To commeinorato Iho record i-eign a
Welshman named John Jones sug
gested that all the Joneses in the
world should contribute toward a mag
lificent building, to be erected in honor
>f the Queen.
According to the Jewish Year Book
just published in London, there are
(1.000,000 Jews now living. The
London Spectator finds that should
they be Zionized in Palestine they
would b? 2000 to the square mile.
There is a clear hint of Russian
policy and purpose in her refusal to
permit the Turkish navy or fortresses
U> be strengthened, while raising nc
objection to increase of the army. Bus.
tia hopes to use Turkey's offensive
force, but will not tolerate increase c
defensive force which might be used
ftgainst her.
Mayor Ziegenheiu, of St. Louis, ha:
opened a matrimonial bureau at his owl
expense. He says there are 10,001
marriageable young men in St. Lour
who are single because they cauuo
find "old-fashioned women." We hac
supposed that the female patrons o:
matrimonial bureaus were in a sensi
new women—women at least who knev
too much.
When "the lion's skin is too short,'
British statesmen are conteut to "eke
it out with the fox's." So now comes
the news that British influence is t<
be exerted to defeat the re-election o
"Oom Paul" as President of tin
Transvaal Republic. If the Boeri
can be induced to sacrifice thoii
watch dog, the fold may he invadec
without the unnecessary effusion o:
blood. The success of this scheme is
yet problematical, but it illustrate!
the "patient search and vigil long'
with which such Britons as Cecil
Bhodes inexorably pursue their pro
jects of self-aggrandizement.
Although Mr, George was as grea
a champion of individualism and a:
great a believer in competition as Her
bert Spencer or Thomas Jefferson, liis
popularization rather than discovery
of the law of rent, and his maguificen
optimism in social reform are recog
nized in England as the leading fac
tors in developing the enthusiasm o:
the masses for all lines of social le
form. From his later utterances anc
the platform which he practically
wrote for himself to run upon in New
York City it appears that his early op
position to direct public operation oi
street railways, gas, electric light
telephones and similar monopolies o 1
situation had changed to indorsement
of such public management.
That Cuba, the fairest and most fer
tile island in all the oceans, should be
the scene of widespread starvation
starvation so cruel that hundreds of
women and children are perishing
every week—is the most shocking
anomaly of the century. It means
that the prodigal wealth of nature has
been destroyed and her generous pro
cesses suspended by the hand of man,
that the native luxuriance of planta
tion and forest, in a territory where
hunger should be an unknown word, |
has been blasted by the torch of tin I
invader, and that this region, which i
should blossom like a garden of fruit? |
and flowers, lias been laid waste anil j
its inhabitants starved to death at the
behest of tyrants beyond the sea. And '
all for the honor of Spain! i
While the atmosphere is full o! j
strange and startling rumors growing
out of the present status of affairs iu
Europe, it is nevertheless interesting
to note that if the latest of these ru
mors has any foundation in fact, seri
ous complications may be expected
According to this rumor, Germany
and Turkey have recently formed a '
compact as the fruit of which Germany '
is to fit up a Turkish fleet and supply 1
he Turkish army with improved guns,
making the Ottoman power, already
Hushed with its recent victory ovei
the Greek', doubly strong. On tlu
other hand, Turkey is to hold in read*
icss not less than 250,000 men tc
march at a moment's notice against
Russia in order to check the design*
of that power upon the Caspian region.
In ail likelihood the rumor which
crediis the two countries with forming
this compact is without foundation.
Turkey is not anxious to hurl herself
upon Russia, even though backed by
the puissant arm of Germany, nor isil
likely, in view of the compact existing
between Germany and the other mem
bers of the triplealliauce, that Germany
would lock arms with Turkey while
Hill united to Italy and Austria-Hun
gary. To entertain for a moment the
supposition that Germany, Austria*
Hungary and Italy intend to combine
with the Sultan is simply monstrous*
and the supposition that Germany
ilone intends to do so is equally un
lasonibU.
THE DAY BEYOND.
if hen youth is with its all things seem
But lightly to be wished and won;
We snare to-raorrow in a dream
And take our toil for work undone;
•'For life is long, and titrn a stream
That sleeps and sparUUfl in the sun.
