Bailway traveling in Norway is
cheaper than in any European coun
try.
according to hugTisii census reports,
the number of occupations of women
in 1831 was five, while now it is inoro
than 150.
In several districts in Sieilv the
lands of the old communal fiefs are
being distributed to peasants, despite
the opposition, of the clerical coun
cils.
louring mo past year 8500,000,000
worth of stool: in the African gold
mines has been sold in England and
France, "Marketing beats 1 mining
badly," exclaims the New Orleans
Picayune.
Pauperism assumes prodigious pro
portions in London. Official relief of
one kind or another was afforded to
97,909 paupers during the month of
July. This is supposed to mean 150,-
000 paupers in midwinter. The pros
pect for the elimination of pauperism
is anything but bright.
Tho citizens of Sheffield, England,
have asked the Duke of Norfolk to bo
their miyor next year, and it is un
derstood that he will accept, thus de
voting his spare timo and energy to
municipal duties, and giving him a
chnuce for usefulness that the New
York Observer thinks any duke might
envy.
Bussia is stimulating emigration
from tho congested districts at home
to Eastern Siberia, and selecting her
material, too. Fiuo grants of laud
ore given, cattlo and seed are fur
nished, and religious toleration exists
to a degree unknown in European
Bussia. Hence the Stundists are
multiplying.
A writer in the Popular Science
Monthly who has been studying tho
habits of bluejays finds that they make
war on and get tho better of the Eng
lish sparro .v. Tho sparrows, howover,
join other small birds in common
cause against thorn, and it is not un
common to sec a jay in screaming
flight with a scoro or more of small
birds pursuing him.
H. 51. Stanley's maiden speech in
the British House of Commons is de
scribed as delivered with easy confi
dence and as evidently unprepared;
his smile was pleasant, tho tinge of
Americanism in his accent threw his
individuality into a sort of relief,while
his quietly assured self-confulenco in
terested tha mombers. On the other
hand, his own party journals, while
admitting that his manner was excel
lent, say the matter of his speech was
not judiciously chosen for the reason
that ho managed to offend the imper
ialists, who desire to reconquer the
Soudan, and those who wish to evaeu
nto Egypt becauso it is a sourco of
weakness to the empiie.
Harper's Weekly observes: A con
temporary newspaper is greatly
shocked by the remark of Dr. Basil,
of tho Medico-Legal Society, that
physicians sometimes administer
drugs to end tho agony of a patient.
It wonders what reply a trustworthy,
honorable nud law-abiding physiciau
would rnnko to Dr. "".Inch's statement.
Tho chances aro that a physician of
tho sort specified would make no re
ply at all. The statemout being tino,
it was injudicious enough to make it
at a public meeting, without couiii til
ing it afterwards. To confirm tho
truth of it by tho testimony of physi
cians might interest a newspaper, hut
there would bo no attraction in it tor
the physicians. It is as rea .onablo to
suppose that some physicians eoine
tiuics give drugs to end sulV ring as it
is to believe that they do not tattle
overmuch about it afterwards.
Professor Bunnobaum, of Berlin,
scut by tbo Herman Government to
examine the timber resources ol our
Pacific coast, expresses amazement at
tho wasto ho witnessed there. Ho
says tho cud of American forests is
near at hand unless thoy are protected
by law against reckless cutting and
conflagrations. "While tho lending
conntiios of Europo are trying to
mako trees grow tho Americans are
sweeping away not only tho maturo
trees, but tho saplings, which arc tho
rightful heritage of future genera
tions. "If nothing is done by your
Government," in his opinion, "you
may live to see lumber shipped from
Germany to Puget Sound." When
the professor was in Oregon and
Washington the whole coast was dark
ened with tho smoke from fires de
vouring enormous tracts of timber
unsurpassed in the world. His remark
that the life of the forests is the life
of the people is, in tbo opinion of tho
New York Tribune, no flouriih of
rhetoric.
DRIVINa HOME THE COWS.
110 drops tbo bare down, ono by ono, and
lets tho oows pass through.
Then follows thorn along tho lane as once ho
used to do,
Aud memory whispers as ho climbs tho
grassy meadow slope
Or happy days when, long ago. a boy 90 full
of hopo
Used often hero to lie and dream upon the
hill's soft crest.
