ITT
mm n. m
Two Men and a Sha
k 1 1.
Imprisoned In a cave, with a
hark keeping guard outside and only
waiting for the rising of the tide to
enter and seize his victims! Such
was the position in which the au
thor nnd his companion found them
selves. What happened afterwards
is graphically told In the subjoined
narrative.
I was In San Francisco taking my
late employer's advice a rest. One
morning he had failed to meet his
liabilities and me. He Just left a
clean pair of heels and a little note.
The note advised me to follow his
seceding example, or remain and take
a moneyless rest. I acted on the lat
ter; I had to.
After a week's very active "rest"
my liabilities were sold to a nowly
formed cor per syndicate, "The San
Francisco and California Copper
Company." I was to accompany an
other gentleman as a surveyor on a
copper prospecting expedition in
Southern California.
That week one of the Pacific Mall
Company's boats the City of Pan
ama, I think sailed for Mexico and
Peru, and in her wo took berths. In
a few days we were dropped at Maza
lant. a port on the west coast of
Mexico. From there wo crossed the
Gulf of California to La Pas an
Idle-born, listless town, having then
hut little, If any, excuse to offer for
Its existence. Here we procured
some over-ripe Mexican "plugs" a
species of quadruped, or, rather, ac
tive volcano on four legs to Jolt us
Into the mountains. I do not Intend
to inflict upon the reader the results
of a scientific expedition which had
for Its object the examination of the
copper-bearing rocks In that -egion;
let it suffice to say that during this
metal-chasing trip Dr. Butler, geo
logist, of Chicago, and myself were
the unaspiring victims of a very
nerve-trying adventure, which befell
us on the southwest coast of thf- Gulf
of California.
One sun-bathed morning fift7 or
sixty miles south of La Paz, Dr. But
ler and I found ourselves upon the
coast. He waa examining and obtain
ing specimens of basaltic and lrachy
tlc rock. I accompanied him, ready
to take bearings nnd measurements
of the locality If necessary.
We had Just wended our way
around the foot of a bluff and rocky
headland when wo saw bsfore us a
"U"-shaped Inlet, rock-girt on three
sides. About 150 feet across at Its
widest part, the cove penetrated sev
eral hundred feet into the rocky
coast. Precipitous were its sides and
sullen its putlines, but Its deep and
sparkling waters looked cool and In
viting. in the blank nnd shrubless cliff
across the lnijt we discerned the gap
ing mouth of a cavern, with its lower
lip, to the extent or a few inches, ap
pearing above the water's edge.
"I.sliouK like to examine the rock
formation of that cavern's Interior,"
said the doctor, presently, half to
hirofcelf and half to me. Then, after
a if.imentary pause, ho added, "But
hj the dickens are we to get tere,
.-Bailey?"
It could be seen at a glance that
there was no land approach to the
cavern. Neltter was there any ma
terial around us with which to con
struct a raft. Howover, it needed no
sixth sense to solve the problem.
"I guess there Is only ope way,
doctor," said I, "and that is to
swim! "
Both of us wore fairly good swim
mers and cared little for the watery
streSch tnat separated us from our
object; Indeed, the project incited
within us great and pleasant expec
tations. In the overweening fit of
enthusiasm that inspired us we con
sidered danger o! every sort out
of the question. Accordiugl;- we
stripped, dived, and struc!: out with
all the vigor commensurate, with our
high spirits.
Up the other side we crawled, and
together prepared to enter tho dark
unkuown. With my eyes attuned to
busiuess I noticed that the cavern
was about thirty feet long and
shaped like a trumpet. Inside it was
about fifteen feot wide by six or
seven feet high. Once we were well
Inside, tho damp, salt-laden air, to
gether with the half-lit chadowy
rocks, had a depressing effect upon
my spirits. Next to a tomb, I de
cided, it waB the most uncomfortable
place In which I had ever been. .
However, in this ocean cubicle Dr.
Butler pursued his Investigations, for
it pro Boiled something tangible to our
business hopes. Meanwhile, accout
red in the unobstruslvo costume of
Adam, I squatted on the floor and
watched him. He flitted from one
one point to another with business
like zeal. Presently he commeLced
to trace towards the entrance a aide
fissure in the rock. So Intent was his
mind on his task, and so glued wore
his eyes to the fissure, that ho took
little need as to where and how ho
placeu his feet, with the unfortun
ate result that, moving quickly for
ward he steppad heavily upon a
sharp conical point and lacerated one
of his bare feet severely. Some of
the rocky scale penetrated the wound,
and to wash this extraneous matter
from the cuts he limped to the cav
ern's mouth and bathed his bleeding
foot in the water, In which task I as
sisted him.
