A YOUTHFUL MARTYR. ' For fibbing, many a lad, n doubt, Baa felt the sting of hickory sprout. Eliphalet Tense, a pleasant youth, Was birched because he tola the truth. II. One day, from school Eliphalet came, 'And fought his mother, comely dame. ' "Oh. Mother, have you heard the newat 'As I iras passing Parson Time's, III. "Down a ladder, from the top, Full twenty feet, without a stop, Head over heels, did Parson go, And landed on the rocks below." IV. "Alack a day!" the good housewife cried, 'And swiftly to bcr gossips hied. And soon throughout the villnge, all Bad heard the tale of Parson's full. V. ' Men dropped their fishing nets and creels; The women left their spinning-wheels; The broth was burned within the pot. By wives and maids alike forgot. VI. The rumor grew, as swift it spread. And declared the Parson dead. And many fainted from the shock; Tor he was loved by all his flock. VII. But see? amidst the tumult, where . A form appears, erect and spare. The Parson's self, benignant, calm. And humming soft, a favorite psalm! VIII. Before the wondering crowd, he halts, And soon declares the rumor false. Backward, the story, then they trace, Severe and frowning, every face; IX. Until, with unexpected ease, Tia brought home to Eliphalet Pease. "I did but tell the truth, quoth he, The parson was up in a tree. r X. "And down the ladder, round by round, Jfe came until he reached the ground. Head over heels, he came; 'tis true; lray, tell me, how else would he do?" XI. Bilence ensued that might be felt; And then the crowd began to melt. To melt away, with sheepish grin. Which didn't save Kliphalet's skin. For this is when that luckless youth (Was birched because he told the truth. Pauline Frances Camp, in St. Nicholas. X X X X X X X X X X Bj ALYA MARIE PATERSON. X X X X X X X X X X The March moon, -shining resplen Vant, revealed the somewhat abject Itgure of a man strolling lazily along the country road. Hia black derby hat and the unmistakable modish cut f his tweed suit told that he was not resident of Marshvllle only a visi tor, or wanderer perhaps. His slow gait , and general attitude expressed gloom and his lonely sojourn at the late hour of twelve suggested mystery r uneasiness ot mind. Suddenly he stood erect, listening", lie raised his head; as he did so, his ft at fell off, and the light ot the moon hone full upon a very characteristic countenance that, despite Its lofty lirow and unusual Intelligence, be trayed a life of heavy distipation. At the present time, every feature ex pressed Intense emotion; the high, rale forehead was knitted together in sleep lines of pain; the dark eyes be took a cavernous expression and the sensitive nostrils were dilated. His thin, colorless lips were partly opened as if about to utter a word. "Ah!" he exclaimed hoarsely. "It ts the blind singer of whom the vil lage folk talk in whispers! What a .wonderful voice! And why is the tinging at this unearthly hour?" As he spoke a treniulous melody floated to him on the breezes. It was like the tinkling of silver bells on the water in moonlight, so musical and low, and yet it stabsed the heart of the listener with Us unconscious ap peal for sympathy. The stranger clenched his hands; the voice grew louder and sweeter and more appeal ing. "Cfood God!" he muttered, gaz ing about him with agonized looks. "Shall I forever lrear It?" And then lie ran ran in search of the voice. In five minutes he was facing the singer. She stood on the opposite bank of little Lake Myriad, a tall, stately woman, robed in white gar ments, loose and flowing, and her feet were unshod. She held her head lifted toward the Bky; the skin of arm, face, and bosom was like daz-' tllng Ivory, so pure and faultless, and veritable halo of tresses, golden lued, enshrined her beautiful face. The eyes were unspeakably lovely blue, like the bluest heavens of a per fect summer day! Yet they did not move, only stared fixedly into space. To the bewildered beholder she seemed an Aphrodite come to earth. Still her song soared on and on, reaching a climax of heavenly sweet ness, which slowly lost itself in the softest cadence of a most entrancing lullaby. Then there was a splash, followed tiy another, and the strange wanderer was swimming to the rescue of the lnger. The only competent doctor the town boasted attended the singer and the wanderer through long months of Illness, and from the sick man's mut terlngs the doctor gathered a story. One glorious June morning when little Lake Myriad was, sparkling In the sunlight. Dr. Morse took his two yatients to a spacious grape-arbor overlooking the lake. He seated him self quietly and held the woman's hand in his, speaking solemnly. , "Madeline, my dear, some years ago you were the handsomest lass lor miles 'round you married rich Major Hepworth. A