THE STORM
T key oar -it is the wind in nrfdnight akin
Loud ohrteking put Um window, that doth atkt
E??l* casement f^ydder with it* atom of crit?,
Aid the barred door with pushing shudder shako.
bo! Ah, bo! It lo tho oottls pass bjr
lot to rn from earth to God's "
iW lot to ran froen. earth to God's high place.
Pursued by each black out that death let by
From t Mr ead flesh, to break then in their chaae
They oay it is the rain froas leaf to leaf
Dotk ebp, and roll into the thirsting ground.
That whore the corn is trampled sheaf by sheaf
The heavy sorrow of the storm ie found.
Ah, no; Ah, so! It to repentant tears
Bt those let fall who make their direful flight.
And drop bjr d-op tho anguish of their fears
Cosmo down around us all the awful night.
They say that in the lightning flash, and roar
Of clashing clouds, the tempest is about;
And draw their chairs 'the glowing hearth before.
The casement close to shut the danger out.
Ah, no! The doors of Paradise, they swing
A moment open for a soul night spent.
Then come together till the thunder s ring
Leave us half-blinded by God's element.
? Dora ftigerson Shorter.
HER
LEAP YEAR RIGHTS
By M. W.
DARE you to do It," said
Mrs. Hlllis. "I'll go fur
ther; I'll give 3*011 this ring
If you will, and lot me hear
you say the words." Miss
Towue looked at ber sister, then at tbe
ring.
"Really!" she said, excitedly, and as
tbe otber nodded, she lifted her eye
brows. "I must say that Danny would
feel tin tiered if he could realize to4
what length of sacrifice you would go
to get him In the family. I'll take you
up on it. though."
"Yes you will?" Jeered Mrs. Ilolils.
"Why. my dear, think of how you
would spoil the nlcost man that either
of us know. He will never believe it
Is a fake. Even if you marry, lie will
think thnt It is a wild love for him
that made you snatch at thnt nettle of
man's prerogative with the advantage
"jf the year. It will literally feather
bis heel* with vanity, and he'll parade
like a gamecock. Besides, If he should
accept1? what then?"
"I wish he would? almost." returned
the girl, and added with asperity. "I
believe that you are crawfishing on
that ring."
"No, I'm not." Mrs. Hlllls assumed
? superior air. "I'll give you half an
hour after they come up. I'll hide be
hind that curtain and watch his face.
Positively. 1 think that it will be the
richest thing. And Louise, you must
make him believe that you mean it.
Be serious, or no ring. Bert is going
to take Middleton Into tbe library, so
that will give you and Danforth a
clear field for a little while."
"But If he took me up on it." object
ed her sister.
"There Isn't a nicer fellow living.
I've tried hard enough to throw some
sentiment Into your chumminess mid
you've both failed me. If I thought
that you cared anything for him. I
should dissuade you: but It's only a
Joke, and won't matter."
Miss Towne rose quickly nnd mo
tioned toward the curtains, ns the
sound of men's voices nenred the libra
ry, nnd. with the upward wave of the
hand thnt wore the coveted ring. Mrs.
Hlllls swished behind tbe curtain Into
hiding, taking with her a little silver
bell.
Miss Towne settled back In her deep
fhalr ns a tall, angular man entered
the room. He hnd vivid electric blue
?yes that were deep set under n very
canopy of a brow, a high sharply de
fined nose, and an alert, whimsical
manner.
"Things all nicely settled now, Dan
oy?" she asked, smiling up at him
charmingly.
"Beautifully, beautifully." he nn
iwered enthusiastically. "I knew we
would catch Middleton If we conld
Ret one of Mrs. II 1 1 1 is' dinners into
him. By tbe way. what did you mean
by saying that you were soing away?"
"Thnt I am. of course," returned tbe
tlrl. easily.
"Oh. I call ti nt too bed. Here I've
fust come home after six months of
wishing I was here, and you spring
this on me the first tiling, I'd planned
?ome of our old Jolly rends nnd walks
together. I even made a point of get
ting bncl: in the spring on purpose.
Unsn.v those cruel words."
As Miss Towne Inughed at the ah
?urd Intonation he lent to his speech
there enme the clear tinkle of a bell
from the window.
"Hullo, central, don't ring off yet,"
be said. "What's thnt?"
"Our er-er? burglar alarm," said
Miss Towne, dropping her eyes.
"When do you go?" he continued,
fitting down with his back to the cur
tains. Turning in their direction as
the bell Jingled faintly again, lie add
ed. "That must b?? out of order."
"It Is." admitted the girl. "Ob. I
leave day after to-morrow. I shall be
gone for about four months."
"That's nice, very nice. You'll be
here Just In time to wish me good by
? gain. Well! It can't be helped I
?nppo?e."
ajippose not. it is too bad.
though." As she spoke a hand was ex
tended between th?? curtains tantallz
higly holding tbe ring.