The wound blod profusely; there
was no stopping it for some time.
Eventually, however, Butler got up,
re-entered the cavern, and resumed
his Investigations.
Not wishing to return into tho cold
nd gloomy interior of tho cave, I re
mained at the entrance, basking in
the warm sunshino.
Except for a few sea birds that
whirled in giddy flight far above ine
in the clear blue heavens, not a liv
ing thing gave signs of its existence
The transparent waters of the mighty
Pacific, with the sun's rays dancing
on the tiny waves, hipped melodlous
l.v at my feet. Farther seaward, and
as far as the eye could reach, i.ic
solemn, stupendous gruudeur ot the
ocean lulled one's senses luto a be
nign forgetfulness. One felt ones
helplessness, one's utter Insignifi
cance. But hark! What was that strange
swishing sound that broke the si
lence? It was quite close to me
beside me. Horrors! I sprang to
my feet with a sharp exclamation,
for there, not a dozen feet away, was
a tall, triangular fin the dorsal fin
of a huge shark!
A cry from me brought Dr. Butler
quickly to my side. "Great heav
ens!" cried he, visibly affected, as
he gazed upon the hideous creature.
"What a bloodthirsty brute ho looks!
The blood from my foot must have
attracted him from the open."
A moment more and a terrible
thought flashed simultaneously
through our brains. This horror-
creating denizen of the deep was our
Jailer! So long as he remained there
our only avenue of escape was closed.
ine doctor turned nnd looked at
me in silence, and In silence I rp
tnrned his scrutiny. Each knew enly
too well that for us there was no
way of gaining the opposite shore
and liberty except by swimming
across the inlet. We knew, more-
ver, that If wc assaved the nassaeo
one of us must be taken by the mon
ster to pay the price of the other's
liberty.
But, the reader may nsk. why not.
In preference to such a horrlhle
death, stay Indefinitely in the cr.vern.
oven to the point of dying of starva
tion? Unfortunately for us, how
ever, we had no alternative, for we
new, from the marks on the rnrka
that when the tide rose the shark
would be able to invade the cavern!
No; as surely as the waters ebbed
ana nowed, a certain and horrible
death awaited one or other of us
Not a hair's breadth back ward or
forward did the creature move from
his post outBldo the cave. Grim and
expectant he lay there in all his' re
pulslveness, the vanguard of death.
Once he tilted himself slightly, and
by so doing showed us his hnrrin
grey eyes and his more horrid mouth
a mouth that bristled with many
rows of teeth. The creat hrnto
seemed to root us to the spot with a
ascination ot horror, for time Massed
and we knew it not. How lone we
remained staring at the creature T
cannot say, but when wo woke from
our terror Induced stupor our feet
were Delng laved by the incomlnir
tide.
"Bailey!" cried Dr. Butler, sud
denly. "Come into the cavern. An
Idea has struck me which may save
us. Quick!
Leaving the brink. middling
through the rising water, I dumbly
followed my companion. Already his
face had become pale and hacirard:
mental anguish unrelieved soon palls
the brightest face.
'Well, doctor," murmured I. as
wc stood inside, "what is it?" v
"Why, this," he answered, oulet-
ly. "Maybe If wo keep ourselves out
of his sight In this cave, and remain
absolutely silent, he may get the Im
pression we have departed, and thon
perhaps he wil leave the Inlet. T
can suggest nothing better. Vhnt
do you think about it?"
I guess we'll try it." said f. with
a little hope stealing back to me.
Right; now let us take seats on
these ledges."
"Doctor," said I. a moment after
wards, "don't you think you had bet
ter take your injured foot out of tho
water?" By this time a few Inches
of water covered the entire floor of
the cavern. "I notice it still bleeds
n little, and no doubt the shark will
stay as ions; ns ho scents the blood.
Try that lodge higher up."
"How thoughtless of me!" cried
Butler, changing his seat. "And
now, Bailey, old friend" his voloa
grew grave "give me your hand. It
may be the Inst shake for one of us
lu this world, bo let It he a 1
and a good one." Solemnly we shook
nantis.
"And now, mum's the word." add
ed Butler, calmly.
After that we maintained a death
like Bllence as we crouched there in
that inc-cold and tomb-liko hollow,
each busy with his own sombre
thoughts. Occasionally, during thij
terrible death watch. 1 irlanced tow
ards the mouth of the cuvern and tho
iweet, alluring sunshine beyond. I
thought ot our posltlou aud shud
dered. If our ruse failed, then every
moment was bringing us nearer to
that last uwful scene, when tho wait
lug monster would bo able to enter
the cave in quest of his victim.
