The total volume of gold and eilve r
now in use in the United States is
eight times as much as it was in 1873.
London has gone into the renovating
business in earnost. The city is spend
ing 82,500,000 in cleaning and re
building one slum.
Bishop Bowman expressed a very
unflattering opinion of Congress dur
ing the general conference of the Me
thodist Church at Cleveland. "Are
we in Congress?" he exclaimed.
"Brethren, can we not stop this hoot
ing and howling?"
"The typewriter is a blessing to
business men, it is death to the charm
of all private correspondence, and its
extensive use in original composition
would inevitably dilute literature be
yond the selling point," declares
Charles Dudley Warner.
Says the Lewiston (Mo.) Journal:
A corporation was running behind un
der the management of a man who was
paid 85000 a year. What did the di
rectors do? The didn't hiro a cheaper
man. They found a better man and
paid him 87500 a year, and now, as a
result of bis skilled improvements and
intelligent economies, the corporation
is making money. This is a fre
quent experience in the commercial
and industrial world.
The result of Mrs. Langtry's suit
against a London bank whioh de
livered up her jewels, worth 8175,000,
on a forged order last summer, is
somewhat out of the usual order of de
cisions. She gets 850,000 from the
bank and the continued ownership of
the jewels on condition that when they
are found they must be sold and that
nny sum over 8125,000 realizod from
the salo shall go to tho bank. "This,"
says the Springfield Republican, "is
forcing Mrs. Langtry to share with the
bank the consequences of tho latter's
failure to perform its functions
properly in case the jewels are never
recovered."
We are certainly more civilized than
the Europeans in the matter of deal
ing, exclaims Harper's Weekly. Duel
ing in tho United States ißout of date,
and nowhero is it necessary to the
comfort of any American that he
should fight a duel. In Germany,
Austria and Russia, and to a loss ex
tent in France, men in military or
oourt service must fight one another
with deadly weapons in certain caseß,
whether they want to or not, If thoy
quarrel with too much energy in the
presenoo of witnesses a duel must re
sult. They may both be averse to it;
they may repent of haying quarrelled
at all, and bo most anxious to go about
their business and let the matter drop,
but that privilege is denied them.
They must fight or lose caste and
standing, and even military rank. "Tho
German Emperor, who is charged with
being tho greatest upholder of duel
ing in Europe, is of course exempted
by his rank from evor being subject
to tho working of his own medioino.
The death of Cornelius S. Bushnell,
of New Haven, Conn., recalls to the
Chicago Times-Herald one of the most
oelebratod of navaljbattles, which "led
to modern warship construction and
revolutionized naval warfare. Mr,
Bushnoll was tho man who supplied
tho money to build tho famous Moni
tor, planned by John Ericsson. The
arrival of that remarkable vessel in
Hampton Roads at the moment that
the Confederate ram Merrimac was
playing havoo with tho Federal wood
en warships stationed there is one of
the most dramatic scenes in all his
tory, and the duel between the two
vessels that followed, though a drawn
battle in appearance, marked an epoch
of the war. From that time it became
impossible for the Confederate Gov
ernment to organize a navy. Hnd not
the Monitor appoared at the very time
it did, so as to bar tho way of tho
Confedornto war vessel, the Merrimac,
after destroying tho United States
warships, the Cumberland and Con
gress, might have proceeded down the
coast and raised the blockade. Had
that been done in 1862 no power on
earth could havo prevented the estab
lishment of tho .Southern Confederacy.
It was that blockade moro than any
other one thing that isolated tho se
ceding States from Europe and shut
off their supplies. At that timo arm
ored vessels were as yet a dream, and
what they would be in the actual col
lision of war an entirely unknown
quantity. Every naval Power in the
world, therefore, was interested in
that fight, and it marks tho beginning
of the modern naval era. In truth it
may bo said that the bravo little Moni
tor, that afterward sank in a stormy
sea like so muoh pot metal, was the
beginning of the splendid navies of
to-day. To this Mr. Bushnell con
tributed, and his memory is deserving
of honor."
CHILDREN'S COLUMN.
A DEPARTMENT FOR LITTLE
BOYS AND GIRLS.
Something tbut Will Interest the Ju
venile Members of Every lloueehold
—Quaint Actions und Bright Hayings
of Muny Cute und Cunning Children#
What the Flowers Say,
The rod rose says, "Be sweet,"
And the lily bids "Bo pure;"
The hardy, brave chrysanthemum,
"Bo patient and endure,"
Tho violet whispers, "Give,
Nor grudge nor count tho cost."
