0 Allen's H •• Sacrifice •• S m §!i By Grace Scofield Holmes, btfi fesillliiiiiiiiiiS c / f —\ U, AL Oh, Al, Tr-tr-tr-tr. 1(1 Ob, Al." Allen heard the \_ J accustomed call and trill, to which he usually re sponded so eagerly, but he did not stir. He had never in all his short life been thinking quite so deeply as he was thinking now. Little Margaret, the rosy, dimpled little sister of whom he was so proud In his rough boyish way, bad been tossing on the bed in a high fever, the golden curls all tangled and the big blue eyes seeing tilings that Allen nor no one else could tee. The fever was gone now and Mar garet was lying on the bed, very white and wan, and the good old doctor, whom they had known ever since they could remember, shook his head sol emnly, and said many things about broth and jelly and fruit which would lie needed before Margaret could be well again. Tliis was why Allen was thinking so deeply, for there was never more than money enough in his mother's little worn poeketboolt to pay the rent and to buy their simple food, and since Margaret had been ill she had not been able to sew and earn any more money. Allen gave a deep sigh, for the prob lem was entirely beyond him. Just then his mother called him to supper and he walked slowly toward the house. Mrs. Glen, a thin, tired-looking wom an, shook her head sadly as she replied: "She does not seem so well to-night, dear, but perhaps she will be better in the morning." Allen did not stay at the table very long, but hurriedly ate ills supper and went into the little room where Mar garet was. The fever seemed to have returned, and there was a vivid red spot on each cheek, and the blue eyes were unnaturally bright. "Oh, Ally, I am so thirsty," she moaned, "and water doesn't taste good any more. Can't you get me a glass of lemonade with a great big piece of ice In it?" Allen ran out of tbe house with an aching heart. As he stood leaning de jectedly against the gate, the light from the flickering street lamp fell full on a sign across the street. Allen had often seen this sign before, but now as he gazed absently at it the idea of a great sacrifice came suddenly to him. There was a big sign announc ing that the lot was for sale, and at tached to it was a small sign, which read as follows: $lO Reward for tho '• j Arrest and Conviction of | f j Any Person Injuring This Sign. I '1 ] Ten dollars! What could he not buy with that! Margaret could have all the delicious fruit and cracked ice that she wanted, and when she got better all the strengthening wines and broths that the doctor said she needed. Of course he would be sent to jail, but ho thought he could stand that- if only Margaret could get well. But what if his mother and Margaret should bo ashamed of him and everybody called him a jail bird? Well, even that he would bear for Margaret's sake. lie thought for a long while and finally had it all planned. Just then there came another entreating call. "Oh, Al. Oh, Al. Tr-tr-tr-tr. Oh, Al." This time he responded with a long drawn out trill and the sound of hur rying footsteps announced the arrival of his chum, Roland White. "Oh, Itol," he began, eagerly. I want you to help me do something." "Sure tiling," said Roland, wonder ing whether it was to steal watermel ons, turn somebody's horse loose or play hookey from school. "I am going to take my knife and cut that sign up. Then I want you to fake me to Squire Millett and have me arrested." said Allen, slowly and im pressively. "Gee, I guess not. Do yon think I am the feller to do anything like that?" said Itoland Indignantly. "But you must, 1101. Margaret Is sick and has got to have things, and mother ain't got no money," Allen answered desperately. At the mention of Margaret's name Roland's face softened perceptibly, but still it did not seem as if he could bring himself to do such a treacherous act. "Don't you know you would bo put in the look-up, kid?" he said, thinking Ihat would change Allen's rash pur pose if anything could. "I'm willing to go to the lock-up if it will make Margaret well," Allen an swered stoutly. Seeing t hat it was useless to argue further, Roland promised to do his part and the conspirators against law and order put their closely cropped heads together and arranged all the details of their plot. The next morning being Saturday, they met by agreement in front of the algn. The great sacrifice did not ap pear so enticing by daylight as when the stars and moon shed a glamour over the earth. Allen bore himself he roically, however, for he had the con sciousness of making n groat renuncia tion to sustain him. But Roland felt as though he was betraying his best friend to everlasting disgrace and shame. The great moment had now arrived, and in the midst of a hushed silence Allen took his knife from his pocket, and with trembling bands cut long marks in the sign, "hen without a word the two little lads started for the justice's office. The justice had a very sharp nosa a very sharp beard, very sharp eyei and a very sharp voice. Altogether hii sharpness was quite sufficient to strlki terror to a culprit's heart. It so happened that "court" was It session. One of the petty lawsuiti which were of frequent occurrenci in the village was being tried. Th< twelve jurymen, with all of whom tin