Soon it seemed but five minutes,
yet it must have been at least an
hour the water roso within the cav
ern sufficiently high to enable the
shurk to swim inside. From our
ledges above the surface we scrutin
ized the sunlit entruuee with strain
ing eyes. Every Instant we expected
to see that ominous dorsal fln enter
and cleave tho water of the cave, and
thus raise our sensations to tho cli
max of horror before ending forever
our nerve rucking vigil. But It came
not. And bo we commenced to hope
that our trick had been mi, , -ni
to hope with an intensity that shut
out all other emotions.
row, if ever, the moment for
leaving the cavern had come. Yet
we felt loath to go, for blood still
trickled occasionally from the doc
tor's wounded foot manifestly a
state of thingB that enhanced our
danger tenfold. Still go we must,
and each must take his chance.
Calming myself as best 1 could, I
whispered; "Doctor, who loads the
wuy?"
"You, if you like," he rejoined.
In this reply there was nothing
suggestive of cowardliness, for to
follow in the wake of u trail of
blood left by tho doctor's foot was,
in the event of the keen scented
shark being absent .from the inlet,
equally us dangerous as swimming
in the lead in case the brute was
still present. So I decided to lead.
Quietly I slid down into the water
aud anxiously commenced to breast
the tkia. At the cavern's mouth 1
heard a quiet splash behind me It
was the doctor entering the water.
The ordeal of our lives was now com
menced in earnest.
Passing through the entrance with
a prayer on my Hps, I swam Into tho
sunlit zone of my danger. For a
moment I was blinded by the myriads
of dazllng lights that danced upon
the surrounding wavelots, and in that
moment my consciousness became
filmed over with the fear of death.
With an effort I regained my self
control and struck out boldly. With
what soul harrowing dread during
those first few strokes I scanned the
waters no pen of mine can adequate
ly descrlbo; never, I hope, shall I
experience the like again. Then,
with mixed feelings of pleasure and
grave concern at finding the death
bringing fln absent, I headed for the
opposite shore with all my might and
main. Would the shark scent us
and return? That was the thought
that rankled In my mind.
Half-way across, as I turned my
head seawards, I fancied I saw the
dreaded fin projecting above the even
surface of the ocean. To fancy it led
me to dwell upon the horrible reality
of it, and my speed, In consequence,
soon diminished. With a great men
tal effort I forced my thoughts Into
other channels: then I commenced to
forge ahead again.
It was not far now a few more
feet and I would be safe.
A moment more and I touched a
rock, and pulled myself ashore. I
was saved.
But what about my poor friend
the doctor? Turning, 1 beheld him
about thirty feet from the shore,
swimming very feebly. In his wake
floated a crimson stain and a clot or
two of blood his death scent. His
face was ghastly pale, and Its expres
sion painfully haggard; and although
a flash of courage spasmodically Il
luminated the features I could see It
betokened a speedy collapse. No
doubt, seeing that I was safe, he had
taken an extremely pessimistic view
of his own position. Ho commenced
to swim lower in the water, and I re
alized he was about to drown! "Doc
tor, doctor!" I shouted. "Buck up!
Don't be afraid! There's nothing
dangerous near you. . Everything's
quite clear. Fire away!"
The spasm of despair had passed.
Well for him that it had. for at that
moment I was about to plunge in to
help him the deadly fin suddenly ap
peared close at hand. There, a few
dozen feet from the inlet's mouth,
seokirg the deep water ingress. My
eyes traveled from the fln to tho doc
tor, and I tried to weigh up the
chancos between them. If the shark
delayed a little there was a chance
Just a chance.
Meanwhile the doctor, innocent ot
his danger, was swimming u great
deal better. But suddenly as I
glanced furtively seaward, the huge
fin abruptly turned its thin edge to
wards the entrance, uud the brute
camo tearing up tho entrance pas
sage in a series of tacks as It crossed
and recrossed the scent of blood.
What was I to do? A few moments
more and all would bo over.
With a voice Into which I tried to
force an air of calmness I cried,
"Swim up, old man! Put up more
strength behind those strokes that
Is better!"
Out of the corner of my eye I saw
the fln drawing steadily nearer.
"Keep your eye on me don't let
it stray!" I called again. "Make
for this rock."
The fln was now heading directly
toward him.
Beads of cold perspiration stood
on my brow; I ran into the w.ater up
to my waist and fairly shrieked at
him. "Doctor! for tho love of heav
en swim! Swim swim for your
life quick! Ah! Thank God!"
