Governor Grout of Verninist con. •iilerable .of a farmer for a New Eng ender, anil this season he has tapped 15.000 maple trees and made 12,000 pounds of sugar and syrup. Between September 1, 1891, and Sep tember 1, 1890, the South added 882,- 740 spindles to her cotton industry, while the Eastern and New England States added only 071,223, showing n gain of thirty-nine per cent, for the Southern States and of barely more than five per cent, for the Eastern and New England States. American newspaper methods—the art of being wide-awake, etc.—have met with a whooping success in Lon don. The Star made a fortune for Mc- Carthy, and now the Daily Mail,which is owned by young men, not one ot them more than thirty-three years old, (8 selling 320,000 copies daily, and il owns the biggest newspaper building in London. Japan is distinctly a literary coun try, with a history of writing and liter ature since at least A. D. 712. Las* year the number of books published waß 20,905, of which 20,000 were translations or compilations. Law led with 1830, painting and sculpture had 8000, religion followed with 1183, music 1022, Japanese poetry 982 and works in belles lettres, novels, stories, criticisms, etc., 1112 titles. The migration of the French-speak ing people of Canada to the New Eng land States has assumed enormous proportions in recent yeprs, and shows 110 signs of diminution. The French population of the Province of Quebec is 1,200,000, while, according to the census of 1890, the number of French Canadians and persons of Canadian ex traction in the United States was 840,• 000. The late M. Mercier. predicted that by 1910 there would be more French Canadians by birth and descent in the United States than in Canada. More than two years ago the cele brated Professor Berthelot of Paris announced that the production of India rubber by a chemical process was but a matter of time—probably of a com paratively short time. This possibil ity means much to the wheelmen and to the cycle manufacturer. The tires of a bicycle are among its most, impor tant and expensive parts, and when chemically pure rubber 'can be pro cured in quantities practically un limited, and at a merely nominal cost, we shall perhaps see a revolution, in deed, in both the art and the industry of bicycle construction. Careful lists of large public gifts made by citizens of the United States show that the Americans are the most generous and public-spirited people in the world. The lists, restricted to sums above SSOOO, and not including either denominational gifts for educa tional and benevolent purposes, or State or munioipal appropriations to public and sectarian institutions, show that in 1893 the total of such gifts ex ceeded $29,000,000; in 1894 exceeded $32,000,000; in 1895 exceeded $32,- 800,000, and in 1890 exceeded $27,- 000,000, or more than $120,000,000 in four years of financial depression. / Among the illustrious visitors who will come to America this year King Chulalonkorn of Siam has by far the Inost unique personality. An indepen dent Asiatic monarch, ruling over some fifteen millions of prosperous subjects, he is also endowed with a degree of culture not shared by any Eastern po tentate. If he were not a King, he ivould fill a prominent position in the ranks of the learned. He has shown himself a munificent patron of scholars and scholarship. Perhaps, however, from an English standpoint, liis good liest trait of all is his pronounced An glophilism. English is now spoken at Bangkok by all the elite of Siamese society. The Warden of the Indiana Peniten tiary at Michigan City has adopted a novel method of furnishing occupation and exercise for the several hundred convicts in the northern prison who are relieved from work ly the opera tion of the law abolishing contract la bor. The idle prisoners will be or ganized into militia companies and drilled in tactics of modern warfare by men iu stripes who have seen military service. The men will be drilled iu squads of forty and this number will te increased until there is an entire legiment of striped men. It is pro posed to provide the convicts with wooden guns. The plan has the cor dial endorsement of the board of prison managers. Warden Harley be lieves such a plan as this is the only one that cau be adopted, in lieu of mauuul toil, that will prevent several hundred convicts from being driven in sane as the result of idleness and con* tin erne nt. " * "I DIDN'T THINK. J. ml the troubles in the world Were traced hack to their start We'd find not one in ten begun From want of willing heart. But there's a sly woe-working elf Who lurks about youth's brink. And sure dismay lie brings away— The elf "I didn't think. ' He seems so sorry when he's caught. His mien is all contrite, \Je so regrets the woe lie's wrought, And wants to make tilings rigtit. But wishes do not ileal a wound, Or well a broken link. The heart aches on, the link is gone Ail through "1 didn't think." When brain is com