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SOYE RANGER ST I- . i J oai ? r Ihe M of the Western Prairies. BY WELDON J. COBB. . CHAPTER VII?Contlntio<T. Their hands rmd eyos mot Ono glance at their resolute faces told that t)yko Despard need havo a cam for himself when these two mon started upon his trail Romember,* spoke the scoot, "thfs 19 ao ordinary venture. I realise and am ready for It,* replied Darrel sturdily. ^Already Despard has crossed the dead line of civilization and Is among the bad lands to the east.* Then we can follow him there.* Yes; only he Is at home and among friends, where the white renegade and the red warrior will alike be banded ?galnst ua Patience, courage, and craft can alone bvercome our enemies. * "I will dare It all for the sake of the Imperilled girl we seek to save," cried Darrel, enthusiastically. "But you are ill from the wound you received?unable to proceed on the trail until you are recovered.* Not so, Darrel,* replied the scout "The herbs I have taken have restored snr strength." Then we start At cmce. One hoar later, mounted on two superb steeds and fully armed and equipped fbr the expedition, the old scout and his yoang companion set forth upon the most perilous and momentous adventure of all their eventful lives. rwapticr vmr, OK TUB TRA TTThe night was bright as day as Dar? tel and Kanger Ealph rode from tne little town at Miners' Galch toward the hills to the east in the near distance. As nearly as possible, the former in* formed the scout of the course Despard had taken in carrying away the recaptured maiden, Inez Tracey. They soon found themselves threading S rocky defile, along which the practical eye of the scout discovered evidences of recent travel. "They have come this way,n he said to Darrel. "Then we may overtake them." "Not so easily as you think." . "Why not?" "They have a fair start of us, and once in the mountains it will be difficult to follow their trail." The landscape became wild, and at times almost impassable, as they pro ceeded on their way. At midnight the tcoat came to a halt, utterly at fault. "We are in a quandary now," heremarked. "How?" asked Darrel. "Here the course diverges The-outlaws may have gone down the valley to the wilderness beyond, parsed through Vie gulch yonder to the outlaw country, or struck direct through the hills for the Indians." For nearly an hour they reconnoitered % short distance in each direction. The scout's face showed a satisfied expression as he returned to the head of the canyon. "Have you learned anything?" asked Darrel, eagerly, , "Yes?" It "What Is It?*, > Thla * f" The scout snowed a ribbon, which Darrel recognized as belonging to the jiress worn by Inez Tracey. * ; "Do you recognize It?" asked Ealph. /? *Then the Indian country is our destination. They are carrying the girl to fthelr old-time allies, the Modocs." Darjel looked deeply concerned, but the scout seemed more encouraged and vigilant than ever, and urged his horse in a more ranid rate of speed. I Tbe morning light brought them en*' couraging traces of the persons they Sought. They were toiling up a steep ascent, when Darrel found a piece of bridle rein. It evidently belonged to Despard's band, and they pressed on, confident that they were on the right trail k, "Beyond here the mountains com^ to 4 stop," remarked the scouk + * ' ? '"And beyond that?" f ?Tralrie and forest, and the camping grounds of the marauding bands of savage*. Ha! smoke!" t As Banger Ralph spoke, his companion discerned a slight volume of smoke emanating from eome rocks beyond them. . They drove along as rapidly as the broken roadway would .admit. At a turn a scone of wondrous beauty and extent held them momentarily spellbound. The mountain of stone shot down hoer a thousand feet perfectly perpen cUcular, ana Deyona 11 siretcnea a wooaed plain far as the eye could reach. There seemed no means of reaching It xcept by a toil9ome ride to where there was a more gradual descent. "Look," spoke the scout suddenly. Darrol thrilled to keen excitement as he glanced at a point some distance be* low them. A body of horsemen wore jnst disappearing into a dense stretch of timber. "Despard and his men!" he cried. "It must be them." Then they have escaped us. " "3?ot necessarily, the trail will be better on the lowlands than here 1 think I know Despard's plans." "What are they?" To rejoin one of his old allies In sta^e robbery and war on the settlements. "An Indian?" -Yes." Whn la hu?? "Shadow Snake, the Modoc warrior. What Is that?" Dlroctly before them, emanating from rocky defile, sinoke ascended?the same