♦ ♦ | EEATRICIA AND THE IMAGE J X VEfiDER X t t The snow flurries were blinding the #yes of the passing throng, but Pietro stood valiantly at the curb, holding out his plaster images for sale. It seemed bitterly cold to the muffled, skurrying crowd, but it was warm and balmy to Pietro. Though the hands which held out the little white image of the wing ed victory or a bust of Beethoven were blue and stiff, and tho narrow shoulders of the thin frame were dou bled together in an attitude of cringing subjection, yet the eyes of Pietro were looking far beyond the brilliant shops of Fifth avenue. In his imagination he was wandering in the Elysian fields with his Beatricia, where the sunlight gilded the meadows and the smile of nature shone everywhere. 0 valiant heart of Pietro! For two years now he had molded plaster casts nnd images and sold his wares on street corners and hoarded the meager gain to be able to get back to his Bea tricia. On the banks of the Tiber he had left her, picking grapes with tho lien and girls in the Roman vineyards, rnd he had come to seek an El Dorado before he claimed her as his bride. For one long, sad year of separation jhe wrote to him. She upbraided him >3r his slowness in winning the wealth they had dreamed of. she sgolded him Jor only luke-warm affection, she Wounded his sensitive soul with re feated attacks on his loyalty and love, jmd gradually these criticisms, ema nating from the restless, passionate foul of the young girl, tender but sel fish, giving much but demanding more, crushed the ardent spirit of the young Italian, and he drew his love within the recesses of his heart and brooded r.ver it, and ceased to pour out the foul's desires in the little message which he sent occasionally across the water. Finally, when she believed her love 100 little appreciated, she ceased alto- BEATRICIA. gether to write. Pietro had been wait ing and watching and counting the days for the letter which she owed. Weeks went by, then months, and no ■word came to lighten his labors and his loneliness. The first sharp pain of disappointment gave way to a long, dull, ceaseless agony that filled his heart to the brim and made it throb wildly at times within the tender walls. Oh, beloved Beatricia," he would cry out in the wakeful watches of the long night, "have you forgotten your Pietro?" The plaster Venuses and Mercury 3 and Sacred Marys stood side by side along the shelves of his shop, gazing down on him from their classic gran deur with cold, unpitying eyes. Some times at night he thought that ho saw the imperious Milo shake her head dis dainfully when he cried aloud. Mer cury sneered, and a dimpled Cupid's liead, by Praxiteles, broke into amused mirth. Once in his grief he knelt be fore a Mary, which he had himself molded that very day, and he prayed Wildly and despairingly, and, as if in lompassion, it seemed to him that tho f-acred lips of the imago moved to intercede. He lived alone. Others in "Little Italy" sought o know him and draw him out of himself. He was a hand jome youth, perhaps 22 years of age, *nd many of the American born young Italian girls cast amorous glances at him. He did not even notice them. He looked far beyond them and saw a little dark-eyed girl, with a clear, White, transparent skin, more beautl than the (lay—a cameo with hut Jbe merest blush of pink. "He no gooda, he no gooda," shout id tha mob of merrymakers, tosiing back their heads in unbridled, mock ing laughter. They would look at one another when he pasted silently, and then raise their eyebrows significantly nnd smile with knowing, conclusive Fmiles as they touched their foreheads with a finger. Pietro scarcely knew of their pres ence. He used to hear their uproar ious laughter, but It did not attract him. He had no respect for them. Many were but provincial born, and he, why, he, Pietro Gonzales, had been born in Rome itself, above tho shop where Gonzales the elder bad chiseled ihe heads of prelates of the Vatican j om the finely veined, dazzling white Jibs of marble from Italy's own hills And had been a true artist in his day, and had loved art and labored for it In the pure joy of creating. Money to him was nothing. He did not know how to earn it well, or to keep it. Art was everything. He deemed it worth the sacrifice of his son, whom ho forced to go to America in order to extract a fortune from the new world. But Pietro