The people. (Camden, S.C.) 1904-1911, June 23, 1904, Image 2
Mynheer Joe.
BY ST. QEORQE JWTHBORNE.
CHAPTBB X.
of a bub la .outlined Id
? feature* invisible, for
a silboutte agalut the
formed bj the moonlight
Evidently the unknown bee
of the climbing qualities of an
alace ha baa clambered op the
t of a wall teat feet in height, aided
mtj a few running Tinea.
rahear Joe abuta bla teeth togetb
i a dkk, and then, turning part
ly eiw, coolly watches the window,
to breathe regularly, aa
person might
I remalna stationary for per
a minute, and It is evident that
la bending bis ear to listen
Then the bead vanishes once
takea advantage of the respite
bis poaltion still more, as
where be can concentrate
Into giving a tremen
Then be calmly awalta
of events.
long the bead resppesrs
tl^ls time aeemlng to bare more
than on previous occasions.
the man stop there?his
appear and gradually he
bis way np over the sill of the
dear. Ah, be la coming in, thla
ivtted guest!
he baa paaaed the Rubicon and
upon the floor?Joe can just
In the moonlight and at the
time no tea another fact that fills
with wonder. ? second head
tea bobbed up beyond the line of the
aflL Again be baa the dark silhouette
agalast the light background.
~*Goafoek>nr thinks the traveler.
?54an any apartments about to be In
Wflufl by an army? Has B1 Mahdl
aant bla advance guard against Cairo,
er are they Just common, every-day
DBttbera bent on plunder!"
Be la not the man to lose time In
aaateaa epeculatlon. Precious seconds
are passing, and something must be
Cam at once ere more of bla unknown
aaealee gain the room.
fortunately this man Is accustomed
to meeting emergencies, and thinks
little of it under ordinary clr
rtances. His plan of sction is
almple and characteristic of his
(The recumbent form upon the couch
haooanes Imbued with sudden life. It
VM If steel springs have been given
to it. ? stone could not be shot from
m catapult with greater rapidity than
fia posers through space.
There la hardly a sound to indicate
Ma coming, and the crouching wretch
apoo the floor cannot have sufficient
warning to get out of the way. He
hear* a rushing noise, and then some
thing falls upon blm. Just as the eagle
awuapa on its prey.
? brief struggle ensues, during
which the unknown emits several cries
?f rage. The man at the window
hardly knows what to do, as he can
Mt tell the exact status of things In
alde, but believing his assistance may
he needed he starts to crawl over the
?t this Instant something comes
J^alnet blm with crushing force. It
la the body of his companion, whom
iMynbeer Joe has bodily raised, with
*11 the strength of his powerful arms,
land tossed toward the opening.
This conclusion proves too much for
the fellow who Is In the act of clam
bering in. He looses his hold, clutches
at the body of his companion, and,
locked in each other's arms, they go
plunging down to the flags below. Joe
hears the thud of their fall, and im
mediately looks out of the window.
He seea a writhing mass below. Then
a man scrambles to bis feet and scut
tles across the open, looklDg more like
a skulking Jackal than aught else. .
A groan from below. The second
Yellow Is picking himself up now. He,
too, moves off with a painful limp, as
though his full has given him cause
for suffering. Mynheer Joe laughs
adoud in n mocking way.
"Come again, my friends! The latch'
atrlng Is always out!" he calls softly.
, There is no answer. And the sec
bud skulking form hides Itself, as did
the first, among the shadows on the
father side of the plasa.
x The traveler still leans from bis
.Window and ponders. There Is some
thing about this business that putzles
him, and causes bis brow to assume
a serious, thoughtful expression. What
did these men seek?his money or his
life? The first thought Is, of course,
that they were ordinary robbers. Cairo
swarms with them In spite of military
precaution; and there Is no more cun
nlng thief In the world tbau lie of
Kgypt?he cnu give his fellows all
aver the globe points and beat them.
A second Idea that has flashed into
Joe'a mind le connected with the False
Prophet. Kl Mahdl has emissaries In
Cairo. Can It be tbat already the word
baa been passed atnoug tliein to do
him to death?blm, the sole foreign
aurvlvor of the Kbartoom massacre?
Kven this, though singular, seems to
be near the truth, and yet Mynheer
Joe baa a third Idea. He gropes after
It la darkness, not being able to grasp
the details and make a connected the
ery of it
"Well?" coiries In n mini volcc not
?tore than ftvr feet away from hi*
Mn, canning Joe to turu bit head
loo mediately.
tie eeea a human head In the moon
light, thrunt from nn adjoining wlu
(low. It la Mr. Crimen who linn npo
ken. Thea Joe rememhern the pecul
iar clrcumstaneea of hia awakening.