rale to the heart, And heart from soul draws gra -e, "I didn't think" will quick depart For la-k of resting place. If from that great uuselllsli stream, The (iolden Jtule, we drink. We'll keep God's laws and have no cause To say, "I didn't think." —Ella Wheeler Wilcox. "'' ' ' ''' ' ' ' ; '' ' ' ' * m HERENEMY. || H>- JENNV WHEN. • #llO f V daughter of mine, much as touch a Twnffl///'hated Prussian's & M a U httn<l A woul( | swear she had beeu changed in her cradle. Wait a little while till we teach their arrogant pretensiou how France resents it; and then such women will lament the treachery they dare call love." So spoke Pierre Duval in hot breath, just before the siege of Paris had be gun—breath kindled by the news brought him by the fair girl shrinking before his anger—the news that one of her schoolmates, the daughter of an old neighbor, had been married, the day previous, to a young Prussian olti cer, bearing active arms against the country of his newly made wife; and he had left her side twenty-four hours after the completion of the ceiemony, to rejoin his regiment. All through the day, old Pierre kept muttering to himself; ut nightfall, he called his little Marie to him. "Women are strange beings," he be gan, as if to relieve his mind of a load which was weighing upon it; "and per haps I've 110 right to believe you of dif ferent stuff from the rest. These are uncertain times we're in, too. The Prussians are proving stronger than we thought, and it behooves every man who can carry a musket to stand ready. But, Marie, girl, if your old father marches after the drum ami fife with the rest—and no young legs of them all will march more willingly—l want you to make me a solemn promise; nay, more, to kneel beside me and make me a solemn oath. Kneel, my girl—kneel!" x Pale and terrified, the girl knelt. "You frighten me, papa," she said. "It's naught to 4 frighten you," he answered; "but it's one thing to march out to the field and another to march back. They may leave me cold and stiff behind them oil their return—the gallant sons of France; but I'll rest easier in my grave, though thai grave be A trench filled with the bones of my comrades, if J know my child never will dishonor her race. Now raise your hand, Marie, and swear that you will never marry a man who eauuot boast French blood in bis veins!" Solemnly the girl swore. The old man smiled triumphantly as he bent and kissed the long, flaxen braid wound about the little bead. "I'm ready now," be said. Within a week the siege of Paris had begun. Within a month Pierre Duval's daughter was orphaned. A Prussian bullet bad stilled forever the heart so loyal to France. For a time Marie was stunned. No one found opportunity to sympathize with her grief, for around and about her every one was nursing some misery of their own. Every house bore some badge of mourning. Every heart carried its own burden. But sorrier days were in store for Paris days when the Prussians marched untroubled through its streets, and spoke their hated language in loud, triumphal accents. On a party of these Marie stumbled one evening as she hastened home. Her pretty lace, from which she had thrown hack her heavy veil of crepe, attracted them. Instantly two of them approached her, addressing her in her own tongue. Hhe hastily drew flown her veil, but one bolder than the rest raised bis hand to again uplift it. Scarcely bad he done so than it was struck down by a sharp, quick blow from behind. Marie turned, to see the French man who had befriended lier; hut, lo! a young officer, in full Prussian uni form. stood before her, respectfully touching bis bat. A few swift, words of command to the men sent them, abashed, uway. Then, with an accent almost as pure as her own, he begged that she would allow him to escort, her to her home. "Such outrages in time of war are difficult always to prevent," he said; "but you risk much by appearing un attended in the street. Always your father -your brother—" "Ah!" she interrupted, "do you leave us our fathers and our brothers? No! I have been to the hospital, caring for the poor men who may be spared to their daughters and their sisters. As for me, you have already taken from me my all." And she moved quickly away, as if the conversation were at n end; but the young officer kept pace beside her, "Pardon uie," she said, "but you I half believe that ugly sprite. t Hold, wicked "I don't care," In life's long run less harm has dona / Because he is so rare. And one can be so stern witli him, Can make the monster shrink: But luek-a-day. what can we say To whining "Didn't think." This most unpleasant imp of strife Pursues us everywhere. There's scarcely one whole day of life He does not cause tis care; Small woes anil great lie firings the world, Strong ships are forced to sink. And trains from iron tracks are hurled By stupid "Didn't think." are too young and too pretty to pass through Paris unmolested. You hate me us your foe, but you must let