i hi
THE FADING YEAR.
Toward the snnset-RirdecI Iiss
See the Old Year plod along;
Fall the twilight shadows fimt.
And the restless winter blunt
Shrills its eerie evensong.
From the ramied harvest lnrxln
And the peevish woodland wayi
Nature waves her wasted hands
In a last adieu, and stands
Moaning for her golden days.
Over frosted plain and hill
Uroods the white repose at death;
And the river's henrt is chill,
And the river's voire is still,
As in .ear it holds its breath,
Down the dwindling path that leads
Into ages dark and dim
Plow the gray Old Year recedes
And a phantom host of deeds
And desires follow him.
To his threadbare rlotlies they cling,
Pleading with him to return
TUck across the days, ami brinj
Half the joys that made them sinjf,
Jlnlf the hopes that made them burn,
T.ore stands in the path and pleads
For an hour of old delight;
Mocked Ambition cries h's needs,
Jliit thu Old Year never heeds,
l'asaing onward toward the night.
Spenk one word, departing year,
From thy silent lips and cold
Tell me, may the henrt not hear
.Voices grown supremely dear
Calling as in days of old?
From the Past may we not gain
One sweet token of your youth,
One fair blossom from the plain
Where joy bloomed, in shine or rain.
And hope wore the guise of truth?
11. C, 11., in Chicago Hccord.
A HEAVY RANSOMS
7 v
T?
TO Judge by his haggard looks
mi lilt? iiiijuuiiiiiuiin ii j in
.iiich be vim pacing up mid
(m down the room, Honorable
Robert Speneelcy was evidently un
tier the Influence of a nervous iiicntnl
depression when his particular chum,
Tom I.ungtou, favored him wUli n
morning call.
"Ilnllon! What's tip. P.ob? I!y Jove,
you nre looking seedy ."'
Honorable Kobert stopped In his
purposeless walk, languidly extended
Ills arm, lightly touched the tips of
his friend's lingers, mid heaved u deep
mid bitter sigh.
"Are you 111, chappie, or has the peer
less, pntrlclan Penelope "
"Sit down, Toiu. The fact Is, I've
been n fool."
"And how did you discover It?"
"Well, ns you know, I've been mixed
tip a bit with Lord Templetou and his
set. Jolly fellows, but Inclined to go
the pace a bit too fast. Hang me. If
- can sny 'Xo' to anything they pro
pose, and the upshot of It nil Is that In
two nights I have lost upward of three
thousand pounds sterling playing
cards nt the Junior Aborigines at
least, thnt's the amount they hold my
I O L"s for."
"What confoundedly bad luck you
must have had."
"I posted down to the family nest
yesterday, laid the whole affair be
fore the governor, and vowed that 1
would never tenth a card ngalu If he
would help me out of this scrape."
"And he has refused'.'"
"Point blank. lie reminded mo that
on several occasions he had paid off
my legitimate debts small in compar
ison fo this one but he considered
playing cards for high slakes so out
rageously foolish that he could not
and would not help me. I told him
they were debts of honor, but he said
it was a most dishonorable, way either
of making or getting rid of money.
"In concluson he told im that as It
was most desirable that I should
break off from this connection, he pro
posed to reduce my allowauec to live
hundred pounds a year, during which
time I am to travel and see as much
of the world as I can on u paltry Ua
pounds a week"
"And what did you say''"
"What eculd I sny? I have no choice
In the matter. I have made up my
mind that I will not go to the money
lender's, and so I must gi t these fel
lows to wait until I can redeem my
paper."
"Look here, old rhnp. I'll come with
you for a time, and we'll go In for a
valklng tour."
'Tom, you're a brick. Let us start
tb'.s week."
Three months had elapsed since
Kobert Spenecley's departure, during
which period frequent communications
each bearing expressions of regret
for the past and promises for the fu
ture kept Lord Mslhwlck fully ac
quainted with his son's doing. The
absent one Boomed to bs thoroughly
enjoying himself, Judging from his
graphic descriptions of lha scenery
and Incidents of the walking lour.
Then the letters erased altogether.
Several times lately the doubt had
arisen in Lord Methwick's mind as to
whether he had not been too sjverc.
remembering that his sou had hitherto
borne an Irreproachable character,
evincing a deep dislike to nil the worse
forms of dissipation, and there was
no doubt thnt this unfortunate nffalr
at the Junior Aborigines was not the
result of Inherent or newly-acquired
vlclousucss, but rather brought about
by n false position, In which, sur
rounded by his companion, of wealth
and reptile, he had been led away by
the oxclteuii ut and his inability to say
"No."
