LlAiiJLilillillill
THE BUYING PRICE.
By E. 0. JAMES.
T TTTTTTTTTTTT
T T T T
When Harold McOaary lost his
Clerkship In Brandt's furniture store,
the town of Laurel Grove enjoyed the
.proverbial nine dayB' wonder as to the
cause. In a town of two thousand
people a position In such a store as
Mr. Brandt's Is considered fortunate
for a bright young man like Harold
McGeary. Naturally, a merchant of
Mr. Brandt's standing was not given
to public speaking about business
ecrets, but somehow Laurel drove
felt that Harold's excess of "bright
ness" had caused his discharge. Mr.
Brandt could easily have confirmed
this rumor with some interesting de
tails. The young man had been quick at
learning the details of the business,
had taken nn interest in values, and
had asked intelligent questions to a
degree that caused his employer to
think htm a wonder of business sagac
ity. But all Laurel Grove knew the Mc
Oeary family for the most confirmed
of "innocent" gossip-venders. Let. us
not use a harsher term. They were
too kind-hearted to love scandal, they
meant no harm, but the delight of
knowing and telling other people's
ecrcts was to them as Intoxicating as
strong wine.
What harm could there be In Mrs.
McGeary'B telling the ladies of the
Wednesday Club that the Martins
were denied further credit at
Brandt's? Or in Delia McOeary's
revealing in strict secrecy to ten
different persons the amount which
the new doctor and his bride owed for
house furnishings? Or in the know
ing public speculations of Daniel Mc
Qeary, head of the family, as to Mr.
Brandt's Income and his standing
with the wholesalers? Or in the con
scious pride of the other McGearys,
as shown, for instance, by Eudora's
remarks about the price of the high'
school library furniture, or by the
lavish distribution of yardsticks by
Evadne, agen ten, and Bryan, aged
twelve, " 'cause our brother works at
Brandt'B?"
But when Mr. Brandt learned that
Bryan had proudly displayed to his
young compeers a card lettered with
certain mystic symbols, then It was
that Harold was quietly discharged.
The card ran thus:
(n)
ashimotox
234507890
and Bryan's talk was all of "marked
price," "selling price" and "discount."
It waB merely Mr. Brandt's price
mark code, in which each letter of the
word stood for a corresponding figure,
enabling him or his clerk to tell at a
glance the margin between the cost
price and selling price of an article.
Thus
w
1
w
1
7.
represented a cost price of thirteen
dollars and fifty cents, and a selling
price of seventeen dollars. And once
they knew the code-word, the Mc
Qeary family almost lived in the fur
niture store, learning just how much
Mr. Brandt would make off the sale
Of each table and chair.
When John Walters, Harold's sue
cessor, had served long enough to
prove himself thoroughly trust
worthy, Mr. Brandt told him the story
of the code-word.
"Remember, John, that you hold
this position simply because another
young man could not keep business
secrets. Now you and I must remark
every piece of furniture in the house
with a new code-word."
xney cnose another word from a
list commonly used by merchants for
that purpose, and had, between cus
tomers, changed the tags on a part of
the stock when, during Mr. Brandt's
lunch-hour, Harold McGeary saun
tered in, and planted himself in a
Morris-chair for a chat with John
Glancing casually at the price tag on
the chair-arm, he became suddenly
curious, and reached for the tag on
the next chair and the next.
"Aha, you're changing from Wash-
ingtox.' "
John was non-committal.
"Oh, you can't fool me," went on
the astute Hurold. "I've studied
code-words too long."
"Yes, you have," assented John,
dryly.
Codes aren t hard to read, ran
on Harold, sweetly Ignorant of John's
Intended sarcasm. "Why, I got on to
Sisson's word 'Black Horse' before
I worked there half a day."
"Working there now?" asked John
"No, I quit." John smiled at the
word "quit." "But I was just going
to say, I figured out Luck Brothers
mark just by studyiug a few tags in
the window. Their word's "
"Never mind, 1 don't want to know
It," said John, with something in his
quiet tone that made the other Hush
"Wby, what's the harm? And
then It's interesting to know how
much a fellow sticks you for what
you buy."
"The harm is juBt this: a clerk
who gives away a business secret of
hlB employer "
"O bosh! Business secrets! Be
sides, so far as Luck's code is con
cerned, 1 wasn't trusted with that. 1
just got it by UBlng my eyes and doing
a little clever detective work. You
can read any code-word. There are
only ten letters. It's no trick at all
to figure them out."