ion was tori to you. Before he was two yea s old that ion was stolen. You searched for five years, but no trace ot him could bo found. At the end of that time your husband died; then you went mad. Yes, do not shudder, for your recent Illness has banished that fearful malady forever. But even In your madness you cherished the Lope that you would some day- find your boy. That hope has kept you alive and young, even in your demented state, these long years. Not a balr wrinkle spoiled your lovely face, and you retained your wonderful voice, but you became blind. Blindness was hereditary in your family, but your mental distress brought it on prema turely and I fear you will never re gain your sight. Several times you have slipped out In your night robes and been found singing by the lake at midnight. One night, not long ago, you went " "Yes! yes! I know! I stood by the lake and I felt that he was near me yet I could not see I-could not see. I sprang forward to reach for him and I fell Into the lake. Yes, doctor, I remember, and do you know, I seemed to feel his arms around me only he had grown a man!" "Mother!" The stranger's voice was an uttered prayer. "Speak! Speak! Do I hear my son?" "Yes, mother, for you are my mother listen! Ever since I was a little child, your face has been stamped on my memory; always I hear the lullaby you sang on the night you nearly drowned. You must have crooned it to me when I was a mere babe! I spoke of these child-like fancies, as I thought they were, to ray guardian, but he laughed them away, telling me they were only whims. Several years ago he died, having confessed to me that he was not my father as he had made me be lieve, but that Major Hepworth was my father, and that he my guar dian had kidnaped me because he was jealous of my father's promotion in the army. He could not tell me if you were living or dead. I forgave him' because he had been good to me, but a great gloom fell upon me, clouding my young manhood, for, strangely enough, I feared that you were mad. That thought has driven me to the extremes ot terror and dis sipation till now, at the age ot twen-ty-flve, I am an old man, and worn. But Providence has been merciful at last and brought me to where you are!" A long silence followed. The mother lifted her face to. her son's; the last hour had seemed. to age it, for the weight of years, held in check by an unconscious being who was en knowingly nestling a cherished hop in a forlorn breast, had begun to as sert Itself and leave Its Imprint on her features In the moment ot reali zation. Boston Post, IS DEEP BREATH ING BENEFICIAL? Dr. Woods Hutchinson, In Outing, questions It. He says on this point: "Another fad ot physical culture which, though beneficial In modera tion, falls far short of the claims made for it, is deep breathing. Air Is, of course, the breath of life, and as this breath of life is 'eaten' with the chest, the larger and more su perbly expanded chest you have, the more life you get; so runs our popu lar logic. Moreover, It carr he dem onstrated easily that when you have been cfamped up over desk or book for hours, it is an Inspiring and ex hilarating thing to stand erect, throw back your shoulders, and draw three or four big, deep breaths. Ergo; if a little of this pouter pigeon perform ance is good, more of it must be bet ter." The Answer. "Ah. well," said Wilbur Wright, "there's a plausible answer, you know, to every charge." , Mr. Wright at a dinner In Dayton was discussing the defense put up by an infringer of his biplane patents. - "The most defenseless charge," he said, "has its defense. Take the case of Bloomsbury. "A gentleman visited Bloomsbury. Cettlng off the train he found he had to drive four miles from the station to the town. This naturally angered him, and he reproached 1 the ticket agent. "'You are fools on this line," he said. 'What made you build yeur station so far away from the city?' " 'Because,' drawled the agent, 'we thought It would be more convenient to have it down here near the rail road.' " Washington Star. Traces Origin of Aztecs. According to W. D. Westervelt, of Honolulu, an admitted authority on Polynesian archaeology, the civiliza tion of the Toltecs and Aztecs of Mexico Is not directly connected with that of ancient Egypt, hut had its ori. gin with the Polynesians of the Pa cific. He is ot the opinion that the effort to establish connection between ancient Mexico and old Egypt Is an error, and cannot but lead to contu sion. Mr. Westervelt visited and careful ly examined many ot the Aztec ruins In the vicinity of the City ot Mexico, and is convinced that what he saw Is the work of people who had been un e'er the Influence of Polynesian clvlli zation. Washington Herald. . So far nobody has Invented a bal loon that will really behkw Itself. Baltimore