3 C SETTLING
i t By George
lOK. HE blentt stretches of
browning gens gave n
5 'T' O tlnao of stillness to the
K Inndsenpi. nnd the? hum of
- - t K1 ltlUw.a
hnd prolonged the summer moiiilin well
Info tin- full were plowing fainter nml
less rhythmic with the ndvnnelnjf sen
don. The rropii hflil hern gnrnerml nnd
Hip nppronch of front brought no terror
to the farmers, lint In mine indcscrlhn
Itle wny It affected the nerves of the
lonely woninn standing before her rude
slincic gnzlng townnl the setting sun.
Somehow the nutninn hnd nlwnys
brought n shndo of sadness Into her
life. Even back In tho old New Ktipr
liind days before thin horrible night
mare hnd trntiKformed her life she had
experienced the snnin feeling of de
pression. "I guccs It' because I hnte to see
things dying." she? explnlned to her
self to stifle bnek n vising rebellion of
sorrow. "The ' summer wns short
enough bnck home, but out hero It's
all too short."
There was n'drenry, homesick ex
pression In the eyes, nnd through the
ntrnpvllu.it hnlr the bronzed forehead
showed little murks of prenintnre
wrinklhip. Dorothy Wellington In her
girlhood days hnd been termed "come
ly," n word which just fell short of
calling her pood looking or hnndsome.
Hut with time nnd. experience her fea
tures had prowu hnr.sher and yet with
out blotting out n certain sweet ex
pression of resignation. Eternal long
lup for the Impossible, however, eats
nut the heart nnd ambition of the
strongest, nnd Dorothy wns dnlly find
ing her burden more unendurable.
"It Isn't nnturnl," she confessed to
herself many times. "I'd rather give
up nil nnd go hack without n cent. 1
could work and make n living. Not In
Dunbary. hut somewhere else any
where except here."
It wns a strained nnd unnatural po
sition for n young girl to And herself
In. nnd nothing but n strong, stern
sense of duty could hold her to the
bnrgaln another day. It wns not home
on the bleak Oklahoma plnln. The
very quarter section on which they
lived wns In dispute. The shack which
they had built for temporary quarters
might not be their own. Across the
"dead line" there was another shack
n second blot on the landscape. To one
or the other the quarter section be
longed, but to which none eould say.
The slow-moving courts would In time
decide, but for the present there wns
only an armed truce, and neither side
dared venture on tho property of the
other.
Jured Wellington had left D;inbary
In the East to cast his lot with the
early settlers of Oklahoma, nnd when
the rush begun he hnd been the first
to settle on n desirable quarter section.
But while he had been busy staking
nut the section another hnd filed n
claim to the snmc piece of land. There
was n dispute which threatened to
end In murder, but Dorothy hnd been
the means of quieting the two combat
ants. They agreed to let the courts
settle the claim, nnd meanwhile the
two owners built on opposite sides of
the "dead line." which they drew ex
actly through the centre of the quarter
section.
That was three months ngo, nnd In
the meantime .Tared Wellington nnd
Henry Egerton had nursed their wrnth
In silence whllo they planted nnd gath
ered their first season's crops. ' Kacli
bitterly envied the oilier the crops
which by right should belong to him.
With alert eyes and gun loaded for
active service, each watched the other,
determined to exact tho full pound
of flesh demanded In the agreement.
Had accident or sickness, forced either
over the "dead line," the other would
unquestionably have shot bis enemy
la his tracks the moment be set foot on
his property.
Buch were the bitter conditions under
which Dorothy had lived for three
months, hoping and praying that the
court's decision would shortly settle the
controversy, but. never did the law
seem to lag more exasperating-.
Autumn wns chnuglng the whole face
of the landscape nnd winter wns ap
proaching with Its long period of
gloomy weather, but the "dead line"
and the Egerton shack In the distance,
continued to make life for Dorothy and
her father bitter and disagreeable.
Jared Wellington wns as hard nnd
et In his ways as the New England
granite hills among which he had been
reared, and Dorothy knew his nature
too well to attempt to Induce him to
compromise with his lonely neighbor.
Lonely Henry Egerton appeared to be
In his shack, for neither wife, mother,
nor child appeared around his home.
Dally ho hnd tolled Id the fields all
summer, returning to his rude home at
night time to prepare his own, supper,
and smoke quietly nnd solitarily near
the door of his shack until the moon
W8s dnrkeued by the blood-red borlssou.
Dorothy had watched these orderly
proceedings from her quiet retreat,
often wondering nt the man's lonely
re, nnd in nor tender heart half pity
Ing him.
He wns young and not hnrd-looklng,
s the remembered him on Hint event
ful day when she had Interposed to
save both from a possible tragedy.
But after all It bad been a fleeting
glimpse of the flushed face and eyes
burning with anger and determination.
Those were exciting days when roan
forgot his thin reneer of civilization
nnd displayed bis satsge origin. The
'Wild rush across the powlsed line, the
fights nnd struggles to vain nossesslon
of the best quarter sections, the fcor
oud lamentations of thou who hnd
failed, and the awful Intensity or the
calm which had prevailed days and
weeks before the float word was riven
to throw open tho land to the eager
public-all these pictures were burned
m Dorothy's brain ao that they itemed
like some horrible nightmare. How
different It alrWisd been from the quiet
New England village where she bad
teen reared.
"Why could she not bare lived there
loreverT What right had her father
iear ner rrom her home, root and
Branch, and nlunM ini iku .,m
lawless cauldroa of unrest and blttor
strivings?"
, Dorothjr; brushed back a rebellious
THE CLAIM. 3
B. Wash. Jj K
tenr nnd turned nwa.v from the front
door of the shack. She had never given
expression to such parental rebellion
before, nnd she hnlf shuddered nt it.
