Dirt Flying in Panama It is estimated tlmt the French Pan ama canal contractors excavated not far from four-tenths of the necessary dirt to be takeu out of the proposed waterway, from 1881 to 1903, and that oue-tenth of the work to be done by the present contractors is completed, while against one of the rainiest monthß of the year, 17 out of 31 at Panama, last month excavation on the canal was the largest ou record. The New York Tribune says, that in 1901, with the old French methods still largely employed, only 243.472 cubic yards were excavated in eight months, or 30,434 yards a month. Mr. Wallace .juickly improved upon that, and in the first three mouths of 1905 excavat ed '278,668 yards, or 93,893 yards a mouth. Mr. Stevens improved upon that record,and now Colonel Uoethals has surpassed all former achievements with 1,274,404 yards last month, or uearly fourteen times as much as Mr. Wallace's record and several times the record of Mr. Stevens a year ago. We know of no reason why the rate of last mouth should not be maintained here after, if indeed it may not be materi ally increased. Now it was estimated that in June, 1904, there were 111,280,- 000 cubic yards to be excavated. Since that time, down to the first of the The Pessimist Among the really uufortuuate in-1 dividuals we have with us,not only iu j Danville, but no doubt over a goodly , portion of the civilized world, is the confirmed pessimist. And this term or malady is not confined absolutely to the male sex, because we quite "frequ ently learn of the feminine bind which pretends to consider everything and everybody going to destruction but themselves, A confirmed pessimist is truly to be pitied. It is a disease which no medic al authority has ever been able to suc cessfully baffle. And the worst feature about this trouble is that it is some- 1 what contagious. After you live a ' certain length of time in an atmos- 11 phere of pessimism the same evil spirit!, appears to overcome even the most un-1 ] willing victim. "WILD ILL" Will ■ am "Wild Bill" Lewis dropped into Tlie AMERICAN office and announced that he is going to make his long distance run between Danville and Bloomsburg Saturdav af ternoon, starting at the City hotel, on Mill street, between two aud three o'clock. "Wild Bill", whose real uatue is James O. Lewis, of LocU Haven, was a great runner about twenty years ago aud since the publication of the article in the News several days ago about his ran from Bloomsburg to Danville on January 18th, 18S«, there have been many citizens of town to recall the incident. In describing the race yes terday Mr. Lewis said that Dauiel Mottern was then Danville's chief of police audit was necessary to employ several assistants to keep back the crowds as "Wild Bill" came up Mill street, a short distance behind Senator Buckalew's racing horse. This race was run through six inches of slushl and the time made was 2 hours and 45 minutes. Although this was twenty years ago aud Mr. Lewis is now over 60 years of age, the runner thinks he can beat his former record, at least, hejsays, he is going to make a good try for it. Mr. Lewis' route on Saturday will ba over the same course that he took twenty years ago, except that he will start in Danville this time instead of Bloomsburg. At the request of Mr. Lewis Tlie Morning News chose Mr. Irvin Snyder, proprietor of the City hotel, as starter and time keeper. The exact course will be from the City hotel, Danville, to the Central hotel, Bloomsburg, and return. On the run to Bloomsburg Mr. Lewis will be paced by W. Diebert. Several of Danville's