Gould It 1?e ponalhle that after all he
heard m rolce whisper:
"Mynheer Joe, awake?danger!"
?They have gone hut are not forgot
ten," ronrmura Crimea, humorounly.
"You aaw them, then 7" aaka Joe,
?akkly.
**Wall, rather," re pi lea the other,
chocfcllng; "and If that last fellow
iJoo't fed wnt mnontw. Vm mista
ken in mj imm."
"I hope be will?It may lead to Iden
tify tbe rwctL Mr. Grlmesf
-Tee.
"Was It yon who warned me?"
"I whispered throofh a crack In the
wall in about the spot where 1 be
ttered your bed to be."
"? thousand thanks. my dear sir.
When I awoke I hardly knew whether
I had dreamed It or .not. Then my
eye caught the fellow's head at tbe
window. I waited until he crawled
in and then doubted both up together."
"Very neatly done, sir, 1 must say.
These rascally thieves arc very daring
fust at present."
"I have been thinking It over and
bad about come to the conclusion that
these fellows were bent upon some- I
thing else."
~Rb! You mean murder? That they
JPe ?oine of the Mshdl'a followers or
tples, determined to have vengeance
in you for the part you took at Khar
toom?" says Mr. Grimes.
"Perhaps so. Are you dressed, sir?"
"Partially so. I couldn't sleep and
was looking out of the window from
*n easy chair when I heard a noise
tnd caught sight of the sly rascals
Hlmblng up tbe wall like a couple of
monkeys. I was pus&led at first how
w,rn you, and only bit upon that
little scheme ss a happy thought. Glad
^know it worked so welL"
"Would you mind coming Into my
room?" '
^?* all," responds the pseudo su
rer king, cheerfully. "I am always
it the service of my friends, and par
Hwlarly Mynheer Joe."
"I want to investigate something
think I've got a clew to a still d&rk
sr piece of business."
"Good for you, my boy!"
Mr. Grimes's bead vanishes from the
window. When, a few minutes later,
*e opens tbe door of Joe's room,
ffhicb the lstter has unfastened, he
Inds that worthy has lighted a lamp,
srlth which the room Is fortunately
provided in place of the ordinary can
He.
Mynheer Joe seems to be bending
tow, aa If examining something on the
floor. Has the man upon whom he
pounced been wounded, and does Joe
think he can learn anything from the
9talns left behind
As Mr. Grimes bends over his shoul
der he makes a discovery that forces
an exclamation from his Hps. Upon
the floor csn be seen the fragments of
a small vial that has evidently been
shattered by some violent concussion.
This, in Itself, is not what wrenches
that cry from the detective. He sees
the matting covering tbe floor discol
ored and eaten Into by some power
ful agent.
"What do you Bay?" asks Joe, sol
emnly.
Mr. Grimes rubs one finger over
the ruined matting and feels the re
sult almost immediately.
"There can be no question about tbo
nature of that acid," he replies, and
bis whole manner is sober, as though
he realizes tbe extreme gravity of the
situation.
Mynheer Joe nods bis hend.
"It is tbe proof I was looking for.
My suspicions now have a double
foundation. 1 no longer grope in tbe
dark?I see."
One thing is as evident to me as tbe
nose on your fa<?e. You have a foe
who would hesitate at nothing In or
der to gain revenge. A fiend in mortal
shape for whom tbe tortures of tbe
Inquisition would lie too good!"
"Exactly! You understand, tills pat
ty does not seek my death, but would
make me a b.'tieous object for life
from whom women, and one womuu
n? particular, mast turn with shudder
ing horror."
lltuveu?. Joe, can you mean
Does not the evidence point that
way. The one wouiun to whom I
Li'.0 Ktnln in
this?is Molly Tanner. Who is it botes
me because she smiles on me. You
yourself, told iue this baron was u
human fiend who bad fought nutner
ous duels and who looked ii|>ou the
lives of his fellows as mere stepping
stones by means of which be could
climb upward!"
"Perhaps you are right, sir," bflys
Grimes, reflectively.
He canuot quite come to the convic
tion that a white man could be guilty
of such a dastardly piece of business.
And I grow more poslffve of It
with every breath tbat 1 draw. I have
not yet told you of the first cause for
?uch a suspicion that came to me"
pursues Joe. in tbe earnent way that
marks his advance always.
