THE LITTLE 8I8TER "H there arise nmon you a prophet or a dreamer," IH-ut. xlll., 1. I have left a basket of dates In the cuol, dark room that Is under the vine, Some cunis get out In two little crimson plates, 'And a flask of the amber wine, And cakes most cunningly beaten Of savory herbs and spies and the deli cate wheaten Flour that Is best, And all to llRhten his spirit and sweet- en his rest. This morning1 he cried, "Awake, lAnd see what the wonderful grace of the Lord hath revealed!" 'And we ran for his sake, But 'twas only the dawn outspread o'er our father's field, And the house of the potter white In the valley below. But his hands were upraised to the east and he cried to us, "So Te may pondor and read The strenfith and the beauty of God out rolled in a fiery screed." SHOULDER TO i The young pastor stood by the gate nd shaded his eyes as he looked 'down the road. As the approaching Igure came a little nearer, he under stood the oddity of Its appearance. jThere were two men, and one of them was carrying the other on his baclt. When they reached the pastor the bur 4en hearer paused. He was a stout Jellow of more than medium height. "Howdy, sir," he said In a deep voice, "I trust you are quite well?" "Quite well, thank you," the young yastor replied. The burden on the stout man s back fquirmed uneasily. "Lerame down, Worn," it said. The stout man's voice suddenly soft ened. "You ain't a bit heavy, Phil. Don't you get down unless you're tired riding." "I am tired," said the burden. "Friend of mine who's a little bit nder the weather," the stout man ex plained. "Got a bit tired coming up that lShg hill, and that's how I hap pened to be toting him." I The pastor looked at the stout man's friend. He was only a boy of eigh teen, perhaps, whose appearance howed the ravages of a wasting dis ease. "Phil ain't what you'd call pretty ro bust," the stout man somewhat hastily explained. "He's a little shaky about the logs and wants fleshing up a bit. 'All he needs is a breath or two of 'this mountain air, and a plateful cf good country feed. , The bay shook his head. I "Tom knows better," he said In his jkoarse tones. "I ain't a-goin' to get (well, an' he knows it. It's my lungs." The stout man gave the boy a play tful shake. "We want to find a boarding place, iPhil and I. Just a quiet house where the air Is good and the feed is good, and where we can see the sun rise and aet And we'll pay well for it." The pastor reflected for a moment. "I think the place for you is the Widow Langley's," he answered. "She kas plenty of room and I have no ionbt will be glad to receive you. She llves just beyond the turn in the road. (Ton can see her chimney through the itrees there." ' "Thank you," said the stout man. Come, Phil." ' The pastor stood in the roadway .watching the two strangers until .uey passed around the curve. The stout man was merrily whistling and keep jlng step to the music. The sick boy's bead drooped upon his bearer's shoul der. ! That evening the pastor had a caller. St was the stout man. He came up the walk a little diffidently. The pastor fwas on the broad porch. "Come up," e said cordially. "I am glad to see qroo again. Take this easy chair." The stranger hesitatingly accepted. iThanky," he said. "You are very good. You see," he hesitated again, 'yon see I thought It would he weu to (know somebody in the neighborhood nd it struck me the parson was the frery one I ought to know." "The boy is In a critical state," said the parson. rYes, he is." There was a little silence. ; "Do you wish me to recommend a Joctor?" j The stout man shook his head. ' "No. The boy's had all the doctor ing he can stand. Hes going to take pia tonic out of the mountain air." "Have you come far?" the pastor .asked. ' "From Amltyville. My partner's .there at the hot springs trying to boll at his rheumatism. We're all show (people, you see," he presently added. "And is the boy In the show busi ness, too?" the latter asked. "Yes, he was born Into it His father was a trapeze performer and fkls mother a bicycle rider. The lad Is leaper and tumbler. Father and mother are both dead and since the ftoy got so sick he couldn't work, my partner and I have been looking after rm." The sight of the boy clinging about jthe neck of the etout stranger arose Aefore the pastor. "You are a One fellow," he said, "I am glad to know you." ; The stout man flushed, i "None o' that," he abruptly said. I "We knew his father and mother. fThey were worthy people, vand the boy lis a good boy. Neither my partner nor jl have been married, and the youngster ort o' seems like a son to us. There's lo question about money we have all (that's needed." There was a brief silences. "I don't think that I ever met a cir OF THE