was beginning to learn that fortunes are slow in coming, even )i young, thriving provinces, and his art was more than the art of chiseled marbles or of piaster casts. His lovo was his ambition. He placed it above his art, above his duty, above life it self. And the object had only grown to mock him for his devotion. Often as he sauntered along the city streets, absorbed in thoughts of her, he would stop with a startled look and search the face of some passer-by that reminded him vividly of his Beatricia. He saw her often in this way, for her imago was really never absent from his mind's eye. In his reveries of her she used to appear to him, and, as in the days of old, she would wind her soft, gentle arms around his neck and whisper, "beloved Pietro, thou art a god." For a year now he had not heard from her. "She must be dead," ho thought at times. "If she were alive she could not but feel the power of my love, though the ocean lies between us." But, like all lovers, he was selfish and sensitive, and he had sworn on his honor never to write to her again; and he could picture her often making love to Marcello and Valentino, and others in the vineyards, as she had made love to him. A second summer of silence came, and Pietro wandered out into the coun try and walked among the wood ferns, crushing them to his breast with his passionate love of beauty. He would go and spend days under the sky, beg ging for food as he went. He could not work. He was steeped, saturated, overcome by the accumulated longing within him. The army of Laughing Fairies and Dominican Monks stood on their shelves, a neglected array, un dusted and unsold. The citizens of "Little Italy" forgot his very existence. When he did not appear they concluded that he had returned to Italy for a time, and they did not even care to inquire. One day a little, old woman in shabby black, with a coarse veil tied around her head so that her face was wholly con cealed, came to "Little Italy" and in quired for Pietro. She could speak no English, and slio seemed greatly agi tated. The women were consumed with curiosity, and led her willingly to Pietro's little workshop. Her terror was pitiable when she found that Pie tro had gone and had not been seen for a month. She called on her saints in the calendar to help her, and then on death to relieve her, and she flung herself on Pietro's couch and moaned for hours. She barred the door and covered the window so that the curi ous ones could not watch her from without, and she herself only emerged when she wanted to buy food. It was some days after this occur rence that Pietro, walking in the coun try, saw a vision of his Beatricia, stretching out her arms to him and crying to him in a sad, distressed way. The vision was so distinct that for a moment he thought it was real. "She is dying," he cried to tho sky, "and she is sorry and would ask my ] forgiveness, and I cannot go to her. Oh, God of the poor, I cannot go!" It made such a powerful impression upon his mind that he turned about immediately and began to retrace his way back to the city and to his shop. When he reached "Little Italy," a doz- | en eager men and women rushed upon him, seized him bodily, and dragged him toward hi 3 abode. "Thy mother, thine old mother, is here," they screamed. "Ungrateful fel low, she is alono and awaiting thee." For the first time in many months Pietro smiled. "My mother," he whispered, "is with the saints and happy. What canst thou mean?" "Go, look for thyself, half-witted sluggard and beggar," they bawled out. And they pushed him toward the door. The little old woman who had im prisoned herself within caught the shouts and the voice of Pietro, and her heart gave one wild bound, and she stood trembling at the door, ready to fling it open. Pietro stepped cautiously and touch ed the handle. Ho did not know whom he might encounter, so his advance was timid. As the door swung back he gazed stupidly for a moment; then a cry of joy and pain broke from his lips as he laid Ills hand on his heart to still its awful beating. "Beatricia. my beloved! Is it thou?" he gasped. "Dost thou love me?" "Madly, Pietro!" "Thou didst come to find me, Beatri cia?" "Thou, alone!" "Thou hast come to stay, Beatricia?' "Always!"