Now that no news came from him,
his father's resolution rapidly gave
way under tho disquieting Influence
of foreboding and the conUuttou.s en
treaties of his mother, ur. til nt last
Ills recall was decided up go soon as
tho next intimation of his address
should arrive. The uext letter did
disclose his whereabouts, and this was
the thunderbolt:
"Most Illustrious Slgnor: The son of
your excellency Is doing us the honor
to coudesceud our humble hospitality
to partake and bus to us your address
Slven so that we may impart, his well
being. Ho now his departure desires,
but we would that your illustrious ex
cellency to us sending the sum of
pounds four thousand F.ngllshe that
we may bo solaced for his loss."
1 Then followed an address to which
ft communication was to be sent, and
the missive concluded:
"Any Information to (he gendarmes
will bo on tho son of your excellency.
"(Signed) GIUSIiPPE."
Giuseppe! Tho most noted and
bloodthirsty brigand of modern times,
about whoso cruelties and tortures so
many harrowing tales were told by
travelers, and upon whose bend a
heavy price had been Bet long ago.
Lady Methwlclt plteously besought
her husband to send the money at
once.
"They will kill my darling boy, and
you you will have sent him to his
death!"
, Her daughters, Uonarubles Agatha,
Ondine and ClovK added their agon
ised entreaties; Indeed, so curried
away were they by their feelings that
they actually offered to go without
new hats and dresses for thu next
twelve months, In order to contribute
to the ransom money. ltut bis lordship j
did not believe In giving way nt once.
Doubtless a lesser sum would be ac
cepted, anil while negotiations were in
progress and there was n chance of
the ransom being ultimately paid, he
did not think his son would be In any
danger. So he sent au offer of two
thousand pounds sterling. The reply
to this was a curt refusal, and a post
script added In llobert Speuceley's
handwriting was:
"Father, send soon; feel sure they
will not take less." But still Lord
Methwlclt would not give In without
effort to reduce the amount, and he
Increased his offer to tyo tiiousaud
five hundred pounds sterling.
The day came when Giuseppe's re
ply was due, but It did not arrive, und
pent-up anxiety caused his lordship
two- sleepless nights and two misera
ble. Irritable days. On the third morn
ing, amongst the contents of the post
bag was a small parcel, the handwrit
ing of the address of which was Im
mediately recognized. With trembling
lingers Lord Methwlek tore open the
package, and there lay disclosed the
bold brigand's staggering reply a
cardboard box containing a man's ear
packed In sawdust, and Inside tho lid
these words were scrawled:
No less than four thousand. Tart
of his excellency Is sent free that he
may hear you decide which was final."
In after -years that day always re
mained Impressed with startling vivid
ness on his lordship's memory. What
with bis wife's continual fainting
tits, h!s three daughters In consecu
tive hysterics, their conscious Intervals
being employed In upbraiding him In
such severe terms that one would hnve
thought that the poor man had him
self cut his son's ear off; his own Imn
tal anguish ns he remembered that the
future head of his house would never
be uble to hear both sides; the horrid
possibility of getting the wanderer
back for nothing a piece at a time,
and the fear tlm. nt that moment fur
ther tortures might bo In course of In
fliction he often marveled, not only
that ho survived It, but that reason
did not altogether forsake her totter
ing throne.
And the climax was reached when,
In the softening shades of twilight,
Lady Methwlek and her three daugh
ters, dressed In black, went in solemn
procession to n distant part of the
grounds, where, beside a rippling
strenm and beneath n spreading tree,
the gardener had already dug n grave.
There, with fresh bursts of tears and
passionate sabs, the bos of sawdust
with its precious freight was solemnly
hurled, and a cairn built over and
about lis resting place.
The outgoing evening mall carried
two letters, one to the brigands,
agrei ing to their terms, the other to a
friend of the family, who happened to
be n consul lu tho neighborhood, en
closing a draft for four thousand
pounds, and begging him to put him
self in Instant communication with
Giuseppe and obtain the captive's re
lease. The consul did as he was desired,
and In compliance with Instructions
from tin? robber bar. 1, who were evi
dently tnkiuc every precaution against
being trapped, prow eded alone one
evening, carrying n parcel of four
thousand sovereigns to an Indicated
spot on the outskirts of a forest. Here
he wus mot by n sunburnt, bluclc
hrimled ghint, picturesquely attired
in bin native dress, who carried a rifle,
while a couple of revolvers and a poin
ard adorned 1:1s sash. Motioning to
the consul to follow lilin, he proceeded
but n few paces into t Ik forest, then
halted, and blew a lunjs, low, peculiar
whistle on his finger..
Approftcu'ug footsteps were imme
diately heard, and there emerged
from anion.? the trees the whilom pris
oner alone. As he ranged up to the
side of his deliverer, the gold was
handed over, carefully counted, and
then, with a low bow the robber turned
on his heel and at oner disappeared,
without having uttered a word, and
the consul and his purchase were free
to depart.