Uy wny of apology, she added In an
undertone:
Poor father! lie suffers, too. He
hns been disappointed and It Is making
nun oiu, hy did that man want to
come here?"
She looked bitterly across the "dead
line." Henry Egerton had Just emerged
from Ills shack and stood, with hands
shading his eyes, watching her. Nearby
sue could see his gun leaning against
the side of the shack.
He must be bad. or he would offer
to compromise," Dorothy continued.
lie Is young nnd nble nnd fnther
Is old nnd feeble. He might move on.
nnd "
She suddenly dropped her voice to
nu Indistinct murmur, for an apparition
appeared lu the doorway of the shack
which umde her excited. 8he shaded
her eyes nnd looked more keenly. It
wns a smnll, toddling child, scarcely
two summers old, holding uncertainly
to the side of tho donrwny, nnd cooing
nt the big bnll of Are slowly disap
pearing below the horizon. The man
raised his hands anil the child run
to him and Jumped Into his nrms.
"He Is innrrled. then, and hns n fam
ily," Dorothy breathed. "Maybe 1
have misjudged him. Has the child a
mother, or "
Again her sentence died out In an
indistinct murmur, but the sun had set
and twilight wns rapidly spreading
over the lnndseape. Dorothy saw an
other form, bent of figure and white of
hair, walking across tho field, nnd
nfter waving n hand of welcome to him
she turned to her work Inside.
There was seldom nny mention of
their neighbor's affairs between father
and daughter, and to-night Dorothy
merely told of the presence of the baby
on the opposite side of the "dead line"
and then subsided. .Tared Wellington
raised his shaggy eyebrows and
grunted:
"Then he's married? He'll bring his
wife next, I 'suppose. Maybe he has
heard that the courts "
A horrible suspicion entered the
minds of both. Had the courts decided
respecting their claims, nnd hnd Henry
Egerton heard thnt he was the sole nnd
legal possessor of the quarter section?
Otherwise why had he brought his
family out to his lonely homo when he
had lived without them for three
months?
Tared Wellington felt the heavy op
pression of disappointment, nnd his
white head drooped lower and lower as
the evening advanced. Dorothy tried
to cheer him, but In vain. Finally she
decided to present the mntter clearly
to her aged parent mil show him
that all would not be losi even If the
courts decided against them.
"What of It, fnther?" she said, cheer
fully. "We can go back East nnd live.
I can work nnd support you. I will
enjoy life more thnn out here. I can't
stand this much longer. I must have
companions and neighbors'."
No, no, Dorothy, it can never be," he
murmured. I shall never live to see
the East again. If It Is true that thot
he owns It" pointing dramatically
toward his enemy's shack "It will kill
me. I cannot survive It."
The tears blinded the blue eyes of
the woman, nnd she turned away to
hide them. "It may not be, father,"
she murmured In n 'thick voice.
But whether true or not, Jared Wel
lington took to his bed, and on the mor
row he was unable to raise his head
from the pillow. Dorothy nursed him
with all the skill she possesed, but he
needed more thnu she could give.
Slumbering fitfully, the patient would
awaken occasionally, nnd. murmur In
distinct sentences. The fever of nge
nnd anxiety had unsettled his mind,
and he raved like a child of ten.
Dorothy turned 'a wny In despair.
Impending death In the dreary shack
made even her stout heart quail. It
was ten miles to the nearest physician,
hut It was necessary-to go. Would the
feeble patient awaken, nnd finding
himself deserted, commit some wild
net?
She beld the door half open, delat
ing whether to go or stay, when sud
denly a slight pressure 'from without
made her turn hastily. There, almost
at her feet, was a bundle of red cloth
ing, surmounted by a shock of light
brown hnlr. The pair of Innocent eyes
looking up at her suddenly gleamed
with a new-born happiness.
'Muzzer! Muzzer! I'se found you
at last. Where's you been so long?
Baby's been crylu nn' cryln' fur you.
Hug baby, on' tell him you'll nebber,
uebber leave blm again.".
A pair of warm arms were raised be
seechingly upward. Dorothy picked
the lltle child up In her arms and
hugged and kissed It. The longing In
her heart for some one to love and
speak to was almost too much, and she
broke luto a violent sobbing. The clilld
cuddled close to her and snld softly:
'Don't cry. muzzer, fur I won't lenve
you ng'ln. I'se goln' to stny forebber
an ebber with yon."
The hands, chubby and warm, stroked
the hair of the weeping woman. Dor
othy raised her eyes to look at the little
face pressed to bora, and then sue
started. A dozen feet away stood Henry
Egerton, an expression of confusion
and uncertainty on his face.
He raised bis hat and said:
"Pardon me, I've come for Virginia.
She ran away, and I could not catch
ber until she crossed crossed over
here."
Dorothy still held the child la ber
arms. . and .Virginia suddenly ex
claimed: "I'se found mutser! - I'se found muz
zer. Unci Hen'y. Here she Is."
The face of the man worked strange
ly. A softening of tbe firm outlines
made blm look tender and sympa
thetic. "Poor Virginia lost ber mother a
week ago," be murmured, "and she bas
come to live With me. I could not
bear to tell ber tbe truth. But I sup
pose I was wrong. Come,' Virginia,
come with Uncle Henry."
"Not unless muzzer comes, too,"
pleaded tbe child.
Tbe embarrassment of tbe man la
creased. Dorothy, understanding the
position cl the two, suddenly raised
her eyei from the shock of brdwn hair
nnd said quickly:
"Leave the child with me a short
lime. She Is hnppy, and I I need
ome one."
There wns a break In her voice, but
she continued with more self-control1
"Hut I must go nwny for a doctor.
Father Is very sick and ho needs help
and medicine."
Henry Egerton hnd been thinking ol
tho picture the two mnde framed In the
doorway, nnd he started nt tho men
tion of her father. Then, apparently
without thinking, he snld: "I'll go fot
the doctor If you'll keep Virginia until
I return. I'll he back soon."