"Suppose you do?"
"When I jumped on the fellow who
7uil CTlVhlD? hVTe' 1 U,U8t sent
this vial iiyiug from his hund?see'
?nere ?: mi'iIca Iju- Haw i.i.,i
smashed. My idea, of course, was to
clutch hltn and toss the rascal through
the open window, but he squirmed
Hue mi eel. and hence I wns compelled
to deal hint several blows about the
r.bs to quiet him. it was during the
progress of this little campaign that
the fellow pave utterance to several
tries. He wn? not n Moor nof nD
Arab nor yet a fellah who called out
but n Hindoo, beseeching Hralima to
save him from the foreign devil."
Mr. Grimes gives vent to an exprc*
, n that marks surprise, and yet. be
ing a very conservative man. be I?
not wholly ready to agree* with bis
friend.
"You nrr sure there could bo no ml*
tnlvi1?" lie nftkft, rcnllxinp what tlii?
diarovery on the port of Mynheer Jof
really mean*.
"I can Hako my Ufc on It. Ilnr
lope traveled over IniHn and apent
mucli time nirons the nntlvea. 1 am
competent to Judjre. The man 1
towed out of the window na though
he tvere n bundle of atleka \va* be
yond all question a Hindoo, and th?
only om I have Mt to aU Cairo tow
been the fean wham yoa potato* oal
m ? foU^per of the boron, who woo
to proTC.ao valuable to blni when I*
reached W land of the Ganges.'
-TLm t most fetteTo It?that bans
la a flood In bio way So baa a loat
bead. too. for already baa be aeen that
yon are the man drsttood to give blm
the moot trouble In connection with
Molly, and be would in the atart knock
yon out of the race."
Mynheer Joe abruga hla aliouldeHu
**I oee rery plainly that I shall hare
to bo the death of thla, baron yet. or
else be must take my life. Think of
It. man: Ten hours a<o I did not
know he ezlated; now the world la too
small for both of us to lire.**
"Astonishing! Never heard of such
a rapid advance In my life!** declares
the other.
"And yet it la perfectly legitimates.
You understand that there la a differ
ence hire. 1 have known Molly. In
)ne sense, much longer than this man
has; yes. and hsve had a claim upon
her gratitude, something to keep bet
rstosd fixed upon me. so that she rec
ognized me at sight. Something tells
me this baron aud myself will yet
me?t face to face aa foes."
-ir you do, I trust your good angel
will be hovering near to guard and
protect. The baron is an exceedingly
langerous man. I have been wstchlng
him at my leisure here, nnd learned
enough to tell me that he Is unscrupu
<ous and crsfty; besides, his Govern
ment has surrounded him with a bul
wark of defense. You must not under
rate this msn, my friend, whatevet
?lae you do. He. is In the habit ot
having his own way with men. I have
<ecn numbers of those whom I be
lieved to be at least ordinsrily brave
ntn bow nnd smile before him. aa
though tbey actually feared his pow
>r."
"Bah! That is not in Mynheer Joe's
line at all. 1 am an American, and 1
bend my head to no man In obeisance,
with all respect to the crowned heads
?jt Europe. Let the fight come off
We shall see who wins."
The boron will, at least, have an ad
rersary in Mynheer Joe. wbo knows
oo fear?one who has met danger in
%U Its guises and wrested victory
from many a threatened defeat
When two such men meet in deadly
nrray, the result is sure to be Inter
esting?to those who may look on as
spectators.
Mr. Grimes cautions his friend to
sleep with one eye open after this
"Do you know what I've a notion to
to?" says Joe, deliberately. "Gather
up the remains of this broken vial,
wrap them up securely, and by special
messenger send. them to the baron In
the morning, with some such line as
this: 'First attempt a failure. Try
again, dear baron.* Or perhaps 1
might say: 'If you could only have
seen the chap who carried this plunge
through the window, baron!'"
Mynheer Joe is Inclined to be face
tious, but his companion looks further
and sees more clearly.
"That would be imprudent, my
friend." he says.
"Tell me exactly how."
"Well, you uuinask your batteries
and let him know that yon have dis
covered his advance. That is what we
call bad policy in a game."
"Ah, yes, I begin to see already."
"Far better to keep him in Ignorance
and then you have the advantage.
He may never kuow that you suspect
him. Let it be set down that some
rascally robbers attempted to get in
your room and you fired 'em out"
"I had au Idea, you understand, that
by letting this man know 1 was on
to bis game 1 could hold him respon
sible for the future."
