Leprosy In Hawaii is being eradi cated slowly. It will disappear simul taneously with the aborigines. Practically no yellow fever In Havana. The Cuban capital has gained one mighty benefit at least from a good American "liouseclean lng." During the first 50 years of the republic no president under 55 years of age sat In the exe cutive chair. Since then the average age of all the presidents has beeD brought down to 53 years, not includ ing President Roosevelt, who is 10 years under that age. Investigators declare that a horse can live 25 days without solid food, merely drinking water; seven teen days without either eating or drinking, and only five days when eating solid food without drinking Most people will strongly suspect in this connection that much depends on the horse. Louisana now comes to the front as a possible coal oil producer. If oil can be found immediately con tiguous to the Mississippi river ll may cheapen fuel to the point oi encouraging some enterprising indi vidual tp once more utilize the bosom of the great national waterway as a means of transportation. Some idea can be had of the ex cent of British possession on the American Continent, when it is con sidered that Canada has a sea coast from the Bay of Fundy to the Straits of Belle Isle, covering a distance of 5000 miles, and that British Columbia, with its multitude of boys and moun tainous islands, has a sea coast of 7180 miles and a salt water inshore area, not including minor indentures, of 1500 square miles. A Maori clergyman in New Zealand named Ratama Te Awe Kotuku turned out to be another Sir Walter Raleigh during the recent visit of the Duke and Duchess of York to the native village of Ohinemutu. After royal couple had to pass over a stretch of muddy road to reach the village, whereupon the gallant Maori strip ped his Korowai mat off his shoulders and spread it over the worst to aid the Duchess to cross. in a recent government publication George B. Hollister of the United States geological survey calls special attention to the fact that there are 600,000,000 acres of land in the United States still unutilized. This is an area larger than is contained in half of the big states of Europe. It is absurd to suppose that such a vast area will remain neg'ccted and un productive for all time, even if much of it is now an arid waste. If heredity were such a quickly act ing process of change as it is repre sented to be in popular misinforma tion on the subject, the human race might easily be switched off its main course' and disappear in a dozen generations. Those qualities in which the influence of heredity is most manifest, are the deep-seatc/d, per sistent, most primitive, and most an cient traits, which, with many sur face variations, keep the race true to its main type, observes the Chris tian Register. It will perhaps be a source of sur» prise to many Americans to know that the production of grouse in any coun try could be made more profitable than the raising of sheep, and yet it appears that one of the most astute proprietors of grouse moors in North Wales cleared off the sheep from his moors some years ago, with the re sult that the $750 a year he got for the grazing of 7000 Welsh sheep has been more than doubled In the in crease of grouse rental he enjoys from this improvement. Two experiments in canal rowing by electricity are about to be made, one In Ohio, the ctlier in the northern sub urbs of London, England. The former consists of a trolley line with a stan dard-gauge track laid on the old tow path of the Miami and Erie canal. Motor cars of 150 horse-power will be operated on the line. Each of these will be able to haul ten heavily loaded canal boats at a speed of ten miles an hour, which will have to be kept down, however, to four miles per hour to comply with the provisions of the state charter. The canal con nects Toledo and Cincinnati, and the power will be drawn from the latter :ity, fourteen sub-stations being scat :ered along the route. In the London .experiment the canal barges will b« drp.wn by an electrically propelled vehicle using the towpath and fed by in overhead trolley also. j One tenth of the millionaires In the United States are women, according to the New York Herald's list. It Is reported that somebody wants to start a flying machine trust. Here is a promoter that is going to have trouble in floating his goods. A huge meteorite has fallen in St. Louis county, Mo. Evidently exhibits for the world's fair of 1903 are com ing from wide distances. King Oscar of Sweden is an au thor, a historian, an orator, an artist and a dramatist, and he also writes poetry and plays the accordion. Yet he is popular. The good people of Sweden have some peculiar traits. The value of the statement riade by the agricultural department that the ravages of destructive insects cost the United States $300,000,000 a year is somewhat impaired because of the fact that it can be neither corrobor ated nor refuted. The mayor of Buenos Ayres has issued an order prohibiting those municipal employes who handle the