He strode away rapidly without
glancing ngnlu nt the picture, which
somehow had strangely nffecled him,
nnd within ten minutes he wns riding
fiercely toward Oklahoma City. Dur
ing tho ten miles he hardly saw an
object on the landscape, and when ho
returned In company with the physi
cian he was quiet nnd taciturn.
Virginia nnd Dorothy were not In
the doorway to greet him on his return,
but unmindful of the feud between the
two families he strode Into the small
shack behind tho physician. Then,
while thnt individual examined his pn
tlent ho waited patiently nt the foot
of tho rude bed, furtively watching
two faces which seemed inseparably
nssoclnted together.
Jared Wellington, was n long time
In bed nnd the fever vnsted I ) i ill to
a skeleton. Nature had robbed him
of the power and strength to protect hi
shack from tho approach of the enemy.
But before his complete recovery the
"dead line" had been obliterated. The
little footsteps of Virginia hnd worn n
smooth path ncross It from shack to
shack, nnd often Henry Egerton fol
lowed after his tiny niece "to go nnd
see muzzer." Somehow there was us
much attraction for him as for tho
Innnocent child, who had found In
Its berenvement another who had
quickly healed the wound.
Then one day Henry Egerton walked
to the old shack with lines drawn
tighter nround big mouth, nnd with
eyes hardened to bear n new burden.
The decision of the courts in their re
spective claims hnd been handed down.
The ownership of the valuable quartet
section wns decided forever. Beyond
the hearing of the convalescent man,
who sat In the sun of the doorway,
Egerton told the news to Dorothy.
Under tho blunt announcement she
paled nnd flushed by turns. Then pity
for the drawn face before her made her
exclaim:
"Oh, I'm sorry for you, Mr. Egerton.
I think you should own half."
"No, It was all or none. Now tho
courts have decided 1t all belongs to
your father. I'm nn Interloper, nnd
must lenve nt once. You have tho
right to order me off before night."
"But I won't do It, Mr. Egerton."
Dorothy replied, with n bright smile.
"You can stay as long ns you like."
"No man could do that unless" he
hesitated "unless you eould let me
work the place for you. I could stay
as-your hired man until your father,
wns well again; but I won't. I would
stay nt your bidding If If you would
always be Virginia's mother."
Dorothy held forth n trembling hand
lie seized It and covered It with kisses,
hastily Interpreting the action ns a
plea to stay, nnd Dorothy did not have
the courage to break his Illusion. Then
from the shadow of the shack n small
figure toddled forth and a baby's voice
exclaimed: "Muzzer, make Unci1
Hen'y stay an' play bear with me, I
wants him."
Dorothy, with a hnppy smile? nnd
gleaming eyes. 1 ieked the child up In
her nrms nnd replied between net
caresses: "He will stay. Virginia, nnd
he shnll play bear with you all (tho
morning." New York Times.
Flillosn) liy of at Clloerfnl Mind.
To be cheerful when the world I
going well with you Is no great virtue.
The thing Is to be cheerful under die
advantageous circumstances. If one
has lost money. If business prospects
full. If enemies nppear triumphant, H
there Is sickness of self or those dent
to one, then Is It Indeed a virtue to be
cheerful. When poverty pinches day
nfter day, month nfter month oi
through the years as they pass, and
one hns evrr to deny self of every
little longed-for luxury, nnd the puz
zle of how to ranko oue dollar do ths)
work for two hns to be solved, thea
the mnn who can still be cheerful U a
hero. He Is a greater hero than the
soldier who faces the cannon's mouth
Such cheerfulness Is the kind that we
need to cultivate.
To acquire this self-commnnd, we
need to think of many things. We
need to gunrd 'against giving wny to
Irritation about little things. If we
can maintain Relf-control in small mat
ters, we shnll have less difficulty In
maintaining It when greot matters nre
to te met. If we meet Jrrcpalrnble
losses we must readjust our lives to
fit the new conditions. There Is no
great evil so bad but that it might
hove beeu worse. Let us congrntu
late ourselves that tho worst is not
yet! There Is truth lu the saying that
"every cloud has a silver lining."
Though It mqy for n time look so dark
we can see no glint of the silver, yet
we know It Is tharc. Milwaukee Jour
nal. ,Inll a raw 111 a Words. '
Some etymologists at their luncheon
of sandwiches and sarsaparllla were
laughing over the question of long
words. The first one said that th
longest word. In his experience was tc
be found In Eliot's Indian Bible. He
pronounced the word, and it was of
though ho were delivering an orntlor
In an unknown tongue. Then be wrote
It down. It was:
W j t teppessittukgussunoowehtunk
rjuoh. The man explained that this word
meant "the act of kueellng before the
Lord In prayer."
- A second etymologist, smiling, snld:
"There was a book printed In the sev
enteenth century that was full of Ion?
words. A scientific work 1t was, and
Its very title was nnwieldly." He wrote
the title aa follows:
Panzoologlcomlneralogla.
Tbe third etymologist then recalled
that there was a seventeenth century
tragedy of tbe name of "Crouonbotont
bologos," the opening words of which
were:
t'Cronoahotonthoiogos, where left you
Aldeborontlphosophotuiol" Philadel
phia Record, . ,. .)
: G O O D
ROADS, i
nin-rt the llrownlnw Bill.
Ilntl ' ' llnll n 1'00,'l,t communication
liJ li to Cu'tKi'tssmmi Brown-
II low, Mr. 1!. W. Itlchiird
I ftnn Kinrtnfv f ? llm Xil.
tlonnl Good Iloads Asnocln
Hon. supports the Tlrown-
'ow bill In the following language:
"I have carefully read a copy of your
bill, being II. 15. l.i..",ii!. creifting a
Bureau of Public Iloads in the Depart
iient of Agriculture, nnd providing for
t system of luillciinl. Plate and local
?o-opi'iallon In highway Improvement.
