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PlORAiCB In 3/ q rBf / -P./VTV .p fl /AORSt CIlAmK XVII. x FOUND. ; "I know him at last!" The fervor with which Arnold Dacre a ottered those sentiment words, held joy, amazement, and fierce reseutment com- e mingled. His eyes glowed, his fingers fc slowly clenched and unclenched, his nostrils slowly expanded, he fairly crouched,like a blood-thirsty ticer poised for a spring upon its unsuspecting prey. He had guessed the identity of the strange spy who had so annoyed, so per- r Unacinnslv shadowed him. He did not v positively know it?be did not recognize any familiar feature, only, as the un- o spectacled eyes camo into full view, a t flashing intuition, a shrewd surmise pro- 1 Jected the tumultuous, overwhelming query?"can this man be Ray Webster t disguised?" v The more Arnold Dacre thought of it, c the more certain was he of the accuracy of his conjecture. He reflected deeply for some moments. Then he went into t the tavern again. He proceeded straight to ihe landlord with whom he had made e friends before. Birds of a featner, the one an apt fleecer of customers, the other a a deft fleecer of outsiders, they were con genial spirits in any scneme 01 irauu vi cunning. i The ever-efficacious money bribe was brought into immediate requisition. Pressing a ten dollar bill into the fat v palm of the avaricious boniface, Arnold Dacre said craftily: Til double that to have a sample of the handwriting of your boarder upstairs?the blue-spectacled man." "Eh!" projected the landlord, "you I will? Well," with a chuckle, "you shall I have it." v He proceeded to the desk in one corner t of the room. From its depths he pro- t cured a dusty, time-worn blank book. "Haven't kept a register for ten / years," he grinned to the watching Da- i era "Guess I'll begin now. Here! you register." Arnold Dacre wrote his name. Several other guests followed. Sitting back ; In the shadow, Dacre started expectaut- ! f ly as the blue-spectacled man appeared, j J and walking up to the landlord, asked blrc II he couia waKe mm at earnest i dawn, and supply him with a saddle ( horse for a littla trip into the country. "Certainly, certainly," assented the * landlord heartily. "Oh, by the way, Mr.? "Graves, Georco Graves," supplement- c ed the guest. r "Good. Would you mind registering? You haven't yet. Thanks." 2 Without a thought of intrigue, the ' blue- spectacled man took up a I pen, and dashed off the required I * record. Then he went up stairs to his j * room again. Arnold Dacre fairlv sprung j 1 to the register. He surveyed the last j ' written line it bore with eager, scintil* ' lant eves. "It is he?it is Websterl George * Graves, or any other assumed name, 1 I ' tnAuM \r??r\\\r K<o V?or?rl urritinfr I ^ He has signed bis death warrant!" Yes, it was Ray Webster. There could 1 be no doubt of it now. "I want to talk with you," spoke Dacre excitedly to the landlord. Tbu latter led him to a retired room. 1 Arnold Dacre bad resolved to take no further risks. He ordered a horse saddled at once. Ho was going tD leave, but first did tha landlord want to make $50? 1 -r v Did he! The avaricious eyes sparkled gloatingly. 1 "You know tho man who lust signed the register?" "Yes, George Graves." *' "He is no more George Graves than J am." "No?" uttered the landlord, surpris edly. ? "No." 'J "Assumed name?" "Exactly." "Then " I( "He is an escaped convict, for whom the State ouers $50 reward." "What luck! and I'm to have it?" *, "It you follow my directions. Yes. Make no noise about it, but send the . con?tables to nab him and lock him up. I'll be back to-morrow and identify him. Can I rely on you?" " "Fifty dollars? Well! I should remark," ejaculated the landlord. One hour later, two constables were led to the sle^pinc apartmeits of favern by the landlord, and were Riven whispered instructions. They reap- t! peared an hour later. They had found the inmate of room 17 asleep. Intoxicated, too, it seemed, for they had to h fairly carry him to the jail, where he a now was, a safe prisoner, lie had made do resistance. a "Very good. Wait til! my friend Mr. Dacre returns to-morrow, and I'll toll you wbo be Is. Keep him close," ordered the landlord. Arnold Dacre had braved the terrors ?f a dark ruttv road, derpite the charcoal burner's warnines. He dared not 7 delay. Too much was at stake It was just daylight, when, after arduous exertions, he located the cave as b described in the duplicated verbal de- ti scription of the destroyed document. He penetrated it and lit his lantern, c He bad memorized the charcoal burner's v message. Step by steo he followed it. b Progress tallied with the directions. p He reached a cavity in the rock. His heart beat high. Here was the climax |, o! hope, or the depths of despair. He h extended bis hand witnin the orifice. It closed with a thrill over a soft, compact [ substance. n With a wildly-beating heart, he drew e it into view. With a riuciiiK cheer of the most extravagant delight, he seized e it He had found the precious missinc s package, at last! CHAPTER XVIII. * AT BAY. 