I bent down and seized him, swing
ing him by a mighty effort clear out
of the water.
An instant later the teeth of the
shark clashod as he whisked by in
all his hldeouBuess. And then, saved
from the very Jaws of death, Butler
and I fell upon the sand, utterly ex
hausted and unuervctl. Tho Wide
World Magazine.
J GAMBLING
e MANIA
By JACOB A. RIIS,
Author of "How the Other Rail Livei.
Shaved the Statue.
Near the entrance of beautiful Oak
Hill Cemetery, Georgetown, where
reposes the dust of James G. Blaine,
Edward M. Stanton and other great
Americans, stands a tine statue of
John Howard Payne, author of
"Home, Sweet Home." The bringing
horn? ot tho remains ot this famous
American, who died at his post in
Africa generations ago, when ho was
serving there as United fciutea Con
sul, was the occasion of u groat, na
tional function more than twenty
yours ago.
The lato William Corcoran, the
Washington banker und philanthrop
ist, defrayed all ot the expenses and
also paid for the monument and
statue ot Payne which mark his rest
ing place In Oak Hill, Tho uculptor
who executed the life size statue had
palmed off on hlrn as a picture of
John Howard Payne tho photograph
of a man whose face was completely
covered with a luxuriant growth of
whiskers. Accordingly he faithfully
ropro-luced the whiskers In marble.
Soon after the statuo wus set up In
Oak Hill It w:'s discovered that John
Howard Payne had never worn a
beard.
Tho sculptor, enraged and un
daunted, proceeded forthwith to
chisel tho whiskers off of the marble
imago of the luimortul author of
"Home, Sweet Home," so that to-day
tho visitor to Georgetown's heroic
old cemetery holds tho classic face
In marble of John Howard Payno
sr.ns whiskers except for a mustache.
Washington Herald.
All Kinds of Hammers.
The hummer, besides being a tool
of universal use, Is probably tho old
est representative ot a .Mechanic's
tool kit. The hammer was urlglually
a stoue fastened to a handle with
thongs, and It was as useful - as a
weapon as a tool.
Hamim i i are of all Blzes, from the
dainty Instruments used by the
Jeweler, which weigh less than bait
an ounce, to the gigantic fifty-ton
hammers of shipbuilding establish
ments, some of which have u tailing
force ot freni ninety to 100 tons.
Dalttmore Bun.
My work takes mo traveling a
great deal from October to Juno. One
s everywhere Impressed by very
tubstantlal realties. From Philadel
phia to Chicago, and farther, tho rall
oads are glutted with freight. The
ne problem of the managers is how
0 handle the business of the rouds:
t Is not solved yet. Every town is
prosperous; every man willing and
ible to work has his hands full. But
A-hen I wanted to be quiet In my car,
1 party of traveling farmers would
irowd Into the adjoining seats, In
ently discussing the crops not
.hose that grew on their fields, but
:rops that had not yet been sown,
and the rise and fall of them In a
uarket of futures, of chances, of
plain gambling; or the profit on
tock, on cattle yet unbred, on Iron
'.hat might or might not be found In
illls a thousand miles away, which
;hey had never seen. In a certain
iown that has seen one boom and
was then In the middle of another I
!ound the "society" women coldly
gambling on chances of finding ore In
i range recently opened, as ether
women play bridge whist. It was
'.he oil country In the seventies over
again, the scenes I witnessed there,
lth the reckless haste to make
money and tho even mora reckless
haste to get rid of' it.
When in the evening I settled
down in a chair In the hotel lobby,
ill about me was the din of the stock
market and the wheat-pit. On
change the ticker was long silent,
but out here Its clamor was more ur
gent than ever It was In the feverish
city I thought I had left behind.
Crowds of old men and young men
and boys stood about the slot ma
chines and fed them nlckles. The fa
vorite was the poker machine, which
gives you cigars for a lucky hit. I
watched one young man, evidently a
commercial traveler, feed $6 In
nlckles to it at one sitting, in a de
termined attempt to "beat the game."
Beating a slot machine is something
like trying to "beat policy." "The
house" gets all the money and tho
ployer all the experience.
