charbon
nean's goods.
The matter would have ended amica
bly but for Charbonneau's Ogalalla
wife, who was of a temper quite as
choleric as her husband and far more
steadfast. She was greatly enraged
when she learned that Charbonueau
had been taken by the beard, which
she seemed to couside • a most humil
iating thing. It made her despise
Charbouneau aud thirst for revenge on
Autoiue.
When the first warm days came after
the going out of tbe ice Madame Char
bonueau gathered her small effects aud
departed in a et»noe with her children,
a well-growu bov aud girl. This little
family paddled far down the Missouri
and thence up White River to the big
Ogalalla towns.
Whether the angry squaw-wife ap
pealed more signally to the spirit of
revenge or of cupidity among her
friends is not quite clear, but certain
it is that shortly after ber appearance
among them a party of Ogalallas set
out across the great stretch of plain to
the northward, descended upon An
toine's horse-corrals one night in June
and drove off all the herded stock.
Antoine had built his corrals a mile
above the village. As these horses
•were uuder "sacred medicine" aud in
charge of "one of the blood" thei*
was no danger that they would be
stolen by Cheyeunes, Gros Ventres or
other tribes of the upper reserve.
Another and final element of safety
lay in the fact that most of the horses
were of a large breed not much in use,
except for beef,among the Sioux. Thus
Autoine had felt doubly secure in leav
ing the animals at night unguarded
in the corrals. He could not watch
all night aud work all day, aud Pierre
could not be depeuded on for guard
duty.
On the morning of his less he rode
home from the brokeu corrals with
despair in his heart. His occupation
and his reputation were go'ic unless he
could recover the stock. The owners
of his herd and other whites across the
river would not hesitate to accuse him
of having a band in such a wholesale
robbery unless he could prove his in
nocence absolutely, and they wcul 1
trust him with no more horses.
It was barely daylight, so early was
be out of a morning, when Antoine
nroufed his mother and Pierre. The
wools immediately took a canoe and
paddled across the river to warn the
owners of the stolen horses. As for
Pierre, he suddenly awoke to the im
portance of doing something. His In
dian blood was aroused,aud be readily
joined Antoine in an arduous chase
after the horse thieves.
Sunrise saw the brothers well
mounted and galloping hard to west
ward. The broad trail of the herd
led straight away toward the Bad
Lands of the Little Missouri. The ani
mals had evidently beeu taken from
their corrals in the early night and
were being pushed hard, for when the
pursuers had mouuted the bluffs above
the Missouri they saw no cloud of
dust upon the miles and miles of near
ly level plain. At night they passed
down into the valley of Thunder Creek,
which marked the limit of the country
they knew. Tliey camped on this
creek, nearly 70 miles from home.
They were up and off again at break
of day, and night brought them to the
breaks of the Bad Lands—warm, at
last, upon the trail of the stolen stock.
Hitherto they had passed three camps
\yliere the Ogalallas more thau 20, as
the brothers had made out by the
sign—had halted to rest aud gaze the
stock, and at one of them the skull
aud freshlv picked bones of a horse
were found.
Just before sunset the brothers rode
to the summit of a red buttj aud
looked back over their trail. Were
the stockmen following the stolen
horses? Oa all the vast stretch of
sun-baked plain there was no slightest
cloud or trail of dust to cheer the boys
with hope or aid from the settlements.
In another direction lay rough ridges
of chalk cliffs and • narrow, gorge
like valley cast in forbidding shadows.
At some point or turn In that tortuous,
fading canyou the stolen horses would
be guarded for the night But dared
any two pursuers venture their lives
in that narrow pass?
Did the brothers turn back? Did
the lazy Pierre, dust-begrimed, choked
by thirst and half-famished from a
slender diet of dry,chopped beef, want
togo home? Not he. The Sioux's
persistence and the white man's bold
ness had seized upou the lads aud
urged them onto a deed almost in
credibly daring aud yet planued with
great shrewdness.
From the appearance of the trail be
low they knew the stock thieves were
two hours' ride in advance and that
they would go into camp SOJD after
dark. So, with plans already formed,
the two role down the red bluff into
the narrow valley.