"Nonsens*! The baron would be re
sponsible for nothing. He's as slip
I>ery as an eel. Depend upon it, you
can't meet him squarely. But If you
ever get the better of hlin, it will be
by usiuft his otvu weaitons."
There is sound advice in this, which
Mynheer Joe may prolit by. It must
not be understood that he is ignorant
of such characters. He has met all
hinds and conditions of men during
his years of travel, and even among
the blacks of tlie African wilds been
comJK-lied to overcome strategy with
the same tactics.
After a little more talk, Mr. Grimes
retires to his room, aud Mynheer Joe
throws himself down upon his cot
again. It Is hardly probable that the
sain* intruders will attempt anything
more in that line, ut least cot on this
ulght.
ITo be Continued.]
Cuts mill Uo(? In China.
r.l.-.ck dogs and cats are the favor
ites in Cl.iua In the line of food, be
cause when eaten In midsummer they
are believed to Insure health and
ttreuglh.
Couldn't Let a Sparrow Suffer.
Here is the story of a simple, ever,
day hero.
Stretching from a tall sycamore
tree to another tree In one of Phila
delphia's crowded squares was a
tangled kite string.
Flying across It a sparrow had one
of its wings caught, and the poor bird
fluttered in the air helpless and
screaming.
William Dayton, a sailor who had
Just come to port in a coast vessel,
was one of the sympathizing crowd
who watched the bird.
Then up the sycamore he went,
easily and gracefully, although Ire
knew it was nt the risk of his life. As
he reached the top. seventy-five feet
above the pavement, the branches
bent beneath his weight. Crawling
cautiously on a limb he caught the
string and the sparrow was released.
The spectators cheered Dayton's
act and a collection was raised for
him. He was rewarded also by tho
Pennsylvania Society for the Preven
tion of Cruelty to Afilmals. The in
jured bird was carod for In the near
by police station until It was able to
Qy again.
Legal Document Drawn In 1789.
J. H. Staples of Brunswick, Me., har
a plan of 1.000 acres of land belonging
to the original Cathance mill prlvl
lege. The plan was drawn by Nathan
Winalow and beara the date of Jan.
6, 1768. Much of ft Is v*c faded as
to be illegible, but other parts are
readily made out
umcnnuL
flpny three time*, flnt, Just as the
bloom Is falling. next In eight or teu
days. and then la ten day* the third
time. Ton will atver fall In having
plenty of froit free from being faulty
when following the a bore plan.
WaynCMf Wwfc
Spread out the wlnf and dip about
four er flee lnchea off every other
feather. This Is quite as effective as
clipping the whole wing and doesn't
detract from the appearance of tbe
fowl, a consideration to a fowl lover.
This method is, I believe, original with
me.
To friiiit Ohtoku Ckcltm.
Clean quarters, clean feed, plenty
of gravel and charcoal and pleuty of
range are the first requisites. Give a
quart of strong poke root tea to two
gallons water or milk once a week tbe
year round, with a well balanced feed
ration of corn, oats, wheat or rye, and
an occasional hot bran mash. Follow
tbe above and you will uever be both
ered with that dread disease, cholera.
To RMkiiyw Flirt.
Remove the grease and dirt from
your llles by washing them in warm
potash water, then wash them in wnrusj
water and dry with artificial heat;
aM, place one pint of warm water in
a wooden vessel and put In your files;
add two ounce* of blue vitriol. fine!y
pulverized; two ounces of borax, well
mixed, taking care to turn the files
over, so that each one may coine in
contact with the mixture. Now add
seven ouuecs of sulphuric acid mid one
quarter ounce elder vinegar to the
above mixture. Remove the files af
ter a short time, dry. sponge them
with olive oil. wrap them in poron*
paper, and put aside for use. Coarse
files require to be immersed longer
*ian fine.
To Drire m Vicious Cow.
It is often necessary to drive a sing'e
cow or steer some distance, and it is
sometimes a difficult task, especially
where the animal is wild and unruly.
A good plan is to tie a small rope
around each fore foot. an.', one rather
loosely around the body at girt, pars
ing the ropes from feet through the
girt and taking the ends in hand be
hind the animal. A light pull on either
rope will stop progress, and if tbe cow
goes too fast pull both ropes and slie
will instantly kneel to your wishes.
A few minutes will teach her to drive
anywhere at 3-our will and you are
safe from the most vicious one. as
you sre behind her and can readily
keep yourself there. While going
along quietly tbe ropes are slack and
not impede travel in the least.
