IT DOESN'T COST A CINTi
It doesn't cost a sltiRle cent
To pass a pretty compliment;
' In happy, smiling, gracious way,
' A cheery, plcamint word to Buy.
It doesn't cost n cent to tnko
I Thlnrs as they come, to gently make
Out (f the Wise Creator's plan
Tbi very, very belt we can.
11 doesn't cost n. cent to brln 1
To lonely lieiirts. sad, sorrowing,
A bit of comfort, to shut out
Just for a moment gloom and doubt
It doesn't cost a cent to clnsp
, A neighbor's band In friendly grasp,
To bid htm feel by one warm press
The sympathy lips can't confess.
f It doesn't cost a rent, my friend,
An Rlwent brother to defend;
' The stepping stones to shirs above
Are little, dally deeds of love.
; American Home Monthly.
) THR
LOST SCOOP
By Grace D. Thompson.'
A career or a husband It was an
enormous question for such a slim
alip of a girl to nnswer, but she had
already decided It a full two hours
ago, and was now only amusing her
elf by playing the arguments on eith
er ngilnst each other, to see how Mor
ton would win every time.
Kate Trent, this yellow-haired, Im
pulsive maid, was only a sophomore In
great Western university, and far
too yo'.ihg to be choosing cither litis
Sand cr career, but, having no mother
err other living relative, aside from a
Chemistry engrossed father, an under
professor In the science department
aad taught her knowledge beyond her
years.
How well she remembered, during
Her freshman yenr, the first little sto
ries slit had contributed anonymously
to the various college publications;
Iter joy at seeing her own fancies In
print, then her bolder ventures in the
city papers, till, at the beginning of
this year, Bhe had been asked to write
a daily column under the noni-de-plume
of "Violet," for the Herald. She
made no confidants, and no one sus
pected her as being the author of those
Witty college notes.
Just before Christmas began to ap
pear sketches of much the samp char
acter In a big rival dally, the Tribune,
under' the name Mac. Then such a
competition as there was between the
two unknown correspondents for
news! Kate didn't know the sex of
Ber opponent, but every Indication led
her to believe It was a girl.
These minor triumphs had led her
to think seriously of taking up Jour
nalism as a profession.
But the advent of Morton Cramer, a
tall senior, soon after the winter holi
days bad changed all thl3. Though
he would not own It openly, there
was a new ruler who had no tantaliz
ing dimples and wore no frills, but she
knew he was king, . she was now no
more than subject, and, after the man
ner of all that's feminine, having
found her master, she proceeded to
worship.
She had not even mentioned the
subject of Journalism while with Mor
ton, for fear of ' betraying herself,
knowing, Instinctively, that he would
fce displeased, so had kept her two ab
sorbing Interests wholly separate, but
this afternoon circumstances had
drawn them together and one must
triumph.
phe noon mall had brought a letter
Offering Morton a fine Government po
alllon In Manila, which must be filled
Immediately after commencement, on
ly a month away. It was an unex
pected turn of affairs, aqd made Kate
catch her breath quickly. She had
never thought that life would be sep
arated from Morton, but his next state
ment, was a much greater surprise.
"I will get a license and to-morrow
afternoon we will drive over to Pres
ton, where I have a friend who will
marry us and ask no questions."
"Many us!" Kate gasped.
"Why, yes; Is It anything unusual
lor lovers to be married? That will
give you a month to get ready to go
away."
"Your father would refuse to let you
leave college before you graduate If
you wait to ask him, and In his way
lie can't help It."
When his plans had been carefully
demonstrated to her, Kate had finally
agreed and was now watting In a trem
ble of excitement for the morrow. Her
father, always so busy with his re
searches that she hardly knew him,
tad gone out of the city for a few
days, so there could be no Btumbllng
Mock In the way, and tomorrow Bhe
.was to be Mort's wife.
. She felt that she could not sleep,
Isut In spite of her excitement was be
ginning to doze, when, suddenly, she
seemed to hear newsboys calling,
"Special! Special! Kittle Trent; only
'laughter of Professor Trent, married
secretly to Morton Cramer!"
In an Instant she was thoroughly
jwake again. Wouldn't that make a
great scoop? Why couldn't she write
It np, sign It "Violet," and If anyone
suspected who she was that would
aurely throw him oft the track again.
