Donald, the By J. J. "You're nothing but a dreamer, Don mid!" The girl's voice was slightly con trniptuoua, and her eyoa ns they rest 4 for t moment on her companion, wero half aad, half scornful. The young man removed hla gaze rma the shining sea, whose murmur arose faintly from the shore far be zteath hla grassy resting place, and wegarded the speaker with a lazy, ttrod-hnmorcd smllo. "Well, my dreams are pleasant," he paid, softly. -They are, as usual, of you, Nora." She made an Impatient sound. He reach out and caught her nd, which ho held In spite of her efforts to withdraw It. "What's the matter, dear?" he asked, gently. "Oh, nothing!" she returned coldly, "without looking at him. Donald watched her curiously while the sweet breaths of the summer af ternoon stirred the hair partly con cealing her frowning forehead. "Something la bothering you, dear," lie said at last. "And It haa been bothering you for some time, now, though I've kept from saying I no ticed it Nora, I want you to tell mo the trouble." "I can't tell you! You wouldn't un flerstand." "Try me, Nora. We've been engaged for nearly three years now, and I've trusted you In everything. You can am rely trust me. And I I wish you would make up your mind to get mar ried, dear. The house has been ready for you for ages now; and so have I. 1 don't want to hurry you, but, still well, I'm wearying, you know. How ever, we'll talk of that after you've told me your trouble." He bent over and kissed her hand. "Donald," she said, "I wish you fcadn't asked me to tell you. You'll think It mean of me, but but I can't kelp It" "Do you love me, Nora?" he de manded, suddenly. "Yea, yes! That's why I'm misera ble, dear, at least oh, don't make me tell you!" "If you love me, dear, you will tell use. la it anything I can do?" Her eyes met his. "Donald," she cried, letting free the pent-up passion of months, "why don't you do some thing? Why do you waste your life breaming? Why do you live lazily way from the busy world, and let the years go past while other men do great things? Oh, there, I've told you die thoughts that have tormented me, -while, day after day, I've walked with you and sat with you here. It's hor rible of me but I can't help it, Don avid, dear." For nearly a minute he stared at tor, hla face growing paler and paler. "In other words, Nora, you are ashamed of me," he said, in a low voioe. Never before had she heard iim speak bitterly. "No, no!" she cried, quickly, hold ing out her hands to him. "Why didn't you toll me of this long eo?" be asked, ignoring her gesture. "I couldn't, Donald. I don't know low I managed to tell you now. Are you angry?" "No, I'm not angry. But I'm sorry -eorry for you. How you must have Sheen suffering while while I was reaming! " "Don't oh, don't talk like that! she exclaimed. "What a fool I've been!" he went en. "I thought we had everything that love required. A house to live in, enough money for comfort, and a beautiful country roundabout us. And "But a man ought to have work to Co," she put in, nervously. "Work? Work is simple a hard road that is supposed to lead to hap piness. If I have happiness through you, and the tew thousands my fothcjr left me, why should I struggle, and lor the moat part fall? My garden Civen me enough exercise; you and nature and an occasional hook give xne enough to think about. Ah, Nora, what is it you want me to do?" She sighed. "Do you wont me to have some am' tltion?" be asked, all of a sudden. "Yes, Donald!" she cried eagerly, That's it. You'll get tired of this comfortable dreaming you'll get tired of me!" "Oh. you sweet little fool!" he whispered, and catching her In his arms, he kissed her. "Get tired of you?" He luughed softly. Fur a moment Bhe was utterly happy, Then she drew herself clear of his unbrace. "Donald," she said, solemnly, "you're only 2G. Will this this sort of life content you when you're 40?" "Why shouldn't it? It I do less (treituing then, I can do more garden ing. Why, dear, I'm not such an idle wretch, after all. If I were paid for Iteepiug my garden in order, you'd call me a workman, wouldu't you! "But gardening is a pleasure to you," sine Bald, doubtfully. "Of course it is! Which shows it to bemy proper vocation." Hla sweetheart shook her head. :A anille died on hla llpti. ' "Nora, are you really In earnest bout wanting me to do er some' -thing?" v Bhe nodded. "Well, but suppose I tried to do umtething, and fulled miserably? "You wouldn't fall, dear," she re turned, quietly. "How can you know?" '1 Just feel it." He tried to laugh, but his heart bad ttecome too heavy. His peace of mind utd been pricked like a balloon, and Us voyaging In the atmosphere of 'fesvppy dreaanawere over. Even if X3ra ware BWfthuned of him, be felt Dreamer, j BELL. she had no reason to he proud of him. He had never seen her love in that light before. "Dear," ho said at list, with a new humblenoss In his voice, "what would you have me do?" Her face flushed with delight and triumph. 