He sprang up, looked at tho marks
on halt a dozen articles, amlled tri
umphantly, and said, "You're going
to try 'Franz Slgel,' eh? I told you
1 could find out. I know that whole
Hot la Brandt's desk, from 'O Ax
mlnstet' down to First Kodak.'
What do you think of that?"
"1 don't believe you can decipher a
good code," stoutly affirmed John.
"You just find one 1 can't. I'll get
your word before I've beau in this
stoie fifteen minutes "
"Which is just where you will not
be fifteen minutes longer!" broke in
Mr. Brandt, who had entered unob
served la the heat of the discussion.
"I tell you plainly to leave this store
and to keep away. Good day, sir!"
Mr. Brandt, discouraged with this
second undoing of their work, was for
dropping the buying-price mark alto
gether, yet did not wish to make such
a change in his business system.
Ton see," he said. "I can very
well close my door against the whole
McGeary family. In a town of this
size any such trouble is unpleasant,
to say the least. And as sure as we
change to another word, they will be
here reading the tags Inside the store,
and Harold will take in those In the
window. See If he doesn't. It's no
use."
"Still, I wish we could try Just once
more, urged John. "We can fool
them. I believe, if we nlan It rleht." I
His employer agreed. John did
some hard thinking, and the next
day handed Mr. Brandt a slip of
paper.
He'll guess that, I'm afraid. It's
too easy.
That's just where he will miss it,"
argued John. "He expects something
hard and artificial. Besides " And
he explained something further whicb
made Mr. Brandt laugh.
"We'll try It," he said.
When they opened on Monday
morning, there began a comedy of
curiosity. For the McGeary family
could not relinquish the joys of read
ing price tags and speculating on tho
Ins and outs of the furniture busi
ness. Maintaining tho appearance of
the friendliest feelings for Mr.
Brandt, they shopped without, ceas
ing.
Evadne, evidently having arisen
with the lark, came In early, bent on
the purchase of five cents' worth of
carpet tacks. With sweet indifference
she examined the cards on a sewing
machine and a carpet sweeper, and
duly reported at home, yg and H,sM.
At half past nine Endora bought two
yards of picture wire, and Inci
dentally memorized r.pn on the green
upholstered Morrls-rhalr, cue 00 the
golden oak one, and hu.ne on an oak
dining table.
At quarter past ten Bryan courte
ously begged to be favored with the
gift of a yardstick he had seven at
home and stored his memory with
ip on the maple bedroom set, and b.er
on a patent Ironing board. At twenvy
minutes past eleven Mrs. McGeary
sought portieres of a peculiar shade
to match a mythical color scheme for
nn imaginary room, located in tho
limbo of her dreams. Portieres were
marked y.pe, i.un and l.ee. Also the
handsome leather fire screen was
yb.fte.
Harold pondered throughout the
lunch hour with the painful gravity
of a seer confronted with mystic
cabala. To tell the truth, Evndne
and Bryan had one or two letters mis
placed, and Mrs. McGeary was not ab
solutely certain whether that fire
screen was yb.ge or gy.eb. These
facts were falterlngly confessed after
the shrewd detective had made Mor-rls-chairB
cost one dollar and seventy-
five cents and fire screens ninety-eight
dollars.
Hang It all!" he snapped. "How
could anybody make sense out of an
important problem like this without
accurate figures? I'll have to make
sure myself. "
So on his way to the clothing store
where he now worked, he lingered
in front of the proscribed windows,
twisting and craning to get a view of
the forbidden fruit. The fine Mis
sion couch was cg.pr, the smaller Mis
sion chair c.rb, and the larger ono
e.gy. Now ho would find that buying
price.
In the afternoon Mrs. McGeary
came again to ascertain the price of
fixtures in case she should find the
portieres of the elusive shade. She
studied wicker rocking chairs and
iron bedsteads. Delia McGeary ac
companied her friend, Miss Kitty
Hendricks, and while the latter
looked at curtain rods for her moth
er's parlor, Delia studied carpets.
And all the while, Mr. Brandt and
John Walters indulged in hearty
laughter as they congratulated each
other, and at home Harold settled
hljicielf with dogged determination
to work out the solution. That Mis
sion couch should be somewhere In
the range of twenty or thirty dollars.
Well, suppose e is 2, and g is 4; p is
probably 5; r should be 0. But that
would make the small chair cost only
two dollars and forty something. To
it again. Suppose tho larger chair
cost about nine dollars. Let e be 9, I
g 5 and y 0 nine dollars and fifty
cents. Horrors! That makes the
couch cost ninety-five dollars. What
in the world was the buying price?