When tired of play, his lioad upon its daisy- ;
flecked breast,
Till leaping dog awakened him with sharp
and loud bow-wows,
To warn him that tho timo had como for <
driving homo tho cows.
And now ho splashes in tho brook that flows j
from yonder spring,
It ripples, bubbles, murmurs, like a bright j
nud living thing;
Upon its sparkling current, here, he used to j
sail his boats,
And once again ho throws a chip to watch it 1
as it floats;
Whirling, dancing, jumping, far away a-down
it goes.
Up an 1 down and hero and there, with nil
the changing flows,
Till out of sight it whirls at last, down where
the channel bows,
As once he did when years ago while driving
homo tho cows.
And all day long in tho meadow, while rak
ing tho fresh-cut hay,
The brightest fancies como to him with the
brightness of tho day.
And every cricket chirping, and tho lark that
soars nud sings,
The butterfly that dazzles with its brightly
painted wings,
All seem to bo companions, as ho works and |
works away,
Till sun sinks low and lowor, with tho pass- '
ing of the day.
And a voice calls through tho shadows anu
the slowly gathering gloam;
"Johu, mv dear, let down tho bars, the cows
are coming homo."
—Walter S. Stranuhau.
THE LOST "MPi RINGS,
A TALE OF THE SKILLFUL THIEVES OPIUMS.
,1 f T was in the palmiest 1
J.I r 1 'lays of tho Second j
St Empir_e. ft was an j
\\ fV" / "-A evening in mi d- j
M fey \ winter. The Paris !
1 feflf 1 JCM.--UU was at its]
/I Kt'3 f ami a brill- j
(I IsNl |i * rtnfc audience had I
y I assembled at the |
I f( Theatre Francais to '
witness tho per-1
v, formance of Jules
- —Sandeau's delight- I
" 11 fill play, "Madem- j
oisclle do la Soigliere,"
Tho empress was present, graceful j
nud beautiful; the emperor at her.
side, wrapped in his fnvorito air of i
gloomy abstraction, which, like Lord I
Burleigh's celebrated nod, was sup- !
posed to mean so much, yet which, I
viewed by the impartial light of sub- I
soquont veracious history, seems to ]
have signified so little. Several olli- j
cers in glittering uniforms were in at
tendance, sparkling with decorations I
showered upon them by a grateful j
sovereign ; nud umoug these gallant j
warriors, conspicuous by reason of!
his attire, was a solitary, humble, ]
black-coated civilian, iu ordinary ■
evening dress, with the inevitable '
speck of red at his button-hole.
In a box almost immediately op- ]
posite that occupied by their imperial
majesties was a youug and exceedingly I
handsome Bussiau lady, Countess
Ivanoff, concerning whose manifold |
graces and fascinations tho great world j
of Paris elected to iutercst itself con
siderably nt this period.
Tho beauty and wit of this fair
northern enchantress were tho theme
of every masculine tongue, and her
magnificent diamonds the envy and
admiration of all feminine beholders.
The countess wns accompanied by hor
husband, a man of distinguished ap
pearance.
Tho curtain fell after tho first act.
Tho emperor and empress withdrew
during the entr'acte. Many humbler
mortals followed their example;
among them Couut Ivanoff,apparently
in nowise disturbed by the fact that
tho golden youth in tho stalls were
bringing a small battery of opera
glasses to bear upon the dazzling
charms ct his,beautiful wife.
'The countess leaned back iu hor
luxurious fautenil, fanning herself,
serenely indifferent to tho interest she
was exciting. In the dim light of hor
curtain-shadod box, tho glitter of hor
splendid diamonds seemed to form a
sort of luminous halo round hor grace
ful head; a myriad starry brilliants
gleamed among the masses of her
gold-brown hair; and two priceless
stones flashed and twinkled like twin
planets in her litllo sholl-tinted core.
Tho couut had been gone but a few
minutes, when there wns a gentle
knock at the door ; and, in answer to
the countess's "Eutrez," the onvreuse
appeared, and said deferentially:
"Pardon, Mme. la Comtesso; a
gentleman charged with a message
from her majesty the empress waits in
the corridor, and desires to know if
madame will havo the goodness to ro
ceive him."
"Certainly! Enter, I beg of you,
monsieur," replied tho countess, as
she recognized the distinguished-look
ing civilian she had already uotiocdiu
closo proximity to the emperor in tho
imperial box.
