A8PIRATI0N. I. n rale and misty partlcten of Time "over about im ; scarce, our ct- can aea xoutha far-oS dream of what we vrra .... to Ufa a truth, Which once we would redeem with rhyme. Baa proved luatead a world worn imiito- mlme. The running river nf expediency Has drowned tha hopes thut fortune held In fi'o. why Tall up.m the track 10 many climb? , Why atrlve to peak what all the earth has heard? Why labor at a work the agea plan? Life hi been lived ao oft an outworn " thing! Ihen harkF The tlme-aweet carol of a bird. New as a flower; and sec ah, xhame to man ' lM Tha endless aspiration of tha spring. A MIDNIGHT "Please lenve Jim at home this trlpj" mother said, when father suggested taking; me with him, as he often did in the holidays. I was a' lad of twelve and father, who was a contractor, had big Job on a new railway. The ob lect of this Journey was to pay the men, the paymaster being 111. ' "I don't like you to carry ao much inoney," mother complained. "It's Bangerous." ; "Not a bit of It, Mary; don't worry. Not a creature knows that I am taking It " Besides, we are ahead of pay day." - But mother was not satisfied, watch ing us wistfully from the doorstep the next morning when we started for the office. A messenger from the bank brought the money, which was put Into father's valise. My bag was only half full and exactly like father's In tze and color. , We left town at 11 o'clock. You may be sure that we kept a careful eye on the valine. , It was dark .when we reached Oak ton, and after a poor supper at the only hotel we watted for the stage which was to take us to our destina tiontwelve miles distant. The stlke, drawn by two bony horses, rumbled up to the sidewalk. "Where's Bill?" father asked, for the burly driver always amused him with bis quaint remarks. "Guess Bill can't drive this here stage tonight," the landlord answered. "Them old horses skeered at some thing this morning and upset the rig, an Bill, he's a-lyln' upstairs with broken leg." Billy's substitute was anything but attractive. I have seldom seen a more disagreeable face. His. eyes were mall and shifting; his mouth drawn 4own. He was polite, however, and put out bis hand for the valises. "Never mind," said father, careless ly. "They will not be in the way, dace we are the only passengers." .. The night was dark and gloomy, i An Bat accountable depression came over " Going through the village father told me that It had once been ot some Importance, but a rival town had prawn away business and people, add Ing that It was sad to see "such beauti ful houses going to decay." "We will pass a house said to be feaunted," father went on. "A man was found dead In his room and the place became so terrifying to the fam lly that they left It hurriedly not even taking their furniture." I wished that father would not dwell on such unpleasant subjects, for it tare me a horrid sensation of fear. ''Where did the accident happen this morning?" we. Inquired of the driver. "Near the haunted house was the reply.. The horses seemed nervous and tided i every shadow. u.r;f j -"Here's the place," ,the driver cried, "and ure 1U the beasts seem to remember If At the earn Instant the terrtflayt animals shied violently, and before we aould speak the left wheels bad gone into a ditch and the big pole napped off. The man -Jumped out, tiyln . to 'quiet .the frightened horses. Strange, to say, we were unhurt and Scrambled out, clinging to our luggage. The jflrivtr; professed great concern, appealing 'much annoyed at the aecl Tent -We freed the horses and tried to lift the wagon,' but so, much damage bad bee done that It. was, Impossible rspsit -jt--''- .f :! $ " .;.;, j . . "I 'rnttat get, on to Norton tonight," father said. "Can we get a wagon TJt T'' "' ' -"- There was nothing nearer than the Village, the man declared,. ?,'and I mjist take these horses back and hitch them to the other , 'bus.": Then rubbing his bead and considering: - i "There's tome folks In the old house yonder.' I guess they can give you a bed, and I will be back by daybreak." There, seemed to be no alternative, so wo went to the old mansion. The door was opened by a man with an nforgettable face; with large pale blue eyes, a wide forehead with a broken nose. ' He spoke kindly, saying that he would give us shelter. After Bngerlng before a cherry wood fire, which seemea to emphasize the fitful shadows, we were conducted to a big bedroom upstairs. Its windows opened on a long veranda. After our host left us we stepped it, discovering that the veranda was much dilapidated and that a long ladder leaned against It - We next turned our attention to the room. A iuge, high-backed bed stood at one side; and In the centre a table on which were two lighted candles. It fcad been a handsome apartment, with richly painted walls and dark wains coting. Old pictures hung on the walls, their gift frames tarnished and dusty. Opposite the tables were por traits handsome people In the dress of lowg ago. .'