What need of any haste?'' we say;
••To-morrow's longer than to-day."
But when our hands are'worn and weak,
And still our labors seem noblest,
And time goes past us like a bleak
Last twilight waning to tue west,
•'lt is not here—the bliss wo seek;
Too brief is life for happy rest.
Ami yet what need of grief?" we say;
"To-morrow's longer than to-day.
4\. \z'K/4\/* v \/*\/*\/V\/\/4\/*\ /V\sii sfi\, n/ ♦
/v\ c l y
i: THE MAJOR'S RETURN §
* *
.-X' JX .XiX V -i iX •XXXJXJXVwXVX
/♦x7K/i\/K 4\/<\A\A\A\s ♦ \/i\/♦x/AxxVx/*♦ >./♦ \
-i r , ETiTiO?" said Mr. |
*•- - Clinton, as he j
jf read his letter at j
M the breakfast
.J gut?-., here's one from
W \Vb. \•— || old MhcPherson.
J=lj-* He's come back
from India at
to pay us a visit. Of course he shall
—the sooner the better. Why, it's
twenty years since I set eyes on the
dear old fellow."
Now, when Mr. Clinton mentioned
MaePherson's name, Miss Nabb, his
guest, gave a slight jump.
"Is that Major MacPherson of the
?" she inquired, in an unnaturally
natural voice, if the expression maybe
used.
"That's the man. I was at school
with him—let me see—why more than
thirty years ago, and, though I have
seen nothing and heard little of him
since he went to India, we are sworn
friends for life. Have you met him,
then?" And Mr. Clinton cast a quick,
scrutinizing glance at poor Miss Nabb.
"I rather think," she gasped out,
"that he must be a man I used to see
a good—at least, something of, once
Upon a time."
Then Miss Nabb took a long sip of
tea, being apparently under the im
pression that the large breakfast cup
would conceal the color of her cheeks.
If ever there was a typical old maid
it was Miss Nabb. She hail "nerves"
and some years before had consulted a
doctor, who had given her a medicine
which, as he cynically remarked to a
friend, "would act powerfully on her
imagination."
After the conversation at the break
fast table already described, Miss
Nabb's nerves were much in evidence.
Not that they were in pain, but they
were all in a flutter.
"I think, perhaps, I had better be
off in a day or two," she remarked to
Mrs. Clinton.
"Why?" answered her hostess, with
feigned surprise. "We were hoping
you would stay with us for at least a
fortnight."
"But won't you want my room for—
for another visitor? He's coming soon,
1 suppose?"
"The day after to-morrow, T hope.
But there are plenty of spare bed- I
rooms."
Now Miss Nabb knew there were
plenty of spare bedrooms and Mrs. !
Clinton knew that she knew it, but
Miss Nabb had got information she
burned to receive and she actually
thought her willingness was not dis
covered.
And then she thought that perhaps
it was her duty to stay and recruit her
health, and her thoughts took a new
direction.
Two days after a carriage drew up
to the door. There was as great a re
moving of rugs as if it had been mid
winter and then the cheerful sounds
of old. long-separated friends greeting
in the hall.
! "Come into the library," cried Mr.
Clinton. "It's warmer there, but I'm
afraid there isn't a fire, and the tem
perature is under ninety degrees.
| Why, you don't look a scrap changed!"
| Miss Nabb did not put in an appear-
I auce till tea time. Then she entered
I in a casual sort of way, and with such
| remarkable composure that only her
| heightened color betrayed her inward
agitation.
"Miss Nabb, Major MacPherson.
Miss Nabb tells me that she rather
thinks you are an old acquaintance."
"Oh—ah —urn! How do you do?"
said the Major, shaking hands with
stiff" courtesy and a most elaborate
bow.
"How do you do?" said Miss Nabb.
"Oh! is that my tea, Maria? Thank
' you so much!"
Then the Major pulled his moustache
and sat on the edge of the chair,
while Miss Nabl> nursed her teacup
on a sofa at the other side of the
loom.
