TOO MUCHjttEO Proposed to Four Women and Fled to Avoid Consequences. By WALTER TOWNE MATHEUS. .(Copyright, lUIO, by American Frews Asso elation.] Dick Hammond was the most t>op ular man in his class at college lOver.v body loved him. both boys and girls There are young fellows—and girls, for that matter—who achieve social prom inence by treating every one iti their select circle with a cultivated cordial ity. Dick Hammond treated every one, irrespective of station, with a sincere regard. His heart was a spring front which bubbled a perennial stream of love for all mankind. If this love runnel had been only for men it would not have resulted unfor tunatel.v for Dick. The trouble was that the liquid was not agreeable to women as well. While it was water for the former, it was wine for the latter. And it was noticeable that p JLISTESKD TO IT WITH HEARTFELT SYM PATHY when one of the fair sex put the cup to her lips she must needs drain It to the very dregs, call for more and pro ceed to get tipsy. Nor would this have been so bad had the bottle belonged to her alone. Dick was not only ready to keep filling her glass, but that of any other woman who desired to drink. And so It came about that Dick Hammond awoke one morning to the fact that the night before he had pro posed to the thjrd girl within two months and had been accepted by every one. The situation gave him no course whatever. Not that he would have for the world injured any ' one of these sensitive creatures, not: that he would willfully do a dishonor- 1 able act. Loving them all. be con- ! sidered it the most natural thing in the world that he should tell them so, i and to tell them so without asking j them to be his wife—his wives, rather j —would have been an insult. These three graces were Agnes Al len, Lillian Cook and Theodora Rich ards. He had told each and every one of them that he had never loved be fore and would never love another. Moreover, It did not occur to him that he was telling an untruth. Was it an untruth? Was It not rather that same unbroken stream which had been flow ing ever since he could remember? And were not these girls the bubbles floating on its surface? His engagement with Miss Allen having lasted the longest, he was the least disposed to spend his surplus time in her company. Miss Cook came next both as to the interval since they had plighted their troth and in recelv ing her lover's attention. Miss Rich ards. to whom he had become engaged last, was undeniably his favorite. These three young ladies undertook to land their catch on or about the same time. One morning he received j a note from Miss Allen stating that she had heard things to Induce her to believe that he had been trifling with her. The next day Miss Cook's mother called upon him nt:d asked him when it would be convenient for him to mar ry her daughter. The same evening, meeting Miss Uichards at a ball, she cut him dead. This settled the matter. Finding himself compelled to choose between the three, he chose the one who had cut him. lie called upon her and mude a solemn contract with her that she should be the real and only Mrs. Hammond, agreeing to write a note to each of her rivals stating this fact and that all was over between him and them. Ml3s Richards took the notes and dropped them in the mail. Within a few days Mr. Hammond re ceived a communication from Miss Allen and another from Miss Cook, each staling that If he persisted in his dishonorable course she would sue him for brea- !i of promise. Hammond in closed the notes to his fiancee with the indorsement on the back: "What am I to do? If I marry you these girls will sue me for breach of promise." The notes came back Indorsed, "If you don't marry me I will sue you for breach of promise." Here was a dilemma. It may be supposed that so serious a condition of affairs might have caused Mr. nammond some concern. Not so. His pure spirit, intrenched be hind a good conscience—he loved them all —was unruffled. He did not even trouble himself how he was to escape, figuratively speaking, this gigantic pair of pinchers that were closing to crush him. Nevertheless a man in or out of trouble needs woman's sym pathy. The poor fellow was engaged to three girls, and there was not among the three one to whom he could io for comfort or advice. What was more natural than that he should choose a fourth into whose ears he could pour his troubles? Caroline Carr was the person who heard the story and listened to it with heartfelt sympathy. With moistened eyes she permitted her shoulder to sink against his. and somehow theinfiawis met. Tbeu she looked up at him, li.