PROPHET. Then the little brown mother smiled, As one does on the words of a well- , loved child. And "8on," she replied, "have the oxen ueea watered ana ieur For work Is to do, though the skies be never so rea, And already the first sweet hours of the nay are spent. And he sighed, and went. Will ho come from the byre. With his hend all misty with dreams and his eyes on lire, Shaking us nil with the weight of the words ot nis passion? I will give him raisins instead of dates, And wreathe young leaves on the little reu pmtes, I will put on my new head-tyre. And braid my hair In a comller fashion. Will he note? Will he mind? Will he touch my cheek as he used to, and laugh and be kind? Marjorie L. C. Plckthall In The Century. SHOULDER. cus performer before," said the young pastor. The stout man laughed. "I guess we're all human," he said. "We have all joys and sorrows, our laughs and our pains, very much the same as other folks. No doubt you're sort o' prejudiced against us?" "I was," said .the young pastor. "It was a part of my bringing up." The stout man nodded. "You'll pardon my saying so, par son," he slowly remarked, "but It seems to me that prejudice is often another name for Ignorance." "I'm a young man," said the pastor, "I have much to learn." Again the stout man nodded. "You're going at It In the right way," he said. "And now I want to ask a favor. I want you to come up and see the lad. You'll know how to talk to him. He won't stand for any preaching, but there'll be a chance to put In a helpful word now and then." He talked to the lad, and he read to him and the boy was pleased at his coming. But the stout man seemed to keep aloof from the young pastor. Early one evening the latter was hurrying through his gateway when he encountered the boy's friend. "Where so fast, parson?" the stout man asked as he swung into step be side him. "To the village. There 13 trouble there." . "Trouble! What sort of trouble?" "A farmer on the west hill was shot this afternoon by some unknown per son end badly wounded. A colored man wa3 seen lurking In the neigh borhood. He was taken to jail, and there may be an attempt to lynch him tonight. And the sheriff is away and isn't expected home until tomorrow. But he has been telegraphed to return nt once. He knows how to handle them." "Eetter keep away from this, par son," the stcut man counseled. "No doubt the' fellow is guilty and mobs are a bad proposition. Somebody Is pretty sure to get hurt." The young parson shoe his head. "I hope I am a good citizen as well as a clergyman," he said. The stout man grumbled beneath his breath, but he kept step with the pas tor. "Where are you going? the latter presently said. "With you," was the curt answer. The village seemed quiet as they crossed the park to the low building used as a jail. The jailor was alone there, an elderly man. "The sheriff can get back Inside of an hour," he told the pastor, "and I guess there won't nothln' dreadful happen In that time." So the pastor and the stout man stood on the jail steps and waited In silence. And then suddenly across the park they saw a confused rabble approaching. There might have been a hundred persons In this mob, but many of them were boys. As they neared the jail they uttered wild cries. "Lynch him!" they shrieked. "Give us ,the keys, Jim Ferguson," cried a voice, "or we'll burn the Jail over your head!" "Batter In the door, boys," yelled a fellow. Then tie pastor stepped out from the Bhadow, and the stout man was close at his side. "Men," cried the pastor, "listen to me!" "It's the parson," shouted a voice. "Give the parson a chance." And the young pastor, his voice full of feeling besought them to reflect. His tones rang out clear and strong, his words were Impressive. But a voice interrupted him. "That's enough, parson. You've done your duty and now we'll do ours. Get to work, lads." There was a roar from the crowd, but the young paster was undaunted; As his voice arose again the ruffian in the van tried to howl him down. "Quit your, yawp!" he shouted. "You've had your say. Come on, lads!" The stout man had been leaning for ward, his eyes on the mob. Now he suddenly leaped from the steps and struck the noisy fellow a swift blow across the mouth with his open hand. "Take that, you loafer," he roared, and snatched from the fellow's hand a stout cudgel, and fiercely menaced the mob. "You scum!" he cried. "You've heard the parson now listen to me! There are two men here, standing shoulder to shoulder for or der and decency. They're not going to let you get into this jail without a fight and somebody will get hurt. I'm good for any half dozen of yoo myself. Now get to your homes be fore it's too late." ' He leaped back to the pastor's side, the