— Chicago Record. An Anriont English Clinrity. At the Kentish village of Biddenden recently the ancient custom of distrib uting the Biddenden maids' charity was performed after the morning ser vice. The charity consists of a gift of bread and cheese to poor residents and a roll stamped with the effigy oi Eliza and Mary Chulkhurst, the "Bid denden maids," to all comers. Accord ing to tradition. Eliza and Mary Chulk hurst were born in 1100, jointed to gether by the hip and in this stats existed for thirty-four years, when one was taken ill and died. The other, refusing to be separated, died six hours afterward. By their will the charity came into existence. Two Kinds of Shooters. It is told of Col. I fare, who is now the commander of the Thirty-third regiment in the Philippines, hut who formerly led the Seventh cavalry, that when he first arrived in Manila he was asked by Gen. Otis how many sharp shooters he had in his command. "Well, general," said Col. Hare, after doing a little mental arithmetic, "I have ',OOO sharpshooters and about i 1,303 crap-shooters."—New York Tri bune. THE SALTED FISH CROP. GREAT IMPROVEMENTS IN THE METH ODS OF CURING. Tli* Variety of Fish Salt ml I* Small, liut the Quantity 1m Enorinou*—The De mand in United States Han ltecuntly De clined—Massachusetts' Ancient Codsllli. Tlio salting of fisli dates from time immemorial. In our own country it began with the first colonization and bus since been one of the groat indus tries of our country. Just when the first fish was salted in the world is n fact that nobody knows. Enough is known, however, to enable us to say that it was thou sands of years ago. We have records of cudlishery of! the coast of Norway as early as the year DOO. The en gravings on the ancient Egyptian mon uments testify to the fishery of the ancients. At the present time there is not a country in the temperate zone where fish are not salted. It was probably not until the fifteenth century that the consumption of fish commoucod on a large scale by tho great middle class of people, at which time it ceased to be a luxury. It is a well known that in olden times fish were eaten principally by the richer class of peo ple. The demand for salt fish in the United Htates in the last quarter of a century has shown a decline, due in the greatest measure to tho develop ment of the fresh water fisheries and the trade in using the products of the sea fisheries. During recent years tho growth of the fresh water fisher ies has been large and has made in cursions into the business of the sea fisheries, both fresh and sait. The vessels employed in tho fisher ies today are larger, faster and better equipped than ever before. The catch of salt codfish by tho vessels of the United States the lust 25 years has increased from 75,000,000 to 150,- 000,000 pounds. The catch by the vessels of the world, including the fleets of Norway, Newfoundland, Franco and Canada, is estimated at 500,000,000 pounds, the most of which is exported to tropical coun tries after being hard dried. In this condition they keep ready for use and are very desirable food in the tropics. It is a light, palatable food and best adapted to tho climate. Then, again, tho church imposes so many fast days that salt fish is always in demand. There is not much information on tho subject of the early manner of salting fish, but thore is no question but there has been a great advance made in tho methods of curing fish for the market. Thore are 150 or more varieties of food fish. Of these only a very small proportion are salted in large quantities for con sumption by the people. It is well known that in European countries some varieties of fish are consumed as food which in our own markets are considered valueless, but even in our owu country there is a tendency, as the more important varieties grow scarce, to consume fish which have been considered unsuitable for food. The principal varieties of fish salt ed are the codfish, mackerel, herring, salmon, alewives, shad, trout, hake, haddock, ensk aud pollock. These varieties of fish probably make up nine-tenths of the salt fish consumed by the people. The North Atlantic is probably richer, both as to quantity aud qual ity, with edible fish than auy other divisiou of tho globe's waters, aud it may bo added that whore it washes tho coast of North America is its richest subdivision. The salt grouudfish industry is lo cated principally in Massachusetts, where the amount of codfish, hake, haddock, cusk and pollock salted in 1899 was (53,900,000 