me guard you to your home, even though you hate me the more." "There is no need," she replied. "I go every day to the hospital, and every day at this hour, or very little earlier, I must return." A shadow, and then a light, swept over the young man's face. "I am stationed so near here that, if you will permit me, every night I will be your escort," lie said. "I would rather die than accept a kindness from your bauds, or those of any of your blood!" she answered hot - I y—"you,who are my dear old father's murderers!" And as she spoke the last words she paused before u gate, which the con- I cierga hastily opened for her admis sion, and which instantly swung to be hind her. But alone in her room, Marie paused. Singularly enough, she could recall every feature of the young officer's face—a face which seemed to her to re alize some dream of manly beauty; the echo of his voice lingered in lier ear— a voice low, and rich, and musical— musical even when he hud sternly ad dressed the soldier# in his own gutter al tongue. Her heart was beating high with fear and excitement, and indignant auger, but mingled with it was a strange thrill of joy. "It is because I proved my bate," she murmured to herself. "Yet be was kind to me. But for him " She would not continue her thought to the end, Besolutely she put it. from her. All the next day she was busy again among her wounded. Hiuce her fath er's death she had gone into the hos pitals. Sitting, with folded hands, in the midst of all the misery about lier, with ] her own wretchedness for mental food, she had felt, herself upon the verge of madness, and so had offered her ser vices, which only too gladly were ac cepted, though there had been some little demur about her youth. When evening fell she hastened homeward, but with new dread, new sinking, until, looking behind her, as she turned the corner of a street, she saw, following her, her jnotector of the night before. Until the gate again closed behind her, he let but that little distance in tervene between tliem. Hot blood mounted to her face, and yet an instinctive sense of care and protection mingled with whr.t she named his presumption. Every night afterward it was the same. Earlier or later, as she might chance to he, he was near her, nor left her till safe within her own home. One night he approached her, "There will be fighting to-morrow," be said. I cannot be hero to aid you, You must not go out alone. Promise me that you will not," For a moment she was almost tempted into forgetfulneas that lie was a Prus sian. For a moment she was almost tempted to answer, "I promise!" then she recovered herself, and turned hotly and indignantly upon him, "Pass my word to you!" she said— "to you, my eueuiy—the enemy whom I hate!" "And you, my enemy, are the enemy I love!" lie replied. "Why should I love a woman to whom I have spoken scarce twenty words in my life, and who has answered ine with scorn and contempt always? 1 know not, Home strange freak of fate, perhaps; but so it is. 1 may go out to-morrow to meet my death. If f should, doubtless you will never know that thus France has avenged herself; but I should like to feel you sometimes gave me one kindly thought, even as my last thought, liv ing or dying, will be of the one woman who gave me a stone for the heart I offered her. But, for God's sake, promise me you will not go alone to morrow on the street! Do not let me have the added torture that you are in peril," They had reached the gate ere this. Her hand was on the hell. Hhe opened her lips, meaning to scathingly litter his deserved rebuke, but, lo! instead the two simple wods, "I promise!" alone issued from them in a low and thrilling whisper. Before she had divined his inten tion, lie had caught in his the little, gloved lingers and raised them to his lips. The next moment the gate swung to between them, and Marie, Hying to her own room, had Hung her self in a burst of bitter sobbing on the byd. was a Prussian, and she—hated him. Three days later she paused beside two surgeons, in earnest conversation. "There's but one way to save him," said one. "It's an ugly wound, but lie's sinking from loss of blood. If we could get some one to submit to transfusion, I think he would recover. "Impossible!" answered the other. And Marie passed on to the room where lay the sufferer. She paused beside the cot. He was lying, white and insensible, upon the pillow, his head bound iu blood-stained bandages; but, all changed as he was, she recog nized him, and fell, with a low cry, beside him. To her he was nameless, but he was the Prussian whom she—hated, and the man whom she—loved! Ah, iu that moment she knew the truth, and then she remembered the surgeons' words. They were about separating when she returned to them. "You said transfusion would save him," she said. "F am strong and I am ready." And rolling hack her sleeve, she dis closed her bare, white arm, with its dimly-outlined blue veins. A little while the physicians