cudgel in his hand, his eyes blaz ing. , For a moment the mob was still. Then a hoarse voice shouted "Kill him!" and a stone thrown from the outskirts of the crowd grazed the stout man's forehead. Another missile flew by him and struck the jail door. There was a forward movement of the mob, But the stout man leaped forward again and caught hold cf the ring' leader whom he had silenced. The fellow was wiping his bleeding mouth in a dazed fashion. The stout man caught him around the waist and. lift ing him quickly flung him on to the upper step. Then he followed him and help him up so that he formed a sort of shield for the pastor and him self. "Now fling your stones," he roared. "Here's yoru own target for you. Bring on your battering ram. But I'll promise you it will go hard with this big loafer if you try any of your cow ardly games." "Smash htm, Sam!" screamed a shrill voice In the mldBt of the mob. "Yes, Sam, smash him!" said the stout man. He was behind the ring leader, holding him by the wrist. "Sam couldn't be more helpless if he was a baby, could you, Sam?" There was confusion In the mob. Here was an unexpected opposition. The stout man noted their hesita tion. "Tell them to go home," he hoarsely whispered in the ringleader's ear, and the request was followed by a signifi cant twist of the prisoned wrist. "Go home, boys, go home," roared the helpless leader. "Once more," demanded the stout man. "Go home, boys, go home-" .The mob wavered and just them a horse's hoofs were heard in the dis tance. 'The sheriff," murmured the pastor. "The sheriff!" repeated a half dozen voices. The rider came nearer. The mob suddenly turned and fled. Less than a week later the sick boy quietly fell asleep and the little town had seldom seen a larger funeral. All the pastor's flock was there, and the flowers were many and beautiful. The lad was laid away on the sunny hill side of the old cemetery. 'You've been very kind to me, and to the boy, parson," said the stout man as he stood on the station plat form and waited for the train that was to bear him away. "I'm afraid I may have said something that Jarred on your feelings, and I'm sorry for it." The pastor smiled and said: "I've learned to judge you by your deeds, not your words." The stout man flushed. "The show will be at Colebrook the early part of the coming season," he said, and looked bard at the pastor. 'Let me know when it will be there," the latter stoutly said, "and I will come over to see It." The stout man wrung the pastor's hand. "Good-by," he cried. W. R. Rose, In Cleveland Plain Dealer. ' Use of Profane Language. ' Unless something Is done , to check the evil, Americans must soon be come known as the most foul-mouthed persons on earthy It will first be necessary to determine the cause of the use of profane language before any real cure can be applied. One cause is undoubtedly the lack ot a sufficient vocabulary to express ones thoughts or what he conceives to be his thoughts. It is this faulty v cabulary that Induces females to de scribe as "awful" things entirely dis sociated from any feeling of awe and as .funny" that which is merely odd. The male, with his greater freedom of speech, uses an oath to express' the same idea, which is not an Idea, but merely a futile attempt to ex press that which Is not conceived and which consequently cannot be adequately expressed. New Orleans Times-Democrat. Strides In Iron Production. The leading technical paper of Ger! many points out that the United Stat el is striding forward so fast In the pro duction of Iron that now ft not only leads all the other nations individually but comes near to surpassing then: all combined. In 1905 Germany pro duced 11,000,000 tons, England 9,500, 000, the others smaller amounts dowr to' 47,000 tons produced by India while the total product of the world outside the United States was 31.Q00, 000. Yet in that same year we pro duced 23,000,000 tons, more than hall the outside -world's total product: Fig' ured by percentages the gains ol Canada and Japan are mora remarka ble than ours. As compared wits 1904, Canada very nearly doubled and so did Japan. Sodium for Electric Conductor. Of the common metals, sodium has the greatest conductivity per unit of weight. Comparing it with calcium, potassium, aluminum, and magnesium, which come next, it can also be the most cheaply prepared, and probably always will be, because the starting material is so cheap, stable and 'pure, although potassium alone theoretical ly requires materially less energy for its production. In view of the high price of copper It is 'suggested by A. G. Betts, In the Electrical World, that sodium might be used as a substitute for electric conductors. Mr. Betta proposes to melt it