T
THE FLEA IS THE
Causes More Deaths Each Year Than All
Reptiles ancl Beasts.
"If some one were to toll you of a
creature covered with a heavy armor
f horn and provided with two large,
triangular slashing weapons In addi
tion to two lances and a very sharp
stiletto, having the longest and most
powerful hind legs of any being in ex
istence, so strong and powerful that
the animal could Jump 500 times Us
own length, and if you were to be
further told thnt this creature was
abroad upon the face of the earth to
day, causing more deaths annually
than all the venomous reptiles and
ferocious beasts in the world, would
you not imagine that the narrator
was the victim of hallucinations far
utclassing those of the most habit
uated pipe dreamer?" asks William
Colby Rucker, In the Technical World
Magazine. Dr. Rucker is a passed
assistant surgeon in the United States
Public Health and Marine Hospital
service.
"Yet," he continues, "such a crea
ture does exist, and In many varying
forms is found In almost every quar
ter of the globe and upon practically
every animal having a hairy coat. It
Is only in recent years, however, that
this Insect, the flea there, the secret
Is out has excited anything more
than a natural curiosity on the part
f the scientists who desire to know
and catalogue every living thing upon
the surface of the earth.
"Almost every animal having a
coat of hair has his own particular
rariety of flea. In other words, fleas
Tary with their host: but one host
may harbor six different species of
fleas, or one species may occupy six
different hosts. In general It may be
aid, however, that each flea bearing
animal has its own choice stock with
in its flea preserves. For example,
man elects the Pulex Irrltans (paren
thetically It may be noted that this
pedes Is also chosen by the skunk
and the hog) ; the dog, the Ctenoce
phalus canls, while the mouse has a
little blind flea of its own.
Family Peculiarities.
"The Ceratophyllus fasclatus, the
common rat flea of the United States,
as a collar of heavy spikes about Its
neck, giving it the appearance of a
Fifth avenue bulldog; the Ctenopsyl
lus muscull, the mouse flea, Is blind;
the Ctenocephalus canls has a large
cavalryman mustache of heavy
pines; the Pulex irrltans is globular
in shape and has no collar at all,
while the rabbit's affinity, the Hoplop
yllus afTlnus, has two heavy clasping
plates resembling a pair of ice tongs
with which he anchors himself to his
victim.
"The flea has an oval body which
fs flattened to permit easy progress
through the hair of its host. It Is as
though this insect had been literally
narrowed so that it might move with
ease in the hairy forest which It in
habits. It is covered, armodlllollke,
with heavy plate3 of chltln laid on
like the shingles of a house. This
chltln Is a hard, hornlike substance
which Is insolubale in acids, and Is
dissolved only by strong alkaline so
lutions. We thus see that the Insect
has been provided by nature with an
almost Impregnable defensive armor.
"At the points where the plates
overlap are the openings of the re
spiratory apparatus, and it Is through
these that the flea breathes. These
re twenty-four In number and are
the only vulnerable points on the in
sect In fact, almost the only way to
kill fleas, if we except crushing and
starvation, is by means of fine, moist
lust such as buhach, which clogs the
respiratory orifices, or by poisonous
gases.
Smells with "Pygum."
"Fitted over the tall like a saddle
and protected by an innumerable
number of fine bristles is the organ
f smell, the pygldlum. This is
roughly triangular in shape and con
sists et a platelike structure having
a number of sensory pits which look
as though hey had been punched out.
Immediately below this plate Is a
large respiratory opening which takes
the place of a nostril. The air pass
ins over the pygldlum to this opening
Irritates the fine bristles, thus trans
mitting the sensation of smell. This'
rgan is very necessary to the flea
on account of the almost utter lack
f tactile sense, and he depends very
largely upon it in bunting for food.
"in common with the rest of the
animal world, If we except mankind,
the male is much more adorned than
Its better half, who Is modestly ar
rayed in a neatly fitting suit of brown
armor. The ladies are inclined to be
petite, being perhaps three-fourths
EGYPTIANS BUILT SOUL HOUSES
The Same Principle Caused Them to Slay a
Warrior's Steed at the Grave.
Egyptian "soul" houses were cu
rious edifices made probably between
the tenth and twelfth dynasties that
is. about 3600 and 3300 B. C. The
same principle that oaused the war
liar's steed to be slain on his grave
seems to have actuated the early
Egyptians when they built a house
for the dead man's soul.