Sua. . r, ro? o o o J?orthe,ChildrenS THE ENCHANTED ISLE. I. The beautiful way to Fairy-land Is always within your reach. It leads to the happy Knchanted Me, With shining shells on its beach. II. It leads to the fairy grottoes there, And the caves where the treasures lie; And never were breezes so soft and sweet, And never so blue the sky. III. There fairies, giants, and dwarfs and gnomes Disport in a friendly way; There mermaida lovely" arise to view, Engaging in graceful play. IV. And when you are lost in enchanted woods, Each bird and beast is a friend; You never suffer a pang of fear, For you know 'twill happily end. Anna Moore, in St. Nicholas. BESSIE LACKED SLEEP. Grandma "Well, Bessie, how are you feeling this morning?" Small Bessie "Not very well, thank you. I don't believe I slept twenty-four hours the whole night." Philadel phia Record. BUTTON HOOK BALL. An old croquet ball which has served its usefulness in the game might still be of value to the handy little girl who likes to make pretty things for her room. After scrubbing and drying the ball gild It with gold paint. Then screw Into it small brass hooks, so that they will be In line right around the large part of the ball. At the .top fasten a bow of ribbon which has many loops that cover the top of the ball. One loop should be made longer than the rest so that this button hook or key rack might be suspended. In order to have this rack match the color used In the room select ribbon for It the same shade as that used on other fancy articles hanging near. Washington Star. ROMAN WEATHER IN ENGLAND. When the Romans did us the honor of living in England they seem to have enjoyed better weather , than their successors of to-day. For Mr. Clement Reld assures us that the fig and grape seeds which, he has dug out ot Roman dust-heaps at Sllchester, Caerwent and Pevensey were the off spring of fig trees and vines that grew on our native boII. Of the plants in troduced by the Romans these ancient dust-heaps reveal the pea, the mul berry, the apple; but the peach, the apricot and the almond seeds are all missing. The fact that all the fruits and Bplces found are only such as could be grown in Britain now seems to show that the Romans were not importers of fruit in the dried state, and that the mulberry Beeds repre sent a native growth. Washington Star. ANCIENTS' IDEA OP THE COMET. As we are so often visited by com ets those tramps of the universe Jt may be Interesting to the young folkB to know something about the theories held by the ancients regard ing these mysterious bodies, ,wtth their streamers of light extending across the heavens. The following ettract Is quoted from an exhaustive and authentic work, a "History of the Universe." ."The term 'comet,' derived from the Latin coma, or hair, applied to celestial bodies, which appear to have a hairy appendage, goes back to the time of the Romans. A similar word, 'cometa,' was used by Cicero, Tlbul lus and other ancient writers. "While the ancients distinguished between comets and meteors, yet they believed them to be of the same na ture, and to be found In tho earth's atmosphere not far above the clouds, or, at all events, much lower than the moon. The earlier and Pythagorean view, however, was much more cor rect, according to modern doctrine with long periods of revolution, which idea, like others of Pythagoras,, probably came from Eastern philoso phers of unknown nationality. Apol lonlus, the Myndlan, believed that the Chaldeans were responsible for this notion of the comets, for they spoke ot them as travelers that penetvated far Into the upper or more distant celestial space. Aristotle even be lieved that the milky way was a vast comet which perpetually reproduced I itself. I "The comet could not be regarded otherwise than as a divine omen to announce some remarkable event or to forbode evil, particularly pesti lence and war. Indeed, for many years the deaths of monarchs were believed to be announced by these brilliant messengers In the sky." Washlngton Star. ADVENTURE IN A HOUSEBOAT. One year we stayed out on our houseboat much. longer than usual. As the weather had continued .warm, we delayed going in to shore and stayed out In the middle of .the bay. One day there came up a severe storm and, as there were only women on board, we were very uneasy. We be came more uneasy as the storm be came more severe and were continual ly watching to see it the boat had sprung a leak. It was my turn to take watch. Looking Into the hull, I saw that It .was fast filling with water. After gathering up a few of our most precious possessions, we went on the upper deck and called for help. After a while we saw a imall row- o O OO boat, manned by three men. Hearing our cries, they had set out to save us from a watery grave. We had a cat