'Anything, dear, that win give you an object and ambition in life." For a long time he lay with his face between his hands on the cool, kindly grass, while she softly ntroke bis hair. "It's too late to think of a profes sion," he stammered at last. "I sup pose it must be business." "Well, why not?" whispered Nora. You must try to forget to be romantlu and sentimental, dear," she added, smiling into bis troubled face. "I don't care what you do, Donald, co long as you do it well; and I know you wllL Besides, you've had some business experience." "I was once a clerk in my uncle's office," he said with a wry smile, "but a few months of that were enough for me. Ah, Nora, Nora, why dls you waken me from my dreams?" "To make my boy into a maa," she replied, with a sweet laugh, which he could not resist You could never make me happier than I've been, dear," he said, after he had kissed her. 'Wait and see, Donald! And, you selfish creature, you ought to he think ing of my happiness," she aald, gayly. I'm going to give you your desire, Nora. I happen to know that. Harold Burbury wanta a partner, and I I'll write to him tonight." "Good boy!" "And now, dear, when will yon marry me?" She crept Into his arms, and laid her cheek againBt hla. "Whenever you like, Donald!" she whispered. 'You're late, Donald, and you're looking so tired, poor man!" "Oh, I'm all right," he returned, carelessly, dropping Into an easy chair by the library fire. Six years of busi ness life had altered the man more than the woman; he had gone Into the whirlpool; she had merely floated near and watched. But she, too, had grown a little weary looking. "Burbury is ill," remarked Donald, as he lit a cigarette wlth.Bomewhat shaky fingers, "and there's a lot doing Just now. Burbury is a wonder for work, and I only realize how much he does when he's away. By the way, Nora, there are those Bapphires you fancied." He pitched a small packet Into her lap. You can thank Burbury for them. I think I'm beginning to get used to his luck. I closed up one of his operations today, and my share of profits Is about four thousand. So on my way home I remembered the sapphires. Don't you want them now, Nora?" She came over to him with the un opened parcel In her hand. "Dear, I don't need any more Jewelry. I cer tainly admired the sapphires, but I never dreamed of buying thera. Oh, Donald, you are working and worry ing too much!" "Nonsense! Wear them tonight. We're going somewhere, aren't we?" "To the Medways, dear. But we needn't go. You are tired, and " "Oh. VII be all right after dinner. Med way's Just the sort of man who'd be offended, and Burbury wanta me to keep friendly with him." Nora suppressed a sigh. Presently she said: "Donald, I wrote to Wcstcllff today, asking them to get the house ready for Monday." "Well, I dare say you and Kitty will he none the woroe of a change. West cliff Is a rare place in the spring," said her husband, half closing his eyes. "Do you know, it's three years slnco you were there, Donald?" "So much as that. Nora? Well, I suppose it is. I remember I couldn't get away last year, when you and Kit ty were living in the old house." "But you'll come with us on Monday, doar, and take a little holiday?" said hla wife, anxiously and appeallngly. "I'm afraid that's Impossible; Bur bury won't be bock at work then, and one of us must bo In the office. There 1b so much to be done at present, but -rbut If I can, I'll run down to West- cliff on Saturday afternoon." "Say Friday, Donald." "I couldn't possibly manage It bo fore Saturday, Nora. Don't bother about me. I'm pertectly well odly a trifle fagged. I don't think I'll dress till after dinner tonight, if you don't mind." He closed his eyes, and, as she looked down on htm, tears hung on her lash es, and her mouth quivered. She bent down to klsB him, but suddenly straightened herself, and went qulotly from the library. "He can, think of nothing but his business," Bhe said, in her sorrowful heart, and, when she reached her