Next morning was wet, and Miss
Nabb discovered for the first time that
the drawing room vas draughty--afact
which Mrs Clinton did not believe,
but under tho circumstances would
not deny. The result was that the
spinster had to take her knitting into
the library.
"I hope the gentlemen won't make
m incursion," she said, "but if they
do I can clear out."
She had not been seated there long
in solitary state before the door opened
and she was alarmed by the appear
ance of both Mr. Clinton and Major
MacPherson. She immediately entered
upon a flurried explanation and apol
ogy.
"Quito so, quite so," said her host,
"hut we don't object to ladies' society,
do we? Eh, Major?"
"Not at all," jerked out the Major,
and then he gave a dry little cough.
"Well, now. I must be off for half
an hour to interview that confounded
gardener of mine. You will excuse me,
won't you?"
For some time silence reigned in
the room, the Major to all appear-
And when to-morrow shall destroy
The heaven of our dreams, in vain
Our hurrying mnuhood we employ
To build the vanished bliss again;
We have no leisure to enjoy.
"So few the years that yet remain;
So much to do, and ah!" we say.
"To-morrow's longer than to-day."
ances intent upon his paper, and Miss
Nabb, though most anxious for con
versation, hoping that she might not
have to begin.
But the clock moved on, and the
Major, when he had fihished one page
of the Times, simply turned over and
started on a fresh on©, and the good
lady's patience began to give way.
"Do you suffer from toothache?"
she asked, casually, "as you used to
when "
"Not often—not often now, though |
this villainous climate may bring it j
back again," answered the major, and
then lie added, "that was an excellent '
remedy you told me about."
"Ah," replied the lady in a low
voice, "you have not forgotten that?" |
"I liavo a long memory for some •
things," said the Major, and went ou
reading.
"I often used to wonder when you j
had gone away," Miss Nabb continued j
presently, with a little quaver in her j
voice, "whether you were still suffer- :
ing."
"Not from toothache," said the |
Major, rather gruffly.
"I beg your pardon?" said Miss
Nabb, interrogatively.
"Not from toothache." Aud ho
went on reading.
Miss Nabb took some moments to
ponder over this dark saying and to
devise means for carrying on the con
versation. But she was relieved from
her difficulty by the Major himself, for
suddenly be dropped the newspaper
011 his knee nud carefully looking
away from her, jerked out, "Good old
times those were, weren't they?"
Miss Nabb responded with a little
sigh, but the ice was broken and in a
few minutes the two were busily en
gaged in talkiugover reminiscences of
former times—of picnics, walks and
parties which they had enjoyed to
gether, of people they had met and in
terests they had shared in the days
when Miss Nabb had been admittedly
one of the belles of the countryside,
The conversation went briskly for
ward and as the past revived, the two
grew more and more animated and yet
neither was quite at ease.
To tell the truth there was one epi
sode to which Miss Nabl) hoped the
Major would allude, but to which he
had not the remotest intention of mak
ing any reference whatever unless she
touched 011 it herself. Time after time
she brought him right up to the dread -
I ed subject but he invariably sliied till
there was nothing for it but to give
him a lead.
So, at last, after a somewhat pro
longed pause, during which both had
sought frantically but in vain for a
now starting point for conversation,
Miss Nabb plucked up courage to re
mark: "There is one thing I have of- |
ten wanted to ask you, Major Mac- j
Pherson."
"What it it?" inquired the Major,
his voice sounding as if he had sud
denly retired into a shell.
"Was it you who—who—sent those
flowers before the last ball—when you
were going to India?"
"There was a letter with them,"
said the Major rather shortly, gazing
, into a remote corner of the room.
"You knew tlie handwriting."
j Miss Nabb started and stared and
I showed signs :?! tearfulness.
I "There wasn't any letter—indeed—
j there wasn't," she pleaded. "And I
! didn't like to wear them in case some
| one else—l mean—" And her voice
I broke down as she added:' 'And then
| you wouldn't dance with me at all."
j "No letter!" shonfed the Major. And
jumping up he began to pace the room,
I while the memory of long years of
I mourning for false love rolled over hia
! mind. "No letter! Curse the boy! He
I must lmve dropped it, and I addressed
1 it properly."
j Had it, then, been all a gigantic
j mistake? While he had moped and
I sulked at that miserable farewell ball,
I had she been wondering aud sad and
i loving him ail the time and waiting
I for him to speak? And during all
1 those long years of pining in India
' and of vain struggling to forget, had
; the heart of the one woman lie had
I ever loved been sore aud desolate,
i hoping and waiting his return?