and run It into iron tubes, forming a composite conductor. Most Farmers Find Them Handy. It is surprising how the most enter prising farmers are dispensing with the hand hoe. To be sure, the horses have a "hard row to hoe" on such farms, but the farmer's back gets the benefit. If the farmer happens to grow the right crops he needn't keep a hoe on the place. We know of one large farmer who says he does not. Bran Cheaper Than Hay Meal. The test of alfalfa meal as compar ed with wheat bran at the Pennsyl vania Experiment Station showed that the bran was the more desirable food at $20 bet-ton as compared with alfalfa at $23. The alfalfa meal is simply ground alfalfa hay. Its use in place of bran resulted in less milk, and the cost per quart ot the milk produced was slightly greater. Oats as Stock Food. Oats are less digestable than corn, chiefly on account of the large per centage of hull which they contain. They have a much higher percentage of protein than corn, especially when considered in relation to digestable matter. They are the most satisfac tory single grain for feeding horses. They are not suitable for hogs on ac count of the large percentage of crude fibre. They may possibly form a part of an economical ration for dairy cows, although In general the demand for them for horse feeding is so great that the price is nearly always out of proportion to the amount of diges tible matter contained. rCultlvator. A Retail Milk Route. In handling milk for retail trade I found the. aerator the best thing to cool the milk, and it would keep sweet the longest, and would have no bitter taste or flavor. I never use sal-soda. Soap leaves a bad smell In the cans. After the cans are washed and scald ed I let them stand right end up until cool, then turn bottom up to drain. If a warm can or pail is turned bot tom up the steam will stay In and dry In, and the can will not be so sweet a's it treated the other way. The cows are kept clean, tleup floor swept three or four times a day, no cob webs allowed in It; cribs kept clean, and barn floor swept at least once a day. Milk is a ready carrier of disease germs, and so fertile a breeder of bacteria that one cannot be too care ful in its care. I think the next gener ation will see far greater restrictions placed upon the care and handling of our cows, milk and cream than we have, at the present time, and it will be better for both producer and con- summer. C. E. Smith, Waldo County, Me, American Cultivator. Diseases. geaiov iocs, which are a scourge in -,ntr nmtitrv vnnls. can be traced ab solutely to filth, damp quarters, and neglect. Roup, canker, consumption, all be traced to damp ness, cold draughts blowing through the houses, and unnatural exposure to inclement weather. Nothing causeB thaaa ailments as Quickly as damp, un healthy poultry houses in which the fouls are compelled to sleep. Diphthe d rnun are all kindred diseases, which can be directly blamed upon those having charge or tne towis. it th hirda have comfortable, reason ably dry, properly ventilated houses. with sanitary conditions, tnere is duc mtin dnneer of these ailments un less they are caught by coming in con tact with other ailing birds, or Deing shipped to and from shows in boxes or coops that are contaminated. Rheumatism, gout, and leg weakness is usually blamable upon hereditary conditions, inbreeding, overfeeding, or unhealthy, damp quarters. All of thoses diseases may be prevented by removing the possibility of the con tamination. The Feather. Dairy Jottings. To secure all there is in the pro duct of the cow, one should make his butter and sell direct to consumers. There is no best dairy breed, but the general dairyman cannot go far wrong if he selects good types of the dairy cow from the Holstein, Ayrshire, Jersey or Guernsey. Good air and sunlight in the barn, healthy cows kept clean, a good cream separator with a good tank and plenty of Ice, and careful handling ot the milk and cream, will secure good results. The cheapest and ' best way to raise a dairy calf is to feed with its mother's milk for three weeks, then gradually change to sklmmllk with boiled flaxseed for another three weeks, then change to grain gradu ally. After four months old they will grow very well on a mixture of one hundred pounds linseed meal, twerity-four pounds ground flax, fifty pounds of low grade flour, mixed thoroughly together, also some choice clover hay, bran or crushed oats daily. If there is plenty of fresh separator milk It may be fed instead of natural milk' after the first few days. Subdued a Kicking Horse. The Snirlt of the West elvps dlrpp. tions for curing a kicking horse. If you have no sheepskin, anything else which would be heavy enough to swing back and not be