-i compassionate heart going out to h:■,> through her melting orbs. lie kl«*t ! her. And so It was that Hammond, who had called on a girl for sympathy iti his complication with three giVls, left her engaged to another—herself. When one awakens after a good night's sleep the brain is usually clear \ er than at any other time of day Dick Hammond, opening his eyes 011 the morning after he had become en gaged to the fourth girl, saw at last that something must be done. He lay abed till noon thinking out a plan. The cobwebs of his Intellect were swept away, and he formed a plan. During the afternoon lie called to gether three of his male chums. In formed them of his complication ai d asked them to help him out of it. Not one of them but would have plucked 1 out his heart and roasted it over a tire of coals for Dick, but there ws.s noue of them capable of suggesting how this was to be effected And here came in the result of Dick's thong l .t while being in bed during the ante meridian hours. He suggested that each one of bis friends take one if the girls and by his attentions extract, like a plaster, the inflammation of bet heart. The proposition was listened to wlili respectful attention by the chums, L'it excited no enthusiasm. ICacb man thought of Aesop's fable of the t'< \ who. having lost his tail, endeavored to persuade the other foxes to cut c£f theirs. Presently the spokesman said: "Dick, dear boy. lovetnaking is so natural to you and you lind it so ea-y to impress the feminine heart that yoti think it would be equally easy for us You are the candle about which ti c mot lis flutter, and it would require :i more vivid light to draw them away Noue of us is in lovetnaking more bril liant than you—lndeed, compared with you in this respect we are as a glow worm beside a searchlight. We would gladly help you. but it is impossible t' do it on your plan. We would advise you. however, not to complicate mat ters further by engaging to marry any more girls." Following this advice. Dick Ilaia mond resolutely devoted himself to his last fiancee to the exclusion of all others. One day one of his three chums came to him and warned him that his first three fiancees were pre paring to serve papers upon him in a suit for breach of promise. Dick asU"d if his marriage with the fourth lady would settle the matter. He was in formed that it probably would. None of the ladles were acting with the in tention of extorting money, but from a desire to prevent a rival from get tlug the better of her. The next day Dick was informed that the papers were all to be served at once. Jumping into his automobile, he drove to Miss Carr's house, and the couple soon after came out, entered the auto, and Dick, who drove It, turn ed it toward the state line. Now, it was fifty miles to the state line, but Dick, once beyond the city limits, saw no necessity for hurry. On passing a garage he saw the three friends whom he had asked to help him loitering there us if waiting for something. They all doffed their hats, and one of them shouted: "Plenty of time; papers not yet out." So Dick lagged, devoting himseif to his lovely companion. Presently, look ing back, he saw an aulo far in the distance coming at full speed. He turned on more power and easily kept good lead. Passliig a crossroad, he saw another auto within a hundred yards of him The driver was mutlled and wore gog gles concealing his features. A girl sat beside him, and Dick's blood ran cold on recognizing Miss Allen. She shook her fist at him, and he Instinc tively turned on more power, shooting onward like an arrow. Presently, looking back, he saw that li" was followed by three autos at dil f< rent distances. Great heavens! Were a.I of his first three fiancees pursuing him? All the power of which the machine was possesseil was now 011. and the machine fairly flew along the road Dick turned now. and again saw that the machine containing Miss Aileu was In the lead of the pursuing ma chines. He thought that if any of chem got him she at least had the best right The chase was a short one so far as time was concerned, for the distance was traversed within an hour, and when Dick hove up to a hotel Just across the state border line the three pursuing autos were close upon him. lie and his betrothed at last stood on the hotel porch, and three other cou ples. alighting from their autos. joined them. Dick's hair stood on end. There were his three deserted fiancees, an*' with each one was one of the chums he had made his confidant. "W-h-a-t did you chumps give me away for?" he stammered. "This isn't a give away," said Miss Allen. "It's a wedding party. We girls are determined that you shall be r.iar ried so that you can't engage yourself to any more of us." So Dick Hammond was at last mar ried. and a wedding party of his friends and jilted girls escorted him and his bride back to the city. Cornets of the Past Century. Durlug the nineteenth century 235 new comets were discovered us against sixty-two iu the eighteenth century. The iilneteenth century also beheld a greater number of large and brilliant comets than did its predecessor. The finest of these were the comets of 1811, 1843, 1808, 1881 and 1882. In the year 1800 only one periodical comet was known, Halley's. Now many are known, of which at least seventeen have been seen at more than one re turn to perihelion. Too Coatly. King George 11. onco wished to add the Green park, In I,ondon, to his pal ace grounds, whether the people liked it or not He inquired of his minister as to the cost Ills lordship, mindful of the general discontent then prevalent, answered: "The cost, sir? Oh, it would be a matter of three crowns!" The king took the hint. The people kept their park and the sovereign his triple throne. Kindness has couverted more sig ners than zeal, eloquence or learning.