pounds. Tho codfish is synonymous with the name of Massachusetts, and, using the elegant language of Representa tive Gallivan: "Poised high aloft in the hall of Massachusetts' House of Representatives, riding serenely the waves of debate, unperturbed by tho ebb and flow of enactment and repeal, all the desultory storms that vexed the nether depths of oratory, there has hung through immemorial years an aucient codfish, quaintly wrought in wood and painted to tho light. Humble tho subject and homely tho design, yet this paiutod image bears on its finny front a majesty greater than tho dignity that art can lend to graven gold or chiseled marble. The sphere it fills is vaster than that through which its prototype careered with all the myriad tribes of the great deep. The lessons which may be learned from it are nobler than auy to be drawn from what is only beau tiful. For this sedate and solitary fish is instinct with memories and prophesy, like an oracle. It cele brates tho rise of free institutions. It emphasizes progress. It epitomizes Massachusetts. "It typifies the world old simplicity of those who go down to the sen in ships, the goodly, godly lace, whom the stately scriptural story has im mortalized, whose sturdy virtues the Saviour himself distinguished in the choice of Peter, the apostolic fisher man, and -those singular achievements on sea and laud, in the arts, alike in peace and war, have glorified the an nals of the commonwealth." While the Bank salt codfish fleet at many of the New England ports is a thing of the past, there has been a tendency to salt fresh fish to supply the demand. The business of catch ing fresh cod and haddock during the 15 y:i!'s has beeu carried on en ergeticiillj with the result of periodi cal gluts on the market. During these gluts large quantities of fish have been split and salted; if they happen to arrive during the seasou for finnan hadaies the haddock are smoked. The amount of this Hall salted or smoked during tho year was,roundly, 50,000,000 pounds. Thus a great salt fish trade has grown up subsidiary to the fresh fish trade. In tho salt fish trade of tho United States there is probably used in a year about 500,000 quintals of salt codfish, hake, haddock, cusk and pol lock, besides 100,000 barrels of salt mackerel and 100,000 barrels of salt herring. The amount of smoked her ring consumed aggregates 1,000,000 pounds. In addition to this there is a good deal of pickled salmon, shad and other fish of minor importance. OUR SUPPLY OF SHINGLES. Comes LarjU'ly from tho Forests of Not? 1 1rii n h \vi-k ami (Juchor. Formerly all shingles made in the east were split from blocks and shaved by baud with a draw knife. Those used iu Maine, New Hampshire and part of Massachusetts were piuo or shaved cedar, 10 inches long, lu other states 18-inch shingles were used. In tho shingle machines th'ou made, the saw struck tho bolt at the end, sawing lengthwise of the block. This mado a rough surface on the shingles, which was said to hold the water and make them rot quickly. Iu 1805 there begau to come iuto use machines made in Gardiner and Ban gor, Me., which cut the block on the side instead of the end. The shingles sawed in this way had a sur face almost as smooth as if shaved and were of tho same thickness. These machines caused a revolution in the manufacture of shingles. As the demand increased and cedar became scarce in southern Maine, manufacturers began to move toward j the greut northern forests. The Phoenix mill iu Fredericton, j New Brunswick, was changed from a long lumber mill and 10 machines were put iu that cut 221,000 shingles j a day. lu 1888 this mill passed into tho hands of an American company | from Calais, which erected a mill at i Edmunston, Now Brunswick, with i seven machinos. The logs for tho Phi nix mill are cut iu Aroostook: county, Me., and driven down the St. j John Biver. In May, 1888, the first shingle mill in northern New Bruus- 1 wick sawing for the American market | began opeiuting at Dalhousie. The owner now has mills at Cabauo and ! Notre Dame du Laq in Quebec. The cedar forests remaining iu this ! part of the continent are in Aroostook county, Me., the northern counties of ! New Brunswick and tho couuties of ! Temiscouatu, Bimouski Bouaventure and Gaspe, in Quebec. Hero cedar J grows large, and there are more trees to the acre than further south. It is found uu tho high laud as well as iu the swamps. In Nova Scotia cedar does not grow. In southern New Brunswick there is not enough left to supply ties for the local railroads. The locations named are the last of the cedar forests and these are being rapidly denuded to supply shingles uud railroad ties, and in a few years all will bo cut. Good cedar lauds should soou become valuable as the area is so limited. Iu 1888 tho first quality of shingles sold iu Boston for 83.