public funds from attending the races. An investigation had shown that on race days a majority of the officeholders were not to be found at their posts, but at the racetrack. It is ROW definitely established that consumption is a curable disease. Like every other chronic malady, if it is permitted to possess itself of the system and complicate itself with other disorders, it is beyond remedy. But, taken in time and dealt with in its incipient stages, recovery is practically assured. The French have decided to intro duce the automobile into the trans portation service in North Africa to carry supplies across the desert of Saraha, from oasis to oasis, in place of camel caravans. It is expected that the new service will be more expeditious and economical. It looks as if the picturesque ship of the desert were about to disappear. The present attitude of Europe tow ard the United States is discussed by rrof. David Kinley in the Forum. He explains how economic causes have produced a certain feeling of antagon ism toward us, especially in Germany. He hopes that when this prejudice has been overcome America, England and Germany will unite in forming a triple alliance of the forces of peace and pro gress. To Peterboro, N. H„ belongs the distinction of establishing the first free public library in the world. It was incorporated in December, 1799. Al though other towns had accepted gifts of libraries, and there have been in Europe for three hundred years or more municipal libraries, Peterboro was the first place to vote money for the formation and support of a free town library. Its first catalogue, issued in 1834, consisted largely of religious works, but there was a fair showing of works on travel and a respectable representation of fiction both as to quality and quantity. A big total abstinence crusade has been started in England, and its pro moters talk confidently of forming an army of a million "teetotalers" who will sign a pledge to "touch not, taste not, handle not." But no Father Mathew or John B. Gough has yet come forward to lead multitudes cap tive under the spell of burning elo quence, and It is not altogether prob able that a million names will be signed to the rolls within a reason able time. Great crusades are pos sible when great leaders inspire great enthusiasms. But where is the Peter and Hermit of today? inquires the New York Tribune. That the improved conditions or modern existence have added materi ally to the longevity of mankind is a matter that is being taken seriously in commercial circles. The Actuarial Society of America is to compile a new series of tables for the life in surance companies of the United States, which, the society maintains, will show a decreased mortality among the people of this country. This is expected to have the effect of decreasing the premium rates now charged, as the whole life insurance business is based on mortality tables. It cannot be doubted that, with so briety and moderation in all things, the average man can live to an old age. The purification of foods, the marked advance in medicine and surgery, the wonders of modern science, are all assisting to prolong the existence of the man of the twen tieth century. It remains for him to educate himself to enjoy that ex istence with contentment and suc cess. S LIFE FOR A LIFE. } It was late in the spring of 'O6 that I found myself in a little town of northwest Montana, whither I had gone from New York in search of health and recreation. The town was only a few miles from the Flathead reservation, to which I made frequent visits, and in time I became acquainted with many of the Indians. It was al most a daily custom with me to arise before daybreak and make my way to an adjacent spur of the Rocky moun tains and there await the sunrise—a magnificent spectacle. In one of these morning reveries which the beauty of the scene engendered an idea entered my mind, the subsequent carrying out of which resulted in laying bare the secret of a tragedy which otherwise probably would have remained a mys tery forever. I had been a member of a camera club In the east and an expert ama teur photographer. From my position among the crags I had a very extensive view of the surrounding country, as well as the picturesque lit tle town that nestled almost beneath my feet. The thought suddenly oc curred to me one morning that if I had brought my parachute camera with me I should have been able to get some splendid views. Accordingly I telegraphed for the outfit and received it in a few days. Among the acquaintances I made was a young Indian of the name of lten, an adopted son of a Mr. Warren, a business man of the town. Ren, who had been graduated from the Carlisle school, was a Hercules in stature, handsome of feature and mild and gen tle in his manners. He and I became fast friends and for hours at a time I sat in some cozy nook in the moun tains listening to his tales of Indian life and adventure. A few weeks before the time set for my departure my landlady asked me to take some views of the town that she might