. We began to prepare for bed. Father eylaoed bis valise on the table, taking at different articles and lay'0 tome If. The full throat of the world Is charged with sons;, Mum lug and twilight milt with errai.y in the high heat of noon.. Simply to be. I'alpllnnt where the green spring forces throng. Kager for life, life unashamed and strong This Is desire fulfilled. Kxalted, free. The spirit gains her ether, scornfully Denies existence that Is dark or wrong. This Is ennuph. to see the song begun Which Nlmll he tlnlffhed In some field afni. l.aiiKh thut the night may mill cuntuln a star, Nor Idly moan your Impotence of grace. Life Ik a xonat lift up your care free face Oladly und gratefully toward the sun. Helen Hay Whitney. RUN. or me money parrels on top. I wan dered about looking at everything. I had an uncanny feeling antl a sensa tion that somebody was looking at me, and that some one was breathing near. "Look at this picture, father," I cried, pointing to the life-sized face of a handsome old gentleman with cold blue eyes. "He seems to look at me wherever I go." "They say that's a sign of good painting, Jim." I had been learning of eyes lately from an uncle who was an oculist and he had shown me how the pupil dilates In darkness and contracts In a strong light. I do not know what induced me to take one of the candles nnd go close to the picture. "See this big moth, father," I cried. "Can I catch it for my collection?" Going to the portrait of the old gen tleman I raised the candle suddenly, nnd was certain that I saw the pupils ot the blue eyes grow smaller aud smaller. Oh, that moth!" I said, nnd made another move with the light, to see again the sharp contraction of the pupil. 'There! you've blown out the light!" father said. "Be careful, lad." In the dim light I glanced hastily, to see a well dilated pupil in the pale blue eyes. To say that I was fright ened would be to put it mildly. I was perfectly terrified ghosts and goblins were in the very air. If ghosts could see they could hear I dared not speak. Once more I raised the candle which I had relighted. Had I been dreaming? The eyes In the portrait were dark brown! . Whet I had seen, I had seen, but how was I to convince father of the fact. He, meantime, had repacked the valise, leaving It on the table. Going behind the bed where the eyes could not fol low, I wrote rapidly on a bit of paper. Again pretending to catch a moth I called father. The moment he saw my ghastly face he realized that some thing serious had happened. But for the money he might have laughed at my fears, but he was superstitious and confessed afterward that he had expe rienced the same sensation of a pres ence in the room. He scribbled a few lines, telling me to watch blm and wait. 'We heard voices below; a door shut, and then silence fell. We blew out the lights and pretended to retire. Then father got up quietly, took everything out of my bag, which, you remember, was the duplicate of his, and stuffed It ' with heavy bedding, locking and strapping It and putting It on the ta ble. Cramming everything in ' the precious valise, he put It in the bed. We were dressed except for our boots. We left, the Trench window ajar and got Into bed. The moon came up and shone Into the room. v ''' - 'Good bight, Jim; pleasant dreams," came In a sleepy voice from father and presently loud snores could, be beard from bis' side 'ef the bed. An hour passed." f kept shivering and seemed to see mother watching us anxiously; would we . never see her . dear .face again? Suddenly - we heard stealthy steps , and nudged . each other. The snoring."; became' ' louder. " Peeping through' ' half-shut lids, we saw a shadowy form creeping in the window, and a. hand stretched out to the valise on the table. , Then cautiously and noiselessly man and hag disappeared, ramer argued mat ine men would take their plunder to a distant room to open it, and that If they found them selves tricked our fate would be seal ed. Signing me to follow, father slip ped out of bed. Carrying our boots and the valise we gained the veranda, going down the ladder, which creaked under our weight Great heavens! if it should fall! We . touched the ground safely. Moving In the shadow of the building, we reached the barn; hiding behind it. Horrors! what did we heart I clutch ed father's arm and we cowered down In the high, rank burdocks. The door opened, and four men came out, laden with trunks and bags. They hastened to a wagon already loaded. The poor old stage horses were harnessed to it. It was evidently a "flitting." There was not time to examine their spoils. They'll not wake till morning," the blue-eyed man whispered hoarsely. The old one is snoring like a rusty saw." V To our unspeakable relief they Jump ed in and drove rapidly toward Oak ton, evidently to catch an early train. When they disappeared we ran rapidly down the road. At last we reached a house. Waking the Inmates we told our story. One by one the family hur