"What a remarkable face! Is It a
new wrinkle of yours or Just Incipient?
If It occurs again I shall suspect tbe
destination that you have shrouded
so far in mystery."
I was I thought I was going to
?neexc.' Miss Towne explained with a
nervous giggle.
Danforth turned to look at tbe cwr- 1
talned window, and as bis gaze came
back to her he caught ber In the act
of shaking a plump fist appntentlv at
his bead.
"Well, really! If you're going to get
violent be said, after an embar
rassing contemplative stare, during
wblcb site turned scarlet, fidgeted, and
laughed. "Perhaps you will elucidate
the psychology of these-shall I ell!
tttm-itttUTMr
"It was a " *
"The sneeze, of course. Took you In
the hand." he finished, as she hesitat
ed. "More effective anil less noisy than
the old-fashioned methods. But." he
added, with an air of concern, 'it's a
trifle incomprehensible until one Is
used to it."
"How silly." commented Miss
Towne. meeting his eyes with affected
scorn. As tit *y both laughed reprea
slvely the hell sounded with a mulHed
clack. The piri sta/od over his head
in the direction of tU?* noise, which he
had r. ot noliced.
"Yes. I noticed that it was getting
a hit thin." lie said, regretfully. "But
what is tills sort of absent treatment
for the scalp. 1 wouldn't rub it in
if I were you. Besides, whatever your
intentions, your conduct is strongly
susceptible to explanation. In plain
English, what is the matter?"
Miss Towne glanced at the hand that
flashed wickedly between the folds
of the draperies.
"This is leap year, you know," she
began desperately, and stopped. '
"Let uie also add to this wild but
attractive conversation." he began,
with a chuckle, "Columbus discovered
America in 1402. Now your turn.
One of your chief charms has been
your unexpectedness. I've never seen
you in better form. You are doing
nobly. Don't give way."
Miss Towne covered her face with
her hands. After a int. in which she
struggled for composure and won the
battle, she wiped the tears of mirth
from lier eyes and Megan again.
"This is leap year, and? and I am go
iug to take my rights."
"Bravo! Bravo!" he cried, languidly.
"There spoke the risht American
spirit." ?
"Oh. hush!" she said, with an un
willing smile. "1 shall lose my eourage
to? to ? to? that is" ? she stood up* and
moved toward the window.
"Well." he inquired, rising and fac
ing her, with the ready appreciation
of an expected jest quivering at the
corners of- his mobile mouth.
"Danny," she said, with frank seri
ousness. "We've been awfully good
friends for four years. I don't love
you, but I like you better than all the
love in the world. You are so fine and
straight and? and white. I think I
would have asked you? Aunt Cora died
last December and left me two thou
sand a year, so it isa't as if I was ask
lug you to support me. If you hadn't
a penny in the world I'd share what
I had with you. Jordan and the oth
ers are rich, but I don't care for that.
.Danny, stop looking at me that way.
Oh! this is too hard. Why don't you
help me?"
"Do you menn what you are sny
Inn?" he asked sternly, laying a band
on her shoulder. "I am sorry " he
began in answer to her nod. His eyes
roved beyond her, then ho suddenly
swung on his heel and paced to the
end of the room and came back to
where she Mood with scarlet cheeks
and compressed lips. I
"There's a girl that I thought of for
a long time, but until this last trip"?
he spoke gently, looking away from
her? "I have not felt able financially
to speak. I am quite honest, you see.
I intend to speak shortly to her, so I
want? I thank you for the regard In
which you say you? why don't you help
me out?"
"I understand." said Miss Towne In
a thin, bloodless voice. "I truly hope
that she will be as kind as you want
Iter to be. You don't think? oh, of
course you will think that I am a fool.
I wish I hadn't done this. I wish I
hadn't." |
"I wish you hadn't." echoed Dan
fortli. looking at her with Inscrutable
eyes.
"I've spoil 'd everything, nil our good
times, our friendship, our? Mildred,"
sh;? called sharply and swept back the
curtain, "(live me that ring. I've
enrned it. Tell Mr. Danforth? tell
him. and let him in on the laugh, too."
Mrs. Illilis dropped the ring in her
palm and looked quizzically Into her
sister's eyes.
"It was perfectly fine," she said. ,
with the utmost enthusiasm. "Don't
yon think that Louise is a talented ac
tress';"
"Ile'll never believe it was acting."
snid Mi?s Towne, with her eyes upon
the rinfc. "The curtains were not quite
to the tloor. and ? " Danforth camrht
his lip between his <e<*th and laughed,
lfot It women glanced up at him. In
Miss Towne' s face the color came and
went, and her eyes dropped before the
disquieting mockery of his look.