The woodbine, "Keep on blossoming,
In spite of chill and frost."
—Susan Coolidgo.
Water Asleep.
Onco there was a little girl who said
that ice was water goue to sleep.
Did lie Know It?
A little hoy was practicing n piece for
Children's Day. Ills tencher told him to
speak louder. lie said, "I dou't know it
loud.''
And the (greatest Wae the Last,
Littlo Willie R. wus asked by his Run
day school teacher to name the "three
great festivals of the church." Ho
thought a moment, and then, memories
of the glad and joyous past doubtless
crowding upon him, replied: "Christ
mas, Easter and the strawberry."
"Court" or "Caught."
A little boy, according to Harper's
Round Table, has taken a baud in
amending English spelling:
"Mamma, how do you spell court
house V' said Little Willie.
"C-D-u-r-t-li-o-u-s-e, dear," answered
his mother.
"But I should think you ought to spell
it c-a-u-g-li-t house, because all the peo
ple who are caught are taken there,"
responded little Willie.
Little LCHHOIIH in the Kitchen.
There, don't burn yourself. Better
let cook lix the lire. But 1 know you
like orange cream. Here Is a very
reliable recipe for it. Try it. It's easily
made and delicious: Into a half pint
of cold milk put half an ounce of gela
tine. When this has quite dissolved,
which it will do best if placed near hut
not on the lire, add four tahlcspoonfuls
of thick cream and one of sugar. Stir
this up weh, and when almost cold add
gradually the juice of four good or
nngei. When perfectly cold this cream
will bo soli I enough to turn nicely out
of a small mold, although it remains
still soft. PETITE COOKIE.
Ten Little Toes.
Baby clad in his nightgown white,
Pussy cat purrs n soft good-night,
And somebody tolls, for somebody knows,
The terrible tale of ten little toes.
Right foot—
This big toe took a small boy, Ram,
Into tho cupboard after tho jam;
This little too said, "Oh, no! no!"
This little toe was anxious to go;
This little toe said "'Tisn't quite right";
This little tiny toe curled out of sight.
Left foot—
This big toe got suddenly stubbed;
This little toe got ruefully rubbed;
This little frightened toe cried out
"Bears!"
This little timid toe, "Run upstairs!"
Down came a jar with a loud slam! slam!
This little teeny toe got all the jam!
RurpriHed Pig,
Little l'ete never intends to misstate
things, but his very figurative imagina
tion sometimes gets the better of his
facts. He starts out to tell something
which is perfectly true, but before he
is done he has generally drifted off into
some picturesque exaggeration. The
other dny he exclaimed to a compan
ion:
"Just think, Billy! Out In Chicago
they aren't going to be cruel to the pigs
nny more when they kill them. They're
going to chloroform them."
"How do they do it?" nsked Billy.
"Why, they Just put a sponge; in front
of the pig's nose, and he goes right to
sleep, ami wheu he comes to himself he
says, 4 Wliy, my ham's gone!' And by
and by be says, 'Goodness! Homebody's
sawed my leg off!' and then ho finds out
that lie's all cut up!"
Drummer Hoy und Hero.
A hundred years ago (Oct. 15, 1703
the French undertook to relieve tho
town of Maubeuge, on the SauiLro, then
besieged by the Austrians, and the
Royal Swedish Regiment was sent for
ward to occupy the village of Dourlers.
The drummer boy, a lad of fourteen,
named Strauh, dodging the Austrian
skirmishers, reached the village first,
and at once heat a rousing call to arms
on his drum. Thinking the foe had
gained possession of the village, the
Austria ns retired In great disorder,
thereby enabling the French actually
to get to the outskirts of Dourlers.
The Austrians, having discovered
their blunder, returned, and Strauh had
to run for his life. He could not es
cape, however, and fell in front of
Dourlers Church, after having himself
shot several of the Hungarian grena
diers that pursued him.
The scene had been witnessed by a
peasant, hidden In a loft, who several
years later told it to Strauli's brother,
who knew of his death, hut not of the
heroic circumstances attending it. In
3837, during alterations at the church,
the ground in front of the building was
opened, and there were found the
skeletons of the brave drummer-boy
and seven men, thus confirming the ac
curacy of the peasant's story.
A Hurpri.se.
