v
Djf Return
T.. CIIC4M fCATIV1 ll Ac nri i
"Seems
mother."
Utile loni'ly at times,
"Now, pa, you know it's all for the
test"
'1 ain't arguing It ain't all for the
best. I was saying it was a little
lonely that's nil."
Mrs. Free pulled the big wooden
Tocklng-chair up nearer the stove,
which was sending . a warm g;ow
Into tho room, and took up the soft
white wool whie'u she was to trans
form Into "one of those shoulder
things" for Rhoda Rhoda would need
euch things now that she was in tho
city.
But instead of beginning her work
she turned a little in her chair and
looked out nt the broad expanse of
white. The hills were all cold and
chining, and more snow was t-ven now
Dying in the air. Winter had come in
earnest.
"Of course, mother," said the old
Tanner, with a quiet, kindly sort of hu
mor in his voice, "you ain't ever lone
ome." "Wben I do get lonesome, pa," she
said, picking up her work, "I Just keep
thinking how it's all for the best and
that's consoling."
John Free walked over to the win
dow. "If Rhoda was home now and
was teaching the school, I'd just obout
be putting Nellie to the cutter. Rhoda
never did much walking over bud
roads when 1 was round."
"And Rhoda appreciated It, pa." said
Mrs. Free, after a pause in which she
bad been silently counting si itches.
"Rhoda was the best teacher they
ever had round here." And then, as
his wife was still counting stitches and
did not answer, he continued, hall'-ag-tressively,
"Everybody says that."
"Fourteen fifteen sixteen. You
never heard me say, pa, Rhoda wasn't
good teacher. All I said was a girl
who could sing like Rhoda had no
business teaching the Hickory Grove
tehool or any other, for that matter."
"Brother Williams Fays there ain't
the same inspiration In Ins preaching
now that Rhoda's left the choir; and
I.will say," Ills voice sank to the tone
' of one making a confession, "that
while I go to church to worship thq
Lord, the worshipping was a little
well, a little more pleasant, like, I
night say, when Rhoda was there.",
"More than one has said that," re
marked Mrs. Free, complacen'ly.
"I never saw anything to heat the:
way this whole community leaned on
Rhoda! 'Twas Rhoda this and Rho
da that! Nothing from a barn-raising
to a funeral could go on without hr-r,
They can't ever say our Rhoda was
Btlngy with her singing, mother." '
"I guess our Rhoda wouldn't be her
pa's daughter if she was stingy with
anything," said Mrs. Free, quietly.
She had a way of saying these
things when least expected, and they
never failed to be disconcerting. "Now
I wasn't counting on that having any
thing to (Jo with it," he said awkward
ly. ' "Mother," he went on, after listen
ing patiently to "thirteen fourteen
fifteen sixteen," ''shall yon ever for
get how she sang 'Lead Kindly Light'
at Tim Powers' funeral? Seems like
of all the times I ever heard her, that
was the most moving." ,
The soft wool fell to Mrs. Free's lap.
"Rhoda's ko sympathetic," she said,
softly.
John Free chuckled. " 'Pears to me
she wouldn't be her mother's daughter
If she wasn't some sympathetic."
"Fourteen fifteen sixteen turn."
was the only response.
"6'pose I might as well be about the
chores. Does seem like this winter
wbb going to be mighty long.".
"Now, pa, don't be so restless four
teen fifteen sixteen there! that's
wrong."
He stood by tho window, putting on
bis heavy coat. "Looks like Fred Bar
rett's cutter coming," he remarked.
"If Rhoda was home it wouldn't be
bard to guess where he was making
for," remarked Mrs. Free.
"Coming 'long pretty brisk. Cold
out, I reckon. He's got some one in
with him and 'tain't a man. Moth
xx" he cried, excitedly, after a mo
ment, "Fred Barrett's opening the
gate! Mother," he added in a choked
voice, "come here!"
She stood beside him at the window,
and be pointed down to the gate.
"What do you think?" he gasped.
The woman's face grew strangely
white. "It's it's it can't be 'tis "
"Rhoda!"
They stood there in a daze, and then
two pairs of hands were fumbling at
the knob.
How Rhoda got out of the sleigh,
who carried in the valise, how Fred
Barrett got away without being so
much as asked in, they never quite
knew. It was all a strange whirl, and
then the door whs shut, the sligh-bells
died away, , and Rhoda, after one
strange, frightened look round the old
room, threw herself into her mother's
arms hut, -snowy coat and all; and
there burst from her the wild, uncon
trollable sobs which follow a long, bit
ter strain.