The visitor advnucod a few steps,
and, still standing in deep shadow,
said, with grave dignity:
"f trust my intrusion may ho par
doned. lam desired by her majosty
to ask a favor of slme. la Comtesso,
and, nt the same time, to beg that sho
will havo tho goodness to excuse a
somewhat unusual request."
"Tho obligation will bo mino if I
can fulfill oven tho least of her ma
jesty's wishes," answered the couutess.
"The case is .this," explained tho
gentleman. "Au argument has arisen
concerning tlie size of the diamouds in
your earrings and those of the
Countess Woronzoff. The empress
begs that you will intrust one of your
pendants to her care for a few mo
ments, as the only satisfactory method
of disposing of her vexed question. I
will myself return it the instant her
majesty gives it back into my keep
mg."
•'With the greatest pleasure,"
agreed the countess, detaching the
precious jewel forthwith, and deposit
ing it without misgiving in the out
stretched palm of the imperial mes
senger. The countess bestowed a
smile and gracious bow of dismissal
upon her majesty's distinguished em
bassador, who responded by a pro
foundly respectful inclination as he
made his erist.
Shortly afterward Count Ivanoff re
turned. "1 have been talking to Du
mont,"he remarked, as he seated him
self. "Clever fellow, Dnmont. lam
not surprised at the emperor's par
tiality for him ; ho must find him use
ful when ho is in want of an idea."
"Who is Dumont?" inquired the
conntess, with languid interest.
"That israther a difficult question,"
replied the count, smiling; "there are
several editions of his biography—all
different, probably none of them true.
Look, ho has just entered the emper
or's box—the mau in the black coat."
"Is that M. Dnpont?" exclaimed tho
counteus; "if so, he has been hero
while you were away. Ho caiuo on
tho part of the empress, and carried
oil toco of my earrings, which her
majesty wished to compare with oue
of the Countess Woronzoff's."
"Dumont! Impossible! I was talk
ing to him the whole time I was ab
sent, and he only left me at the top of
the staircase two seconds boforo I re
turned."
"Nevertheless, mon ami, he has been
here, and lias taken my earring. See!
it is gone."
"Effectively," agreed the count,
with a grim smile; "but Dumout has
not taken it. It is to the last degree
unlikely that tho empress would mako
such a request. Depend upon it, you
havo been the victim of a thief, made
up as Dumont."
"Impossible!" cried tho countess,
in her turn. "Tho affair is absolute
ly ns I tell you. It was tho veritable
M. Dumout I seo opposite who carno
into this box and took away my dia
mond. Only wait a little, and he will
bring it back intact."
"To wait a littlo is to lessen the
chance of its recovery. I will go and
inquire of Dumont, if I can get at
him. whether ho has been seized with
a sudden uttaok of kleptomania; he
cause the idea of the empress having
sent him roaming about tho theatre,
borrowing a lady's jewels, I regard as
preposterous. Ah, these Parisian
thieves! Y'ou do not know what
scientific geniuses they aro iu their
way."
With this the count departed, and
the second act was nearly at an end
before ho returned. In tho mean
time, the countess perceived that she
was an object of iutercst to the occu
pants of the imperial box.
"I was right," whispered the count,
re-entering and bending over bis wife's
chair; "Dumont knows nothing of
your earring, and, needless to say,
tho empress never sent him or auyouo
else upon such an errand. 1 have put
the matter into the hands of the po
lice, and t'noy will do all that is possi
ble to recover it."
The countess was duly commiserated
by sympathizing friends; but nothing
more was hoard of the stolen jewel un
til the following day.
Early in tho afternoon tho countess
was about to start for her daily drive
in the? Bois. Tho frozen snow lay
deep upon the ground, and her sleigh,
with its two jct-blaok Itussiau horses
jingling their hells merrily iu the
frozen air, stoo l waiting in the court
yard while tho countess doaued her
furs.
A servant entering announced that
an officer of the police in plain clothes
ft3kcd permission to speak with slme.
la Couutess concerning tho lost dia
mond.
"Certainly," said madame, gra
ciously : "let the officer he shown into
the boudoir."
Into the boudoir presently eamo the
couutess, stately, beautiful, fur-clad,
buttoning her gloves. Near the door
stood a short, wiry-looking man, with
keen, black eyes, closely-cropped hair,
and compact erect, military figure.
