rs, nt- le, bot- iting rood. to reed, 0 the emite y the come ny as the gal- 1s. N. s cut y she n her been, years 1 and h was ms on hosen: lereon dates emor- [n dif- seats g the Caro- n Vie ed win as be- troyed a ne A SERMON FOR SUNDAY AN ELOQUENT DISCOURSE ENTITLED. a= “SLEEP AS GOD'S GIFT.” ® £ - The Rev. T. A. Nelson, D, D., Delivers a Stirring Address on the Subject; sssleeplessness,”” With an Appropriate Text of Comprehensive Meaning. BROOKLYN, N. Y,—At the Second Pres- byterian_Church Sunday morning the pas- tor, the Rev. T. A. Nelson, D. D., preached on the subject, ‘‘Sleeplessness.” He took for his text, Daniel ii, part of first verse. “His spirit was troubled and sleep went from him,” and said: Phat line of the poet Young, “Sleep, na- ture’s sweet restorer,” like every other true oet’s saying, was inspired. ‘Blessings ight on him who first invented sleep,” says Sancho Panza, in “Don Quixote,” and Coleridge exclaims, in the “Ancient Mari- ner,” “0, sleep, it is a gentle thing!” Ten- yyson speaks of “the mystery of golden sleep,” and what a mystery indeed it 1s. It is the most interesting and the most per- plexing of all physical and metaphysical mysteries. The mother bends lovingly over her infant in the cradle and wonders what it means—this harmless, painless, Japsing of all life into unbroken tran uil- lity. Those little hands, now so quiet, but so busy most of the time, how beautiful and still they are now. Those limbs com- posed in attitudes of such unconscious grace, lying on the pillow: how hard it generally is to keep them in order during wakeful hours. And how unspeakably sol- emn it is to think how far the child is now beyond our reach. Who is it, when the face of the mother fades from the vision, that takes its soul in charge? But when a man sleeps the spectacle is more suggestive. Think of Caesar on his couth, his vigilant eyes closed, his voice si- lent, his brain unworking and still. Think of Alexander in the night, looking as he poly, looked in the coffin, dead. Imagine how David felt when he saw Saul entering the cave. Think of Cicero fast asleep. Think of the sleeping Christ lying asleep in the midst of the tempest, as if He were resting in the heart of God. When Christ turns away from us with closed eyes there is al- ways afforded opportunity for the storm. We are only at peace while He is wakefully with us. While He sleeps not only is the light. withdrawn, but the darkness is felt to the utmost; Jife’s ship is tossed with the storm and we are threatened with mortal danger. A sleeper Christ will do me no good., A painted Christ will not be of the vagudst service in my life. A wooden cru- cifix or ivory cross will not help me. It must be a wakeful Christ with every en- ergy astir; power in every look and move- ment; an actual, positive, real and per- sonal Christ. We are mocked by His figure; we are saved by His personality. It is Christ, notin the temporary paralysis of unconscious sleep, but Christ alert in watchful omnipotence that I need. Unless we nightly SE into sleep we are not pre- pers to live, and anything over which we have control which prevents out sleeping in proportion to our need should be es- teemed guilt before God. Since the strength of our life belongs to Him we are not at liberty to waste it. Nevertheless, in our day we live in such fashion that, like the eastern monarch, our spirits are troubled and our sleep departs. This has come about sometimes from the haste to get rich. People rise early and sit up late in their eager pursuit of wealth, and when the jading day is done at last and they lay their heads upon their pil- lows, sleep may fly from them and they may seek it in vain. Now this is not a light matter. There are few things more dispiriting and truly exhausting than the loss of natural sleep; to count hour after hour in feverish wakefulness, seeking for- getfulness which will not come. Now what is the root of all this dis- tress? The physician will doubtless diag- nose it as owing to unhealthy excitement of brain and undue sensitiveness of the nervous system. But in its last analysis you will find as a general rule the great cause of this weary wakefulness, anxiet, and misery is simply want of faith in God. It is because we are not able, as we ought ko trust ourselves and all that concerns us to a sure providence, and many of you know that it is mental anxiety that breaks Jour rest. It is because you are trying to ear the burden and build the house your- selves, to keep the city yourselves, that you have the anxious hours. It is because you will plan too far ahead instead of let- ting each day bear its own burden; be- cause you will ask what