(50 a 1000, in 1898 for 82.(30, in 1899 for 83.10. The shinglos cleared through the United States consulate iu St. John, N. 8., are sawed from logs cut iu northern New Brunswick aud Aroos took county, Me. Tho largest amount of shingles probably are manufactured in the consular district of Campbell ton, N. B. The manufacture is in creasing here, and during 1899 there were cleared through this office for the United States 124,028,750 shingles, valued at 8221,015.40. There was erected during the year one mill, with eight machines, in Cnbauo, and another in Notre Dame du Lao. The machines wore added to the mill here, and several were set up in the woods to saw in winter only. The low price of 1 (3-inch shingles has caused them to be used iu Ver mont, Connecticut and northern New York, whero formerly only 18-inch ones were sold. All the large mills near Painouski, Quebec, except the new one at Cabano, are owned by America.— New York Press. New Pnrtrldge. One would imagine that with ths modern facilities for traveling the hunters had long ago discovered all the game birds and their hnunts in every corner of the world. But, to the surprise of everybody, a brand new partridge has just turned up. It is called tho Siberian partridge. It is found in the mouutains of .southern Siberia, although Manchuria is be lieved to bo its real home. It feeds upon little wild nuts which give to its meat a peculiarly delicious flavor. The birdß are killed in tho winter, and, after a thorough freezing, they are packed and sent by rail to Libau on the Baltic. From there they are sent to London, whore they are sold for something less than 81 a brace. As many as 300,000 brace have already reached tho Loudon market. — Now York Sun. Nothing Spectacular in Modern War. What, struck one of the special cor respondents with Lord Methuen's force invalided home was the uncanni ness of the whole thing. There is no pomp of war, no stirring music, no gay uniforms, and, strangest thing of all, no visible enemy. What you see from tho standpoint of the British stall' is a number of men clad in khaki dodging their way up the hill, making for cover wherever possible. Two or threo of them suddenly drop, perhaps one gets up and presses forwaid again. Tho others ID where they fell, dead or sorely wounded. As tho Boers always fire from cover and use smokeless powder, there is nowhere sign of them. That he speaks of as a circumstance more thau all others teudiug to demoralize the meu.— Loudon Leader. A ROMANCE OF THE PEERAGE- j Strange Tale of Fire, Uirprt Asgasslus* Thefts and l'oixon. Til a fow weeks a romantic story will bo told to the House of Holds by u schoolmaster who claims to be Vis count Keuuiare, and who seeks estates in Kirkcudbrightshire. At present the residence known as Kenmure Castle, New Galloway, is occupied by a woman whose mother was the sister of Adam, the last Viscount Kenmure, who died in 18-47. The memorialist, John Gordon, in his pleadings, recites a curious tale. Viscount Kenmure who joined the re bellion in 1715, and who was beheaded on Tower hill the following year, left two sons, both of whom died unmar ried. His widow, nee Mary Dalziel, shortly afterward married her foot- i man, John Lumsdeu, and their chil- | dren took the name of Kenmure. In several ways, accordiug to Mr. Gor don, did she attempt to oust her hus band's brother John from the position and the family possessions to which he had succeeded. On ouo. occasion she tried to burn Kenmure castle at an hour when her brother-in-law, his j wife and his child were asleep in the Baliol Tower. During that night a box containing deeds, the property of the Viscount, mysteriously disap peared. It was reported that Mary Dalziel had stolen the box. On the other hand, she swore that it had been burned. -John Gordon, Viscount Kenmure, afterward went to France, and while in Paris lie was attacked bv two masked men. Being a skilful swords man, he succeedr