I live In Long Island. More than
Dnce In summer the time-tables on
toy local railroad have been upset by
tho crowds clamoring for transporta
tion to the race tracks at Brighton
Beach and Jamaica. A man need be
in thom only for the briefest of rides
to find out that the one thing that
propels them Is the betting. They
seem to think of nothing else; they
certainly talk of little else the
chances of this horse being "doc
tored" or that one being "pulled In"
by Its Jockey. The expectation of
crookedness Is all over It, and Is
taken as a matter of course. It
seems to bo part of the game, prop
erly, for the gamo Is gambling urdls
gulsed. The horses are nothing. Per
haps there was a time when the out
loor aspect of It, the breeding of
fine horseB, Justified the description
if horse racing as a gentleman's
sport. I think there must have been.
But I am pure tho pretense Is all there
Is left of It as far as New York race
ioers are concerned, and the purpose
it serves is not good.
Gentlemon's sport! Read this in
to-day's evening paper that comes iu
is I write with an account of the
swamping of an old trusted bank by
liroctors who "plunged" in the
stock market I suppose. This other
thing went on the while at the race
'.rack:
What a taint of savagery Is in the
average modern crown to be sure!
It cropped out after the first race yes
terday In which the Boston Stable's
chree-yoar-old gelding, Harry, broke
down so badly that he had to be shot.
Harry had been heavily backed and
was Just making his run lu the race,
close up with Trlstesse and Osgood,
when suddenly he faltered, threw up
his head and fell back rapidly to the
rear.
"Harry Is cut down!" arose the
cry of the experienced grandstand
crowd.
"I wish he'd break his neck!"
growled a burly fellow Just buck of
tho press stand who had bet on tho
horse.
"I'm not kicking!" shouted an
other man, gleefully, as Osgood
romped home, followed by Our Nug
get. "If ho hadn't broken down he'd
have beaten Our Nugget sure, and I
bet on lur Nugget Tor place."
By this time McCafferty had dis
mounted and Harry was hobbling
ibout pitifully on his two broken fet
locks. His trainer led him away to
the paddock and a few moments later
the gelding was shot to end his suf
ferings. "I can't lose any more money on
that dog anyway!" growled the burly
bettor.
Gentlemen, forsooth! Gambling Is
by instinct and nature brutal, bo
cause it is selfishness In Its coldest
form. Any crowd swayed by it re
verts to savagery by the shortost cut
when its Interests are opposed. On
that level It could not help It.
Am I prejudiced? Judge for your
self. Twenty-three years of my life
were spent at the New York Police
Headquarters, whoro the final results
of the race track are checked off In
the case of thoso who lose, and, often
enough, of those who win, too. I
have seen the thing work from tho
time the office boy caught the con
tagion and "swiped" stamps at tho of
fice to bet at the pool-room, ever
convonlently handy to down-town
busiuess, to tho day when, a man in
years, he was taken to Sing Sing,
handcuffed, for Btoallng his employ
er's thousands. They had gone the
same way as the stamps, Into the
coffers ot "the house" that ran the
gamo, and there was left the poor
thief, the wrecked manhood, und the
desolated home.
One man I ltnew personally for
many years, who, up to the duy when
be wont to Coney Islund and on a bet
of $5 won $G50, was a descent Indus
trious man, and a good father. From
Uet day ho was n ruined man.
Within a year he robbed his friend
and employer and deserted his wife
and children. The gambling devil
had him and had him for good. The
detective office could fill a book with
such cases, and have enough left for
sermons for every preacher In the
land. Don't fear I am trying 'to
preach one. I am merely telling you
my reasons for saying that horse rac
ing now serves no good purpose,
whatever It once did
One of the reasons: How much
has it to do. this spirit that seeks
ever to get something for nothing
something that hns not been earned
with tho corruption of the young,
even In the street, where shooting
craps Is the game of the gutter; with
the more doubtful ways that make
old business men shake their heads
these days; with the "grafting"
which District Attorney Jerome says
Is virtually universal? Ask yourself.
How much has it to do with the
bribe-taking that is our national
curse and peril? How much with the
dicing habit In politics that sits on
the fence waiting to see "which way
the cat will jump" before making up
Its mind that Is. "afraid of throw
ing away Its vote" by casting It for
the right when that is In peril of
losing that sacrifices good govern
ment, principle, party, to "coming In
a winner." and boosts of It as It It
were the aim and end of citizenship
Just to win. Reason It out and see
If you do not think there Is a con
nection, and a very close ono.
This evil thing is gripping us
tighter every day. In corrupting the
pleasures of the young, It Is laying a
heavier mortgage on the future of
.our people than any nation enn well
Btand. How are we to shake It off?
We need to bo about It without delay
unless this people, chosen of God,
as I verily believe, to water and tend
His tree of human freedom, which
underneath all crudeness and all er
ror has somehow In It the germ of
the divine, of the ultimate life Is
to end Instead as a nation of gamb
lers. From the Century.