— P. W. Fa her. MR. MUDGE'S WOOING A Very Homely Man Who Was a Very Persistent Lover. By ADELAIDE RUTH HILL. [Copyright, lUIO. by American Press Asso ciation. J Jabez Chute Muugc was his name. Considering that he was the homeliest tnau in his state it would seem that his parents might have helped him to a more mlllilluuus pair of surnames. Mr. Mudge. however, came of good enough stock, was fairly well edu cated and was the possessor of a couple of thousand dollars a year. He lived on his own place, where he grew grapes, his only occupation. If he had had anything else to do this story would never have been written, for nine-tenths of his time was devoted to incidents recounted therein. On a neighboring hill lived I.eoniilaH Meredith, a gentleman whose name was as euphonius as Mr. Mudge's was discordant. Mr. Meredith possessed a daughter, Leita, who was as comely as Mr. Mudge was homely. This story recounts the wooing of Leita Meredith by Chute Mudge. When Mudge first saw Miss Mere dith and how lie happened to fall in love with Iter doesn't matter. Ills first move In the direction of possessing her was made one morning when her fa ther was getting into his carriage to drive to a train on his daily journey to the city. Mudge stepped up to him and astonished him by asking for the hand of his daughter. "My daughter!" exclaimed the gen tleman, opening his eyes very wide. "Yes, Mr. Meredith: I have loved her "I SHALL, LOVfc YOC FROM A DISTANCE." a long while and shall always love her. I can take fairly good care"— "You get out of this mighty quick or I'll find a way to hurry you." "I shall stay here, Mr. Meredith, till I get your consent." "Tom." yelled the wrathy father to the gardener, "come here!" Tom dropped a spade and came run ning toward his employer. "Just help me a bit with tills fel low." Mr. Meredith took the suitor by one arm, Tom took him by the other, and, walking him down to the pond. lifted him and with a "One, two, three," they threw him in. Mudge came up spluttering. Mr. Meredith hurried to his carriage and was driven away, his would be son-in law crying after him: "I'm not dis couraged, sir I'll try again." When Miss l.elta Meredith heard the story of her wooer's ducking she gave a little laugh, then said. "Poor fel low!" If Mudge had heard the re mark possibly he might have gathered a ray of hope. The young lady's moth er asked her If she had ever had any communication with Mudge. to which she replied that she had not known that there was such a person In exist ence. This was the first episode In Mr Mudge's courtship. The second was Very different. Jabez kept an eye on the Meredith place and noticed a young man who called rather more fre quently than the red headed lover thought might be well for his own suit. One afternoon when this gentle man was leaving the Merediths, Jabez waylaid him and asked him If he could tell him the waj to 15. The man re plied that he could not. Jabez told him that he believed he was lying. The man promptly slapped Jabez's face, and Jabez as promptly knocked him down. The young man's jaw was pretty nearly broken, and when he got up he was In 110 condition to renew the tight. lie went back to the Mere diths for assistance, told of bis en counter and spoke of his assailant as a "red headed, monkey shaped devil." Miss Meredith, who was bathing his jaw. at once recognized her persistent lover. What woman can fail to feel some Interest in a man who for her sake will tirst consent to be ducked by her father and then will permit uo other man to pay her attention? She expressed to the gentleman under her care her abhorrence of Jabez Mudge and his act but for her life she could not but consider him In the light of a victor. When her visitor showed a shrinking from meeting the "red head ed, monkey shaped devil" again and asked to be driven to his home Jabez bad got rid of his only rival. Miss Meredith had more admiration for the monkey shaped man than his oppo nent Not long after this Miss Meredith concluded to walk to the village. Her mother told her she had better go in her pony cart since she might meet Mr. Mudge, and it would be easier for her to drive away from him than to walk away. To this the girl replied that she was not nfrald of Mr. Mudge and would not permit him to restrict her movements in the least. Down in the bottom of her heart she had a curiosity to talk with this singular be ing who was suffering and daring for her and hoped that he might join her. Jabez, constantly on tne lookout for such an opportunity, saw her leave the place on the hill and sallied forth to meet her. As she approached he stood still with his hat in his hand