In the morning she wrote out her
story that It might be sent in as soon
as she returned from Preston, leaving
a space at the end for any little lhcl-
dent of the Journey. If she was ex
cited at knowing this was her wedding
day, she was doubly so at the idea of
tlOS. fpttimnl. mm V. . . -
- .,.u,jjM uci iicr uppunenu
Although she went f no classes the
day passed very quickly. They drove
to Preston and Kittle Trent came back
Kitty Cramer.
It was just dusk when they returned,
and Morton went to his own home,
promising to come back later In the
evening. Left-alone, she began to
get weary, so. curled upon the. window
eat for a nap. Just forty winks, she
thought, then I'll slip down and man
my story, adding, "Oh, you real scoop,
you," out loud.
Hardly had she closed her eyes,
when ngaln came clear and strong the
"Special!" cry of tho newsboys.
"Kittle Trent, only daughter of Pro
fessor Trent, married secretly to Mor
ton Cramer! Tribune! Tribune!"
She jumped to her feet. Was It the
same dream? But no, the cry was re
peated. Throwing open the window,
she listened yes, It was a real news
boy and a real call.
"Bring me a paper," she crled-
A moment more and she had the
Tribune In her hand and was eagerly
scanning the first page. There It was,
a whole column, signed Mac.
"Oh, my scoop, my scoop," Bhe sob
bed to herself, as she read and re-read
the story of her marriage. It was all
there, even about their little dinner at
the Wayside Inn, not three hours ago.
Who could have told, at last she began
to wonder, for her mind seemed too
startled to think quickly. Who could
have told!
The minister probably knew' Mao
and wired In to her. Yet how could
he have known about where they
dined? No, it must no, It couldn't
it was Morton. Her own Morton, who
never even mentioned another girl's
name In her presence, to have confided
at once to this unknown their Becret.
He must have 'phoned the news to her
from the office of the Inn. She remem
bered now that he went out. for a
smoke.
Never before had Kate known Jeal
ousy. Before the storm had even begun
to subside, Morton came In.
"Why, sweetheart, what Is It?" he
cried.
"Don't touch me, don't come near
mo, Morton Cramer!" came tho voice
from the cushions, trembling with an
ger and shrill as a child's.
"Kittle, what do you mean?" he
asked, In astonishment. Never before
had she showed the least bit of tem
per. "Go away at once. I don't want to
see you again. Never do you under
stand?" Her old spirit was fast re
turning now. "I hate you, loathe you;
go at once."
The next moment she heard foot
steps on the stairs, slow, faltering
footsteps as of a person dazed.
That night and the following day
were the moat terrible she had ever
experienced In all her butterfly exist
ence. Never before had she known
pnln, and now It came to her with the
blinding, benumbing force of a flash of
lightning, with greater effect, since
there was no preparation. Morton
had been her whole world so long that
now she felt completely alone.
Then noon came. The crowds of
students, self-absorbed, hurrying by,
only seemed to Increase her loneliness
and desolation.
"I will go wild If I don't see him. If
he would only come I could forgive
him anything now, for oh, I can't live
without him!" she cried, as the after
noon dragged slowly by. But no Mor
ton came. At last she had found a
will flR Rtrnntr flq hap nwn
As the shadows commenced to i
lengthen her spirits seemed gradually
to break, her pride to melt. She felt
that she could not live through the
twilight hour. So, filled with happy
memories of former days, alone. So,
with trembling, uncertain fingers, she
wrote the recall.
In a short half hour, ages to the
waiting girl, there was a well known
step, the door opened, and In a flash
she was In her husband's arms.
"What was It, dear?" es last he
asked.
"Why didn't you tell me about the
other girl? I wouldn't have minded
so much, at least, If you had only told
me."
"What other girl? I don't under
stand." "Why Mac, the girl who write for
the Tribune. Yon told her about our
marriage."
Astonishment, Bumrise. Incrednlltv.
passed over Morton's face In ranld
succession. Then the light of a nuzzle
solved.
"Didn't you know before, d
Couldn't you guess by my name, Mor
ton A. Cramer? ' I am Mac!" New
York Evening Journal.
PLAGUE OF LOCUSTS.
Algeria and Tunis Visited by 8warms
of Destructive. Insects.
Algeria and Tunis have this vear
suffered from an extraordinary Inva
sion of locusts. The locusts arrived
from the direction of the deaertM In
swarms so thick as to hide the sun.