I desire to commend yon for your In-Itlatl-p
in this most important nnd
necessary public improvement. It
eenu passing strange that the people
if the United States, who are so pro
jrrsslve In every other avenue of com
mercial and Industrial development,
jhould so continuously neglect to give
ven reasonable consideration to the
public roads. It Is safe to estimate
:lint more than ninety per cent, of the
iren of the States of the T'nlou Is with
ant Improved reads, enduring almost
impassible mud la winter and insuf
ferable dust In summer, old nnd nil
tl'iunted wasteful methods still In
vogue In attempted 'mad-making nnd
repair, hundred of thousands of dol
lars wasted eaeli year in these meth
ods, to be repented again next year,
unit all this without nny chnnge from
the road conditions our fathers left us,
except in the majority of cases for tho
worst.
"National, State and local co-opern-Hon
is the modern and sure method of
oqunlizliig the burden of cost, giving
proper supervision nnd restriction, nnd
'(curing an adequate system of Im
proved highways. The postal, educa
tional, military a:?d economic inter
ests of ;he general Government Justify
Its active interest In this behalf.
"You nre to be heartily commended
for your effort. If you succeed you
v. iil have reared to your name an ever
lasting monument in the ever-growing
appreciation of th" people. Our asso
ciation siniids ready to give you every
aid possible1."
"T
I'.ni-oprnn MelliniU,
Tlie great highways of Europe nre
none of them built by the farming re
gions through which they pnss. No
rural neighborhood can alone bear tho
cost of good roads. The central gov
ernments In Europe pay half or mom
of the expense of rand-building. In
France the broad roads which cros:
every depi.rtnii nt are paid for from the
national treasury. The department
builds roads across every commune.
The commune or township builds only
the narrower branch roads.
Countess Alida von Kroekow writes
as follows in the Chicago Tribune:
"Germans find that it pays to encour
age peasants to free their fields of
stones. The property rises In value
taxing value. The stones thrown into
heaps by the roadside are purchased
by the district road repairing commis
sion. Poor men, who otherwise would
have to be supported in almshouses, ar
hired to break these stones and then
are trained to tho work of repairing
the roadbeds. The money to pay the
men is made by auctioning off to the
highe t bidder the crops of fruit trees
that were planted on both sides of the
highway when it wns built and which
were nourished well by the manure
that falls along the road nnd Is pushed
nt Intervnls by the road tender upon
their roots. The purchaser of the crop
spcs to it that his fruit Is not stolen.
The road commissioners have no
bother nbout that. And although tho
sale be by auction It brings in consid
erable. Every burgher knows how
much, because the sales of highway
fruit crops nre published in the 1 -en I
newspaper."
Yfhnt tlia fiOTftrnnr asy.
Closely nssoclnted with the sub.'eet
of rural public schools is the qurstion
of public roads. Good roads would en
able country schools to be consolidated
nnd strengthened, nnd nt tbe same time
facilitate the ntteudnnee of students
In tha Inst few yenrs there hns been
a general nwakenlng throughout the
country on th subject of good ronds
rubllc highways nre arteries of locnl
commerce nnd trade, and when mnd'j
permanent and substantial they facili
tate travel, cheapen transportation of
"farm and other product to market,
stimulate business, attract desirable
citizens nnd inerense the value ot
lands. They fill schonl-housPs nnd
churches, encourage social intercourse
nnd aitvnnce civilization. Reducing
the question to n pun iy business basis
good roads pay. If wisely nnd eco
nomically constructed, they nre one of
the best Investments that con be made
by the Plate or county. ... I trust
that your honorable bodies will givf
tills Important subject the most rnrefi:
study, and amend the nresent law oi
caact toino new law that will insure
to tlie pei.ple of Tcniiessre a bettet
svsipui of public highways. f'ovrrrni
Fraz.or of Tennessee.
TtrormBl1n In th Air.
It has been said that proarrpys'.vf
movement In nny direction Is like In
veutlon. In this, that when tlie thought
of It is running lu one mind It is nlsf
running In many minds, nnd all th
signs of tiie times tell us that the time
hns come for a general forward move
meat for good roads throughout thf
Union. For teu years the most pro
gressive citizens la nil sections of th
country have liecn devising ways and
means for the permanent Improvement
of the public hlflfhwnvs. nnd It seem
that all good ronds reformers nre of th
same opinion with reference to a gen
eral system of co-operation between th?
Governni'nt, the Stnte. nnd the conn
tiefc. Among the present leaders in th
good roads reformation is Representa
tive Brownlow. of Tennessee, who re
cently Introduced a bill in Congress
providing for national co-operation lu
road Improvement. Indiana Farmer.
Sulphur la Sicily.
Great progress Is being made In the
sulphur Industry on the Inland of
Sicily, in the Mediterranean. There
nre some 430 mines in operation, nnd a
good deul of modern machinery hns
been installed - wlthla the lust few
years.
1 Glasgow Is pursuing n crusndo
Cgaiust gill flower-srllers in the streat.
THE GREAT DESTROYED
SOME STARTLINC FACTS ABOUT
THE VICE OF INTEMPERANCE.
Plipim nt of 111 l!it Mrn Mn Old
Mrn Willi fclinillil llr lln'fl II nil Heart
kr tnnr:nr Frnin llm rnrts ot
Yniitliful " Mmlerata Drinking."
I Kni'e in the f.ellu'iie time!.
Ami peer Irnm it a spuvkliiiK brim
At the de.it Ii of n tiiiifil soul.
At the wi-pp'c s alijit! v nnd grim.