and his head bowed. "May I hcve u few words with you?" he said in a sad voice. "No." Nevertheless he walked on beside her. "Do yon want another ducking?" she asked. "A thousand If they will bring me nearer to you." "What ill the world put it Into your head to want me?" she asked. "First, you are the most beautiful woman In the world," he replied. "Second?" "Second is all tho rest of It.l muni have you, and 1 will have you." "And I trill not have you." "Then I shall love you from a dis tance as long as 1 live." "And I wish you to understand that In case any man pays me attention in future you are to let him alone." "Won't you at least give ine the sat isfaction of dying by his band? 1 would rather do that than-live to see him possess you." "You're too silly for anything." By this time they had reached a fork in the road, and she signified that he must leave her. Jabez did so and walked away to his home, feeling that he had gained one point, but it was a very small roiut, and there was a whole picket fence of points bristling ahead of him. Not long after this Mr. Meredith In troduced a voting man named Long to his daughter and Intimated that he would be pleased If she afid Long would make a match. The young man fell in readily with the plan and after devoting himself to the girl for some time proposed to her. "I'm sorry." she said, "but I can't marry any one." "Why not?" he asked, surprised. "There Is a man living down there who has taken It Into his silly head that he wants me so much that I'm afraid he'll kill any one who marries me." "Fie will, eh? Then it is time some one kills lilin." "You had better not try it." "What makes you think so?" "Why, he loves me so well that ho permitted papa and Tom, the garden er. to throw him Into the pond, all on my account, but he waylaid a gentle man who was calling on me and near ly broke his jaw." "I'll see him and find out whether he's going to put another of your ad mirers out of the race." "Don't." When Miss Meredith sakl "don't" she meant "do." She wished to know what her red headed lover would do In the matter, though she did not Intend that anything serious should happen. Long went straight to Mudge and said: "I have asked Miss Meredith to mar ry me. She says that if she does you will kill me." "I bog your pardon. Miss Meredith didn't say any such thing." "Well, what are you going to do about it?" "With Miss Meredith's permission I'll fight you any way you please— fists, swords, pistols or rifles." "But Miss Meredith considers you as standing between her aud marriage. Of course she doesn't wish me to fight for her with you." "Then let her say so." Somewhat surprised at this turn of the affair, I.ong went back to Miss Meredith nrd told her what had pass ed between him and"the red headed monkey," supposiug she would at once give him something that would Indi cate to Mudge that she wished him to let any suitor of hers alone. Instead of that she said: "I'll see what I can do with him." Long bowed himself away with a bearing that denoted disappointment and displeasure. The next morning Mudge had a feel ing that he should receive some com munication from Miss Meredith and believed she would talk with him rather than write. He was not mis taken. During the day ho saw her leave her home on foot. lie went to meet her. "Why do you persist in thrusting yourself between me and any one who wishes to marry me?" she asked. "Do you wish to marry this man who came to see tne yesterday?" There was uo reply to this. "Because If you do 1 will do nothing to prevent you." "1 am glad that this Insane freak of yours has become tinctured at last with a little common sense. Doubtless your love is not so fierce as It was." "There is no change In my love ex cept that it has grown greater. When it began it was selfish. Now I love you so well that I aui ready to sacrl Gee myself for your happiness." She led tho way on a path not much trodden, and It was two hours before she left him. When she returned t.i her home there was evidently some thing on her mind. The next morning a maid left hot water in her mistress' room and found It empty. Miss Meredith had fled to become Mrs. Mudge. Alabama's Capitals When Alabama was a territory Its capital was at St. Stephens, In Wash ington county. The convention that framed the constitution under which it was admitted into tho Union was held In Iluntsville, where the flrst leg islature met In October, 1810, and the flrst governor was Inaugurated. Caha ba became the seat of government In 1820. In 1825 the capital was removed to Tuscaloosa, and in 1840 It was agnln removed, this time to Montgomery. The SsvMith Sen. Tee," said the despondent man, "l was • seventh eon." "And didn't it bring you luck?" asked the superstitious one. "WeU, If being obliged to wear the castofT clothes of six other brothers Is luck it did," replied the deejiondent man.—Philadelphia Hecord. The Dear Friends. Miss Thin—Don't you think my new dress Is Just exquisite? Fannie—Oh, lovely! I think that dressmaker of yours could make a clothes prop look graceful. The sorg that nerves a nation's heart Is in itself a deed.