Tessle and Bessie were Rotting ready
for n garden party. It was to be a
very small party, for they had only in
vited Bertha and Harold May, who
lived next door.
'J essie spread a tablecloth 011 the big,
Hat stone under the great oak, and Bes
sie set on the sandwiches and chicken
and grandma's pretty cakes.
put a saucerful of big rod raspberries
by Bertha's plate, and Tessle set an
other beside Harold's. Then they ran
to tho raspberry patch again to fill two
saucers for themselves,
"Why, see here!" said Tessle when
they came back to the table. "Sonic
body has been stealing Harold's ber
ries 1"
"Who can It be?" said Bessie. "Well,
there are plenty more raspberries In the
patch, that Is one good thing! And we
have only to run and pick them."
They hurried away to fill -lie saucer
once more, at the same time keeping
tvateh on tho table. Nobody seemed
lo go near It, yet when they cnute back
again they found Bertha's plate was
rlrnost empty.
"Now, that's mean!" cried Bessie.
"Say, Tessle, let's hide and watch, and
when we cateli the tlilef we'll offer him
some raspberries and eake very polite
ly. Then won't he he 'slin med ?"
So they crouched down behind tbq
currant hushes, whispering and peep
ing. They had not waited long before
they saw the thief running softly to
ward the table.
A boy? No, A girl? No. It was the
prettiest and cutest little squirrel that
you ever saw.
How Tebsiu and Bessie did Laugh I
A 535.000 PALM.
The Bare Plant tlint Cost Miss Helen
Gonhl a Fortune.
Miss Helen Gould, daughter of the
late Jay Gould, recently expended $35,-
000 for a single palm. A picture of this
rare plant, acoiupnnled by a brief de
scription, Is herewith presented.
The palm Is generally known under
the name of "the traveler's tree" and
comes from the Island of Madagascar.
HELEN OOULD'S $35,000 PA; .1.
It obtains Its curious name from the
fact that when the stem is tupped a
stx-eam of clear water, that Is excellent
for drinking purposes, flows out. No
mutter how great the heat of the cli
mate the water remains always cold
and pure. Naturally, this quality ren
ders tho palm of incalculable assist
ance (o many a benighted traveler.
The palm, whleli lias been In Miss
Gould's possession about a month, is
now thirty feet in height. It will prob
ably spread out more, hut will not grow
much higher. There are at present ten
long stems on it, of great thickness al
the roots, hut tapering considerably up
to tho leaves, which latter must be
some six feet long.
FLEET-FOOTED VASSARGIRL.
Rnn Oae Hundred Yards in Fourteen
and n Half Seconds.
Every girl's college lias Its own partic
ular athletic specialty. That of Yasser
Is sprinting. Yasser Is the proud claim
ant of the champion female sprinter of
VASSAIt'S WONDERFUL SPRINTER,
the world. This is Miss Elizabeth Vns
sar, a r,ieco of the man who founded
he famous educational Institution. Miss
Yassar hoars no marks that would sug
gest her speelulty. One who was not
cognizant of the fact would never sus
pect that tho tall, graceful girl in tho
tailor-made setting, with well-poised
head, covered with rippling brown hair,
anil a face as sweet In expression as it
is perfect in contour, made the 100-yard
dash out In Yassar oval In fourteen and
a half seconds. Yet this is what Miss
Yassar did on field day of last year, a
day when every element seemed to
frown on the efforts of the sturdy young
athletes.
A Scotch Warning,
A Scottish bailie, anxious to gel
away from the courthouse, summarily
dismissed a boy brought before him
for breaking a window, with the fol
lowing caution: "Gang awn' this time.
1 dismiss yo wi' an admonition; but
the next time, mind ye, the sentence
will be double."—Tit-Bits.
Natural.
"Look here, conductor! Tnis woman
is taking up more territory thau be
longs to her!"
"That is perfectly natural, sir; she's
an English woman!"—Yonkra States
man,
ON RAISING SHEEP.
SHEARING SEASON AMONG WY
OMING WOOL GROWERS.
Details of the Operation of a Great j
Western Industry—How the Herders
and Their Families Live—Profits of
the Business.
Kemorinte the Clip.
Springtime is one of the most im
portant periods of the year in Wyom
ing, and Casper is the center of the ;
most Important slieep country in the i
United States. Half a million sheep
graze 011 the low hills and prairie and
among the mountains that are tribu-
BlieepTlck. Seal) Mite. Sheep Louse.