Again and again in the succeeding
days did the McGeary family sally
forth for prey, and Harold, outlawed,
craned his, neck to read the marks
on the various pieces displayed in the
windows. At home he tantalized his
wits nightly till unseasonable hours,
and made his days wretched with the
problem of the buying price. His
brain reeled with symbols and crypto
grams. His head ached with "Cum
berland," and all the other hateful
words of ten letterB. At last he
grew so preoccupied and nervous that
he lost successively his jobs in the
clothing store, the shoe store and the
grocery. And the McGeary family
grew so diBgusted with the task of
trying to make sense out of the tags
on Mr. Brandt's furniture thai they
bought their new linoleum at Pine
Hill, six miles away.
Mr. Brandt was laughing over the
story with a traveling salesman one
day.
"And what was John's code-word.
If I maj be trusted with the precious
secret?" asked the salesman.
"Well, you see, John reasoned that
tho extraordinary acuteuess of our
young detective would cause blm to
look for something very Intricate, bo
he opposed smartnesB with the most
baOllng thiug in the world when you
don't expect it extreme simplicity.
John's new word was just what the
code stands for:
Miss Ethel Roosevelt.
Miss Ethel Roosevelt, the Presi
dent's youngest daughter, Is the
happy possessor of a horse and trap.
She has always been a lover of out
door sports and life In the saddle,
but this Is her first venture as a
whip, at least to handle the ribbons
over the back of her own horse.
The animal is a high spirited, good
looking sorrel, seven years old, and
named Hempstead, after a village
on Long Island. The trap Is a high
one, dark blue and shining.
Miss Roosevelt has her own groom,
who takes the horse around to the
White House almost every afternoon
for her. Now Haven Register.
Easier to Lean Tlinn to Lift.
"It is a strange fact that the most
buoyant young person cannot offset
the depressing tendency of a single
older one. How much less, then,
can one young person counterbalance
two elders? It is about all two
youthful persons can do to overcome
the downward trend of one old man
or woman. One might think the
younger would have the stronger in
fluence, but such, unfortunately, is
not the case. It is more difficult to
lift than to bear down. One young
couple of my acquaintance has three
elderly persons under Its roof. The
result Is that both man and wife
In manner, habit ind thought are a
full decado older than their years.
It shouldn't be permitted." New
York Press.
Jenny 1,1 nil's Piety.
Jenny Llnd, who, as yesterday's
Office Window recorded, gavo her
first 2000 to the poor, continued
throughout her life a series of chari
ties and pletieB, In regard to the lat
ter, we have the assurance of a
friend that this greatest of singers
deliberately cut short her own public
career while her voice was still In
perfection. It was Lady Taylor (wife
of the author of "Philip van Arte-
velde") who found Jenny Llnd sitting
toward evening on a south-coast
beach. Just after hor withdrawal,
with a book In her lap. She spoke
of her resolve. "I found that this
have so much to do to keep me from
all these happy things."
If you will make these women si
down and analyze what It Is thnt
keeps them from all the pleasant
things, It almost always turns out to
be that they are overdoing their duty.
They give hours to a thing that,
when accomplished, doesn't amount
to much and could well have been
put upon other shoulders. They
make other people dependent upon
them by tho way In which they rush
Into unloading the burdens off shoul
ders which are well able to carry
them.
They are too tired, for Instance, to
be amusing to their husbands In the
evening, because they have spent
hours In a hot kitchen trying to per
fect some special dish which these
husbands like.
Then, when the other half, who
likes a companion as well as a cook,
tells them no, and tries to argue them
out. of this overdoing, they burst into
tears. New York Times.
Learn to Smile.
If half tho girls knew how silly
they looked nnd sounded when they
constantly giggle they would stop It.
Learn to smile; not giggle.
Nothing is more infectious and
charming than a good laugh; but
very few people know how to laugh.
It Is as rare In life rs It is on the
stage.
A giggle usually comes from ner
vousness. A girl will giggle when
she cannot think of anything to say
or when she is trying to bo at ease
In company.
She will giggle when a boy meets
her and says "Good morning." Sho
will giggle when ho says "Good-bye."
She Is only nervous, but she appears
silly.
It is no wonder that young men
speak with utter s:crn of this gig
gling girl. They seem to think her
the least attractive mnlden on earth;
It Is trying to attempt, to hold' any
kind of conversation with a girl who
will punctuate her every remark with
giggles.