ried down, and a UtUe brown-haired girl was greatly excited, watching us curiously. "We thought them suspicious eharac- ters," the farmer said, "and only to By Frie Waters. night a bint was given me that they i were a gang of counterfeiters, their chief being the blue-eyed man with the broken nose. The authorities were prepared to search the place tomor row." Neighbors were collected, horses brought out, and we started in pursuit, And hero I runy as well say they were, never captured. At daylight the constables from the vlllnge went with us to the haunted house, where were found evidences ol a counterfeiter's work antl signs of a hasty departure. They had probably been warned of the Intended raid, und father's Journey with the money and had delayed their flitting In order to secure It, In both cases causing the breaking down of the stage. We thought with glee how enraged tbey must have been when tbey opened the bag.. In examining the house they found the secret of the blue eyes. In an ad joining room hung a picture. Taking it down we saw that the plaster had ben removed nnd the canvas exposed Over the eyes were cleverly arranged slides. Moving them, one could by pressing the face closely to the yield' ing ennvas, look Into the next room. The man with the broken nose could do so more easily. Thus I saw his eyes as he watched father stow away the money. That, night's adventure gave me the chance of finding a treasure, for the little girl whom I met for the first time that night Is now my wife. She declares, however, that It was not a case of "love at first sight." That a more grotesque little figure she never saw, with staring eyes, hair standing on end, clothes covered with burrs, and a red necktie neatly tied under one ear. Michigan Farmer. AUDIT GAME SWINDLE. Applicant for Loan Pays to Have His Books Examined Gets Nothing, It is hard to keep track of the easy money games that are going on In this town all the time. Tho man who pays the bill Is usually the one who Is looking for money that Is not easy. He is short himself, and he Is seek ing some one to help him out. When he has had his little dose of ex perience he Is shorter than when he began. A new phase of the swindle might be called the audit game. A man needing capital Is likely to be taken in by men who advertise that they have unlimited capital to put out in safe ventures. He knows that his own business Is pretty well founded and he nibbles at the bait. At the office Indicated he gets a cordial welcome. He would like to borrow money, would he? Well, be has come to the right place, but It IS only fair, to warn him that the shop cares' to do business only with high grade business men. The applicant,' however, is a little wary. He would like some assur ances on his part that the men he Is to deal with are all right. The man who receives him calls his attention to several prosperous looking men sitting In an Inner office looking over securities. He points these men out as rich and as always seeking Safe investments. Sometimes the caller Is introduced to one of these men, who mildly acknowledges that he has money, but who makes It known at once that he has no deslro to handle any proposition that isn't safe. He nods to the first man, and tells the visitor to make plain his proposition to him. If it seems to be good, he will be glad to look It over. ' Here Ib where the bunco game be gins. The office man again says that his,, clients must be sure before they Invest. ; it will be necessary to make 'an! exhaustive examination of the ap plicant's books. It Is only right that the applicant should pay for this. Ac cording to the nature of the business In which he Is engaged, the price wll be from $100 to 1500. The lender-to-be assures the applicant that there will not be the slightest difficulty In get ting the loan. But the money must be advanced to pay for the examina tion. . . , ' The applicant is by this time so confident that he will get the money that he pays the advance required. The examiners come around all right. Tbey go over the books and ask a lot of wise questions, but are non-com-mltal. In due time the applicant gets word that the moneyed men have come to the conclusion that the examina tion of the applicant's business shows a condition which makes it undesir able for them to Invest in it ' A promoter who has investigated several of these concerns said to a Sun Reporter that there are scores of men engaged in this game. New York Sun. France's Submarine. The French navy is still maintain ing an active Interest in submarine vessels, and an entirely new type ot craft is soon to be constructed at Cherbourg, which, on account of its large size, will be known as a "sub marine cruiser." It Is 182 feet in length and 15 feet beam, being driven by electric motors when under the water and by gasoline engines at the surface. There are two electric motors, which operate two propellers and eight horizontal rudders, while cur rent is to be supplied by double sets of accumulators. Water-tight com partments will be fitted along the sides of the vessel for over two-thirds of Its length,-while fuel-tanks are to be placed in the centre, one on each side. Harper's Weekly. . The first notes of the "Marseillaise" are being used as a popular form of whistled greeting in London. i wrc The Cat's Tea-party. Five pretty II 1 1 la pussy-rats. Invited out to ten. Cried: ''Mother, let tia go oh, do! for good we'll surely he. We'll wenr our llh nnd hold our things as joti have Hlmwn us how Spoons In our right paws, cups In left and make a pretty how; We'll alwn.ts khv. 