The beginning of the custom was
. that a, mat was laid on the grave,
with a pan of food upon It. After
X ward this offering was carved In stone
sa table of offerings to give perma
nent satisfaction for the soul. Then
to the ble was added a shelter cop
lad from mi Arab tent, and this grad
CHAMPION MURDERER
the size of the stronger sex. They
far outnumber the latter, however,
and hence in courtship the male as
sumes the passive role In a very lord
ly manner. With absolute lack of
gallantry ho Ignores the other sex,
who must seek his society if she
wishes a mate. It Is very amusing to
watch the efforts of a flrtatlous flea
to capture a beau, but having once
solzed hold of him, she cuddles close
ly In his embrace, entangling her
self In a determined manner in his
spines.
"The flea's head is armed with an
elaborate biting apparatus which acts
both as a weapon of offence and a
means of securing food. On either
side Is a large triangular anchor
which firmly -grasps the skin of the
victim and enables the Insect to ef
fectually Insert the piercing organs.
These consist of two lances each hav
ing a sharp spear shaped head below
which is a series of saw teeth. Be
tween and above them Is a sharp sty.
let. In biting, all three are Inserted
simultaneously, the saws working
back and forth until a good oponlng
is made and a flow of blood is Btarted.
As a Source of Pnnger.
"Many of the fleas have the dis
gusting habit of depositing their ex
creta at the same time they secure
their meal. The human flea Is the
worst mannered In this particular,
and It Is well established that it is
in this way he infects his victim with
bubonic plague. Having enten pre
viously from a plague stricken an
imal, he has taken Into himself a
very large number of pest bacteria.
These have been frequently found In
the dejecta of the flea, and may be de
posited upon the skin of a healthy
victim who subsequently rubs the Ir
ritated parts. The bacilli are thus
forced into the minute wounds made
by the flea, inoculating the victim
with disease. This is not a matter
of scientific speculation, but has been
thoroughly proved by accurate and
painstaking experiments in many
parts of the world.
"The flea is provided with Six logs
arranged in three pairs, which be
come progressively longer as you go
aft. There Is nothing very remark
able about the first two pairs, but tho
hind legs are the largest, longest and
most powerful In proportion to the
Bize and weight of the insect of any
in the entire animal kingdom. The
propulsive apparatus of the kangaroo
Is, in comparison, but a pitiful imita
tion. Provided with enormous hams
and with feet armed with claws work
ing on the principle of a cant-hook,
they are able to leap in a manner cal
culated to make the most bemedalled
track athlete green with envy,
"The American amateur Indoor
standing broad jump record is 16
inches was made by a fair co-ed after
fasting four days. The running high,
7 Inches, is also held by Miss Pulex
Irrltans. This family has representa
tives in all of the colleges of the Pa
cific Coast. Figuring on this basis
in proportion to weight and body
length, a man would be able to jump
over an office building 1C8 stories
high, and in making such a leap
would traverse over three-fifths of a
mile.
Their Taste in ITups.
"The question of the individual
preference of fleas for persons has re
ceived careful study. It is the popu
lar belief that fleas prefer blondes
to brunettes' and women to men, but
It has not been possible to prove this
experimentally. Certain it is that
they are equally disposed to black or
white guinea pigs and several negroes
are known whom the fleas use as a
veritable haven. Cleanliness does not
seem to be a bar to them; In fact,
thert seems to be some reason for
the elief that they prefer cleanly
persots to those to whom the bath
tub is viknown.
I "Th e is still a vast amount of
work to be done upon the interesting
flea and much time and money have
to be spent In the study of it. The
British in India and Australia, the
French in their Chinese pi evinces and
the Americans on the Pacific Coast
are all seeking after knowledge re
garding this enemy to mankind, and
it may not be long before the results
achieved by these .various agencies
will enable us to destroy forever this
persistent disseminator of pestilence
and death."
Nearly 1100,000 Is spent in Mexico
City every week on lottery tickets,
and in the same period only about
170,000 is paid back in premiums.
ually was elaborated. The shelter
was placed on columns, a hut was put
into this portico, chambers were cop
led, and finally appeared complete
two-story houses furnished with pot
tery, models of couch, chair, stool,
fireplace and the figure of a woman
making bread.
The soul was conceived of as as
cending from the grave through the
ground and requiring shelter while
feeding on its everlasting provision,
and yet, though it ascended through
the earth, it needed a staircase to go
up to the upper floor, and the soul
had a donkey, for which a manger
wai required. Chicago Mews.
HUNTED TURKEYS FOR LIVING.