Prepare For Tomato Blight.
Tomato growers sH over the country
complalned of excessive blight last
summer, and as this is one of the dis
eases to which tomatoes are subject.
It is well to be prepared for It by ad
vance knowledge on the subject, hence
this nfticle. Tbe disease may he easily
recognized by the rusty patches on
the leaves, the under sides of the leaf
showing dark brown spots. There is
but one remedy which has proven of
value, sad that Is the Bordeaux mix
ture, using the 4-4-50 combination; that
Is, four pounds each of sulphate of
copper and fresh lime to each fifty gal
lons of wster. The mixture should
be applied by spraying as soon as the
trouble is noticed, and regular appli
cations made at the interval of two
weeks until tbe plant outgrows tbe dis
ease and becomes so strong that it
.will not be Injured.
Wkat the Horn Known.
The horse does know a few things,
though some of us seem to question
this fact at times.
He knows when one speaks to him
kindly; and although some so-called
human belpgs may not always appre
ciate the kindly tone, the horse always
does.
The horse that trusts bis master will
do anything he can for hiin. Aiul that
Is not tbe promise of a politician, eith
er. The horse will do it, or die. About
as fine a tribute as I ever beard paid
a horse wns the statement of bis own
er that be was sure tbe animal would
leap straight out of tbe back door of
a basement barn ten feet down if told
to do so. True, faithful animal! And
yet some men abuse him!
Tbe horse knows the way home, no
matter how dark it may be. nor how
far he may have traveled from home.
His driver may trust blni to make all
the turns and reach bis own stable
safely.
Hny Hop*.
The following sketch shows a good
plan for a hay rope. Tbe cut describes
It better than words. Tbe piece marked
with an X Js tbe floor of barn. One
extra pulley is used, which Is fastened
to the singletree, tbe rope goes around
It, and is fastened back to floor, as
shown In cut. Thus you see, as the
ropr goes out of the l?nrn double, tlio
home has to an only hnlf ns far n* ho
does in the old wny, when the end of
rope in tied to Hingletree. I vine uiy
rope In thin innuner nnd And Hint It
pull* no harder, and, n? the horse goes
only hnlf ns fnr. n lond inny ho thrown
off mueh quicker thnn hy the common
wny.?8. V. llnrtsoek.
Rroiim In CaWra.
One of the troubles of the former or
dnlryinnn who rnl?e* the en I von born
on the fnrm I* scour*, nnd mo?t olive*
have a touch of It. bo inntter how well
they are oared for. The u*e of dried
kJood in this trouble is very general
?nd la most effective when properly
used. There have been ninny rase*
of complaint regarding It, but the trou
ble waa due to Improper feeding. Only
? small quantity Is used, not over a
taaspoonful at a time, and 11 must al
waja be well b1z?4 with the allk ?r
other food glTtn the coif. It ahonid
bo fed dally on til the animal rowwi.
So highly is dried Mood thot^ht of
In some dairy districts It Is fed to cow#
and cattle aa a tonic given In the grate
or other mixed food aa with the
calvee, and In quantities of a boot aa
ounce to each feed. It la not a good
plan, however, to feed It as a part of
the regular ration for either cows or
calrea. bat rather to nse It- for the
calves when they hare scour* and for
the coirs when they seem to need a
tonic.
VntlllMra Far Tomato**.
While there is conshlmltle moncj
In growing tomatoes for the csnnerief
in Home section*. the work Is not sc
profitable In others. The grower musi
get the largest possible crop, of course,
hut he must also get a well ripened
crop, and to do this he must use #
fertiliser that will give him the <Ie
sired results. The following forinuK
has been successfully useil In soil :ba'
was fairly rich by the annual appSI
cations of stable manure: Take !KV
pounds of acid phosphate. 800 |?onud?
of cotton seed uieal. 200 pounds ol
high grade Kulphate of potaidi and lOf
pounds of nitrate of soda. Mix thor
ouglily and apply broadcast at the rat*
of .*00 pounds to the acre. Some man
ufacturers of fertilisers sell a mixture
especially for tomatoes, but iu tests l?3
the writer it has been, found that tin
mixture here given produces the besl
results and at less cost. This is basef
.on experiments made on rather light
sandy loam, which has been fairl]
well manured for three yearn previ
ouk In the growing of corn, potatocr
aud clover. Buy the ingredients sep
arately. If possible, and mix them a*
home. The cost will l>e less than ii
the mixture is made on your odrer by #
a manufacturer.
Killing Off Old Htnii.
