FREE LAND TRIBUNE.
KSTAHUSHED 1888.
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SCIENCE AND INDUSTRY.
The Japanese in Formosa arc dis
couraging the use of sun-dried bricks.
During the typhoon of 1808 there were
1398 mud-brick houses totally de
stroyed within a radius of two miles,
from the American consulate at Tarn- j
sui, while not more than one building |
made of kiln-burnt bricks suffered any
damage.
Among recent novelties in electric |
lighting is an incanuescent lamp hav- i
lug two independent filaments, one \
giving 1G and the other only one can
dle-power. The low power light is in
tended for burning in a sick room, or
wherever a faint illumination is de
sired. The current is changed from
one filament to the other by turning |
the lamp in a screw socket.
Recent reports from both French
and English botanists say that the "tu
chung" tree of China contains a valua
ble rubber or gutta-percha. The sub
stance is believed to be a true caout- |
chouc, and it is thought that the tree
will become of great commercial im- j
portance. This is mentioned as one of j
the good effects that will follow the
"opening up" of the country.
Recent improvements in the process
es of making wool out of turf fibres
have resulted in th G production of a
soft material that can be spun as
readily as lamb's wool. Besides, it has
excellent absorbent qualities, and is
capable of being bleached ana colored
for use in various textile industries.
Much of it is now used at Dusseldorf,
Germany, for manufacturing cloth,
rugs, hats and other articles.
It is well known that many insects j
bear a close resemblance to leaves,
twigs and other things, and there is
no doubt that this is for their protec
tion against, or their concealment
from, their enemies. One of the most
remarkable cases of this kind was re
cently made known to the Entomologi
cal Society of London. It is that of a
spider that lives In the rocks near
Cannes. A certain kinu of moths in
habit the rocks also, and their cases
are to be found all about. It was no
ticed that tho spider, when at rest,
looked exactly like one of the moth
cases.
A scientific problem cf much inter
est will confront the engineers of the
Transvaal gold mines when the war
between the English and the Boers
is over, and that is the depth to which
shafts will be sunk in search of gold
bearing veins. Some of the shafts al
ready opened will descend 4000 to 5000
feet, but it is thought by some of the
engineers that a depth of 12,000 feet
will be reached in other cases. The
temperature at that depth will be
about 100 degrees, the warmest, per
haps, at which men can work, but tho
suggestion has been made that a still
greater depth may be found practi
cable if means be devised for cooling
the air.
Consul Frederick W. Hossfeld thinks
there is a splendid opportunity to in
crease the volume of sulphate of cop
per exported from the United State 3
to Greece, where there is a big demand !
for it. It is estimated that from 7000 !
to 8000 tons are used annually by the j
currant growers. The wholesale cur
rant trade of Greece is practically in j
the hands of banks and commercial |
syndicates, and they have arranged to
import sulphate of copper in large
quantities and to sell it to the farmers
at cost, in order to encourage the
growers to spray their vines. Nearly
all the importations have so far been
from Great Britain, but it is the opin
ion of the consul that the United
States could easily secure a goodly
portion of the trade. There is no tar
iff on the commodity.
There are five rivers in the world
which drain over 1,000,000 square
miles. They are the Amazon. La
Plata, Obi, the Congo and the Missis
sippi.
Rev. Percy H. Gordon, of Bnrgerts
town. has accepted a call to the Fir&t
Presbyterian church of Freedom.
The Eighty-fifth Regiment, Pennsyl
vania Volunteers', will hold a reunion
at Washington, Pa., November I'd.
Copperhead snakes drove a party
of Alroona railroad men from their
camp at Alexandria.
Seven foreigners at South Sharon
were poisoned by eirtiug toadstools
for mushrooms.
THE" OPTIMISM OF NATURE*.'
JAMES M'ABTHUB*
'Ah, what do the lone waves pay,
In their low surge-sob on the beach?—-
"We kiss the shore as we may,
, And gladden as far as we reach;
'And, bending low down, hangs many 9
L spray, , .
; The blessings we give to beseech." i.'