The mother stood holding her in ut
ter silence she was a mother, and she
inew that was best. But when John
Tree could bear it no longer, he put
a band on the girl's shoulder, and said
brokenly, his own rugged futie wet with
tears, "Rhoda, girl, you're home now.
No matter what's happened, it's all
Tigit now."
cit Khnda.
She raised her head then and grop
ed for her father's hands. "It was a
mistake," she moaned, piteously, "a
mistake!"
"Now, what's a mistake?" said John
Free. "I Just want to know."
"Mother," cried the girl, her voice
still thick with sobs, "it's gone! Our
dream's gone, mother! I I oh, I
can't sing!" 6he sank to a chair,
her head fell to the table, and sobs such
as the old room had never heard be
foro crowded upon one another in hot,
passionate succession.
"Something's happened to your
voice, Rhoda?" asked the oil farm
er, timidly.
She grew more quiet then. "Oh, no,
pa," she said, "nothing's happened to
it. It never was there. I never could
sing."
"Wei, I guess we know better than
that! And whoever said "
"Now, pa," broke In Mrs. Free, "this
is no time for arguing. Come right up
to the fire, IXulie, and we'll get off
those wet things and get a good, hot
drink. You'l take your deatli of cold
sitting there as though no one cared
whether you were wet or dry!"
After her feet were warm, and she
had taken the hot tea her mother had
made for her, and the old surroundings
had taken a little of the sting from her
wound, the girl began casting about
in her mind for words which would
not distress her parents. They were
sluing on each side of her, eager to
know, and yet reluctant to ask ques
tions which would bring pain, their
sorrow, after all, tempered with glad
ness because she was at home.
"You see, pa." she began, quietly,
"there are no really great singers
round here. I am the best there ",
and so, because 1 can sing a little. Miss
Parsons all of us, made a mistake and
thought I had a great voice, when 1
haven't."
"But I can't see " began the old
farmer.
"Now, pa," protested his wife, "Just
let Rhmla 1 el 1 it."
"The city is full of good singers,
mother. They come from all over the
country. There are thousands of
them who' can .sing better than I can."
"Now I don't believe that!" cried
her father, slapping his knee hard.
The girl smiled at him fondly.
"You'll have to believe it, p;i, for my
teacher, one of the best ia the whole
city, said sri."
"He did, did he? Weil, what had you
don? to make him mad? There's
something behind it!"
"Oh, no. pa. And yon mustn't reset. t
it. It was very kind of him. He
might have gone on taking our money
for a long time, but he didn't, you see.
He was very good." .
"Hum!'' .'runted John Free, dubi
ously. "And he was so very kind about it.
It. was after my lesson, and I was
standing there, putting on my gloves,
when he looked over at me in a strange
kind of way and asked me just what I
hoped to make of my voice. I didn't
quite know what to say, and then he
asked me pointblank if 1 expected to
make money out' of it, to make back
the money I was putting Into it then
he asked me some'hing about our cir
cumstances, here at home. oh, very
kindly, pa," as an angry exclamation
burst from the old farmer, "and when
I told him we wern't rich, that that
it had been an effort, you know, he
looked at mo very qucerly. and then
he sat down and told me the truth."
She hesitated, and then went on with
a little catch in her voice: "And in
spite of all I've suffered, I t hank hiin
from the bottom of my heart."
Her mother reached over and took
one of her hands. "Just what did he
say, Dodie?"
"Merely that it wasn't great,
mother; that it wasn't worth the
money We would have to put into it.
He says voices can he made now with
out much to start on, but it takes a
long time and a great expenditure, and
when there are sd many who have
have something good to begin with,
why, my voice would bring us nothing
but disappointment. And I can see
that he's right.
"He says it's a nice little home
voice," she went on, trying to smile,
"but that is all it ever will be, you
know, and 1 can't afford to pay five
dollars a lesson forr-don't you see,
mother?"
Mrs. Free only pressed her child's
hand tighter, fighting the lump which
kept rising in her own throat.
"I wasn't very philosophical about it
ut first," continued the girl, her voice
shaking as if It might give way with
any word. "Of course I didn't cry
or make any fuss before him, and I told
him so, and that 1 wouldn't take any
more lessons. Oh he was so good
about it! He told me that we couldn't
all have great voices In this world:
that it wasn't ourfault of we didn't
have them, and lhat if we did the best
we could with what we had, there was
nothing to he ashamed of. He shook
hands with me, and said he had liked
me so much, and that it was just be
cause he liked me he had told me.