de murred, but in the end she had her way. She did not shudder as the sharp lancet penetrated her vein, and the faintness which crept over her—the deadly faintness—as the blood poured from her veins into his, was ecstasy; for though to her it might mean death, to him it was life—her life for his. Hbe swooned before the operation was completed, and days had passed before she could rally even to know that her sacrifice had not been in vain —days when Paris had been racked by o bitterer foe than the hated Prus sian, even her own inhabitants. But the terrible days were over, when Marie was allowed to once more assume her role as nurse. Ernest Haupfman was still in need of all her care; but when she stood once again beside him, he looked at her with wide-open, conscious eye , into which, as ho recognized her, there came u look of ineffable happiness. "My love!" he murmured, and then he fell asleep, with her hand clasped tight iu his. Through long weeks she nursed him —weeks which taught her that all her future must he Avretclieduess, since her promise to her dead father forbade that she should share it. How dared she tell Ernest of it until he spoke the words which unsealed her silence? But one evening, as they sat to gether in the twilight, he almost wholly convalescent now, be spoke them, as, in low, endearing accents, lie asked her to be his wife. Amid bitter sobs, she told him all then, and hid her fuce within her hands. But he gently drew them down, and drew her head upon his heart. "My own," he said, "your sacrifice has borne its fruit. Your husband must boast French blood in his veins, forsooth! Have I, then, none in mine? Did you not mingle yours with mine— the very blood of Pierre Duval himself? All, Marie, keep your vow to your dead father, aud, keeping it, give yourself to me!" In silent rapture Marie listened to the word 8; but, as her arms close clasped themselves about his neck, he knew that he had won his cause, and that she had gone over forever to the - - enemy!— Saturday Night. A Coupon of 1776. Cornelius Holton, of 435 Fifth ave due, this city, called upon Mayor Htroug in New York yesterday and pre sented for payment a coupon clipped from an old water bond issued by New York City on March 5, 1776. The coupon called for the payment to hearer of four shillings and was signed by Benjamin Blagge as clerk. Mr. Hol ton said that it was through his wife, who was formerly the widow of (Dr. A. Barnes, of Greenwich, Conn., that he got the coupon. Hhe had received it from her grandfather many years ago. Mayor Htrong said there was no fund from which the coupon could be hon ored, so he referred Mr. Holton to the City Chamberlain. General McCook knew of no fund from which payment eould he made, so the holder was in turn referred to Controller Fitch, There the question of the city's lia bility was raised. Deputy Controller Lyons said that the issue of bonds in question was authorized by the com mon council four months before the Declaration of Independence was signed. He expressed the opinion that the successors of King George were the responsible parties from whom in terest should be collected, Ho Mr, Holton returned to his home without his four shillings.—Brooklyn Eagle. Protecting I run'A gainst Kuit, A new process for the protection of iron against the injurious action of rust has been suggested by M. Deninger, a Dresden chemist, It consists of treat ing the iron with a solution of ferro cyanide, which forms a coating of cyanide of iron, uniform and imper meable to water, aud of sncl} a nature as to protect effectively the iron cov ered, The operation, applied on a large scale, has already given good re sults. 'fhe following is the method adopted in practice; The solution is mixed with a flax-seed varnish, tp whicl) has been added a little turpen tine or benzol, so as to cause a very homogeneous emulsion, which pan be applied without difficulty. The evap oration of the alcohol leaves the flax? seed varnish, which forms a coat pro tecting the cyanide of irqn which is de posited upon the iron. There j s no necessity, ssys the Industrial World, of previously preparing the iron be yond the removing of beds pf rnst top thick to admit pf the action of the ferro cyanide. Do Iter* Fill Up the Cracks? Tt depends entirely 011 circumstances whether they do or not. If they are up in the sections some days before they begin to work they will chink them up; but if the weather is hot, and the honey-flow good, they are just as apt to till and seal them before doing any waxing at all, and they sometimes used to fill and cap entirely the large wooden boxes which I used to make before sections came in vogue. I fre quently made the top out of two pieces, and they would shriuk so that I could see down, and I saw them tilled and capped, so that I could look right down between every sheet of honey after taking them off and get ting the bees out, and not a particle anywhere; but if left on long after they