boys were acquainted, had been swort in and sat with solemn importance il their places. The legal lights in Alta conducted affairs very unceremoniously, an< "Squire Millett stopped and asked tin boys what tbey wanted. "Please, sir," said Itoland, trcinblinj very much but speaking It's lines ex nctly as he and Allen had rehearse; them, "I caught this boy cutting up thi sign on the vacant lot south of his house, and we—l mean I—l want th< $lO reward." He ended with a painful little gasp, feeling that he had very nenrly betrayed himself. The 'squire turned to the village com stable,, a fierce-looking six-footer, oi whom all the children were mortally afraid, a fact which amused him im mensely, and said in a loud, command ing voice, "Guard tiie prisoner until this case is finished." Alien and Roland stood with clasped hands and drooping forms In front of Constable Carnes, who glared ai them fiercely. But way back In his eye—so very far back that the boys did not see It—there was a funny twinkle. At last the case was brought to a close, but in obedienco to n sign from the 'squire they all remained seated. "Let the prisoner step forward," com manded tiie 'squire. Allen stepped out in the room and Roland came with him, holding his hand tightly, for he intended to cling to his frelnd until the doors of the Jail closed between them. "Prisoner, tell the court whether you are guilty or not guilty." "Guilty," said Allen chokingly. "Can you prove any extenuating cir cumstances?" Allen had never heard of "extenuat ing circumstances," and the words as spoken by the 'squire had a dreadful sound. Could it bo possible that they would hang bin)? He turned cold and his teeth chattered so that he could not reply. "Let the witness be sworn," next commanded the 'squire, and Roland tremblingly took the stand. "Now you may tell the court what you know of the case." In a little piping voice which he vain- Iy tried to make steady Itoland testified to having seen Allen take his knife and mutilate the sign. "You are his best friend, are you not? What schoolboys call a pal?" said the 'squire, who had known the boys since they were babie3 and was sure there was something more than appeared on the surface. "Yes, sir," "Do you not think it rather strange for a boy to betray his best friend?" Poor Roland now renlized to the ut most the shame and degradation of hlj position. "I wanted the $10," ho stammered. "What do you intend to do with it?" pursued the 'squire relentlessly. "Buy ice and fruit and things for Allen's sick sister." And in spite of his efforts to appear composed the tears rolled down Roland's cheeks. "Ah, that is the polut I wanted to reach," said the 'squire, in a terriblo voice. "Constable, you may take the pris oner and the witness into another room while the court and the jury talk this matter over." Totally unconscious that there was anything unusual about the proceed ings, Allen and Roland were led out of the room by Constable Carnes, who l>o6towod such scowls and flashes of his black eyes upon them that they were more frightened than ever. After what seemed years and years they were again summoned to the court room. "Frlsoner, you may stand and receive the sentence of the court," thundered a fierce voice. "In view of your extreme youth, the fact that it is your first offense and also whet the court is pleased to con sider as extenuating circumstances" (those terriblo words again, thought Allen with a shudder), "it has been de cided to allow you to go free. It Is expected, however, that you will never appear before tbe court on such a charge again." Before the boys could recover from their astonishment the 'squire turned to Roland nud said: 'To you, sir, I now give the reward promised for the conviction of any person mutilating tiie sign." The boys had expected a great, groat big ton-dollar gold piece, but, strange lo say, the money was composed of quarters and 50-ceut pieces, and even some dimes, more like the collection taken at church than anything else, they thought. Roland did not stop toI question Its appearance, however, but, emptied It into his pocket handkerchief and tied it securely. : "Thank you, sir," snid Roland. "Give my love to little Margaret and tell her to hurry and get well," said the 'squire, and the boys thought that his voice did not sound as sharp as usual. Then, hand in hand, the boys walked out, and never spoke until they reached Allen's gate. "Gee," said Roland, drawing a long breath, "I guess I know how that feller Judas must have felt." "And I think I can imagine how a really and truly thief or murderer feels when he thinks he is going to be hanged or sent to prison for life," said Allen. "But let's go in now and show the money to mother and Margaret, And say, we might just as well tell 'cm." And, once more clasping hands, they walked up the path to the house.