Henry Carls and Bill TUghman in
the '70s and early '80s supplied the
Northern and Eastern markets with
deer and wild turkeys. In time they
dealt moBtly In turkeys, for the rea-
son that a deer, usually weighing
more than 100 pounds, brought only
$5 a carcass, while turkeys, averaging
from ten to twelve pounds each, al
ways sold readily at $1 apiece.
"It was our rule," Garls said, "nev
er to fire Into a drove of turkeys In
daylight, as to do so would frighten
them and cause them to leave that
part of the country. The result of
this kind of hunting was that we al
ways had an abundance of turkeys
within reach we often rode within
forty feet of a big drove of turkeys
Without their taking flight.
"Persons who never hunted In the
Southwest In the old days scarcely
can Imagine the enormous number of
turkeys that ranged the country. I
believe the greatest turkey range on
earth was In what we called the Red
IUU country, now embraced in Woods,
Majors and Alfalfa countleB, Oklaho
ma. I have seen ten and twelve acres
at a time black with turkeys; actual
ly the ground Itself seemed to be
alive. After the turkeys had passed
their scratching made the ground
look as if it had been gone over with
rakes. The turkeys fed on small
acorns and often flew Into tho hack
berry trees for berries, their weight
stripping the trees of their smaller
limbs. I know of one gobbler sold at
Dodge City that weighed forty-five
pounds, and we killed many that
weighed thirty-five or forty pounds.
"The worst scare I ever got In the
west country was while hunting tur
keys one night, even though we hnd
na occasional brush with the Chey
enne Indiana. Tilghman and I,
though partners, always hunted alone.
We started out one nlghf In search of
a roost, Tllghman going down a big
canon, while I went up the canon.
Our reconnoitring finally led both of
us into a heavily timbered creek bot
tom. Each was moving steallthlly
along with gun cocked, talcing a step
at a time, doing our best to penetrate
the darkness and locate turkeys on
their roost.
"Th wind was blowing from the
south and It was difficult to hear foot
steps or the breaking of twigs. Sud
denly we backed squarely Into each
other In tho darkness, neither sus
pecting the presence, of the other. I
am confident that I jumped ten feet
Into the air, my hair on end and my
finger on the trigger of my gun. By
the time I came down Tllghman had
regained his composure he had been
too startled to shoot mo on the wing,
while 1 couldn't shoot with my feet
off the ground. Both of us lay down
and panted a while to get our brenth,
and then each cussed the other for
scaring him." Guthrie Correspond
ence Kansas City Tlme3.
A LABRADOR RESCUE?.
In his work among the people of
the Labrador coast Dr. Wilfred T.
Grenfell has often imperiled his life.
One such Instance is given In his
hook, "Ardift on an Ice-Pan," in
which is told the story of his remark
able escape from death. What fol
lows an account of the rescue Is
all the more impressive from being
told in the homely words of one of
the rescuers.
One day about a week after Dr.
Grenfell's return two men came in
from Griquet, fifteen miles away.
They had walked all that distance,
although tho trail was heavy with
snow. "We just felt we must see
the doctor and tell him what 'twould
'a' meant to us If he'd been lost," said
George Andrews.
" 'Twos even when us knew 'e was
on the ice, George Davis seen un first.
'E went to th' cliff to look for seal.
'E got 'is spy-glass an' made out a
man an' dogs on a pan, an' knowed
It war the doctor.
"Us had a good strong boat an'
four oars, an' took a hot kettle of
tea an' food for a week, for us
thought 'ud have to go far, an'
p'r'aps lose th' boat. I di'n't hope to
find the doctor alive, an' kept lookln'
for a sign of un on th' pans. 'Twa'
no' easy gettln' to th' pans wl' a big
sea runnin'.
'Us saw th' doctor about twenty
minutes afore us got f un. 'E was
wavin' 'is flag, an' I seen 'lm. 'E
was on a pan no bigger'n this floe,
an' I dunno what ever kep' un fro'
goln' abroad, for 'twasn't ice, 'twas
packed snow.
"Th' pan was away from even th'
slob, floating by hlsself, an' th' open
water all roun', an' 'twas just across
fro' Goose Cove, an' outside o' that
there'd been no hope.
"I think th' way th' pan held to
gether was on account o' th' dogs'
bodies meetin' It, an't froze hard dur
ing the night. 'E was level with th'
water, an' th' sea washing over us all
th' time.
"E 'ad ripped the dog harnesses an'
stuffed the oakum In th' leg o' 'is
pants to keep un warm. 'E showed
It to we. An' 'e cut off th' tops o' "is
hoots to keep th' draft from 'Is back.
