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w~f SUPERSTITIONS OF NINE. A Number Conspicuous In Ancient and Modern Speech. . Of all odd numbers the one which would seem to be the most conspicuous in ancient lore and modern speech and in allusions of all sorts, whether classic or vulvar, is ??. iWhether this is because it is a multiple of 3, a triple trinity, or not we need not stop to inquire. The connections in which f injures are yerv numerous and extraordinarily Iiraried. Ut old tiiere were nine muses and also nine rivers in the Infernal regions. In classical mythology we read of nine heavens 8md nine world3, and the hydra 1 ad pine heads. I In mediaeval times there wore pine "worthies of the world." ti places in this select assembly 1 differently allotted by different authorities, the usual division ! ring three gentiles, or paynims, three Jews and three Christians. Cue of the oldest English games is nine men's morris. It could he played either indoors or outdoors, on o folding hoard marked with the necessary lines and squares or on a "board marked out on field or down by stones or by cuts in the turf. Ir. Dorset they still play the game under the name of marnull. Nine appears frequently in popular medicine. A Sussex collector referring to the verv common rurai belief in the efficacy of passing a ruptured child through a cleft ash tree says that the patient mu6t be attended by nine persons, each of whom should pass it through the h cleft from west to cast. A Perth session record of 1623 refers to the preparation of three calces ' for some medicinal purpose from nine portions of meal contributed *^4>y nine maidens and nine married ^TWoraen. Threads with nine knots ^pand straws with nine joints are used r*or various healing purposes, while I nine Buoces6ive mornings are often vjpreacribed ior the performance of folklore ceremonies. f* The great Lambton worm, one of 4 yihe best known of English dragon vXmytha. had nine eyes and was fed from the milk of nine cows. Again, the same number is prominent in various common phrase* and proverbs. Nine tailors make a man. Queen Elizabeth is alleged te have once addressed a deputation of eighteen tailors with m ""Good morning, gentlemen bothT Even' one knows that a cat has nine lives, while the "cat'' that is \*d need for the castigation of evil-doers has nine tails. 03??* When Mercutio insults Tybalt r v .and the latter inquires, "What +hnn Trrfh me?" the "volatile but fierj partisan replies, "Good king of cats, nothing but one of your nine livea." Beywood, the proverb monger, has the saying, ""A * woman hath nine lives, like a cat," which will be news to most folkThree more examples may be giv en from a collection <of applications .of this remarkable number 9 which is not easily exhausted. Possession, >we often hear, is ""nine points of the law." A person wfc? has paid aorae .attention to his or h?r .attire i6 said ior some inscrutable reason te be dressed "up to the nines," while the . most startling event as but a ^nine ^days' wonder." The last phrase, though truer now than ever, was familiarly used, with many other still .current forms of popular speech, in the days of Chancer. London Globe. UnftMwibli Sot long ago in a -western market down I chanced to observe an Irisb' .man with a lire turkey under Kk saxm. The turkey was squawking end gobbling in a distressed way, a racket to which the Irishman did sot art first pay any particular notice. Finally, however, the disturbance got on the Celt's nerves. Giviing the bird a poke in the side, he -exclaimed: "Be -quiet! What's the matther wid ye annvhow ? Why should yez ;want to wa'k whin I'm willin' to carry ye?"?Harper's Monthly. At* It All. A wife had occasion to go out ta women's rotes meeting, so left t Cdding in the saucepan for her hu?> nd. When she arrived home she g^vent on with her washing and in|H?red how he'd got on. Very well," said he. "I thor^^loughly enjoyed the padding." "Good!" said the wife. "What did you do with the cloth it wee A^mled in HMB?lloth. my gal?" said hubby as he HHRactedly continued reading hie "Was there a cloth?"