It is not always possible to know,
at first thought, whether or not you
IS
A.
Canned Peach Recipes. Peach Salad Drain the peaches
and wipe each one dry. Arrange on white lettuce, nnd put a
little mayonnaise in the heart of each one; add a little
whipped cream to this, if you have it.
Peach Melba Simmer the peaches In thick syrup; drain
them and arrange on plates. Make a quart of vanilla Ice
cream; heap each peach full, and top with a candled cherry.
Or, stand each peach first on a round of stale sponge-cake.
Peach Shortcake Drain the peaches and slice them as
though fresh; make a two-layer cake, put the peaches in and
on top; serve with cream. Harper's Bazar.
the setting sun "was becoming
less to me, and that this" the book
in her lap was a Bible "was becom
ing nothing to me; and I knew then
that I must check myself and change
my life." London Chronicle.
Crabbed Age and Youth.
"The law," said the Woman Who
Sees Things, "ought to regulate the
number of elderly persons living with
a young couple. Veneration for gray
hairs is a laudable feeling and kind
ness toward the old calls for nothing
save praise. But it does not follow
that tho young should oe aged before
their time. There Is a limit to the
quantity of elderllncsa with which
the youthful siiould be in enforced
association. Every human being
throws off more or less influence, ac
cording to temperament. There is
no such thing as absolute passivity in
anybody. Even the most colorless in
dividual has an effect on others, if
only In a negative way. If there are
more elderly persons in a home than
young ones, the atmosphere will be
that of age. Tho proper proportion
of old and young should be about one
to two. New York Press.
are one of the girls who giggle. Stop
and think about It. Watch yourself
the next time you are with any one.
See whether Qhls senseless trick Is
a part of your social equipment. If
It Is take any heroic means to
strangle that giggle until it Is dead.
Far better be silent; you may then
get the credit for wisdom that you
have not got. Better than all, If you
don't know how to give a cheery,
musical, spontaneous laugh, then try
your best to learn how to smile.
Do not let yourself give a weary
smile, for that is the result of effort
and self-consciousness; but anything
is better than a silly giggle. New
Haven Register.
"B U V I N Q P B(I)C K
123496 780 0."
"And the goods in the window?"
asked the man.
"Oh, he knew that Harold would
use those marks for keys, so we just
jumbled things up a little, nonsense
fashlou, when we put a piece of goods
on display out In front."
"Harold would hardly call that
fair," said the salesman, laughing.
"True, but think of the mental ex
ercise it has given him. 1 believe he
would give John all he ever hopes to
possess for that word, but. John Isu't
selling any business secrets. "
"No," replied John, "I'm too busy
hfoklng at the buying price."
Youth's Companion.
Amazing Garb of Pai-isicnnes.
No wonder that In the shadow of
the new hats New York women seem
to be blind to other Paris whims oil
the moment. No longer the frou
frou of underskirts is heard. Silk
petticoats are scorned by the up-to-date
ParislennoB. Fashion now per
mits only tights underneath an un
lincd Bkirt, so scan and tight fitting
that It falls almost like a pair of
trouserB. With this often is worn
a Directoire coat with tails almost
as long as the skirt. A high, tiff
ruff encircles the neck. These ruffs
are things of oeauty and of price,
the cheapest costing about $3, the
finest five times as much. They are
made in brilliant colorB or of plain
white with shaded edges, wired up
stiff and high, with a ribbon through
the middle tied in a big bow. From
this Pierrot ruff emerges a deadly
pale face, for It is conslaered unfash
ionable to have colors. With bright
red, rouged llpB and nostrils red
dened, the resemblance to Pierrot .s
heightened. A huge hat jammed
down on the head and almost touch
ing the ruff at the back finishes the
startling picture of the modern Paris
society woman. New York Piobs.
Overdoing Your Duty.
It is a wise woman wiio knows
where to draw the line on just how
much duty requires her to do in this
world. It Is really not helpful to
yourself or to others to do more than
your share under any circumstances.
There are women who always tell
you how tired they are, and how
much they have to do and how little
time they have for the really pleas
ant things of life.
If they are young, they wish they
had time for the theatre or a little
social event. It they are married
they wish they had the energy to bo
clever and bright when their hus
bands are not at home in the even
lug, or to see uomething of the girl
friends they had to give up.