After an experience of a dozen yean
in poultry raising, all the way frou
raising the mongrel of the harnyarf
to raising thoroughbreds wLicb solf
for enormous sums, the-writer ha(
reached the conclusion that the Ider
that the so-called old hen is a profit
less bird is not correct. At present
we have a large number of five-year
old liens on the place, and the last
winter all but one of them has laid
?s many eggs as the pullets, and tlieii
eggs were much larger. True it ir
that their lives of usefulness ar?
nearly over as egg producers, and thai
fhey will not bring much of a pr'ci
in the carcass market, but they have
paid well enough to have kept theic
even though their carcasses do not
bring enough to pay for killing them
While it is not advised that all thf
hens be kept until they are five year?
old. it is claimed that there is toe
much of this turning two and three
year-old hens into the market to iuakt
room for pullets. Treat the hen as an
individual. If she lays as well ei
better than the pullets, keep her for
laying. If she falls off perceptibly
when she is iu condition to lay. market
her. The same rule should be applied
to pullets, lor there are many that ore
so poor layers thot their greatest value
la In the carcass market.
The Coinnrrrltl Onion.
Although this voriety, the Commer
cial, is put on the market for the first
time this spring, it has been tested
for several years by onion growers in
different parts of the country, who
pronounce it an exceedingly valuable
sort. A single row on the test grounds
of the writer yielded at the rate of
over 000 bushels an aere, and while
this might not be possible very often,
under Held culture on a large scale, it
shows the productiveness of the va
rlety. Commercial Is nn Improved
Prissetaker, nrul 6.iid to Lave been se
lected from (lie latter variety for
breeding purposes. In size the Com
mercial Is not quite as large as the
Prlssetaker, but It is more uniform, of
better quality ami ranks first in tho
line of keeping sorts. In color it is a
beautiful yellow, anil will attract at*
tentl^n on the market. The illustra
tion will give one 11 fair Idea of the
form of this new, sort, which is worthy
of test in any section where onloiw
may be protitably grown for market.
Kconotny on the Farm.
If many farmers would use more I
economy on their farms than they do,
there would be less heard of the ex
pression that "farming does not pay/*
On many farms, while the owners
make a profit in some tilings, there a re
many others that are at an cxprnse j
sufficient to coiipunu' these profits, ami
often greater. Where there is no econ
omy there is no pay. One of the
economies, 1 think, which needs to be
learned is in the management of stock.
Many farmers keep more horses than
can be profitably employed all the
year. Many farmers run several
tonms through the plowing season,
Which tVill not exceed four months, to
cultivate their crops; the balance of
the year one team is sufficient to do
the work anil all others are Idle. A
horse will eat at least calculation, $1
pe? week of feed, which Is just as
good as cash, allowing nothing for ao
cldetits, disease, dca.th and possibly a
depredation In value. All through the
winter, weeks and sometimes months
pass without getting horses out except
for exercise. The time and labor of
keeping the idle teams Is worth some
thing. not counting feed. If we les
sen the feed our teams become poor
and unable to do a full day's work.
Again many farmers keep too many
useless cattle, carrying them through
the winter with scanty feed, so that
they vre worth no uiore In the spring
than they were the previous fall. It
would be much more profitable to the
farmer to sell off all but what he need*
and buy good food for the balance, if
need be.?Epitomiftt
Oraval OmJ.
The air Is full of talk about good
roads, writes T. E. ltlcbey.. in The
Rill torn 1st. It is "good roads, good
roads'* everywhere you go. But isn't
It about time something practical was
coming to pass? All talk with no re
suits amount to nothlug. so let us get
down to the root of the matter. How
?re we *? really have good roads?
Well, I have seen many plana tested
but this is the best of all: Make good,
deep ditches on each side of the road
to carry off all water In digging the
ditches throw all dirt Into the road
and add enough from other sources tc
elevate the roadbed to a good height
above the ditches. The roadbed should
be eighteen feet wide, and should be
highest in the centre and sloping
slight!? each way so as to drain all
water into the ditches. Cut dowu the
hill and till up the hollows. As a rail
road company had rather pull a train
four miles up a steep grade so it Is a
vast deal better to observe this rule
for wagon roads. And now to make
the roads permanently good gravel
them good. Better macadamize them
if at all practical. But at least gravel,
and that with thoroughly good gravel.