younger athletes approached the runner yesterday to in quire if he would object to them go ing over the course with him. Mr. Lewis said that all would be welcome as long as they could keep up. Meeting of Transit Company. | A meeting of the Danville and Snn tiury Transit company was held at it 6 office in this city on Saturday. In addition to Simon Krebs and C. P. Hancock there were present, C. B | Witmer, Esq., C. W. Clement, Esq fSnnbnry;Mr. Webster, of Phila lphia and Mr. Musser of York, 'he object of the meeting was not le public. l- present month, 10,863,684 yards have it boeu acturlly takeu out, leaving 100,- y 416,316 yards yet to be dug. If the d work continues at the same rate as ,t last mouth, therefore, all the exoavat y ing will be done in less than seventy ,, nine months, or a trifle over six and a t half years. t We may recall, says the Tribune, e with some interest,in connection with e this computation, the fact that the , old caual commission, upon the 1 strength of whose report the unfinish -3 ed canal was purchased by the United , States, estimated that at a high level, 9 such as has been adopted, the canal i could be opened for use in eight years - and finished in ten years. At the pre t sent rate of progress that estimate, l which was often laughed at as absurd ly ly optimistic, may be pretty uearly ? vindicated and realized. It would he r rash to attempt to set a date for the . completion of the canal, ol course, be s cause we know not what unforeseen 1 and unforeseeable difficulties may arise. But barring serious accidents and assuming the work on dams.locks, terminals, etc., to proceed at equal I pace witli the exoavation.it seems not unreasonable to expect completion at i a date not far removed from that esti mated by the commission. I Danville has a goodly share of the; I victims of tiiis trouble. They look at their beautiful surroundings daily j with beclouded meutal vision. Some 1 of them think we have too many 1 churches, others consider we are lack ing in christian influences. Still another class finds fault with municipal affairs iu general, claiming this and that is wrong, when in fact I it is only their own imaginary mental ' ills which cause all the trouble However, it is likely that we, as well as other communities, must he pestered with at least a few individu als who consider everything askance but themselves-. It is perhaps one of the necessary evils, because by t'ie waitings of these unfortunate morrals we cau more clearly compare all the blessings we enjoy with the very few ills from which we may suffer. SAB CASE I' 1 STEPHEN HER 0 g Stephen Raker, the Shamokin man y who disappeared so mysteriously from □ his home last Saturday, wn- traced to a South Danville, tint liotwithstanding - j that the authorities here have been 1 j doing all they could to find the ruau, p at last accounts he was still ainoug I the missing, s j Mr. Raker, who is well-known in s I Danville where he has relatives, was n employed a- hoisting engineer at the e Bear Valley colliery. He was always t regarded as an industrious hard work ? ing man but for sometime past he has I been a sufferer from nervou- troubles, ? which, it is believed, caused him to ■ wander away. I At 8:30 o'clock Saturday morning ' Mr Raker left his home for the office • of the Shaniokin Lumber oompany. > He never reached the office of that I company, however, and since then liis ■ movements have been a mystery The > i last seen of him he wa< walking down lithe Pennsylvania railroad toward i Weigh Scales. Raker's wife is terribly distressed j i over her