Methwlek Hall was ablaze, with light
on the evening of tho heir's return to
his uncestral home. The female por
Mon of the family had spent the day
lu alternately laughing and crying for
Joy, and were now in a state of In
tense excitement, anxiously awaiting
the return of the carriage from the
station. Presently the sound of wheels
were henrd drawing -ip to the door,
and mother and slater rushing out, fell
upon Kobert, hugged htm and kissed
him and half dragged, half carried
him Into tha house, hut It was not un
til after they had ben for some time
assembled in the library that, there
flashed across their minds tho remem
brance f that horror that lay burled
besldri the at res si. His mother llrst
mdo the discovery.
"Thy, Kobert, you have two ears!"
"Two ears, mother! Have 1 not al
ways uud twV"
"lint wc buried one of them."
Honorable liobcrt was evidently In
the dark, nnd when they explained Ik
declared (truthfully) that he knew
nothlnw about it. As a word pnlntel
he proved a decided failure, consider
Ing the ndvciitures which they ex
pected him to recount. He had noth
ing to relate, simple monotony waiting
for the ransom, and no matter how
they plied him with questions, he
could tell them noihlng of the doing
of the gang, for he said he never snw
any of them except the one who had
him lu charge.
A few dnys after his return, pleading
the necessity of a visit to a West Kud
tailor, he traveled to Loudon, nfter re
ceiving strict Injunctions and giving
a promise to shun his old haunts and
companions, Arrived In town he nt
once proceeded to Tom Langton'i
chambers, and his first words to lilt
chum were:
"I say, Torn, what about that oar,
and why wasn't I told of It?"
"Well, I thought you might object,
nnd ns It was desirable to bring things
to a ciimnx, I got It from the dissect
ing room at the hospital through a
student."
"It took ma quite by surprise when
they accused me of having two ears,
and told me they had burled one of
tin in. Hut how about the money?"
"I have told the fellows that you
have negotiated n loan and empowered
mo to pay your debts. Here nre the I
) i;'s that I have bought up, and the
total amount Is nearly three thousand
pounds. The remaining one thousund
pounds "
"You will please keep for yourself,
as arranged, for the douole purpose of
paying you for your trouble and buy
ing your perpetual silence."
"Thanks, old chap. I will be silent
ns the grave, but, 1 say, I had a diffi
culty lu keeping silence when we had
Her Majesty's consul In the forest. I
never wanted to laugh so much be
fore." Wnverley Magazine.
PUBLIC PLAY GROUNDS
TURNING CITY HOODLUMS INTO
SELF-RESPECTING CITIZENS.
Japanese Immigration.
Immigration to this country from
Japan has brought a higher class with
the laborers, nnd one whose coming Is
a compliment to our educational sys
tem. Kducatlon Is relatively hard to
get In Japan, where wages are so low
that n student cannot afford to sup
port himself nnd go to school, too. But
the public schools In Son Francisco
nnd the two great universities at
Berkeley and Palo Alto are free to
them, and ambitious young men of the
upper classes have been glad to come
to California, where they could work
as servants In private households and
hotels while preparing to take their
degrees. To such an extent does this
practice prevail that two years ago It
was estimated that there were GOUO
Japanese seeking education lu Califor
nia alone.
Only about J223 were on the whole
Pacific coast lu 18U0. In the next two
years 2K'A arrived at San Francisco,
and ninny more came by way of Vic
toria and the northern ports. The ar
rivals In Sun Francisco were 1380 in
18011, Will in 1H!)4, 1150 lu 180.), 5(11 in
ISO", Hi In 181)8, 1007 In 1800, and 2004
for the fiscal year just ended. Alns
Ieo's Magazine.
The Story of sv Musical rrodlgy.
Elbridge T. Gerry's fixed conviction
that the use of children as public en
tertainers is ruinous to their moral
and physical being has resulted lu
much benefit for talented youngsters
and In a deluge of abuse for their pro
tectors. Several years ago he called
lu the aid of tha law to prevent the
performances of a child pianist. The
child was admitted by all qualified to
judge to be marvelously talented, and
ns the young prodigy seemed to be
well cared for, the outcry against the
society Was loud and loug. But Mr.
Gerry never flinched, and the law up
held him. Shortly afterward the child
was taken to Kurope, and the episode
faded from the public mind. Ten years
later the same pianist reappeared, now
In the vigor of youth. Ills musical
gifts hud been developed under the
guidance of the most accomplished
foreign Instructors. The public won
dered and admired, but few knew that
the musician owed the training lu his
art. to the generosity of the man who
had restrained him from concert play
ing ten years before. Aluslce's Magazine.
Unit U of Nullum I'.otliaclilld.