"Oh. pshaw!" exclaimed Mrs. ilillls.
"Foozled it myself."
"Let's see the c&a&e of all this."
Donforth said in a coldly Impersonal
tone. Miss Towne extended her hand
and he took It. noticing that It trem
bled. "Very charming. Quite worth
the Jest. By the way. would you like
Co the rli| that 1 bought for? 1
picked it up In Florence." Ho searched
In at least three pocket*, and ??ally
brought oat a box and opened It. **It's
; a beauty."
Mrs. Htllls gasped and Miss Towne
looked at It dully.
"Lucky girl.** she said, with frigid
airiness, and walked away.
"I wish that you*d put It on. rd
like to see how It would look and fit
before I ask her to wear St. It's to be
hers In any? contingency. Please."
With raised eyebrows and an ex
pression of utter Indifference. Mis*
Towne withdrew her Implied negative
and put on the Jewel.
"It's too big. unless? It's too big fot
my finger at any rate, and I suppose
her hsnd Is smaller tban mine."
Danforth stood. looking alternately
from the girl's hand to her face. Theo
he tnrned to Mrs. Hlllis.
"Do you mind my troubling you? I
wish that you would see how thing*
are going In the library. Thanks."
As she kissed her finger tips to him
he wheeled on Miss Towne.
"Now." he said, "let's start right.
That liking that you have, for in
stance; could it stand the weight of
that ring?"
"Danny, what!" 81ie lifted her cleai
brown eyes to his. He saw her lip*
tremble.
"Is It all right, dear?" he asked. "I
was? this prevlousness of yours ha*
quite upset the speech I have had
ready a long while. I don't know
where I stand with you. but "
"My rights. Dan. Will you marry
me?" slie cried, with a little laugh.
Then she fitted her head on bis shoul
der. In an exquisitely ' comfortable
way.? New York Commercial Adver*
User.
Th* City Flower Trad*.
"People outside the trade have no
conception of the enormous bflfelness
that is annually done in plants aud
cut flowers in this city." said a lead
ing Madison avenue 'florist. "On tUe
principal main and cross-town thor
oughfares between Fulton street and
135th street there nre more than 200
large florist concerns, each of which
pays a rent of from $1000 to $7000 a
year and does a business of from $."?,
000 to fr.o.tKH) annually. The capital
Invested in land, greenhouses and
stock in this city and vicinity is about
$15,000,000
"The number of plants and flowers
sold includes 000.000 .violets, 300.000
roses, 1.200.000 carnations. 500.000
lilies of the valley, 00,000 miscellan
eous plants, 100.000 bushels of fern*,
1000 cases of holly. 5000 cases of mis
tletoe. 200 cases of Princess plue, 500, ?
000 yards of garlands aud 800,000
wreaths
"During the holiday season and
through the month of January the as
sortment of flowers in the New York
market embraces fifteen choice varie
ties of roses, six varieties of camellias,
several varieties of carnatious, or
chids and violets in abundance, helio
trope, hyacinths, mignonette, prim
roses. azalias, forget-me-nots, the
sweet elysluin, etc. The amount of
smilax used here is euormous, Rome
florists estimating that from 1,000,000
to 1,5000,000 feet of this beautiful viae
are made up yearly In this city.
"The general average of prices at the
present time Is for cut roses $1 a
dozen, except for choice specimens,
which command fifty cents, or even a
dollar each; calla lillies, twenty-five
cents each; smilax. thirty cents a yard;
heliotrope, carnations, bourardia and
other small flowers, about fifty cents
a dozen; hand bouquets from $2 to $25,
according to size and composition;
table designs from $."? to $100; funeral
designs from $3 to $ibu. ;? New York
Press.
An Adirondack Thief.
At a certain Adirondack cottage last
season something disturbed tilings fre
quently. A Jar of butter, set under the
house to keep cool, was broken into; a
tub of beef in process of corning was
robbed; a Jur of suet on the hack
piazza was tipped over, broken, aud
some of the fat eaten, and many other
depredutions of like character com
mitted. Several times the robber had
been seen in the evening by the ladles
of the family, and to them ho looked
so big that the male contingent deter
mined to watch for the thief aud stop
his thieving. Opportunity came one
moonlit niglit.
Seen through n window and
stretched over u pall in the shadow,
the animal looked big as a half bushel.
But he could not be shot just there,
and so the broken jar of suet was
placed iu the moonlight in range of an
open window, and. gun in hand, the
avenger waited. lie did not have to
wait long. Quietly and with great dig
nity, as though entirely within his
rights, Mr. Coon caine out of the woods
again? right along the path to the
house? and stopped to regale himself
with the suet, so easily found in Its
new place. Accounts were squared
when the shotgun spoke.? Forest and
Stream.