retain as souvenirs. So the next afternoon I went to the spot I had selected as the most desirable spot from which to take the views, having delayed the trip until late in the afternoon so as to avoiu the fierce heat of the sun. It was rapidly turn ing dusk when I packed my traps and started down the mountain side for my boarding house. I had gone but a short distance when I nearly stumbled over the prostrate figure of my friend Ren, whom I had not seen for several days, and who was so deeply wrapped in thought that ho was apparently un conscious of my approach. When I called him by name, he instantly sprang to his feet, and grasping me by the arm, at the same time fixing his lustrous dark eyes upon my doubt less rather anxious face, said: "My white friend, you have no doubt many times wondered at my secretiveness concerning my parentage and prob ably have attributed my silence on the subject to a desire to hide a shameful birth. But as you will soon leave me. after bringing me much pleasure in our short acquaintance. I wish to re lieve your mind from any doubts you may have formed as to my birth and parentage." I frankly told him that I really thought it strange that he avoided all reference to his father, and added that probably there was some secret vow which he preferred to shelter in his own bosom instead of having others share it with him. "You are partly right," he said, with a slight tone of bitterness in his voice. "Now, follow me, and I will explain the cause of my silence." I followed his lead, and we soon entered an inclosure formed by the abutting sides of two giant crags. There, halting near the centre, he pointed to a white stone slab, which bore the legend, now dimly visible in the gathering gloom: "MY FATHER." "There," he said in a voice choking with emotion, "lies the body of one murdered, stabbed to death in cold blood by a cowardly white man. Though it is now nearly 14 years since that occurred and I was then a lad of t> years, I can recall everything that took place on that fatal day. "I had gone into camp to procure something to eat when I was greatly surprised to see the form of my father stretched at full length on the ground and surrounded by a number of the tribe. Young as I was, a dread sus picion of what had occurred at once took possession of me, and breaking through the cro-vd, I threw myself upon his prostrate form imploring him to speak to me. My voice seemed to restore him to consciousness, for, turning his eyes toward me with a look that haunts me to this day, he motioned me to bend closer to his lips that I might not miss a single word of his dying wishes. After some water had been given to him he seemed to recover slightly and grasping my hand he hissed rather than said, in a voice husky with pain and exhaustion: " 'My por boy, your father is dy ing, stricken down by the cowardly knife of Frank West, the cowboy. My life is ebbing fast, but as it dies in me It must live in you to mete out jus tice to my slayer. He must die at your hands, with the same knife, and let this be done ere you reach man's estate.' "By a mighty effort he raised him self to a sitting position, and drawing a knife from beneath his blanket, placed it in my hands, saying, 'Remem ber, my son—remember," and with his gaze fixed on my face, he sank slowly backward and exp'.red." The yaing man's form trembled with emotion for some minutes, but he soon composed himself and continued: "I shall be 21 years old in another month, and still father's wish is not accom plished. I am continually brooding over my failure to carry out his com mands; that makes me seem sullen and morose at times." As night had fallen, we retraced our steps down the mountain to my board ing house, where Ren bade me an af fectionate good night at the door, and thsn betook himself to the home of Mr. Warren, who was, as I afterward learned, intimately acquainted with his father's murderer, and who at the death of Ren's father had taken Ren as his adopted son. After supper I returned to my room to examine the results of my day's picture taking, which consisted of a dozen or more views of the town taken at various altitudes with my flying parachute camera. After looking over two or three of the plates, I grew tired of the work and put the job off until the following day, when I would have more time. I then sauntered forth for a quiet stroll and a smoke before turning in for the night. My walk led me in the direction of the county jail, on reaching which 1 was surprised to see the place sur rounded by a large crowd of people, l.'pon inquiry I learned that a murder had been committed and that the vic tim was Mr. Warren. Ren's adopted father. One of the jail officers told me that Ren, after leaving me, proceeded directly to his home and finding Mr. Warren absent from his room, went to the roof, thinking that the old man might have gone there, as the night was warm. He was horrified to find the lifeless body of his foster father, who had been strangled to death. Rushing to the street, he immediate ly gave the alarm, but the assassin had left no clew to bis identity, and must have had ample time to escape between the time the murder was done and the finding of the body by Ren. The theory that seemed most plausi ble was that the murderer had en tered for the purpose of robbing the place, knowing that Ren was absent and that the old man kept no servants, but upon being surprised by Mr. War ren in his work of plunder, he had strangled the old man to death and then carried him to the roof intending to throw him to the street below, and thus give color to the opinion that the old man had come to his death by h.r • cident. But evidently fearing that he would be discovered in the act, he abandoned the scheme, left the body on the roof and made good his escape. 