Upon reaching the creek—a swift,
shallow stream—they turnel their
ponies loose,quenched their thirst and
immediately set out to search the
banks. They found a bog hole where
were tufts of old dry grass which hnd
escaped the fall fires. Of this they
gathered enough for their purpose.
With dry twigs aud bark of willows
they twisted dry ropes some two
inches in diameter and half the length
of a lariat. To prevent these ropes
from untwisting they tied them here
aud there with interlacing twine.
Tbe task fiuished, the brothers ate
some stringy chips of dried meat ami
stretched themselves on the ground
for an hour or so of rest.
Thus refreshed,they remounted and
rode leisurely and cautiously along
the trail. Turu after turn of the nar
row valley was made. They moved in
a silence broken only by the light
footfalls of their ponies. Their ani
mals were kept at the shuffling.nearly
noiseless trot characteristic of the In
dian-bred pony.
On either hand loomed the chalk
cliffs; fringes of cottouwoods and
willows marked the crooked channel
of the creek. Tbe trail, a broad swath
in tbe thin, tall grass of the bottom
lands, was easily followed.
The thieves were depending upou
their advantage in start, their celerity
of movement and the unlikelihood of
pursuit except from fort or settlement.
This they hoped to elude finally among
the intricacies of the Bad Lands.
Leaving the trail, the boys hugged
the little stream, keeping well within
the shadows of its bordering trees.
It was after midnight that the rustling
murmur they had listened for came to
their ears. Quite plainly now they
could hear the trampling of a herd,
hungrily cropping the coarse, thin
grass. But no fires, no sign <.f In
l dians or of horses could bo seen in the
| night.
The brothers dismounted and led
j their ponies deeper within the shad
: ows of a cluster of cottouwoods. They
' stripped the nuimals of saddles and
bridles aud turned them loose. Each
theu wound his surcingle aud grass
rope ab >ut his body and slid softly
down the ditch-like bank of the creek.
They loft thoir saddles under the
trees and carried their rolled blanket*
uuder their arms. They followed the
creek channel, bugging the bank, ball
creeping on the shore or wading in
the water with great caution where
there was no foothold ou land.
Just then what tbe lads had cal
culated upon had happened. Theii
own ponies had come on and joined
tbe herd. There had been a momentary
alarm as the animals had passed In
diau guards and camps. In tbe dark
ness there was little danger that the
incident would excite suspicion. The
savages would simply conclude that
ponies had strayed aud returned oi
been left behind iu some shelter of
brush or trees.
lu the meantime tbe lads had dis
covered the Sioux's camp and theii
first outpost. Fortunately, horse
stealers do not allow dogs to follow
them, aud Antoine and Pierre were in
no dauger of discovery from these sen
tinel pests of an ordinary Indian camp.
Thauks to the shelter of the creek
bank and its fringe of willows, they
passed this camp iu safety. The
horses were farther on. Presently the
brothers ascended the creek bauk
upon the grass land and were in tbe
midst of the grazing herd. They
walked carelessly among the animals,.
talking in low tones and iu the Sioux
tongue, which they spoke with a per
fect accent.
They were some time in finding rid
ing pouies among the herd. At last,
by cautious aud friendly advance,each
secured a pony, bridled the animal,
strapped his blanket upon its back and
mounted. They rode together boldly
along the creek bank. As they passed
the limits of the herd a Sioux arose
from the grass a few yards distant aud
hailed them. Antoine replied.
"We goto the hills," he said,gruffly,
"to look for pursuers when light
comes."
The Indian grunted approval, and
the riders passed leisurely on. This
simple, bold proceeding, and the noise
and confusisn of the stamping, snort
ing herd,saved au alarm. Its success,
and the knowledge that the Indians
were herding their booty unmounted,
filled Pierre aud Antoine with elation.
The Sioux, as they had hoped, were
giving all of their ponies complete rest
for the night.