"I knew that what he said was true
ubout our only being expected to do
our best with what we had, and yet
0 mother! mother! you know how
foolish I've been! You know how I've
stood up in our little church, and
dreamed It was a great city church
wit thousunds of people you know
, how I've gone to sleep at night drcni-
ing 1 was taking great armfuls of flow
ers, while people clapped and clapped
to hear me sing again! Mother, you
know!" and she pressed the worn
hand she held close to her cheeky
while the hot tears ran down her tired,
white face.
"When was all this?" demanded her
father, his voice gruff with the effort
to keep back the tear3.
Rhoda hesitated. "Ten days ago,"
she said, at last.
"And where under the sun have you
been ever since?"
She pushed backed her hnlr wearily.
"I've been trying to work in a etore
and I was almost as dismal a failure
at that as I was as a prima donna."
"Now, Rhoda how could you?"
cried her mother.
"Oh, you don't know the feeling 1
hnd! I wanted to come home, and yet
I Just couldn't. It seemed like coming
home defented. It seemed I Just must
do something in the city, and fo one
of the girls got me a place in a store."
She paused, and then laughed tho
nearest to a natural laugh they had
heard since her return. "I was an aw
ful clerk! I hated It! Tho air was so
bad, and some of the peoplo were so
snlpy and horrid. And then, father,
one night I came home with my head
and feet both aching, and all tired and
sick, and I found your letter about Mr.
Childs .wishing I was home to take the
school, and about you and mother be
ing so lonesome, and and that letter
brought me home."
John Free cleared his throat and
looked over at his wife with an air
which defied contradiction of rebuke.
"It's a curious thing," he said, "that
I was telling your mother this very
afternoon that 1 had nine-tenths of a
notion to go and 'telegraph Rhoda to
come home. I I ain't feeling any too
well this winter."
"Aren't you. pa?' she asked, in quick
concern. "What seems "
"Oh, I'll be all right now." he hasten
ed to say, and looked boldly over at
his wife.
He went out to see about the chore
then, and the girl sat down ami talk
ed her heart out to her mother. When
it came time to get supper, she went
about some of her old duties naturally,
almost gaily, and she more than once
brought joy to her mother's heart by
letting her laugh ring gladly out
through the old kitchen.
"Mother," she called from the win
dow, where she was standing beating
an egg, "where under the sun is father
going this time of night? He's got
Nellie hitched up, and he's going off!"
"Now I do say!" cried Mrs. Free,
and hurried to the doer to enter pro
test, but only in time to see her hus
band wave his hand In provoking
fashion and drive away.
"Well, if that isn't funny!" laughed
the girl, and went on beating the egg.
When he came back, about half an
hour later, he sat by the fire and
watched Rhoda set the table. "Joe
Childs was mighty tickled," he
chuckled, at last.
She put down the sugar-bowl with
a thump. "Now, father, where have
you -been?"
"Hum! Guess I've got a right to go
about my own business. I had an er
rand tip to Joe Childs", and while there
while there," he repeated, eyeing her
defiantly, "I happened to mention that
you were home and say, he jumped
right out of his chair, and waved his
arms and shouted at me, 'Look here,
John Free, will Rhoda teach our
school?' and I replied that you might
consider it."
"Now father!"
She laid the knives and forks round,
mid then stood there, looking at him
with eyes a little misty. "But it is nice
to feel you're back where Borne one
wants you, where where you're a suc
cess," she said, tremulously.
"Never was a teacher round here
like you," said John Free.
It was after, they had finished sup
per and the dishes were cleared away
and washed, and Rhoda was sitting bf
the table, reading, while her mother
sat close nt hand, knitting upon the
soft, wool thing, that the old farmer
shifted in his chair and began, a trifle
nervously:
'"if it makes you feel had, Rhoda,
don't think about it; but many a night
I've sat hre before I went to bed, and
tried to think how it would seem to
hear your voice in my ears again,
a fid" 1
"Now, pa," broke from his wife,
"how can you?"
"Tomorrow, father," said Rhoda,
termulousl.
"All right just as you say," and the
old man turned back to the fire.
For a long time Rhoda sat there,
pretending to read, but not seeing a
word. She was thinking of what the
teacher had told her of doing the best
she could with what she had, thinking
how kind they had been to her in her
home-coming how they had made it
almost happy, instead of sad. She was
thinking that to them her voice would
always be beautiful that the world's
cold shoulder could not thrust away
a faith born of love.