They cover the ground as with a yel
low carpet, and sometimes render tho
railways so slippery that trains can
hardly run. At this stage they are not
voracious, being engaged principally
In laying their eggs. But 40 days la
ter the young locusts, not yet winged,
begin to run about, devouring every
green thine. Including nnt nniv io.,n
-w, - O " " vn.J , -1 I 1. 13,
but even the mark and tender shoots
or trees. The hordes, advancing In a
body, sometimes cover an area of
several square miles. Barricades of
cloth, surmounted with waxed strips.
erected in the line of march, arrest
the progress of the Insects, which nm
unable to crawl up the smooth surface.
fassmg along the line of the barri
cades, they fall into ditches dug for
the purpose, where thev ar Ulioii
with corrosive liquids. Another meth
od Is to smooth descending paths, end
ing in poisoned ditches. The Insects
follow the descents, and thus go to
meir aeatn.
All the Letters.
The following is the shortest Don.
tence containing all the letters of the
ainpaDet:
"Pack my box with five dnm it
quor-jugs." Home Notes. - ,
New York City. The popularity of
tho over blouse seems to be an ever
Increasing one, and this model is so
pretty, so graceful and so simple in
one that it must appeal to every wom-
n of taste. In the illustration it is
tnade of crepe de chine trimmed with
taffeta, but It is adapted to many ma
terials, and would be very charming
for linen and other washable mate
rials quite as well as for silk and
wool. It can be made to match the
klrt or match the trimming on the
aklrt as liked, or it can be made as an
entirely separate garment, and it con
sequently suits a great many pur
poses. The wide girdle Is very be
coming, while it makes one of the
latest features and the trimming Is
unusual and exceedingly smart. Very
little material is required and so lit
tle labor, is involved in the making
that the model makes an exception
ally desirable one from every pilnt of
view.
The over blouse la made in two
pieces, there being; .do seams what
ever. It is attached to a foundation
girdle and over this the draped one
Is arranged. It can be closed at eith
er the front or the back, and the in
ner edges are faced to form the trim
ming, while the outerones are finished
with shaped bands applied over them.
Conrser Silks.
The coarser the ribs the more fash
ionable the silk. , ,
Like Big Powder ruffs.
Up to the very latest minute is the
awansdown hat. A model In one of
tho smart milliner shops was in a
mushroom effect, covered with the
fluffy swansdown. Around the crown
went a twist of gold ribbon and Just
at one side was a huge pale pink rose.
The effect was very babyish and
charming, and despite the substantial
price asked by the Fifth avenue milli
ner, Buch a hat should be contrived at
home for a very moderate sum.
. -iwrnm m
The New Boot.
As petticoats will not be worn the
new boot is designed to keep women's
ankles covered when they are cross
ing the street and holding up their
gowns. It Is already widely In favor.
Misses' Tliree-Ploce Skirt.
The three-piece skirt is one of the
prettiest variations of the circular
model. It Includes the narrow front
gore, which gives the fashionable
straight lines and it falls in graceful
and becoming folds. This one is de
signed for young girls and is appro
priate for any skirting material,
whether the skirt makes part of a
suit or an indoor gown. It can be
trimmed with buttons as illustrated,
with braid or with banding, or be fin
ished In any way that individual fan
cy may dictate. The buttons and sim
ulated buttonholes are, however, ex
ceedingly smart, and in the illustrv
Hon they are made of satin, while the
skirt itself Is made of broadcloth.
The skirt consists of three pieces.
The front gore Is turned under at its
edges and arranged over the circular
portions to give the box pleat effect,
and the fulness over the hips is taken
up In darts, while there are Inverted
pleats at the back.
The quantity of material required
for the sixteen-year size is five and
five-eighth yards twenty-four, five and
three-eigbth yards twenty-seven or
three and five-eighth yards forty-four
or fifty-two Inches wide.
Rimmed Buttons.
Because women complained loudly
of braid and cloth buttons wearing
out so soon, the new ones have a
metal rim, which entirely pr6tects the
edges. The mold inside may be cov
ered with any material deslrdd and
the metal cap fitted on. Horn )s also
used as well as bene, and it Is possible
that both the latter look better on a
rough serge or cheviot salt than but
tons with rims of metal.
Sit
Rhubarb and Fig Jam.
To five pounds tender rhubarb,
washed and cut In inch pieces, allow
one pound figs (the dried), the grated
yellow rind and Juice of one lemon,
and four pounds sugar. Let this
stand all night. The next day cook
slowly for an hour, then turn into
glasses. Nuts can be- added If desired.
New York Telegram.