The Karl of Uosebery's new book on
'upoleon suggests .these reflections,
ns the uobie author married Into this
wonderful family, tbreLy achieving
one of his three ambitions first, to
win tho Derby; second, to he Prime
Minister of Great Britain, and, third,
to marry the richest woman lu Kng
laud. Nathan ltothschlld died lu
Frankfort l)rcaae too stingy to send
for ills London doctor. A cheap med
ical adviser of Frankfort was called
In. Knrly on the following morning a
a pigeon was shot on the downs near
Brighton, which proved to bs one of
the well-known carriers of the house
of Kolhsjchild. Tudor its wing was a
kinsll bit of naner bearing the words.
"11 set mort." There could be no doubt
who the, "II" wus. Next day there was
panic on the Stock Kiclmne, and a
great dron lu securities, creator even
than that which occurred on the- death
of Sir Thomas Baring. New V.-
Press.
Where Towns Look Alike.
The luland country towns of Austra
lia boar a strict family resemblance
to one another. There Is a single main
street with a few small ones leading
out of it, and the houses are all of one
story ami roofed with Irou. The three
or four public buildings, however, are
generally of a substantial and some
times of an ambitious design, and the
Inhabitants nre very proud of them.
A park and a newspaper complete the
public Institutions. Each township
forms the centre of a scattered com
munity that collects there at frequent
Intervals for a horse race, n cricket
match or similar gathering. A ride
of thirty or forty miles is thought
nothing of In a country where you
nay see a beggar on horseback. As
?otl ji'eeed Inland tku population Is
stiariw and the towns are fwe until
you reach the "Out Back," which Is
the limit of clvlllzittlou. Newcustle
, (JiP-jj.) Chronicle.
Their Rnecess In nnston Wherever Ks
tftbllshert They Have. Keen of flrnnt
Service In the Moral and Physical Cul
ture For tha Youngsters.
Some years ago there was Imported
Into the Eastern States from Cali
fornia I think from San Francisco
an expression which in Its way
marked an epoch the expression
"hoodlum," writes the New York cor
respondent of the Philadelphia Itecord.
It awakened curiosity, nnd when It
wns found to describe a certain type
of youth better known for his power
of annoying his neighbors than for his
good citizenship, It awakened the In
terest of thoughtful men nnd women.
The genus was found to exist nnd
thrive in other plnces. Investigation
brought out the astounding fact that
Juvenllo crime seemed to be Increas
ing, but analysis proved that what was
called crime on. the part of the boy
was often in reality the crime of Ig
norance, neglect, or worse on the part
of tho men and city which stigmatized
lilin as a crlmlnnl, arrested him nnd
placed him In the hands of the police
Instead of putting htm under surveil
lance of one who could show him how
to entertain himself In ways less de
structive to the neighbor's comfort or
property and to his own moral de
struction. CHANCE FOR MUSCUI.AH ACTION.
It has been conclusively proven that
these so-called criminal acts are al
most entirely the result of undirected
energy. To say misdirected would put
too much responsibility on the boy. It
becomes destructive, nnd only needs
guidance to become n source of good
instead of evil. Nature endows every
normal youth with a fund of energy
nnd spirits which must express itself,
often demands expression in muscu
lar action, nnd If It finds no outlet
something Is sure to happen. Nature
also endows the youth with vivid Im
agination which must be fed or it
seeks Us own feeding ground, nnd hav
ing little discrimination chooses poison
often Instead of food.
FLAYG ROUND CORRECTS EVIL.
The public plnyground hns been
found to serve ns the best means to
correct these evils nnd to turn the
"hoodlum" Into a self-respecting nnd
respected citizen, because It furnishes
a healthy and legitimate outlet for
the normal energies. Even In a city
with so many gardens as San Francis
co there is little or no place to ploy,
especially for the thousands coming
from working homes. Though there
may be no tenements, a man occupies
no more rooms than will house his
family, and there is,no place for quiet
play for the boys nnd girls, nnd cer
tainly no spnee for those games which
require energetic motion. The open
spuces are small nnd not adapted to
sports of any kind. Golden Gnte Park
Is too far away for the majority.
CRIME AND ATHI.ETICS.
The youngsters, therefore, hnve no
recourse but the street. Older com
munities have discovered that the lack
of proper playgrounds Is a source of
great expense nnd wnsto to tho com
munity, expense which runs the cost
of the police system, including all pen
al nnd reformatory Institutions, into
millions, and waste of the energy nnd
power which should go to making
staunch citizens Instead of strong
criminals. Hon. Abrnm S. Hewitt
said about the small park question in
its relation to New York: "Improve
ments of property have left children
no other opportunity for play than
those that enn be found In the streets.