Tho small mau bowed profoundly
while ho said, with tho utmost res
pect, at the same timo laying a letter
upon the tabic:
"I am sent by order of the chief of
police to inform slme. la Cointesse
that tho stolen diamond has been sat
isfactorily traced, but there is unfor
tunately some littlo difficulty con
nected with its identification. I am
charged, thorol'oro, to beg that slmo.
la Comtcsso will have tho goodness to
intrust the fellow earring to tbo police
for a short, period, in order that it may
bo compared with tho one found in
the possession of the suspected thief.
Madame will find that the letter I
bring corroborates my statement.'"
The couutess glanced hast ily through
tho letter, and, ringing tho bell, do
sired that her maid might be told to
bring tho remaining earring immedi
ately ; this was done, and tho dapper
littlo man, bowing deferentially, de
parted with tho precious duplicate
safely in his possession.
Tho countess descended to her sleigh,
and drove to the club, to call for her
husband en ronto for tho Bois. Cross
ing tho Placo do la Concorde, sho re
lated to him tho latest incident in thu
story of tbo diamond earring.
"You nover were induced to give up
tho other 1" cried Count Ivanoff, in
credulously.
"But I toll you, mou ami, au officer
of tho police eamo himself to fetch it,
bringing a letter from his superiors
vouching for the truth of his state
ment."
"If tlio profecfc himself had come, I
don't think I should have been cajoled
into letting him have it after lu3t
night's experience," laughed her hus
band. "However, for the second lime
of asking, We will go and inquire."
Tlio coachman turned and drove, as
direoted, to the Bureau of Polieo at
which tho count had lodged his com
plaint the night before. After a some
what protracted delay, the couut re
joined his wife with a semi-grim look
of amusement upon his liandsomo
bearded face.
[ "The police know nothing of your
detective or his epistolary efforts," he
said, drawing the fur rug up to his
I chin as the impatient horses sped away
over the frozen snow ; "your second
earring has been netted by another
| member of the light fingered frater
nity, and, upon my honor, I think he
was the more accomplished artist of
the two!"
And from that unlucky day to this,
the Countess Ivauoff's celebrated dia
mond earrings knew her pretty ears
no more.—San Francisco Argonaut.
Death in Atvful Form.
A crowd of nearly a thousand peoplo
watched a man drown in Los Angeles
io-day and was powerless to help him.
His name was Thomas Reynolds, and
ho was a laborer for a sower building
on Los Angeles street, near Boyd.
The scene was the most agonizing that
can he imagined.
At about o o'clock Reynolds was
working in a new sower that is build
ing directly underneath an old brick
one. 'Tko ground is soft there and
Reynolds was caught by 11 small cave
in. His legs were pinioned by the
falling earth, but no one thought his
situation serious. A rope was made
fast to him and nu attempt was mado
to pull him out, but his shovel had
fallen across his feet, and it was soon
seen that ho would have to be dug
out.
Tho work was at onco begun. Sud
denly, to the horror of the great crowd
that had assembled, tho old brick
sewer right over tho wretched man's
head bui'st and a large stream of water
flowed iuto the excavation, gradually
driving tho rescuers out. A tire ougino
was sent for, and attempted to pump
tiio inflow of water out, but it proved
of no avail.
The man was doomed and nothing
could bo done lor him. He was up
right iu tho hole and the water soon
reached his waist. For the first time
he realized that ho would die. Inch
by inch the fluid rose, and the poor
fellow lost his nervo and commenced
to utter tho most heartrendering
shrieks ami appeals for help. The
streets became blocked with people,
and as tho news spread of what was
going on iu that holo the crowd be
came frantic with a desire to save the
mau. But absolutely nothing could
bo done to succor him. Tho water
reached the throat, then tho chin,
then a ripple struck his lips. The
watohers at tho brink of the hole
turned their faces away and
groaned as a last despairing shriek
came from the victim. His arms beat,
the water back frantically aud thou
were still.—San Francisco Examiner.
Unique Suit tor Damages.