?LonH kllustrated Bits. An Exo?ption Not*d. |HHgUyer?Your nncle's will seems a perfectly legal document UhUh - will stand in any court I hEHBS! i no grounds on which to it. HBQK pointed Nephew?But you HMgBa id some grounds. Where BHMm a will there's a way, ybu BSHSra Lippincotfs. Barnato Won tha Bat. There Is a legend of an amusing competition in connection with a dlscushion regarding the financial value of literary genius. Barney Barnato. who was a genius, but not literary, began to chaff some financial journalists. "You bloom in* fellers don't ' know nothin' about literature. I'll back myself to write a little piece ; against nnv of yer." The challenge was laughingly ac- | cepfed. and a refer* e appointed. The | ! pajH'-s wci'o ilir.iwn into a bat. and I the referee, after analyzing tin in. said: i j "O ntlemcn. I am bound t> say that ! ! the palm must '.e awar \1 to Mr. ! I Barnato. His pie-e is terse, faultless j in form. irreprom hahle in matter. ; Yon you-selvts shall j.p.lge." And he | read < : ; the f?;!lowf?:g ? s'-ry: T f.r er.'se * ? pay to Mr. X. !v.c ?*?ro of ?: for ],' *! ess in acting :.s referee ; la t!?i.s i.-t'-r-s.' o< ::?-.e'l:'v.. a. i. i:at:::ato. , v m '.r.::r.i <>'.; 'y < *!f.r.:e:l i>y t! .* < ;p; r<. and tlio cheek was - !; ;. i red. London i -? p. t, "A f ..." '.i.i ;i banker, his r..: :. : ;? ! v nlepb.i. e suit!: . "'I rt:' v. > > 1 iif*Tin ytiti. sir. that i your !: u.-e - < n !*:*?* and fa t bunting 1 down.' "'Oh.* ?>i"'. the master, 'what a ter- ; rible it:isfijv: ;;ie! Hv.t r.y wife-is she \ safe:' " 'C'.'tp sefe. s r. She pat ort among . the lirst.' *"Ar?* itiy dau .liters arc they all right V* "'All r!.;' t. sir. .ey's with their mother.' "There was a p.;u-c. Then: " 'Ami v.! ;.t a'.out ir?y mother-in-law. Jame~V "'That, sir.' said the footuiRu suave ly, 'was what 1 wished to speak to you about. s!r. particularly. Your motherin-law t? lyin" asleep lu the third story back, r.rnl kiiowin* your regard for her comfort, sir. I wasn't sure whether I ought t"> disturb her or not sir.' " Lot Angeles T.mes. 1* Vnur Mm !?? Hour? "What is your shortest hour lu the day?" *?ked n business miu of an acquaintance. "Don't say you have none. Too have. although you may not know It. Everybody has. Of course, reckcrK-3 by actual measurement, each hour is com ironed -of sixty minutes, yet notwithstanding that chronological exactaef^s the hours vary In length. Mj i | shorter! hour is from 2 to 3 o'clock la i the uile.noon. I find uj>on Inquiry j that this is the fleetest i>eriod for many < . peopV. li my case so swiftly do ; those -sixty minutes hurry by that 1 try t crowd Into them as many -or j the d' ;agreeable. yet inevitable, things of life as l possibly can. If I "have to interview a l>on;, I see him then; if I have to visit the dentist, I 'do It then. That hour Is bound to slip away quickly, no matter what happens; therefore the agony of disagreeable scenes seems of shorter <boration." I "New York Sun. Naked Truth. As encounter of wits once took place ' between the late Eugene Field and a j Neft York woman. It was at dinner, and the woman was in evening dress, which was rather decollete. After a 6kirxnlsh between the twc relative to the respective merits of * well known author it would seem that Field came off second best v *>Qh, Mr. Field." exclaimed the woman exultantly, "you must admit that yon are fairly beatea sat your own game:" Field bowed politely mid. with a smile, promptly rejoined, "At any rate. Miss Blank. I have one consolation yon oan't laugh at me la your -sleeee." Upplncott's. Legend m* the VrcUt. Latin poem of the sixteenth century has a pretty legend df a violet that, lo mythological da ye, was a maiden called Ianthls, one df Diana'a nymphs. She attracted the :attention of Apollo, whose admiration she did not return, and. flying from 'his pursuit. Abe Implored Diana to destroy the beauty which occasioned her ?o much trouble. Diana granted her request and tucned her face te a dnll purple. Ianthia, however, soon regretted the loss' of :her beauty and was pining away with grief, when the goddess had pity on her and changed her into a flower, which still