'E must 'a', worked 'ard all night.
E said 'e'droled off once or twice,
but th' night seemed wonderfu' long.
"Us took un off th' pan at about
half-past seven, an' 'ad a 'ard fight
gettln' In, the sea still runnin' 'igh.
'E said 'e was proud to see us cumin'
for un. And so 'e might, for it grew
wonderfu' cold In th' day, and th' sea
so 'Igh the pau couldn't 'a' lived out
side.
" 'E wouldn't stop when us got
ashore, but must go right on, an'
when 'e' 'ad dry clothes an' was a bit
warm us sent un to St. Anthony with
a team."
BAGGING A POLAR BEAR.
To be frozen In for a winter at
Cape Bathurst, on the Arctic Ocean,
Is an experience described in a re
cent number of Recreation.. The
ship was on a whaling cruise and was
woll loaded. They had about sixty
dogs, and had secured several car
casses of walrus, and cached them on
the Ice as food for the dogs.
One morning, says the captain,
who tells the story, my Indian boy,
Neponack, came running up the
plank, shouting at the top of his
voice that there was a boar near the
ship.
I am not much of a hunter, but I
object to being run over by game; so
I always koep a rifle and bolt of car
tridges within reach. I grabbed
them and started to look for the bear.
As I drew near the meat cache I
saw a big polar bear, with his head
down in tho barrel, helping himself
vigorously, The whole pack of sixty
dogs were leaping, barking and
howling about him. The bear paid
no attention to them, and they all
seemed afraid to tako hold of him.
I walked up to within a hundred
yards and took a shot at old Ursus
arctlcus.
When the ball hit him he leaped
into the air, and as he camodown on
the ice the entire pack of doga "lit
into him."
The bear let out In all directions
with his great paws, and at every
blow some poor dog was sent shriek
ing and spinning across the ice.
As soon as the bear had thinned
out the pack sufficiently to escape,
he struck out across the ice-floe for a
bit of open water half a mile away.
At that stage of the game there
were but three dogs in the whole
pack that wanted bear. The others
had had more than they cared for.
But In a few seconds the race was
rovorsed, and the dogs were coming
for the ship as if they had been shot
out of a gun, and the bear was after
them. This was my chance, and I
fired again, and my shot finished him.
By this time the whole crew had
come out to see the fun. We put a
line around the bear's neck and
dragged him on hoard, where we
skinned him.
While the fight was going on, I
would have sworn the bear would
weigh a ton, but when we got him on
deck he seemed to have grown much
smaller. Still, he was a good-sized
animal.
FIGHT WITH BRIGANDS.
Two nights ago a band of brigands
attacked the railway station of Ro-
settl on this line. Choosing the hour
of midnight they approached the sta
tion, which is desolately situated, and
commenced their attack on the dwell
ing of the telegraph clerk, which
stands some 200 yards from the sta
tion Itself.
This official possesses a savage
watchdog, but the brigands silenced
It by throwing to it dead fowls stolen
from the adjacent shed. Then they
proceeded to force an entrance by a
hack window, thinking they had an
easy task, the only inhabitants being
the clerk and his wife.
They reckoned, however, without
their host, for hardly had they begun
to force the window when a door was
thrown open and a shot from a Mar
tini rifle stretched one bandit dead.
This threw the others Into disorder.
They rushed from the yard, the
clerk following, but seeing he did not
fire again (having recklessly advanced
without loading) they turned on him
with the knives and axes with which
they were armed, and for a moment
his death seemed certain, when his
courageous young wife ran forward
and fired with a shotgun with which
she had armed herself, and another
brigand fell wounded. Picking up
their companion they, fairly cowed.
now took to their heels. The clerk
and his wife, loading, followed them,
but unfortunately both fell In the
dark, the band making their escape.
The gendarmeries have already ar
rested some members of the band.
known criminals, lately come into the
district. They have confessed their
complicity, and say that being bur
dened with the wounded, man and
afraid if they left him of his denounc
ing them, they threw him, still living,
into a deep well, where his body has
been since discovered. -Bralla Corre
spondence London Chronicle.
Taxlcab Trick.
"I'm Just pinning on my braid,"
said the young woman who had been
called to the telephone. ""Oh, about
twenty minutes, I guess."
"That is a trick," she said, "that
came in with taxicabs. A man going
anywhere with a woman in an old
fashioned cab would have squandered
half a week's salary before he would
telephone her about the stage of ber
toilet But with taxicabs it Is differ
ent. They eat up money faster than
the old cabs, and it is nothing unusual
now for an escort to ask how much
longer It will take to get ready.