SIIERC PARASITES MAGNIFIED.
tary to Casper. In every direction as
far as the eye can reach can be seen
llocks of sheep.
These slieep cover a rangy that ex
tends about 140 miles to the west, sev
enty-five miles to the north, forty miles
to the east and fifty miles to the south.
There will be 3,500,000 pounds of wool
shipped from Casper this season. In
the city alone more than 300,000 slieep
will be shorn. Hundreds of men are
employed for the sole purpose of shear
ing. When the shearing is all over and
the wool has been disposed of the sea
son's clip will yield nearly a quarter of
u million of dollars.
Each 0110 of the animals costs his
owner from 55 cents to 05 cents a year.
Each one Is worth from 75 cents to sl.
With his wool alone each sheep pays
for his keeping and a little more. The
profit to his owner comes not so much
from his wool as from the very large
nnd natural yearly increase to his
flock, or band, as they are called. The
sheep is beneficial not alone to his own
er, but also to tlie herder who, perhaps,
has him "on shares," the shearer, who
gets 7 cents for every sheep he shears
and he can make about $7 a day, for he
can shear at least 100 sheep every day,
and the owner of the "dipping" pen,
who is paid cents for every sheep |
dipped.
Casper is located at the western ter
minus of the Fremont, Elkhorn nnd
Missouri Valley Railroad, the only road
that, enters that country. The town is
beautifully located on the Platte River,
at the foot of a range of high hills that
are tlie foothills of the Black Hills. It
is kept up by the sheep industry, and is
a typical sheep town. Its principal bus
iness men are sheep owners who have
come from the East and have settled
there.
In the vicinity of Casper are many
Sheep shearing pens, dipping pens, cor
rals and various other buildings neces
mmwT
jJjLsw'"' ljUa,.,,
SCABBY SHEEP,
sary to the business. The shearing
pens consist of well-made wood build
ings about 150 feet in length, nnd about
sixty feet broad. This pen is divided
up into smaller pens capable of holding
two men while at work. The smaller
puis are at the sides of the large pen.
Through the center of these runs the
chute or pathway through which the
sheep enter and are driven to t lie shear
ers.
At one end of the big building is a
large room, into which the sheep come
to await their turn with the shearers.
At the other end is a large room, Into
which they pass after they have been
shorn, and out of which they are driven
to the dipping pens. 111 this end also
is the kitchen nnd dining room, where
meals are served to the shearers and
any visitors who may happen to be
present.
In each of the smaller pens are two
shearers, provided with tlie customary
large shears, a small whetstone, a small
pail of water into which to dip the
i shears when they become warm from
use and a low table standing not more
than six inches from the ground, upon
which the animal is placed while being
shorn. Count is kept of the total 1111111
ber sheared In each pen by means of
Hie long, heavy strings that are used tc
tie up the wool after it lias been taken
off.
A dozen slicop are let into the pen.
One by one tliey are taken by the shear
er, who handles them as he would a
child, and theSr thick coat is removed.
The wool Is then tied up in a bundle
nnd thrown outside the pen. It is gnth
| ered up and placed in a huge wool sn<*l<
that holds about 400 pounds of wool.
This sack is about six feet high and I#
suspended from n framework built hi
side the pen for the purpose. There
are, aside from the shearers, a fore-!
man, who oversees the work, a gang of .
"punchers," or herders, who keep th '
sheep moving Into the chute, nnd nu
merous helpers who are employed in |
various ways about the place.
After the sheep are all shorn they are
driven a few miles to the dipping pens,
where they are "dipped" in a chemical
solution that kills the "scab" parasites.
Those parasites are of several kinds
nnd are death to the animal unless the
"scab" is killed. One kind of parasite
is known as the sheep tick. It causes I
a great deal of loss and thrives best on
beasts in poor condition with weak j
fleeces. The sheep tick lives by suck
ing tlie blood of the sheep and theitf
bites cause much irritation and itching |
on account of the poison secreted while
feeding.
There is also the scab mite, which
causes the most dreaded of all sheep
diseases, the "scab." It causes more
loss to owners than all other kinds of
Insects and diseases combined. The
scab mites burrow in the skin, where
they lay their eggs. After three days the
eggs hatch and in twelve days more the
young are full grown. As each female
lays about fifteen eggs at a time, three
fourths of which produce female in
sects, the rapidity with which
the insects multiply and the
disease spreads is easily account
ed for. Four or Ave scab mites .
picked up on the range will produce I
millions in a few weeks and infect the
whole flock.