Our B*bt to Asia.
It Is noteworthy that out of Asia
came our alphabet and our Arabic
numerals. The compass we owe to the
Chinese, who knew the magnetic
needle as early as the second century,
A. D. Gunpowder originally came out
of Asia, aud so did the art of printing
and the manufacture of paper. The
Chinese Invented movable types In
the middle of the eleventh century,
3.">0 years before Gutenberg. They also
made silks long before Kurope, and
porcelain that has ne*>r been equaled
by Kurope. Truly. Asia Is the cradle
of the race. On the original Ideas of
the Persians, the Arabians, the Hin
doos. and the Chinese our modern so
ciety has been built.? Portland 0?*
goniau. _
Foreign Cuatonm,
Polls are displayed in the cottage
windows of Servla. They are In
tended as a sign to wayfarers that a
marriageable daughter dwells in the
house.
An Imperial Irade has been pub
lished at ronstnntinople, in which tnnt<
ried Turkish women nr<* commanded
to discard oil brilliant ornaments, such
as necklaces and bangles, when ap
pearing In public. They must be
dressed with decorum and In accord
ance with the Mussulsnnins law. the
ordinance says, in default of which the
husbands of women so offending will
be visited with punisltweut.
HIDDEN TREASURES
OF DARE NATURE
lartha Which Oammand High
Prl?M.
ECItETBD lomewhen* in
tlu earth? perhaps in the
reader's garden-are met
al* of many kiud*. which
are called "the rare uiet?
nls.** because so far thej
have been found only In trifling quanti
ties. Tbey must be present somewhere
In large quantities, and It in only a
cane of search and you will And.
Altogether there are thirty to forty
of these rare earths which fetch a big
price in the market. Many of them are
bought merely for museums or scien
tific experiment: but others are very
valuable snbstauces commercially.
Uranium, for instance, from which
the magic element radium has been
separated, is worth, when chemically
pure, over ?180 per pound. A ton of
ten per cent, ore would fetch between
C7* 0 and ?00.
THE PARENT OF 3AD1CM.
Uranium Ik very valuable in the
manufacture of gun-metal for heavy I
cannon and armor plate. It gives a
beautiful fluorescent green hue to
glassware aud a flue velvety black to
porcelain.
Ah every one Is aware, this precious
metal is found in Cornwall pitchblende. \
How Is any one to recognize It when
fouud? That is not an easy matter.
Hut there should be no great difficulty
In recognizing many of the rare metals.
Each res|>onds, of course, to tests pe
culiar to Itself, and oue of the tests for
a uranium compound is that, when
mixed with a iiitle borax and micro
cosmic salt, aiul placed in tlic familiar
blowpipe flame, it forms a green head
in the inner flame, and a yellow head
in the outer flaiue. which becomes yel
lowish-green on cooling.
Some of the metals used in making
incandescent light are thorium and
cerium./ or, rather, their oxides? thoria
and cerla. Cerium was discovered a
century ago (lstW). aud yet It is still
rare. It Is twice as dear as uranium.
Thorium, an Iron-gray metal, was
found in 1828. Both are much sought
for, with the result that the latter has
fallen in price during the last ten years
from ?3t> to only a few shillings per
pound.
LOOK FOR ZIRCON I I'M.
A curious thing lu connection with
In.-? r,UIS iS that tbe white
torn descent liuht which they K"e
of t Ii , Ih ,,ot nntu?"?j to either
of them alone. Either of then, sen
?... .^h ij'i; rul;~
KMconiiiiu. Thin was discovered if,
J earn ?go. yet no one has yet had the
good fortune to find such a deposit as
Mould make him a millionaire ft is
?V 'inn, "* :: l-'J-nlsiii.e.
?r !? . 0,", proper! v
?f this rare metal i* that very in c,,?
Ik usedT "0tL iW*troy "? Hence it
l? used to make the cylinders of thn
ZZT'1 "J!" r,,r '"-""i??. IZ
? Ii .ow. bv .....
r the oxyhydrogen flame. The cy i
k C""d ?? "V,.r 7 ",
r.i , 'I'ooi itmi lH
? w"'"1 ""-"'lit t.. II. ,mnor
naif a million of money Hut
onip of the natural compounds of yir
^,,,h wor,u ?
r,V ?>Pr
f ',P" there is molybdenum. which
w I ? h "both "s^eej
1,,<,kel-steel cannot he heateii for
hardness nnd yet at tlie same time It
' ' Ktrengtli are madp of it pronellor
for 1m ?V,V, rit1<' 'mrr,'ls. boilers
shells, r, is
?rtU per ?"? -?"?