If parts need tiling be sure to tile tbtui
and do this properly. Let every hour s
work be well done. There*is vastly
more truth than poetry in the old
adage that "what is worth doing at all
is worth being well done." Fill in all
small ruts when they first appear. It
is much easier done then than when a
foot deep Besides, it might save a
wagon or buggy wheel from being
broken or a horse from beiug crippled.
It might even save a human being's
'mb or even bis life.
Important* to Rural Dlatrlcta.
Martin Dodge, Director of Publ?c
Itoad Inquiries in the Federal Depart
ment of Agriculture, recently made an
address, in which he dwelt upon the
importance of roads to the rural dis
tricts. He spoke of the concentration
of population and wealth in cities. lr
virtue of an economic law which can
not be resisted. This is hard on the
country communities, but something
may be done to offset it. Cheap trans
portation is profitable alike to city and
country. But in the country the ve
hicle propelled by animal power ovei
an ordiuury road is about as expensive
as It was 100 years ago, costing ter
cents a mile for passengers and twen
ty-tive cents a ton for freight. Bui
by the concentration of wealth in the
towns the couutry i? deprived of the
means of making the roads as good ai
they should be. New boards of trad*
and chambers of commerce in the clt
ies are ueginning to declare that they
are willing to contribute to a genera/
fund for the purpose of improving the
highways of the country, no part of
It to be used in* the cities. Mr. Dodge
also spoke with approval of national
aid to road building.
Ancient Md Modern Road*.
Among the men whose names wil
live as long as civilization exists if
that of John Lt, Macadam, the road
builder. Not only has his name be
come a part of the English language,
but the kind of road which he built
lias been adopted by all civilized na
tions. The ancient Romans built
stone roads, but they were different
from and vastly more expensive than
the macadam roads of modern times.
They built a substantial foundation of
rock, sometimes several feet in depth,
and then covered it with a pavement
of large. Hat stones. 'This kind of road
will outlast any other. Indeed, souk
parts of the Appian Way, the building
of which was begun three centuries
before Christ, are still in use and in
good repair. It remained for John I,
Macadam, a modern Englishman, tc
prove that the great expenditure ol
time and money required in the build
Ing of the old ltoinaii roaus
Jy wasted, lie demonstrated that a
smooth, hard, enduring road could be
built of crushed stone a few im-hes ir
depth, properly spread and con:p.;< ?!
on a foundation of earth.
I'< ill Ming ftoaria Right.
Albert Lewis, of Bear Creek. Pa.
who makes his winter borne in Kt
Augustine, Fla., has set au cxamph
in road Improvement which may Iw I
followed adxantageously in one degret j
ami another in many parts of tin |
country. Mr. Lewis likes to drive 1
lien he came to St. Augustine, ac j
cording to a dispatch trom thai city
he found such poor facilities for hii
favorite sport that 1m> bought a boil'
1000 acres of land at Moultrie Point
built a fine drive to his property, anc
is now building public roads in tlx
neighborhood of his own drive. A'
his own cxpcimc and using his owe
improved road machinery, he is ro
builditig the Moultrie road, and ha?
planted along a driv of alsurt livi
miles cabbage palm trees, lie liai
also shown a disposition to give ma
terial aid to tli" county authorities if
their work on the road. One msn o>
that kind is worth a hundred resolti
lions and is a splendid example o)
enterprise and vigor.?Southern Pam
Magazine.
Mont I in port n fit IJiir*ll<in>
Colonel Klllehrew considered tin j
io.nl question thr must important nm
before tin* American public. Loading j
tho world in everything else, tin ;
Cultcd States wiik last.in good roads
)Ii> argued that if the *ISO.OOO.OO*
which In* claimed had boon practically j
wa*t?d on rivers and harbors had beef I
expended on wads, the <"Oiintry would
be much better off. Mont State roa<f
iaws aro farces and of tfie $110,()00,(H)(
wasted annually Tennessee wastei
nearly $4,000,000. Colonel Killebrew
advocated (ioverniuent aid in build
iug roads.
A New KyMrm.
Tbcy are discussing in England i>
new system of road balding, whicl;
would save a large percentage In till
cost of construction. Instead of tlx !
present method of convex surfacel ,
with a putter at each side it Js pro i
posed to build concave road* with ?
gutter to the middle. ^
THE PEACH AGAIN.
The time is to come when we are to
lave the peach again. as in the old
(ays wheu we were boys. We know
sow to treat the trees now; so let ui
*et to work and put In a few peach
roes every year, on some northern and
^astern slope, where a warm si>ell in
winter will not be apt to start the
iudf. Get the best sorts, and take
rare of tliero. and we will have peaches
it our own raising.?F. H. Sweet
BLACKBERRIES TAY.