Aside from these two there are the
slieep louse. They prefer long-wooled
sheep and affect the beast's condition
by loss of the blood they live 011 and by \
the irritation they cause. The eggs of I
the louse are laid at the base of the wool
fiber, to which they adhere until the
young emerge.
The dipping pens, are rather 6mnll
buildings around which are corrals,
where the flocks stay. Leading from
thiso corrals Is a trough about 300 feet
long dug in the ground. This trough is
filled with what is known as sheep dip,
a chemical compound that kills the par
asites. This trough is about five feet
deep and into it the animals plunge and
swim the entire length of it, emerging
into corrals at the other end. Men are
stationed at intervals along this trough
and with long poles push the swimming
sheep under the liquid in order that
they may be entirely submerged. The
dip does not injure the sheep, unless a
storm follows.
The herders nnd shearers lead n rest
less life. The sheep travel in bands of
about 3.000 each. There are two lierd
en with each hand. One of them fends
the slieep and protects them from the
coyotes and wolves, and the other is
known as the camp mover. It is his
business to select sites for new camps
when it is deemed advisable to move,
take care of the tents and baggage and
move the camp.
The men live In tents for tlie most
part, although some of them, generally
married men, have immense wagons,
canvas covered, in which tliey live witli
their families. These wagons are very
picturesque and are often furnished in
the best style, with spring beds, cook
stove, cupboards, flour chests and nil
conveniences. They live in them the
year round, nnd know 110 other home.
The shearers are generally rovers.
They go in bands from place to place,
as th shearing progresses.
Last spring the steam shearing ma
chine was introduced. Experienced op
erators from Australia were brought
over, and the introduction of tlie ma
chine was attended by great expense.
The machine proved practically use
less. It was found that they did uot do
the work any quicker tlinu it was done
by hand, and the sand and oil that is
found in the wool retarded the action
of the machines. It is not believed they
will be used again, as tbo expense nec
essary to operate them and keep them
in repair is more than the business will
warrant at the present low price of
wool.
The principal markets are Chicago,
Boston nnd Philadelphia. Representa
tives from t lie largest commission
houses in these cities conio every year
to contract for the wool. The price
ranges from 5 cents to 7 cents for wool
"in the grease," this being the term ap
plied to the wool as it is Immediately
after shea rim:.
A YOUTHFUL PLAYER.
Is Probobly the Youngest Violinist
in the World.
Probably the youngest violinist in the
world i> Master William Ffooks, ot
England. lle is yen rs old, and holds
THE "INFANT" VIOLINIST.
Ills violiu and bow like an old perform
er. Persons who have heard the "in
fant" violinist say that lie is a phenom
enon, and will startle the world in latei
years.
Wiggles -Do you believe in spiritual
ism ? Waggles—Yes, I confess I do.
Wiggles—All right. Then you won't
doubt the trutH of this story tliat I'm
going to tell you.—Somerville Journal.
IAND OF CA.ML&
IIOW THE GOOD PEOPLE - OF
HOLLAND DO THINGS.
Slow and Tedious Method of Pro
pelling the Canal Boats—Plenty
of Piißh Carts—Novel
Druinage System.
THE hundreds of canals in
Amsterdam, writes a corre
spondent of tho Washington
Star, furnish cheap aud com
modious avenues for the transport of
every conceivable article of commerce
aud from all parts of Holland. It
would bo extremely interesting to
know the cargoes and starting plaees
of the vessels which are pushed along
theso canals—literally pushed—for
tug servieo is expensive, and tho ro
strioted possibilities for taoking ren
ders the sails useless. The boatman
walks to tho bow of his boat, thrusts a
long polo in tho water, then facing
the steruand with hisshoulder against
the free end of the pole he literally
kicks the boat from under himself as
ho apparently walks toward the stern.
When ho risks walking overboard ho
withdraws tho polo and repeats tho
process, going first on one side of the
boat then on tho other for the purpose
of steering. It is a slow and tedious
process. Hore everything, nearly, is
pushed, and the number of push carts
is far in excess of the number of
vehicles for horses. The delivery
carts are pushed; small peripatetic
shops seem impelled by a magic power
—but there is a man behind, or a wo
man.