Chocolate Icing.
For a Chocolate filling' and Icing
take two squares of bitter chocolate,
one tea-cup of sugar, one teacup of
water. Use one-third of the water to
dissolve three tcaspoonfuls of corn
starch. Boll tho sugar and chocolate
with remaining two-thirds of the cup
of water for about ten minutes. Stir
Into this the dissolved cornstarch and
let all come to a boil. Add to this
a lump of butter the size of a hick
ory nut and a half tea3poonful of va
nilla. After this Is well stirred to
gether spread over cake while it is
warm. New York Times.
Mince of Chicken.
Cut Into small dice the meat of a
cold chicken, add to It a third of Its
volume of chopped tongue and the
same of mushrooms. Make a cream
sauce, half pint of milk or cream,
thickened with a tablespoonful of but
ter and one of flour to every pint of
mince. Season well with salt, pap
rica and a little nutmeg and pour the
mixture Into pate shells of puff paste.
The paste can either be baked In
one big shell or In the Individual
shells. On top of the mince put
enough poached eggs for each guest
present. With the small shells an
egg goes on each one. New York
Times.
Eggs Au Gratln.
It seems as though half the people
you know have taken to eggs as a
steady diet. They eat them at least
once a day, and they are looking
about for all kinds of good methods
for cooking them. Eggs au gratin
make a dish that Is most acceptable
every now and then. It Is made by
chopping very fine an anchovy, a
shallot, and a sprig of parsley. These
are mixed with three yolks of eggs to
a small cupful of bread crumbs and
two ounces of butter, then seasoned
with salt and pepper.
A hot dish will be ready, well but
tered, and the mixture should be
laid over the bottom of It. The dish
is placed In the oven, and slightly
browned. Then half a dozen eggs
are broken Into separate cups and
put neatly on the dish, after which It
Is returned to the oven for three min
utes until the whites have set. This
should be served Immediately. New
York Times.
Hints for Housekeepers.
A crust of bread helps to clean out
a sticky bread pan.
Hang brooms in the cellarway- to
keep soft and pliant.
A piece of zinc put on live coals
In the stove will clean out the stove
pipe. m
Peppermint sprigs laid around
where mice frequent will drive them
away.
To remove Ink stains, wet with
spirits of turpentine and after three
hours rub well.
Petroleum ointment stains are very
obstinate and tue best thing ior
them Is to soak them in kerosene.
For tho picnic dainty salads can be
packed In large green pepper pods
or tomatoes scooped out for the pur
pose.
Do not sleep with the arms above
the head; it causes additional strain
on the circulation of the blood toward
the heart.
A sponging "with a solution of one
part ammonia to ten parts of water
Is said to brighten the colors In a fad
ed carpet.
Salt thrown into the oven Immedi
ately after anything has been burned
In It will make the objectionable odor
less disagreeable.
Grease spots may be removed from
the carpet by covering with a brown
paper and then passing a warm flat
iron over the top.
By rubbing a fresh lemon Into a
soured sponge and rinsing several
times in luke-warm water It will be
come as sweet as when new.
Select a dozen or so of the smooth
est and largest splints from the new
broom and law them away to use In
testing cake when it is baking.
If you accidentally spill ice cream
on a silk waist try using alcohol to
remove the grease blemish. It also
removes a candy or gum blemish.
Fill custard cups and set them in a
kettle with a little hot water, put the
cover on and steam until done. They
are smoother than when baked.
Put the children out of doors to
run and play. Let them dig and
delve-4n mother earth, and absorb
the pure air and bright sunshine.
Don't be afraid of them getting dirty
it will save doctor's bills. -
THI BALLAD OF PRUt.
Mm Prue Friscllla Perkins was a print
New Kngland maid
And she never had a suitor since her
hair came, out of braid,
Though iiho looked like Dresden china,
when In Sunday beat arrayed.
But Pruo wont Went one summer and
she proudly wrote her name
On a stake upon tho prairie, where the
wild mintlowers tinme,
And she built a pointless dwell on a tree
less, munlcss claim.
It wasn't long, It happen, ere the hews
was sprend broadcast,
And tho cowboys came to view her and
they came a riding fast
And Miss Prue, who'd had no suitors.
Bald: "The tide has turned at last!'1
Now the nonles cluster Sundays round the
Perkins ranch house small,
And tho Perkins parlor bursteth with ad
mirers short and tall,
And a ticket to New Kngland wouldn't
please Miss Prue at all!