is to become of you and your children if such and such an event takes place; because you will take the future into your own hands instead of leaving it to Jesus. But why should we not have faith in God? If we had, many of us; would not we sleep? If, once for all, you have in- trusted your soul to His keeping you are sure that all things will go we 1: that noth- ing can go amiss; that God will keep you, angels will guide your footsteps and the Holy Spirit will dwell within you from hour to hour. You will then lay your head down upon your pillow and rise again, with the morning light, refreshed. After trying to explain away our weary hours of sleeplessness on the basis of phy- sical infirmity, we have to confess that the real source is found in the things that prey on our minds by day and break our rest at night, and mixed with those anxious thoughts there are the thoughts that will intrude themselves of a more serious char- acter. In the still, wakeful hours, even the most heedless one is forced occasionally to think of Him before whom we must surely appear and give account of our- selves. It is impossible, then, quite to sup- pen a question as to where the soul will e when the body shall be down in its lit- tle bed, when all earthly things have:faded from us. But if you can truly trust that it js well with you, that amid your deep un- worthiness you are simply believing on vour Saviour and are striving to grow like im; that your task is appointed you of God, however humble your sphere, it is large enough to achieve character; if you can always feel that Christ is near and ready to help; that you and those near to you are provided for by Him and that you shall never want; if you have once for all learned whether awake or asleep that you are the T._rd’s and that you shall live to- gether with Him, then surely you may sink into untroubled rest and sleep a refreshing and peaceful sleep. _ But let me come closer still to the exper- jence of some perhaps among professing Christians. You know that healthful sleep is our most peaceful state. You see human nature in that state in which it is most thoroughly free from all annoyance and trouble, and that is a symbol of the prov- ince. “Thou wilt keep him in perfect {face whose mind is stayed on Thee.” hat is a wonderful promise;® but there is no blinking the fact that comparatively few even among those who claim to be true followers, ever experience it in its ful- ness. As a rule it is far from being per- fect. One of the ancient schoolmen wrote in summing up the chief characteristics of life: “I entered this world in loneliness; I have lived in anxiety; I shall leave it in fear.” That about expresses the situation of many of you. Look at the faces on the street. Almost every one is careworn and anxious. There is no doubt that care sits heavily on mankind. What is wrong? Simply this: That while God has promised peace and is ready to give it it must be re- ceived by faith. It goes without saying that the amount of peace and quiet we slall experience will be in proportion to our trust in God. If we were really able to trust God with everything instead of doing, as most Christians do, never _trust- ing God and more than they can help and never feeling quite sure as to what He may do; # we would cast our cares upon Him instead of bearing them ourselves what unspeakable peaze we should enjoy. But we have not quite got at the real root of the diffienlty yet. Doubtless some of you are thinking that if some particular thing which vexes you were out of the way vou would be all right and your peace would flow as a river. No, that is not the trouble. It is not some petty vexation that constitutes the bitterness in your cup. If you probe your hearts deeper you will discover that the real reason is that you are not right with God. You have not truly and heartily believed in Jesus. You have thought a good deal about religion, but you have never clearly taken the peace- ful step, and until you do you will never experience a true and abiding peace. Un- til you do this fully in obedience and deyo- tion to Jesus Christ; not until you are able to say, very humbly, yet with sincerity: “1 know whom have believed.” Not till then can you be at peace. I am not called upon to explain the mys- tery of Christ by which we are able to ar- rive at this blessed conviction of faith. It would be a difficult thing to follow by a logical process. There are many things in the working out of your deepest conscience which are beyond our logic. Nevertheless, 1 say there is no escape into the realm of rest save by faith in the atoning grace of Jesus Christ. The thing that is at the bot- tom