It is also astonishing to note tho
variety of goods which are offered for
sale from these carte, hardware and
tinware, even including stovos, books,
day books and ledgers, stationery of
all kinds, glassware, lamp chimneys,
cups and saucers, shoes, hats, clothes,
old aud new, and, in fact, tho only
thing omitted is coffins. Then the
dealers in "rags, bones and old iron"
pick up every imaginable bit of rub
bish, and after deciphering its use and
brushing it up a little, offer it for sale
ou the market square or in trade with
some brother peddler.
Tho margin of profit is so small in
Amsterdam that shopkeeping can be
only incidental, and hence but a small
part of tho house is given up for the
store—so small, in faot, that when tho
merchant desires to measure off a piece
of oil cloth it is necessary for him to
use the sidewalk for his counter. This
does not discommodo the passoraby ;
they walk in the street.
But to return to tho canals. There
are canals everywhere, canals large
enough to float an ocean steamer, and
canals so small that they barely admit
the boat in whioh the milkmaid goes
out to milk, but I have never seen a
caual too large or too small for the
fisherman's line. Along the banks of
every ono small boys and largo boys
may be seen waiting for a bite. I have
watched hundreds of persons thus en
gaged, and I have seen as many fish in
duly authenticated baskets, but I have
uever yet seen a fish caught.
First and foremost, the canals arc
drains, oxoept in rare instances; tho
traffic carrying is incidental. In the
country, since the land is all below the
level of tho sea, in order to cultivate
the soil it must be drained. Ditches
are dug, into which the water runs,
then as these ditches become full the
water is pumped into othors having
higher banks, then from the latter in -
to others|still higher, until finally sea
level is reached, and the outflowing
tide cirries the wator ooeanwards. In
the enrly stops tho wator is lifted by
wind power, but soon'itho volume be
comes so groat and suoh a large aroa
of laud is interested in its prompt
hnndling that tho State erects a pump
ing station, and a trusted official seos
to it that the water in his canal does
notremoin'abovo its assigned level.
Thus it is that theso drains becomo
water-ways. Their banks, made of
sandy earth, require reinforcement;
thoy must bo faeod with stone or for
tified by piles, large or small. In tho
ease of tho larger streams those hanks
become dykes, and both stone and
piles are needed in order to keep tho
water within its bounds. Thoro is not
a stone quarry in Holland, yet it has
more stone work to the square mile
than any other country in tho world.
Its forests are not sufficient to furnish
the inhabitants, still it has millions of
trees wholly underground, driven in
to serve as buidingfoundations or hold
in cheek the washing waters. Tho
great dykes along tho North Sea, on
both sides of the Kiver Maas, skirting
the Rhine and the Zuider Sea, aro
faced with piles ns close together as
they can bo driven, eaoh one of whioh
cost $1 to put in place, and backed up
by dressed German bassalt or Nor
wegian granite. If Napoleon claimed
Holland because it was formed of de
tritus carried down by the Meuse and
the Rhine, Norway and Germany
might demand a roward for anchor
ing it.
Curious Specimens of I'laut Life.
What is known as the ro3e of Jeri
cho is possibly the most enrious speci
men of plant life. The rose of Jeri
cho is said to be brought from the
valley of the river of that name and to
be tbe resurrection plant mentioned in
the Bible. When received the plant
is simply a bundle of dried, withered
and worthless stioks tightly pressed
together. If placed in a glass of water
the branches will expand, buds and
leaves start and the whole plant grows.
Tho Mexicnn resurrection plant is the
fluffy, fir-like variety often noticed in
florisis' windows and is a favorite with
' children, as it quickly expands from a
hard ball to a beautiful, metallic
greon plant. The experiment can be
repeated many times. There is on'y
I one variety of resurrection plants
i whioh blossoms. All varieties may be
l .iept indefinitely and the strength
seemingly never exhausts itself.
Mystery or n Mountain Peak.
For the last half century the Amer
ican residents of Tucson, Arizona,
have boon trying to solve a mystery
in the shape of what appears to be a
hole through a mountain peak in plain
sight of the town. The earliest resi
dents noticed this peouliar featuro of
the mountain, but whenever they
came near the spot the hole disap
peared. In speaking of this strange
manifestation one of tho California
papers says:
"By the aid of a good marine tele
scope the mountain can be brought to
within a few miles, but not noar
enough to tell tho oxaot nature of the
rock formation. An astronomioal tel
escope cannot be focused on it, as tho
mountnin is too near. A first peep
through the glass would lead one to
believe that there was no mystery
about it. The holo appears as plain as
possible, but several days' study of
the spot will develop the fact that tho
'hole' does not always look the same.