they had observed a few minutes previously. Can it bo a party of Indians?" askefl Darrol. I think not. It is probably the deserted camp-fire of Despard's band." Both men halted perp'exed and bewildered, as they traced the smoke to its Source. At a cave-like aperture is the r?cKs. a large amount of bushaa and reeds and leaves were piled. These had boon rocently ignited, and dense volumes of smoke issued from the heap. The two men gazed at one another in the profoundest wonder. "What dees it mean?" asked tlr? mystified Darrol. *T /U l;nnw.rt "You think Dospard's men built the Bro?" >' . "Yoi: fir thoy molt have recently passed tb;) spot. 0 "For what purpose?" "That I cannot telL " "Tbon lot ui ascertain.Tboy dlamounted and approached the cave. Both started u a low wail, like that of a person exhausted by pain, eemed to emanate from .the smoking cava "Do yon hear that?* cried Darrel, excitedly. "Yes." "Some one Is In there!" "Probably a wild beast that they tried to smokfijoutl" ? Tho cry was repeated?agonized, muffled, but still parfectly distinct Darrel Grey turned pale. "It Is a woman's voice," he gasped,! wildly. "All! Halph, If it should bo ? "Who?" "Inez. ** The scout started. "So, n&Ttney wouldn't dare to kill th? girl that way." "You do not know them. No crime 19 too deep for these inhuman ghouls. Quick! Aid me* I must know who Is in that cave." In a moment they were at work tearing and dragging tho half-flaming mass from the mouth qL the carcrn. Even after they had removed m mo place was so filled with smoke as to choke and blind them. Still, Darrel did not delay, bn* dashed recklessly forward. A cry of horror and yet of relief escaped his lips as he saw a hnman form lying on a pile of leaves. It- was that of a woman, but It was not Inez Tracey. Instead, the dim Mght of the cave showed a faco dusky, though beautiful ?the countenance of an Indian maiden. She was bound hand and foot, almfost suffocated by the smoke, exhausted, dying, threatened by a terrible death when Darrel found her. He lifted her bodily In his arma and bore her to the outside air. In profound amazement Banger Balph stared at the strange figure. Darrel released the bonds that Secured the girl. Her wild, haunted eyes swept his face for a moment her bosom heaved, and she grasped his hand in the deepest Amotion. "The White Fawn win never forget yon!" she uttered, In a gasping cry of gratitude. "Who Is she?how came she here?* asked the bewildered Darrel "Ask her; she speaks our language. It seems," suggested the scout The Indian girl shrank back at the words; she shook her head vehemently. "Tho White Fawn has her secrets, and will not tell them. Bat when the day comes when the Black Crow stands face to face with her again, let him beware!" "Despard!" ejaculated the scout. "It was he who shut her up in that cave to die. See here, my girl, we've helped you out of a difficulty; will you return tho favor?" Tho Indian maiden did not direct attention to the ranger, but fixed her eyes with a devoted light on the face of Darrel. "The White Fawn would die to serve the young paJe-faco," she said earnestly. "Then lead as to the prairies below," spoke Darrel. She sprang bafore his horse. Follow!" she said. They obeyed their dusky guide, who led them from the spot with the swiftness and accuracy of one familiar with the locality. " Not a word wa9 spoken until they reached the base of the descent to the plain below. The broad prairie, with Its wooded stretches, lay before them. As far as one of these the girl accompanied them. Then she turned as If to leave them. Suddenly she paused, in a listening attitude. Then she sped lightly through the timber. "She will return," said Ranger Ealph. "She has discovered something, you think?" asked Darrel. A minute later the Wthe figure of White Fawn reappeared. - - " <-?* -t. - IJ "A camp 01 inenaiy oioux, ~ sne saiu, briefly. "They are on their way to the reservation- ' They are my friends. They go my way. Come; your horses shall be cared for, and you shall be fed." She led Darrel's horse by the bridle until they reached a spot where about twenty Indians sat around a camp-fire. The savages greeted them in a friendly manner, and they remainod for an hour with them, securing valuable lnformar tlon as to the country around them. ' ' J They were Informed that the roving bands of Indians were ma9s'ng their forces under the leadership of a chief of the Nez Perces, who was urging them to a general attack on the settlements of the pale faces. It was as they were leaving the ciimp that White Fawn claaped the hand of Darrel Grey In a warm, earnest