^""indium, another scarce metal has
?tecl and'ltT ,,r?'Tr,y of ???'denii,K
plate So *n n"" ' MS,Ml "rmor
SOFT, BUT PRRCIOUS.
rwollos,"vn?'r00;,'r<,d l>y William
priced at the rate of ?3lm, pei'Ton^U
?* that it im.k? if" < properties
i i makes a mark on paper like ?
>? ...
n,,? l"0,1n!1w>,?^ *"pply has never vet
I mlled the demand, although it wug
levered nearly two centuries H?o
. 's Platinum. Only about four
lrr""* """"I year
? I tllP rf' r U"**Ul' ,H,d ,f W..M m.1,1
Va I h#? r , ?f ?,4rMHH' iw ?'"? The
tnluo of platliitim arises from its r
^stance to heat and acids, i7d?0, Zt
m-it until n temperature of ;n.\o ,lt>.
I!,,. 'n0Kt in "inking chem.
,!;rT;T " ?
... . re. New Zealand. New Hm.il.
hunting grounds for this treasure
4,:z
palladium, iridium gallium tin ? '
Lithium, tile iiuiitcst ftT all mninia
:Tj:h;v hn,r ,u- ^ ?r S
n Jt k,H)W? f(>1. uo|U
l? verv v'?1, ,nl"Mir "* IS st,T|
wa \Zn Ti "i ,,,,, ?.f
?,p. * ns U ih? m>' rust in damp
? ALLIt'M PAVH BEST OF ALL.
Iridium, nn extremely hard
Z7T;
' .8 oearlngs. of. de||rnt?
three uT'sli'll ,,oin,^? s""tc
to ti e Ann "'""II grains ?o
ounce, and one of th?.?se is taken
nod attacu*d to the pen with illm
?older, then upllt and grouud to shape.
Iridium is worth about ?200.000 pe>
ton. and palladium about ?300.000.
tlalliuui. no soft tbat It melts la tb?
baud, make* a much better mirror than
quicksilver but as the price is ?4.230.
OOt> per tou. Allium mirrors arc rarer
than the metal itself.
Besides the foregoing hidden treas
ures there are many more for whirl
no use has yet been fouud. but whlt-t
are very valuable as scientific curios
Ities.? Auswcrs.
ROPING STEERS IN ARIZONA.
Tk? Saa|h-Rldl?t C?tlU-MTlm" of ?h?
Far Vat ? KmlaliM.
Tb'tliose who have seeu the Western
oowltoj only In the sawdust ring of t
Wild West show, the gathering of tin
rough-riding steer-tiers of Arizona and
New Mexico are a revelation. On hi*
own pet horse. In his native sunsliim
and dust, hot foot after a inountair
steer, the "sure-enough** cowboy ere
ates a sensation. He strikes one a:
being very reel. Intensely natural, ami
the shrill yells from the crowded grant
stand indicate that lie in appreciated -
at home. There Ik not sucli an exliihh
of "chaps mul taps.** gold braid am'
silver mountings, as you see in Mmlisoi
Square Harden. bttl there is a wholt
lot of genuine hard riding. It i.*
"whoop-la*' from the jump.
A wild steer is pushed from the
chutes at one end of the iuelosure
rushed across the line and down tin
Held. After him thunders the cowboj
swinging his riata. When lie crosse>
the !ini? a ting drops and liis time lie
gins. When he has tied his steer lib
time ends. The man who makes th?
best time wins the contest. Tlier?
are a thousand chances in steer tyins.
?a menu sterr. a bad start, a brokei
rope, a quick turn, seen too late- al
these make the contest a "gamble.*
And yet the best man generally wins
Theoretically, luck is an i in persona
tiling; in steer tying the best ropers an
generally lucky.
Any mail who misses bis first throw
loses his chance for first place, unless
the whole field is unlucky. So it i?
with one intent eagerness that the cow
1m?.v rises in his stirrups foi the tirs:
cast. No use to catch them by tin
neck or legs? experience lias showi
that the best hold is the horns?am
for the horns the cowboy throws
Then, as the rope settles, he t witches
it taut, tosses the slack to one side o>
the Hying steer and runs his liorst
past him on the other side. In a mo
incut the steer's head is Jerked down
liis hind feet gathered up. and lie hits
the ground? hard. I.ike a Hash tin
rider runs to liis victim. lloppiiu
astrhh the prostrate steer he plants
a knee in the heaving Hank and lift:
the hind leg into the air. While tlu
steer kicks and struggles the cowboj
seizes tlie tying rope from his waist
knots It about a forefoot and tliei
wraps it about the hind fee!. A Jerli
brings the three feet together. Then
is a swift tightening of knots and in
throws his liunds into the air. "Tied!'
After the contest there are im
promptu horse races, tlag picking, am!
?hen a general clatter ami stamped*
for town. There, about feed corrab
and saloons, the contests of the daj
are talked over, the winners of bet*
stand treat, and the champions tel*
how it was done. ? Leslie's Weekly.