were tilled they would put in propolis; while if the weather was cool, and they wanted them warmer, they would till them with white wax, the same as they used in making comb. But it made me laugh just a little to see you cite Doolittle to a case of bees storing honey in cxtractiug-combs with a crack 12x1 inch over their heads. Now, haven't you been around bees long enough to find that they never stop up a crack that they can go through freely? But muy be your bees can't get through a half-inch hole—must be some dorsata about them. In answering a question as to the ! merits of a tall section over a square one, one writer makes a point which I thiuk is a good one, viz., that it is a detriment to bee-keepers when they adopted the panel sections, and says the price of honey would not have been lowered if we had stuck to the large section, and he is right; and another thing besides the extra work of setting up, putting in foundation, scraping, etc., is that the bees will put up more honey in large section than in small ones, just as they will beat themselves if allowed to work all together in a large hive, all in one body; but then, we don't want to raise chunk honey, so must have some kind of package to get it stored in. But I can get about ten pounds more honey in two than in one pound sections, which would allow for a couple of cents less; but then, I can't sell them all at any price, except a limited number urouud borne; they won't sell at all in Chicago unless there is a great scarcity. So, much against my will, I am obliged to use the 4jx4j, and I prefer them la wide, and use without separ ators, and have but very few bulged or crooked combs; and if well tilled they weigh nearer an even pound than any other size I ever bad. Then I doubt whether as much honey is sold as there would be if the two-pound sections were all there were in use, for scores of people would buy just as quickly as any way, and, once bought, it would be eaten, and they would buy again just as quickly as if they bought one pound.—Woodcbopper, iu Glean ings in Bee Culture. About Transplanting. There is often much loss sustained in transplanting crops by the work not being properly done. To obviate this one must have some knowledge of the business, together with careful per formance of the work. Carefully ob serve the state of the crop, or plant, we will say, to he transplanted; its kind and requirements, also the con dition of the soil in which it stands and that to which it is to be removed, the manner iu which the plant requires to be set and its subsequent treatment. These points are requisite, aud must be understood and observed. Hard-wooded plants, such as shrubs and trees, should never be removed after new growth has made its appear ance, for if so the newly-established feeding roots are torn asunder and de stroyed, and the plant is so enfeebled that it will require a season or two to recover its former vitality, if it lives at all, which it is not likely to do if the new growth ho advauced to any great extent. In most cases perennials and annuals, in a thrifty, growing condi tions, are much injured by being re moved when their buds begin to de velop. Home shrubs of the more hardy nature, however, may, with care, he removed even after the new growth is considerably advanced. Plants that have long or spindle shaped roots, such as carrots, beets and parsnips, and also some of the flowering plants having similar-shaped roots do not bear transplanting as well as do plants which have branching, fibrous roots. Home advise cutting off about a third of the roots and tops of such plants when resetting. However, with some, such as the garden plants named, we find this unnecessary if the plants i)e set when small. In transplanting plants grown in pots or boxes, they should be allowed to become quite dry before they are removed. Thus, deprived of mois ture, which stimulates growth, the feeding roots become, to a great ex teat, matured, and when the plant is removed it does not suffer such a sliqck as would follow if it were in a stimulated or thrifty, growiug condi tion. Tho soil to which plants are tq be removed should be put in good condi tion, and the plants carefully set a* soon as possible after they are taken up. The roots should he placed at about the same depth a* before and carefully spread out, then flue, rich soil, unmixed with manure or trash of any kind-, pressed firmly about them; if the soil be *©ry dry supply tepid water, then draw up more of he soil over the roots aud about the plant. If the transplauting he done in dry weather, a covering of grass, leaves, old rags or anything that will exclude the sun and hot air and preserve the moisture, will greatly accelerate the growth an vigor of the plant. How ever, for transplanting large field crops, advantage must be taker of wet weather in which to do the work.