on board and tried to get her, but she spit at everybody who came near her, thinking that she was going to be thrown overboard. At last we sue ceeded in getting her, and kept her until we got into the rowboat. After we got a Bhort way from the houseboat it sank. The wind was blowing such a gale that we were aU most upset. The waves tossed the) boat to and fro, but we flnnlly arrived at the dredge that the mijn had come from. The superintendent Invited us to Btay there, and, as we had nothing better to do, we n".?i?p'.e.l his oiler. There wero two Ja."autse on the dredge, a cook r.n .1 v. waiter. They hustled around, celling us hot coffee and water. We Btayed on 11:6 dredse until the storm abated, and V.at was about three days later. We then went to the city, and were glad to bo on dry land once more. Our boat was not severely damaged, so it was fixed up the next spring. It Is as good as new now, and we have had many pleasant summers on It. Lillian K. Mlnton, in the New York Tribune. A FIVE-YEAR-OLD'S GARDEN. Ernest was five years old when he weut with papa and mamma to spend the Easter holidays with Aunt Jes sica and Uncle William and the cous ins on the farm. Ralph and James were older than Ernest; but they had fine times play ing together, and the two country boys were proud and happy to show their city cousin all the wonders of the hillside. " The big garden, which had Just been plowed and made Into beds ready for the planting, interested Ernest very much, especially when his cousins told him that this year they were going to have a garden all their own, and were to raise radishes and lettuce and peas and beans and corn, and all the other good things that go to make up a fine vegetable garden. "Oh, I'm going to ask papa if I can't have a garden!" cried Ernest. "Ho! In your little cooped up back yard!" laughed James. "I guess you'd raise about ono cu cumber and two peas," chuckled Ralph. "Why, I don't see why I can't," re plied Ernest, his face sober and a Ut ile grieved. "There's isn't room enough, chick en! It takes room for corn and beans and such things, don't you know? Besides, you aren't old enough to take care ot them, that's why!" "I'm going to have my cabbages here," called Ralph. "Where will you have yours, James?" So Ernest followed his cousins around the patch that had been set aside for them and listened to their happy planning, his heart disappoint ed and sore. But, when they were home again, and he ventured to ask papa about the coveted garden, papa seemed to be of an altogether different opinion from hl3 cousins. "A capital idea!" papa said. "It will be good for you, even if nothing move comes from It. And who knows but you can raise enough for quite a taste! I'll have the ground spaded right away " ''And you'll get the seeds, and let me plant them?" broke In Ernest, excitedly. ."Sure, boy! You shall have all tho seeds the yard will hold." Those spring days were full of Joy. Papa Bhowed Ernest how to handle the small garden tools that he bought for him, and told him how to plant and how to take care of his little seedlings when they were up. Oh, how much Ernest did learn! And what a faithful little farmer he was! One day before frost . time the country aunt and uncle and cousins came down for a short visit. Of course, Ernest had to talk about his garden the very first thing. "Yes, I'm glad you stirred up my boy on gardening," added papa. "He has really done wonders this Bum mer In our little back yard. We have bad lettuce and radishes nnd peas and beets and bush llmas and corn " "Bantam corn," put in Ernest, "and patty-pan squashes!" "It is a great garden," laughed papa. "The tomatoes are coming on finely now; we can have some for din ner, can't we, Ernest?." "Oh, yes!" he answered. "Perhaps they aren't so big as yours," turning toward his cousins, "but they're good. You've got a beautiful garden, I sup rose." Ralph and James did not answer. They wriggled uneasily In their chairs. Their father laughed. "You ought to see their garden," he. said. "They have got the best crop of weeds on the place, but not much else. I heard them trying to discourage you last spring, but you can laugh at them now." But Ernest did not laugh. Instead he said, "I'm sorry." "Anyway, we'll have a garden next year," Meclared Ralph. "See if we don't!" Emma C. Dowd, In Little Folks.. Railway passengers In and out of New York now average 654,000 dally, and it requires 33C9 trains to haul them. , 'The United States forestry service consists of a force ot S000 persons. Ten years ago It was only ten men. POWER OP THE IMAGINATION. Illustrated to Mr. Bllltops by His Ex perlence AVIth a Thermometer. "I don't: know when I've been so put out by a little thing," said Mr. Bill tops, "as I was by the discovery that my thermometer was four degrees