Now, the Major was an experienced
1 man, prompt to act 011 emergencies
and gallant withal, thStigh somewhat
I misogynistic.
| The Major buds the English climate
: much more tolerable now, serves on a
i Board of Guardians, makes political
! speeches of portentous length and is a
1 devoted husband, and Mrs. McPher
j son has given up dieting and her
| nerves trouble her 110 more.—Loudou
: Answers.
Spectacles For Horses.
Spectacles for horses have been
patented by an inventor, and are being
used with considerable success. Their
object is not so much to magnify ob
jects as to make the ground in front of
the horse appeur nearer to his head
than it really is. The result is con
tinual high stepping, which, after a
while, becomes natural, and gives to a
horse an aristocratic gait, which he
will retain for many years.
Skating Coitiunefl.
i A very attractive skating costume is
| Oiutle of velvet, velveteen or corduroy,
according to one's bank account. The
skirt is short and the jacket is finished
! with fur collar aud cuffs. A hat to
match completes the smart effect.
Court Stenographer n Woman.*
Miss Annie "White, whose appoint
! ment as stenographer of the Superior
j Civil Court for Suffolk County, Mass.,
a few years ago attracted considerable
notice, recently resigned her position,
| married Mr. Charles Bartlett, a prom
inent lawyer of Boston, [and with him
' has gone abroad for several months.
I Miss White was an expert in her pro
! Cession. Her position was worth S3OOO
! per year, with a summer vacation of
three months, and she filled it with
unusual ability. It will bo of interest
to those who believe that a business
I life renders a woman unattractive to
! learn that the acquaintance which
, ripened into marriage began in the
court where Miss White was employed.
A Fumoiift Wollliiii Fliysiclaii.
j Dr. Susan A. Edson, who has just ;
I died in Washington at the age of j
1 seventy-four years, was one of the
j best-known women physicians in the
! United States. She was born on Jan- !
i uary 4, 1823, near Auburn, N. Y., and !
; was graduated from the Cleveland
j Homoeopathic College March 1, 1854.
j Returning to her home soon afterward
j she quickly built up a large and lucra-
Ltivo practice. This, however, she
' abandoned when the war broke out,
as she believed it to be her duty to do
all she could to ameliorate the suffer
ings of the soldiers, and she rendered
invaluable professional services to the
sick and wounded in hospitals. She
was one of the physicians summoned
to attend President Garfield after he
was shot, and during tho long illness
of tho President she was, it is said, at
his bedside more frequently than was
any other of the attending physicians.
As a mark of appreciation for her ser
vices to Mr. Garfield during his long
illness Congress voted Dr. Edson
S3OOO. Slie was for many years physi
cian to the Garfield family.—Now York
Tribune.
Tics ami ttußlic*.
New four-in-hand ties are of two
inch double-faced satin ribbon made,
tied and fastened in the back with
hooks. The ends are usually cut bias
and edged with quite a deep plaiting
of chiffon. In white, black and
colors aud tartan plaids they offer as
many varities as tho masculine four-in
hand and make a good change-off
with the lawns and muslin aud liberty
silk ties.
It generally takes about two seasons
to bring a popular fashion up to its j
limit of favor, and sashes may be said
to have taken a fair start this summer.
There is no end to the styles and no
limit iu elegance or price. The old
j Roman sash, with fringed ends, is
I with us again, and nearly everybody
has an old one somewhere that was
much treasured in curly youthful
days. Take it out and have it
cleaned, if necessary, and wear it with
white house gowns. A rather startling
, sash is made of tho new velvet and
1 satin-striped ribbon in throe shades of
j geranium red. It is about five inches
I wide, and is made with two loops at
| the waist, and the bias cuds arc edged
j with very deep plisses of mousselino
Idc soio to match the ribbon. Another
j is of plaid, the royal Stuart pattern,
j trimmed on the ends with plaitings of
black mousselino. A royal purple
| moire of superb quality, with trim-
I mings of black mousseliue, has an uu
j mistakable air of elegance.