It Is Impossible to use these for games
without Incurring tho Interference of
the police. A sense of hostility be
tween the children nnd the guardians
of the public order Is thus engendered
leading to the education of citizens
who becomes enemies of law and or
der. With a common accord the pre
cinct captains attribute Juvenile row
dyism nnd turbulence to the lack of
a better playground than the streets."
It would seem, therefore, that crime
In our largo cities has largely resolved
Itself into a question of athletics.
NEW YORK'S SMALL PARKS.
For this reason New York City has
been creating small parks for more
than a decade. Millions of dollars
have already been expended and many
more will be spent In the next decade
. to undo what lack of foresight nnd
commercial greed lias made necessary.
Wherever small parks nre created, the
verdict of the police Is unanimous that
tuey nave cliangea the character of
the neighborhood. The hoodlum In
stead of taking his necessary exercise
In annoying passers-by or destroying
property, takes It by games of varl-
cus kinds or In using the gymnasium
I apparatus put up for him. The results
which have followed In the wake of
the creation of Mulberry Bend Park, In
New York City, nnd the Hudson Bank
Gymnasium furnish sufficient evidence
, to prove the wisdom of the plan. There
j thu outdoor Itecreatlon League has put
. up it. complete open nir gymnasium
and girls nnd boys, men and women,
efter a hard day's work come hero to
take tho exercise aud recreation they
I have no menus nor kuowledge even
to rurnlsli themselves, but which the
rich take good care to provide for their
own, as witness tho bicycle, ball
games, golf clubs aud gymnasia, ten
uis and other tournaments,
SPACE FOR THE YOUNGSTERS.
Boston has one model tho Charles
bank Gymnasium ana has purchased
ten tracts of hind which It is lining
up as rapidly as possible. Philadel
phia has an association whose special
business It is to further the establish
ment of such grounds. Chicago has a
recently appointed commission of al-
Uermeu and citizens which is select
lug and purchasing sites for small
parks and playgrounds. Thirty or for
ty cities are actively at work on the
problem aud making provision for
small children and large boys and
girls alike. Nor is it sufficient to mere
ly c;eate open spaces. They must be
adequately fitted with apparatus and
should have a supervisor who can
teach Its use, eucourago skill and muke
the turbulent element feel its owner
ship in the property. Thus It will soon
como to use it properly and to desist
from turbulence since it will find the
lue of the apparatus aud thu ulavlus
of nctlvc games much the more Inter
esting. MUST PROVIDE FOR THE ROY.
San Francisco, with a climate which
makes possible to encourage outdoor
life during the greater portion of the
year, hns both n. greater responsibility
to supply adequate outdoor spaces
which nre the properly of Its citizens
nnd a grentvr privilege In thnt Its in
vestment must be of greater value
since It can be used almost twice ns
long ns thnt In the less-fnvored Enst
ern cities.
Too little provision Is made for the
so-cnlled bnd boy, who mny be of much
finer clay thnn his good brother the
cart horse Is less restless than his high- i
bred brother and far less apt to take
the bit In his teeth and run. Wc must
provide for him accordingly If we have
wit or wisdom.
It would, therefore, nnnenr thnt in
tho Interest of good citizenship and of j
economy In moral i nnd oven what
seems to be or greater importance to
some of economy In money, that one
of the most necessary steps to be tak
en Is to establish such playgrounds
and outdoor gymnasiums ns may com-
pete In their attractions with the ninny
temptations of the street. The child '
Is father to the man, and the street ,
Is no place of rest nor refuge for one
or the other In his leisure moments.
CURIOUS FACTS.
St. Joseph, Mo raises a municipal
banana crop ench year. In the park
conservatory grows n banana tree
that faithfully produces an I'liuuiil
bunch of bananas.
In each beehive are a number of
nursing bees, who do not go out to
gather honey, but look after the eggs
nnd young, nnd n certain number are
always told oft to ventilate the hive.
These stand close to the entrance and
fan strongly with their wiugs.
Carl Nlessen, the British consul at
Cologne, discovered an old Itomnu
graveyard in his own garden, nnd has
been having It excavated. As Cologne
was one of the most important of the
Itoman military frontier posts, a val
uable collection of classical antiquities
worth many thousands of dollars has
been found. He Is now said to have
oue of the finest private collections
lu Europe.
The Grand Duke of Hesse has a
curious taste for a man. His royal
highness Is most skilful with his nee
dle, nnd bis embroidery Is exceedingly
beautiful. He takes the greatest In
terest In his work nnd Is particularly
lever In the arrangement of colors.
He has n very artistic nnture, ns he is
devoted to music, dancing nnd net-
lug; but he does not cure much about
more active pursuits, though ho both
shoots aud rides.