WHY ANIMALS BECOME EXTINCT
THEIR TOPIC WAS "HAIR.'
Just Read How They Gabbled From
Different Point of View.
"You ought to get the tonic I use
for my hair. I Just get the druggist
to mix ten cents' worth of quinine
and ten cents' worth of glycerine and
ten cents' "
"Well," here put in the fleshy lady,
I guess If you went by that rulo at
O 's store you might come out with
an entirely different thing from what
you've been getting."
"And anyhow," asserted the one
embroidering the shirt waist, "coal
oil Is Just as good. When my sister
was gottlng over the typhoid fever
she Just rubbed "
"Oh, my, I wouldn't have the nasty
stuff "
"Why, look here, girls wait till I
show her this stitch you Just Usteu
to what happened where my aunt
used to live. There were two sisters
who h.id the loveliest hair, and they
got It by using kerosene, and "
"Oh, It'll do It every time," assert
ed the shirt waist.
"Well, but listen," went on the nar
rator; "and theBe girls both lost their
minds and the neighbors all said It
wus the kerosene, and "
"Well, I don't believe anyono
would have much mind after using
that stuff for a while. I wash my
hair In salt water."
'Ob, my! Don't It stick?"
"Dtisnfted b"tter'U make it grow."
"Sage tea Is good."
"Oh, Just common cold tea will do
it."
lut It darkens It."
"Yes, that's so; I use egg sham
poo. "
"But that costs like fun."
"When we used to wear night caps
we filled them with salt In the day
time," offered grandma. "Wo kind
o' thought that helped the hair."
"Yes," ventured Aunt Elizabeth,
"and I've tried pulllngthe hair gently
uround the roots. Some folks think
that kind o' starts a circulation."
"Well, I should think It would
you know brushlng's good for tho
hair, said someone.
"And maseage is, too."
"Yes, I always brush my nalr a
hundred strokes every night."
"Oh! I could never see that It niado
mine grow much."
"But It does, though. You ought
to see my sister's "
"See here, I was reading Just tho
other day that you mustn't brush
your hair, that it makes It fall."
"They say llviug near the sea
makes It grow."
"Why, I've alwrys heard that go
ing to a high altitude and dry cli
mate stimulate "
"I'll tell you, ladles. It all depends
on your state of health. If you're
strong in general you'll have "
"Oh, I don't know about that.
Haven't we all seen poor sick women
whose strength all wont to hair?
I "
"Oh, hair! hair! hair! Drop hair!
Get a wig."
"Hero come refreshments."
"I've got the stem of this tulip
worked, anyhow. " Kansas City Star.
Scientists Study the Origin nnd the
Progress of Every Species.
Scientists have for many years been
considering the origin of species and
the extinction of some varieties of
nnlmal life. The catastrophic idea
was the one formerly held, and until
recently Professor Osborne, of Col
umbia University. Now York, dis
cussed the whole subject matter in
an excellent article In the American
Naturalist.
The subject Is of considerable In
terest to us In Louisiana because of
the probable existence here of the
spores or germs of that dread animal
disease, anthrax or charbon. Its ab
solute disappearance at some times
for many years and Its sudden reap
pearance without any apparent or ad
equate cause would Indicate Influ
ences at work with which we at pres
ent are unfamiliar, and the references
made by Professor Osborno to pois
onous vegetation would seem to have
some bearing upon the case. In dis
cussing It Professor Osborne says:
Lyell enumerate causes of extinc
tion as follows:
(1) Competition as affected chiefly
by the Introduction and extension ot
new forms; (2) agency of Insects,
that Is, caterpillars, ants, locusts, In
favoring or checking increase of
plants and thus affecting the food
supply of animals; (8) Intimate re
ciprocal relations of animals and
plants In the deltcato balance of food
supply; (4) disturbance of the equi
librium or balanco of natare by the
Introduction of new insects, plants,
vertebrated animals; (G) changes in
physical geography affsottng zoologi
cal and botanical provinoee by new
land or water connections, facilitating
Introduction of newoompetlng forms;
(6) causes especially potent In island
life.
Darwin also dismissed all Ideas of
catastrophes, and attribnted extinc
tion to cessation of world-wide condi
tions of life favorable to tho larger
quadrupeds. Causes quits Inappre
ciable by us, he thought, might deter
mine the extinction of o species
some slight variation in climate, food
or the number of enemies. In the
artlclo from which we quote, the wri
ter confines himself to wtwit he calls
"external causes"of extinction, which
include changes in physical environ
ment such as the alteration of land
masses and their connections, and
changes of climate; and changes in
tho living environment, such as de
forestation, alteration in food supply,
the development of'noxlone plants or
Insects, etc Any such changes as
these might be sufficient to kill off a
whole species in the course of centu
ries without, rocouroo to any kind of
"cataclysm."