pressure. "Yon have saved my life," she said. "White Fawn never forgets friend or foe. Take this, and in your hour of danger, it may serve you, if you ever fall into the hands of Shadow Snake or his tribe." She flitted away ere Darrel could asK for an explanation of her strange words. Ho regarded the singular ornament she had given him, as his horse started away. It was a piece of Indian chalkstone, with some strange characters engraved upon it, and bound together by a chain made of the rattles of a snake. Little did either of the men dream of its future value to them, or of the effect upon their future the mystery surrounding White Fawn was destined to exert They were now compelled to exert caution In their movements, and kept to the timber as much as possible. The information they had received led them to believe that their enemies had gone to join tne savages, massed in camp at the Pueblo River, forty miles across I the country. To reach this they would undoubtedly have to pass through much danger, and it might be impossible to follow Despard's trail clossly. Several times that day they saw vagrant parties of Indians in the distance, but concealed themselves until they were out of sight "There are two points for us to remember," said the scout that evening at dusk. "What are they?" asked Darrel. Thirst, to attemDt the rescue of Inez and remove her to a place 0/ safety." "And the other?" "To reach Walford the Recluse, to whom Inez's father left her fortune, before Despard learns where he Is. We are likely to encounter many dangers ere wo accomplish it, and must be wary, for we may come upon our enemies at any moment." "Hist!" They had come to the banks of the river and wore waiting wane the horses drank. Sheltered by a little clump of trees they could scan the stream without being observed. Darrel had uttered the warning word as he saw a canoe coming down the btream. "An Indian," breathed the scout "Silence, till he passes." They remained perfectly etlll as the canoe neared them. Just as the boat came opposite them one of the horses hoofs gave way under the soft turf fringing the stream. Hia foot came down with a splash into the water. The Indian in the canoe started, glariced toward the thicket and evidently saw his ambushed foes. With one wild veil he abandoned the canoe and sprang Into the water. Instantly the cry was answered by a score of voices both up and down the stream. They seemed jfco accompany their owners toward the very spof where Darrel and the scout were at that moment. "Cross the stream," spoke Ranger Ralph quickly. "We are aurroundad and that is our only means of escape." CHAPTER IX THE MODOCS. Eanger Ralph directed his horse across the river and Darrel Grey followed mv-. , I closery after mm. The stream was very deep at Its center, but the horses breasted the swift current and landed- them safely on the opposite bank. "Dash straight ahead," shouted the scout; "it is our only chance." "No, no! look, Kalph; there Is a campfiro in our path." The ranger brought his horse to its haunches and glanced quickly and concerned.y about him. Behind them and on both sides tho wood3 seemed filled with yelling Indians. They had been attracted to the spot by the warning cry of the Indian in the canoe. Immediately after discovering the strangefcuChe savage had disappeared, and doubtless reached his companions who were hastening to the.thicket. "Dismount!" ordered the scout, in a low tone. "Wo are in a scrape and must make the best of it." "Shall we abandon the horses?" queried Darrel. "For the time being, yes," replied the scout. "The Indians are coming. We naa oetier separate.Kanger Ralph suddenly swung himself cp by the branches of an immense tree under which the horses stood. Darrel Grey sought to follow his example, but, bewildered by the excitement of the occasion, delayed a moment too j long. Three stalwart savages suddenly came into view. That' they had discovered him, the J yells of the Indians instantly informed I him. He started for the river and ran down its banks swiftly. A cry of concern broke from Darrel's lips as he glanced ahead. Several other Indians were running in an opposite direction. He was completely hemmed In, and there.seemed no means of escape except & wild dash inland, which action would expose him to the fire of his enemies. He cast one quick glance at the treelined stream, and determined to trust himself to the water. Then Darrel dropped out of view and began to wade out into the swift central>current of the river. He could hear the savages talking excitedly, and apparently making their way toward