of the fear is the latent conviction that you are not right with God. . It is that which kept you vaguely unsatisfied. It is eating the heart out of your enjoyment of life. Get that right once and you will re- ceive the “peace of God which passeth un- derstanding.” Perhaps I may not have been sufficiently personal. direct and pun- gent, and, if so, L pray God’s forgiveness and yours. It will not heal a deeply poisoned wound to skin it over. I pray you, probe vour hearts to the uttermost. If you feel youhave been wrong until now begin to be right from this hour. Get the central stay made firm and strong. Get fast hold of God. The great step is to be really Sf that God is your Tather To e persuaded that He loved you, unworthy as you are; that He reckons you among the number of those to whom He gives eternal life. The unrest comes from the fear that vou have not got on the solid ground: that you are still worse, risking the losing of your soul. At any moment the Master may rise and close the door. Your soul may suddenly look back upon the probation period forever and look for- ward toward heaven for everlasting. O. try, I beseech you, for the hope set forth in the gospel. Have it out with God, once for all. Get on terms of peace with Him before the day may close. Cast yourself in the everlasting arms. I have spoken of two things. First, the consuming care; second, the latent convic- tion. There is one other experience that may break our sleep. I pray God that none of you may have it. It is the experience of one who has committed spiritual suicide. In one of Victor Hugo’s books there is a character who, after a long series of exper- jences. at last arrived at a great crisis; he wavers, hesitates, and then commits a co- lossal sin. Conscience is insulted beyond forgiveness. Then suddenly he hears. as it were, an internal burst of Jaughter—laugh- ter of the soul—and the’ soul rarely hears this innermost laughter more than once without hearing it forever. This character afterward falls asleep and dreams. He en- ters the town; he comes upon many men standing in various postures, silent and im- movable, as if dead. In unspeakable terror he tries to flee out of the lifeless city, when, looking back, he is appalled to see the inhabitants coming after him. They overtake him and hold him and ery: “Do vou know that you have been dead for a long while?” Now and then, in polite so- ciety, in select communities, even in this fellowship, unknown to wus, but mot un- known to God, one comes upon one oO these dead men, who have heard the inter- nal burst of laughter, who mocks and de- fies God and insults divine mercy. There is such a thing as spiritual suicide. Men sometimes by their action or non-action take the life of the soul; they are dead to repentance and to hove, and at last they are dead to God. Thus men drive sleep forever from their eyelids, like Macbeth. When once the conviction seizes upon the soul then farewell to slumber and peace. God forgive me if I have spoken too plainly, if I have misrepresented the spirit of truth, but if I have been trne to the word of God then let him that hath ears hear what the spirit says: ‘To-day, if you will hear His voice, harden not your hearts.” Lay hold upon eternal life. Then you may lay down in sleep, since when you awake you shall still be with Him; and whether you wake or not, you will be the Lord’s and His forever. : God's Overture to Us. Jehovah is the unchanging God. To-day He answer: our longing desires, saying, “There is a place beside Me.” * He would not keep us at a distance, but always woos us to nearness. ‘That place is the place of understanding. You must. see the picture at its right angle if you would know its meaning. So it is in Jife. History aad ex- perience have their dark problems. The stained glass window is a mystery when seen from within by artificiai light. But when the sunlight streams through and transfigures it, we read its meaning. So God would let His light fall upon our past exferiences, and reveal His purposes work- ing through their ever-changing vicissi- tudes. It is also the place of His presence. Jacob is much slower to leave Bethel than he was to run into it. The thought of Esau filled him with fear. But he saw “the place beside God,” and said, “The Tord is in this place.” The experiences of life may not alter, but they are vastly different when we are conscious of God’s presence amid them. It is the place of transfiguration. The unbroken calm of God’s peace, and the assurance of eternal security and success take possession of the soul and the outer life responds to this in- ner possession. This reserved place and waiting blessing is God’s overture to ugiat the threshold of another year. May His Spirit help us to stand beside Him and ac- cept this unspeakable gift. er Keep Moral Ideas Clear. We need, above all things, to keep our moral ideal clear and high. ‘Woe nto him that puts light for darkness and dark- ness for light, sweet for bitter,” etc. That is, woe unto him that confounds moral dis- tinctions. Not our patriotism or our par- tisanship must blind us to truth. Neither for ourselves nor our country nor our party may we condone sin or falsehood or meanness. 