—Tennyson. UNDER A CLOUD. Accused of Crime, He Lived For Many Years a Cursed Man. By GERTRUDE ELMENDORF. (Copyright, 1910, by American Press Asso ciation.] The life lived by the planters of the south before the extinction of slavery was In some respects an Ideal one. Most of them were people of refine ment and kind to their slaves, by whom they were much beloved. The Lynn family were of this type. Their plantation was one of the largest In the south, and they owned more than a thousand slaves. Their social posi tion In the circle of society embracing the neighboring planter families was very high. Indeed, they were beloved by both whites and blacks. Alan Lynn inherited this plantation when he came of age. lie was a splendid specimen of the highly hon orable, sensitive southerner. Among all the young men of tlie region in which he lived he was tile favorite both with his own and the opposite sex. Tie was very gay, taking a prom inent part in all the social affairs of his circle. If a ball were given on a plantation fifty miles away he was as sure to be there as If It were on an ad joining place. Yet much of his leisure time was spent in examining Into the needs of the negroes on his plantation, supplying them and righting their wrongs. Among (he young men of that re gion was Sheldon Avery, who lived on a plantation some ten miles from the Lynn home. Notwithstanding the distance separating tliem Lynn and Avery were much together. The friendship continued until the two men discovered that they were secretly devoting themselves to the same girl. Martha Tucker was not in the social circle of the planters' fam ilies. She was very handsome, how ever, and possessed traits to render her attractive to men. Avery had known her some .time before Lynn BHOTS WEItE EXCHANGED. made her acquaintance. Lynn was not aware that his friend had claims upon her, or he would have retired at once from the field. Avery on learning that Lynn was his rival was very angry, lie accused his friend of dishonorable action toward htm, and Lynn's hot southern blood prompted him to resent the charge. The result was the pass ing of a challenge. Two such prominent young men could not fight under the code with out the fact being known to all their acquaintances. The fact that they had been bosom friends made the quarrel a matter of still greater Interest. They tried - to conceal the cause, giving out a manufactured one, but it did not avail. It was generally known that a woman was at tho bottom of the meeting. By the time they came onto the field or honor each had cooled and would have gladly come to a recon ciliation. But an imputation on their courage was more to be dreaded than the risk of killing a friend. Shots were exchanged, fortunately without effect; the seconds interposed, and tho two enemies again became friends. For some time after this difference they saw little of each other. Mean while young l.ynn had been stocking cert:tin w■•••>/!-» cimj-rlfied within his property v :un- in October he sent I'll I'iV! lim Avery to make him a > i-'t ■.l t'.ij, \ the shooting. Avery r. ."<1 and came to his friend's limhc prepared for an extend ed visit. The two men hunted for several days, each being careful to abstain from any mention of the trouble over which they had disagreed. But one day when a number of other persons were hunting with them and the two young men became separated from the rest of the party their voices were heard raised In anger. The girl over whom they had fought had been men tioned between them and, like a glass of liquor to a reformed drunkard, had fired the brain of Avery, who seemed easily excited at any reference to Martha Tucker. Those of the party nearest the disputants paused to listen and heard Lynn say: Tf you do I will kill you!" At this moment those who were lis tening started up a flock of birds In which they were more Interested than to the quarrel between the two friends. They followed the game and, hearing reports of guna In another part of the wood, aupposed that Lynn and Avery had also turned their attention to the sport. Some time after this Lynn came up with the others. lie seemed surprised not to see Avery with them, saying that while he and Avery were together Avery, hearing the reports of their guns and assuming that they had found game, had gone to rejoin them. When, after another hour, Avery did not appear all started in different di rections to look for him. They did not find him. The day ended, and most of the party went to their homes, while L.vnu, with a rew others, the search until it was so dark ihe> could see nothing, then gave it up I'.tn the uext morning Just as the.v were starting out to renew their search Avery's dead body was brought in with a hole made by bird sin it in the head. The body had been found about a hundred yards from the place where the two men had been heard disputing. Notwithstanding the high position of young Lynn it was almost