injured by the kicks of the horse would answer quite as well. A man had a kicking horse. He hung an old sheep pelt up behind the horse just where he could see it, and let him kick till he got enough of it. At first no doubt the horBe thought that pelt was the worst looking thing that he had ever seen In all the days of his life. He peeled his eyes back at It and made un his mind that thn old evil one must surely be right after mm. And he kicked and he kicked and he kicked. But the mora ha kick. ed the faster the thing fell back on to nis neeis. AH night long he worked at it, until the sweat ran down his legs, and he was "all of a tremble," Then he stopped; and, by the gray of the morning, took a good square look at the miserable thing that had been worrying the life out of him. It was nothing but an old sheep skin. It made him so ashamed to think how he had wasted so much time and strength on a thing like that, that he stopped kicking; and after that he never kicked. Combating the Peach Borer. I have never yet seen any method practiced that will keep the peach borer for getting into the tree to some extent at least. From observation and practice I think the most successful method Is to worm late in the fall when most of the worms can be caught before they have gotten under the bark and when the injury done is very little. It freezing weather pre vents dolns this in November or about December 1, then worm in early spring. Removing the earth from around the trunk and it can soon be seen whether any borers are about by the deposit of wax and chips. If there Is none and the bark Is smooth no time need be lost In looking for the worms. , If evidence of their presence exists, remove the wax carefully, as the borer will sometimes be removed with it if it Is young and has not yet eaten through the bark. If it has gotten under the bark go after it carefully with a sharp pointed, crooked iron on a handle and do no more Injury to the tree than the borer would if allow ed to remain. To Insure a good Job allow the tree to remain open several days and then go over them again, when any missed can be easily de tected. Then place a pint to a quart ot ground tobacco around the trunk according to the size of the tree. With the earth placed over it this will be preventive for the next season. Some growers advocate washing the trunks in the spring to prevent the adults from laying thin eggs there on, but as the adults are coming out ot their cocoons, winged and ready for flight from May to September it would take repeated application to be effec tive through the whole season. I be lieve it to be an advantage to mound the earth around the trees several Inches ns the worm can be gotten much easier and will be kept from getting down among the roots where they can seldom be reached. ThBre has been much loss from the borer in this section where orchardlsts have neglected to look after them. Especi ally Is this true in young orchards. American Agriculturist. Breeders' Notes. Give the foal Erst class care throughout the winter. It Is a great mistake to overfeed or pamper a horse beyond a certain stage. Never allow the foal to follow, tho mare when working, but keep it In a well built, roomy box. Always be careful to give the mares plenty of exercise fli the late fall and Winter after the work on the farm Is done. Accustom the colt to being handled by having a halter on and occasionally taking hold of It when feeding the mare. , Never expect the foal to eat with the mare, but always provide a small box in the opposite corner to feed the foal in. Never allow two foals to feed out of the same box. One is sure sooner or later to become master and secure the lion's share. If the mare is to foal early, before grass time, give her a few boiled oats, and a liberal supply of bran with a lit tle flaxseed occasionally. If she is get ting plenty of grass, nothing of thil kind will be needed. I believe In always working the brood mare. There is no reason why a aiare if properly hitched and proper ly driven should not work right up to the time ot foaling; In fact, I have taken the harness off mares to allow them to foal, and have never had a ,108s by so doing. Teach the foal to eat early. A few ground oats and bran with a llttlo milk Is a desirable ration. . The foal will not take much at first, but will soon show a readiness for hearty meals. In the early part of the sea son it will always pay to allow tho fcul to suck some time during the forenoon, and also in the afternoon, Riving the mare a drink and a few cats to eat while the foal is sucking. It will benefit both the mare and the foal. John Curdhouse, Ontario, Cana. da. Boston Cultivator. PEARL8 OF THOUGHT. Get under way. The rudder Is at the stern