Within fifteen or twenty minutes of
the time set he calls a taxi and gets
here as you are going down stairs.
Not very romantic, no; but it's sensi
ble and saves money." New York
Sun.
The colony of Barbnry apes, on the
Rock of Gibraltar, is the only one ol
its kind In existence, and is being
protected by the British Government
F6rih&
younger
Children.
WniCH IS BEST!
I always love the summer time,
When it is here, you know,
For then I think I ne'er could stand
The winter' sleet and snow.
But when the flint cold days roll round,
And the hillside's smooth and white,
I take my sled and counting go;
Oh, it u such delight!
I know that I, lilte other boys,
Love the season that is here;
And be it winter, summer, spring,
It is the one most dear.
Washington Star.
WISDOM OF ELEVEN.
The latest definition of the woman
suffragist is furnished by a strong-
minded girl of eleven, who attends a
certain fashionable private school. At
a Sunday luncheon recently this child
announced to her parents that she
was going to hear a debate on woman
suffrage.
"The class Just above the one I'm
In Is holding it," she said importantly.
"The debaters are reading up a lot
for it, and they said I must be sure
to come."
"Why," said her father, to quiz
her, "you don't know anything about
woman suffrage. Tou don't even
know the meaning of the term."
"Yes, I do," Insisted Miss Eleven.
"Every one knows that. It's easy. It
Is Just that the women are suffering
to be men." New York Tribune.
CHERRY, THE CANARY. -Last
Fourth of July, Instead of get
ting fireworks, my brother and I got
a canary bird. He is a lovely singer,
and sometimes he sings so loud that
we have to tell him to be quiet. The
more we talk, the louder he sings,
Whenever my father or uncle comes
into the room, Cheery begins to flut
ter his wings and make his little
mouth go so hard that he can hardly
talk in his little bird language.
Cheery does not like to take a bath
at all, and the only way he gets one
Is when mother puts him in a bowl of
water and covers him with a colander
and makes him walk around In the
water. . But when she takes him
out and puts him back in his cage
the first thing that he does is to try
to get in his water cup and take an
other hath in that. Doris Staunton,
In the New York Tribune,
TALE OF PERVERSIVE JANE.
Great-grandma had received a let
ter by post. It was not In an envel
ope, though at first glance at the out
side it would seem so. There were
no envelopes In 'those days. It was
written on a large sheet of paper,
curiously folded and sealed with red
wax. It came from the Philadelphia
cousins and In formal, gracious lines
gave family news and good wishes,
It also said that in seventh month,
Cousin Benjamin and Cousin Caroline
were to visit in the town, and their
youngest daughter, Cousin Jane,
would accompany them. Great
grandma and great-grandpa talked
about it at breakfast, as told by Har
riet Mendenhall In the Churchman.
"They will be welcome guests here.
They will spend the afternoon with
us and take tea, and doubtless we
shall see much of them."
Harriet, Sue and Mary heard. They
saw the letter, too. Letters were rare
in those days. They saw the impress
of the seal on the red wax. It was
an hour-glass and the motto, "Time is
short." They knew how It was done.
for they had seen father seal letters.
When they grew up they meant to
write letters and have a seal them
selves.
They were glad Cousin Jane was
coming. She had wavy, brown hair
and bright, brown eyes. She laughed
merrily and she liked .to see Gyp
stand and beg. When three odd shoes
were found In his kennel and father
wondered to ' whom they belonged,
and mother declared she could not
have a dog that stole from the neigh
bors, and the little girls trembled for
Gyp's fate. Cousin Jane had laughed
gayly. She said he would be the
family provider; and she and Harriet
and Sue and Mary made calls up and
down the street to restore the prop
erty. The children thought It a grave
offense, but nobody scolded Cousin
Jane, at which they were somewhat
puzzled. So Harriet, Sue and Mary
were glad she was coming. Cousin
Benjamin and Cousin Caroline were
like other people who visited or dined
and of whom the children had
glimpses. Cousin Jane was different
"Thy ways are perversive." father
said once. He smiled In the saying
and mother smiled also. The little
girls thought perversive meant pleas
ant It was toward the end of the Sixth
month, which is June; and after
breakfast the little girls went Into the
ffiarAan tn nthur currants from the
bushes. Mother was to make Jelly I
and they, bad tare small kettles to;
011. Tbey walked down the brick
path and over the grass to the side
where the currants grew. The breeze
blew fresh and cool from the river
lying beyond the garden. First there e.,
were flowers and grass, then fruit "
trees and currant bushes, raspberry,
bushes and quinces, then vegetables,
then more grass and a little dock pro
jecting Into the blue breadth of wa- '
ter. They turned their flushed faces
to catch the air.