room she flung herself on the bed In an agony of tears. She wore the sapphires that night, but It was quite obvious to ber that be had forgotten all about them. And, as she gazed at them lu the early hours of the morning, she imagined for an instant that she wad lying at the edgo of a high, grassy' cliff, looking Into the depths of a shining blue sea. Donald had written that be would endeavor to get away from business on 8aturday"though he could not be certain, an, had taken ber little girl to th the hope of see- ing him train. Westcliff, f J v being ardly worthy the title of village, had only two, trains dally from town, the' second of which' Nora watched anxiously as It rattled1 alongside the platform. "Papa hasn't come, Kitty, darling," she said , a minute later. "Papa making heaps of money," said the child, airily. "Come morro-day." Nora could not speak. 8he knew he would not come now for a week at least. "Too busy even to telegraph," she thought, sadly, hardly hearing her child's prattle aa he gently hnrrlel her homeward. The rest of the after noon dragged heavily away, and in the evening, when Kitty had been put to bed, she found her loneliness in the) parlor unbearable. It was dusk, but the air was mild, and at last, throw ing a wrap about her, she opened tho French window and went out Ijito the garden. "Donald would never have arranged his hyacinths like that," she murmured, ns she passed a plot from which a faint, exquisite fragrance arose. He'll be angry when he sees how they have clipped the hedge," sha added to herself, when she reached the bottom of the garden. "But perhapa he won't notice It," Bhe sighed. A little gate yielded complalnlngly to her repeated efforts, and she found herself on a path leading to the cliffs. Soon she was standing the edge, breathing the briny air, bearing the unceasing sob of the waves, and see ing, not the misty expanse before her, but tho smiling face and untroubled eyes of her lover of six years ago. "Oh. Uod!" she moaned. "Give him back his dreams!" It grow late. The freshening breeze chilled her, and with her prayer still trembling on her lips, she turned and went drearily toward the house, ber eyes fixed on the path. "Nora, Nora, what are you " "Donald!" Bhe nearly fell. "Did I frighten you?" he asked, laughingly. "I I didn't expect you. How " "I got a late train to Castleton, and drove over. Hadn't time to telegraph. And when I got home I found the win dow open, so concluded you'd gone out, and followed you. How sweet the sea air It!" "If you'd like to stay here a little. I I'm not a bit cold, Donald." 'Are you sure? Well, we'll Btay till I've told you the news. It's very bad news, Nora." Had Burbury'a luck turned at last? Had Donald been almost ruined? If ao, she was ready to take her husband in her arms and weep, while her heart sang for Joy. She bad enough money of her own, she told herself for life at Westcliff. "Burbury died this afternoon," said her. husband. "Poor chap, be fancied he was better on Thursday, and came into the office, and, I believe, added another thousand to our pile. Ho ' 'Burbury dead? Oh, Donald, then you are free 7" The words were out before Bhe could stop them. "Free, Nora? Oh, I see what you mean! But I'll miss hla Judgment terribly. The business will be a much smaller affair without him. I haven't got anything like his nerve." 'But, dear," she began', and halted helplessly. "It is glorious here," he) said. "When will you get a holiday to en- Joy It, Donald," she asked timidly. He shook bis head. "Heaven knows! I must be off early on Monday, and It wiU bo time enough to talk of a holl day six months hence. I don't want to take a partner. I've an ambition to run the concern myself. You'll be a very wealthy woman yet, Nora," he added, with a slight laugh. "Donald, I don't want any more!'