shrinks from Apollo (the sue) and hides ber modest (bead j in the shade. At Regular Rates. Miss Matilda Owens hnng on Che arm of the editor of the Lanevllle Bofie, to whom the had been engaged for three yeara, and endeavored to turn his fast toward the sky. "Jnst notice the moon, WlKamP* she said la a melting voice. "At the nsoal rates, Matilda, I shall be happy to do so," be replied. Tooth's Companion. Tee gtrenweus. "My son tells me you've discharged him." ssld the office boy's mother, "sod I think that's strange. Too ad rertistd for a strong Doy, ana ne certainly" "He's too strong, madam," interrupted the employer. "In the single day be was here be broke all the rales of this office and some of the furniture." Catholic Standard and Times. Eitduranoe. Btbd How long can a human being lire without food? Jack I don't know about human beings, but I know poets who hare been writing for years. Judge. It has become necessary to modify the old saying, "Lift la what we make it" Lift ti what we make ba It Los Angela* Times. A Myitirjr of Indo-China. The great mystery about IcdoCblna and one which must ever t?e Insoluble Is the story of Hie lost race and the vanished eiviliy.: Jion of that strange country. The lirghty walls of Angkor- I Wat. ri.-iivr i:i the midst of sparsely settled jr.:.remain as the nieuiorial of . -'ve.it empire which has utterly ; eer-d a-.':d is altogether lost to I: ; .""o one will ever know who | ; :! :< gigantic temple or i what : .* h a '<'-1 on his myriads of r> . ?:;> those immense h!.?f! s of j < ?v r thorn with the i o>t ..f s?-tt i?tnre?. Angkor-Wat was o,:e -f the mosf astor.- I Idling ironuineiits In ti.e w.'?;\:I. ant this f -? ?t*u let: v-" "v: ' ! nil? so as to ? :* :::<? long :! . e h itself were it :t-1 f t t.V 's <!e i t vo (''T1'* t ,%f 1 i* ! !lf(? oil 1^10 : strei/r .- t w. ti ? ; can nt!?e j Only a ' "y . .-ml very real thy peon'p ; . vo (; Angkor-Wat. a very til "ret from the Anriiuife of u: da* The wh !o n '.:! >:! has dis ;'toil as utterly as the httsy myriads who once j.oj*ulat"! the wast"- on! solitudes of Memphis. fi>.:r:. : !':ee ric<^k He Grt the T.-cut. A story dealing with a large trout i tVi-it v.-os ' r. / l'-M-'r nii'l frooiient- ! I.v told In "Ii"'.v to Fi-h: A Treatise : on Tront and Trout Fishers." This Is j the stnrj* "He vv jS ct hi: up and down, up anil doWI!. up a:.*: <\ v { ; ,-cts offered themselvi . hut r~ 't suited his composure that he should . ke a midge from the abundant-. One .- nth was casting at the trout; another was looking on. Sold "'a :;r-'? *, 'I'll have that fish whether lie takes It or not* 'How?' his friend askeu. "I'll throw the fly Into his mouth.' The l.out went on rising; the ang'cr wcr.t on casting. I perct'lved the r.ugier's notion. It was Ihut if he kept casting accurately and the trout continued to rlne In the tegular manner mentioned, the fly wouW ere long fall at the very moment when a midge was being taken. This reckoning was justified. I'M large trout was uooaea ana iudued by a By that had iwen cast Into bis WKHitK"" Old Fashioned Oratory. "We don't have no si eh forensic oratory as we used to have." said the old arttJer. "Lawyer* nowadays dou't orate. They only jost talk. "Take old Bill K. Simmons of Enu Clair. If Bill was defendln* n lowly chicken thief be'd sjK?ak with the tongue of angels. I'll never forg'.t the (peroration of his Impassioned philippic In the Clay Bull case ahout the jtolsoned cat. It runs like this here." The little, thin old man rose, reared back In a defiant attitude and shouted in me cracsea ireuie ui age; " 'Restirf upon the couch of republican liberty as I <lo. covered with the blanket of constitutional panoply ns I am and protected by the aegis of American equality as I feel myself to be, I despise the buzzin' of the professional inseck who has just sot down and defy his attempt to penetrate with pony sting the interstices of me impervious coverlnV " New Y-ork Tress The Log Dr'rwvr. The lire of a river Jog driver is a life that seems to get ht.,1 of one after a year or two. Yon are generally wet through for twelve boors out of the twenty-four. Ten of you sleep