universally believed that he had killed Avery. Sympathy was expressed for him. be cause it was supposed that he had done the deed in a burst of passion, lie was arrested, charged with the murder and found guilty. On the trial it came out that he had recently be come engaged to the daughter of a neighboring planter, and he ascribed his words "If you do I will kill you" to the fact that he had on Avery's arrival confided to iiitn his engagement and that Avery during their subse quent quarrel had threatened to make certain charges against Lynn's good name to the latter's tiancee. In those days in the south the courts were chary of interfering In disputes among gentlemen. Doubtless if witnesses had been present at a fight In which either of the two men had killed the other there would have been no arrest made, or if arrested the one who had done the killing would have been acquitted. As it was, near ly every one believed that Lynn had killed Avery while angered, and as it was to be supposed that he had not given his victim a chance for his life and had concealed the crime he was to be considered a murderer. Never theless there were planters on the jury who would not convict one of their number of crime on circumstantial evi dence. and the result was a disagree ment. Lynn went forth a free man, but with the Imputation of murder resting upon him. He was never again brought to trial because there was no new evidence forthcoming to throw additional light on the case. Opinion as to his guilt varied from the lightest charge that he had simply killed a man who would otherwise have killed him to the belief that with enmity still rankling within him he had invited Avery to visit him on pur pose to gratify a spirit of revenge. The case was discussed at the tables of his peers, the planters; In the domi ciles of the poor whites and In the huts of the negroes. Of course opinions were shaped In accordance with the sympathies of those who expressed them, the Lynn adherents defending him, while those of Avery could not find words to express their horror of him. No one ever knew what took place between Lynn and his fiancee except that the engagement was broken off. The facts of the case were that she be lieved lu his innocence and was will ing to marry him, but he would not permit any woman to take his name after it had been stained with a crim inal charge that he was unable to dis prove. lie went abroad for awhile, spending his time wandering from place to place, but without gaining any comfort. He lived a blighted life. The girl he was to have married wrote him often, and from her he drew what con solatlou was possible. She declared that she would never marry unless she married him, and he declared that he would never marry any one so long as the imputation of murdering his friend and guest hung over him. Martha Tucker, the girl who ap peared to have been at the bottom of the trouble, disappeared and was seen no more iu the neighborhood. Ten years passed, during which Lynn had grown In appearance ten years older than he really was. Ills family, his friends and his slaves were still de voted to him, and the girl he was to have married loved him more than ever. This was the situation when David Tucker, a brother of Martha Tucker, died and just before his death made a confession that unsealed the mystery. Sheldon Avery, he said, had ruined his sister Martha. The knowledge of this fact came to him at the tluie when Avery went to the Lynn plantation to hunt. He followed Avery there and went to the woods where the hunt wns in progress. Encountering Avery soon after the latter had left Lynn, he had deliberately shot him. Tucker claimed that if Lynn had been con victed he would have declared that he was tho real slayer of Avery and his reason for killing him. When Lynn's conviction failed he had decided to keep his sister's disgrace and his own crime a secret. Alan Lynn was walking with bowed head on the front gallery of his home when he heard a clattering of horses' hoofs and. looking up the road, saw a party of men coming at full speed. On reaching his gate they turned In, and he saw that they were his friends and acquaintances. They dismounted at the foot of the steps, and their spokes man, advancing, announced the news of the confession that lifted from his shoulders the stigma he had borne for ten years. Having done this, every man embraced him. From that moment Lynn took a new lease of life, ne married the girl who had waited for him so long and after ward fought as a colonel In the Con federate army. His Mistake. There once appeared at the back door of a house a tramp who to the mistress of tho place related a pathetic story of his troubles. This tale, how ever, did not greatly move the matter of fact woman, for she remarked dryly: "That's the same story I had from the last hobo that passed." "Indeed!" said the tramp. "Then, madam, I perceive that I have been | nnwise not to have had my history copyrighted."