Owl's heme I riitlilcly hlenr
With wine n tempting nnd red:
Tlin tn(i of "Hin ctncicm e I serif
Till 1 1 I t-, like a pli:intuui, li.n fled.
I heed lot tlie i"(l'ii(in's ffrin.
Nor tlie tpni thnt 'riortnls slicd.
I ltv in tiv pnlarp ol' am
Where hope i etei-nnlly dead.
I r'tle with n tyrant ' swav.
My sreplcr a 'iFrrilc rod;
I -npn rnrthly Imtinrs nw.iv '
With only t-Miiptrr's nod. .
I 'inoiv tin mercy; with n Ciree'ii spell,
I turn nil men to brutes;
JIv rnbrs arc red ns llic lire of hell,
Thnt roars and upward sIitoU.
D'-mvi-ing the soul's lost cries
With rpmorsn that eomps apaoe,
Till the worm that nevnr Hies
I the '.cor oil a devil's fa"".
.T. S. Hempstead.
A Srln.llfln Vlrw.
IP'retofore. i'i il- aticiepis to show the
Ifiple the evils of ihe drink hihit, this
npH'Mier lias dwelt largely upon the
ni'iril pliise. of 'lie subject.
ri' to-di'.v we intend to rnnfine o'ire'ves
slt-i.-ily to the physical and scientific side
of the question.
Tt i a very enprnnn thing to meet .1 man
who talks about lihe this:
"I ion a regular hut moderate drinker.
Vo one ever saw in" flnmk, nnd yet I
drink every day. And what's the harm of
it? Can you ee any tiling the matter
with me?"
The iinn wou'd seem to have the fldvan
lixts of vnu. You cannot see anytliina
wiona with him. So far as tlie outward
appearances (ro the rac is siuarclv against
yon. The ma" appears to be all light.
Hut is lie? The effects of drink upon the
system dn not show themselves to the ex
tent of attracting verv marked nttenilon,
at least, until the conditions nre fairly ripe.
In th" man who copies out onto the
street nfter n nrotrneted debauch the ef
fects of th" v.-hi-liy io lias been pouring
down his throat are so visible that even
th" httlc children notice tiicm.
He may not he drunk. It may have
been hours since he touched n drop, I 'lt
any one can hcc that h's physical system
has received a severe shock and is in a
vc'-v dilapidated condition.
In the moderate drinker these signs nre
not visili'e, but the alcohol which he daib'
imbibes is doing it work, and slowly but
surelv his constitution is liciug under
mined. N'.w nnd then we run ncross some old
man who is liaie ami hcarfv, notwithstand
ing tlie fact thnt ha has been a moderate
drinker all his life.
Hut no one wilT think of denying the
fact that this old man is an exception a
vp'-v rare exception.
M ine olit men who. notwithstanding the
fact that they are old. should he Inle nnd
hearty, nre sufYerinir from the ailments
horn of tlie drink habit to which, in their
eariier davs. they were enslaved.
In the "rheum, tho dry serpigo and ths
Tout" which rack their frames, mnke their
hones nciie and render miserable and
thankless the evening davs which should
be so full of pence and beauty, they are
reaping the fruits of their "harmless" mod
ern tc drinking.
Two or three weeks an we made refer
ence to the report by M. Mesuieur, Direc
tor of the Department of Charities, Paris,
upon the results of nlcoholism in Trance.
That renort was no sooner made public
than the French liquor dealers were no in
arms against ii. Indignation meetings
were held. The mails were flooded witli
n'l sorts of protests against the truth of
Mcs'ireur's claim thai alcnho'ism wns slow
ly hut surely de-.trn.ving the French people.
The discission nt last b"cnme so heated
that the (ioverr-nent took it upon itself
to subject the offensive report to n enrefnl
serutinv. with the result that it was con
firmed in every particular.
W'c cuote from a no iter, issupd by the
"Investigation Council for Promoting the
Public Welfare," and now displayed all
over France:
"Alcoholism is the chronic poisoning re
sulting from the constant use of alcohol,
even if tiiis does not produce drunkenness.
"It is nn error to sav thit alcohol is a
necessity to the mnn who has to do hard
work, or thnt it restores strength.
"The artificial stimulation which it pro
duces soon gives way to exhaustion nnd
nervous depression. Alcohol is good for
nohody. hut works harm to everybody.
"Alcoho''sm produces tiie most varied
nnd fatal diseases of the stomach nnd liver,
parjlysis. drnnsy and madness. It is one
of the most frequent causes of tuberculo
sis. "lastly, it aggravates and enhances all
irute diseases, typhus, pneumonia, erysip
elas. "These diseases onlv attn"k a sober man
in a mild degree, while they ouicklv do
swsv with the man who drinks alcohol.
"The sins of the narents against the lawi
of health visit tlipir offspring. If the chil
dren survive the first mouths of their lives
they arc threatened with imbecility or epi
lepsy, or deatli carries them awav a little
later hv such diseases as meningitis or con
sumntion. "Alcoholism ii one of the most terrible
plagues to the individual health, the exist
ence of the home and the prosperity of the
nation."
The document from which th nhove
Quotations ar taken is signed hv the Pres
ident of the Medical Facu'tv of Paris; by
the Chairman of the Institute of France,
and b- the medicul director of the Hospi
tal l'Hotel then. Paris men who know
perfectly well what they nre about when
thev declare thenweives nnon the subject
of alcoholism nnd i's effeets.
Thev apeak unequivocally, and their word
is that nlcoho'ist". e'-en when it stops this
side of actual drunkenness, is a mortal
foe to physical health and noundness.
New York Anierican.
A Kos (o th line.
Mr. Keir Hardie, M. P.. addressing the
Pembroke Temneranee Leaum in connec
tion with Dr. Aked's church in Liverpool.