7
'And. sweet flowers, we ask of you,
What returns tor the storm's rude
blast?—
"We drink of the sun and the dew,
When the frown and the terror are
past;
We litt up our faces, cheerful and true,
And smile on the world to the last."
IYO stars of the distant sky,
We ask why ye twinkle so bright.
Methinks 1 hear your reply.
"Our home is a region of light;
We beam with a radiance pure, from on
. , high,
: To lessen the gloom of the night."
They hail us from every side,
And our visions of life expand;
Sweet voicings!—they're near to abide,
Their missions could we understand.
As angels of good they're near IU to
t _ guide
' With touch of a magical wand!
We may not dispel the cloud,
Nor the lightning's scathe avert;
With troubles we may be bowed,
Though ever upon {lie alert;
But -why should our folly the soul en
shroud,
Or fear from the right divert?
Fond nature, so kind and so true!
She treats us with never a slight;
She spangles the nights with dew,
And wakes our affections with light;
Her blessings, her gifts, her rewards are
not few,
' In all and through all to requite.
—Success.
j: ME WARDEN'S RECRUIT |
*
S A TRUE STORY. '£
Hy John Dickinson Sherman. S,
IN Pekln, upholding the dignity of
the Stars and Stripes, there Is a
youug United States marine with
an unusual history. The war
den of a State penitentiary is willing
to guarantee that the young marine
will serve his country faithfully and
well. William Simmons is not the
marine's name, hut so we may call
hint; and this is his story—the true
story of the value of a kind word:
Simmons's boyhood was passed in
the slum districts of the West Side of
Chicago. His companions were ruf
fians and thieves, and in time he he
came the leader of a gang, and a bold
ami reckless criminal. Ills history
during his young manhood is written
in the blotters of the West Side sta
tions and in the records of the crim
inal court. \
Two years ago a series of daring
highway robberies raised an unusual
outcry. Simmons was under suspicion,
and thought it best to leave Chicago.
He hung about a town in Indiana for
several weeks. Then the safe of a
storekeeper was blown open one night
and several hundred dollars taken. A
week or two later Simmons whs
caught at Fort Wayne in the very act
of opening a safe. lie was senteuced
to the penitentiary for one year.
Simmons did not make a model con
vict At tirst his solo thought was to
break jail. After two woeks of plan
ning be assaulted a guard with a file
and made a desperate effort to escape,
but was overpowered and punished by
confinement in the dungeon. When,
after a reasonable time, he was
brought back to bis cell, he was far
from being subdued; he was as ugly
as a caged wild beast, and refused to
work. Back he wont to the dungeon.
In the meantime the warden had
kept an observaut eye on tlio young
convict, had seen that he was intelli
gent, and resolved to appeal to his
reason. After Simmons had been long
enough in the dungeon to quiet down,
tile warden went to him and said:
"Now see here, young man, you are
gaining nothing by acting like this.
You are no fool, and you enn reason
the situation out for yourself. You've
Do chance at all along your present
Uue. If you are ugly, you've got a bad
year ahead of you. I've been watch
ing you, and I believe you have some
better traits than you have shown.
Why not try the other tack? I want
you to live up to the rules of the prison
and behave yourself. It's a much easi
er proposition than the dun you've
mapped out. You turn over o. new leaf
and the guards will treat you well.
What do you say?"
Simmons finally agreed to give the
warden's plan a trial. Before long lie
became one of tile model prisoners of
the' institution. He kept liis temper,
worked well, and was respectful and
obedient. He attended to bis own busi
ness strictly, and made no attempt to
curry favor with the officials.
When it cninc time for Simmons to
leave the prison, tho warden had him
brought into his private office.
"William," said l>e, "your time will
be up to-morrow. You will get a de
cent suit and ten dollars. I suppose
you will go back to Chicago, The tea
dollars ought to keep you two weeks,
and In that time you may get some
thing to do. Now here's twenty dol
lars more; it's a personal loan. It will
take care of you another month, and
in that time you surely ought to get
a job of some kind."