Believers In presentiments nre agi
tated by the extraordinary example af
forded by one of the fatal accidents on
the occnslon of the return of the City
Imperial Volunteers, of London. Mail
cart Driver Wilkinson on the morning
of the procession wns awakened by
his wife, ns he wns screaming. He
said he had just dreamed that he had
run his cart over n woman and killed
her. That forenoon he drove the cart
through the crowd at Ludgato Circus.
Several people clambered upon It, the
springs broke and the cart toppled
over on the crowd, crushing a woman
named Eleanor Ball, to death, lie
related his dream nt the Inquest.
A Tula of Chivalry.
The Knight on his prancing steed,
rode up to the Custlo gate, and striking
his halberd upou his brazen shield the
clanging sound rang out upon thu
morning nir aud echoed through the
moated grange.
The ever watchful Seuechnl upou the
outer wall heord the summons of the
visiting Knight nnd responded.
Ho, there," stilled the Knight lu
stentorian tones, "Ho."
"What wouldst, Sir Knight?" in
quired the Seuechnl; removing his hel
met.
"Let the portcullis fall," said the
Knight. "I would enter the Castlo
and see the fair ludy who is its mis
tress.
Wait but a little," replied the tones-
chal, "aud I will come again."
The Knight bowed, and the Senes
chal, descending Into the Castle, went
Into the grand hall where the fair lady
sat upon a raised dais beneath a can
opy of crimson aud gold nnd purple.
The Seneschal, bowing thrice, ap
proached tho hem of the fair lady's
garment.
What menus your presence here,
varlet?" Inquired the lady.
"A Knight is at the gate of the Cas
tle, fair lady," said the Seneschal.
'What would he?"
"To see the mistress of the castle."
"Is It the Knight of Cumpney?"
"No, fair lady."
"Then It must be the Knight of Ab
erdeen," (she said, half to herself, nnd
blushing S'l'ily.
No. lair lady, It Is not," said the
Seneschal.
"Not he. varlet?" s'ic exclaimed an
grily. "Then who Is It?"
"I know not, fair lady," nnswered
the trembling Seiiescbnl, "but. Judging
from his language, I should say It
was the Man with tho Ho." Wash
ington Star.
f'uulit a lluby Whale.
A bnby whale, two and u half feet In
length, was washed ashore In the
breakers a few miles south of the
Cliff House, Sunday afternoon, nnd
wns Immediately picked up by C. Bilk
er, S. Huberts and George Whistler,
who were walking on the bench. The
little whale was lively and In sound
condition, apparently, except for a
slight bruise on the side of his head,
and In half un hour the young men
had him In a receptacle filled with salt
water. The little fellow was brought
to tho city, and thrives so well that
yesterday, to the nmu.emcnt of his
captors, he had grown to a leugth of
nearly four feet. Ho Is one of the
blue species and blows vigorously most
of the time he Is thrashing around In
his tank. Seafaring men who looked
upon the little whale .yesterday said
they had never seeu so diminutive a
specimen of his species before, but
that ho was nevertheless n whale. Ills
tall If. shapely and Is already avoided
by the young men who have taken
upon themselves to rulso thu embryo
lovluthan to adult size. San Francisco
Chronicle.
QUEER USES FOR CANNON BALLS.
Condemned as War Weapons, 11 ut AU
ItlKht In Stone Quarries.
"Cannon balls for blasting!'
This sign hung In n conspicuous
place before the door of a store In
Atlantic avenue led a reporter lusldo
and started a bit of questioning upon
the subject, suys the Boston Globe.
The proprietor said: "Last fall when
the United States Government sold
all of the old cannon balls' and solid
shot which for so many years were
piled lu pyramids along the ninln
street of the navy yard at Chnrlestown
we purchased a lot of them with little
thought of converting them Into any
thing besides pig Iron. But a few
weeks nfter wo hnd stored them here
I overheard a quarry owner complain
ing of the slowness and uncertainty
of the old system of steel Wedging used
In getting out huge blocks qf granite,
nnd after a bit of thought I suggested
tho use of cannon balls In the place of
tho steel wedges. We sent about twen
ty of various sizes nnd weights out
to his quarry, nnd after tho first trial
he hurried a team In here with a note
that read:
" 'Tried the cannon balls; they nre
it. Send fifty more; have thrown the
steel wedges away.'
"The experience of this man led us
to send the cannon balls nnd solid shot
'to other quarry operators, and within
the last month the orders have been
coming In so thickly we can scarcely
fill them from the stock on hand.
"The method used In getting out
great cubes or monoliths from the
granite nnd innrble qunrrles hns been
to drive steel wedges along the line of
the lower portion of the spilt made
by a blast until the great chunk of
stone topples over on Its face.
"It required a dool of time nnd a
number of men with big Iron sledges
and steel wedges to separate these
cubes from tho qunrry wnll from
which they hnd been started by the
blast.