May Have Meant Well.
! It takes fully six months for a story
| like the following to become public
j property, says tlio "Washington Star:
I Last season a Washington woman,
possessing both social and charitable
ambitions, elected to give a reception.
The affair was to bo very exclusive.
' Judge of the surprise when a bundle
of invitations was left at the door of a
hospital in town upon whose board of
managers Mrs. Z. serves. The invita
tions wore found to bo addressed to
the trained nurses of the institution,
and great was the wonder that the pro
fessional ranks had been invaded for
! society recruits.
| A low days elapsed, and Mrs. Z.
oaicl a visit to the hospital. Making
| jderself extremely agreeable, she'.e-
I marked to the nurses:
I "Well, girls, T hope you received
j cards to my reception?"
Smiles aud acknowledgments an
swered iu the affirmative, and Mrs. Z.
j went on complacently:
| "Indeed, I was only too glad to re
! member you nil. I appreciate how
] much work aud how little play you
girls have, and I thought you would
enjoy a little glimpse of society fun."
"No doubt of it, Mrs. Z.," one of
tho nurses spoke up, "hut none of us
is likely to have a gown suitable to
wear at such a function."
"Oh, that need not trouble you iu
the least," returned the smiling Mrs.
Z. "Now, my idea is this. Of course,
1 I understand you have no evening
gowns, and that you know very few
society people, but these facts must
not interfere with your getting a peep
at my gu'ests and eating some of my
supper. I thought the whole thing
would he simplified if you all came in
your pretty uniforms aud caps, and
4 took up your stations in the dressing
# rooms. You would only have to assist
Jtho Mies with their wraps aud you
could see the gowns to such good ad
vantage, aud " But such a ohoruf !
of indignant exclamations rent the j
air at that juncture that Mrs. Z.'s son- |
tence was never completed.
The social veneering must be thickly
coated on Mrs. Z., for to this day she
does not seem to understand why the
nurses meet her advances with frigid |
indifference, and why her visits to the
hospital are no longer pleasant.
flOMip.
A woman ninety-seven years old
rides a bicycle in Dubuque, lowa.
Mrs. Julia Ward Howe has just
sailed for Europe, to remain there un- '
til spring.
Prominent women have started a
movement for a national university iu
Washington.
Mrs. Rachel Harding, who died re- j
cently in Cincinnati at the age of 10G, i
was born in Baltimore in 1791.
The ex-Empress Eugenie is seventy |
one years old. She is the daughter of I
Count Cyprieu de Montijo, a'Spauish
grandee.
The Secretary of the Interior has
appointed Mrs. S. M. Fitts, of Lynn,
Mass., to the position of pension claim
attorney.
Mrs. Mary Van Uleck, eighty-four
years old, earns a good living sewing
carpets at Joliet, 111. She also makes
money cooking fine dinners on festal
occasions.
The daughter of ex-Senator Ingalls,
of Kansas, is to enter the church
training and deaconess house of the
Protestant Episcopal Church at Phila
delphia.
Miss Ray, who writes over the pen
name of "Jack Carlton," has given
SIO,OOO to aid in tho establishment of
a colony for colored people in Ala- !
bam a, to be known as the "Cedar j
Lake colony."
The Queen of Italy lias presented to j
her daughter-in-law, the Princess of 1
Naples, a beautiful bicycle with a
richly gilded frame and an ivory ban- j
die bar, ornamented with the arms of
the house of Savoy.
The Duchess of Sutherland is the
President of tho recently established
National Association for tho Care of
the Feeble Minded in London. The
association has opened a home in West
London for tho training of girls iu
laundry work.
Queen Victoria is six months
younger than Mrs. Gladstone. Bar
oness Burdett-Coutts is five years
older than the Queen. Lady Louise
Tighe, who was at the ball the night
before tho battle of Waterloo, was a
young lady when the Queen was born.