'Yes, If you please,' and Only half of that.' ' "Then C". my dm Hug children," said the happy mother-car. The pretty little pussy-cats went out that night to ten. Their heuds were smooth and glossy black, their tails were swinging free; They held th'-li- things as they bad learned nnd tried to be polite With snowy hlhs beneath their china they were a pretty sight. But nh ! alns for mnuners n6d and coats as soft as silk I The moment thut the little kits were asked t tnke smo milk They dropped their spoons, forgot to bow, and oh, what do you think? They pur, their noses In the cups and nil bcg.m to drink ! Yes, every naughty little kit set tip a meow for more, Then knocked the teacups over quick and scampered lurougu me uoor. Our Dumb' Animals, Another No-Prize Problem. The Idea of the following .puzzle was suggested by London Tit-Bits, It seems, according to the veracious paper, that there was, in the days ot ancient Athens, a crank arithmetician who was perpetually strolling out to the groves of Acndemla to bother poor old Plato with his propositions. But Plato devised a way of getting rid of him. When the crank one day pro, posed to inflict on him a lengthy ora tion, the philosopher cut him short with tho remack: "Look here, old chappie" (that is the nearest transla tion of tho original Greek term ot fanilllnrity), when you can bring me the solution of this little mystery of the 3 nines I shall be happy to listen to your treatise, and, In fact, record It on my phonograph for the benefit of posterity." Plato then showed that 3 nines may be arranged so as to represent the number 11, but putting them in the form of a fraction. The puzzle he then propounded was, to so ar range the 3 nines that they would rep resent 20. It 1b said that the crank worked 9 years at it and then gave up the ghost. But it is easy enough provided you know, thus: 9 plus 9 (Nine plus 9 Is IS, and this vided by 9-10ths Is of .9 course 20.) The puzzle is a good one to try on your matfaematl cal friends. Blown Away.' "I'm tired of everything, mamma Do tell me What to do," said Beth Lincoln, coming into the room where her mother was sitting. 'Why not play basketball with me?" 'With you, mamma. I didn't know you could play basketball." 'Why not? I have balls In the yarn basket, and I am going to weave the yarn in and out over this ball," said Mrs. Lincoln, smiling and holding up a wooden ball, over which she stretch ed the beel of Madge's little stock ing. "Oh, that kind! I don't call that play," said Beth. 'You and your friend Nellie had a nice time yesterday playing you were a sewing society; and why may not I play that my real work Is play basketball, for instance? I will toss a ball to you." Beth caught the ball, and said, as she came close to her mother: "But mamma, without joking, what can I do? I am tired of everything and everybody. Please tell me what I can do." ' "Is my daughter really tired of her self?" asked Mrs. Lincoln, with a slight emphasis on "herself?" Why, yes. Didn't I say so, mam ma?" "How would it do to stop trying to please self, of which you are so tired?" "Mamma, what do you mean?" , Just then dear little Madge came toddling into the room, and Bald wist fully, "I haven't any one to play with." Mrs. Lincoln gave Beth a meaning look, and said: "How would it do for my big girl tto get away from self, and amuse my little girl?" Mrs. Lincoln was called from the room, and she found two happy child ren when she returned half an hour later. What were they doing? Beth was blowing soap bubbles, and Madge was trying to catch them. Mrs. Lincoln stood for a moment In silence, thinking, "What a beautiful picture!" Beth looked up and saw her mother, and said, "Aren't the bubbles beauti ful, mamma, and isn't Madge a dear?" "I have two dears now; but what has become of that tired self?" "Blown away, mamma, with the bubbles," laughed Beth. Trlx and Nix. While mamma, papa, grandma and Trlx were at breakfast one morning there was a sudden tap, tap at the outsldo door of the dining room, which opened on a portico. "Trix, see who it Is," said mama; and when he went to the door, there stood a little Scotch terrier with bright, knowing eyes, ears erect, with a fringe standing out round them, and a brisk, stubby tail. He was say ing "Good morning!" just as well as be could. ' Trix was so astonished he could not say a word for