'f It was found at last?recovered intact, t In the possession of the man who had s so sinned in striving for it?the precious 1 packace! 1 Yes, there was the same manilla covering, the identical string, the same bulkiness, Arnold Dacre thrust it into his bosom with a gloating cry of delight. He did not open it. What, need of that? Only too well he knew its con tents?the residue of the banker's ready | ' cash, and the lortune belonging to Flora 1 0 Merwvn, which tho dead banker had | ? brought to Ridgefield the day of the riot. v How gilded seemed the future now ? Wealth was Wis unquestioned. Tin; one S enemy he feared, apprehended by th< landlord, lav a prisoner In the town jail at Deepford. His spirits revived. He had but one longine now?to locate j 8 and secure Flora Merwyn. I g The old plotful nature asserted Itself, j a as he drove back the road he had tra- t versed the niebt previous. Yes, he must I 1 c ?i T.> I ? Iihf iv Vwi rfifi hf 1111 o'> Vfnu I miu nuia ituu uv. uv.v.v....... , Webster certainly knew. Could lis | wrest that information from him? j threaten, bribe, cajole? He would try it, p at all events. ' ? It was biirb noon when Dacre came P (n sight of tbe little town. He pro- " tended at once to the hotel. .Seated v p, -? ' 1 IWYNSFORTUNE. 35=^ ,t a sumptuous repast, ho was joined b he loxy-eved, sinister-faced boniface. "Well." smirked the latter, "you lool ,3 if things were going your way." "They are," acquiesced Dacre spiril dly. "What about the mau with th ilue spectacles?" "He as calls himself George Graves? "Yes." "He was arrested last nieht." "And is now in jail?"' "Exactly. I had it done quietly. H lever resisted. I didn't tell the officei vho he was." "Good!" cried Dacre, "that just suit oy plans,I wish to have a talk with hin icfore we send him back to tbe pen ,entiary." "By the way. I have found out som< hing more about him that may intcres ou," spoke the landlord, with a covei rin. "What is that?" "Yesterday be sent a little fellow froi icre with a letter." "A letter?" repeated Dacre interesl dly. "Yes. the boy delivered it. It was a . Innplv hut down Rideefield wav." Arnold Dacre's eyes flashed eagerly, "lie brought back an answer. Whe t came, you see, we couldn't deliver it. "Why not?" "Ha! ha! our spectacled gentlema iras in jail, see?" "Then you still have the letter?" "Yes." "Where is it?" "Here." The landlord handed over a raissiv( t was addressed to "Mr. George Graves Jeepford." Evidently, Kay Webster ba vritten to Mr9. Alden at the lonely co aee concerning Flora Merwyn, and d< ailed his plans, and asked her advice. Without ceremony or compunctior Arnold Dacro opened the sealed et relope. Eagerly he scanned the enclosure. It read: "Flora is perfectly well. I 'was compelled 1 ?n nil O.o Imt ImnHHf rontidoncfi i 'our plane, but begs you to be careful ac r.ary of the man you "are tracing? a Bhrew* leaftless villain." "Thanks!" muttered Arnold Dacr< vith a grim, bitter smile. "That moan oe? Now then," to the landlord, "ca rou tell me where this lonely hut is?" "Yes," and a brief direction followcc Arnold Dacre reflected for a few mc nents. Quick thoughts came to hi eady mind. lie had located Flora, she was i harge of a Mrs. Alden, unprotected ,lone, except for her guardianship. Like a general marshaling his force tefore a battle, the cashier arranged th arious complications in the case i iand. He held the advantage in ever vay. He had the fortune, could he, t ubtletv, force or fraud, win the girl? Evidently, a clear, bold, plan wa uggested to his mind, and he acted upo t. He looked up at the fox-eye ioniface. "I)o you want to make a hundred doi ?*?