Mrs. Phoebe Hearst lias been ap
pointed on the Board of Regents of
the University of California. The ap
pointment is a suitable one, not be
cause Mrs. Hearst is a very rich wo
man, but because she has given largely
of her time and attention as well as of
her means to the cause of education.
Miss Marion Hunter, niece of Sir
William Hunter, has been appointed
the female member of the British med
ical corps sent out to combat tho
plague in India. She is, or was until
lately, the only physician of her sex
who holds the Cambridge diploma ol
public health. Tho duties of tho
medical corps are expected to consume
six months.
FaKliion Note*.
Wliite marabout is used on children's
white felt huts, it is so light, airy aud
delicate.
The newest shade of blub is best
described as the shade of cornflower
when it has begun to fade.
Bright colors are seen this year in
the gloves. Vivid reds, greens aud
blues are shown iu great variety.
Some of the latest materials SIIOWD
aro corded silks and wool poplins,
with changeable effects, produced by
tho mixture of colored silk aud wool.
On account of the popularity of the
Russian blouse handsome belts are
ai'e very much in demand. Some
bdautiful designs are shown ir* ham
mered silver aud gold set with mock
jewels.
J"or nicer wear the reps or poplins
are fashioned with a blouse, gored
skirt, small sleeves aud au epaulette
effect; high collar, tiny square yoko
aud folded belt of velvet of u darker or
contrasting shade.
A pretty Russian blouse for a miss
of fourteen years accompanies a skirt
of the same blue serge; the blouse
opens over a narrow vest of light-yel
low cloth, with tiny gilt buttons edg
ing the blue aud black cord loops
crossing the vest. Cord and buttons
trim the band collar, wrists aud liar
row. flat belt.
Scotch plaids are rampant this sea
son, and come iu several different
materials, all of which are smart and
serviceable. To begin with, there is
the regular all-wool Scotch plaid; then
there is the silk and wool, the poplin
aud the silks. For school wear, the
lirst is the best, and the darker jilaids
are to be strongly advocated.
Black hose are worn by girls with
all dresses except white or very light
party frocks, that require white stock
ings and slippers. Two-button kid
gloves in brown, tan and gray tints
are also worn by little ones. After
fifteen years misses wear the hook,
snap or button gloves similar to thptr
elder sisters, only keeping within sub
dued shades-
SCIENTIFIC AND INDUSTRIAL. |
A newly patented ruling machine
has a reservoir to hold the ink or color
connected by flexible tubes or strips
of flannel laid on tlie pens, which are
held on a frame by (movable clamps.
A new ferret muzzle for use in
hunting rabbits, eto., has one or more
short spikes in the tip of the muzzle
to drive the animal out of its hole and
yet prevent the ferret from killing it.
To protect horses' feet from injury
•n barb-wire fences a flexible metal j
band is used, which is adapted to i
fasten around the foot, with an armor
shield at the rear to prevent the barbs
entering the flesh when the horse gets
its foot caught ou the wire.
A Michigan mail has patented an air j
ship, comprising a cigar-shaped infla
table vessel, a car attached to it by
pivoted arms, so thut the car can be
tilted up or down to guide it; the pro
pelling and steering being done by
the usual fan-blade propellers.
In a recently designed refrigerator
the ice chamber is formed of a series
of parallel bars, set in one side of the
refrigerating chamber, which hold
cracked ice and permit the free circu
lation of air between the bars aud
around the small pieces of ice.
A procession of icebergs sent against
the surface of the sun would melt at
the rate of three hundred million
cubic miles of solid ice a second, and
its heat is estimated to produce a
force of about ten thousand-horse
power to every square foot of its sur
face.
Of the children born alive one
fourth die before eleven months, oue
third before the twenty-third mouth,
half before their eighth year, two
thirds of maukind die before the
thirty-ninth year, three-fourths before
tlieir fifty-first year, aud of about
twelve thousand only one survives a
whole century.
Sudden and great fluctuations iu
tlie level of water iu wells in stormy
weather, closely corresponding to the
fluctuations in wind-velocity recorded
by Profesor Langley, have beon ob
served by Dr. Boinel Nartini. This
explains tho popular tradition that
bad weather may be predicted from
the sudden rise and fall of wells.