A ruined playground is tho basis of
a damage suit for $1(1,003 iu tho dis
trict court, Dulutb, Minn. The plain
tiffs are Amuud and Amathildu Olson
and tho defendant is the contracting
firm of Frediu & Wilson, who recently
built a block near the Olson home iu
tho East End. The Olsons allege that
the land adjoining their homo was an
excellent playgrouud for their ehil
dreu, that it was a good piaco to
stretch a clothes 1 ino and that on it
was a line well of water. All this had
been wrecked, so they claim, by the
defendant firm. It is also alleged that
tho dirt left around by tho contract
ors has ruined tho Olson homo and
rendered it unfit to livo in. 'Tho
health of tho children has been dam
aged, tho complainant states, by rea
son of their now having 110 placo to
play. —Chicago Times-lierald.
Resembled a Criminal.
Tho Bavarian minister at Bcrno is
likely to feel a good deal of natural
resentment ngaiust the Swiss police
forco for some little time to come. He
went to Wintertime, the Swiss Bis]ey,
where tbeNutional rifle festival was bc
iug held, aud was enjoying himself in a
quietly Teutonic fashion when sud
denly he was seized by detectives and
hauled off to the nearest lookup. His
demand for nu explanation was met
by the confident assertion that he v.-as
no other than a notorious criminal,
who had been "wanted," for many
months. Tho detectives were so sure
they had the right man that it was not
I until a high Government oflieinl had
\ identified the unfortunate diplomat
i that they consented to his release.
! They had a portrait of tho malefactor
' which closely resembled tho features
• of the minister.
The (iloiv-Worm Cavern.
Tho greatest wonder of tho Anti
■ podes is the celebrated glow-worm
i cavern, discovered iu 1891 iu the heart
|of tho Tasmaninu wilderness. Tho
! cavern or caverns (thero appears to he
■ a series of such caverns in tho vicinity,
! each separate and distinct), arc situ
i atcd near the town of Southporf, Tils
: mania, iu a limestone bluff, about four
' miles from Ida Bay. The appearauee
; of tlio main cavern is that of nu un
i i.ergrouud river, tho entire iloor of
; iio bubtcrancau passage being covered
! with water about a foot and a half in
! depth. Theso wonderful Taamauian
i cuvos aro similar to all caverns found
' in limestono formations, with the ex
: eeptiou that their roofs and sides lit
i ( rally shine with the light emitted by
1 the millions of slow-worms which in
! habit them,
I ——— '-—JI. —r ————— ——--
THE C'AIiBAOE CHOP,
j Keep the fall-planted cnbbagos grow- 1
| ing by cultivating them when the land is j
! sufficiently dry to permit of this being i
done. Alter they have started vigor- i
j ous growth a top dressing of nitrate of
soda, at tho rate of 100 or 150 pounds
| to the acre, will bo found most bene
. ficial. It will induce growth which
I will enable the plants to distance all.
I the efforts of tlio cabbago worm to
check them,—Southern Farm.
, TREATING SEED WHEAT TO PREVENT SMUT.
J For each ten bushels of wheat take
| one pound bluestone and dissolve it
in about three gallons of water. It
| dissolves be !in boiling water. Heat
j one gallon, which will dissolvo it, then
j add tho other two. Now spread on
| barn iloor or wagon box ten bushels
jof wheat, take nu old broom and
I sprinkle and turn until all the grniu is
| wet. Leave in a pilo over night for
i next ay's sowing, or prepare iu morn
! ing for altcruoon sowing. Bet the
! drill for about one peck more per
acre, as it will not run quite so freely
| as before treating.—American Agri
culturist.
CULTURE 01' THE HYACINTH.
This variety of lily may ho grown
either in soil or water. Tho former
method is for ordinary garden culture,
in which tho bulbs arc set out iu a dry
part of tho garden in rich soil, with
plenty of leaf mold iu it, and four
inches below (lie surface. To avoid
danger from liar.l frosts tlio bed is
covered with leaves, held in plaeo by |
j some fine brush or pine boughs. For I
| water culture, the dry bulbs are set on |
tho top of a glass vase or bottle, made j
; for the purpose, with the bottom just .
| touching the water, in luto October
and on until Dc-mber, so that there j
[ may be a succession of bloom through I
I the winter. After tho bulbs have |
bloomed they may be seL out iu tho '
I garden to ripen for tho next year's
j growth. In the garden this pretty
j plant blooms early iu the spring. Tho
| bulbs may bo set out in the open
j ground next month.—New York
Times.
now TO KILL CHICKENS.