"But why should you lend me twen
ty dollars?" asked Simmons.
"Well," replied til - warden, "I think
you have the making of a very decent
man in you. I'm afrnid you will be
tempted to go back to the old gang
If you don't get work, and I want to
give you a chance. You've gpt six
weeks' leeway, and if you do right
you can get a new start In that time.
And whatever you do, don't get caught
stealing in Indiana."
Simmons did not say much either
then or the next day. when the ward
en saw hiiu. off at me station. He
made no promises at all. A few days
later came a letter that brought min
gled grief end hope to the warden's
heart. The letter was from Chicago,
and stated boldly: ...
"I fell in with the gang last night.
This won't do. lam going to get out
of hero. Can't reform ia Chicago.—
William Simmons."
For the next two weeks the warden
watched the Chicago newspapers anxi
ously. That tne young fellow had been
tempted he was sure; he dreaded lest
ho had fallen. His only hope was
that Simmons had fled from tempta
tion and had left Chicago. At the end
of the fortnight n letter came iu tho
familiar handwriting. The warden
drew a long breath of relief to see that
! it was postmarked in Annapolis, Mary
land, hut he was not prepared for the
news that it contained.
"I have enlisted in the United States
marines. I may never be an officer,
but I am going to try and be a good
soldier. Yours, William Simmons."
The warden tiled away the letter be
side tho other with a feeling of thank
fulness. He knew that Uncle Sam
keeps a close watch and a strong hand
on his fighting men; moreover, the
young fellow was out of the reach of
his former Chicago associates. That
was the last he expected to hear from
William Simmons for some time; but
in less than two weeks came a third
letter, which the warden opened with
the liveliest interest, for it was from
San Francisco. It said;
"Got here to-day. Leave for China
to-morrow. Coming through Nebraska
a young woman at a station pinned a
flower on my coat. Y'ou can't imagine
how it affected me. Will write from
the other side of the world.—William
Simmons."
"God bless that young woman!" said
the warden to himself. "She may ho
as homely as a hedgerow and as ignor
ant as a Sioux squaw, but she touched
tho right chord in his breast. The
man who has the courage to fight for
his country nnd can appreciate a flow
er from a woman's hand is on the right
road. I believe in my soul tho hoy
is snfo for all time." And when the
warden put the letter with the oth
ers there was a moisture in Ills eye
that is unusual with officials of State
penitentiaries.
True to his promise, Simmons wrote
from the other side of the world—from
Tien Tsln. The letter was a long time
in coming, hut it arrived at Inst. Like
all the other.-, it was short and t tlto
point. It toad:
"I was on the firing-line yesterday
and didn't run. We leave for Pekin
In u day or two. Enclosed find $25.
Thanks. I'll never steal in Indiana
or elsewhere. I'm cured. Cod bless
you.—William Simmons."
The warden now reads with great
interest all the army news from China
nnd the East. If some day he should
find among tho list of dend the name
of William Simmons, he would grieve
sincerely. He is sure, at any rate, that
he will never see that name disgraced,
and he hopes that some day he may
again grasp the hand of the man
whom ills own kind word saved from
a criminal's end.—Youth's Companion.
The Pnsnport in liufisin*
The train slows down as it crosses
tho frontier, and creeps gently up to
the platform ol' the first station on
Russian soil. Furtively peeping out
of the window, you behold a number
of stalwart men uniformed in the Rus
sian style, and wearing the peculiarly
Russian top hoots. The polite conduc
tor comes to tho compartment and
bids you get the passport ready. Af
ter a few minutes of waiting, during
which anxiety is not diminished, an
officer in smart gray-blue uniform
conies along, attended by a soldier
with a wallet. He demands the pre
cious document, and, noting Its for
eign origin, casts upon its possessor a
keen, searching glance. Then lie looks
for the all-important visa or indorse
ment of the Russian official in tho
country of issue; and on finding it ho
passes coldly on without a word. All
this Is very formal and Impressive;
you feel as a prisoner feels when tho
chain of evidence Is tightening round
him; your thoughts wander hack to
the past, and you wonder whether any
indiscretion of your insignificant
youth may not now be brought up in
testimony against you.