a minute; then: "O mama, mama, It's a dear, nice doggy!" "Well, drive him away," said ma . . aV nia, "for he .belongs to somebody, you know." Just then Bridget came In, and see in the dog, said, "Sure, ma'am, and that dog have worrit the life out o' me these two days. I have drove him from tho kitchen titter twlnty times the day." .. , , . . "O niamn." said Trix, "he doesn't belong to anybody, then, and he wants to stay with us, you cat see he does. ' There was not much doubt about that, but the trouble was, the feeling was far from being mutual. The little terrier stood, eager, doubtful, beseeching, waiting his fate, which he knew hung In the bal a nee. Then grandma said, quietly, "I think he is 'n stranger at tho door,' and needs refreshment," gathering up a plateful of scraps und going to the door with them. Somehow that seemed to settle It, anil with n look of relief pupa said, "No doubt he will find his home, or his owner find him, In a few days." Trlx was aliuoHt as happy as if It were Christmas, and the dog seemed equally so. "What is your name, dear doggy?" said Trlx, over and over, bttt he an swered nothing, so papa said he guessed they would have to call him "Nix," ami he thought Trlx and Nix would make a good team. About 10 o'clock, as the two played together on tho porch, the postman's whistle suddenly sounded, and Nix fairly flew round the corner of the bouse to thu front. Then, almost be- fore Trlx could wonder why, he bounded back and laid a little pile of letters at his feet. At the same rnln nte the post inn n was ringing the front door bell furiously, and soon was telling mama how her dog had seized the letters from his hand. Then mama had to ' explain all about Nix, and the postman said he probably came from the country, and had been in the habit of taking let ters from the rural free delivery post man. He knew a dog that did It reg ularly. Sure enough, when the whis tle sounded next day he rushed to the front again, and this time the post man had ready just tho letters which belonged there. One Friday morning, a week from the day when he first appeared to Bridget, mama stood at the window about 6 o'clock, for It had been a very warm night and she had not rested well. She was just in time to see a market wagon coming down the street, and as It came opposite the house. Nix suddenly bounded Into the street and raced round the vi gon, wild with joy. Then the man look him up beside him, looking fully as happy as the dog. Mama exclaimed softly to herself, "Ho has found his owner!" and she felt sorrowful to see him go, and dis mayed when she thought of Trlx and his grief. "Well, I guess he did not care much for us, and we must try not to re gret him too much," she said. But the wagon only went a few rods When Nix bounded down and came up the walk again, stood a min ute, first looking at the house, then at the wagon; but there was a clear whistle from the man. and he rushed off again. - So mama was able to tell Trlx that the doggy certainly did love them, and was sorry to go. Then another Friday morning came round, and as mamma opened the outside dining room door, there lay on the floor a little paper bag. "I wonder what this Is," she said, and when she peeped In there was a beau tiful peach, and a scrap of paper with this written on it In a scrawling hand: "From a grateful dog." After that, throughout all the sum mer market season, there was on Fri day mornings a little paper bag at the dining room door, with a. peach or pear, grapes, tomatoes or some thing, and you may be sure Trix nev er forgot to look for it. One morning mama had him up at 5 o'clock and out in front ready to see Nix when he came, and there was the happiest meeting you ever saw, which the marketman enjoyed, too, and finally Trlx was taken upon the wagon with them, and rode two squares down tho street and back. I think Nix actually thought Trix was going with them for good, and when the marketman put the little boy down at his own door, he did stand a minute and look first at the wagon, then at the house; but mama said, "Come, my son," and he came at that dear call, just as he should, back Into the house, which certainly could not do without him.. Isla May Mullins, In Youth's Companion. Appropriate Reading. Here is a story illustrating the tact of Captain Hoegemann of the German Lloyd fleet. On one ot his trips he was made a confidant of a Boston ma tron who constantly aged for advice about her son. 'Captain, will you get me a good book for Bobby to read?" she said one day. The captain strode down to the ship's library and returned with "Jack and the Beanstalk." 