wrong; it gave me a real hard little Jolt for one thing, and then it made me realize that for two years I had' been making myself uncomfortable over nothing. "Out ot doors I can stand the cold as well as anybody, but indoors I like to be warm; 72 is about what suits me In the house. "Two years ago I bought a new thermometer which I hung up in my room, and I haven't been warm there In winter since. - "Other parts of the house seemed all right; in the parlor and In the dining room they got it up to 72 ap parently without any trouble, but In my room It never seemed to get above 68. I didn't shiver, but I never could get really warm, and one day I said to Mrs. Bllltops: " 'Elizabeth, why can't you get the heat up in my room? Why should my room be the only cold room In the house?' "Mrs. Bllltops comes in and stands around a minute and then she says: " 'Why, Ezra, It's just as warm here as It Is anywhere else.' " 'Nonsense!' I says to her. 'Look at that thermometer! It's only 68 here, and It's 72 at this minute in the parlor.' "But MrB. Bllltops Insisted that it was as warm in my room as it was anywhere else, and she Bald that probably the trouble was with my thermometer; that my thermometer didn't mark correctly, and I Bald It did, and I'd show her conclusively that the thermometer was all right, I'd prove to her that my room was cold. I'd put my thermometer right alongside the one in the parlor, and she'd see it go up in no time to 72. "So we put It out there, but It didn't budge, that Is upward, but it did go down one degreee. Standing side by side with the parlor ther mometer marking 72 mine went down to 67; they were five degrees apart. "The temperature in the parlor, actually one degree colder than my own room, had been entirely agree able to me, while in my room, though It was actually warmer, I had, misled by my thermometer, never been able to get thoroughly and comfortably warmed up. Another Illustration ot the power of the Imagination. "Now I've got a correct thermom eter and I don't have any more trouble over the heat." Sun. Old Style and New Style. The errors in the Julian Calendar long attracted the attention ot as tronomers, and finally Pope Gregory XIII .undertook the revision of the calendar. The change made by him In 1582 Is what Is commonly called the "New Style." After great consid eration, Gregory published his new calendar, In which ten days were de ducted from the year 1582 by calling what, according to the old calendar, would have been the fifth day of Oc tober the fifteenth ot October. The change thus made by Gregory was gradually Introduced Into other Eu ropean countries, England being among the last to make the altera tion, the change not being adopted In that country until the year 1751. New York American. Complimentary Reply. Of Miss Margaretta Drexel, the beautiful Philadelphia heiress, who is to marry Viscount Maidstone, a Phlladelphlan said: . "Miss Drexel at a dinner In Lon don once sat beside a famous sociolo gist. She said to this sociologist. " 'There Is very much more pover ty and wretchedness In London than In Philadelphia or New York. Look at the trnsic figures huddled on the embankment every night. What is the cause of this great misery?' " 'I will reply,' said the sociologist, with a line from the poet Words worth " 'Drink, pretty creature, drink.' " Washington Star. A Monster Dam. The recent announcement was made of the completion of the Sho shone' Dam In Wyoming, which forms the most Important feature of one of the most Important irrigation pro jects contemplated In this country. The dam Is of concrete and measures 328.4 feet from foundation to the crest. It is 175 feet long at the top and eighty-five feet long at the bot tom, where its thickness is 108 feet. The reservoir back of the dam, which has a capacity of 456,000 feet, will serve to Irrigate 130,000 acres of land, situated about seventy-five miles east of the Yellowstone Nation al Park. 1 Fatal Theatrical Fires. The following are among the most notable theatrical fires in the United States: Richmond Theatre, Rich mond, Va., December 26, 1811, num ber of lives lost, seventy; Conway's Theatre, Brooklyn, N. Y., December 5, 18Z6, 295; Central Theatre, Phila delphia, Pa., April 28, 1892, six; Iro quois Theatre, Chicago, 111., Decem ber 30, 1903, 575; Front Street Theatre, Baltimore, Md., December 8, 1895, twenty-three; Rhoades Opera House, Boyertown, Pa., January 13, 1908, 170. New York American. Civilization. Civilization is nothing more than politeness,' industry and fairness. Savages are always thieves; always loafers and always Impolite and un fair. Atchison Globe. A Package Mailed Free on Request ef nUNYON'G PAW-PAW PILLS The best Stomach and Lfver Pills known and fOT t cure ,or Constipation, indigestion, jaunaice. Biliousness, Sour Stom