The utmost care is taken in tho
study and registration of these docu
ments; every Russian must have his
passport; every foreigner entering.or
leaving tho country must have it, too.
Whether native or alien, you cannot
move about the country without tho
document; when you arrive in a town
it must he submitted to tho local po
lice; when you leave that town tho po
lice must indorse tho passport with
their sanction to the journey. Tho
system gives the authorities the firm
est hold over the people; and wise is
Iho stranger who complies carefully
with every part of the formality.—
Chambers's Journal.
T.ie Chinese Court at Sian*
The Ostasintlsehe Lloyd gives some
very curious particulars taken from
native journals as to the life of the
Chinese court at Sian. Over the main
entrance of the palace is a signboard
with the words "Temporary Palace,"
and all the chambers of the palace are
lighted hy "European safety lamps and
candles." The Empress Is dyspeptic
and suffers from insomnia—the old
curse of the tyrant—but the Emperor
Is stronger and enjoys better health
than in Pekin. (An Irishman might
add, "(hat is, if he's really alive and
not only a substitute.") At first the
court lived on dueks, poultry and fish,
but now things nre better there is an
"occasional swallow's nest or shark's
fin. The Emperor likes Slian-tung
cahhag< nnd eats little meat. "Tha
Dowager Empress prefers pastry." It
is an appalling picture, that of a sleep
less and dyspeptic Messalinn devour
ing pastry by the light of a patent pe
troleum lamp.—London Spectator. •
NO MIRACLE IN MANNA.
An Edible Lichen That is Still Found ID
Parts of Asia anil Africa.
"It Is manual" exclaimed the poo
pic of Israel as they gathered the food
which seemed so miraculously to ap
pear at their very feet iu answer to
their cry for sustenance, but though
they ate and were satisfied, yet, we are
told, they "wist not what it was."
And during the ages that have ;
passed since its first appearance on |
that memorable dewy morning in the
wilderness of sin, men have declared
again and again that they "wist not
what it was" that thus fed the Israel
ites in their need, though numberless
conjectures have been made and dis
cussions held on the matter.
The chief opinion which had sway
for a long time was that manna was
the sap of the tamarisk, but now au
thorities, seeing in the light of widen
ing scientific knowledge, declare that
manna was without doubt a certain
lichen (Lecanora esculenta).
This is borne out by the fact that
well-authenticated rains of manna,
absolutely believed by the inhabitant
ants to be showers from heaven, have
been reported at least six times during
the past century by reliable travelers
in the East, and the descriptions of the
deposit given in precise present-day
language leave no doubt upon the
point.
If a piece of manna be examined
under the microscope its peculiar com
pound structure can be clearly seen;
there is a delicate network of interlac
ing fungal threads glistening in the
light, while inclosed in their meshes
are a number of round, bright green
cells, each a tiny algal plant. Thus
fungus and alga live together in most
intimate connection.
It may bo asked how fresh manna
lichens arise, seeing that it is difficult
to imagine a frequent coincident meet
ing of a particular fungus and a par
ticular green plant. But, granted the
meeting has once taken place, the
rapid reproduction is easy to under
stand.
At certain times in the year a yel
lowish dust appears in little green
cups growing on the surface of the
plant, and each of the grains of dust
is a minute bundle containing a few
of the green cells wrapped up together,
so that wherever this dust may fall
each grain can become a new manna
lichen.
There is, moreover, a second method
of reproduction in which the fungus
alone takes part and sends out tiny
offspring to take their chance in the
wide world of finding a suitable host
as their parent has done, but the de
tails are complicated and at present
involved in some obscurity.
Thus, then, Lecanora esculenta—
manna—is in its very nature one of
the most remarkable phenomena in the
vegetable world. It is found over
great tracts of southeast Asia, near
Constantinople, in the Crimea, the
deserts of Arabia, in the Sahara and
the deserts of Algeria.