1 had but five days more to stay in this town, so I set about packing my trunk in order to be in time for the express which would leave on the com ing Thursday. Before taking my de parture I invited Ren to my rooms to spend an evening, which perhaps would be the last in his company. Ren accepted my invitation and promised to be on hand early. On Wednesday evening, ».«e evening designated, I was busy working on the photographs which I intended to turn over to Mrs. Good and had completed my task with the exception of one plate, which I was working on. I produced a clear picture on the plate, and no sooner had 1 gazed on its contents man a feeling came over me that I will retain in my memory to the longest day of my life. Everything was too clear to me now. On the afternoon that Mr. Warren was ruurdered, 1 was up in the mountains and had sent my parachute camera fly ing through the air in the direction of Mr. Warren's house. It happened along just at the time when the unfor tunate man was going to his death at the hands of a murderer whom 1 had photographed with his face upturned to the eye of the camera, which was passing directly above Mr. Warren's roof. The murderer in the picture was just in the act of throwing the old gentleman to the street below, but, his attention being att-acted at seeing my camera Hying in the air, his furiosity increased and by gazing at it steadily he was photographed in his murderous act. It evidently could not have taken him long to come to the conclusion that he had foolishly trapped himself, for, leaving the body of the old gen tleman on the roof, he had escaped. I was very much excited by the im portant discovery 1 had made, but de cided to wait until Ren shouiu call be fore I had made the affair public. A sudden knock at the door brought me to my senses and I hastened to open it, hoping that it would be Ren. To my surprise, a tall strangerconfronted me. He described himself as Thomas Car ter of New York City, a photographer by profession, and said that he came to this town on some business and had engaged rooms in this house and on the same floor with me. He added that while in conversation with Mrs. Good he had learned that I was an amateur photographer, and said if 1 had no objection he would like to as sist me in putting my plates and naga tives into shape. A second look at the man's face con vinced me he was the very person whom I had photographed in the act of murdering Mr. Warren. It no long er was a mystery. The murderer, knowing that he had been photo graphed in the act of leaving the old man on the roof, hurried to the street and traced the course of my camera to the mountains where I was sta tioned. His next move was to follow me to the boarning house, where he engaged rooms from my landlady and trussed that by describing himself as a professional photographer sn ap proaching an ambitious amateur, it would be easy for him to gain admis sion to my apartment on the strength of his "bluff." Then he would carry off the very photograph that would have convicted him as a murderer. I recovered my senses, and drawing my pistol pointed it at the man's head, at the same time telling turn that if he moved one step I would fire. Seeing that I recognized him, Carter was con vinced that I must have produced the picture that stamped him as a murder er. He grew frantic. Tne whole coun try for miles around would know of his bloody deed in a few hours. Sud denly he darted toward his room across the hall. I fired twice, but each time the shot went wnu. I then rushed across the hall after him and tried to force the door of his room. He was preparing to escape, and called from the inside that if any person attempted to enter his room until he had vacated it, he wou.d kill the in truder. Just then I heard footsteps coming up the stairs and recognized them as Ren's. In another instant he was at my side. I hurriedly explained the situation to him, and in less time than it takes to describe it, Ren had forced open the door of Carter's room and made for the murderer, who was in the act of escaping out of a window that led to the shed over the back ve randa. A shot rang out. Ren stag gered, and placing his hand to his forehead, fell to the floor. Carter was desperate now, and tak ing aim at me, fired again. Fortunate ly the builet missed