! she crlrd, catching his handB. "How cold you are! Let us get ln Bide." "Walt a little. Donald, did you no tlce tho garden as you came through?" "Yes. What idiots of men did you employ?" Her heart thrilled. "Ho noticed? He hail not forgotten!" she thought "You you ought to take It In hand yourself, dear," she said, feverishly. "So I would, but I haven't time." "Ah! But, Donald, do you remem ber how I used to tease you about dreaming hero here, Just where we are stntullng?" "Yes," ho said, softly, looking about him. "Have you no dreams now?" "No, you cured me of dreaming. Iora. Why, what Is it? You're cry ing, drar. "Oh, It s kHling me, Donald! Why why did you go Into that awful busi ness?" He stared at her. "I don't know of any other business," he said slowly "in which I would have been as quick ly successful. "Oh, you don't understand, you don't understand! Tell me, do you" love this business? "No, sometimes It sickens mo. But a man must have work to do, and it's better to have some ambition even if it's not a very noble one. Would you rather I trleu something else. I mlgh be a failure the second time, yoi know." "Don't don't! Tell me, Donald, do you love Kitty and and me?" "What a question! Of course I love you and Kitty better than all tho world!" His voice had grown won derfully soft. "Oh, my dear," ho whispered, "have you been feeling neg lected?" "Terribly!" she sighed. "But what can I du, Nora?" "Gardening." "What?" "G-g-gnrdonlng an(j d-dreamlng. No more b-buslness." He looked at ber till who was ready to faint with shame. Then be opened bis arms to ber. "Come here, you neglected little thing!" he cried, with a choking laugh "Oh, Donald, dear!" "Don't speak for five minutes," be aid, pressing kiss after kiss upon her willing Hps, New York Weekly. diamon hard to steal MOST OF. THE 6ALE8MEN KNOW ALL f HE CROOKS' TRICKS. 8yaterris Employed In the Big Stores Women Thieves as Compared ,wlth Men Thieves Or.e Wy to Circumvent the Stealers. Says the SpjnFranclsco Chronicle: ,ittle does the a-verago customer, as he sees tho clerks of tho Jowoler lounging In apparent Indifference be hind the counter, realize that they am In fact amateur detectives, keeping in operation an elaborate system of es pionage. There are Innumerable attempts, more or less successful, to despoil tho ewelera on a small scaie, and every clerk Is carefully Instructed regarding all the "crook dodges" known to the trade beforo he Is allowed to handle the more valuable stock. A clerk In a Market street store says that ho has even known professional prestidigita tors to bo employed by European gold smiths to tost tho vigilance of their employes, and by giving them a good scare to make thorn more careful. Or dinarily, the young man learns by long experience to watch every move oi every customer, and by the time he Is old enough to be Intrusted with the diamond trays Is more than a match for any one but tne most clever of the genus thief. Fortunately, ail schemes to obtain gems without paying for them divide themselves Into a few categories, and after one has had his attention called to them all he Is not likely to be duped by an Immaterial variation. The chief trick of the thief is substitution, and great skill Is often displayed in play ing It. A pawnbroker in the retail dis trict recounts his experience with a rogue of this class: "One day,'" says he, "a Chinese called to see come solitaire rings. It Is not unusual for the better class of Chinese to purchase second-hand Jew elry, so I handed him out a tray of the best I had In stock. He picked up the finest stone I had in the tray, and af ter asking its price shufllel out. mut tering, "Come may be back tomollow." "Sure enough, ne did come back at the time promised, and again exam ined the same stone. But he didn't buy It, and aa he failed to return for several days I forgot all about him. But at the end of a week he came In again, and once more picked up the diamond which had pleased him on the former occasion. Ab ho turned to go I happened to notice that something was wrong with tho stone he had re turned to the tray, 'i he rascal had made an imitation and nearly palmed it off on me. I Jumped over the coun ter and he handed back my property. No, I didn't proeeoute what would have been the use after 1 had my ring?" "I depend upon my experience with human nature and upon observation," declared the head clerk In a down town establishment where many costly articles of the goldsmith's craft are constantly kept In stork. Do you suspect women more than men?" ho was osked. "No, I wouldn't Bay that. Women are undoubtedly more given to petty shoplifting, but we have only tho pro fessional Bharlts to gear, and these are mostly men. But whether It Is a man or a woman who asks to see anything costly, there is always a second clerk who appears to bo doing nothing, but Who in reality keeps his eyes on tho goods, while tho one who Is trying to niako the solo watches the customer. 