husband's disappearance He is a member of the Knights of the i Golden Ea_rle aud that lodge is assist ing in the search. The mountains have been scoured aud the woods aud the public roads searched as tar as Elys burg. Yesterday morning our police re ceived a dispatch from Shaniokiu. ex plaining that information had reach ed that town to the effect tiiat Kaker had been seen in South Danville on ] Tuesday afternoon. A detailed descrip tion of the man was given and our officers were asked to join in the ! search. The missing man is forty-three years ; of age. five feet eight inches tall, and weighs about 150 pounds. He has a smooth face.sharp nose aud light hair inclined to 1* corly. When lie left home he wore a "pepper and salt" ; suit, a derby hat. light blue shirt and blue polka dot tie. Acting on the cine Officer Voris went over to the south side yesterday forenoon but he was unable to find any trace of the man. During the af ternoon he prosecuted a'eearch in Dan ville, but he was no more successful than during the forenoon. The girl who traveled 4.00 i» miles in a prairie schooner, drawn by oxen, to lie wedded, will never find the path of d<>meetici*y rougher than the n»ad to ■ wedlock \ Sylvia's j Fortune, j • • I By GERARD HOPKINS. I • • • CnpyrtKht. 1907. by Jessie Mnnran. • In ti well appointed but not luxurl •us library two men stood staring nt •acti other. The younger, white faced tuod startled, leaned with one hand on t mnhogany tahle. The other, okter and more calm, smiled wtth consdons {wide and triumph. "Orvllle Weston!" gasped the yoirag er man. "You here?" "Ton seem scarcely pleased to see me, Marsden," replied the visitor coolly, as he took a chair. "I just arrived. Of course you understand." "U-no. What do you want?" **l have Just learned of your re markably good fortune. It Is not every fellow who escapes state's pris on to lie made custodian of a young girl's wealth." "Hush: She Is In the house. You know 1 wns Innocent of that crime." "Innocent?" sneered Weston. "Of course, every fellow Is Innocent until he Is proved guilty The crime wns committed." Young Marsden almost reeled. Ho glanced nervously toward the library door. It wus nearing midnight. •'I know." said Weston. "She Is with your uncle and aunt nt the thea ter But before tlioy roach home we'll have a talk. I'm broke. Marsden." "So am I." "I know you are. A fellow just ad mitted to the bar can't l>e expected to have made a pile. But you've pit Syl via Ford's fortune In your keeping." Marsden. who was not the hardened man of the world his unwelcome vis itor was. turned still whiter and glanced apprehensively toward n small safe. Weston laughed. "You give yourself away so plainly. So it Is there. Is it? What Is It? Cash? Bonds? Something negotiable? Sit down. 1 want to talk to you." Feeling himself weak and powerless In the hands of this man he hated and ! feared. Marsden sank into a chair. "Remember old Whlttaker?" asked Weston In a soft reminiscent voice as he eyed his companion with the gaze of a hypnotist. "What a fad there was that summer at the lake for the signatures of celebrities: And Whlt taker had Just brought out a book. He was all the rage there then, and yon had the fever as well as the wom en. You had an autograph book, a singularly convenient one. Remember Whlttaker put his signature on a page —perilously near the bottom-remem her?" Marsden's breath was coming fast and painfully. "Arid remember a month uft*>r tt*«t a draft for s4.o**l was cashed, signal by Whlttaker. and. although he swore he never gave It, his name was at tached, and he had to