—Chi eago Record-Herald. CHILDREN'S DEPARTMENT. ST. GEORGE AND THE DRAGO& 6t. George he waa a valiant knigh^, He wore a coat o£ mail And rode into tho thickest fight. Where bullets fell like hail. For fearsome beasts that raved and roared He didn't caro a rap, I3ut slew them with his mighty sword At just a single slap. ** One day, as he was walking by A disma> wood, he saw A Dragon bold, with bloody eye And fire-breathing jaw. Upon its tail some salt he flung, The monster's rage to quell; A ribbon round its neck he hung. And eke a 6ilver bell. Then 'twas a most familiar sight To all who passed that wav, To see tho Dragon and the lvnight Upon the lawn at play. —Young Folks Herald. MUSIC FKOM A T\yiG. Tenuyson In "Locksley Ilnll" lins the speaker ask his comrades to "sound upon the bugle horn" when they want him. Few gii'ls and boys will ever try ( 0 Fif.ll x 0 ns./2 0 . FifJ3 0 fifJ6 their powers on a real bugle horn, but all can readily make a twig sound an alarm. Get a piece of ordinary willow tree (Fig. 11). Be sure It Is flawless and perfect; with a sharp knife slice THe Missing' Hunter Puzzle. Find the hunter and his dog. off a slanting piece at one end (Fig. 12), then cut a notch in top (Fig. 13). Gently tap the bark all over with one end of a penknife In order to loosen it from the wood. After carefully remov ing the bark without breaking it cut the wood according to the dotted lines In Fig. 14, which will give Fig. 10. The wood is now ready to slip back into the bark, but before doing this place a pea in the hollow part (Fig. 14); then slide the bark back in place (Fig. 10). Now blow the twig and sound the alarm. — The Delineator. A CROP FAILURE. f I I J i The Farmer—"Whatl No pertatoes growin' on it yet? Guess I've been buncoed."—New York American. QUEER AQUARIUM FISH. The visitors to the Aquarium have had an opportunity to see specimens of several kinds of fish which have not boon on exhibition there before in some time. A number of dogfish and skates and an angler have been captured and brought in by fishermen. They have been placed together Li the tank on the side of the building opposite to the en trance. The dogfish appears to be the most active of the group. They sug gest baby sharks as they speed about the tauk. One of the interesting things about the dogfish is that they bring forth their young alive in litters of half a dozen. Not being mammals, the young, which are several Inches long, are born with egg sacks attached. From these they draw nourishment un til they have matured sufficiently to sek their own food. Then the depleted egg sack falls off. A dogfish was born at the Aquarium a short time ago. Un fortunately, it died. The skates do not move about the tank so much as tlie dogfish, but, un like, the angler, they do not hug the bottom all the time. They are thin and flat. The undulations of the fish when swimming suggest the flying of a bird. Some of the skates are termed "barndoor" skates by the fishermen, because of the expansivencss of their bodies. AVhen resting on the bottom of the tank, as they do when not in motion, they blot out a large part of its white surface. Their eyes, which are several Inches hnck of the sharp snout, are almost Invisible. The outlet of the gills are on top near the eyes. They are closed by slides, which open and shut like eyelids. The angler is the queerest of the lot. As every one knows, he has the name of angler because of two pecu liar appendages on his head, which, when raised, have the appearance of little fishing rods, with bait attached. These they are said to use lu enticing fish into their mouths. These appen dages usually lie flat On tho back. The fish is shaped much like a bellows, tho tail being the nozzle. lie lias an enormous mouth in proportion to his size. It extends half way across his head. Mr. Speueer, the superinten dent, In talking about the angler a few days ago, said that the mouth of this fish reminded him of a story. "Two boys wore playing together," bo sakl. "One of tliem, named 'Jim,' bad an un usually large mouth. The other said to him: 'Gosh, Jim. Ain't you got n big mouth! It's good your ears are fastened to tight. If tlicy weren't youi mouth would go clear 'round, and the top of your head would be an island.' " —New York Tribune. THE GAME OF BUTTONS. Buttons are In extensive use in the sports of German children, with whom they form a sort of coinage, each sort having a stipulated exchangeable value. Traces of similar usage exist in the United States. A common New York game consists in throwing buttons. A line is drawn and a hole made about twelve feet off. The players toss their buttons, and whoever comes nearest the hole has the first shot. He endeav ors to drive the buttons of the rest into the hole, striking them with the extended thumb by a movement of the whole hand, which is kept Hat and stiff. When ho misses the next takes his turn, and so on. Whoever drives the adversary's button into the hole wins it. Another game for two players is called "spans." The buttons are cast against the wall, and if a player's but ton falls within a span of the adver sary's ho may aim at It and win it by striking, as before.