1f a prophetess, a chosen mes- senger of God, could go wrong, how easily may we. Dean Hodges is fs publishing a book on “The Human Nature of the Saints.” A companion volume might be “The False Judgments of Christian Peo- ie.” Bias is almost. irresistible. What helps on that which we much care for we are apt to praise without looking too close; ly at its moral quality. So doing, we close our. insight,” extinguish the light of God: by: and by we may: kindled within us, and find ourselves walking in darkness rather than light, perishing, perhaps, as Balaam perished among the enemies of the Lord. CURE Te He Completely Satisfies. God is love! God is light! This ancient message is also the most recent report of our own personal experience. God is our home indeed!: We can no more de- scribe this consciousness to a man who has never possessed it than we can make a foundling from a workhouse understand the mysterious joys of an earthly Christian home. Yes, we are at home with God. He satishes! He satisfies! It is He who gives the completing touch to thought, to work, to pleasure and to life. Without Him our intellectual ladder has neither foundation to stand upon below nor against above. Without Him our purposes miss their best fruition and our joys their perfume. He is our nome indeed, and. we know the unmistakable sign when we ieel the outstretched love of cur Father kend- ing over us. rest to lean § RAT TWO FEET LONG. ¥¢ Gives a Philadelphia Policeman a Hard FH(FIT=1 Ena, “Som ‘While patroling his beat o~ German- town avenue, near Bristol road, in the northwestern part of th2 city, Police- man Nice, of the Twenty-third Dis- trict, saw a large ob.2ct creeping stealthily from under a doorstep. In the dim light he was unable to make out the form and would have passed it by but for thc many rumors that re- cently have been circulating in the neighborhood r.ogarding/a strange ani- mal, so he determined to investigate. Of late weird tales of scares have been told the police. The animal which caused all tHe disturbance*had- been variously described as ‘a Wolf, fox, escaped zoological monstrosity and by the less timid as merely a vicious dog. Seizing his élub, © Nice. boldly ap- proached the animal, ‘which suddenly made a lunge at him, just missing him. Then commenced such a battle royal as Nice declares he does not wish to go through again. Despite the vicious defense the animal put up, the police- man’s club was finally effective and the creature lay dead at Nice's feet. Examination showed that the body was that of a huge rat, measuring nearly two feet in length, the tail alone being over a foot long, and the teeth were large and sharp. To verify his statement of the battle, Nice picked up the carcass and took it to the Park and Lehigh avenues station house, where it is now on exhibition.—Phila- delphia Telegraph. ee WISE WORDS. T.aziness always lays the blame on luck. God's designs promise us more than our desires. If woman lost us Paradise, she alone can restore it.—J. G. Whittier. I am always content with that which happens, for I think that what God chooses is better than what I choose. —Epictetus. Intellect may give keenness of dis- cernment; Love alone gives largeness to the nature, some share in the com- prehensiveness of God.—John Hamil= ton Thom, Without thought, grave, deliberate, self-conscious thought, life will run shallow in every channel. Every ac- tive duty needs to build foundations downward through habits of quiet thought. It is an excellent plan to have some place to go to be quiet when things vex or -grieve us. There are a good many hard times in this life of ours, but we can always bear them if we ask help in the right way.—Miss Alcott. Let love not visit you as a transient guest, but be the constant temper of your soul. Let it pant in your heart, let it sparkle in your eyes, let it shine in all your actions and let there be in your tongue the law of kindness. Ge LL Sl Why so Formal? ‘A member of the Metropolitan Club of Washington tells this story on Gen- eral Miles: The General was engaged in conver- sation with a number of friends in the billiard room of the Metropolitan svhen a man having a vary slight ac- quaintancé with General Miles ap- proached. The man evidently had been drinking, for as he stepped beside the General he slapped him on the back and in a loud tone exclaimed: “Well, Miles, old man, how are you?’ : For an instant a frown shadowed the face of the officer; but it soon gave way to a quizzical look, ‘so he replied to the offender: ’ “Don’t be so formal, old chap! Why don’t you call me Nelse?’—New York Press. # 8 ail eo BC nt a Gooseberries and a Cat. Not long ago the officials of the De- partment of Agriculture were much amused by a letter sent the department by an occasional correspondent in Vir- ginia. Among other things the writer hastened to advise Secretary Wilson to this effect: “My wife had a Tame cat that dyd. Being a Tortureshell and a Grate fav- erit, we had the same pberred in the soil I had the Carkis deposited under the roots of a Gooseberry Bush. (The Frute being up to then of the ‘smooth varriety.) But the next Seson’s Frute, after the Cat was berred, the Goose- berrys was all Hairy—and more Re- markable, the Catapilers of the Same Bush was All of said Hairy descrip- tion.’—Collier’s. ey Mr. D.’s Hunting Experience. . Here's a crack-a-jack “big game” yarn from Harmony: Ralph Dunham, while working in the: woods cutting ship knees, one day last week, was at- tacked by a moose. Mr. Dunham climbed up a cedar tree, but the moose pent the tree over and then hooked Dunham with his horns and tore the clothes nearly off his body. He was then thrown quite a distance an@® has- tily climbed another tree and remained eral hours into the night, cold and bruised, before the moose left so he could come down and go to his house, (Me.) Journal. ———————————————————— % His Opinion, WN “It is useless,” began old Otis Oliver Onderdonk, addressing in a general way the members of the Chronic Bach- elors’ and Emancipated Widows’ Linen Pants and Solid Comfort Club, “itis as useless as ’tis to expect to pick pine- apples off'm a pine tree, to attempt to reason a woman out of any position she happens to have taken, for the reason that she wasn’t reasoned into it in the first place. What say, Lester?” —Puck. Gardin, and for the enrichment of the there out of the reach of the moose S€V- | about half a mile away.—Lewiston:. POMPIN CHINESETEMPLE WHAT AN ENGLISHMAN SAW IN A SHRINE OF BUDDHA. it Was On a Day of Festival—The Scene Was Calm and Peaceful, the Air Redolent of Incense—Sacrific- ing to. Buddha. The breeze was filling the bells hanging from the eaves of the great temple with fitful melody. High trees threw pleasant shadows across the court-yard, and beneath their spread- ing branches were groups of worship- spers. It was a day of festival, the time of prayer petitioned by a woman whose son was dead, but, through this annual pilgrimage to the shrine of Buddha, . was believed to live again. Priests in flowing robes of yellow silk, and carrying bowls of incense, ad- ministered to the devotees, while up- on a table in the centre of the court acolytes piled up the gifts—plates of fresh flower, dishes of sweet fruits, and unboiled rice. Within the great shrine, dim and faintly lit, the pale fires of many candles were burning. Upon the floor were scattered in pro- fusion shoes of gold and silver paper; red streamers draped the shrine. The scene was calm and peaceful. Three priests, leaving their waiting groups, ascended the temple steps, their departure a signal to the bellring- er to fill the spacious court with notes of solemn melancholy. As the bell tolled its gently warning each hum: ble supplicant bestirred himself, turn- ing to face the temple and to watch with no little reverence and dignity the temple priests. These were en- gaged upon their litanies, and as one chanted his fellows beat with their heavy clapvers upon bronze gongs. Quickly the prayers were taken up, each group responding. Presently the priests knelt, and, bending forward, supported upon their hands, prostrated their heads before the images. Slow- ly they leaned forward until their foreheads swept the temple floor; as slowly they recovered, each attend- ant worshipper following their action. In a little they had risen to their feet, and, €18wly passing from the tem- ple to the tablés in the court-yard, stopped before the offerings. Once again notes from the temple bell boomed forth, flooding all heaven with mysterious reverberation; again the priests swung aloft their incense fumes; again there were the crash of cymbals and the sound of chanted song, as the priests blessed the food, begging the Divine One to accept the gifts. There was, of course, no an- swering