admit the signa ture?" "I—the I>ook was stolen." whispered Marsden. "Yon know who took It." "Oh. no; I knew nothing about It But the book, with the missing page torn out. eouki easily have been iden tified as yonr own. You know that." "It was never found." "Oh. yes; It was found. It Is in ex istence today And the detectives are not through with the case yet I know where the book Is. Marsden." "Rut I am Innocent. I did not use the page." "But who would believe you* You owned the l«xtk. You asked Whit taker to sign his name. You said you wanted him on a page all by himself, ne neglected to add a verse. He left the page blank except for his name. You needed money You had money after the draft to bearer was cashed Remember?" -m> uncle pave uie that " "Who would 1-elleve It'- IKin't you know. Fred Marsden. that the produc tion of that now, the fitting of the page where It was torn out. .TOUT name on the cover, would be evidence difficult to refute V "My God. yes!" "And you. just starting out on your career. to love with the most beautiful girl to your set. with the world lnc« r • to Sylvia. Vmi ul'l lie happy, Mars • hlp. Think of the difference, Mnrsden, L"ttreen hap plness vrtth Sylvia and W.ie cold un feeling bars of a cell tn fo . It now!" ' Mnrsden suddenly awoke to the fnct that he was looking Into the barrel n of a revolver leveled at his head. I "Take your choice," said Weston s coolly. Thoughts that burned like molten p. lavn rushed through Marsden's brain He u-ns no longer master of himself. Like a man In a dream he rose from if his chair, moved hy tho powerful will of the other, and crossed to the safe. ~ Instinctively Weston turned the lights | low. Marsden moved like a man walking In his sleep. I"»lmly he was h conscious of his lifelong Innocence, it but the words of Weston wore ring s- lng tn his ears. And he loved Sylvln p as few men ever love lie opened the safe There lay a pile of bank notes, notes he had drawn M from the bank that afternoon. He vnguely wondered how Weston knew. ' There was a (lira recollection of soe- II lng a man like Weston In the hunk s when he drew the money. He reached out his hand to take the e money. He started as ho saw beside y It a small revolver. He picked it up with the money. B "That's right," s.vid Weston, with a cold laugh. "T'se that after I aro J gone. Yon cant use it hefore. Raise It and I will blow your tiro ins out!" With Ills right hand still holding the - revolver close to Mnrsden's head, he 0 reached with his left and took tho package of bills. "Tills will get me west nicely, and 1 you will never bear from me again." he said. "Shut the safe." 1 With a groan Marsden did so I "Sit down In that chair with your back to the door." Mechanically Marsden obeyed, j "Don't move till I am out of the ? house. If you do, I*ll shoot I'm too t rich now to give up, even If I klli you." s With another groan Marsden sank 1 Into the chair Weston started toward the door—then stopjied. He had beard 1 a noise that Mareden In his agony had » not heard. The outer door had opened. > People wen* coming in. •There's a light," said a silvery voice. • ~F>ed must be waiting for us " Westun was perplexed. He glanced around. In the library was a iarjw- I screen Noiselessly he slid t»-hlnd that Marsden did not tout The reallsa tloc of what Ik- had done had come upon Marnier, now and deprived him of reasoL How could he provt that he had tieeri threatened with a re volver? How could he pri»ve that he had uot taken the m* tnd HaH & Dozen. "■Pennyworth of wax. pleas.-, sir." Raid the tiny boy as he srtvt.