'There, Bobby, that's the best book I know of for a Boston boy," he ob served. It is said that Bobby did not appre ciate tho captain's chivalry. New York Press. SERPENT'S WISDOM A MYTH. SNAKE3 GOOD A3 FOOD, NOT AS PET8, 8AY8 A SCIENTIST. BUT Blue Racers the Most Delicate Eating Snakes Not Hostile to Man Their Cunning and Curiosity Good Points About Them 8nake Meat Sandwiches, "Snakes are all right as food, but very unsatisfactory as pets, for the reason that they have no psychologi cal nature," salt! a scentlst now con. nerted with Harvard university. During a six years' residence In the west he made a close study of snakes and their ways. Having them In his study unconflned and about bis prem ises In numbers, be became familiar with them. The wisdom of the serpent he pro nounces a myth, though he admits that snakes have much cunning, are wily to a degree and perfectly Under stand their power und limitations, For example, a rattlesnake does not retreat In haste when disturbed. Real Izlng that Its bite ends the game, it Is invariably deliberate, but If left to Itself In its own good time It makes off. Other venomous snakes also recede slowly, understanding as does the rat tler, that they are equal to most emer gencies. Contrary to tho common no- tlon.i snakes are not hostile to man. The most venomous and powerful will run from man If possible. It Is only In self-defence that any poison ous snake strikes. That a rattlesnake rattles to give warning of its presence Is a popular fallacy. It really does nothing of the kind. The talis of all snakes quiver when they are excited and therefore the .rattle is heard when disturbed. Why it has rattles on Its tall no one hns been able to find out. It would be, according to this stu dent of snakes, quite absurd to con clude that the handsome, Independ ent, husky rattlesnake is Instinctively or otherwise considerate of others In giving warning of its presence. As are all snakes, It Is simply negative In Its attitude toward others, save when the Instinct of self preservation is aroused, when It becomes positive In self defence. The chief difference between the ways of a poisonous snake and of one whose bite is no worse than the sting of a mosquito, is in the deliberate withdrawal of the one and the hasty retreat of the other in case of dan ger. The large majority of snakes are quite harmless and slip away with all speed at the approach of either a human being or an animal, knowing that the ability to conceal themselves is their ono means of preservation While not crediting snakes with wisdom, it is stated that in many ways they are the reverse of stupid, They are very curious, and when they can do so without danger to them selves, they examine an unfamiliar object with keen and repeated atten tion. It is related by this scientist that In attempting to capture a water snake he put his foot on It In the soft ooze at the creek side, but failed to hold It. To see what the snake would do, bo stood perfectly still, and in a few moments it came back and, swim ming slowly round and round bis boot, examined it most carefully, not, as might be supposed, by looking at it, but by touching It at every point with Its tongue, not once, but again and again. The quick thrusting out and draw ing in of the tongue is a snake's way of finding out what things about It mean. The tongue Is its most import ant sense organ. It really has very little sensation elsewhere, and those that are most poisonous can, if not restrained or hurt, be moved about with impunity. Yet those who handle and study snakes constantly invariably hold them by the back of the neck, as a cat does a kitten, and both seize and liberate them with alacrity. Before they are seized tho rule is to keep out of striking distance, which is one-third the length of the snake. In the college town where these studies of snakes were made the anti pathy and horror with which they are ordinarily regarded no longer pre vails. On one occasion a city visitor at the scientist's house announced in terror that there was a snake on the steps of tho porch. "Yes, it's sunning itself," her host ess replied easily. "I often fear some one will step on It. For several years It has been about the grounds. It is quite harmless, though occasionally It captures and devours a young rob- In. Snakes are so very fond of birds. and they require live food." For some years a large pilot snake. picked up on a Michigan prairie and named Daisy, was almost constantly with this man, who, to know snakes, made companions of them. Often It wound itself about his arm and It seemed to like being there. The dainties that snakes love he provided and he constantly bestowed on Daisy such care and attention as was calculated to win a snake's affec tions. The only result was that Daisy grew quite unafraid; seemed to prefer to take food from his hand and made no effort to escape, which was all that could be expected from a creature which has no affection for :ts young. Many snakes spurn their offspring from the first, others keep about with them for a week, giving them pointers as to how to get on In the world, and then leave them to shift for themselves. Daisy when left to Its own diver sions followed the instinct which gives its kind the name of pilot snake, and would make excursions up the supports of porches and the sides