In a 12 i>y 15 foot shanty; yon live on fried everything, "black strap," treacle and stewed tea. You go to bed at 10 and g?t up at 3. You are everlastingly cursed and never praised by the foreman. Your Iff* is Id danger more or less all day Jong, and you never get more than $38 a month for work that Is worth $300. "Then why stick at it?" you say, and all I can answer Is, "Just give It a fair trial for a year, and then you'll know." jHd* World Magazine. Superlatives. Or Johnson says in his "Grammar of .the English Tongue," "The comparison of adjectives Is very uncertain and, being much regulated by com mod loudness of utterance, Is not easily reduced to rules." Then he quotes passages from "Paradise Lost" in which file words "vlrtuouseat" and "powerfnilest" are fonnd and a passage from "Samson AgonIstes" which contains the word "famonsest." Surely Milton bad an oar. Notes and Queries. Tough Fans. In n New Zealand town one of the municipal candidates, a pronounced Scotsman, had received a present of a huge Scotch thistle, which at the moment happened to be lying on the table of his committee room. A friend, A saw ^ COW tK/v entering, wauuim buuucui3, mui uid remark: MI beg jour pardon. I didn't know yon were at luncheon.** Too, Too Much. "Thank you, son," aaid old Tightflst to the boy who bad run several blocks on an errand for him. "Here's a penny fnr ye." "Don't tempt me, guv'ner," said the bright boy. "If I was ter take all dat money I might buy a auto wid It an' git pinched for scorchln'." Philadelphia Press. Ingenious. Servant (to artist returning from a holiday) There have been so many callers slnoe you left that I have been obliged to wash the names from the slate twice to make room for others. Pearson's Weekly. What Is the Answer? She That Is a woman whom I envy, and, curious as it may seem, she envies me. He How ean that bef She We were both after the same man and I married you. Illustrated Bite. / l C V. HOW VENEER IS MADE. An Interesting Industry Found l? Lumber Centers. How veneer is manufactured is a mystery to the majority of people. The industry is not only one of the chief occupations of Mattoon, Wis., but an exceptionally interesting one also. After a tree has been cut in the woods and brought to the mill on fiat cars it i< rolled into a pond near the mill. Logs arc hoisted from the ] ond to a drag saw. whe^? ti.ty are cut in to various lengt They are then put into a steatjf for at h^.-t twt 1,'iur- in <t >r to 11 the tiu.ix r. 'i ?:? stcaru box is a large iiox d : t!y b< l.iml the drug saw. into wl.a .i the t.r.h'T is piled. A two im U pipe containing hoi. s through which the -teaui can ?... 'I'". t m 1 i P i'i.? ?'ea.!n vv"i 1 I " ; box. At tin* end of twelve hour? ihe timber is remo\el ' r >:n the steam box. ai!' 1 then e ihe pToce?s (alb i i tvbng. Wit.i ~p i?Is ami axes tiie ' . rk is removed easily, for the timber is soft now and red hot. Tf is ikes: ready to enter the mill ( .id be out into veneer. The peeled log is hoisted on a onr e to the veneer lathe, and that is the last one sees of the log. When it onee passes this lathe it comes oat on the other side in long, thin sheets of veneer. According to thickness desired, it is cut from one one-hundredth of an inch to one-half inch thick and sixty-four inches long. As the veneer leaves the machine it slides along a table thirty feet in length. Ten feet from the end is the clipper, where it is clipped into different widths, an inch being allowed for drying. It is now ready to enter the drying process. The drier is eight feet wide and 100 feet long. It is a chain driven machine throughout, having four sets of rollers. In order to heat this drier there are 20,000 feet of one inch pipes passing through it aliove and below each set of rollers. The temperature must always l>e from 200 to 250 degrees. Veneer is put into the drier at one end, or, n other words, fed to the drier. While the veneer slowly moves through the machine it is also dried, so that it is smooth and dry, but very hot. The men in charge of the veneer at that end always wear canvas gloves to prevent their hands V ,1 l.l.o+n iron! OCCOmillg uurnru rtuu uiii-iv. ed, while the perspiration runs freely from their faces. It takes from fifteen minutes to two hours foi veneer to work through this drier one way. The second story of the local mill is known as the glue room. Here vrvi-or is glued together for f::mit. re fa iories, bordering pane.s foi dr?