Clock Ontiirlra Olil.
A Hook which, ir is relieved. was
used in tht' days of Columbus. ha*
lately come into the possession ot
Kiuii Ktichnel, of Manchester, N. 11
When it was discovered recently in
the garret of a house it was supposed
to he of little value. The face is ot
wood ami the tlgnres represent Inir tin
hours of the day were cut into the
wood by a jackknife or some such in
struiueut. The ancient timepiece was
given to Clins. Wolf. who. in turn, pre
seated it to Mr. Kuehnel. who itad II
cleaned up. On the uppe.- part of tlir
wooden face of the clock :t protile ?>'
Columbus has been carved in the wood,
while on the lower part "Anno. H'.rj,"
is neatly carved. Two bottles art
used as welKlits. On either side ot
the clock tile queer weights are at
tached to a cord, which runs over a
little wooden cog wheel in the clock
One bottle is heavier than the other,
and as the weight carries the otliet
bottle up. the cog wheel over which
the cord runs moves two other coy
wheels, the hour hand of the clo'.-l; '? .?
ing attached to one of them.
Th? I. mid ?r I'luwt'M.
The sale of out roses in the I'nii.'d
States amounts to about a
year: carnations. $4.00tMMM>: violets
$7<muhm>, and chrysanthemums--!! slu>rt
season crop- xTimumh). The annual pro
dttction is estimated at JiMuo.oiMi.ono
each for roses and carnations ami $."?(?,?
(mm i.ui mi for violets. This statement
shows the great superiority of the car
nation in two important points. It can
be produced and sold more cheaply
than the rose, and its keeping qualities
are very much greater. The carnation
will never have as much sentiment as
the rose, but it Is destined to outstrip
the rose as a people's tlower. if indeed
It has not already done so.? Count r"
Life in America.
A Nlc? Sort of IImihI.
The Carls police have just been sue
eessful in arresting the chiefs of an as
soclatiou of malefactors calling them
selves the "Joy ell X Monte en 1'Alr''
band, or the "Happy up in the uii
band." from their custom of going
about Carls on the tops of omnibuses
The chiefs are all young men and
bear tattoo marks on their chests rep
resenting a dagger set In a branch of
laurel leaves. 10 very member of the
association, it is said, took an oath on
a dagger, which was handed him for
the purpose, that within eight days lie
would "baptize" his dagger by wet til'
it in the blood of a "burgeois."
Willing to Tnkr t? Clunrf.
A pious citizen lias a lift ccti-yea t'-nld
son who does not promise t<? be exactly
a "chip off the old block." Not long
ago the father discovered to Ids sorrow
that his b<?y and several others of t In*
neighborhood had a habit of matching
nickels. The wrathful parent led tli"
erring lad to the time-honored attic,
where h:<ng? a certain strap. The boy
didn't have any agreeable Impression
of wlint was to come. and. on the
ground that it Is only the tirst plunge
that counts, he called out: "Hny.'dad!
I'll e<> you heads or tails for two lick
ings or nonet"
STRANGE TRIBES OF BORGU.
Ml WlMM. It Wm IUut*d. No V. hit*
Mm K??r Etrapnl.
lu a description of the kingdoms
Nigeria Udy LuchM, wife of *'Ij
Frederick Lugard, lligh CommlKsiom-t
for Northern Nigeria. said that tlt<>
reigning chiefs were of the semi-Aral*
rare of the Foulahs. or Fulanl. and
what the great Mogul of Delhi was to
the ludla of t'llve** day such was the
iireat Fouiah of Sokoto to the Nigeria
of four years ago.
The Fulanl was a striking people
dark In eouiplexion. hut of the dis
tlngulidicd features, small hands and
line, rather aristocratic itirrlnsr ol
the Arahs on the Mediterranean coast.
Tl*?y were of the Mohammedan re
ligion. and were held by those who
kuew tliem to l?e naturally endowed
with the characteristic? whieli fitted
theui for rule. Their theory of justice
was good, though their practice was
bad: their scheme of taxation was
most elaborate and watt carried even
into a system of death duties, which
left little for an English Chancellor ot
the Exchequer to improve. The cara
van trade across the desert, which
was already old wheu the Arab his
torinu. Kl Bekri. wrote of the country
a thousand years ago. and which then
supplied the |M>rts of southern Europe
with the leather known to us as mor
occo leather, and with mtiny oth"t
articles of luxury which English
people of that day hail not yet learned
to use. continued a ud paid its tolls to
the Fulanl.