Arthur Chapman, In Denver Republican.
"Her repartee was brilliant." "Yes.
they say she has everything money
can buy." Cleveland Plain-Dealer.
' "Your wife never sings any more.
Did she Jose her voice?" "No; she
found her senses." Cleveland Leader.
Young Man Why do you advise
MIbs Smith to go abroad to study mu-
sic? You know Bhe has no talent. Old
Man I live next door to Miss Smith
Town and Country. .
"Swell wedding, wasn't It? Who
gave tho bride away?" "She wasn't
elven away. The papers had all been
made out for a regular sale." Phila
delphia Public Ledger.
O'Hoolihan O'ld loiko t' see some
mirrors thot'd do fer a Christmas prls
net. Clerk Yes, sir. Hand mirrors?
O'Hoolihan No. 01 want w'an thot
yez kin see yer face In, b'gorry.
Judge.
"Pa, is an abyss a sleepy hollow?"
"No, child. Whatever nut such an
Idea Into your head?" "Well, pa,
whenever you near or rem bdout an
abyss, It is always yawning." Balti
more American.
"I compel my daughter to practise
four hours a day," said Mr. Cumrox.
"But you will make her hate music so
that she will never want to go near a
piano!" "That's what I am hoping."
Washington Star.
Nell Why doesn't Maude Join your
sewing circle? Belle She wouldn't
be of much use. Nell Can't she sew?
Belle Oh, yes, she can sew, but she
has an Impediment In her speech.
Philadelphia Record.
Mother (to bedraggled little daugh
ter Good heavens, child, where have
you been? Child Bobby and I tum
bled Into the pond. Mother But
Where's poor Bobby? Child Oh, I
expect he's out by now. Punch.
"By the use of a little cleverness,"
began Brokeley, "I know a way to se
cure a very excellent substitute' for
gold " "How?" asked Markley, eag
erly. "Ask for silver. Haven't got a
half-dollar or so about you, have you?"
Philadelphia Press.
Mistress (angrily) How dare you
talk back to me in that way? I never
saw such impudence. oYu have a lot
of nerve to call yourself a lady's maid.
New Maid I don't call myself that
now, ma'am; but I was a lady's maid
before I got this Job. Chicago Daily
News.
"I don't know much about the poli
tics of your country," remarked the
visiting Englishman, "but I have read
of your politicians. Mr. Bryan be
longs to what is known as the Demo
cratic party, does he not?" "No, sir,"
answered the man with the bulging
brows. . "What Is known as the Demo
cratic party belongs to Mr. Bryan."
Chicago Tribune.
The Suspected Beaver.
"Sense I tol' you 'bout the o' man
havin' a blind tiger In a walkln' stick
an' gettin' kotched up with," said the
old lady, "he's been keepln' unusual
quiet ain't even kicked the house
cat or tried to raise the roof. Pears
like It wuz a lesson that done him
good, but it's like to cause him to
move out the settlement, for Deacon
Jones, who seen the Ilcker spilled out
en the walkln' stick, spread it all over,
an' sense that ef you shake a walkln'
stick at the or man he hunts fer klvver
jest takes to the wods. I dunno
what new scheme he'll try to work to
hide it hereafter, he bought him a
beaver bat t'other day, an' I'm sus
picious that It's got a false inside to
it, an' that thar's somethln' like halt
a gallon hid in the top of it whar"hls
bald head ought to be. I ain't had
much of a chance to investigate, kase
the ol' man never lets that beaver out
o' his sight; but the other day when
I was a-goln' through the settln' room
I tapped it-easy-llke an' In my Jedg
ment it didn't ring as holler as what
a beaver hat orter. So as I said be
fore, I've got my suspicions, an' I
ain't goln' to rest tell I satisfy 'em.
It's my firm an' onfallin' beliefs that
thar's a blind tiger in the top o' that
new beaver hat! "Atlanta Constltu-
UUU.
In Debt on $126,000 a Year.
Extravagance Is a disease Just as
much as nerves and appendicitis, and
a most fashionable ailing at that. The
Empress Josephine, poor thing, suffer
ed Intensely from this malady.
She had an income of 63uT000 francs
a year, and never could make It do.
She was in a chronic state of debt
But then she changed her linen threa
tlmes a day, and never wore a pair of
stockings twice. This love of fine
raiment followed her to the very
grave, for she died robed In rose color
and adorned with knots of ribbon.
Gentlewoman.