— J. I. 8., in New York Tribune. Farm and Garden Note*. Dairy calves need the fools that make milk, not fat. Protect the lambs against being drenched by sudden showers. A well bred calf must be well fed to make a good cow—remember that. If you have apples on hand do not let them rot—-feed to the milk tows. Good money can be made in inning sheep for mutton as well as for wool. Quality counts. A little linseed meal fed a cw be fore calving will not hurt her any; or after calving, for that matter. Grease or oil on sitting hens is posi tively injurious, either on the lien's feathers or body, as the least trace upon the eggs destroys the genus. Study the dispositions of your calves as they grow. Fet and foster the good ones, curb the bad oner, and if too bad better get rid of the . alf as veal or "baby beef." A cow ith a mean disposition is 110 comfort in a dairy. Sncoesefnl management of tin calf lies at the foundation of Htocli-i .isilig, and there must be no slack in attention or watchfulness. Scouring, thr bane of calf rearing, indicates indigestion, and resnlts from overfeeding, irregular feeding, giving food too cold, or per mitting the young animal to get 1 hilled or wet. It matters not whether tire farmer is breeding for beef or butter, he cannot afford to ignore the principle which runs through all breeding oper ations—that like begets like. One may soon build up a herd of great merit merely through a selection of good cows bred to the best bulls, or may stay at the tail of the procession. In growing ensilage corn do 11 .t use more than twelve quarts of seed to the acre, in drills three feet apart. Let it stand until it begins to glaze Bom -. It is no trouble to get fifteen tons of en silage to the acre. "The idea tlmt rood ensilage will in any way taint or in jure milk is ridiculous. An e pert cannot detect essilage-made milk 1: the ensilage is all right. Do you receive the bulletins of vonr State experiment station? By apply ing to it 011 a postal for them tliese useful reports will be mailed you free. And the station is usually glal to answer your questions on any points upon which you need help in your agricultural work. That's one ui the things the station is for. Its officers are liberally paid to serve the farmers' interests. It is your own fault if yon don't make use of it. The progressive dairyman tesis his herds and weeds out the unprofitable cows that do not come up t. bis standard of milk and butter production; and the farmer who cannot afford to subscribe for a stock journal, or can not afford lo have any improved breeds, buys these rejected cows. They look line, hut flue big-record cows are seldom for sale. The busi ness dairyman will not tolerate the cow that fails to pay its way. An African lli-ltc-ary. The flesh of an elephant is eaten in its entirety by several of the African tribes. A detail of the process of butchering the animals is not pleasant reading. The tools used ure the a segai and hatchets. The rough outer skin is first removed in large sheets. Be neath this is a Rubcuticle, a pliable membrane, from which the natives make water skins. TLe elephant yields large quantities of fat, used in cooking their snndried biltong, or dried strips of elephant's flesh, aud also in the prep aration of vegetables. African explorer of the Caucasian race agree that one part of the elephant's carcass, when properly cooked, is a succulent dish that will regale the most delicate taste. This part, very strangely, is the first joint of the leg below the knee, which one would suppose to be the toughest portion of the animal. To prepa o the joint, a hale three feet deep is ting in the earth, aud thesides of it are naked hard by means of large live coals. Most of the eoals are then taker out, and the elephant's foot is placed 111 the rude oven, The hole is then filled with dirt, tightly packed, and a blaz ing fire is built on top, which b kept replenished for three hours. The foot is thus evenly baked, and w hen done, instead of strong, tough meat fil re, it is a gelatinous consistency that may he eaten with a spoon,—Public Opin ion, Sleep Walker Travels Three Miles, While in a sommimbulistio state, James Casey, sixteen years of age, es caped unnoticed from his homo at Newberry, Peun., attired only in his shoes and stookings and a shirt. He was found ■several hours later in South Williamsport, fully three miles from hi* home, having crossed the river in his wanderings.