"Bonnets are hot," they said.
"Will It be weeks and weeks before
She comes?" Questioned Murv. ' Rn
Vfll HmiMflll lTBln .nl,l C- 1 U J
......., iiautvb Dam UUVtllLll , w
month came after Sixth month. TheyC.
always naa cherry pie on the Fourth,
and It was a holiday. "It would be
fine If she came then. Maybe father
will take us in the boat." That was
something else they longed for to
be big, to stand on the dock and
watch the water and to sail In a boat.
They were little now and the currants
were to be gathered, and mother
would not like thom to stand on the
dock alone.
Seventh month followed Sixth
month and the cousins came to spend
the afternoon and take tea, as mother '
had said. Things were apt to happen
as mother said. They saw tall Cousin
Benjamin, and Cousin Caroline in her
Bilk gown, and other people, and
Cousin Jane. Mother welcomed In
her silk gown in the cool parlor.
Cousin Jane promised to sit on the
same side of the table as the little
girls. Then they were sent Into the
garden three little girls In quaint
white frocks, low in the neck and
short in the sleeve,' showing the bare
arms. Mother had said they were to
play quietly, to keep clean and not to
get wet in the river, else they must be
sent to bed. That would be dire, in
deed, to miss Cousin Jane. They,
looked at the flowers behind the
hedges of box and picked a straw
berry shrub flower apiece to hold In
a warm hand and smell the delicious
fragrance; and then they were at the
end of the flowers. They walked un
der the trees and talked about the
pears and ' the peaches that would
drop on the grass; and always they,
were a little farther from the house
and a little nearer to the river. How
pretty It was, glinting in the sun and
running, running past tr dock. Gyp
scampered about, Inviting a chase.
They were quite at the end of the
garden now. Beyond lay only the
dock and the river. Gyp ran on,
turned his head, wagged bis tall and
barked. He ran farther and barked
again.
"He's going to the dock," said Sue.
"I suppose we might stand there,"
said Harriet, "If we did not get wet
or muddy."
The three walked on. Gyp was
delighted. He Jumped and ran and
barked and begged for a stick. Sue
threw one Into the river. With a
joyous plunge he swam and brought
it back.
"It is low tide," said Sue. "We
could wade to-day."
She threw another stick. Then
Harriet threw and Mary tried. Oh!l
oh! oh! she slipped on the edge and
her plump little self In her clean,
white frock went right down, down
Into the shallow water! Harriet flew
to the steps and pulled ber out Sue
wiped her off and hushed the crying.
Tbey were all safe. Alas! also they
were wet and muddy, and mother had
said
Three draggled little girls walked
slowly under the fruit-trees, through
the flower garden and Into the kitch
en. Mother found them there with
their wet frocks, and mother bad
said So the maid took them up
stairs and put them into dry, white
nighties and left them, with the sun
high in the sky.
Harriet, Sue and Mary lay dismally
In the big bed. They could hear the
tinkle of china and silver and catch
the sound of voices. They supposed
there would be preserves and three
kinds of cake and Cousin Jane had
promised to sit on their side. Then
they heard gay laughter; and, by and
by, a step on the stair.
"Oh! Cousin Hannah." Cousin Car
oline had pleaded, hearing of the chil
dren's plight, "did thee send them to
bed?"
"I infer," remarked Cousin Jane,
as tea ended, "that their fare Is pru
dent Thee could not justly send
them these Jumbles, though, other
wise thee would be willing."
Great-grandma and great-grandpa
were smiling at Cousin Jane and at
eaca other.
"Sponge cake would be 1 more
wholesome." observed great-grandma.
"It certainly would," assented Cou
sin Jane, piling three large pieces on
a plate.
"Jane," said great-grandpa, taee
Is perversive still."
And then they all laughed.
Harriet, J3ue and Mary sat up In
bed.
"Look!" cried Cousin Jane, coming
lightly In with the plate. Her brown
hair waved and there were kindly
twinkles tn her bright brown eyes.
Look! I have brought some of the .
PrtT-
They were sure, now, that perver
sive meant pleasant
The Reason.
"Why are you sore on the eminent
magnate? He has done some 'good.
thines."
I was one cl tttr-" 'burs: l
Past