Kngland, said he was a lifelong Abstainer,
and the longer I19 lived the more firmlv
convinced he became that until they grap
pled with and overthrew the demon of
drunkenness there could be 110 permanent
upward progress on the Part of l',iir race .
It was not onlv ners.inal effe 'ts of drunk
enness that had to he considered, hut a'sn
the efiVc'. npoa the community. He be
lieved thnt the one "radical way of bring
ing about tlie prohibition of tlie hqum
traflie wns hy the method known us muni-,
civilization.
Tha CmsHil In llrlrf.
Ahstincncy is favorable both to the head
and to the pocket. Homes Cireeley, '
Milwaukee papers aro boasting of tht
largest shipment of beer ever sent to the
Orient.
Slum conditions lead to drunkenness, and
drunkenness leads to the creation and to!
craticn of alum conditions.
The Columbus Railroad Y. M. C. A.
(Buffalo) competes with saloons in cash
ing cheolis for railroad employes.
When a man has lost control over him
self frqm drink ho is ns unmindful tc
what is due to his health as ha is foijctful
of what he owes to hi reputation.
Every step that removes something of
the stigma and disgra': from direct con
tact of women with the liquor trade is 9
step toward degradation of tha home.
Mn. maddened by driuk. expose them
selves to th ruthless ray. of tha noonday
sun in th plains of India, and get knocked
over, possibly to be hclpleas imbecile for
tha rest oi a wearisome existence.
Pay day at one of the Alaska forts hi
been a time of dissipation among th sob
dten until th Army Association ran pop
ular entertainments as a counter attraction
on pay day t th saloons. Th saloon
krenera and gamblers appealed to th offi
cer in command, staling that their busi
ness would b mint J unless the free e
tcruiniuenls of th association were
stopped.
ME RELIGIOUS LIFE
READING FOR THE QUIET HOUR
WHEN THE SOUL INVITES ITSELF.'
I'oam: Cansa for Singing What the Par
nble of tha flood Samaritan Teartiea
Us Always Ha Heads- to Kxtend Bym
pntlijr lo tlia Unfortunate.
Sing! There is ever a reason
Why the heart from ita depths should
sing.
For the love of the Lord who loves us
Is a sure and a steadfast thing. j
The night may seem dark nnd starless,
Tlie morn may be cold and drear,
Hut the day will come, the sun will shine.
And the world will tic lull of cheer. .
Sing, von who are sad and lonely.
Ami you with the spirit light;
The love of the Lord is a precious thin?
And His judgments arc just and right.
V.'lMt though n few clouds gather '
fiver your noonday sky?
T'le glorious rays of n love divine
Will scatter them by and by. '
E;ng! for there lies before us
A country that's vast nnd grand;
In the Lord's own time -in the Lord's own
way
We rhitll reach the beautiful land.
K. K. ilrown.
On tlie lloail to JerP ho.'
.nd is there a road to Jericho in your
lite and mine? Come! Let us wander
do'vn it n little while today. Perhaps:
wl:?n we come hack we shall know our
pe!"?s the better.
It matters litile if you be priest or Le
vito or Samaritan, you have all journeyed
this way. Do vnu remember how lair the
day ecnied at morning when you started
upon that road. You were bound lo th:?
lily en business or 011 pleasure bent. The
flowers nodded to you along the way and
the wild, rocky, wooded way appealed to
you nnd thrilled your heart with its
beauty, and you were at eace with the
world and with (tod, you thought. You
d celled not A cl.iliuci that might lurk.
You knew not, thought not, of any that
could come to vnu that day.
The song birds chorused all nbout you
and you lifted your eyes to the heaven
nhove you nnd felt jov in the clear depth
of blue, witli nn underlying satisfaction in
your own self and the success you wero
making of your life.
Tli"n all suddenly yon ramc to the turn
in the road you remember where tho
path leads abruptly up over the rocky hill
side, or by n shorter cut down into tho
wood below, where all is cool and green
nnd dark. sand as the sun was mounting
high Mid tlie climb a steep one you cho
the wooded road nnd turned your horse's
head in that direction. And just as the
idiadow ot the forest fell nhove you ami
shut nut heaven 'a blue you caught sight
of mime one lying biuised and bleeding
nhend of you in the shadows of the road.
You Halted and drew rein ut once, pon
dering what it might mean, and looked
stealthily from side to side. Where dan
ger had befallen one man, danger might
also l-efafl you. Whether tlie thieves wera
only armed with laughter and a sneer
those weapons cut to the vitals sometimes,
you know or whether there was actual
physical hnrni. I know not, 'tis enough
that you and (!od know. Was it fear that
held you freni going on. or was it the
urgency of your business, the necessity for
haste, that impelled you to turn away from
the sufferer you might have helped? For
you turned away, you remember, nnd went
by on the other side of tlie ravine, the up
per rrad. whence you could look down and
sec the man lying half dead. You remem
ber that you tried to shut your eyes to
keep the bright sunshine out and tha
sight of him you did not help. Oh, it mat
ters not. you know, that he ought to have
been well armed when traveling that road
nnd not have got into a scrape like this.
Your conscience tells you loudly now as
you pass through this way ugain and see
the place where he lay and wonder what
goo.l (Samaritan, if anv, helped him awav,
that you should have hcen brave and kind
and you were not.
Yon have not even the excuse of the
Samaritan, for he might have said: "Tho
dying on.- is a .lew. I inn not. Oilier
Jews will come along this road and dis
cover him before long. It is their business
to look out for their own." No. you have
not that excuse, for you claim to belong
to the chosen family of (iod. Kvery man,
in vnnr creed, is n brother. Even' better
for your peace of mind he it if vou ran
awav for fear.
The Expositor's Bible av. speaking of
the priest nnd l.evite who "passed by on
the other side:" "It is tn-t possible thai
they do not deserve all the censure which
the critics ami the centuries have given.