him. Near the shore the drooping willows afforded a sneiter irom their prying eyes, but that he would not long bo safe there he fully realized. He thrilled to a now idea of safety a3 he saw an object floating noa? him. It was the canoe that the Indian had abandoned, and It was upside down. Instantly Darrel conceived a daring plan of eluding his enemies, at least temporarily. He dodged down and came up with his head under the canoe. Then he stood In the water perfectly motionless. The savages came down to the edge of the stream and began searching for him. He could discern that they were making a thorough quest, and that finally t"bey divided and proceeded up and down the stream. When all was silent he ventured to withdraw his head from the canoe and glance about hiin. No one was in sight In his near vicinity. "If I could locate the tree where Ralph hid himself I would rejoin him," he soliloquized. Just then, however, as he glanced at the opposite shore, his eyes met a vision that startled and enchained him. A camp-fire had been built, and a large number of Indians were busy putting up some tents. Near the fire stood a savage, evidently their chief, directing their movements. There were two white men near him, and they were conversing with.himDarrel started'as he recognl2ed theml One was Dyke Despard; the other was his accomplice, Jim Dantoo. Even as he watched them, bo saw their two comrades of the previous day pass, leading their horses. On one was seated a girlish forni. The heart of the young scout thrilled to wild emotion as he caught sight of the beloved face of Inez Tracey. *V?i-? rtowin n ni?lcAnar n Vm "OllC IS 1U UUU VCKJLU^/y IV JSACOVUWtj UV breathed. "I will rescue her, or die In the attempt" He dodged down again as, asainst the the light, he made out a savage form coming down the banks of the stream. In a moment Darrel was in his old position under the boat He believed he was as safe as before, but he learned his error a moment later. The boat was suddenly pulled toward the shore, and he knew that the Indian he had seen was its former occupant. Darrel quickly comprehended the situation. Dodging down under the water, he remained there for a moment Then he raised himself slowly. The savage was adjusting the canoe a few feet away. Darrel crept cautiously toward him. A brilliant idea, to enter the Indian camp in disguise, had entered his mind. Seizing a heavy stone, he dealt the savage a terrific blow. Tho latter fell tttf +.V* q frrnon bu uuo givuuu niwu u? "Victory!" mustered Darrel, excitedly. "I will yet rescue the Imperilled Inez!" |TO BE CONTINUED.] World's Fair Medals. From present Indications the medal? awarded to successful exhibitors at the World's Columbian Exposition, which closed in October a year ago, will not be ready for distribution before February next. Similar evidences of superiority of exhibits at the Antwerp Exposition, which has just closed, have already been delivered, and the same is true of the awards made at the exposition at Lyons during the present year. The delay in the matter of the delivery of the World's Fair medals Is attributable, in a measure, to the rejection of the St. Gaudens design on the score ol National modesty, and much valuable time was lost in the efforts of that distinguished artist to modify his design to suit the Ideas of Secretary Carlisle and the members of the Senate Quadro-Centennial Committee. As is well known, Mr. St. Gaudens failed In his artistic efforts and his designs, original and modified, were rejected, notwithstanding he Kaon A^nnA fni* tho anmo I AJUO UCtU y l*A\L V UVUU fcuv The meaals are now being prepared on a composite design, the joint conception o> Mr. St. Gnudens and Charles E. Barber, chief engraver at the Philadelphia Mint. The latter made the design for the reverse of the medal, the original design of Mr. Bt. Gaudens for the obverse having been found unobjectionable. This muoh wa9 decided several weeks ago. Two or three months will be consumed, however, in making the dies for the medals. The contract for furnishing the bronze blanks and striking the medals has been let to the Scoville Manufacturing Company of Waterbury, Conn., at their bid of $22,000. There are to be 23,757 medals in all, each of which is to be three inches in diameter and seventhirty-seconds of an inch thick. There is j considerable work to be done upon them. and it is a liberal calculation that they will I be ready lor distribution by the Government i in Febniary next^^ Men Against Oxen. I Few people know that a man, bulk for | bulk, is stronger than an ox, but it appears '.bat