1 look particularly at the eyes. If the eyes roam all about tho- room, It Is a bad sign, as they are trying to see Whether anybody Is looking or not. Even with all precautions there is a regular annual loss In almost nil big Stores. I know of ono firm In Chica go which reckons on losing 500 to crooks over Its counters annually, but there Is less of that kind of crime In Son Francisco." Mont of tho "clnrh games" originate In Paris. It was there that the "red pepper trick" was flr-t tried. It has been attempted once or twice here, and consists simply In blowing a quan tity of the pepper in the clerk's eyea and making off with all the Block that can bo grabbed In the confusion. It was In Paris, ten), that tho "causo cc'.obro" In substitution took place. A man, whoso namo Is even now a mys tery, called ono afternoon nt a fashion able Parisian goldsmith's aud critical ly examined a cluster of diamonds wrought Into a brooch and worth many thousand dollars. He called on two subsequent occasions, and finally Bald ho would buy the precious ornament, but that ho did not Intend to have nny substitute palmed off on him. So he asked for a box and some sealing wax. Beforo the propreltor's eyes the pur chaser put the brooch In the box, wrapped It In paper, tlod it securely with twine and sealed the knots with wax stamped with his own seal ring. Ho gave directions that It bo put In the safe until ho sent for it, which would not bo within reveral days and then, after making a small deposit, Wished the delighted Jewel6r a very pleasant afternocn. A week aftorward the box was opeuod and found to con' tsln nothing. A few years ngo S'an Francisco boasted a very mysterious, woman, at whobo hands several of our local mer chants suffered. Sho wits an adept at the famous "handkerchief trick," and was bo beautiful that nobody could be found to prosecute her. liven hor namo was not known. A clerk who bos had much experience In the jew elry business In this city thus descrlb scribes the attempt of this light-fin' gered siren to "do" dim out of a pair of diamond earrings: "Bhe had been looking at the ear rings for several minutes, when she drew a One silk handberckW root hr pocket and wiped her lips. 1 was sus picions at the sight of the handker chief, but Bhe made no move to drop It on the counter for several minutes. When sho finally did drop It I had ceased to notice. It lay on the coun ter, with tho ear rings beneath It, for fully 15 minutes, she told me after ward, when I forced her to confess, and when sho finally ventured to plrk it up t'ho held it In her hand for Ave minutes longer before putting It In hor reticule. Being sure that I had not no ticed the operation, she left the store and it was not until I counted over the stock that night that 1 knew t had been robbed. I Bticceeed In locating her, but she had Influential friends, who promised that she should leave town If no prosecution was Instituted. I knew oiie could cry too beautifully for a Jury to believe anything against her, ac I let her go, charging the trouble she had caused me to my experience account." The "wedding ring" trick was very efficacious until the undo became fa miliar with it. Any one attempting to execute It now would find himself under suspicion at mice. It originated In Englnnd, where there Is a supersti tion that It Is unlucky ever to take the gold band from the finger after the marriage ceremony. A woman will enter a store and complain that tho wedding ring that has been shown her Is so large that It might slip off and cause her 111 luck. She is consequent ly shown one that fits very tightly, and she la compelled to wet her finger with her Hps before Bhe can get It off. A brass ring, previously carried In the mouth Is handed back to the salesmen. If the rings In the trays are 18-carat fine It Is very difficult to detect the dif ference, but no brass burnisher yet discovered can produce quite the ef fect of 22-carat gold. Rings aire sometimes dropped into a parasol carried by a female thief. It Is very difficult to prove such cases, as It is always possible that the move ment was accidental. Most Jewelers will pretend to accept the accident thoory, and politely call the lady's at tention to the fact, that she Is carry ing off property not her own. All goods are identified by numbers in well regulated stores, and a record kept of their manufacture and eale. An account la also token of the most pre cious gems every night Therefore It Is' very difficult for the thief to suc ceed, except by regular robbery, as was done to the pawnshop of M. J. Franklin, at 215 Grant avenue, Feb. 21, IM'5, when $3000 worth of gems were taken by smashing the