Many days when the sky is dark be
hind tho mountain the hole will ap
pear a brilliant white, like a snow
drift, and on days when the sky is blue
it will often look so dark as to be al
most invisible. Theso facts have led
many to think that it is an immense
piece of mica lying with the polished
snrfaoe toward tho sky, and reflecting
the cloud formations of another part
of tho horizon instead of being tho
light seen through a hole. Viowed
with the naked eye, the holo simply
appears as a white spot, but tho tele
scope revoals pino trees nnd other de
tails, although very indistinctly.
"The range of mountains in which
the strango peak can be seen is known
as tho Catalinas, nnd numerous parties
have made tho attempt to icliinb it,
but all have failod on account of the
steep aud rugged precipices in the vi
cinity. The peak is a high one and
oau bo seen from any point in tho
journey toward it, but when ten mile 3
out of Tucson the holo can no longer .
bo seen, even with the aid of a glass. I
This can be explained on the mica
theory, as a surface of that material
would not reflect a ray of light toward
a person's eye after thoy got out of its
angle of projection."—Atlanta Consti
tution. •
The Pig Returned Home.
The late Joseph Millward, father of
the present Joseph U. Millward, told
tho following story of a pig to Colonel
William A. Gunn, who is our authori
ty. It is a little incredible, but it is
so well authenticated that we believe
it, for no man in his day in Lexing
ton stood higher for veracity and in
tegrity than did "Old Joe" Millward,
as he was known to his acquaintances:
Many years ago he was at a farmer's
house to dinner, and while they were
eating a little pig came into the din
ing-room, and the good woman of the
house remarked to her husband that
she "couldn't keep it out, and she
wished that he would kill it." Mr.
Millward said:
"Don't do that, but send it to town
to me."
The farmer replied that he would.
It was in tho days when wood was
burned in Lexington for fuel, aud in
a day or two the farmer sent in a load
of wood and put tho pig in a basket
nnd hung it on tho coupling pole of
tho wagon, and in this way brought it
lo town to Mr.' Millward. It was a
very rainy time, and the roads were
muddy and wet. In a night or two
the pig disappeared, and Mr. Mill
ward supposed some one had stolon it.
A few days afterward he met his farm
er friend and told him that some one
had- stolen his pie. Tho latter re
marked that tho pig had come back
home, and that he intended to keep
it. The pig had crossed over town,
took the Newton road and got to Elk
horn Creek, which was very high.
The miller at the creek told him that
he had seen a little muddy pig come
to the creek and tako a peep at the
high wator, aud at last ho plunged in,
nnd the swift current swept him down
and over the dnin, and the miller
thought it was drowned; but after
a little time he saw tho pig coming up
the opposite bank, and whon he came
to the road he took up the hill and
disappeared toward home. Lexing
ton (Ky.) Gazette.
Prevents Jail Escapes.
One of the neatest inventions that
has been made recently is tho one
planned by F. V. Simms. Mr. Simms
was greatly interested in the jail de
livery, and immediately after tho
prisoners escaped he set to work to de
vise a plan to prevent any similar oc
currence.
Mr. Simms proposes to surround
caoh oell by an airtight compartment.
This will be filled with carbon dioxide
under a pressure much higher than
that of air. In each compartment
there will be a small retort, contain
ing lumps of marble, covered with di
luted sulphurio acid. This will fill
the tank with gas. In another part of
the oompartment a small rubber
balloon, partly filled with air or other
gas, is held in place by a wire frame.
Fastoned to tho top of tho balloon
is a thin metal plate connected lo an
electric wire. Directly over the plate
is the point of a screw, to whioh the
other wire is fastoned. This scrow is
turned until it almost touches the
plate, and the wires are connected
with a bell and a battery. When a
prisoner onoe bores a hole through
the wall of his cell the carbon dioxide
Alls the room and he is asphyxiated.
In the meantime, the pressure being
reduoed in the compartment, thta
balloon will expand, and the plato will
come in contact with the screw. When
the cirouit is olosed tho bell will ring
and arouse the turnkeys. Mr. Simms
did not explain about the ventilation,
and this seems to be tho chief draw
back to the plan. It would be a simple
matter for the prisoner to open his
windows and allow the gas to esoape.
—Louisville Post.