She rose then and walked over to the
little organ which stood in one corner.
"I will sing a little, pa," she said, "if
you want me to."
They drew their chairs round where
they could see her, .jtnd waited for her
to begin. Her mother's face was wet
with tears, and the old farmer put his
hand to his mouth and coughed.
Rhoda sat at the organ for several
minutes In silence, her hands resting
on ;he keys, wondering what to sing,
wondering' if, disappointment' had not
ruined all the voice she ever had. And
then it seemed that the spirit of that
home, that little country home where
thcr-e was love and peace, wrapped hir
round as with a mantle.
She raised her head, and her voice,
sweet and tender, carried out into the
old room, to the two faithful hearts,
the beautiful, never old words:
"Mid pleasures and palaces though we
may roam,
Be it ever so humble, ther's no place
like home.
A charm from the skies seems to hal
low us there,
Which, sought through the world, Is
ne'er nut with elsewhere."
Rhoda had never sung so well be
fore, for she was singing out her grati
tude and love singing out her heart's
thankfulness Tor this refuge from the
stress and sorrows of the world.
Youth's Companion.
AFRICAN SLAVE GIRLS.
Transported in Ship and Sent to Plan'
tations In Interior.
The slaves on deck regarded the
scene with almost complete apathy,
Some of the men leaned against the
bulwark and silently watched the
points of the island ns we passed. The
women hardly stirred from their
places. They were occupied with
their babies, as usual, or, lay about In
the unbroken wretchedness of despair.
Two girls of about 15 or 16, evidently
sisters, whom I had before noticed
for a certain pathetic beauty, now sat
huddled together hand In hand, quietly
crying. They were just tho kind ot
girls that the planters select for their
concubines, and I have little doubt
that they are concubines or planters
now. But they cried because they
feared they would be separated when
they chme to land.
In the confusion of casting anchoi
I stood by them unobserved, and in
a low voice asked them a few ques
tions In I'mbundu, which I had
crammed for the purpose. The
answers were briel, in sobbing
whispers; sometimes by gestures
only. Tho conversation ran like this:
"Why are you here?"
"We are sold to the white men."
"Hid you come of your own free
will?"
"Of course not,"
"Of course not."
"Where did you come from?"
"From Blhe.''
"Are you slaves or not?"
"Of course we are slaves!"
"Would you like to go back!"
The delicate little brown bands
were stretched out, palms downward,
and the crying began afresh.
That night the slaves were left
on board, but next morning (June 17)
when I went down to the pier about
8 o'clock I found them landed in two
.Treat lighters. When they reached
their plantation, which would usually
bo on the snnio day or the next, for
the island is only thirty-five miles
long by fifteen broad) they would be
given a day or two for rest, and then
tJie daily round of labor would begin.
For them there are no more journey
lugs till tho laf.t short passage when
their dead bodies are lashed to poles
und carried out to bo (lung away In
the lorrst. H. V. Nevinson In Harp
er's Magazine.
QUAINT AND CURIOUS,
In Spain drug stores are permitted
to sell drugs all day on Sunday, but
to deal in perfumery on that day Is
unlawful. Candy cannot lawfully bo
sold later than eleven o'clock In tho
forenoon unless no clerks or assistants
are employed.
Carrier pigeons tpleasod during the
recent eclipse of the sun in Europe
seemed much puzzled by the darkness.
Some of them started off in a direction
directly opposite from that in which
their cote lay. When, however, the
eclipse had nearly censed, other
pigeons took the right direction at
once.
Gustavus Nordlin, a Swede, has just
made a trip from Stockholm to Paris
In a tiny canoe. He arrived in first
class condition. The hardy Norseman
says that he was originally a confec
tioner, but having injured his diges
tion by sweet-stuff and pastry, he re
solved to nourish himself on bread,
fruit, milk and honey.
It Is proposed in France to require
that chauffeurs shall pass a medical
examination In-order to have only men
absolutely sound In charge of automo
biles. Many instances have been found
In France of chauffeurs in poor condi
tion, with various physical Infirmities.
In one case an epileptic was fgund in
charge of a motor car.
Some suburbanites near London
have organized a club for individual
improvement. It is called the Silence
Club. There are ltf members, whose
weekly fee is six-pence. It is estab
lished so that the members, ticket hol
ders on a surburban railroad, can read
their papers in quiet on their way to
town. The subscriptions go to the
guard who reserves a carriage for the
members.