show window, The last famous slclght-of-hand dia mond theft in the United States oe curred at New Orleans, when an Ital Ian Becured $10,000 worth of Jewels from George E. Gall by appearing to put them In a box before 'his eyes. When Gall opened the box he found a Uo-dollar bill wrapped in a silk hand kerchief. By tho pretence that tho gems were to be manufactured into a cross as a gift to tho pope the Jewel era confidence had been so complete ly won as to dull tho edges of his pru dencu. QUAINT AND CURIOUS. Cnlnamcn consider it Impolite to wear spectacles in company. In Paris, France, a youth nttcmpted to kill his father in order that as a widow's sen ho might escape conncrip lion. Coins ore classed, according to theli stato of preservation ns "proof." "un circulated," "fine," "good," "fuir" and "poor. Fushlonablo dons In Paris, Franco, which for some time have worn over coats with pockets for their little handkerchiefs, aro now provided with goggles for their eyes whea taken motoring. Most fishermen on tho Frcnrh const nvoid going to sea on tho first two days of November, owing to a superstl tlous fear of tho "death wind" and the belief that drownod fishermen at that time rise and capsize boats. A Samoan editor Is angry because one of his subscribers who owed him money gent lilm inuUad a boatload of bananas, orangei;, guavr.s and alli gator pears, asking him to sell them and forward tie balance to him. Great Yarmouth, England, Tin tho narrowest eirect in the world. There aro many narrow streets in Great Yar mouth, but the narrowest is Kitty Wltchas, which Is only 55 Inches wide You can loan out of your window and shake hands with your neighbor acrc.33 the street. An Important Omisilcn. In a sham fight which was held in connection with a volunteer camp lute. ly, the invading force was led by an of ficer whobo hand was better suited to the plow than to the sword. They were marching down a road, and on turning a Bharp corner they came r.' ross the cneaip lying but a thorC distance fron them. "Charge!" commander tho officer. Away went hla men at full speed hut when they hud covered about half tho distance to the cnoniy they hoard their officer shout, "Come back, come back, the hale pack ' ye; come back to where ye started from, and start over again. I've forgotten to order ye to fix bayonets." Letter Too Perfect, No Doubt True. "Now," said the Kind-hearted woman, after the tramp had eaten everything in sight; "thore's the wood-pile." "Wonderful!" exclaimed the knight of the road, as be began to aideBtep. "I never saw tho like." SHEEPHERDERS IN WEST LONELINESS OF THE LIFE MAKES A MAN MOROSE. In Caring for Hla Flocks Ha Must Endure Privations and Face Deadly Enemies, Including Cattlemen The Pay lo $40 a Month. Sheepherdf rn In the far west are having a strenuous time owing to in termittent, renewals of the war with their ancient enemies,' the cattlemen. In Big Horn county, Wyoming, a few weeks ago, a party of masked and heavily armed cattlemen made a raid on the sheep camps of Patrick Dunn, on Broken Nock creek, killing over 300 head of sheep, destroying three Bheep wagons and their contents and driving the Bhecphcrdera out of the country. This la only one Instance out of hundreds, showing the constant danger run by sheepherdors. CBltlemen from Montana to Arizona are fighting for the preservation of their range, and many a sheephcrder, tu the past few months has been compelled to see his employ er's property destroyed, knowing that the first sign of protest will be the sig nal for a shower of bullets in bis own direction. Yet the menace of the cattle Interests Is only a small portion of tho aheepherder'a troubles. In reality, hla Job is one of the most strenuous of all employments, and yet the majority of people think that the sheepherder has a sinecure, with nothing to do but walk about In the sunshine and fresh air, and let hla faithful shepherd dog do all the work of herding. A few days spent In any sheep camp In Montana, Wyo ming, Colorado or Bny other great wool state, will convince the skeptic that the aheepherder'a life Is anything but a life of ease, and that the cowboy, the soldier, the miner, or almost any oth er man whose position Is supposed to entail great danger, does not take half the chances of the- solitary man whose lot Is cast on the sheep ranch. Not only is there a great deal of hard work connected with the sheep business, but there Is a larger loss of life among those who actively engage In it than