Our Voices Deepen.
The primitive Inhabitants of Eu
rope were all tenors; their descend
ants of the present time are bari
tones, and future generations will
have semi-bass voices. The voice
has a tendency to deepen with age.
The tenor of twenty becomes the
baritone of twenty-eight and tho
buss of thlrty-slx. The Inferior races
have higher pitched voices than the
more cultured. The negro has a
higher voice than the white man.
Among white races the fair complex
loned man has a higher voice than
his darker skluned brother. The for
mer is usually a baritone or a tenor,
the latter a contralto or bass. It Is
asserted that tenors are usually ot
slender build, whereas basses are
stout, but there are too many excep
tions to such a rule for It to be re
liable. The same remark applies to
the statement that thoughtful men
have deep-toned voices and vice
versa. The tones ot a voice are per
ceptibly higher before than after a
meal, tor which reason tenors are
generally careful not to sing too soon
after dinner. Pearson's Weakly.
NOTHING DOING.
Mnny Usee For the Bison.
Preserving the bison on sentiment
al ground is sufficient reason for the
more intelligent of our people, but
sentimental ground is not at all suffi
cient to the average American mind.
And it Is, therefore, with wisdom
that Mr. Baynes has sought to extend
tho appoal which the bison has for
many different kinds of people. For
example, last summer he took up the
question of buffalo wool. A small
quantity was obtained Jnst as It was
shed by the animals, was carded at a
factory and later spun and knitted
Into gloves which proved very warm
and, so far as could be Judged from
a few months' wear, durable as well.
Samples of this wool and yarn have
been submitted to manufacturers,
who all agree that the wool is of a
very good quality, that for a while H
would demand a high prloe as a nov
elty and later a very good price for
general utility purposes where light
folors are not required. Othsr men
Mr. Baynes has found who are Inter
ested In the bison as a beef animal,
nnd still others who are inclined to
give ear to the voice of the society
because they bolieve that by crossing
tho bison with certain breeds of do
mestic cattle, a valuable new breed
may In time be evolved. Indeed
some rathor conservative scientific
men have expressed the opinion that
bison farms would prove profitable In
any of tho States included in the ani
mal's former range. From Caspar
Whltnoy's "View-Point," ru The Out-
' Magazine.
The Dog Was Tired.
A little Incident related by the late
General Shafter In an article on the
capture of Santiago Illustrates the
spirit of the American soldiers who
entered Cuba, and at the same time
contains a bit of humor that was
none tho less enjoyable because it
was unconscious.
The men had been in battle all day,
and, weary us they wore, had then
walked eleven rough, muddy tulles In
the dark, a remarkable and arduous
performance, which served to show
i their sterling military qualities.
A correspondent noticed a corporal
of the Twenty-fifth Colored Regiment
carving a pet dog In his arms. Sur
prised that an overworked soldier
should voluntarily burden himself,
he said:
"Corporal, didn't you march all
night before last?"
"Yes, salt."
"Didn't you fight all day yester
day?" " 'Deed I did, sah."
"Didn't you march all last night?"
"Yes, sah."
"Then why do you carry that
dog?"
"Why, bosB, 'cause the dog's
tired!" Youth's Companion.
A Question of Title.
A Western politician, new to the
ways of Washington, tells of an
amusing incident lu connection with
his hunt for lodgings when first he
came to the national capital.
"I approached the head of a fine
Place In a swell quarter," said he.
"This lady an elderly" lady of a ter
rible aud aggressive refinement of
inauner met me at the door. Awed
to a nervous degree by her excess of
manner, about all I could gasp out
was:
"Would it be inconvenient to let
ne an apartment in your establish
ment, Mrs. Blank?"
"At this the elderly person stiff
ened even stralghter than before, and
then delivered to me this crushing re
buke: 'Miss Blank, sir! Miss from
choice!' " New York Trlbunu.
The down of n day u breaking fast
M through the street a merchant pruned;
He opened up hi nellhlled store,
lie stood, expectant, at the door
"Nothing Doing!
He went within nnd told hie elerk
To sheil his coat nnd get te work.
To decorate the windows gay
Kor ponserH-hy w'no chanced that wsjn
"Nothing Doing!"