Perhaps it is safe in asserting that
.n pro|M>rtion to labor and capital in
vested no crop pays so large a profit at
)lackherries. Growers who complain
hat blackberries do not pay should
irst estimate the expense. There sr?
blackberry fields that havj borne crops
Tor ten yearn, which have never re
reived a pound of fertilizer or munure,
md outside of cutting away the old
Mines, with rough cultivation ki tli<
spring, have received no labor. What
olackherrlefc would do for the grower
if treated like stra ?v berries is yet to
">e demonstrated by some.
NOT TOO THICK.
It Is not well to hare the plants too
?lilek in the hot-bed. Those removed
nay be transplanted in flower |K?ts,
?gg shells, old fruit cans or tfmall
noxes. and If well cared for they will
srrow fast and l?e of fair size wtim the
time arrives for planting them in the
garden. Tomatoes and early cabhnge
may be thus treated, and it will be
found of great advantage. Age assists
greatly in hastening the bearing period
)f tomatoes, and by giving tlie plants
care in the beginning, such as covering
them at night, they may be grown out
in the open air without fear of danger
should the nights become cold. The
(tame plan may be pursued with many
Miter vegetables.
PRWNING ROSES.
EverhloonmV roses, the trees, are
benefited by a good pruning. If rut
hack to about six inches of the old
wood, strong new shoots start out and
furnish abundance of bloom. In the
more northern States the plants are
usually winter pruned. I. e . they freeze
down quite closely to the ground; in
that case all that is necessary is to eut
* way the injured portion. Further
?outl>. where t(ie wood is not frozen,
the bushes shoiSld be cut back about
nue-lialf. Hardy roses bloom better
for more moderate evtting. Yellow
roses scarcely ever need any pruning.
The whole matter must be regulatml
by habit of growth. Trim to iipat
?liapely appearance, taking out all
dead of diseased wood Just before
growth starts in spring.
STRAWBERRIES.
Are you arranging to set out a new
patch this year? It will paj- to do It,
and will also pay to set the very best
plants obtainable. "Blood will tell,"
and it is true of strawberry plants as
well as of everything else. Were the
strawberries mulched Inst fall? If so.
nil right, if not it will pay to mulch
close around the hills and thoroughly
between the rows after they have been
3Ut. The berries will be much cleaaer,
and far less liable to rot if the season
strawberry grower attributed much
r?f his success to his management of
the vines when in blossom, never al*
lowing the sun to shine on them three
?Jays tfi succession without thoroughly
sprinkling them. If you have a hose,
sprinkler" or sprayer, try it and note
~ults.
A COMBINATION LADDER.
A new ladder especially adapted for
fruit growers' use has been brought
to our attention by one of our sub
scribers in Colorado, and from the fact
that it appeals to us In every way wo
lire glad to call our readers' attention
to the siiuie and illustrate the same
herewith. As will be noted from the
Illustration it is a combination of the
llep ladder, top picking ladder un?l
scaffold. The three combined in one
and with a weight of only thirty
COMBINATION LADDER.
pounds for the rutin- outfit. In the il
lustrations yon will note that I'ig. I
the ladder'is in use as a stop bidder
in picking from low limbs or around
tin* tree, while Fip. 2 tiu? same ladder
will. seen fully extruded for top
picking. No. 1. 2 and It combination
form a scaffold, which is hiind.v for
various purposes and is complete h.v
using extension in Fig. 4. We consider
it one of '.he best Inventions that linw
come to our notice.?National Fruit
U rower.
Meil*l? for M iit>l< lnri?.
Those present at the Klgar Festival
Concert at (Movent flnrdcn were set
wondering as to the medal* worn by
Mine. Clara Hutt and Lloyd Chandos,
the same being more noticeable on the
gentleman's black coat than on the
lady'* evening dress. The medal i?
one presented J?y the Worshipful- Coin,
pany of Musicians for the host muni'
clan of a year, arid-while instrumental*
1 ists. composers, etc.. can boast of it?
possession only three vocalists have so
far been honored with its presentation,
viz., Mme, Clara Hutt, Miss Muriel
Foster and Lloyd Chandos. The orig?
innl medal presented was a large one,
And In the ease of the popular tenor re*
fcrred to was taken away by burglar*
at hiij house. The Worshipful Com
pany of Musicians then decided to
Strike a smaller one. to be worn ou nil
?pedal occasions by the possessor*.?
London Tit Bit*. - ?.