- M-rs and glass hacking. 'l i e machine known as the hv. dr.- lie veneer press is ten feet hi The veneer that has been glued for pant Is or glass backing is placed in this machine, and by pressure ot water in a tank beneath it slowly forces the veneer together until 11 is finr. and dry. Then it is rrmoved, packed a. d Shipped. Milwaukee Sentinel. . The Dwl Was Off. A Geiman university profeesoi received a large package containing six boxes of cigars, with a lettei saying: "Permit us to send you these six boies of cigars. We believe that they will give you everj satisfaction and trust that you will recommend them to your friends, Kindly send the amount, 6 marks, by poatoffice order/' The professor replied: "I hav? liAiin? ir, romit tr? VOll twflvf WS^< liWiivi w V j ? - dissertations, which will no doubl afford you the utmost satisfaction. Should you wish for more X am a1 your command. The cost i6 3 marke each." By return of po^t came the reply: "Be good enough to return the cigars. We send herewith the cost oi carriage and package. We are returning your dissertations/' On the Wrong Man. Bret Harte wa6 so frequently complimented on being the author of "Little Breeches" that he was almost sorry it was ever written, as was Secretary J in Hay, who would prefer his fame to rest on more ambitious work. A gushing lady who prided herself upon her literary tastes said to him once: "Mr. Harte, I am so delighted to meet you. I have read everything you ever wrote, but of all your dialect verse iii there is none tnat compares witn your 'Little Breeches/" "I quite agree with you, madam," said Mr. Harte, "but you have put the little breeches on the wrong man." Harrisburg Telegraph. To Eaoymon'o Diooomfituro. Mrs. Scraphard (after a tilt in which Mr. was not without honors) Mrs. Easyman, across the way, has got a bargain of a husband. Mr. Scraphard So? Well, then, Mrs. Easyman is proving to the world that there is at least one woman who can drive a baigajaw N orris town Timea. *T"'V \ V , ' :Z.t v ~ I S9XX?3 9%3?9XX> ||r~T t V * . V 111!!! fl Manufacture a 1 * Q CracK-s of Combined V cides. The i-'reat natural Too ;/C all soils and all < X I CEdKtFERT WM 00 Di.^nd j(i Lis uiuau CKAELESTI {? ! For Kingstree and vicinity thi i will be hand EARMERS St ? ?:?:@:@;@:?:?:?:@:@:@:<s iday in I Santa Ciaos' H ? ? J jgj \ We have all the newest i K (S> j of Xmas g-oods ever showi 1 V s i (?) t can buj' an Xmas present (?) \ apiece.' All we ask is for . ? } and see and be convinced. * * s 1 ? ? Asking a parte . @1 \ Old Santa i ? 1 t IlTstac 1 ? THE OLD RE : ?:@:? :?:@:?:?:?:?:?:?:i i i i ^WW\A/WWW\i lW>/V>AT/V>A/>/V>A I GOOD THIII X: | Fancy Cranberries g( Kalamazoo Celery Tj to Fancy Queen Olives Sr Monarch Tomato Catsup Poultry Seasoning g( oo' Tenderest Sweet Peas gs Sugar Corn PI ** Stuffed Dates J Cranberry Sauce Gi I Malaga Grapes Cr J Texas Pecans [PRIVATE E5TA1 YouJ don't want to run any Avoid disapointment. Leave ing is sold out the best. I AC D u r i O KMCSR1T.E. JOOOOOOOOOOOOOO r* J j | ' rs of j J Fertilizers- and Uermi- ; fS d Plant for all crops, i O climates. j X i B"ST ' I X ! FMUHGH. | Strppf ^ )N, S. G. 1 e Germofert Fertilizers [A led by Wi IPPLT CD. ; '% jj U ' \ . . s>:@:?:?:@:?:@:?:@:@ i nmnnT' x S...h| @ eadquarteis. | ind greatest display < J? * i in our store. On \ !?L \ A'ri from lc up to $10.00 j \ ffi 'i the public to call c ^ \ * )f your patronap?> J jgj Claus, j ? ww.Wv-www f ^ fKLEY. i LIABLE. S ! '.V > I ' vM 5<XXXXXXXXXXX iS to eat| mas 5 )ft Shell Walnuts X irragona Almonds ? Sr nyrna Figs g \/ irrant, Grape and i? C Quince Jelly ft jeded Raisins and H A Currants S X um PuddiDgs and 2 X Mince Meat V ape Fruit ? O ystallized Fruits ? ft mcy Assorted Candies ? A rE COFFEE. 8 risk for Xmas dinner.Q your order where noth-r5 ADAMS, 8 s. f. 1 O oo<xxxxxxxx$