It is easy for us to condemn their action
as seln'sh, heartless, but let lis put our
se!v.4 in their place, alone in the lonelv
pass, with this proof of an imminent dan
ger sprung suddenly upon us, ami it is pos
sible that we ourselves should not hnve
been quite so brave ns by our safe firesides
we imagine ourselves to be. Tlie fact is it
needed something morj than sympathy to
make them turn aside and befriend tha
wounded man; it needed physical courage,
and that of the highest kind. nnd. this
wanting, sympathy itself would not be
sufhciint. The heart 1n.1v long to help,
tven when tlie feet were hastening awav."
And so if you have turned uway there
moy be lower reasons for it than the mere
panic of affright.
lint the Master's words were "Love your
neighbor as yourself." If yourself had been
lying there wounded or one vou loved a
yourself how quickly would vou have
thrown to the winds your fears and hast
ened down to help!
, "To the Jewish mind 'neighbor' was
simply Jew spelt large," says Dr. Hur
ton. And to-day. have you unv more di
vine idea of the word than had they? Oh,
when you go this Jericho road again, be
ware! lor at any turn vou may have a
chance to aet the good Samaritan's part.
Plnslng Through Lire.
In the early days of emigration to the
West a traveler once came, for the first
time in Ins life, to the banks of the mighty
Mississippi. There was no bridge. Ha
must cross. It was early winter, and the
surface of the great river was sheeted with
gleaming ire. He knew nothing of its
thickness, however, and feared to trust
himself to it. He hesitated long, hut night
was coming nn and he must reach the other
shore At length, with nianv fears and
infinifo caution, he crept out on hands and
knees, thinking thus to distribute hit
weight as much as possible, and trembling
with every sound. When he had gone in
this way painfully about half wav over h
heard ft sound of singing behind him.
J here. 111 the duk, was a colored man
driving- a four-horse load of roal acros
upon the ice and singing as he went. Many
a ( hnstian creeps tremblingly nut upon
'nd s promises where another.' stronger in
faith, goes singing through life upheld by
the same word.
Promoting Happiness,
It is astonishing how Urge a part of
Christ precepts is devoted solely to the
inculcation of happiness. How much of
His He too, was spent simply in making
eoplo happy! 1 here is no word more of
ten on His hps than "blessed." and it is
reeogiiueii by Him as a distinct end in life,
the end tor this life, to secure the happi
ness of others.-llenry Diummond.
Faithfulness.
He who is faithful over a few things it
lord of cities. It does not matter whether
you preach in Westminster Ahbev. or teach
a rigged class, so you are faithful. The
faitniulness is all 4ieore MaralnnaM.
Conundrums.
What Is the best string to lead s
lady with? A string of pearls.
When Is love like a chicken bono?
When hidden In tbe breast
Why does our Christmas dinner rp
resent AslsT Uecsuse It gives us Tup
key.
Why are confectioners so mucr.
sought fort Because they serve
kisses.
What tradesmen are always op
strlkeT Stone cutter.
When are fort like griddle cak
When battered.
COMMERCIAL REVIEW.
Ccacral Trass CeasIHe.
R. G. Dun & Co.'s "Weekly Kevie
of Trade" says:
Cold and wet weather in many sec
tions of the country retarded retail
trade in spring and summer wearing;
apparel. Jobber also felt the effect
in a lessened activity, and agricultural
operations made irregular progress.
Production of farm staples may not ba
curtailed by the later planting, although
in some cases there will be greater dan
ger of loss at the end of the season
through early frost. Traffic condition
arc steadily improving, yet some com
plaints arc still heard, and further ad
ditions to motive power and terminal
facilities must be made if another sea
son of congestion is to be averted at
the next time of pressure.
Textile mills have not received any
material increase in amount of new
business, and there is evidence that thft
exceptionally heavy transactions of
January and February provided suffi
cient supplies for present needs. No
improvement has occurred in the mar
ket for men's hravy-weight woolens anl
there is prospect of an unusually early
opening of spring lines for next year in
order to maintain activity at the mills.
Failures for this week numbered 2l
in the L'nitcd States, against 2()t a year
ago, and 16 in Canada, compared with
.4 last year.
LATEST QUOTATIONS.
Flour Spring clear. $.t.i5r.1-.1o; best
I'atcrt. $470; choice Family. $.V95-
Wheat New York No. 2, Hotc;
Philadelphia Xo. 2, ;fci 78'jC; Halti
Xo. J, csic.
Corn New York. No. 3. 5tVSc: Phil-
ni.clphia No. 1, 4S; j(Vi4S!.ic; Baltimore
No. i, 5CC
Oats New York, No. 2. X)YiZ Phil
adelphia, No. 2, 4y, Baltimore, No. 2.
4-"':C
I lav No. 1 timothy. $ 1 o. soCii .20.00 :
No. 2 tinioilty. $iS.5r'i 19.00; No. 3
timothy $15.001 17.00.
Fruits and Vegetables. Cabbage
Danish, large, per ton. $12 ora' 13.00;
new Florida, per brl, $1,0011.1.50;
Charleston, per brl, $1. 5061 1.75. Pota
toes Maryland and Pennsylvania, per
bu. s.s'Vfio; Kastcrn. per bn, ss'iiGo.
F.ggplant, Florida, per orange box.
Jj.5o',voo. Onions Yellow, per tin,
.IV Hoc; red, per bu, Cd" . Celery.
Florida, per case, $2.$ofi 3.00. Apples
Baldwin, Xo. 1. per brl, $2.oofi 2.50;
do, No. 2, do, $t.txyVi 1.50; Husset, No.