They sigh over all the missed Joys
with the remark, "If 1 only didn't
NEWEST
FASHIONS
Big pink pearls or corals top pins
intended for pink hats.
A natty touch Is seen on a hat in
the form of a gold quill. On a black
hat this is smart.
Lapis lazuli pins are as stunning
for a deep blue rig as turquoise mat
rix lor a light one.
Smocking Is gradually returning to
favor, although it is not practical
for washable materials.
Furniture fringe edges a fashion
able parasol of printed cretonne, mak'
ing u distinctly novel accessory.
Lomolse lace is one of the most
highly approved of all the laces for
the trimming of linen coats and suits.
Blue flax (Instead of cotton) It
used in embroidering a frock of white
linen, and with It 1b combined blue
braid.
So popular is gold as, a trimming
that bits of it are used on all kind?
of accessories as well as the gown?
themselves.
The noisy waistcoat and bat are
worn with the quietest and neatest
of suits in fine black or navy or gray
herring-bone serge.
Linings for evening wraps are ol
white silk plalded, with blue, green
or tan, and the outside is elthei
white or the color of the plaid.
Unlesc you have height enough
and to spare do not wear the tunic
okirt, but hold to ths long-favored
gored or circular models.
Crlss cross stripes of color at the
ends of the Windsor tie carry out the
color scheme as well as bows of the
solid color, and seem a little more
delicate.
Branches of small fruits that are
exceedingly natural looking in every
way, as blackberries, are a little
newer and better liked as a hat trim
ming than the large fruits which
generally have a heavy look.
Walter unman Berg, chief engi
neer of the Lehigh Vulley Railroad,
who died at his home in New York
City, was the son of Albert W. llerg,
music composer and critic, and Helen
McGregor Berg, a brilliant writer.
relioious Truths
From the Writings of Great
Preachers.
ETERNITY.
Unquiet sea. thnt endlessly doth stretch
Beyond the straining, finite sight of man:
Why dost thou Iomk in infinite unrest.
On. why no far. fnint shore-line can we
scan?
Full many a bnrk ihy iierricd billows
crossed .
Full ninny a Hail hath spread before the
wind.
But Ma hath e'er returned: the tempest
tossed And anxious manner doth haven find
In fairer clime, in tunny land afar.
Where no torm nidelv break or winds
eontend.
nothing enters in their jov to mar,
Who have the peace of God, which
knows no end.
Oh. may we, too, that stand with strain
ing eye
Looking far out, where wind and wave
contend
Set sail with hope to those fair lands that
he
Beneath the peace of God. that knowt
no end.
Walter Samuel Swisher, in the Christian
llegistcr.
Cantankerous Goodliest.
Let not then your good be evil spo
ken of. Romans 14:16.
Too much of the goodness of this
world is cantankerous goodness.
It Is a rule of universnl applicabil
ity full of universal frultfulness If
you are going to do a thing, do it!
Either come in or go out. God Al
mighty cannot make a door to be
both open and shut at the same time.
If yon are going to do a thing, do It
properly. Sit down and consider the
cost If you must, though It is better
to do the right In scorn of cost, not
so much as considering whether there
be such a thing as cost.
But when you have decided to do
the right thing, do it finely, noblv,
greatly. Have you decided to give?
Then give graciously, spontaneously,
with open handed, whole hearted
kindness, which doubles all the value
of your giving. Consider. Whv are
you helping this man at all? Whv.
to help him! Out of the goodness of
your heart and out of a wish to be of
service to him. Then how foolish to
do it in such a way as to spoil his
happiness In receiving! How foolish
to defeat your own object by a way
of doing things which brings you no
gain and involves him in loss! There
are men who have tried to do us a
kindness, and they have set about it
In such a fashion that we have not
forgiven them yet! Give or do not
give ono or the other. But If you
are to be generous, be generous gen
erously, and get all the credit, all the
benefit, all the happiness and all the
Influence for good out of It.
So with all life, not merely with
the giving of money, time or service.
Have you to make a concession or ac
cept an unpleasant position or sub
mit to an awkward fact or put your
self in the position of one who ac
knowledges error and offers frank
apology? Then do it heartily. Let
not your good be evil spoken of. Con
cede the point or refuse it; fight and
die in your last ditch If you think
that Is Christian duty. These are
reasonable, consistent courses. But it
Is neither reasonable nor consistent,
it Is neither Christianity nor common
sense to yield grudgingly and with a
bad grace, to submit to tho humilia
tion of defeat without securing the
self-approbation which accompanies
whole heartedness, to say that you
forgive while muttering under your
breath that you will not forget, or to
offer an apology which neither satis
fies your conscience nor clears the of
fense. Wisdom is in this advice, the com
mon sense of dally life. But deeper
things are In it. The grace of our
Lord Jesus Christ Js in the spirit
which gives itself freely, pouring out
Its own life In saving and redeeming
men, In making life beautiful and
sweet. The Rev. Charles F. Aked,
D. D., Fifth Avenue Baptist Church,
New York, in the Sunday Herald
A Great Stewardship.