ot a house or room, but was quite! willing to be captured and carried about In the fall it descended to tho cellar, and winding Itself up In a tight coll hibernated, without food,V from the middle of September to the middle of April, coming out in the spring, seeming glad in its way to be alive. In discussing snakes and their pe culiarities, attention was called to their beatftiful coloring and markings, which. It Is asserted, are finer than those of any other creature living on land In this part of the world; to their graceful movement in symmetri cal curves, and to tho fact that they never make a superfluous motion. Observation also shows that they serve a useful purpose In ridding the land of grasshoppers and other pests Inimical to agriculturists. Most particular as to their food, snakes eat only that which they kill, and tbey Judge of the fitness of their food by its motion, taking nothing which does not move swiftly. Field mice and'birds are dainties .they espe cially covet, and In hunting and cap turing them they display the guile and cunning which the scriptures at tribute to them. That they charm their prey Is an other popular belief which is quite un supported by fact. The creatures they hunt fear them, as a hungry snake has a way of getting what it goes for, and, seeming to understand this, a bird is so filled with terror when it sees a snake that often it is unable to fly and falls an easy victim to its enemy. It is this condition that leads to the generally accepted conclusion that a snake has the power to cnarm. As an article of diet, the blue rac er, of all snakes Is said to bo the most delicate In flavor, as It is very cleanly in its habits and particular as to its food. The flesh of the rattler is also perfectly wholesome and toothsome, bavins a flavor, like the flesh of most snakes, like chicken. At an evening entertainment, given at the home of this investigator, let tuce edged sandwiches of finely minced snuhe meat were served, and were supposed to be chicken until it chanced that a student discovered a peculiarly shaped bone. Twirling It between his thumb and finger he ap proached his host and asked if there was anything, save a snake, that could make use of that bone. Being assured there was not, the company were soon discussing the merit of the blue racer they had been eating. From one snake 35 (sandwiches had been made. New York Sun. QUAINT AND CURIOU8. The most remarkable movement of our times is expressed in the state ment that "the world is eating up Its sheep." In Germany the flocks have decreased over 60 percent sine 187S, and this Is only an extreme Instance of what is going on elsewhere. The Increasing price of beef Is given as one reason of the eatiDg up of tbe sheep; the dread of tuberculosis- Is another. At a recent sale in London a quarto volume containing the second- part,, of Shakespeare's "Henry- IV," and bearing the date of 1605 was sold for $2,500. This volume, which was in scribed with William Penn's auto graph, was one of five early Shakes peare quartos belonging to George Carrington, who had owned them for many years without realizing their great value to collectors of rare books. The entire five were sold for $14,250. A Sullivan county dead man sang at his own funeral. A phonograph was placed on his coffin. When the relig ious ceremony was over the phono graph was turned on and the church listened to the dead man's voice rendering one of his favorite L. jns. Kansas City Star. Burglars who have a dog to keep watch for them and give the alarm when danger approaches are operat ing in Alameda, Cal., with ' success. The police have a description of the dog. Taking four heads of human hair of different colors but equal weight, it has been found that the number of hairs per head varies as follows: Red, 90,000; black, 103,000; brown, 109,000; blonde, 140,000.- Dark, brown hair Is the color rnosV frequently found in England, the proportions averaging as follows: ' Red-haired people, 30; black, 67; fair,: 108; light brown, 338; and dark brown, 807. Four hundred and fifty hairs of aver age thickness la(d side by side would cove one Inch in width. A fire which broke out at the too of a 200-foot mast in South Boston, belonging to a local space-telegraph station, proved to be quite beyond the ingenuity and resources of the city lire department The mast was con sumed In 12 hours down to the 50- foot gaff. It was then determined to make an -effort to scale the pole, and four firemen undertook to raise a sec tion of hose within reaching distance of the flame. They climbed 10 feet apart, and while the weight of the hose severely taxed their combined strength, their efforts were success ful and the blaze was readily ex tinguished. The Shameless Man. Lawson So your wi.'o has been away all summer? I thould think you would be anxious now about her re turn? Dawson I am. I'm afraid she's coming back next week. Somervllle Journal.
Significant historical Pennsylvania newspapers