its mark. Taking advantage of this I sprang at him be fore he had time to raise his gun again and throwing my arms about his neck 1 made one mignty effort that brought him to his knees, and succeeded in depriving him or the smoking pistol he held in tightly clutched hands. Car ier had realized that his only hope of freedom was to overpower me and had very nearly accomplished his task when the noise of the pistol shots and the scramble attracted the attention of the boarders below. Rushing up the stairs, they succeeded in making Carter a prisoner before he had time to get away. A messenger was at once sent for a physician, while the constable of Ihp little town was sent for to take ( barge of Carter. Ren was placed in a sitting position and everything pos sible was dotie to make the poor fel low comfortable while we awaited the arrival of the physician. The murderer was tied to a chair and placed under the watchful, eye of a !>oarder. Again and again hfe tried to free himself, but finally gave up the attempt and confessed that his right name was Frank West and that it wa3 he who murdered Mr. Warren because Warren prevented him from robbing the house. He also confessed that 14 years ago he murdered Ren's Indian father by running up behind him and stabbing him in the back. He was about to continue his story when sud denly his voice was drowned by a shrill cry, a cry that is very familiar to the ears of a keeper in a madhouse. Turning our attention in the direc tion when the sound came, we saw Ren upon his feet, his dark eyes fair ly dancing out of his head, every mus cle in his huge frame trembling and a grin of determination upon his face. He crossed the room to where West was a prisoner, drew a glittering dag ger from his hip pocket, and with the swiftness of a cat he cut the rope which held West firmly to the chair. "You are free now," exclaimed Ren, handing West the knife that he freed him with. "Take this. Now face old Vv hite Wing's son." At the same moment he displayed another knite and flourishing it high in the air he exclaimed: "This, West, is the knife you killed my father with, and 1 trust that Almighty God in heaven will give me strength enough to avenge my father's cowardly murder by killing you with the same knife." In another instant the two men met in the centre of the room and for a few moments they struggled, tightly clasped in each other's embrace. Ren was decidedly weak from cue loss of blood, but he fought West like a mad man. Suddenly the two separated and West reeled about for a few seconds and then fell to the floor, dead. Ren had succeeded in holding his antagonist in a vise like grip till he thrust through the heart of Frank West the blade that 14 years ago had sent his father to his death. Turning to me, Ren said: "I have carried out my father's last earthly wish, for 1 will not be 21 years of age for three weeks to come." He made an effort to say someuiing more to me, hut the hand of death was reaching out for him now, and with a pitiful moan, he sank back in my arms. Just then the physician arrived. "Too late."he exclaimed, and so it was, for death had claimed one of the bravest men that the state of Montana has ever produced.—New York Evening bear. Illowinc Hot ttnd Cold. They were gossipping of a young couple, who had been secretly married a few days before without the consent of their parents. "Yes," said one of the party, "his mother said she would never forgive them for deceiving her, and then went off and bought them the finest refrig erator she could find to help start them in their housekeeping this hot weath er." "That was certainly treating them coldly," remarked the young woman who was a listener. "But his father," pursued the narra tor, "sent them the latest style of gas range on which to do their cooking." "And that was certainly one sort of a warm welcome," commented the young woman.—New York Times. THE GREAT DESTKOYEB SOME STARTLING FACTS ABOUT THE VICE OF INTEMPERANCE. Poem : The Modern Gulliver and tlio UI« llputlan Habits— Curse of the Child How the lteer Jub Affects the Young In England. There was once a young man whose com panions in life Were intemperance, idleness, worry and strife. And the whole of the rest of the Lilipufc band — Dissipation their leader—who roam through the land. And who by their grimaces, cajoling and wiles, And their limited pleasures, invidious smiles, Bind young men in a web of contempt to the earth, And then make their misfortunes a tar get for mirth. Said this fearless young man to the Lili puts bold, "Ho, there, ho! you can't trouble me —I am too old, So keep on, Uncle Worry, and tie your cord tight, And you. too, cigarette, you may pull with your might; Also billiards and whisky, and you, little pool, Must conjecture that I have become quite a fool." With a leer of false pride, he exultingly said: "I can break through your mesh when it enters my head." But the years sped along, and the Lili puta wound Their fine threads into ropes, and com pletely they bound, Hand and 'not, to the roadway of uttep despair, The