Taken by itself, your life is cer
tainly a very Insignificant affair; but
placed as you happen to be placed,
in the kind of universe which God
has happened to make, your life be
comes of Infinite Importance. For
God has chojeu to work out His de
signs, not in spite :if you, but
through you: and where you fall He
halts. Almighty God needs you. You
are not your on, either to be insig
nificant or great; but you are in the
service of that which is greater than
yourself, and that service touches
your life with Its own grea.neaB.
It is as though you were a lighr
house keeper set to do your duty on
your bare rock. Can any life be more
unpraised or insignificant? Why sit
through the weary nights to keep
your (lame alive? Why not sleep
on, all unobserved, and let your little
light go out? Hecuuse it is not your
light that is the point. You are not
Its owner, you are its keeper. That
is your name. You are u light-keeper.
You are set there with this as
your trust. The great design of the
Power you serve takes you thus out
of your insignificance. Francis G.
Peabody.
H Who Would Save Must Suffer.
Soul-saving work cannot be car
ried on without suffering. If we are
Blmply to pray to the extent of a
pleusant and enjoyuble exercise, and
to know nothing of watching in pray
er, we shall not receive all the bless
ing that we may. We shall not sus
tain our missionaries who are over
whelmed with the appalling darkness
of heathenism; we shall not maintain
the spiritual life ot our own souls as
it needB to be maintained. J. Hud
son Taylor.
diameter.
The man who is narrow, and sor
did, and Btlngy in hla youth will prob
ably be narrow, and sordid, aud stin
gy all his life. Young men should
know that the greatest asBet they can
have In this life is character. The
Rev. W. Courtland Kobinson, Philadelphia.
No Rescr-vcil Scuts There.
The people with the opera cloaks
won't have all the front seats in
heaven,
THE DIFFERENCE.
Hoax "I could never understand
the difference between a klepto
maniac and a thief."
Joax "Oh! that's easy. A klep
tomaniac steals because be thinks he
can't help It. and a thief steals be
cause he thinks the other fellow can't
help it." Philadelphia Record.
The Physical Model. .
A well-formed woman o ' lo-tiay
weighs 146 pounds- u (jn,,i ,if woaty
pounds over her granuuioiuer.
C NEWS OF PENNSYLVANIA
FIGHT FOR PUBLIC HEALTH.
Harrlsburg (Special). The first
innual report of Commissioner of
rlealth Dixon, covering the organlza
:lon and work done by the State
Department of Health from June 6,
1905, to December 31, 1900, has Just
come from the printer's hand.
The report shows the excellent
working organization that Health
Commissioner Dixon effected In the
first year nnd a half after the Legls
lalure of 1905 had created the n w
department under health laws that
have since become the models for
many States throughout the country.
After reviewing this legislation
and the general work of the depart
ment. Health Commissioner Dixon
Bets out the operations of the various
divisions, tho Division of Medical In
spection, the Bureau of Vital Sta
tistics, Morbidity Statistics. Marriage
Statistics, the Division of Sanitary
Engineering, the work of the de
partment's laboratories, the survey
for mosquito control, the division
for the free distribution of diphtheria
antitoxin and the financial report.
Pennsylvania's new Department of
Health at onco attracted the atten
tion of sanitarians all over the coun
try by adding a number of commu
nicable diseases to the list of those
usually required to be reported by
the physicians. The wisdom of this
reform has been fully acknowledged,
and the phyBirlans In every part of
the State have co-operated with the
Health Commissioner to secure the
prompt reporting and sanitary con
trol of all these communicable dis
eases. In the battle against tuberculosis
Dr. Dixon considered the reporting
of cases to the Health Department
essential, for without a knowledge
on the part of the health authorities
of the hiding places of the disease
the tight against the disease could
not be properly waged.
The placarding of houses Infected
with measles, whooping cough,
chlckenpox and other so-called minor
but highly communicable diseases
was another Important innovation of
the new State Department of Health,
the results of which cannot help but
prove of widespread benefit.