—Judge. A Double Break. Wife—l saw Mr. Chacer this after noon, and he looks very bad. What's the matter with him—do you know? Hubby—Compound fracture. Wife— What sort of compound fracture? Hubby—He's broke, and Miss Dough bag, discovering that fact, broke her engagement—Philadelphia Inquirer. He Told Her. "What is il. do you suppose, that keeps the moon iu place and prevents it from falling?" asked Aramlnta. "I think it must be the beams," re plied Charlie softly. AN EASY VICTORY. How an Obstinate English Lord Waa Outwitted In Naples. I.ord Charles Hamilton used togo ! about Naples intended by n large, fe rocious bulldog decided upou going to Itome, he proceeded to the station and took liis place In a first class carriage, the "dawg" taking up a positiou on a seat opposite his mas ter. The platform inspector, witbj many gesticulations, declared that thai bulldog should not travel in a passen-j gcr carriage. I "Very well, then; take him out," was Lord Charles' rejoinder. In vain the official expostulated. He merely reiterated his former reply, a piece of advice it is needless to say which was not followed, and Lord Charles, apparently master of the sit uation, threw himself back in his seat and calmly lighted a cigar. Hut the Italians were not to be out" done. and. quietly detaching the car riage in which the English "milor" was seated, they made up the trala with another compartment and started it off. Lord Charles sat quietly smoking foe about a quarter of an hour and surprised at the delay, thrust his head out of the window and demanded when the train was going to start. Ilis feelings when Hie situation was de scribed to him may lie imagined.—Lon don Tit-Hits A WONDERFUL DREAM. The Poor Cobbler Who Found Him seif Upon a Throne. It was in the days of Philip tha Good, duke of Burgundy, that a cob bler mounted a royal throne. As the duke was traveling one night to Bruges he came upon a man stretched upou the ground sound asleep and bade his attendants carry him to the palace, strip off his rags and place him, robed in tine linen, in his own bed. When the man awoke next morning he was addressed as "your highness" *nd astounded to And himself among such rich surroundings. In vain ho protested that he was no prince, but a poor cobbler. They asked him what clothing he would wear and at last conducted him, splendidly dressed, tu mass In the ducal chapel. Every cere mony was observed throughout tha day. The cobbler appeared in pubilo in his new role, was received on all sides by command of the duke with deep respect and ended ids brief reign In the palace with a grand supper and ball. When presently ho fell asleep he was reclothed In his rags and taken t<x the spot where he had been found when this practical Joke was con ceived. Waking indue time, he re turned home and related to his wife what he took to be his wonderful dream. Sacred Nuts of Japan. Although well known to traveler* and collectors of curiosities, the horu nut, or "sacred nut," of Japan was al most wholly unknown to fruit and nut i dealers In this country prior to ISSS, when a New York commission mer chant received the first large consign ment. They are called "sacred nuts" because used in certain forms of Jap anese worship, where they are placed j on the altar and Ignited. Being very rich in oil, they burn with a hot. bluish | flame and give off a peculiar odor, tha I fumes being supposed to rise as an ac ceptable incense to the gods. Thpy grow under water and have a leaf lika an American lily, the form of the nut Itself being an almost exact counter part of an Asian buffalo's head, droop, ing horns and all. In the raw stat® they are hard and tasteless, but when cooked the flavor resembles that of boiled chestnuts. They are said to re ■ tain their edible qualities for upward of twenty years. Vanished Mountains. It has been observed that In tha neighborhood of great ranges of moun tains the force of gravity is slighter than elsewhere. ;inl the explanation is that the earth's crust is less dense be neath the places where it has been heaved up Assuming i his to be a general law. one authority points out that it is possible to discover where ancient mountains now worn away and leveled by Pie action of the ele ments once existed, because the den sity of the underlying rocks has not changed. Franc . it is thought, pos sessed one of these vanished ranges, running along the parallel of Bor deaux, for on that line there Is a less ening of the forco of gravity. A simi lar phenomenon occurs on the plaina of southern Itussia.—Harper's Weekly^ Unconscious Self Criticism. Mr. X., the subeditor, was asked to write an article on superstition and imbecility. When the article was printed the opening sentence was found to be as follows: "That Imbecility-is not on the wane perusal of the following lines will amply demonstrate."—Paris Fi garo. son NEWI A H-ollatoi# TIN SHOP tmr all kind mf Tin Roofing* •poutlncnnd Q*n«ral Job Work. Stoves, HMtin, RamiM, Fumaoti, «to- PRICES 188 LOWEST! ODILITT TBB EBST* JOHN HlXSOtf SO. itf E. FBQNT XT.
Significant historical Pennsylvania newspapers