weak Gulliver who their encroach ment did dare; But as soon as he woke, with a look of surprise. He discovered that he was unable to rise. Then the Liliputs laughed, as such elfs only can, For they knew they had ruined the lifo of a man! —Felix G. Pryme, in Success. A Pitiful Episode. Elizabeth L. Banks, an American wom an, who is a London correspondent o£ the Chicago Evening l'ost, says: On a recent promenade in the vicinity of Victoria station, London, within ail j hour and a half I counted forty-seven. I children, all under the age of twelve, j going to and coining from the public houses with jugs. L stopped a number j of them and chatted with them, winning I their confidence and following some to j their homes by pretending I was in search of a charwoman to do housecleau ing and they telling me that their moth ers or grandmothers or big sisters did that sort of work. Beer! Beer! Beer! Their homes smelled of it—reeked with it. Many of the children themselves seemed saturated with it. "Excuse me, ma'am. My little girl says you want a charwoman. Do you al low beer?" This from a your.g woman of perhaps twenty-eight or thirty, with one baby in her arms, one hanging to her skirts and the little tot with the pitcher near her, spreading a bare table in the "front rooih" with bread and cheese and beer for the mid-morning refreshment that is known as "levenses. ' "What do you mean by 'allowing beer?' " I asked. » "Beer for levenses, dinner and supper, ma'am, while I'm doin' the 'ousework!" "I do not allow beer," J answered, look ing her sharply in the face, "but I ain willing to pay three shillings a day for a. good charwoman. That, you know, is sixpence more than the regular price." AVell, ma'am, that bein' so, I can more than provide mv own beer out of the hextra sixpence!'* "No; I cannot agree to that. I neither provide beer myself nor allow my char woman to provide it. I find beer makes one sleepy and dazed, and when a serv ant or charwoman has beer during the day she does not do the work so rapidly, and she seems to get to knocking the good furniture about. But as I don't want any one to think I keep back the beer on account of the price I pay three shillings instead of two shillings sixpence a day. The extra sixpence is exactly twice the amount you would expect to pav for the beer, you know." The young woman drew herself up, af ter placing her baby 011 the table, put her hands akimbo on her hips and said: "You won't suit me, ma'am. I refuse your situation!" As I walked away, feeling rather aroused over over the failure of my attempt at missionary work, 1 heard the woman say ing to a neighbor who had just dropped in: "There goes Laidy 'Enncry Somerset. I s'pose she thought I didn't reckognize 'er temp'rancc laidyship!" That put me in better humor, and I laughed to myself, for 1 had never been given reason to suspect that in the slight est degree I resembled that noted tem perance reformer and brilliant woman. Lady Henry Somerset. Don't Let It Be Forgotten. We need scarcely remind you that the liquor traffic, which is sought to be legal ized by the license section, is one that deeply concerns not only the honor of this great State, but also the material, moral and social interests of all the peo ple. There is not a home or hamlet in the State that is beyond its influence. Its evils are widespread and far-reaching. Consider what the consequences will bo if the license section carries: First, we will legalize this great wrong, we will give the sanction of the Constitution and the laws of this great, free and intelli gent State to this most degrading and ruinous of all human pursuits, so that the men who are spreading ruin and death mav say to all protesters: "Stand aside; my business has received the sacred sanction of the law, and is therefore legal and right." Can we afford thus legally to sanction a great wrong? Second, by legalizing this traflic we agree to share with the liquor seller the responsibilities and evils of his business. Every man who voes for license becomes of necessity a partner to the liquor traflic and all its consequences.— Will iam McKinley, July 10, 1874. Must Have Sober Men. The hard-headed, brainy master-mind# of the great railroad corporations know that for the efficient serv»e that means money making and success they must have sober men. Therefore they demand and to a very large degree have sobriety among their employes. The Crusade in Brief. How munv of the medical profession hold not oniv that alcohol is contra-indi cated as a therapeutic remedy in phthis ical eases. The State liquor license law of South Dakota prohibits the sale of liquor to ha bitual drunkards, any violator of the law being liable for damages incurred by the drunkard while intoxicated. That public houses are necessary is not denied, but that they cannot be main tained without the profits of this vile traflic is a false and misleading assump tion. Break up the traffic and public house keeping, like every other business, will soon hnd its level.
Significant historical Pennsylvania newspapers