The daring riders passed on down
the valley until they were well out of
sight and hea ing of tbe herd. Then
they hobbleU their ponies aud flung
themselves upon the grass. Here they
waited, resting aud talkiug in sub
dued voices until that darkest hour
which conies before the dawn. Then
they remounted, uncoiled their grass
ropes aud lode back toward the herd.
They approached, riding cautiously,
until warned by coughing snorts that
the horses were near at hand.
There was no longer the rustle of
trampliug feet—the herd were lying
at rest. So much the better for tbe
plan the boys had adopted,a plan sim
ple and bold,requiring dash and cour
age beyoud ordinary conception. They
were to stampede this herd of 500
horses and ride at its heels directly
through and over au Indian camp.
Truly, it was to be neck or nothing
with them! They rode a dozen rods
apart aud baited. They scratched
matches under the cover of their
horses' flanks aud lighted the frayed
ends of their grass ropes.
In the uext iustant Aut.iine fired
his revolver in air, aud with shrill,
terrifying whoops the daring fellows
rode at top speed directly at the sleep
ing herd. They whirled their lighted
rope euds, fanned to flame as their
animals ran, aud rushed in upon a
startled crowd of horses, encircled iu
hissing, writhing eoi's of fire.
Pierre rode like one possessed and
yelled like a veritable war tieud. As
the herd broke away iu his frout he
ran plump upon an Indian guard.
The Sioux was directly iu advance
aud running, but turned to shoot. As
he did so Pierre, whirling his lire rope,
swept tlio b'aziug end directly into the
savage's face, thrust out a foot and
left him, sprawling and blinded, iu
the grass.
Then there was a wild and most ex
citing rout. The whole herd of horses
fled like ma I things before those cir
cling,shrieking snakes of tire.
Despite a mob of veiling Indians,
aroused from their blankets and rush
ing frantically hither and thither, the
horses, gathered iu a flying mass,
swept, resistlessly oa, taking their
own back trail instinctively.
Autoiue aud Pierre galloped into
the Sioux camp ground, riding at the
heels of the herd and in a smothering
cloud of dust. Tli6y were tired upon
by several Sioux, whom they nearly
ran down as they came together at the
tail of the lierd; but bullets aimed
chiefly at whirling streaks of fire and
in dust aud darkness, went amiss,and
the daring stampeders came off with
out a scratch.
They yelled aud whirled their firs
ropes until those effective torches hau
burued nearly to their finger ends,aud
when that happened they were beyond
the Sioux camp aud had the whole
herd—with 26 Ogalalla ponies beside
—iu front of them aud going like the
wind. A score of disconsolate Sioux
bucks were left to make their way on
foot to the Niobrara country.
Four days later the Frem'h-Indian
boys drove the recovered stock, miuus
four or fivf head killed aud strayed,
down the bluffs at La Saussail.
Tbe owners of the stock had not
thought it worth while to follow the
Indians, but they were delighted with
the exploit of Antoine and Pierre.
Even the lazy brother was a man of
consequence thereafter and was al
lowed to assist in looking after tbe
he. d.
This recapture of stolen stock was o
piece of daring so admired bv the most
renowned Sioux braves that even
Crazy Horse and Sitting Bull always
spoke of the Le Beau boys with some
euvy and great respect.— Youth's
Companion.
ANOTHER CASE OF MAUD.
Wand Muller went 011 n summer day
To try the old racket of raking bay.
3he'd beard how it snared a Judge, anif
thought
There might be another to be caught.
And oft she glanced down the lane's lonjf
course
To see if he came on bis piebald horse.
But the Judge came not, nor a sieeL courfr
clerk,
Nor a constable to get in his work.
Nor even a chronic juror came
To ask ber to share his oft called-naice.
Vet she raked away with a tireless will,
For Maud was a stuyer from Stayerville I
3reat blisters rose on her hands so fair.
And hayseeds lodged in her wind-tosseiV
hair.
But nary a Judge came riding by,
And her swollen bosom was filled with sigh.
One spark of hope in said bosom burned,
That inebbe tbe court hadn't yet adjourned.
Or he might have halted to feed his face
With a lawyer who'd got away with a case.
Aud yet she raked with untiring zeal,
The damp sweat trickling from heal to heel.