Curiously, however, small and rapid
changes of barometer are more certain
to affect wells than large changes.
Prank W. Very, of the Ladd Ob
servatory, Providence, B. 1., lias
made some curious observations oil
tlie flight of migrating birds seen at
night crossing the face of the moon.
He watched tliera with a telescope ol
[ four inches aperture, magnifying forty
times. The observations were made
|in tho latter part of September. The
! groat majority of the birds moved
! from north to south, and traveled in
] little companies. Their average speed,
as calculated by Mr. Very, was sixty
seven miles an hour, although some
| appeared to travel at the rate of more
j than one hundred miles an hour.
Dlsuiiiiiflil Court in Diggiiat.
When David K. Carter, lale Chief
Justice of tho Supreme Court of the
District of Columbia, was practicing j
; law in Ohio, he tried a case at Coshoc
ton, before Judge Finch. The Judge
| was a very large and dignified man, j
i and had not the least appreciation of :
I liuinor. Carter was humorous and j
' very witty.
A witness was on the stand for the :
purpose of proving some suspicious '
j action of the plaintiff, and Carter asked
him many questions as to the offices
lie had held in his county. Judge
Finch wanted to know the object of
this testimony. "It is to show the
reliability and standing of the witness
iu his own county, said Carter. "Oh.
that's no evidence of his reliability,"
retorted the Judge. "I have known
some mighty mean men to hold office."
Carter was on his feet in an instant,
and, pointing his finger at the Judge,
said: "I—l—l aui a—a —aware of
that, your h—h—h—Honor.*'
The lawyers, tlie jury, and tlie audi
ence laughed loud and long. The
while the Judge was getting angrier.
Ho ordered tlie Sheriff'to suppress the
disturbance, and as it subsided he was
on the eve of saying something very
i severe to Carter, but before he could
, get started Carter took all tho sting
: out of his first remark by repeating
"I was saying that I was aware ol
that, your Honor. I held office once
myself." Another round of laughter
! so angered the Judge that lie adjourned
court until tho afternoon.—Chicago
Times-Herald.
LibcrnllziiiK Russia.
Russian administration has under
gone a vast change since the accessioc
of the reigning Czar. Quito recently,
at a great industrial centre, a large
i body of operatives went 011 strike and
refused to resume work at the bidding
of the police. 111 the old days this
refusal would have been followed by u
military repression—but in the present
case the authorities were told not tc
interfere unless the public peace was
disturbed by the strikers. In the
Baltic provinces the Draconian edicts
of the Holy Synod affecting flit
Lutheran population have been practi
cally abolished, and Lutherans arc
now 110 longer obliged to send theii
children to schools directed by mem
bers of the Greek Church.
A Bride'* Preparation*
Dean Grantley once said: "I asked
, a blushing girl of seventeen, who was
i about to he married, if she was pre
pared for the life before her.
j " 'Oh, yes,' she cried, smiling, 'my
things were already a me/itfi ago!'
"I wish," lie added, c, there was n
j catechism for brides-elect. Some of
I the questions should be, When the
j bread is sour or the soup thin can
: can you tell the cook how to remedy
! the mistake? Do you kuow how to
make a plaster or to change a bed for
a patient? Do you know auything of
'.he care 01- training of children V—
" Companion,
AGRICULTURAL TOPICS.
Lard Scrap* For Hens.
There is something about lard
scraps, or the refuse which remains
after the fat is tried out of lard, that
piakes them especially liked by hens
in cold weather. They are very warm
ing and very fattening, so that not
much should be given at a time. But
they will redden fowls' combs and set
them to laying in cold weather when
po other feed will do so.
Milk as Food on the Farm.
To every city resident one of tlio
advantages of living in the country is
that those living there can easily
secure fresh and pure milk directly
from the cow. It is a most valuable
food product, whether used directly
as milk or cooked in custards and
cakes, in the various ways that milk
and crenm can be used. Probably
most housewives who have lived in
the country find when the}' remove to
the city that the absence of the best
milk and cream which they used to
h.ive in abundance was a stronger
handicap to successful cooking than
anything else. At the wholesale prices
that are all that milk producers can
get for milk it is a much cheaper food
than any other that comes on their
tables. If farmers ate more of their
milk product they would be better off
physically as well as financially.