istke case. The mutter was tested the jrher day at the Cumberland County (Maine) Fair, a feature ol which was a contest of a ,-oke of oxen against an equal weieht of lien. A drag was loaded with granito ilo.Jks, weighing in the aggregate 4959 pounds. The yoke of oxen, that made the irial, weighed 3220 pounds, and twenty men, illowing 160 pounds to the man, were set against them. The men took hold of the Irag first, and easily walked off with it, covering a distance of ninety-five feet in two minute.". The oxen at their trial made but eighty-flve feet in the same length of time, and tne men were declared winners. The Latest College Yell. The "college yell" of a new institution est dedicated in the Indian Territory is the dian warhoop. rAv r> "j' 'i. ? .. ^ OSTRICH FARMING. SCENES ON AN OSTRICH CAMP IN SOUTH AFRICA. Habits of This Curious Bird?How the > Feathers are Secured?Savage Mode of Attack of an Enraged Male. YOU arrive at the Cape Colonyhomestead, a square,red brick building, with a sigh of relief, and glad to be out of the blinding glare and sandy plain. On every homestead the same familiar eights meet the eye. On the one side of the house stand the kraals; on the other, the shed and -wagon house. In front stands the dam, adjoining the vegetable garden and lands, with farther away the camp. Behind the house are the chaff house, tramp floor and butcher's shop, where the natives are rationed. In the camp run the large stock, cattle, ostriches and OSTRICH FARM IX SOUTH AFRICA. horses; and on the flats and mountains the sheep and goats. In this article I shall confine my remarks to ostriches. A well-fenced and secure inclosure is quite a luxury in the colony, and is only to be met with on the wealthier farms, the owners of which can afford to keep then in repair and to place in them stock of the more expensive kinds. Every ostrich farmer has his camp, which varies in size considerably, from 3000 to 8000 acres, and in it he keeps his 300 or 500 birds, as well as a few cattle and horses. A camp is always selected as being the best piece of grazing ground on the farm, and capable of holding more stock in proportion than any other part of the farm. Here the birds remain year in and year out, and are only collected and brought together, on the average, once every four months. These occasions are, let us 6ay, in June, to pluck the prime feathers. By these we mean the long whites, numbering from eighteen to twenty A XEOOP OP in each wing, eight or nine fancy feaxi i _ t i ?11 tilers anil it lew luuy Uiav;ao, an matu | at the same time. Four months later I the stumps of these feathers are drawn out, and two months later again?that is, six months after the primes?the short blacks and tail feathers are taken. Of these it is impossible to give any accurate number. As a rule, you' pluck as many as possible without inflicting pain on the bird, and at the same time leaving enough to keep out the cold. An ostrich, like most other animals, in its wild state is terribly afraid of man, or of any unfamiliar sight, and flees at the appealaiuce of anything new to its ken. When domesticated it becomes docile, and after a time assumes a position of authority and becomes master of the situation. *=p=^^ PICKING A BIRD. From June up to September, or, in fact, till Christmas, thousands of chicks are reared every year, and thousands meet with death every year from some form of accident. Chicks up to twelve months old die from various maladies, but seldom after they are full grown are they the victims of any sickness, death usually resulting from a broken leg, killed fighting, or from scarcity of food in times of drought. The nest of an ostrich is a very crude affair, consisting simply of a round I hollow carved out in the Fundy ground. Sometimes the female bird may be seen scratching in the ground j^reparatory to laying her first egg; but this is not often the case, the hollow gen- ! erally being made by the continuous j sitting of the birds on the one 6pot. One pair of birds will lay from ten to twenty eggs, but, as is often the case, three or four birds will lay in the one nest, thus making the number of eggs up to seventy or eighty. These, of course, have to be weeded out, as a bird cannot comfortably cover more than sixteen eggs, the remainder being thrown on one side and left to decay. Forty-four days is the recognized time to allow for hatching. When a nest is hatched* out the family are taken out of the camp, and brought to the homestead to be tamed where they come into continual contact with the farm hands, and are housed at night out of the reach