It is easy to pass it by unnoticed,
for it is grayish yellow in color and
grows on gray limestone rocks and
fragments of rock in the form of a
wrinkled crust, which seems to a cas
ual observer part of the very rock
itself, and needs cage to distinguish it.
Cut through, it is white like corn
within, dry and powdery; it is, more
over, extremely light in weight. It ia
obvious that there is not much nour
ishment to be obtained from the bare
face of the limestone rock—hence all
the sustenance of the two plants must
be obtained from the atmosphere and
the rain by the little green plant,
which must thus work doubly hard to
bo able to pass on sufficient food for
its partner's living, in addition to pro
viding its own.
By degrees, as it grows older. It be
comes loosened, or even detached from
the rocks, and then, when the sudden
whirlwinds and violent storms which
affect many of these regions blow, the
featherweight pieces of lichen crust
a to torn up and blown into the air at
the mercy of the wind, an.l carried, it
may be for immense distances.
The rains, .too, that descend with
such sudden vehemence, sweep it
away into water channels, where It is
borne along on the stream and deposit
ed in hollows, and left there in heaps
when the water subsides.
At times, too, a waterspout will
gather it up, carry it along and ulti
mately deposit it in a place where
- therto it had been practically un
known.—Sunday Magazine.
Tills Insect Carries a Gnn.
There is a curious insect known to
French scientists as the Bombardier.
It carries on its back two symmetrical
organs which are in effect minute can
non. On being attacked one may Just
hear what sounds like a small explo
sion, nnd two tiny streams of liquid
are squirted out very much after ths
manner of a boy's squirt gun., At
the same time the insect is lost to
view in a cloud of smoke, or, more
properly speaking, a humid fog, which,
being corrosive, is successful in hold
ing at bay all the creature's enemies.
Such is the composition of this liquid
that it boils at eight degrees above
aero, which accounts for the artificial
cloud. This method of defense Is also
employed by certain mcllusks, which,
in order to cover a retreat, excrete a
black liquid that completely bidi;
them from view.
A Uaeful Invention.
The latest Invention in tha way of
Improving methods for printing news
papers is a machine that will set type
by telegraph, although the operator
may bo a thousand miles away. West
ern newspapers, who say the inventor
is a young lowan, named Frank
I'eame, assert that several telegraph
companies are striving to secure the
patent rights to the invention.
The revenue of European naMons
has multiplied fifty-thrc; times since
icsa
IN GT
Ited snow is frequently seen in the
Arctic and Alpine regions. Chemical
experiments have led to the conclusion
that the red color is due to the pics
euce of a vegetable substance.
A resident of Vermont has a fish
pond in his own house. He has about
two feet of water in his cellar, so it Is
reported, and has placed some fish in
it that ho caught in the river, so that
he does not have to go out of his house
for fishing.
An historic mansion In Lincoln's Inn
Fields, London, is about to be pulled
down. It was built in Charles ll.'s
reign for the Earl of Lindsay from de
signs by Inigo Jones. Charles Dick
ens took one of the rooms as the scene
of the assassination of Sir Leicester
Dedlock In "Bleak House."
While digging for pier foundation
for a bridge over the Wansbcck, at
Slieepwash, Northumberland, Eng
land, the arch of a very old bridge was
discovered twelve below the bed of
the river. The old structure was
strongly built and intact. Nobody
knows when this bridge was built.
In Korea visiting cards measuring
afoot square are in vogue. The sav
ages of Dahomey announce their visits
to each other by sending in advance
a wooden board, or the branch of a
tree artistically carved. When the
visit is paid, the "card" returns to the
possession of its owner, who probably
uses it for many years. The natives
of Sumatra nse for a visiting card a
piece of wood about a foot long, decor
ated with a hunch of straw and a
knife.