-hed his hand to a level with the counter. "Wouldn't shoemaker's wax do as well askod the fareOous shopman "T»ont know." replied the small bo. "bnt I'll ask pa " Five minutes later he was iiack ucniXt with the announcement that shoemak er's wax would do all right The uhap max. grinned "And did „cour pa tell yon what the difference was?" be asked "Yes. sir." said the little boy "He •aid there's the same difference as be tween you and a donkey " Tbougt small the child was uoeib gant and he made a record sprln- ft* the door London Titßlt® The Value erf Diftmonds. The value of the diamond Is at so much per carat and up t»> a certain limit the value l»er carat increases as the sl*e of the stoa»- increases Whet a carat diamond Is quoted irt SI2T., a diamond weighing a half a carat is counted at the rate of kTT. per curat, three-quarter carat diamonds at flflP pe* carat, one and oi»r- per carat oiae mui aae-huh carat diamonds at doT per carat, oik* and thPHMjuarier carat dia monds at 51?io per carat, and twti m rwf stones at per carat Hrrmes lug more than two carats aeli at about the aame rate as that qnatad for twv carat stones, and do nut iacret»e as rairtdb owing to the man- ma nd for the larger siaed stones.—fieer York Herald Pient j of Cmium A young man pro;Kiaed lor the hand of a mllUunalre's uaaghter "Well," Mid tb»- miiikTrmiro frown lag thoughtful.;, "what an your prrus paetß' Is there anj chance of promo tk>o tn your business?" "Any chanee" crted the young max. "Well. I should aay so Whj. we «n ploy 2»*i men. and mj lot' is next to the lowmst tn the establishment IN THE SAME BOAY. k Story of B#mirel W*rr^ri thew Osvenpor* Mill. Sam Wnrron, then nth or of "Ten Thousand a Year," has boon Hie nib loot of rnnny anocdotw) rtonp of them better than one which 1 flrst hofirfl rv lnted about him hy his friend, Mntthew T>n\-enp<->rt Hill. looking in one at WanvTi"* chambers. TTIII notlcofl thnt he ooerrsHl a Utile troubled. "It is," said the Tbw yer-novellst, "most unfortnnate I ought to have dlnofl tonight vi-fth the lord chancellor, but Mrs Warren Is abont to present me with another olive branch. How can 1 kmvp her? 1 hope his lordship wont be annoyed ml my putting him off " "Oh." returned Will, "don't make yourself uneasy 1 atr one of the guests I know htm wd; I can put it all right for yon " With those words the visitor prepared tic leave the room. At first profusely grateful. Warren presently seemed a little perpleved ai>e said: "By the bye, after all. 1 wont trouble you to say anything ahotrt trie to the chancellor Tfcfweor, oursefvm I have not been Invited " "Well," rejoined Hill, "make yourself comfortable on that point. TVir that matter, neither have T ~ fall *all Or «otte The Three Patss. The names of the throi fntws wm Olotbo. Lachests and Afropos To ex press. thi- infloencr- whW. they helloved to oxorctsf on hnrnar Hfc free, birth to death thoy wwr* rnp!*- seated as splnnlnc a thread of riSA. sl!wr or wool, now tSghtenlns now slackening and at last cutting « Of! Olotho, the youngest pm the woo. around the spindle, spar, ft. and the aged Atropos cut ft of! whet, a man had to die A Most Valuable Apent- Thc glycerine employed hi I>r i med seines greatly nnhnncm the m«ikdMfi proj-ertie- which It ertracf- frrar ma!** medicinal roots sen 6 h »ld~ it soiotif* niucii iictter than alrnhol wntua J possesses medicinal proportics of tt> owfc, being a valuable demulcent, antiseptic and ant,!!f?rmcnt. It itadi irroHt.lv toth' fficaey of tin Kin-cfe ("%ctre l ;.rk. Rlondroot,*Toid«n Tom ro.it and Queent riy.i c irit*m«i. tL "Gokkm Medicul TMacfrory " In si. chronic, or lingering c hroncliia'. throat mid lunc afx.aions lrtr k1;«>: whidk th«s. aconts are Tor imniendec by «tto.no »rd mwlica.l anllioritlns In all rasas wh«N- thfrre h % away of flesh, loss- of appoti*e. w?