The Fulani had come to be the ruling
people, but the llaussa, who were also
for the most p:irt Mohammedan,
formed a very ini|M>rtnnt Industrial
and commercial |>ortinn of the popula
tion. The cotton cloth of lvano was
famous through the world of Africa
long before the Pulani had ma le tlieir
appearance as a governing race in
history. Iron smelting and smith's
work were spoken of in an Arabic
manuscript, not yet properly trans
lated. which carried them back to t lie
mythical ancestry of the founders of
lvano. Weaving, dyeing. tanning,
brass work, leather work were among
the local industries, and trade in these
us well as in tiie raw materials with
which the country abounds is largely
carried on by the llanssa people.
Alluding to llu> condition of t In*
country before tlu? transfer to tin*
Crown. I.mly Lusnnl said that Itorgu.
the westernmost province of N igerla.
when her husband IIHt entered the
eountry boasted that no white !nan
ever eame out of it alive. In con
nection with tiie occupation of ltorgn
her husband hail curious advent tees,
and on one occasion put his life ab
solutely iu the hands of Kiaina. the
Kill};, who litul, lie knew, been plotting
to kill liiui only a few days before.
The upshot was that the King been me
his fust friend, and li:ivin? advised
him never again to trust a Borgu man
as he had trusted him, had shown
hi in self ever since worthy of trust,
lie still sent yearly offerings to his
"friend." and Borgu gives them no
trouble. In additiou to the Kulani and
Ilaussa races, who spoke either Arabic
or Hiuissa. the country teemed with
local tribes having each their own
habits and their own language. Ilaus
sa was the first language which the
English otllcer learned, but lie had to
learn many others if he wished to
make himself fully understood by the
native peoples with whom he had to
de.-ll.
Many of the tribes were pagans,
and it was not very long since some
were cannibals. One tribe was re
ported to have tails. There was an
other which would appear to justify
the tJreek legend of the Amazons; all
their public lighting was done by
woruen. and their public offices were
also tilled by women. Sli? was told,
but could not vouch for the accuracy
of any of these statements, that in that
tribe the women were physically lar
ger n ml stronger than the men. in the
worst of the pagan regions civilized
trade was not at present possible. In
Borgu the people claimed that they
had never been conquered by the l'*u
laiil, and they had traditions of a re
ligion which would appear t > be
Christian.
Speaking of the slave trade, l.ady
Lngard said that at the time of the
transfer the principal current y of
Nigeria was in slaves. Large sums of
money were reckoned not in pounds,
but in slaves; public tribute was paid
in slaves, and all labor was slave
labor. The result of the slave trade
was seen in depopulation. Where
I'arth described iu IN.'t ;i population
of there were probably n< >t
more to-day than 10.0iM> n.xi or rj.nnii..
oon. Yet so wedded were the I'nlini
rnlr.rs to the system that when, on the
assumption of power by the Brili?h
Covernment. the Kmir of Hana-hi was
remonstrated with ami asked to give
pledges of abstaining from slave raid
ing for the future, his reply was. ??Can
you stop a cat from mousing? When
I die I shall be found with a slave in
my mouth."? fjondon Time*.
When tlu? Ink Film.
When Speaker Cannon tak"s his pen
In hand to sign a few bills everybody
moves away from his immediate vicin
It.v. so as to be sure to be beyond reach
of the ink shower lie is sure to dis
tribute. Iu live minutes t h ?? limbic
rostrum at which he sit* looks like the
back of a coach dog. Cannon is a!
ways much afraid of blotting the doc
ument awaiting bis signature, so In
*hakcR the pen vigorously before put
ting !t to work, tin days when the
speaker has much of tills work to do
Asher Hinds, the parliamentary cl-rU.
who sits beside him. wears what he
?alls his "signing trousers." which gar
ments are about as much soiled as they
van bp.
Mikado'* llirri.
A live eagle was captured recent l>
by one of the torpedo boats blockading
Port Arthur and presented to the Ml
katlo. It was probably a specimen of
the large spotted eagle, wli't h is com
mon on the l.laotuug promontory
When these birds of prey are tired of
the Mongftiiiin lan.b tiny go down to
meet the geese. Some remain near
Shanhnlkwan for the wild fown, but
most follow the enormous flocks which
converge on .Mukden. The IJalishan.
south of Port Arthur, was long an
eagle preserve, where birds were
netted and sent to Pekin as part of
the Manchurian tribute.
Our. Budget -
or Humok.
The Wife Mo Oh Wuti.
There w?? a young lady at
Who knew many nong*, and cvu'd ?iuj 'era;
But ?h< couldn't mend Iimv.
And (lie wouldn't wa?h clothe*.
Or beli> her old mother to wring 'era.
Wl?? Mam.
Guest fin cheap restaurant)? "Here,
waiter! Tliin food la vile, and 1 don't
pro|>ose to |>ay for It. Wliwe's llw
proprietor?"
Walter? "He's gone home to lunch,
sir."? Philadelphia Ledger.