Birds are made to take their own
pictures by the ingenious apparatus
of Mr. O. G. Pike, an English photo
grapher. A bait of fat is placed on
an electrical wire which is so connect
ed with a camera that, when the bait
is removed, the camera shutter is re
leased, giving an instantaneous expos
ure of the sensitive plate. An excel
lent portrait of the song thrush is
among the Interesting results that have
been shown. The arrangement may
he used with other timid creatures,
and for getting pictures of nocturnal
animals the electrical wire can ho
made to ignite a little magnesium as
it releases the shutter, giving a strong
light at the Instant of exposure.
One of the Cusioinn Inspectors.
At the "Cheshire Cheese," the fam
ous restaurant in Fleet street, where
Dr. Johnson and tho other literary
characters of his time used to do their
loafing and take their meals, are sev
eral famous dishes, which are served
daily to American tourists and other
patrons. One of the delicacies for
which the "Cheshire Cheese" is pecu
liar is a lark jfie, which can he ob
tained nowhere else in London. A
young Philadelphia gentleman who
was over here not long ago took a de
cided fancy to the lark pie and ar
ranged with the proprietor of the inn
to send him one after he got home to
he served at a birthday dinner. The
pie was sent in good time and condi
tion, but when it reached Philadelphia
It-did not look very appetizing, Tho
customs inspectors of New York sus
pected that it was a new trick of the
diamond smugglers and dug it all out.'
After examining the crust and (he con
tents minutely they dumped it back
into the pan and forwarded it to tho
consignee.—Chicago Becord-llerald
When Not to Volunteer.
"Always obey orders, hut never vol
unteer," said General Fitzhugh Lee,
recently, "is the rule with army offi
cers, aud it is a good one, as I know
to my cost In my early career I
nearly lost my life by volunteering to
round up a band of Indians in the
Southwest when there was no occa
sion for my action at all. To make
a long story short we met the Indians
in a strongly entrenched position, and
'.ad all we could do to rout them out.
In the midst of the fight, which was
extremely lively while It lasted, an
arrow passed clean through my body,
and it was almost a miracle that If dkl
not kill me. As It was I nearly died
in the rough ride hack to camp, and I
had to stay in the hospital a long time.
Since then I have found that a soldier
can get all the fighting he wants by
simply obeying orders. Washington
Star.
Surely n Gcntlemnn.
In far-off years Sir Walter Scott vis
ited the first Lord Pluukett, who was
taen Lord Chancellor of Ireland, and
was taken to see the ruins of the
Seven Churches of Glendalough, one
cf the sights of Ireland.
One of the most romantic spots is
St. Kevin's Bed, a cave which requires
a scramble over rocks to enter. Sir
Walter, in spite of bis lameness, pene
trated the "shrine," an old peasant
woman loading lilm a willing hand.
On the return, tire Lord Chanei-llor
asked her If she knew how great a
man she had assisted, adding, "He is
Sir Walter Scott, the illustrious poet."
"Begorra, your honor," the eld
woman replied, "he's no poet! He's a
gii.tleman horn an' bred—for hasn't he
ho left in me hand a piece of silver?"
Truly, there is more than one way
cf knowing a man by his works.
Eecret of a Happy Home.
If a mother is at all clover she can
train her baby by the time it is six
weeks old to cry to go to its father as
soon as he comes in the house.—Atchi
son Globe.
SIGN AND POSTER EVIL.
Adequate ltcstrlctlve Legislation Slioald
Be Introduced.
The abuse of advertising by signs
and posters has raised up in Knglaifd
a Society for Checking the Abuses of
Public Advertising, the tvork of which
is interestingly described in to day's
Tribune. In a word, the society found
that the system, which works so ad
mirably In France, of imposing a
stamp tax on all posted advertise
ments, was impracticable in England.
Instead of tiiis. it worked to secure a
general law, which gave the local au
thorities full powers to regulate, re
strict, or prohibit advertising that
challenges attention in a public way.
Many towns immediately adopted re
strictive legislation. Dover has laken
the lead, requiring a license for all
advertisements which are not con- v _
tained within a window, and for all
vehicles chiefly used for ad . ertlsing
purposes, while absolutely forbidding
all sky signs. London. Glasgow, Man
chester, and many of the smaller
towns have passed regulations cover
ing various abuses, such as transpar
encies, electric flash signs, and sky
signs, and regulating the size of the
letters permissible in a poster. Every- f
where a praiseworthy public spirit lias %
been shown in tills matter, and it may
reasonably be hoped that England will
eventually be as free from this dis
figurement as, say, France or Belgium.