of wild animals. During the summer months they will do -J well, but in winter, when food becomes scarcer, must be fed morning and evening on barley or rape. It is during the breeding season that the male becomes so savage, and his note of defiance?"brooming," as the OSTRICH ON NEST. Dutch call it?is heard night and day. The bird inflates his neck in a cobralike fashion, and gives utterance to three deep roars. The first two are short, but the third -very prolonged. Lion hunters all agree to asserting that the roar of the king of beasts and the most foolish of birds resemble one another almost exactly. When the birds are properly savage they become a great source of amusement? or, as some think, of danger. I have seen a bird so savage as to charge seven times in fifteen minutes, twice receiving the prongs of the fork through his neck. On horseback one is even more obnoxious to an ostrich than on foot, but, so long as the horse is not afraid and will stand up to the bird, there is no fear of an accident. As he charges take care to have your horse well in hand, and as the bird makes his first strike, catch him by the neck and hold on for all you're worth, till the bird becomes exhausted from fronf VwoftfVl an/1 fftllc The female bird is seldom vicious. When she has a nest or brood of young chicks one must be prepared, but her manner of charging and whole demeanor is a very mild affair compared to the male's. Perhaps it may suggest itself to some of my readers: what would result supposing three or four birds tackled you at once? It is a very rare occurrence for more than one bird to charge at a time. Should three or four male birds all imagine at one particular moment, that you are the meat of each one of them sep arately, they first of all tackle one another, the conqueror fighting you. Collecting birds for plucking is always a great day on the farm. Orders are given overnight to the Kaffirs and Hottentots to catch every available riding horse and have them saddled OSTRICHES. up and ready next morning at sunrise. This is done, and every "boy" on the farm who can find a horse is mounted, and a regular cavalcnde enters the camn. nndcr the superintendence of "De Boss van de Plaats"?the master of the farm. They split up into parties of two each, and start off in different directions to drive up the birds from the remote spots to which they have wandered. Warfare, of course, is freely indulged in. It is immaterial to an ostrich if there be one or fifty against him, he lights just as merrily. There exists a traveler's tale at home that, as soon as an ostrich catches sight of a human being, he turns tail and bolts in an opposite direction to hide his head in the sand. Another fallacy, equally devoid of foundation, is the belief that the female leaves her eggs in the sand to be hatched out in the sun. This is not so. The male and female sit alternately for fortyfour days, the male at night, the female during the daytime. As an nr+iVle nf fnnrl. an ostrich peer is. to my taste, the most nauseous of dishes, and far more suitable as an effective weapon in Chinese and political warfare than to grace a breakfast table. From all one had h<sard previous to becoming oneself an owner of ostriches, the actual piucking of the birds is very uninteresting and disappointing. The birds are all huddled together in a kraal?when every bird becomes as meek as a lamb?and are caught one by one; a bag or stocking is placed over the head and neck, while two experienced natives clip the feathers. During winter the birds must be attended to and carefully watched, as sometimes the weather is very inclement for weeks together? the thermometer often registering ten degrees of frost?and birds are apt to fall off in condition. If a bird once begins to sink in condition, the greatest difficulty is experienced in getting him right again, and often no amount of extra feeding will pull him through. ?Strand Magazine. Seeing by Night. Nocturnal creatures assume night activity for some other reason than that they cannot see by day, or that they see better by night. The bat sees admirably in the brightest sunlight, as any one knows who has ever teased one by poking a stick at it. It will open its mouth and make aD angry grab at the stick, when it is not near it by several inches. Professor Bolles says it is the same with the owl. They seo perfectly in bright sunlight, and better at night than most creatures.?Meehan's Monthly. Intensity of Confined Sound. The intensity of confined sound is illustrated at Carisbrooke Castle, Isle of Wight, where there is a well 200 feet deep and