A novel method of killing chickens |
is being introduced abroad. Instead
of sticking, bleeding, cutting the head
off', etc., one takes the fowl iu the left
hand by the logs, catching the points
of the wings to prevent tlio fowl from
flapping. Ho Jilts tho fowl up, the l
j head hanging downward. AVith tho
j right hand lie takes the head, catch
ing tho neck between the first and !
third fingers, the thumb being on the
face. The fingers must not crush the
head, but must feel the bone at the
back of tiio head firmly. Heath is
caused by lifting the left band und
j pulling down the right with a quick
■ jerk, thereby dislocating tlio neck at
j the very point where it joins the
head.
Death is instantaneous if done prop
erly, which can ho told by feeling the i
neck, wbicli ought to bo quite soft and j
j entirely detached from tho head, so !
| ihat there is nothing but flesh and
sisin between the thumb and finger, j
| By tiiis method there i.s no flow of !
| blood, but tho blood is allowed to run j
into the head, which is carefully kept ■
I hanging down until after the bird is
' plucked.—New fork World.
CARING FOR BROOME CORN.
I The broom corn crop is of vast im- j
portaueo, aud it is quite proper to I
j give some consideration as to how the |
\ crop may be best cared for.
j Quality and condition control tlio
; vnluo of broom corn as well as other
commodities, aud best condition can
j be especially obtained by following
certain rules and methods in cariug
! lor the crop. Cutting should bo douo
| before tho corn is bleached out, as
I color is essential, and when greeu tho
brush possesses advantages both in
| attractiveness and for working. When
j cut corn should be, as soon as possi
' bio, hauled under cover, nud liavo the
' needs removed by runniug through the
| scraper. This done, it should be I
| placed on shelves so arranged as to
admit of a frco circulation of air. In
about ten days, if tho weather is dry
and all conditions are favorable, the
corn will be ready to bale. It should
be thoroughly examined, however, to
| sec that it is dry and cured.
| After tho broom coru is thoroughly
, dry, the uext step is to bale, and this
I operation should receive great care
I and attention, thero nro too many
shaky aud lop-sided bales received an-
I imally, and it bothers those who han
i dlo tkcm to keep them from falling
' apart. It being of great importance
i to keep tho ends of tho bales squaro
and smooth, tho biush should be
banded to the packer in small lits,
tbo butts of which, having been
evened by striking down upon a table
or other smooth surface, and the one
who places tho brush iu the box of
the press should take care to keep tho
butts up close against the ends of the
box and the brush properly lapped iu
tho interior. Use No. 9 fence wire,
five to the bale, and it is not a bad
idea to have a lighter wire to tio at
each corner, and press euilieiently to
have a good, compact, tight balewhich
will euduro tho long journey and the
handling. No matter how carefully
and successfully every step in the pro
duction oi' the brush has beeu per
formed, tho profit of tho crop will de
pend, other things equal, upon proper
baling. Great can? and a(t?ntioa
j should bo given to have the seeds re
moved ; there is too much fraud prac
! ticed by baling up trash, seeds and
j crooked corn inthe bales with straight
, brush. Bale the crooked by itself.-
Farm, Field and Fireside.
A PLEA FOB THE SKUNK.
Skunks arc more useful to the far
j mer than most peoplo are willing to
{ admit, says W. W. Maxim. They have
I always been regarded as nuisances
and wantonly destroyed. Hero in
! New England for tho last ton years
| the white grub has made terrible
! havoc with the grass fields by eating
j oil the roots just beneath the surface
|of tho soil. In some places largo
J areas aro entirely destroyed, not a
! green spear of grass being allowed to
! grow. Tn other localities there are
large spots entirely killed and the re
mainder more or less injured, making
j the grass very thin where there is any.
j These worms aro the larvas of the largo
1 brown hectic called the June bug.
Tho skunks, where they havo beon
allowed to live, havo dug in and eaten
these grubs in vast numbers, the
crows also assisting them greatly in
the good work. Last year the beetles
I wore not so numerous as in former
years, owing no doubt to the depreda
tions of theso two agencies.
Skunks do no damage to field crops
I to speak of, their only mischief cou
-1 sisting in depredations on chickens
and eggs during tho night, and that
I could nil bo avoided if the farmers
j took proper caro of tboir poultry.
I There are other depredators that
would seizo them if loft exposed.
There is no excuse whatever fcr leav
; iug chickens overnight where skunks
can have access to them. They can
not open doors nor climb up after
| eggs in the nest boxes. Instead of
| killing skunks for these reasons, a
I farmer had better look after his poul
' try.