response; but as the prayer died away the figures of the acolytes appeared from the shadowy recesses of the temple, and moving forward to the centre table, took ip the dishes, carrying them to the High Altar. Here they were placed at the very feet of Buddha as, amid a louder strain of music, the bpriests themselves ap- proached. Each dish now in its turn was blessed—the flour, the fruit, the uncooked rice—each offering the sym- bol of innocence and purity, the three together making the sustenance of life. Very quietly the priests invoked the intervention of the Blessed One, sing- ing again with gentle cadence the chants and litanies. Gradually their voices quickened until as the prayers fell from their lips the responses were thrown back to them with rapid dili- gence. The end of the service was ap- proaching as, with a final burst of mu- sic, priests, acolytes, and worshippers claimed in loud voice the mediation of the Spirit. To me, the mere spectator of a charming idyll, the scene ended with some abruptness, but while I hung about the precincts of the temple other ceremonies appeared to follow. As I waited the priests left the temple house, and taking the dishes from the shrine, began to divide the little gifts into equal shares. One was dedicated to the use of Buddha, one was given to the priests, a third was allotted to their generous patron, and the fourth was distributed among the worship- pers. To that already set aside for sacrifice to Buddha the lady patron added her own share, carrying it up the temple steps herself and placing it with trembling hands and tottering carriage upon the shrine. To the others the priests brought stoves and water, and while some attended to the boiling of the rice, others whipped up the flour into cakes. The fruit was left untouched, and taken when the rice was bciled and the flour baked. Then of a sudden and with a pleasant transformation the previous sad and melancholy spectacle became turned to a happy gathering where -a few good souls partook cf food blessed by the Mighty Lord Himself. There was no merriment in the feast, but priests and worshippers alike joined it, nibbling delicately and chattering in. subdued whispers. The change was natural and altogether symbolical; their be- loved friend or relation being dead, they wished to share some of the joys which the gcod and gracious Buddha had vouchsafed to him. Thus they ate the sacrifices which had been blessed, voicing the wish of peaceful lives to each member of the little gathering and perpetual plenty to him who had so long since departed. ~~ Presently the little feast broke up, but not the party. Each individual member had a personal sacrifice to make, and leaving his fellow-guests, one by one each made his way into the temple. Ensconced behind a pillar and quietly sitting in the shadow, I watched and waited the passing of each forlorn visitor. - Tapers were burning in the temple, and yet others were added to the illumination. There were two lesser and one larger Divinity on the altarpiece, but obeisances were made before each ,and newly lighted tapers placed in the several sockets.— Westminster Gazette. STONES OF MEDICAL VALUE. Many Minerals Have Strange Legend- ary Therapeutic Qualities. The sacred, magical and curative properties of certain stones—large and small—appear to have ranked among the items of the Pseudodoxia epidem- ica, among all races and nations, and throughout all recorded ages. The colossal monoli®. and the small “grav- en image” of stones are well known examples of the first of these proper- ties. Among the prominent speci- ens of the second may be noted the items of popular mediaeval belief, that a diamond placed under the pil- low would notify the conjugal infidel- ity of a wife; that the wearing of a sapphire was a preservative against all enchantments; that the fume of an agate would effectually avert the approach of a tempest; that the wear- ing of a chrysoprase would “make one out of love with gold;” and that the carrying about of an amethyst surely preserved the owner from being “over- taken” by drunkenness—an item of belief to which the etymology of its name is due. To a kindred form of credulity must be ascribed the won- drous proverties which were ascribed to China dishes, when first imported to Europe from the Celestial empire. It was confidently said of these by Scaliger and others “that they admit no poyson, that they strike fire, that they will grow hot no higher than the liquor in them ariseth.” With regard to the curative powers of various stones, we may seasonably quote the remark of the celebrated author of the “Religio Medici:” “He must have more heads