—Washington Star. BIOGRAPHY FOR JUVENILES. Pliny the elder was for a space pro curator in Spain. He spent much of his time afterward studying at Rome; being near the Bay of Naples during an eruption of Vesuvius lie landed to witness the phenomenon, but was suf focated by the fumes. Ills "Natural History" is a repertory of the studies of the ancients in that department, being a record, more or less faithful, from extensive reading, of the observa tion of others rather than his own. FIFTY DECREES_BELOW ZERO. An American Woman Found It Not Ecally V ncomfortable. Mrs. V. M. Mullen, whose Omaha home Is at No. 1914 Grace street, re turned for a visit on Friday from her present home In Alaska, bearing with her a trunlcful of trophies and curios of tho land of the Arctic Circle. Mrs. Mullen accompanied her husband to Alaska a year ago last July, where he went as Register of the Land Office at Rampart Last June Mr. Mullen was transferred to the office of llocelver at Juneau, where he Is now stationed. Mrs. Mullen, who was placed In the light of a returned heroine by the many friends who crowded her home on Sun day afternoon, expressed herself as having been very agreeably surprised with Alaska. "I don't know what I expected to find," she remarked, "but I confess that it was not my Idea that there would bo much of civilization or re finement or culture, and I had been taught to believe that fifty or eighty below zero was unbearably cold. I went there prepared to be a martyr and a frontier woman, and ready to rough It, and I come home thinking It's the finest country in the world. "Tho climate at Rampart, which Is a city In the interior, Is far superior to Juneau, on the coast, where we are now. There is no wind at Rampart, and forty to fifty below zero Is really not at all uncomfortable. At that place of course we could not get all the com forts we have on the coast, and for two months each fall, while the river Is freezing, and two months In the spring, while the stream is breaking up, we had to do without mall. But tho miners are well educated, refined people, and the society Is very agree able. The prices In the Interior are extremely high. A dozen eggs, when We could get eggs at all, cost ?1.50; five pounds of sugar, sl, and butter was seventy-five cents a pound. Tho only difference between living at Ju nenu and in this country is the climate, and I believe I prefer that of Juneau." Mrs. Mullen brought with her a col lection of gold nuggets, also a large collection of Alaskan Indian work, which far surpasses any basket or beadwork of tho Indians of this coun try.—Omaha Bee. Couldn't Stand JluKtllnjj. In Harper's Wu Ting-Fang, In his ar ticle on "Chinese and Western Civili zation," tells of an American who, hav ing lived for a time In China, was una ble afterward to endure life in his own country: "I had nn American friend in China, who died only a short time ago," says Mr. Wu. "The story of ills life Is rath er interesting. He went to China when he was a young man. He learned the language of the country, and became an accomplished Chinese scholar. He adapted himself to tho ways aud hab its of those among whom he had cast Ills lot, and thus became to all intents and purposes Chinese in his mode of life. After spending the greater part of his life In China he made up his mind that he would pass the remainder of his days in the land of his birth, among the scenes of Ms childhood. Ac cordingly be left China, with no Inten tion of returning. But ho reckoned without his host No sooner had he found himself In New York than the noise and bustle of the metropolis of the New World drove him to distrac tion. He did not know which way to turn to find rest and quiet, and he took the earliest opportunity to go back to China. Tims it Is possible that a man born and bred In strenuous America may prefer tho quiet surroundings of China." Dinmnnri* Explode. It has long been known that dia monds, especially the class known as "rose diamonds," are likely to- explode If subjected to only what would seem a very ordinary degree of heat, such as strong rays from the sun, etc. It Is now believed that the- explosions arc the result of the rapid expansion of certain volatile liquids enclosed In cav ities near the centre of these precious stones. A great many diamonds, even though cut, mounted and worn as gems of perfection, are still in an unfinished condition—that Is, the liquid drop from •which the stone is being formed has not as yet deposited all of Its "pure crystals of carbon." These movable drops may occasionally be seen with the naked eye. When this Is tho ease a strong micro scope will give the drop the appearance of a bubble in the fluid of a carpen ter's level. It is also highly probable that beside the liquid mentioned these cavities may contain certain gases un der great tension. This being the case, one may readily comprehend how a very small amount of heat would cause the liquid and gas to expand to such a degree that the diamond would give way with all the characteristics of a miniature explosion.—Boston Herald. Hritaln'a Jam-Katlns Army. Now that we know that tho British Army consumed in the South African war 31,500,000 pounds of jam, the facts suggest some nice computations In the statistics of sweetmeats. For instance, If the British Army, in order to crush a comparatively small provincial state that began to wiv without an army, needs to be sustained by over thirty four million pounds of jam, which quantity of jam- would l:e necessary for It if it bad a real war with some great military state? Would there he jam enough In the world to meet such a crisis? And what would become of the finances of the British empire if in such a case some of the Chicago men should "corner" nil the jam In the world Just before the war began?