« ■*>*!* •inmaft. as In the oarlj st*g» tff eoe •uni{fimn. there OUT! benr doum ce- ne/agts as a valuator nutri:.v< *r« aids She GAiden Seal root Siorif r\t Qui-AJ- ro(>: and Black Ctv"—it P~ mining n. and "hii.idint «!• tlesl, at** 7cng!l. enr D-filUnf Cbt j-oapk and brlnfrric aixiut a hoa.!ifav cinu.' Ui ir. of tbe v-Wlr svsteir. OT coariiE k ttusa not tn- cAfectec i, »,trk mtrarlak Si wiß ".;>ticm**cepi ir fss«£r!i9r stagey 7: e a- £0 t~ - V. -:: Tlr m.-: w : -.1-- ■. t : sc. ■ "<• : vt -as to tr, .rnpamnd "hy h»««itng "J* is luncs, thm it has pjirfanmc n#- -bum p ,rvelou> -urss ;*rof. T"tn.- • r.'linrw.-Mia ®.3^rfStir oen Med. C'-< Jtapa. Clhkwuro,awys nrrtne: . • siwpstt - « -TK—' »■» Ilnldinß k tared Q .inirtno rC xni jw„-»wi j# I. tr icon i: *oii. Kin. t? t» on .{IS %>t< !«•« r: - rufacturerl JIT 'llurr- >: rt -.ari- .u ii» uctior iicra. wgwilliliiitt n-u«»e£ ftum » !», csjwiallj a tiiiirt r- u, ~ik.iA.ii a> <*- L.rrtm! ca-itrlUfc (os-atr«i*l iil>BuiijiH«i 4t -•tomwlii, n i» h mtw (ttnM ill—iilllll will Tnlu < 1..a1.3 eoji* iT (! 'Wm* ami aaaM>«Mßk «uan».-y, •cidtts-' "Moionr. *p.'!i »1 imrirftw» *» rurWtß tl»- Woofl .-Wing HlmSiflti erupt i.«h. scrtitUi,iu>-swnil:T)«>-aui4- JfeM U'Mfc or UlCBTfc —ii.: i. T»T H T t 'W • tot tr." (hv.,wh" u llttur *ll *ihraf' tin Mt>4 rrwdl.thml r 'T- ■ mir«w:ac .J,s m.maeiM, ■MUcina Then >s :u • si.-uiitul n b. !"_ "~ The Hoiae Paper i of Danville. I Of course yju read jl HB ill | THE nEOPLE S I Popular I APER. Everybody R ;ds It. 3ner% Mr - - SBST? j No ii L rig St. i ?-a , r ce!v. J wo* ** **t * r* >*<> -\%% *•» *v »w*v Or, nrt «vwne> s - '« * %ly »' * fcsm ••"»>*>v.s« *♦» •unfl ft %r*rtd ' «>• •» *>« htm wwi* * ■ ! «?*. *N- *M rn >»<* t<».vv »r* i%v TWI %Mt r*>* fc*i% K* *M> tftej INMM 6(W$ % *t M*" 1 WrtWrtV \iMv tt f ■**%' fc rrtWsV tw«> r*i-*s ft* W»*nm>. w*e»» »«W •'r*#il *» thf WrtW* HM' wwC fc *-—*»« tft l!l »# VHf HVo %* r*ryli* fivtr **% !W ** \«* v*»«* tmmts ***•• wW» «*t ♦*<*!■- Wf ffc %H CMTW HM «t»t> *V tV *WJ* *ft*»r <*o«iW. It l> V t ****»• »mi.i »«*** m ww *** tt Ww »«**•*. *?» t«<«« *t»rt e» teiN* *hi TW» »t»H> Is *-*t Th« «Mk «mk t—-»> wrr- >wv « »?. #uffi<(<><4 >nw* m*>- «o*T* »« MKt «» «•-«■ » <*»u *rtw «rMfVo* fc»Jr>'r «*R WW* Ttwl: W»i I>H- *"V* <|Mi I ip«». «?«5*A. n *w«c««r -v Tfc«* (• tl* BKK W •■«*■•!«. Idb S ■•*%, «i Vr-"- 4r Mr It IK iwjr tto». »x itosw ««■> gsw arsSk. Tflt sa*- * W*'. **•* m *»T>. ! ; mmrn*l \ m * ■»«!<»> «m* I!**- m. *j Imm. J*'*- X»tj *>«p ««*»■ * «ww.ilmß. w* 4H» < Oitaawn Bvtae aw«t tJw* irv tK te- TDWw-i ii ®w- *rs;B «, tft* 9H«ik » «. ,< VcM wtiMfc »rt« «» « km.-- *,®4 m l *-. v <* fcwr war IMMmkv H-Wl'tililit tii imi •• • . I .11 ■ K_ «"* - HmHMNWn. "tViot ms H **" "96«w.*- Uem *e * - * irrw* larcv mm I t!« » we w t: p*» .i>*£s 11 HIT! A. Reliable TD SHOP r»r mm kfc«4 »' TIK se*wef*« ms*4 Cmrwml >e* Worm siews- w*eerees, *e»*n«, 112 «*rs*sr w», «c rotBT3£LBiBT! HSiJu HIXSOV » US E FSOBT ST Win „i e» II iL le waul io do aii kinds of PnmiHfi » \ fl'S Hi |it will Reose. | * I ' A well jv • < tasty. Rill or L w/ ter Head, P< t x 1% I Tickit, v. iv ; > L>J nx-nt or :v l ) aa advtii H-ffivii for vonr bu-;:it.-.- ,i aatisfactlua to yci*« Hew Type, New Presses, . Best Paper, yjst Stilled fort Fromptness- All you can ask. A trial will make you our customer \W rvspcotfulh* hsV that trial. I HUE Nil m "W ii E. MahMfiing St_ V ZT-.T „.T». Fft