"The method now pursued with the
cannon balls Is to start the block oi
stone away by a slight blast, and then
between the quarry face and the block
several of the smaller solid shot, usual
ly the four-Inch sort, arc dropped down
Into- the aperture. Two men with
crowbars give the block a little shake,
nnd the Instant the block innvna In
tlln nltflltpul iminnni fni-ii-nvil lha ulm4 f
takes up their 'purchase' on the space
mnde, when tho large cnunon balls,
some measuring fourteen or fifteen
Inches nnd weighing 200 or 300 pounds,
nre dropped Into the top of the gap.
Now tin? slightest outward Jur by lev
ers on the big stone sends these henvy
ennnon bulls dropping downward of
their own weight, until, with an easy
forward movement, the cube goes over
on Its face.
"These shot do nway with nny driv
ing; of necessity their great weight In
proportion to their size forces them
downward, nnd their form prevents
nny chance of backward setting of the
block.
"These cannon balls nre also used
ns rollers, as they take up nnd go over
the inequalities of the quarry surface
nnd can be rolled In nny direction
without resetting, thus doing nwny
wltli the old style wooden rollers.
"They are also used to smother
heavy clenrlng-out blasts. Heavy rope
mats are thrown over the surface
where the blast has been set and these
cannon balls are thrown on the mats."
John Shcrmnn's First Speculation.
John Sherman lost his first position
lu a surveyor's party when he had
reached the age of fifteen. Then It
wus that he indulged In his first spec
ulation one of the few that to him
were unsuccessful.
Salt was cheap In the heod wnters
of the Muskingum Blver, nnd it coin
innuded fancy prices in Cincinnati.
It seemed to young Sherman that it
would be a good scheme to put his lit
tle capital into salt, place the. barrels
In a small, fiat-bottomed boat, and let
it float down to Cincinnati, making a
good thing out of the salt, as well as
getting back what the boat would cost
him. Tills is the description of the
speculation that is given by a native
or Mierman s birthplace:
ell, ho got along all right the duy
he started. Long after dusk he tied
up for the night, but there came up
such au awful cjld siian that niirht
that tho river friz up so's John couldn't '
make a start till inorniii'.
"That wasn't the worst of It, nutlier.
The cold spoil kep up, the Ice got
thicker nu' thicker, nn' the long an
short of It: was that John had to lie
tiiere till spring an' build a roof over
his cargo to save it from bein' spoiled
by the winter rains. Ccme spring, he
got along to Cincinnati, but by that
time the city was full of salt, an' lie
had to sell out at a loss, an' lose all
his time besides." Philadelphia Prusr
carpe diem.
The swine arc squenhn. i ii "
I womlni. u Den-
O enn they read the numl.
A And do they 17 ' .
. J hen they mut ,
Ah, do they squeal
Because, they feel
Sick and sort at heart and ss.l
Or is it something they Zt?L A
lo eat. or is t j I " nsJ
rfi . , "i more
1 hat makes them nii-m. .l
Ah, welll Th.ir grief iu' tb' "
n't! m. ' nm cfei
OrHeyinafru"'.
Unmindful of the pa,,,', , ,
And what he think,.
Tho turkey Robbies the vir.l
As ,1ithl i.. " yard
"'""'AieVr&'i'roui
What tunc he strut, nroun!j "'
That happiness is in In. i.
With what we call a rap,,
Or mope around or ,.. '
I'OTobodinfts creep into hi, bremt
And so
Next week he mny lm in
May grace rome l,uf,-hr ,, ,
Sans gobb.8 and ,ull, fL.ath "' '"'
fact, tans all! ft-r' ai
III.
n, loonsn swine! to ,nr.i nnJ ff
., """mk noun nvvuy
While appetite and hnst.s yet
ltemnin,
And while all ilny
Tho farmer who prenidU an f.n0
Leans on the gate
Far down the lane!
Ah wiser turkey, gohhle on,
Thy pizzard still n tlime,
And nt the dawn
Tis still for thee
To see
The red sun shine
Thou hast a winir on eitlir ,;,
And still thy wattles wattle vliir
They give thee grcatc-nt rind.
So why
Become a prey to c.irc
Since, after nil,
Not thou
Nor I
Shall know one day before or wkn
Or where
Or why
The axe mnv full'
S. K. Kisef, iti'CliuMg.i Tiniej-II
PITH AND POINT.
Reuben "Can you tell nie sor:
to buy that is sure to go up;"
nnbonds "Yep. Thennoun
Baltimore American.
Mr. Bngglns "What's t he
keeping that old umbrella nnuinf
no good." Mrs. Hugglns-"A
I'll lend It to somebody."