In any other branch of the stock industry. In Constant Danger. In the summer time, when the sheep herder starts out with hla band of sheep and proceeds to find feed for his charges, he Is in constant danger from lightning. Many sheepherders are kill ed every year by lighting, tholr bodies being found weeks afterward. Little notice la taken of these tragedies two or three llnea In a country newspaper usually form the sheepherder's obitu ary. The herder, who usually stands on an eminence hi order to watch his flock the better, Beoms to offer a shin-. Ing mark for lightning. Two years ago three herders In Chouteau county, Mon tana, were strucK and killed, all inside of one week. There seems to be an at traction about a band of sheep that draws the lightning something that scientists have hot ye: explnlned. In the late autumn these electric storma are the most violent and sheep herders naturally regard them with a sort of superstitious terror. The death of a herder near Greeley Colorado, may be cited as an Instance of the constant danger from lightning. The bodv of Adoinh Scrubll. a sheep- herder, was found on the prairie fast July, evidently having been struck by lightning. Two of Scrubll's Bhoep dogs stood guard over his remains, but In spite of their efiorta, part of tho body had been dovourod by coyotes. Home silver coin In the herder's pocketbook was melted, showing conclusively by what agency the man had come to his death. In tho winter, of course, the sheep- herder has an even more strenuous time. There Is constant danger from blizzards, and there Is no means of gathering statistics regarding tho num ber of men who annually sacrifice their lives In trying to save the'.r flocks from the cold and buow. Ono severestormln Montana or Wyoming usually causes the deaih of at least half-a dozen her rtcra, but tho ranks are always filled with recruits, and the patient, courag eous men go right on facing death In the performance of their duty. A Pathetic Case. One of the most pathetic case3 of this nature occurred last winter In tha Red desert, sixty miles west of Raw linn. Wyoming. William Moody, a pheepherder, and his dogs wero caught in a terrible blizzard. The sheep per Ishod by scores, but Moody did not abandon the attempt to save bis flock. At last he foil in tho snow and froze to death. His dogs for two weeks stayed upon that spot guarding the body of their ch ad master. The animals kept themselves - alive by eating tho carcasses of the frozen sheep. They fought off coyotes aud when the her der's body was finally discovered it was with difficulty that it could be taken from the watchful care of these two animals. ' Tho danger from wild animals In the west Is small In comparison with other dnngors faced by the sheephcrd er, but it la to bo considered, neverthe' less. When the sheep are "bedded down" for tho night there Is constant danger of a visit from a bear. A silver tip la usually a harmless animal when not crossed In the work of getting a meal, but, whena sheepherder disputes the ownership of a lamb, there Is likely to be trouble. Many sheepherderg have lost tholr lives in this way, and others have been set on by the wolves which they have wounded and which have turned at bay, A flock of Bheep Is poiiBtantly menaced by enemies of tho animal kingdom, coyotes being the chief pest. A coyote will keep far out of range of a herder and bis dog, but with infinite patience and cunning will maneuver until it Is able to "cut out" a lamb or a fat ewe from the herd., Shoep lose their heads easily and wnen one IBs been separated from lie follows the coyote eaally turn It towards the prairie and kills It as lei sure. In ordor to guard agalnqt these menaces of the fiocl: fje border must keep constantly on the move. He de- penda a great rtfal on hla dug, of course, the Intelligence of these ani mals being little short of remarkable. There is a comradeship .between the herder and his dog which is broken only by death. Some of the herders spend all their spare tltno teaching the dogs tricks, and the lover of intelligent canines can find many wonderful and well-tralnod animals In western sheen camps. A Bold Hold-Up. Recently some sheep herders In the Upper Wind river country found a new foe in tho shapo of tho red man. Several Ampahoo bucks found a band of several hundred ehocp which had strayed away from their herdors and drove thoni to a spot where thoy could bo corralled. They then sent word to the herders that tho sheep would