Dr. Dixon devotes considerable
space to the vital statistics of the
State and declares that It "represents
the first successful attempt on the
part of Pennsylvania to collect, col
laborate and publish the vital sta
tistics of the entire State."
The statistics in relation to sui
cides and homicides are interesting,
as they represent in a great degree
the human passions and emotions In
the most violent forms. Seven of
tho 780 suicides were less than IS
years of age, the youngest being 12
years. The report indicates that
homicides show a tendency to stead
ily Increase, not only In Pennsylva
nia, but throughout the entire reg
istration area of the United States.
The average rate per 100,000 popu
lation in the registration area for five
years from 1901 to 1905 was 2.9.
The rates for 1906 in the same area
was 5.1, and in Pennsylvania alone
5.3.
The statistics in relation to births
show the annual natural Increase in
population Is about 50,000.
The work of the Sanitary Engi
neering Division shows the action of
Health Commissioner Dixon has tak
en to carry out the provisions of the
law to protect the waters of the State
from sewage point ion and to guard
the people against Impure water sup
plies.
I.AHOH PLAITING Bid DEMON
HTHATION.
Harrlsburg (Special) Every Cen
tral Labor Union In Pennsylvania
will be Invited to send representa
tives to a great labor demonstration
planned to be held in Harrlsburg on
the coming Labor Day. The Central,
of Harrlsburg, made up of delegates
from every union In this city and
vicinity, has delegated the arrange
ment of a program to the Executive
Committee, which announces that the
celebration will be the biggest thing
of the kind ever held In Central
Pennsylvania.
Invitations will be Issued to John
Mitchell artd other prominent men
to be present, and there will be ad
dresses by several labor leaders of
national prominence, whose names
the committee is not ready to an
nounce. The demonstration will In
clude a big parade, In which out-of-town
organizations will have a prom
inent place.
HOLD I I Its T I I ) l it SHOW.
Bethlehem (Special), More than
one thousand amateur and profes
sional flower growers competed for
prizes at the first annual floral show
of tho Bethlehems In Market Hall.
It was the first floral show ever held
In the Lehigh Valley. The origin
ator of the idea was Chief Burgess
Fred Conlln, and the Industrial Com
mission which is doing so much to
boom the town.
With fountains playing here and
there, the Market House represented
a huge tropical garden. More than
five hundred people viewed the dis
play. One of the freak plants shown
was a green rose by O. C. Brunner.
The clergymen of Bethlehem were
the Judges, as follows: RevB. B. S.
Sanderson, A. B. Macintosh, H. H.
Smith. W. H. Erb, D. L. McCarthy,
A. D. Thaeler, W. D. C. Keiter.
BOY HANGS SELF TO PRESS.
Chambersburg (Special). The
most, remarkable suicide ever known
In Franklin County took place in the
press room of the "People's Regis
ter," when a boy of 16 years, David
Shilling, took his life by hanging.
The .lad tied his feet to the fly
wheel of a newspaper press with the
Jute twine used to tie bundles of
paper. He then tied the twine about
his neck and fastened the end to a
job press nearby.
Then slipping off the pulley wheel
of the smaller press, upon which he
must have sat to do the work, his
body hung Suspended In a bow form,
Just escaping the floor, und be
strangled to death.
The boy was employed in the office
and was a son of Mrs. Anna Shilling.
His father works in Philadelphia
The lad was subject to epileptic fits
and was a reader of dime novels.
He had made threats of hanging him
self, but they were not taken seriously.
OBJECT TO NORMAL TRUSTEES.
Stroudsburg (Special). East
Stroudsburg State Normal School af
fairs are again before the public. A
hearing was held before Governor
Stuart at Harrlsburg In relation to
the appointments of trustees for the
school.
Certain stockholders filed a pro
test against the appointment of
Charles H. Worman, Franklin J
Kisller and A. R. Wallace as trustees.
These men have been serving as loca'.
trustees for the stockholders and the
majority in control of the school de
sires to have them renamed as Stale
trustees.
UIU IN BADLY FRIGHTENED.
Altoona (Special). While boat
ing on the Juniata, near Mill Creek,
Harry Lindsay put in to shore to
quench his thirst. He had no cup,
so he lay flat down to drink from a
spring.
A noise attracted his attention and
he looked up to find a bear within
a few feet of him. Paralyzed with
fear he didn't move until the bear
discovered him. Then both fled,
Lindsay to his boat anJ the bear to
the mountains.