I in killing both. These two men had been engaged by Mary Dalziel to kill him! In order to see their work done thoroughly she braved tho channel passage and a long journey on horseback. This plan having failed, she represented that the nobleman was guilty of fraud, and ho was thereupon put into prison and remained in chains for eleven years. On the Viscount's return to Ken mure from France, Mary Dalziel visited him and drank wine with him nt one of the feasts given in his honor. The glass he drank from, however, was poisoned by her and he died. Tho Viscount left two sons, one of whom, William, was drowned while boating in America. He was unmar ried. Tho other, .fames, found that Mary Dalziel had taken possession of of Kcumuro Castle, and had spread the story that she had bought it from his father, her brother-in-law, John. Eventually the rest of the property going with the title was seized by other people, and these succeeded in keeping James cut of his rights. One of Mary Dal/.iel's children by her second marriage to the footman Lumsden forthwith usurped the title of Viscount Ken mure in 1824, and on his death, in 1810, was succeeded by bis nephew, Adam Gordon, tho last Viscount. In 1847 the plaintiff's grandfather began to move in the matter, claiming to be the only male heir to the title aud ostates, as tho nearest male heir to tho man who was beheaded on Tower hill. John Gordon, tho pres ent claimant, pleads that he estab lishes his right to the title and Ken mure estates through the relationship he can trace to John Gordon, who was poisoned by Mary Dalziel.—Lou don Chronicle. Conquered nt Peddler (opening his pack)—l have here, madam, an improved rat-trap, which— Woman of the House—Wo are nevor troubled with rats. "Which can also to used for crack ing nuts—" "We nevor use nuts of any kind." "Or as a coffeo roaster. Adjusted in this manner it—" "We always buy our coffee roasted." "Just so. lievorsing the wir. s that form the upper portion and bringing down the side (laps thus, we have a device for holding eggs when cook- I i"g—" 1 "We never eat eggs." "And by holding there wire loops, as you see me doing now, it makes a : handy arrangement for holding a small | mirror—" "Haven't tho slightest use for sack a thing." "While, by adjusting another small j mirror in this position and another nt I this angle, as you will notice, and i placing it in a kitclieu window, for example, it has the curious effect of j enabling tho observer, seated at cue ; side of tho window nnd entirely out | of sight, to see distinctly through any window opposito and to note what is ; going on inside, and all I ask for this I most useful ana comprehensive iuveu \ tion is one-half dollar, which is only j about one-half —" | "I'll take it."—Cassell's Journal. Tlio Tramp's Advice. She was standing on tho front porch reading the story paper, which had just come in the mail. "Madam," said Meandering Mike, "lid I see you brush away a tearjes' now?" [ 'dpos'n I did," she returned. "It's no business of yours." | "I spoke in kindness, lady. Yon : ain't treatiii' yerself light to' cry at' read both at once. It's u double strain ;on yer eyes, an' you might as wall listen to my hard luck stories, an' save j yer eyes exclusively fur de weeps. If you likes touchin' stories, lady, here's j yer chance to k.,ie 'em brought to yer door, 'an yon needn't pay two dollars a year's subscription in advance, neither. It's de chauce of yer life, | lady, to trade off cold victuals for | pathos."—Washington Star. Tlie Condolatory Thought. Sprottle—So poor Howies is dead. What a loss to literature ! Dimley—Loss 1 Why, now I can j have his complete works boiud! 1 Brooklyn Lite. SICNOR TORRELLO THE LION TAMER Sipnor Torrello was a tamer of lions— His name in the Bible was Brown— Ho could make the fierce brutes jump the rope, walk the wire, And turn somersaults and lie down — Signor Torrello Was quite a gay fellow, And rapidly winning renown. Blgnor Torrello one day met a maiden Who charmed by his soul-stirring art, Stood in front of the cage and applauded tho lions As each played its wonderful part— Signor Torrello, In words that were mellow. Laid siege to the fair maiden's heart. Bignor Torrello could look nt a lion And cause It to cower in fear, But tho look that gave Loo the chills had no terrors For tho lady who's 11 guring here— Signor Torrello— Alas, the poor fellow!