ot a boat, or purpose. Move, then Bteer. Youth is a prism through which all voices of the day or night pass Into speaking rainbows. Be ready; that Is, prompt to act, as the fight against foolishness rages all along the lines of character. Some men are boats, and some are chips and straw upon the stream of time. And you; what are you? Sand is a good enough foundation for a house In a climate where there Is no wind or rain that is, nowhere. He that will do the will of God so far as he sees It, and speak the Word of God as far as he can understand It, shall In due time be wise. There Is a holy place In every soul of man, forever vocal with a long, clear call to him to enter there with all his powers and serve. And who soever listens and obeys becomes a strong man, a wise man and a prophet. You are not only a son of your father and mother, but a son of every man who has touched you, or any ancestor of anyone who has touched ancestor of yours, by word, or pen, or sword, or vote, or grip of hand a son even of your son a son of God. Strength is less a matter of material back than of nerve mmiltv f uiuu b me. at its highest and strong est, cannot be lived by -bread alone. j v,5i, nuru mat Drocppnpi nut it.. . . . . wg uiuma oi uoa, or In other words, symmetrical development. Home Herald. in TERROR OF MAD DOGS. Situation Serious In Boston Suburbs Trouble In Twelve Counties. Certain suburbs of Boston are hav ing the liveliest kind of a mad scare. A single animal bit a dozen persons not long mgo. The police have orders to shoot all unmuzzled dogs. During the eleven months ending December 1, 190G, at least half a doi en human beings died in Massachusetts from the effects of dog bites, and In one instance the brain of a boy from Sprlmgfleld was examined at the Har vard medical school and found to con tain rabies germs. More than 1,000 dogs In the State were reported as mad, exclusive of those found In Boston. Dr. Austin Peters, State Cattle Commissioner, reports that 293 of them were killed or died of rabies, 256 who did not have rabies were killed by their owners or they died in quarantine, G2 were re ported as having rabies, biit the post mortem examinations showed that they were free from the. disease, 380 were released from Quarantine and no were still In quarantine on Deeemher i Dr. Frothingham has examined the. neaeis ot ID1 animals at the Harva medical school. According tn tho Rl ton Transciint he found that nn dm Seven COWS, two horses and nnn Tf, had rabies, and that thirty-one dogs and one suspewtlng cow were free from It. The dlwase has been found in twelve countlel. 1 "I Wont Work." routine spelling seems to De gaming In popularity everywhere, and the an- nouncement that the reforms would be adopted in the District Government probably had much to do with the plan followed by a dusky "citlzeness" of Willow Tree alley in making ap plication to the Commissioners for a certain position. Her letter speaks for itself: "District Comelsions: "Dear Sir I noticed that you all might be kneding some1 femall help and not nowlng weather you all had ingaged some one or not I thought I would ask you all if it could be pos sible to alow me the pleasure as I want work this will be my flrst time working out and the reason I have not my mother keeps a little store In wil low tree court and it has kept me quite blzzy until now and it Is so meny stores around in this court untill it makes blslness very dull and I am married and have two children to per- vide far and I give you the best reptashlon from good blsness cider sons I nape you all will heiyp one ho wonts to get along arnest" Was lngton Star. Curious Inscriptions. Many old bells have curious decora tions and inscriptions. Before it was recast in 1612, an Oxford bell, "Mighty Tom," had an Inscription In . Latin, a translation or which would be: ."For Thomas's sake I cry Blm Bom and no mistake." In the case of a chime, each bell would have a separate legend. A deal of the verse was really doggerel, as: "On Sabbath all To Church I call" Or "The sleepy head I raise from bed." Another Inscription on an old set of chimes In England reads: "When men in Hymen's bonds unite. Our merry peals produce delight," une unurcn or saint Ives bell has this matter of fact Inscription: "Arise and go about your business." Enormous Railway Earnings. . The railway earnings of the princi pal roads in the United States and Canada have become so large that a question has arisen as to how the sur plus is to be disposed of. A compari son of the gross receipts of twenty one companies for the year ended June SO last, and including the Cana dian Pacific, with the previous year shows an increase of $144,673,714, equal to nearly 13 percent, Ottawa Citizen. . t