— narpor's Weekly, Free Quinine For Empluyfln. A law lias been passed In Italy rei quiring employers of labor to supply their employes with quinine free when suffering from malaria. PVST^ It has been fouud that the cotton grown on the banks of the Nile is equal to any in the world. There are about 15.000,000 acres of irrigated t avallnble, but the men to work it are \ I lacking. In many country villages and ont-of the-way places in New Kngland and the Middle States, women may still be found who make money, and even earn a living, by/spinning and knitting wool and by weaving and knitting rag car pets and rugs. The demand for well made rag rugs lias noticeably revived lately in some parts of the country, and the product of this industry finds a ready sale. The commercial value of Information gathered under the authority of the Government is strikingly shown in the records kept by the Geological Survey ' of the flow of streams on the South Atlantic slope. Northern capitalists, a J few years ago, thought that the South- 1 | ern streams were almost valueless for J I water-power development, but these I records have shown their error, and now many mills to be run by water power are building. Iteeently at an auction sale in Lon don which was judiciously advertised, an egg of the groat auk was put up which, after some lively bidding, was knocked down for .SI2OO. That is said to lie a very good price. liut auk eggs have lieen sold in Loudon for as much as SISOO. The reason for these enor mous prices is naturally to be found in j the scarcity of the eggs. The bird is extinct, and not over seventy of its eggs are in existence. lief ore a recent meeting of the Bio logical Society of Washington Mr. Ver non Bailey spoke of "Sleepy Grass ami Its Effects on Horses." stating thai V - I this grass grew luxuriantly in some r ■; sections of the California Sierras. Horses eating tills grass were rendered very drowsy for several days, and it was reported that in some instances they were temporarily too sleepy for use. The effect gradually wore off. and it was said that horses or cattle having eaten this grass would not do so a second time. No successful smoke-consuming ap pliance lias been invented as yet for household use, but for industrial uses on a fairly large scale, smokeless soft coal fires are not uncommon. The smokeless furnace is expensive, costing from a few hundred dollars to fifteen hundred, but those that use it say that the high cost is offset by the saving in the cost of fuel. For not only Is the normal price of bituminous coal only! about one-lialf that of anthracite, bttjA the smokeless furnace burns the coal with the minimum of waste. Coal smoke is nothing but unconsuincd car bon—wasted coal set free while the mass is heating. The furnace Jias a mechanical stoker that feeds the coal in slowly nt the edge of the fire, forcing whatever smoke arises to pass the length of the firebox over the glowing fire. This action is aided by a liot-nir blast, and almost perfect combustion is thus secured. There lias been a large increase in the use of the smoke less furnace since the great strike be gan, and it is said that one dealer has sold 8000. Tile probability is that few of these, if any, will lie discarded, and this will Inevitably affect the demand for anthracite. Hand Klsslnc Again. The Parisians are seeking to make the kissing of the hand the most ele- I gant way of greeting or taking leave /T" of a lady, says the Ladies' Pictorial. It is certainly more graceful and more impressive than handshaking. A man, if he is clever, may convey a great deal in the way lie lingers over a hand, even when holding it in the ultra-fasliion able manner, but he can silently say a grent deal more by the way he respect fully salutes it. Nowadays it calls for no grace of bearing to shake hands successfully. One sees men doing It dally with barely a glance at the lady who gives them this privilege. Hut no one can kiss hands in such a coldly perfunctory fashion, and therefore I think that women In London society would wel come n revival of the practice for the sake of the elegance it would lend the modern youth. Wasp's Method of Attack. 1 Belt, in his "Naturalist in Nicara- v gua," draws attention to the methods of attack used by different species of i wasps. One, accustomed to animals and not to man, takes care to crawl down the outstanding hairs to the skin before inserting its sting; while others, which live in the midst of human dwellings, fly straight tit a man's face. The first species, true to inherited in stinct, when it attacks unfamiliar hu mnn beings attaches itself to their hair or their beards. But there must have I been-a time when the second species discovered that the face was the vul nerable part, and the discovery was the outcome of the action of brain. Musical Fish. Many fish can produce musicnl sounds. Tito red gurnard lias earned 1 the name of seacock from the crowing j noise which it makes, while another f species is called the piper. Others, no tably two species of opliidium, have sound-producing apparatus, consisting of small movable bones, which can be made to produce a sharp rattle, ahe curious "drumming" made by the Med iterranean fish known as the maigre can be heard from a depth of thirty fathoms.
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