I The skunk will not leave any scent
unless attacked ; in fact, they are as
I harmless as cats and much more so
| than dogs. I have had them come
j into tho barn in daytime while I was
| at work, passing by nio so close that
j their long shaggy fur almost brushed
jmy legs. I fed them every day with
i bits of meal, when they would sit
down within two feet of me and eat it.
They would walk about among tho
poultry, never offering to touch one
of them. They kept this up through
tho spring until the ground was bare,
when Ihoy disappeared. They find
j plenty of mico and grasshoppers in
■ the fields and pastures in some seu
' sons of the year, but tho early spring
! months while tho snow covers the
ground seem to be tho hardest timo
for them. I think the virtues of the
skunk havo not been duly appreciated.
—Gcrmantowu Telegraph.
FARM AND GARDEN NOTES.
Blight, red combs, clean plumage,
i plenty to do, indicates good health,
and also shows that tho uso of condi
-1 incuts is necessary.
I Early and close culling nro the two
principles upon which, to a very eon
! siderablo extent, success depends in
! improving the poultry,
j Dr. MeClintock, of tho University
of Michigan, has been making experi
ments with hens' eggs, and finds that
many of them are infested with deadly
bacteria.
Excessive gum ou cherry trees seems
I to bo due to lack of potash. At loust a
j bushel or so ot' unloachod wood ashes
! worked well into tho soil about tlio
j roots of a tree that was badly affected
caused it to bcal over smooth, grow
vigorously aud bear abundantly.
Bo often tho side branches of farm
work fail to pay becauso carried on
negligently. A dozen hives of bees
should bring tho farmer as much rev
enue as a ton-aero wheat field. The
return the care of his chickens wonld
bring is underrated, and even the
children nro not trained to a proper
interest in them.
Country snippers should give more
, attention to the condition of their
coops before shipping. Every coop
should be carefully examined aud seo
that the bottoms and cleats are se
curely nailed. Moro or loss stock is
lost in transit by shipping in old
worn-out coops, and this causes a dis
crepancy in account of woights be
tween shippers and merchants, for
which the latter aro oftentimes blamed.
It is often a good plan to turn tho
poultry into the clover field. Clover
is generally well occupied by insects,
which gives the lions something to
hunt for, and it is also rich in miner
als, containing a large proportion of
lime. Boft shell eggs aro not likely
to bo laid by hens running in a clover
field, unless tho lions aro very fat. All
kinds of fowls thrive on clover, and as
it is a cheap food it will pay to let
them have the run of the field.
Eggs' gathered up hero and there
about the farm eanuot bo relied upou
as frosh. As far as possible the hens
should bo obliged to lay in the poul
try house, and the eggs gathered up
several times a day, so that there is
no chance for a stale egg to be packed
i up unknowingly. If the hens are per
mitted to lay in tho fence corners,un
| der tno barn, or in the out buildings,
tho out-of-the-way nests are likely to
i be overlooked when the weather is bad
jor one is in a hurry, and thus tho
j stale egg gets into the basket and
I spoils the reputation of tho poultry
, i mu.
HOUSEHOLD AFFAIRS.
A KNOWLEDGE OP FOOD 3.
The advance made in knowledge of
foods, their preparation and effects in
recent years is something wonderful,
and undoubtedly much remains to be
learned in all these directions, as well
as in others relative to domestic econ
omy, especially in our wastefulness.
Americans do not know how to use
material in the saving manner of a
number of Nations, tho French and
Chinese for oxample. A Frenchman
will prepare the head and foot of a
chicken in the most palatablo and nu
tritious manner. Among the more im
portant kinds of food eaten hero are
wheat, corn, milk, buckwheat, beans,
peas, potatoes, beef, cabbage, appjes,
chicken, veal, mutton, pork, codfish,
eggs and oysters. The time of diges
tion varies from two hours to five and
a quarter hours, apples and codfish re
quiring the shorter timo and pork the
longer. Wheat, beets, potatoes, eggs
and oysters each require thrco niui a
half; corn and buckwheat, threo hours
and a quarter ; peas, beef and mutton,
threo hours ; cabbage, lour hours and
a half; chicken, two hours and (forty
iive minutes; milk, two hours and a
quarter. In regard to tho cooking of
meats, it has been said that tho grid
iron is typical of the advancement of
civilization. Beefsteaks should not
be pounded in tho barbarous fashion
employed by some eooks. A thick,
juicy, clean-cut steak should be held
as closely ns possible to the hot coals
and turned quiokly in order that all
the nourishing juice should bo kept
inside. Salt should not be used until
after the meat is cooked, as it hardens
the fibres and renders the meat dry,
tough and tasteless. Those who are
either too thin or too fat should mako
a careful study of themselves and
their foods and eat accordingly. A
cheerful disposition, free from caro
and worry, will go far toward helping
in the assimilation of food, without
whioh it were useless to hope for flesh.