A Viennese baroness, recently mur
dered, carried the art of being at war
with servants to the highest degree of
perfection. She had a secret system of
tubes leading from her sitting room to
the kitchen and servants' room. By
means of these she was able to hear
all manner of uncomplimentary refer
ences to herself. She enjoyed this
strategic advantage very much, for Ehe
was always haling her servants into
the courts, and she slept with a loaded
revolver under her pillow, for fear of
assassination.
Innuendo.
"McYorlck, the tragedian, is feel
ing pretty good."
"Why?"
"It seems somebody has named a
cigar after him."
"Huh! Somebody ought to name
a ham after him,"
Von Behring, Who Found Consumption Cure
Mm ,
1
Dr. Von Behring Is famous as the discoverer of the antitoxin for diph
theria. Ho is connected with the University of Berlin. After ten years of
study on the subject he hns ngnln astonished the world by announcing the
discovery of u cure for tuberculosis. His paper on the new cure, rend be
fore the Tuberculosis Congress in Tarls, has cuused discussion in medical cir
cles all over the world. His final report on the consumption cure is being
awaited w ith keen Interest.
IMPROVED FAMILY SCALE.
The illustration shows an improved
family scale of the dial type, the par
ticular feature of which is the slanting
position of the dial, thereby enabling
tile Indications of the pointer tn be read
with greater facility. The ordinary
vertical dial requires the user to bend
over In order to distinguish with any
degree of accuracy Its Indications. In
liter particulars the scab' lonfonns to
ili conventional design of this type.
Philadelphia Record.
nil: is!:i.r, i'..t.i. iK.nif.MiMi.Mi t iii: i.v.vi ;i ration of
WASHIXCTOX. PHF.SEXTF.il JO Till: 11 A LL OF FAME,.
GIFT TO THE j
HALL, OF FAME!
Chancellor MacCriickou, of the New
York University, was able to announce
"he first Important gift to the Hull of j
Fame. The gift Is a celebrated bronze
relief by Thomas Crawford, represent
ing the InaiiLturiition of George Wash
ington in ITSIl in New York City. The
prominent persons represented are
George Washington, John Adams, who
stands on his right; Alexander Hamil
ton. Generals Knox and St. Clair, Rog
er Sherman and Baron Steulwn. The
relief Is a replica of one of the panels
of the bronze doors cast for the Sen
ate wing of the Capitol at Washing
ton, and was cast from the same Idolds
Special Teth i'or Tam.
dentist lu the lower part of the
A
city was at work
teeth that, to the
sconr.'d fearfully
made. Outwardly
on a set of false
casual observer,
and wonderfully
they appeared to
be .ail right; but on the Iiiikt side
the artificial molars were Untied, riv-ct.'il-
and otherwise reinforced.
"Tliey are for n sailor." be explained.
"I have to make teeth unusually strong
for them. 'The ordinary kind would
koou succumb to the tougl salt beef
ICE SHAVER.
Jari
f 111
If If If 1 1
.V Minnesota man is the patentee of
the simple ice shaver shown in the il
lustration. Peter Litr-on. of Montana, is doubt
less the richest Scandinavian in Amer
ica. and at the same time. The doors were
cast in 1StiS by James T. Ames.
Chancellor MiicCrneken said:
"This work was executed for the
United States Government to form one
of the panels of the. Senate doors nt
Washington. The total cost of the
doors was over $.KMHK. They were
cast by James T. Ames, who before the
models and mollis were broken tip was
authorized by the Government to exe
cute for himself a single panel, which
ever of the six panels he might select.
He chose the scene of the inauguration,
which has been in the possession of his
family ever since. The present repre
sentatives of his family, becoming in
terested ir the accounts of the Hall of
Fame, counted this a fitting place for
the permauent preservation of this
sculpture."
and granite ship biscuit and lenve him
toothless pemars for u long voyage.
"As n rule sailors have good teeth,
and false ones among them are scarce.
Sometimes it happens, however, that
their teeth are knocked out by ticideut
and then the false ones are inserted."
New York Press.
Vtaillvo-toK Silll n Pre Pari
Vladivostok Is still n free port and
not under martial law, says the Japan
ese Official Gazette.
' : : ;
SCIENCE NOTES.
A stecll of special hardness, patented
In Germany by F. Munster, results .
from subjecting the molten metal to a
blast of nitrogen.
With a tensile strength often ex
ceeding three hundred thousand pounds
per square Inch, steel piano wire Beems
to he the strongest material known,
and It possesses the additional valua
ble property of a very high elastic lim
it. A peculiar process for sepnratlr.g
non-niagnetie particles like gold from
sand has been patented by L. T. Weiss.