What lias been accomplished In Eng
land is certainly possible here, where.
In fact, reform should lie easier; for
we have a more strongly pronounced
collective sense, and a less exaggerated
idea of individual rights. The Eng
lish precedent should encourage those
who are working to arouse public
opinion in this matter. If adequate
restrictive legislation can ho intro
duced in one of our cities, the work
will lie half done. The busiest among
uo will appreciate the comfort of walk
ing in the streets freed from llio dis
figuring signs which now, as the
French say, jump at your eyes.—Now
York Post.
Explosions When Box Cnrs Collide.
"Did you ever hear a freight
wreck?" said a railroad man the other
evening.
"You mean did I ever see one, do
you not?"
"No; I said 'hear' one, and your not
understanding the question shows that
you never have been within earshot
of .a collision between two train.-, of
boxcars. I was at a little station
on llio Iron Mountain a few years ago,
when a long file of empty cars rushed
past, rounded into a deep cut, and
must have been half a mile away when
we heard a frantic whistle from tfio
engine, answered by another in a.
different key, and then there followed
a series of explosions ns If fifteen or
twenty dynamite cartridges had been
sot off in succession. We knew tliat
something horrible had happened,
manned a handcar and started for
the scene. We found the freights' tele- v
scoped, several dead trainmen and as r
fierce looking a wreck as ever hap
pened. What caused the explosions,
you ask? A man 011 one of the ca
booses told me that as the engine
on the down train struck the first
empty boxcar it blew up like an
empty candy bag popped by a boy,
and then each succeeding car went off
with the pop! pop! pop! we had heard
away back at. the station."—Xow Or
leans Times-Democrat.
A National Experiment Farm.
There are now fifty-four agricultural
experiment statious scattered through
the country aud maintained by the
States. Hitherto the general Govern
ment has had nothing of the kind on
an extended scale. But a -100-acro
model farm is now to be established
by the Agricultural Department. It
will occupy a part of the old Arling
ton estate, lying along the l'otomac
opposite Washington. The work of
getting this big tract in shape for ,
scientific cultivation is now going on. n
The object will be to demonstrate hero
the culture of every sort of useful
plant that can be made to thrive in
this climate. There will be a six-acre
model home plot to illustrate what can
he done to make rural home surround
ings pleasant. While all the familiar
fruits, vegetables, cereals, grasses,
berries, etc., will be grown and studied,
another object will be to introduce
new species. A cranberry bog will be
maintained aud an attempt made to
cultivate the huckleberry, which has
so far not been domesticated. With
the facilities and resources at the com
mand of the Agricultural Department
this big experiment farm will be made
an institution of the highest value to
the American farmer.—The Path
finder.
Killing ltnt* by Gas.
Some interesting experimento have v
taken place at the . r ondon decks to Ws|
slmw the effect of a new system for
the extermination of rats on board;
ships. The vessel Is charged with
sulphur-dioxide gas. which apparently,
has the effect of attracting the rats
from their hiding-places, and as soon
as they breathe the fumes they be
come suffocated. In the experiments
on the steamer Gourklia several hun
dred rats were destroyed in a few
minutes by means of the gas, which,
has no injurious effect upon the dec
orations of the saloon.—Tit-Bits. -
new New \.rk lias Grown.
The ancient game of howls upon
the green has been revived in Eng
land with come fashionable approval.
Our Dutch forefathers lu the time of
Peter Stuyvesaut flocked to the Bowl
ing Green to divert themselves with
that fine old Holland pastime. But
1f our honored Dutchmen of to-day
sought a green for bowling they would
be compelled to cross Spuyten Duyvll .
Creek or to pass by Hell Gate in or- y
der to find a suitable field for that an
cient pastime.—New York Tribune.