twelve feet in diameter, lined with smooth masonry. When b pin is dropped into it the sound of il striking the water 182 feet below can be distinctly heard.?New York Pispatch. JTorthermost Railroad in the World, j The northern part of King Oscar's i realm has often been called "Sweden's 1 America" because of the richness of the land, although it is still uncultivated. The poorer class of Sweden, however, preferred to emigrate to the United States instead of seeking new homes in Norrland, because that part of the kingdom lacked means of communication by land with the capital and the southern provinces. The coast cities suffered in the winter when ice covered the sea as much as the interior settlements suffered the year round. When it was discovered that Norrland has great hidden riches the Government decided to grant money for the building of a railway which shall connect the extremes of the kingdom. xjiis jxorinern xtuqk jume 01 i Sweden is now completed, and has just been formally opened by King Oscar. King Oscar is said to be Sweden's ablest orator, and ho made "the speech of his life." The festivities surpassed anything of the kind ever seen before in that country. The new railroad connects at Boden, near the Gulf of Bothnia, with the northernmost railroad in the world, running from the seaport of Lulea up to the Gellivara Iron Mountains, forty-seven miles north of the polar circle. This road has been in j operation two years. It may be considered the end piece of the continuous line of railroad of about 1250 miles long, stretching north and south the whole length of Sweden. '* 111," NORTHERNMOST RAILWAY STATION. Norrland provides not less than twenty per cent, of the lumber supply of the globe?or more than Canada and almost twice as much as the United States. The famous Gellivara iron mines, the largest in existence, are considered capable of supplying the world for centuries. The Pumpkins Hours lor Growing1. A. P. Anderson, a graduate studeni in the department of botany at the State University, has just completed some novel and very interesting investigations as to the growth of plants. In this series of experiments Mr Anderson has been studying the growth of the pumpkin and its vine, making use of his new electrical device for * - a xt. rrru;? measuring pians growiu. xmo wu? has been in progress for fully a week, and the interesting fact is revealed that the pumpkin itself does most of its growing after 7 o'clock in the evening and diminishes its activity as the sun rises and begins to act upon the leaves. From 9 o'clock in the morning until 3 o'clock in the afternoon the weight of the fruit diminishes, owing to the evaporation of water from the leaves of the plant. The | general results show that when the fruit grows most the vine grows least, and vice versa. The course of these experiments has been watched with great interest by the botanical department, as they cover a part of the science as yet very little known.? Minneapolis Times. C'arions History ot Bermck-on-Tireed. It will be seen that in the notice published in last night's Gazette as to the general form of thanksgiving for fho Kirr?f n. vniinc nrince. the old form is preserved, and that it is to be used in all churches and chapels in England and "Wales "and in the town of Berwick-on-Tweed." The announcement recalls the curious history of this old town; how, while England and Scotland were at variance, it belonged I first to one and then to another until Henry VIII made it independent of both countries?a curious isolation which it long preserved, possessing a Chancellor, a Chamberlain and other officers of a kingdom's, rather than a borough's, state. This was put an end to by the municipal reform act, and the name of Berwick-on-Tweed ceased to appear as it formerly had done on all acts of Parliament. It is presumably an oversight that it has not disappeared from these notices also.?London Globe. Assumed Names Must Be Familiar. "In assuming an alibis, Captain Henry W. Howgate did just what nearly all criminals who take new names do," remarked an old detective to a Post man yesterday; "that is, used a part of his own name. 'Harry Williams,' ? ? ???? -moo nomo Via lli? llOWOpupciD OUJ, true assumed in New York. When a man has to take an alias, he must have n name which will come quickly to his tongue until he becomes familiar with it. So he uses his middle name or a name similar to his Christian name, or sticks to his title in some way in almost every case. Sometimes he will use his wife's maiden name or his mother'i. maiden name. Many a crook has been caught by this."