The metallic particles in mass are elec
troplated with iron, by a special appar- -ntus,
and can then be separated ty any
magnetic method.
The use or milk of lime for quickly
and effectively extinguishing fires in
coal mines is recommended by inspec;
tor Wolfgang Kuinmer, a German. The
suggestion is not new, but has been
newly tested with satisfactory results.
The emulsion which can be used with
hand or power pumps runs into and
fills the crevices of the coal or min
eral. The efficacy of bomb firing in break
ing up hail storms has been questioned.
M. Vldal, the originator of the plan,
claims new evidence of its value from
a recent severe storm that rapidly
swept down from the Bernese Alps ...
through the Rhone valley and over the
north end of Luke Leman as far as the
Lake of Neuchatel. The entire district
was badly damaged by the hall except
two small villages from which bombs
were thrown. (
A French physicist, A. Baldlt, hns
found that the odor corpuscles affect
the leakage of electricity from electri
fied bodies, and he proposes to use this
discovery for studying the character ol
odors and the part they play in plants.
In his experiments, performed In un
favorable weather, a rod of resin and
an electroscope were enclosed in n
glass jar, when the admission of va
nilla odor sensibly lessened the loss
of electricity from the charged rod.
DELICACIES IN THE WOODS.
Frozen Ants Better Than Lemonadl
A Week's Fare of Red Squirrels
Skilled men are employed to travel
through the Maine woods on .snowshoes
all winter for the purpose of estimat
ing the value of the standing growth
and to pick out sites for lumber camps.
Through Information furnished by
these men the proprietors of the timber
lands are able to fix the stumpage rate
to be charged.
Cruisers Is the name by which such
men are known. They go for weeks
at a time without seeing a human be
ing. They carry their food In packs
strapped to their backs, nnd sleep un
der brush shelters before open fires
built among snowdrifts.
"There is no need of a healthy man's
going hungry in the Maine woods,"
said Orion Southworth, who has acted
as head cruiser for Win. Engel & Cu
for the past eight years. "Give a crufe
ser a good gun, a thick blanket, a
small axe, a frying pan nnd a few
matches, and he can pick' up his own
living anywhere in the spruce forest.
"Last winter when I was reduced to
two pounds of hardtack and four
pounds of bacon, a sneaking bobcat
crept up on me while I slept and stoic
all my bacon from a limb above my
head, compelling me to forage for' al
most a we..k. I lived like a king, hav
Ing three meals a day and coming out
to the nearest camp in fine condition.
"My diet was fat red squirrels dres
sed and washed and roasted on the end
of a limb hung above the frying pan.,
which rested on hot coals. It toolt
from six to ten squirrels to make a
square meal but the meat was sweet
and tender, and the fat which dripped
frii the cooking bodies into the hot
frying pan was just the food I need
ed to fortify me from the cold.
"When I was cruising in Michigan
one winter I learned that the State had
protected hedgehogs by law, so as to
have them Increase and fifrnish food
for the cruisers, but I am not fond of
hedgehog flesh as a steady diet
Hedgehogs are lazy and stupid crea
tures that, may be killed with a club.
Their meat is sweet and white and ten
der, but the fat portions of the bodies
carry a parasite as big as a horseshoe
nail.
"In my cruising I have eaten and
relished nearly everything that walks
or creeps or swims or files in Maine.
I have probed open springs of water
until I have secured enough fat frogs
for a menl. I have shivered with cold
and hunger until I have caught a mesa
of pickerel through the ice.
"I have eaten and relished roasted
bobcat, muskrat. skunk, fox, mink,
fisher and bear. I have filled my pock
ets with shelled acorns and beechnuts
from the hoards of chipmunks and been
glad to eat them.
"Often when hungry and feverish
from long tramps I have chopped holes
Into the sides of dead birches and pick
ed out the great frozen ants and made
a lunch of their bodies. They have a
pleasing sour taste which is very re
freshing when one is thirsty. On the
whole I think frozen ants are more
pleasing than the iced lemonade one
buys at the drug stores."
Left It to Her.
"Ethel," said a clergyman to one ot
his parishioners, whom he saw with
her hair in curling pins, "If Nature
had wanted your hair to curl, She
would have curled it for you." "She
did, sir, when I was a child," was the
reply, "but I suppose she thinks, now,
that I am old enough to do It myself."
Punch. .
v L,