A person inclined to corpulency
should exercise freely and avoid fate,
oils and vegetables which contain
starch and sugar in largo quantities.
Foods for fleshy people to avoid, or
which they should uso very sparingly,
are fresh bread, butter, milk, sugar,
sweet potatoes, fat meats, corn, pas
try, cake, sweetmeats and liquids. At
tention to one's diet can accomplish
complish more for health than many
people yet know. -Now Xork Tele
gram.
RECIPES.
Fishballs—Pick fish left over from
breakfast, mix with half quantity
mashed potatoes, tablespoon tine bread
crumbs soaked in water, pepper (salt if
ncoeesary) and ono egg. Shape in balls
and fry.
Butter Mush—Heat two tablespoon
fuls of butter, put enough flour to ab
sorb butter, but do not brown. Add
little by little, stirring nil tho lime,
sweet milk till tho mixture gets tho
consistency of a porridge. Stir till
tho flour is well cooked ; remove from
fire, flavor with a teaspoonful of sugar
and salt to taste. Servo with milk or
cream.
Creamed Cabbage—Use only the
white, hard inside of a small head of
cabbage, cut in small pieces and cook
till tender. Strain off tho water
through a colander. Put a tablespoon
of butter in tho kettle, one tablespoon
of flour and or.o pint of milk, flavor
with sugar, salt and some mace. Put
cabbage in, stir and serve. (Sugar
may be omitted.)
Boilctl Codfish—Soak the fish over
night in cold water. Iu the moruiug
boil till tender, remove from fire but
lot remain in tho kettle. Mako gravy
of a tablespoon butter, heaping table
spoon flour and boiling water. Whon
boiling put in a teuspoonful dry mus
tard and some calf. Chop one .hard
boiled egg tine, mix in gravy and
serve in gravy dish. Servo lish on hot
platter.
Peach Blano Mango—l'eol oight
peaches, out in four parts, removing
stones. Boil one cup sugar with one
pint water, put iu peaches, let boil up,
dip out the fruit. Havo one-third oi
a box gelatine soaked in cold water,
stir into the sirup, stirring till dis
solved. Flavor with lemou. Put iu
peaches to heat once more. Place
mixture in a nice dish to cool. Serve
with whipped cream.
Cucumber Salad—Peel and slice
very thin. Put iu a soup plate in lay
ers with salt between. Put another
plate bottom-down ou top, with a
weight ou. Let stand for one hour,
pour oft' the salt water au 1 mix with
one-half teaspoon ground white pep
per, two teaspoons sugar (may bo
omitted), ono teaspoon parsley
chopped fine and while vinegar al
most to cover. Put iu salad dish an I
leave alone for one hour, tlieu serve.
Swedish Beef Soup—Boil u good
soup bono and some meat left from
other meals together with one carrot,
one parsnip, one-half turnip, one
green onion and some celery in enough
water to make the necessary quantity.
Mix one egg, three-fourths cup of
milk, teaspoon sugar, pinch of salt
and enough flour to mako a stiff bat
ter. When the soup is ready salt and
strain it and bring to a boil. Drop
one-half teaspoon at a time of tbo bat
tor in the soup and boil till done.
Beef Bolls—Take roundsteak one
half inch thick, cut in pieces about
three inches, salt aud pepper one side.
Cut fat pork in stripes as long as beef
pieces, put ono strip on each piece,
roll together aud tie with a flue string.
Cut a good-sized dry onion in small
pieces, fry in wide kettle, then put
plenty of grease in and brown the
rolls, turning once. Pour boiling
water on, cover and cook slowly.
When done remove striugs. Make
gravy by adding some flour to the
grease in the pot and tbiuuiug with
boiling water, Strain over the rolls
in a hot dish.