—Philadelphia Press. WOMEN FARMERS. Three Cultured lllinoi* Girh Succeiitiful in Agriculture. Prom time to time, says the Wash ington Pathfinder, we hear of the suc cesses of energetic women in many callings that until recent years were in the exclusive possession of men. A short time ago we published some ac count of a young Minnesota woman who had made money out of farming. Before that we had heard of the Cali fornia girl who located a $25,000 eilvei mine. But so far there have been compara tively few instances of well-educated young women deliberately starting out jin life to make a business of farming. We notice, therefore, with great inter est in a recent issue of a Chicago daily paper the account of three young wo men of Illinois who have demonstrated that agriculture may he both a profit able and an enjoyable business for the "gentler sex," and also that women need not lose their taste for the finer ehings of life in this humble employ ment. Their farms, which aggregate 4220 acres, were inherited from their father, John D. Gillett, a well-known man in Illinois, who owned 11,00(1 acres in Logan County at the time of his death, nine years ago. The young women are practical agriculturists, having picked up much of their knowl edge going over the farms with theii faitlier, and yet they are fiuely educat ed, speak French, aud have a taste for art, literature and music. They de voted their entire time to the farms for the first few years after they assumed the management, and now the land yields twice as much as it did at the time of their father's death. Corn is their principal product, and the aver- a R e yield is sixty bushels ail acre. They have drained a lake of 400 acres >y digging a ditch a mile and a half long. The farms are divided into small sections, which are tilled by tenants, with whom they divide the crops. These women ride thirty and forty miles a day on their tours of inspec tion, which are not at stated times, so the tenants have no way of knowing when they are coming. Miss Nina Gillett says there is no work she would prefer to farming, and thinks, a woman who has a knowledge of tlu subject and some experience is just as good a farmer as a man. Miss Amy is quite us much in love with the business, and while they believe in ull the science which can he applied to agri culture, they rarely indulge in experi ments, but trust to the "Agricultural Experiment Stations" to enlighten them as to what may or may not be done with land. Experience lias taught them that agents were not a success, as they very soon began to trade on the supposed incapacity of women as busi ness managers and tried to deceive them by charging for work which waa never done. A Convict-Built i'rtaon. The last Congress appropriated $150,000 for a penitentiary at Fort Leavenworth, Kan. It will be a splendid modern structure, near the site of the old prison, and the plan o) utilizing the five hundred convicts there to build it is to be carried out. It is expected that the new building will represent an outlay of three times the appropriation. The land, of course, is free, being a Government reserva tion, set apart in 1827. It has inex haustible quarters of fine building stone, an abundance of lime and the linest clay for making bricks. The convicts are to quarry and dress the stone, make the bricks, burn the lime aud prepare the structural material in the prison shops. Wheu the building is completed it will represent all the newest and best ideus in thut class of architecture. There will be a dozen rooms devoted to night schools for the men, a tirst-class gymnasium, baths and the like, to be used by those who merit good treatment. The warden of the Fort Leavenworth State prison, Cnptuin John W. French, speaking of the convicts, said: Z,"The majority of the men sent to us come from Arkansas, Texas and the Indian Territory. Criminals from this section are usually of the frontier type, and, as a rule, are easier to reclaim than those who have been raised in the older and more settled communities. The lax standards of border settle ments are often the cause of moral obloquy, but, as a geueral thing, the border man who becomes a convict is readier to listen to appealsto his reason and conscience, and makes more earnest efforts to reform." A Curious Occupation. An occupation which does not figure in labor statistics, nor in the social economy, at least, of America, is dis covered in the following advertisement, which appeared in the Blackpool Times, an English newspaper, in the last days of 1896: "Young man, of dark complexion, is prepared to 'Let in the New Year' at any house in Blackpool between 12 aud 9 a. m., at two shillings each without refresh luent." The explanation of this cryp tic notice lies, it seems, in a local su perstition that the first visitor to a house in the new year, if he happens to he of a dark complexion, brings it good litck. Sunken 'l'l-CHHUI-C Shlptt. Some of the fainoiiN treasure ships which lie at the bottom of the seas iu clude L'Orient, sunk by Nelson at the battle of the Nile, with $8,000,000 aboard; the Latune, sunk in the Zuy tier Zee with $7,000,000 in her hold; the I>e Brake, lost off Delaware Bay with Spanish bullion, and the ship Golden Gate, which went down ofl Gape Hatteias while returning from California in the fifties loaded with gold. Official statistics show that 2000 vessels are sunk annually, the vessels and cargoes being valued at SIOO,OOO, •• 000. The Atlantic and Pacific oQMts are strewn with old and new wrecks, many laden with valuable cargoes.
Significant historical Pennsylvania newspapers