be returned when tha owner had paid a certain ransom. The feed In the country where the sheep were cor ralled was very poor and the owner took Immediate steps to get back hla flock before their condition had been damgod. After some argument, the owner managed to get the price down to $50, whli h random was paid and the sheep released. This was one of tho boldest hold-ttp cases In the history of Wyoming, yet nothing was done to the Indians. In the spring, at lambing time, the sheepman's life Is about as bard and disagreeable as can be Imagined. The lambs, which come in the cold months of early spring, have lo be gathered up In the arms and carried off with the mothers and placed In a small pen, In order that mother and offspring may come to know each other. When a band of 3000 ewea la dropping lambs In cold and stormy weather, the sheepman's life Is anything but a pleas ant one. Lambing crews are hard to get, although as high aa $50 a month and board are paid for men that do auch work. All for $40 Per Month. Notwithstanding the dangers and discomforts which the sheepherder Is constantly facing from one year'a end to the other, and In spite of the fact that he may at any time bo called upon to lay down his life, either In combat with the elementa, of with tho cattle men, he recelvee small pay. Forty dol lars a month Is the standard pay for Bheephcrders in western states. Of course, tho owner provides food and shelter In addition to this pay, but th food is generally not of the best and tho shelter of a tent or sheep wagon In the rough weather is not much to boast of. Despite the drawbacks of the life, however, there seems to be no lack of B'.ieephcrders. Many of tho men are intelligent, well read fellows who have taken up such a life In order to regain health, or perhaps to take themselves "far from the madding crowd." The loneliness of tho life la liable to make a man morose, and there la no exag geration in tho many stories of sheep herders who go Insane. There are few pleasant features to compensate for the many disadvantages and dangers of the sheepherder's existence, and it la hard to understand how such a life appeals to anyone. The sheepmen ore constant ly gaining In their fight for the range, nowevcr, and as long as they do so the number of herders Is bound to In crease while their more picturesque rivals, (he cowboys, will suffer a cor responding decrease. ALMOST TI-iE SAME. His Road Wasn't as Long but It Was Just as Wide. The waking hours of O. Otto Krupp wero spent In thinking of schemes whereby he might get rich quick. As tho owner of an eicht-mlle railroad ho was a peivon of considerable local Importance In the Pcnnsylvania-Gcr-mnn settlement where ho resided. Ono morning when Mr. Krurp's brain was particularly aetlvo It occur red to him that by sending passes over his road to the presidents of the big railroads of the country ho might re celvo complimentary passes in return. This would enable him to see some thing of the world at comparatively small exper.sa, and F.uch passes as he could not uso personally he could dis pose of advantageously. Mr. Krupp lost no time In getting lotter-heada printed with his own name in large typo as president. Then he sent "R. and A. "'passes broadcast and awaited Tepulta. One hot afternoon a flushed repre sentative of a big Western road walked Into Mr. Krupp'a office and said he had been all over town looking for the "R. and A." Railroad and could not find it. He said bo was Bent from Philadelphia to investigate before tno company is sued a pass over 1U entire line. "It ia cbust outside of town Ave minutes' valk," explained Mr. Krupn suavely. "How long Is your road?" asked the railroad's representative. "About eight miles. I tink." "Thunder! You dou't expect us to exchanges passes with a road like that, do you?" the representative deniaudod angrily. "Why, wo have eight thous and miles of road." "Veil," answered Mr. Krupp, draw ing himself up with an air of offended dignity, "maybe my road ain't so long as yours, but It's cbust aa vide." Caroline Lock hart, in LipplncotU. Prison Reform In Italy. ' The king of Italy haa signed a de cree abolishing the use or the strait waistcoat for punitive purposes in all the prisons of the kingdom. This re form is a direct result of the notorious D'Angelo case at the Reglna Coeli prison in Rome, Where the prisoner, whose guilt was dubious, died whiia undergoing th'.s species of torture. J.
Significant historical Pennsylvania newspapers