WIFE ACQUITTED OF Ml'HDEIt.
Norrlstown (Special). Mary Bal
daz was acquitted here of the charge
of aiding In murdering her husband
Michael Baldaz, at Potutown lust
February, when he was shot by
Stephen Sabo, a boarder in the Bal
daz home. Sabo was convicted las'
week on his own confession and he
tried to implicate Mrs. Baldat.
She was not set free when the
verdict was rendered, but was held
on a charge growing out of her liv
ing with Sabo. 8he will We tried In
October.
CHURCH MUSIC CRITICISED.
Allentown (Special). Present
day tendency to give prominence to
instrumental music in church serv
ices wan severely criticised at the
convention of church musicians ot
the Lutheran Church, which was held
in this city, 200 clergymen and or
ganists being in attendance. A pa
per on "Instrumental Music in the
I iitirch," prepared by Rev. Dr. F. F.
Buermeyer, of New York, precipita
ted the discussion.
Many of the clergymen who par
ticipated In the debate expressed the
opinion that musical instruments
sholild be eliminated as much as pos
sible from the service, and that pre
ference be given oldtime congrega
tional singing.
Rev. Dr. A. Spaeth, of Philadel
phia, declared that he was most
pleased with the organ when it stop
ped playing.
WILL SERVE THE STATE.
Harrlsburg (Special). Governor
Stuart announced the following ap
pointments: A. J. Connell, Scran
ton; Levi I. Shoemaker and Robert
J. Pegg, Danville, to be members of
the Board of Trustees of the State
Hospital for the Insane, at Danville.
Ethan Allen Weaver, John W. Jor
dan, Julius F. Sachse, Philadelphia;
Frank R. Dlffenderfer. Lancaster,
and Boyd Crumrlne, Washington.
Pa., to be members of the Advisory
Commission for the Preservation of
the Public Records.
John W. Jordan, John T. Wind
rim, Philadelphia, and W. H. Sayre,
Wayne, to be Commissioners of Val
ley Forge.
Jacob M. Shenk, Lebanon; Thomas
C. Zimmerman, Reading, and Walter
T. Bradley, Philadelphia, to be mem
bers of the State Asylum for Chronic
Insane of Pennsylvania, at Werners-vllle.
FRANK IRVINE IN ASYLUM.
Harrisburg (Special). Frank Ir
vine, one of the men Indicted in the
Capitol case now on trial, is at the
Norrlstown Insane Hospital.
When Irvine broke down mentally
In the third week of the trial the
case was discontinued as far as he
was concerned, a severance being
granted. He had treatment in Phil
adelphia and was then sent to Hynd
man, Bedford County, for rest, but
failed to improve.
When he returned to Phlladephla
an examination was made and he
was found so deranged that he was
sent to Norrlstown.
lire Destroys old Hondliouse.
Allentown (Special). Fire de
stroyed the Idlewild Hotel, one of the
oldest road houses on the Lehigh
.Mountain, on the road from Phila
delphia to this city, causing a loss
of about Si". Fire fighting ap
paratus from this city was Bent to
the scene of the blaze, but arrived
too late to be of service.
STATE ITEMS.
George A. Stegmaies, ot Wilkes
Barre, won the first prize In the
miner declamation contest at the
Hitman Academy. The second prize
was awarded to Frederick G. John
son and third prize to Julius L. Stern.
George Moneghan, of York, who
attempted to spoil Miss Bertha Wit
mer's beauty by throwing acid upon
her, was arrested and given a hear
ing before Alderman Keecn. In de
fault of $1000 bail he was commit
ted to jail.
Klchard P. Halllgan, of Scranton,
fell from the Lackawanna Bridge
now under construction, at Scranton.
and waB killed.
Miss Ray McQuillan, aged 20
years, of Tyrone, attempted suicide
by breaking a glass bottle and swsl
lowing the fragments She Is la a
critical condition.
Mrs. Susan Moul, the widow of th
late Conrad Moul, of York, celebrat
ed her ninety-first birthday. Mrs.
Moul's faculties are but little dim
med by age, and sho retains much
of the vigor of early womanhood.
George Oldo aged 40, was killed
in the Cambria Steel Works at Johns
town. The block to the end of a
crane boom fifty feet above him slip
ped from a fellow-workman's hand
aud struck Gtdoa on lop of the head
In England last year only the
potato and hop crops rell short of .ti
10-year average, all tho rest far ex-;
ceeded It.