The spur-grass pricked at her zebra bose
'Neath the souttiern bound of her Sunday
clothes.
The breezes blew on ber blootnin' cheeks
And scattered the sweat into crlss-cros#
streaks.
Tbe sun sank lower adown the west,
And the hope-star dittoed in Maudie't
br.iast.
One last glance fired she along the lane,
Then sank on the stubble with moan of
pain!
But she rose again with impromptu spring,.
For the stubble was sharp as a hornet's
sting !
Then cried, as to splinters she stampod
the rake:
"This haylield racket's a bloomin' fake !
"The feller that writ that portry ought
To be taken out an' fatally shot!
"Don't think no gal ever made a play
To rake up a feller this-a-w.iy !"
And she said as she limped to her home
again,
Her accents keyed to a note of pain:
"Of all darned suckers that ever bit,
I've a sneakin' idee that Xam It! "
—Denver Evening Test
HUMOROUS.
Old Lady (at insurance office) —I
want to take out a fire insurance policy
at once. Our house is ou lire.
"Conversation is only tbe art of
talking back." "Not much; conversa
tion is the art of getting somebody to
to listen to you."
"Some men can take new furniture
and make it look as if it was made a
century ago," says a journalist. So
can some children.
"A man has to die to make any
thing out of life insurance,'' said the
citizen. "Oh, no," replied the insur
ance agent, blandly; "I never died
yet."
Watts—They tell me that there are
more than 50,000 tramps in this coun
try. Dismal Dawson—Don't you
believe it. More'n half of 'em is only
imitations.
"Where are you going my pretty
maid?" "I am going a-shopping,sir,"
she said. "I wish you'd go buy me,
my pretty maid." "I intend togo by
you, sir," she said.
A Irish man-servant was discovered
in a lie. Ou being accused by his
master of stating what was not the
truth, ho excused himself by saying,
"Please, sur, I lost my priseuoe of
mind."
Any mun is nerved for bottle,
Fearless facing strife and scars.
Who has borne the crash and rattle
Of the deadly trolley cars.
"Riches take unto themselves wings
and fly away," said a board school
teacher. "What kind of riches is
meant?" And the smart boy at the
bottom of the class said, "They must
be ostriches."
Uncle Rich—lt seems mighty li rd
when a mau has accumulated a compe
tence to have to die and leave it all.
Ben Poore (his nephew)—Oh, I don't
know. Don't you think it depends a
good deal upon the point of view?
Laughin' Time—Jock's sweetheart
wrote from town; ".My Darling Jock
—I have uo time to write; be sure
and write a long letter." Jock wrote:
"DearJeau—lf you have no time to
write, you can have no time to read."
A clergyman's bright little boy has
a remarkable faculty of quoting Scrip
ture. One morning he spilled his cup
of milk on the tablecloth, aud. antici
pating a reproof, he dropped his head
instantly, and murmured, "My tup
runneth over."
Miss Homewood —Oh, Sue, don't
yon want to join our new society? It's
going to be very exclusive. Misa
Point Breeze—What society is it?
"The G. W. N. K. H." "What do
these letters stand for?'* "Girls who
never kissed Hobson."
Teacher—Now, Thomas, the hy
pothenuse of a right-angled triangle is
equal to the sum of the squares of the
other two sides. Do I make myself
plain that way? Thomas —I guess sc
—ma says too much eddication is what
makes you so homely.
Mo>t Frnernnt Flowers.
It is an interesting thing to know
that 4200 species of plants are
gathered and used for commercial pur
poses in Europe. Of these, 120 have
a perfume that is pleasing and eutei
largely into the manufacture of scents
and soaps. There are more species
of white flowers gathered than of any
other color —1121 in all. Of these,
187 have an agreeable scent, an ex
traordinarily large proportion. Next
in order come yellow blossoms, with
951, seventy-seven of thain being 1 er
fumed. Red tlowers number *23, ol
which eighty-f'>ur are scented. The
blue flowers are of 594 varieties,
thirty-four of which are performed,and
the "violet blossoms are pleasantlj
ouortfercue. -tTit- bits.