— A ™ Was conducted nround by the ear. Signor Torrello no longer tames lions, Tho beasts turned against him one day; Tho look that once charmed them hud ceased to be potent. They roared and refused to obey! 9 Signor Torrello, Unfortunate fellow, j All bloody, was hustled away! Signor Torrello. subdued and discouraged, Now works by the day with his hands And is badgered for losing the look that made lions In terror obey his commands— Signer Torrello, Alack! how he fell! O His case as its own moral stands. S. E. Riser, in Chicago Times-llerald. I HUMOROUS. Cliollie—Willie thinks only of him self. Fwecldie Yes; he's so thought less. Nell—George proposed to me last night on one knee. Bell—That man | would stoop to anything. Nell—This tea caddy used to be long to my grandmother. Belle— I Gracious! did she ever play golf? Sillicus—Why don't you got mar ried? Cynicus—What's the uso? I 1 already Lave a parrot aud a phouo graph. She—Before wo were married you used to toil me I was tho light of your life. He—Yes; and now 1 have to pay gas bills. "For mercy sake, how many pan cakes have you hud,Georgie?" "Mam ma, you kuow I've onL learned to count as far us leu." "It's always iu damp places that mushrooms grow, isn't it, papa?" "Yes, my boy." "Is that the leasou they look like umbrellas, pupa?" Mrs.Buggius —I hear you are break ing in anew serxaut girl. Mrs. Mug gius—Not exactly; she's doing all the breaking that's necessary he; self. There was a young fellow out w *st, Who found that hard work was a pest, So he ti ailed his wheel For nn automobile, < f& And now ho Is taking a rest. j A school teacher lately put this question : "What is tho highest form of animal life?" "The giraffe," re- j eponded a bright mombor of the class. Hoax—Why do you suppose that fellow at tho corner table eats so much ketchup. That's the second bottle bo's had. Joux—Maybe he's a de tective. "Does your wife take to horticul ture, Billy?" "Yes, indeed; she gets out every line day with the hoe and chops the head off something I've planted." Blobbs—Borrowell savs you were out tho other day when he called. Slobbs—Not exactly. I was iu just exactly the amount he wanted to touch me for. Visitor (disappointed) —So Mr. Smith is away on his wedding journey? lam very sorry to hear that. House keeper—Y'es, isn't it too bad? The poor young man. "Well," said the camel iu the cir- < cus parade, "there's some comfort for me, after all." "What do you mean?" asked the elephant. "My hump is pretty bad, but it might be worse. I don't ride a bicycle." "Have you got the countersign?" asked tho sentinel. "Well," replied the raw recruit, who had left a de partment store to enter the army, "when I left the counter it was 'This silk twice less than cost.' " Manganpse In C'hltienp Vegetable*. An extraordinary thing which has been noticed is that nearly all of the vegetables of Chinese origin have a considerable proportion of manganese. Professor lilnsdale has found that the great color characteristic of mangan ese was always present in a greater or less degree upon igniting the nsh of the Chinese vegetables. The water chestnut, or "ma hai" shows the largest quantity. This is a well known food in Chinese quarters. It has a sweet chestnut flavor and is juicy and watery in consistency. It has a thick, tough, brown outer skin. Within it is white, and when grated yields quantities of starch. It is eaten w", either raw or boiled. It does not re semble the chestnut iu any sense, being a little bulb,aud growing at the bottom of a collection of long marsh grass stoms. A considerable propor tion of Chinese vegetables are pro duced from swamps. WllhelililnnHnil Two Poor Children. Queen Witheliuiua was taking her usual afternoon drive with one of her military officers when sho saw in the wood at the Hague two children, one eight, the other ten years old. seatod j on a bench crying. Her majesty asked what was the matter. <)uo of the children, still weeping, told the queen thoy had lost their mother, aud there was no oue to look after them. "Well," said Wilhelmiun, "we must go aud see your father." The children, with much hesitation, explained that the.v had been sent out by their fnther to beg. The queen, after consider ing n moment, ordered the coachman to take them to ail asylum,aud walked y back to the palace with the officer. i I I London Chronicle.
Significant historical Pennsylvania newspapers