ach, Headache, and all ailments arising from disordered stomach 'or sluggish liver. They contain in concen trated form all the virtues and values of Munyon's Paw Paw tonic and are made from the Juice of the Paw-Paw fruit. I un hesitatingly recommend these pills as being the best laxative and cathartle ever compounded. Send us postal or letter, requesting a free package of Munyon's Celebrated Paw-Paw Laxa tive Pills, and we will mall same free of charge. MUNYON'S HOMOEO PATHIC HOME REMEDY CO., 63d and Jefferson Sts., Philadelphia, Pa. Man and Brute. The leading distinction between dog and man, after and perhaps before the different duration ot their lives, Is that one can speak and the other cannot. The absence of the power velopment of his intellect. It hinders him from many speculations, for eics. At the same blow it saves him from many superstitions, and his si lence has won for him a higher name for virtue than his conduct Justifies. Robert Louis Stevenson. Mrs.WInsloVs Soothing Syrup for Children teething, softens the gums, reduces inflamma tion, allaysfain, cures wind colic, 25c a bottle. Educational Helps. We talk much of education, but. make little real progress. Why is this? It is because we are taking our cue for education from without instead of from within. Scheme follows scheme, subject follows eubject, but the development of any natural bent the child may possess Is almost an Impossibility. Conferences with the teachers with a view to taking their opinions upon how best to Introduce a system more truly educational and giving them power to classify their scholars into sections with the appro val of parents or guardians should go a long way toward attaining a more desirable state of affairs. This, se quent upon or concurrent with more attention or the right kind to the child in the home, wherein much assistance can be obtained from the wonderful books for children written by the few who understand them well, may bring hope where at present reigns some thing not unlike despair. London T. ?.'s Weekly. This Year's Crops. With the beginning of May fell ork throughout the country contin lea In corn and cotton planting. These two crops for the current year proba . bly will represent 145,000,000 acres. I Spring wheat seeding Is well out of . the way, and covers another 20,000, 000 acres. We do not yet know how much abandoned acreage there may be of winter wheat, but certainly there ' should be no less than 30,000,000 acres for harvest, with due allowance for ! the portion which is plowed under for I corn or other crops on account of poor , prospects. These four crops of 195, . 000,000 acres constitute the chief I sources of Income of the American farms. By the end of the month of May 105,000,000 acres of spring crops win have been planted and eown, mainly the result of 60 days of field work. There will, of course, have to be some replanting of corn. The soil Is rather dry, but that is much better than the other extreme. Wa'l Street Journal. I A Menelik Trick j One of the favorite, pastimes of Em I peror Menelik of Abyssinia, is to i mount a tower ot observation, which be has constructed for the purpose, and watch his subjects going about their duties in the streets and open spaces JJi rough a powerful telescope. One disadvantage of this method of spying is that it Is perfectly well known to the people themselves, who J consequently do not give their "king of kings" much opportunity fcr dis covering any deed worthy of punish i meat. HARD ON CHILDREN When Teacher Has Coffee Habit. "Best is best, and best will evei live." When a person feels this wa about Postum they are glad to glvt testimony for the benefit of others. A school teacher down in Miss, says; "I had been a coffee drinker since ray childhood, and the last few years it had Injured me serluusly. "One cup of coffee taken at break fast would cause me to become so nervous that I could scarcely go through with the day's duties, and this nervousness was often accom panied by deep depression of spirits and heart palpitation. "I am a teacher by profession, and when under the Influence of coffee had to struggle against crossness when In the school room. "When talking this over with my physician, be suggested that I try Postum, so I purchased a package and made It carefully according to direc tions; found It excellent of flavour, and nourishing. "In a short time I noticed very gratifying effects. My nervousness disappeared, I was not irritated by my pupils, life seemed full of sun shine, and my heart troubled me no longer. "I attribute my change In health and spirits to Postum alone." Read the little book, "The Road to Wellvllle." In pkgs. "There's a ' Reason." Ever read the above letter? A new one appears from time to time. They are genuine, true, and full of human Interest. twfw