?Washington Post. A Rough Reminder. He said that he wanted to milk the cow once, just to remind him of the time when he was a boy on the farm. ?Judge. On a Chinese Gnnhoat. During my stay at the Kiangnan arsenal, writes Frank G. Carpenter, ? visited one of the Chinese gunboats^ which was made at Foo Chow. Mr? * A CHINESE MARINE. ; Cornish, the foreign adviser of the arsenal, -was -with me, and onr Chines? cards were sent into the captain. A moment later a round-faced Chinaman, standing at least six feet two, and weighing 200 pounds, appeared on1 deck. He bent over and shook hitf own hands at me in Chinese fashion,' and then asked Mr. Cornish and myself to step down into his cabin. This was a large room, built much like the saloons of one of our big boats. It was furnished with a number oz two- k foot tables, which stood against the" E walls of the room, between heavy fl armed teakwood chairs, so that as we B eat down each of us bad a table beside fl him, upon which later on tea and fl champagne were served. The tea was I given us in Chinese cups, with saucers I on their tops, so tilted into them as to I keep the tea leaves out of our mouths. H The champagne was served in little H glasses the size of an egg cup, and the B captain smacked his lips as the amber H fluid aadibly gurgled down his throat. H In the centre of the room as we en- H tered one of the officers of the ship H was sitting on a stool with a copper H basin in front of him and a barber be* H | hind him. The barber was shaving his H head and braiding his queue, and the H officer did not seem to regard oulH presence in the least. He rose andH^ shook his own hands at us, then bowed Hj half a dozen times, and then had hie^^ man go on with the shaving. There^B was, in fact, an unconventionalitjMj about the whole ship that ^as refresh-^B ing. A big mandarin was expected, flj and the marines were dressing them-^B j selves on board. One man pulled on^H ! his trousers as we came out of the^H | captain's cabin on to the deok, and^H another hurriedly got himself into his^H coat. H| ! The marines wore dark blue shirts^fl or sacks and blue pantaloons of wad-^B ded cotton, which were tucked intc^fl ! thick black cloth boots. The ehirt^H j were bordered with wide bands of rec^H I and were embroidered on the breas^H I with Chinese characters. I had one otflfl | the marines on deck photographed^B ! and I noted that his gun was ;a mnz^B J zle loader, though he was standing beflB j side a big Armstrong cannon at tfc^H i time. I aftewards got a picture pi whole crew with their turned-up strat^H hats and their light bine clothes, afljj they posed for their photograph o^H one of the biggest ships of the Chines^H navy, and I was struck with the nerv^H shown in their faces and the agilitjHfl with which they moved about at thei^H Cleveland Bays. , HH The name of the breed is taken froo^H | Cleveland, in Yorkshire, England^H where it has long been known, thHB term bay being added to indicate PBIZE CLEVELAND BAT. pffH prevailing color. The origin of tl^^H breed is unknown. They are snppos^^H to be a cross between the racehor^^9 ind the original breeds in the coantr^HH In color they are bright bay, wiHSH black mane and tail, black points a^^H usually a small white spot between t^^B bulbs of the heel. They are of mediu^^H size, weighing from 1100 to lflfl pounds. The head is of fair size, wi^^H an intelligent eye, finely arched nec^^H oblique shoulders, short back, loiHIH quarters and strong legs. gflflg The Cleveland bay is a general pt^^H pose horse, heavy enough for all dinar7 farm work, active, stylish afl^HE speedy. He is easy to handle, wHBH strong blooded and impresses characteristics on bis grade ofispri^^^B with certainty-. This breed has loHHH been popular in all parts of Euro^^^f for coach purposes and for light ar^^^H tery and cavalry. 4 Bicycles and Shoe Sales. ??9h In talking with a shoe dealer he vnnced a strange idea during the lowing conversation: "I tell you bicycles hurt the business, and the more bicycles HBH sold tho less number of shoes will^HH disposed of." "How do you make that out?" "Why, it's plain enough that peo^^^B don't walk so much since bicyAHH came into common use. It is people who walked before that bicycles now."?Hartford Post. Eels Clogged the Wheel. Eels clogged the water wheel Hallett electric plant, at Biverh^^^H Long Island, the other night, shut^^^H of the power anil leaving the plac^HSH darkness. Forty pounds of eels taken from the llume, many of being very large.?New YorkComi^^^H cial Advertiser. Eussia produces 111,6^9 barrel^f^H petroleum daily. flH