YVhut they then sold would probably
bring as much as does the larger por
tion that they sell now.
Rye Bran as Pig Feed.
Th) chemical composition of rye bran
is very much the same as that of
wheat bran. It will, therefore, take
the place of wheat bran for cattle aud
horses, taking care not to give any to
iows or mares that are breeding. If
there is ergot in the rye from which
the bran is made, it may cause abor
tion. But for pig 9or hogs bran of
any kind is not good. It is too coarse
and rogh, scouring the intestines
without digesting as it should. We
doubt whether anything could be done
to|ryeto destroy ergot aud make it safe
co feed to any animal bearing young.
Ergot has a direct effect on the genera
tive organs, and .we have heard of
?ases where it was used to bring heifors
or mares in heat so that they may be
bred. But none of this feed should
bo given after fecundation, as it would
be very likely to produce abortion.
Rye does not always contain ergot.
That is a fungous growth, which, like
rust, attacks the rye when it is exposed
to combined warmth aud moisture. —•
Boston Cultivator.
About Rut*.
An uuusual iuterost has been
iroused in the destruction of rats
his season, because of the great num
ber found in eorncribs and in the
vicinity of poultry houses. The loss
from this source has been considera
ble, to say nothing of the aunoyance.
[f trouble in eorncribs is to be avoided
next year, set the building on posts
eighteen inches high and around the
top tack a strip of old tin or invert a
tin pan and place it over the top of the
post. This will not always keep tlieui
out but will do much toward prevent
! ing their entrance.
I Where cribs are on the ground and
' have been undermined by those pests,
j H number of methods of getting rid of
j them, more or less successful, have
j beeu suggested. If a well-trained ferret
I and a good rat dog can be secured,
| great numbers can be killed in a short
j time. The ferret will go into the
holes under the crib and run out the
rats, which can then be disposed of
by means of the dog or guns. After
the rats have been well cleaned out by
I this means, they sedom return, or at
least, not for a long time.
! In closed bins, where carbon bisnl
. pliido can be used, they can be got
rid of in short time. Merely place an
I open dish full of the chemical on top
of the grain aud permit it to evapor
ate. It will permeate every point and
, kill all living creatures. In using the
| hisiipliide, remember that it is very
inflammable aud all lights and fires
must bo kept away from the building
while it is being applied,
j During the last few years, rabbits,
gophers, prairie dogs, mice aud rats
have been killed by catching one of
the animals and inoculating it with
virus prepared especially for this pur
' pose. Release the animal and it will
: spread contagion among nil the rats on
the place, oftou resulting in clearing
a farm. This virus can be obtained
from large drug stores and is good for
| uso from ten to thirteen days after it
lias been put up. If the animal eau
not be caught to be inoculated, flic
virus may be mixed with food aud fed
to the rats, when it will take effect in
the same way. The advantage of this
virus is that while it is death to ro
dents it does not affect domestic ani
, mals or human beiugs. In this it has
a great advantage over strychnine,
rough on; rats, etc.—American Agri
culturist.
The Fxtinction of the Reaver.
Tlio beaver is now almost extinct in
Southwest Missouri, where once the
! industrious and eunuing auimal could
jbe found in every strapui. The pres-
I ence of J* this interesting creature,
whose fur has always been so much
! prized throughout the world, caused
, Ihe early settlers of the Ozarks to
j give its name to many streams that
i feed White Biver. South of Spring
' Hotel the creeks were full of beavers a
generation ago, and now ai)d then n
, survivor of the disappearing family
j may still be found, but trappers have
I ceased to expect such a desirable
catch. The otter has also about van
ished from the waters of this country,
aud Springfield fur dealers make a
i special display of a hide ivhen they
i secure one. —Springfield (Mo.) Leader-
Democrat.
Between Now York and Liverpool.
The screw of an Atlantic liner re
volves something like 630,000 times
between Liverpool and New York.