than Janus. that makes out half of those vertues ascribed in- to stones, and their not onely medi- call, but Magicall properties, which are to be found in authors of great name. In Psellus, Serapion, Evax, Albertus, Aleazar Marbodeus; in Maiolus, Rueus, Myllus and many other.” And the same author goes on to state some of his own opinions in this connection:“That Lapis Lazull hath in it a purgative faculty we know, that Bezoar is Antidotall, Lapis Judaicus Diureticall, Corall, Antiepi- lepticall, we will not deny, that Corne- lians, Jaspis, Heliopropes and blood stones, may be of vertue to those in- tentions they are implied; experience and visible effects will make us doubt.” And just now the fact of the persistence of such forms of belief is forcibly brought home to us by the announcement—in a diurnal (lay) contemporary—of the unquestioning faith which is placed in the efficacy of “madstones” by a large proportion of our own fellow citizens. There are even now many of those precious tal- ismans in this country; and ‘“the be- lievers in their efficacy always know where the nearest one is kept.” One of them had long been the property of an Ohio negro, and was placed af- ter the death of its owner in the State library at Columbus. There it was recently applied to the wound caused by the bite of a supposedly rabid dog. The dog recovered, and the woman to whom it was applied died of blood poisoning ‘caused by the unclean cons tact. We are also informed that such a stone was kept in the Virginia state penitentiary for years, and was open to all comers for application to the bite of a mad dog, or other allied wound. One such (perhaps the same) was at a later date sold by auc- tion for 289. Still more famous was that brought from Russia in 1837 by a physician of that country who settled in Nevada. It had previously been exploited in that country for at least a century and a half—a fact supported by documentary evidence. The docu. ment was written in native Russian; and, as nobody cencerned could read it, everybody implicitly believed what they were told of it. The owner of: fered the stone for sale for $1500, and a joint stock company was formed for the nurchase. A thousand share- holders advanced $1 each, and the balance was made up by a farmer who became its keeper when the purchase was completed. Its fame still flour- ishes, and it is said that an offer of $3000 has been refused for it.—Ameri- can Medicine. Making the People Pay. One of New York's tailors, famous now for a score of years, made a for- tune by his claim to being the most expensive man in the business. He always managed to charge more than any of his rivals and was proud of that distinction, which he never failed to impress on his customers, who presumably were indifferent to expense. Now a new hotel is going to strug- gle for the same sort of reputation. “I shall not charge more than from 10 to 15 percent more than the other hotels of the same class as mine,” the proprietor said, “and I don’t think Americans will object to paying it. I have always found that the wealthy people are indifferent to price so long as they feel they are getting their money's worth. So I don’t mind tell- ing how much more than the other ho- tels I shall charge.” \ A Suggestion to Travelers. In packing trunks there often comes the final hour of desperation, when, af ter last calls, muddy boots go in or top of a jet bonnet, and the last de layed washing on top of that; or per haps unread papers with some friend's speech are sacrificed to wrap up thesy shoes. To avoid this dilemma, maka several pairs of bags of light weight washable stuff (pieces of summer dresses, percale, lawn, etc, may be used): and make but one pair of one color. Put each shoe or slipper with its own bag, not a pair together, as they will rub and will not pack to advantage. In searching for them. the color of the bags show which are mates.—Woman's Home Companion. KEYSTONE STATE CULLINGS GOVERNOR'S PROCLAMATION. Pennypacker Calls Attention of the People to Observance of Thanks- giving Day. ‘Gov. S. W. Pennypacker issued the following Thanksgiving proclamation: “Giving heed to an observance of an- cient establistment and long con- tinuance, much conductive to the moral welfare of the people, I, Sam- uel Whitaker Pennypacker, Governor of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, do hereby set apart Thursday, Nov- ember 24, as a day for offering thanks and praise unto the Lord for His manifold blessings and mercies. He hath delivered us out of the hands of our enemies; He hath given light to them that sit in darkness; He hath filled the hungry with good things; He hath scattered