An Rxrrpllonal (*?w.
Smith? "You wouldn't take Itocks'.oy
for a self -made man. would you?'
Rogers? "I should any not! Why.
he use* good Kngllsh and doesn't
weigh more than one hundred and
eighty pound*!"?' Town Topics.
Taking; Chanrea.
"That laml." said the city nephew,
"is valued at a front foi?t."
"Thunderatlon!" exclaimed the old
farmer, hastily moving hack on to the
sidewalk. "All* I stood on it most live
minutes! l>o you reckon they'll charge
Die rent?" ---Chicago Post.
Lnchjr.
**I dislike to keep you In a ft el
selmol," said the teacher "Aren't you
sorry you were naughty and have to
stay V"
"No'm." replied Johnny. 'Pie-face
is waltin' out there to lick uie."? In
dianapolis Sun.
? '? *FT?k
' Turn About.
Aunt Mary -"Nora, you're a orin?l
child. l.et that cat go at once."
Nora (hanging the cat?? "P.ut she"?
heen naughty. Aunty, an' I'm punishiu'
hot*. 1 told lier it wax for her owr
good, an* it hurt me tuorc'u it hurl
or."? lU'ooklyu Life.
.IiKlgf'rt
'?Your Honor." said the yout:g li.v
yer. "1 demand justice for my ? tiesst."
"I'd he only to<? glad to ac<o:c.'.no
date you." answered the Judge, "but a#
the law won't allow me to give bin
more than six mouths 1 am pr.icticail>
helpless." -Chicago News.
Proper ISorrrrnre.
Mamma - "Now. Willi- Jones likes to
go to Sunday school. I'm sure."
Tommy--"! guess lie do, s, the wn>
he talks about it."
Mamma ? "Why. what does he say V
Tommy? "He calls it 'Sabbath
school.* " ? Philadelphia Press.
Slie Knew Ifiut.
"You say you don't know Mr. Itoi-k<
very wo II."
"Only slightly. Let mo see. I lx?
liovo wo were engaged onto."-- Nov
York American.
Mhii'd Wmlritr.
"Do yon believe." she asked. "flint t
genius can possibly be a good hti*
build V"
"Well." lie modestly replied. "
would prefer ni?t to answer t Ij:i I ? |
tioii. lint my wife omiiit to !??? aid*
to tell you." (Miieauo Koeord Herald
TIip NmI Iti'iil Tiling.
"I thomrli! she w.is det? nnined nev?\
to marry amy man whoso ancestor!
1 1 : i d not I'liiiH' over in tin* Mayflower.'
"Yes. I >11 1 sin* elii'imed li?*r iniri'j
when sin* met. this fellow whose art
ci'stors went to < '.I liforui:) in ;i prairb
HrIu?om,r."? < 'hieayo Ueionl ! 1 era Id,
1*>? !*???? till WI*ilotn.
"f shouldn't think t !??? Smiths won!?
n.'iiui' their new ha by Mohn' there an
so many John Smiths."
"That's a p>od thing on" way. Ii
I'is name ever gets in the 'poliee r
ports' folks won't know whetlci
it's he or some other .lnhn Smith." -
l'llek.
Tin* nirl* Tli.1t II ii v 'Km.
American fJirl "We lm v ?*u* I"
over Ioiij;. you know. I suppose yoin
people always II v?*?l here 7"
Augustus "Wo rniii" to I'jtiulii mo
with I ho Norman*, don't you know."
American (!irl--"Oh. indeed. tin* N?r
mans! I'm afraid I don't know them.'
? Til Hits.
At Helmut In the Philippine*.
Tom Blelcr recently went from Km
*as to tlio Philippines. At Hnliol In
visited n village school.
"When I stepped into the s-hool
room." hh.vh Hleler. 'Mil tin* childrei
lumped up oil their feet unit > i ii*
tJootl afternoon.' t asked tlie teaeln-i
if it wax recess, lint In* said it wasn't
The pupils talked loud and run a ion no
the room where they pleused. Wlief
one of them rend he would holler ai
loud as he could. While 1 wus in tin
room u dojt and a tfoiit came in. lm'
lio one paid any attention to then
The teacher said a don li?ht In tii?
room would cause tlieiu to ? | nl t any
tiling nnd watch the light." ? I'mcUif
iKall.l Messenger.
A. i?l/
The Iron Hituil* ill' .fuvit?
A curious sight <>:i (Ii" coast of .Tav.i
Is a long stretch of .shore, ahout tw n
ty-niiie'niiles in length, when? the sand
l? tilled i t Ii particle* of magnetic
Iron. In aome places it is said that
the surface Mind contains eighty per
rent, of iron. It can l>.? smelted, nnd a
'?onipiiuy his been formed to exploit
}he Uel'0?its.