"This engine won't work,"
flremnn to the chief of tire F,
partment. "No wonder," was
ply. "It was made to play." T
Financial reciprocity
Is built upon tlri plan:
A man first inukes the inimfjr. I
The money makes tho man.
Philadelphia K(
Scribbles "Why so mi'laiicM
thirteenth rejected by one i
Scribbles "Pshaw! That's n
I had one poem rejected by
editors."
"Floase, boss," whined the
cant, "can yer help a poor ft-llt
work?" "No, sir," returned
destrian. "I only believe in
people Into work."
"My husband always rati i
gant lunches down town." "i
you know?" "The minute I
home lu the evening he boglm
to diet the family." Chicago 111
The telephone danvcl
ltemarku, in low tine
That a ring on tin tin-;.
Worth two on tho '!
Londi'ii .V
Muggins "Do you really b.
ns much ns you pretend to:'
gins "Hnto him! Why, man.
him with the hatred tint a
feels for a man who lets liis
grow."
"At last my lines are cut
ant places," remarked tli.' I1
was an observing i":m.
tlced that the editor hnd su;::
self with a ' new waste Im
and span, with pink rlbbo:
twined through It.
An Incident ut lVklo.
A curious Incident noticed
happened. The Kussliin band !:
ulnvinir full lungs the "lr
the republican march of I'M
forbidden air in the iii'jiiari"
boring country of JLtaly.
As the French were mens"'1
sented, the Italians ciime
The I'uy of Ministers.
At a meeting of the I'nlvetvalist
ministers In Iloslon one of the breth
ren opened his heart on the subject of
ministers' salaries, lie felt deeply
that they were too low, nnd thought
ministers were paid only about half as
much as lawyers and doctors of equal
ability. He thought,' for one thing,
that a minister slK.uld be pu;d for offi
ciating at funerals, where the family
Is lu u position to give foes nnd are
not attendants nt his church. Thnt
point, nt lenst, seems to be well taEen.
No reason suggests Itself why, under
circumstances as stated, a fuureal fee
should not be willingly pnid and ac
cepted with resignation. The ques
tion of funeral fees often comes up,
because cases in which they seem due
are not uncommon, but they nre rarely
paid, and are omitted In most instunces
because the bereaved family does not
feel at liberty to offer one. K. S. Mar
tin, In Harper's Weekly.
Bunllawers in ltussla.
Sunflowers are tine of the most val
ued agricultural products in llusslu,
sunflower seed oil being about as Im
portant there as cottonseed' oil is with
us, and millions of gallons of it are
produced annually, A novel feature
of tho industry Is that the seeds are
also waited nud regnrded us a very iie
slruble edible. At street crossings :u
ull the provinces of ltussla there lire
stands where peddlers with big bas
kets nell the salted product of the big
sunflower. A good crop of suuftowcrsf
as they stand lu the field Is estimated
to be worth about $-'3 per acre, 1
IIUi:
behind them, just as the ' Mil' j
that was In full h""1? "',
tilnvml. The ItUSSilin l'Bfr"
ered at once the faux pa, '';
vain to signal the baudnm
They were golug at It 1 '
when tho General's nide1 '
despatched across the line ''
slclans. Just in time- 11
scurry fashion the 'l'lltl lf''
ceased abruptly, and tl"''1"'
of Italy was struck. i'i",h 10
surance and relief '
seemed perplexed to
air foreign and iiiii''11""1
ears. - A. Henry Suva ''
Harper's Weekly.
Xo sane mnu would Ilk.1'
life over agnlu. It i '""iT
the ordinary affair ot
adupt.themselves to you'
One's pleasures are ll,lt'11 '
ns enjoyable. To live '
your children, to watc'i i
the ilevelomnent of t"l'lr
greut source of V0tt'.
7. I wIlUL". U"""
mm union, i.Jit
May I ulso add that I
of an old friend soiiw J1
....i.i .1 Hilrnrs u81 "
pleasure in decllnlnK
wnist anu io ij
Man of Sixty
liu-andesce"'
... .i. simcw
in in-
...,.,.. ll-of8"'
xne pica wim "
land makes for a tip'""
...i.Mii.i.. There Is
for a tip or nipple bp; J
is not 6ii oruiiuii-i" - ,,
i i usually w
to ugni, mm . -- ,
the most iniportniit au
of the lump. The uaK"
.. , H...1 If OUIJ "
.ho Import""1.,.,
lcumiu iv I ' -- - tf nj
rid of tips. Moreover,
the lamps there woa'
lugs based soieij v.- - (lp
whether the iami -
wot'ii
N
th
at
A
'l
; th
ti
V
'1m
"IM
font
mi
'll
'lit,
ha
Hf(
tod
'i
leiw. Ijlectrlcul
1