the proud in the imagination of their hearts; He hath so blessed the earth that it has: brought forth its increase; He hath defended us from perils and dangers innumerable; He hath not remem- bered against us our offenses, nor the offenses of our forefathers. Let us then gather together in our homes, meeting houses and churches and send forth praise unto Him, not only with our lips, but in our lives, and let us further remember to give help to the needy and succor to the poor and afflicted.” John Kerr, 42 years old, watchman for the Pennsylvania Sweep and Smelting company, at Pailadelphia, was killed by a robber, while at- tempting to save a fellow workman from being murdered. David Rikle, engineer for the company, came upon two young men robbing freight cars. He attempted to catch them when one of the robbers drew a revolver, and just as he pulled the trigger, : Kerr jumped between the burglar and Rikle. The ball entered Kerr's breast, killing him. The robbers escaped. With every assurance that the past will be forgiven, Mrs. Bertha Reuther, who murdered her two children be- cause she feared they would starve to death, will leave Moyamensing pris- on Thursday, a free woman. Her husband will take his wife to their home at 2803 North Swanson street, Philadelphia. Mrs. Reuther, on the night of August 2, 1903, turned on the gas in her bedroom, where her four little children were sleeping. Clara, eight months, and Pauline, 4 years, died. During the anniversary observance of the installation of Rev. W. J. John, as pastor of the Emmanuel Baptist church, of New Castle, a mortgage, representing a major portion of the debt of the church, was liquidated and the document was burned at the altar amid appropriate services. The debt of $15,000 has been reduced to $5,000. Rev. D. C. Edwards, of Taylor, Pa. delivered the anniversary address, and Rev. John Snape, pastor of the First Baptist church, of this city, spoke. The department store of F. H. Leisenring at Dunbar, and offices of the Dunbar Furnace _..company were destroyed by fire.” The loss is esti- mated at $30,000, "with insurance about half that amount. Bailey, the night watchman, was asleep on the third floor and was awakened by the flames. He was rescued from the burning building by means of a rope. : a After being strapped tightly to a board for 19 months, day and night, little Victor Loewus of Towanda was released, and is able to walk. Tig youngster is 4 years old. When he was a little over 2 years old it was discovered that he had spinal trouble. Timothy | roto «x ro A New York physician recommended . - the heroic treatment he has endured, and it has cured him. The following rural free delivery : route has been established ‘to begin December 15: New Florence, West- moreland county, additional service; route four; length of route, 23% miles; area covered, 12 square miles; population served, 396; number of houses on route, 99. The Beaverdale Water company and the Adams Water company, of Johns- town, have been merged into one corporation under the name of the Beaverdale Water company, the appli- cation having been granted by the State department on October 29. : John Fritz, 21 years old, despond- ent because of ill health, committed suicide at DuBois, by shooting him- self. He used a shotgun. Mrs. Sarah Clark dropped dead on the street at Lock Haven, while on her way home from market. She is survived by one daughter. Daniel Kelley, one of the best- known citizens of Hempfield town- ship, Westmoreland county was kicked by a horse and killed. Mr. Kelley was 60 years cld and leaves a large family. An explosion of ‘gasoline in the Addis Automobile company’s garage at Allentown, caused the burning of the plant and several adjoining build- ings. The loss is about $20,000. The Standard Steel Car company, of Butler, ordered its wocden car de- partment on night turn and is engag- ing about 400 additional men for the steel car department. An order was ‘issued at Sharon, to" start the Hall furnace of the Repub- lic Iron and Steel company. One hundred and fifty hands are affected. Mrs. Elizabeth Norris, 83 years old, an inmate of the Westmoreland coun- ty home, committed suicide by sever- ing an artery of her left arm. She lived for 30 years at Youngstown, Westmoreland county. The congregation of the First Christian church of Sharon, has. ex- tended a call to Rev. W. L. Jenny, of Austintown, O., to take the place of Rev. A. A. Honeywell, resigned. Eight boys were arrested and fined at Charleroi, for stringing to a tele graph pole John Morris, ‘colored. The boys said they only wanted to have a little fun. FOR EA di
Significant historical Pennsylvania newspapers