1 do, $t.75'i 2.00: do, Xo. 2, do, $t.ooVi;
1.40: Tien Davis, No. 1, per brl, $2.ocf2
i.50. Sweet potatoes Potomac, yel
low, per brl, $2.75.1.00: North Caro
lina, do, $2.5cVi .i.oo: Kastcrn Shore, do,
Ij.$cii ,1.00. Yams $1,50112.00. Toma
toes Florida, fancy, per carrier. $.5.50
1-14.00; do, fair to good, do, $2.ootfi 2.50.
Asparagus, per bunch, i.Vfi'3oc. Straw
berries per quart, 10(11" 12c. Cukes,
Florida, per box, $2.orxvi j.oo. Spring;
unions, per 100, 5oW(xxr. Green peas,
per basket, 75fV1.it.25. Green beans, per
box, $2.00012.25.
Butter Separator, .VXfTji: Gathered
cream, joii 30; Prints. 1-Ib, 2o(ri;.?o;
Kolls. 2-lb. 2ijoc; Dairy pts. McL.
Pa.. Ya., 2SW-1 20c.
F.ggs. Western Maryland and Penn
sylvania, per dozen, fii,'i4j4c; Eastern
Shore (Maryland and Virginia) (
1 4 j c ; Virginia (a 14!; West Virginia
"l4'j; Western (tly2; Southern
0114: duck, Eastern Shore fancy.
!t jo; do Western and Southern 18O1!
Hi; do small and dirty 16(11 17; goose 20
Vi.V. Jobbing prices Yi to ic higher.
Cheese Larpe, 60-lbs, 14(714;
lo. 36-lbs, l4l'i(auX; 23-lbs, H'i(
144.
Live Poultry Turkeys, hens, choice.
Oi ific; do young toms. choice, ((14;
:o old do, 1211113. Chickens, hens,
lieavy to medium. il4c; do old
roosters, each. .lotri.lM do young, good
'.o choice. 1 41V1 16; do do, rough and
ttaggy, 13I114; Jo spring, 28(0.32; dc
winter, iH'ii 22. Ducks, fancy large.
I57i 16; do do, small, I37i 14; do musco
.cy and mongrels, I4t7i 15. Geese, West
;rn, each, 40(11(10. Guinea fowl, each,
7"i 25.
Provisions and Hog Products Bulk
rlcar rib sides, lie; bulk clear sides,
I I'll bulk shoulders, 10: bulk fat backs.
18 lbs. and under, 10; bulk bellies, ir;
bulk ham butts, 10; bacon clear rit
sides, 1 1 V4 ; clear sides. 12; bacon shoul
ders, io!-j; sugar-cured breasts, small.
12; sugar-cured shoulders, blade cuts,
10! j ; sugar-cured shoulders, narrow,
to'i; sugar-cured shoulders, extra
broad, 1 1 '4 1 sugar-cured California,
hams, to' 4, canvased and uncanvased.
12 lbs and over, 13 V4 : hams, canvasot
and uncanvased, 15 lbs and over, 13;
hams, skinned, 14; r'fined lard, second
hand tubs, iotj; 1. -fined lard, half-barrels
and new tubs, lo4; tierces lard,
to',.
Hides Heavy steers, association and
salters. laic kill, (sj-ibs and up, close
selections. totTi loj.'-c; cow s and light
steers, 8(0 8!4.
Live Stock.
Chicago Cattle Good to prime
steers $5.10(11575; poor to medium.
I4.2S015 50; stockers and feeders $.K5;
:ows $i.(xx7i4 75; heifers $2.50(aS.oo:
ranners. $t.(icyvi2.75; bulls $2.50(0,4.50;
ralvcs $.Vii6; Texas fed steers $4 out
morrow 15.000; left over 2500; opened
.11111; 5 to ioc lower; closed stronger;
mived nnd butchers' twAi . nnA
...... . , Kv,.,
to choice heavy $7:3rfi7-45 : rough
ncavy 97.Hx117.30; "gnt JO-75W7.IO;
tcipts 9,000 head, sheep slow and weak:
t i. i- . 1 .
taiiiun mince BiroiiK, omers weak::
good to choice wethers $4 75tfi)5.75 ; fair
to choice mixed $4.1)0(0.475; native
'ambs $4.5117.00.
Fast Liberty Cattle market steady;
:hoicc, $5.30115-40: prime, $5.15(0)5.25;
good, $4.00(05.10; fair, $430(0460.
Hogs slow; prime, heavy, $7.50(07.55;
mediums. $7 .50: heavy orkers. $7.40;
light Yorkers. $7 30(07.35; pigs, 7.iaCH
725; roughs, $5ocx7j 7.00. Sheep slow;
best wethers, $5 50(i5.oo; good, tS-2a(nt
5.40; culls and common, $2.50(0.13.50;
choice lambs, $6.50(116.70; lair tu good.
$5 Si'i 6 25 ; common, $3 Sm-SO; s-tal
:alvc.i, $6.ocio 6.50.
SCIENCE AND INDUSTKY.
The United States S'eel Corpxtraterat
is earning $500,000 4 day.
Half the people living in New York
move one or more times a year.
The first bicycle factory in Japan is
about to start with large capital
Desiccated, shredded and sliced po
tatoes are staple foods in Germany.
The earnings of the steel trust Mt
n(T li 2cn.nuo durinsf tlie- last smrt-r
The New York nostomcc recev
3500 letters a day which are ktow to
be misdirected.
The only sightless salamanders ever
seen were thrown from sn artesian rK.
in Texas.
Canadian Pacific common stock kas,
in the last year rangej (roan 30 to 4
per cent, premium.
If men were relatively as strong
beetles they could juggle with wtrgntJt
ol several tons.
Incandescent bnlbs are (applied t
Spain at 6 cents each delivered, by Ger
man manufacturers.
The bean-planting machine drills the
hole in the ground, plants tbe fcaas,
fertilises and covers theiu, and marks
the position oi the next roar at watt
opcrs.ion.