He stood outside and smiled serene
On those who panned the lonely scene;
lie laughed t them with cheery ere,
And bogged them avep innate to buy
"Nothing Doing!"
At noon he lured a rrowd inside
To see the goods that he supplied;
He showed them all without avail, 'i
He did not make a single sale
"Nothing Doing!"
Throughout the afternoon he sat
And wondered just where he was at;
The people pawed repassed his door
But would not venture in the store
"Nothing Doing!"
He stayed until (Be shade of night
Were tailing on his business blight.
Untouched earh counter, box and shelf;
He softly muttered to himself
Nothing Doing!"
He told a friend of his surprise.
"You chump! why don't you advertiaa?"
The friend replied. "Do that and ace
That there will very quickly be
Something Doing!"
That very night he placed an ad..
Although the cost it made him sad.
He went to bed and dreamed a dream
It waa a money-making scheme
''Something Doing!"
Next morning he was up betimes.
For sloth with him wan worst of crimes.
With trembling haste he nought his store
A dozen people round the door
"Something Doing!"
He let them in. Himself and clerk
Were busily detained nt work
From then till noon, from noon till late.
The merchant was indeed elate
"Something Doing!"
The ad. continued; so did trade.
The merchant nw his grentent aid.
He reatized and he wan glad
The consequence of every ad.
"Something Doing!"
3. S. O., in Fame.
Keep your temper; nobody else
wnnts It. Judge.
Self-made men always think well
of their creator. Life.
Elsie "What did ho do when you
told him he must not see you any
more?" Ada "He turned down the
light." Ally Sloper.
I sing you a very strange song
(And the fact it ia just as I cite) .
Some people will stop at no wrong
Just to make other people do right!
-kite.
She "That Mr.Scarey Is the most
chicken-hearted fellow I ever met."
He "PosBlbly he was an Incubator
baby." Boston Record.
"Do you believe that the good die
young?" "I guess thoy do. If all my
wife tells me about her first husband
Is true." Houston Post.
"Why" did you have the sun-dial
moved, Amy?" "I wanted It where
the moonlight would shine on It, so
we could tell the time of night."
Life.
Her poor suitor did not discern
That her gowns cost much mure than he'd
earn ;
Said she, "How could you dress me!"
lie blushed and .ml, "Bless me!
That's something I think I could learn."
-Life.
Sam "Ah thought you done said
dat horse couldn't lose." Pete "Bo
Ah did; but dat horse done develop
moh versatility dan Ah gib him
credit foh." Puck.
Lady "You Bald this parrot had
the gift of speech. He does nothing
but holler and shriek and say noth
ing." Dealer "I meant de gift up
'political speech,' lady." Judge.
A man boasted of having fought
all through the Civil War, from the
first battle to tho last. "I suppose
you were at Bull Run?" queried a
sneering listener. "I was." "And I
suppose you ran awny, didn't you?"
"I did. Thlm that didn't are there
ylt." Minneapolis Journal.
Beauty Hints.
To reduce your flash, increase your
troubles.
To develop a bust, get on the
wrong side of the market.
To remove freckles, pry tbem gen
tly out with a nut-pick. Should this
fall, try blasting.
Brilliancy may be imparted to the
complexion by powdering with diamond-dust.
Hair on tho lips may sometimes be
avoided by requiring the young man
to shave before calling.
Nails which do not yield readily
to the manlcuro may be driven In
with a hammer.
For developing the grace and
beauty of the Augers nothing is equal
to piano exercises, provided -police
protection bo available.
When "crow feet" will not yield
to massage, fill them suddenly with
cement and smooth quickly with a,
trowel.
Falling hair may be avoided by
stopping nimbly aside whenever you
see It coming your way.
The "drooping lash." so much af
fected by some, may be encouraged
by Bitting up late o' nights. Thomas.
Sjieed Mosby, in The Bohemian.
Analogous. V
A teacher bad a very dull pupil
whom be found extremely difficult to
Instruct In the letters of the alpha
bet. "This is lotiar A, explained the
teacher tor tho tenth time, as he
wrote It down on the blackboard.
"And this letter B." he went on, put
ting down tho second letter ot the
alphabet.
"Now, my boy,'' he began, kindly
and encouragingly, as he turned to
the stupid boy; "let me seo It you
can remember themf"
"What Is tills tainting to the In
itial letter ot the alphabet.
"Letter A," came tho slow response
from the deuss scholar.
"And this?" questioned the teach
or, Indicating letter B.
"Let er alone," returned the pupU
instantly, his stupid face lighting us
with pleasure at UU own quick ro
ply. rivai the Bohemian.