> U ~ iirs.' IJU iwn-u. "Me? 1 should say so!" "Very well. Didn't you toll mc yes erday that you were a justice of th ieace?" "I was, once. Yes." "Not now?" "No." Dacre's-brow clouded. Then he con inued: "It don't matter?vou were authorizci o perform marriagi ceremonies'.'" "Ortainly." "You could straiu a point, and per orm one now. couldn't you?" "But it wouldn't be lecal." "How is an ignorant person to kno\ hat? Once a justice, always a iusticc a! ha!" and Dacre slapped the hesitat UK bonlface familiarly on the shoulder 'Come, it's cash! Saddle two horses." "All right. I reckon you wouldn' ;ad me into any trouble." "Not a bit of it" An hour later, both men drove fror he tavern m ihe direction of Ridge ield. "Well, where now," queried the land 3rd. ' To the plaeo where the boy took th jtter," answered Dac re. "Mrs. Alden's hut?" "Yes." "Very well, only?" "Well?" "Don't vou want to see the prisoner ii he town iail?" "Oh! tnat will keep, until I return." Thev proceeded down the traverset ighway. At a point several milei head, they diverged. The >way wai artuons and difficult. Dusk wasfallinf s the landlord halted finally. ' There you are," he announced. "What? Mrs. Alden's cottace?" "Yes." "I don't see it." "That lieht straight ahead.^ "Oh, yes! Now, you ,wait here, wl! ou?" "Certainly, I'm under you orders." Arnold Dacre dismounted, and niadi is way through the tangled underbrtisl awards a distant point of light. lie advanced more cautiously as hi arae upon the vioe-embowered cottag* /hither Ray Webster had conveyed th< anker's persecuted daughter a few day revious. It's door stood open, and a lamp with a illumined the liviDg room of the hum ile hut. Peering past the threshold, Arnoh )acre s heart beat wiiaiy. res, tie ha< ot come in vain?he had not plotted fo rnpty results. A fair girl sat at a table shadine he yes with her hand, and reading. Her face was pale, the expression sad tricken, but resigned. She was alone, and in his lmpetuou riumpb. the plotter never heeded th iounds of low conversation emanatln rorn an adjoining room. With glowin ;yes and arms extended, triumph in hi .inister face, victory in his plottin jcart, Arnold Dacre sprang into th oom. with the wild, tumultuous cry? "Flora! I have found you at last!" [TO UK CONTINUED.] China Waking Uj>. China is about to reorganize her army oi ha llnaa r\f tho r?ArKMin mSHtartr nr?r rders for rifles have been placed In Gcr lany. Anew Chlnoso fleet is to bo con tructcd, half of the contracts for the nev essels going to England and half to Ger aany. The Armstrongs ^will supply thi ;uns for the new fleet. Reviving Croquet. Croquet eoems to be really taking hoi igain in England. They are playing th ;ame more this season than they aid last ind important matches are announced t< ake place almost daily for the next tw< oonths. Ink For ruWlc Uceorils. The Connecticut Legislature* recently u inw requiring me u.-<u ux omy suet aks on public records as have been ap roved by the Secretary of State. One him red dollars ia the penalty provided for th< iolation of the act. > WORK OF AMERICA'S HEN HER VALUE IS NOT LESS THAN AAA AA/\ VP A f"? M I C.Mn> Worth More Than the Entire Wheat Crop ( of the Country?Not So Far Behind the Earnings of the Railroads? Could Easily Buy Several States of the Union. H. W. Collingwood, of the Rural New Yorker, says in the New York y World: Mrs. American Business Hen is one k of our most useful citizens. She is a shrinking, unassuming creature, too 'r modest at times even to cackle over e the birth of her own egg, leaving that .? celebration to her husband; and yet Mrs. American Hen has been quietly paying off mortgages, driving wolves from the door and hatching out nest o eggs for thousands of featherless bi's peds. In 1890 there were in this country Q Is >> 0 SUPR^l I ? 258,871,125 chickens and 26,738,315 s jther fowls. In that year the Amerin can hens laid 9,836,674,992 eggs. It There are now 350,000,000 chickens, which will lay this year 13,750,000,s 000 eggs. These eggs are worth e ?165,000,000, and the poultry meat sold n during the year will bring $125,000,000, y which gives 3290,000,000 as a very low y estimate of the earnings of Mrs. 3 American Hen for one year of the .. I rrrfiftt, denression. d The 350,000,000 hens are worth $105,000,000 of any man's money, but I- we will not consider that, but take simply the earnings of the hen. The average length of an egg is two and '' one-half inches. The 13,750,000,000 eggs will, therefore, make a chain 512,218 miles long, while the total weight of this production of hen fruit is at least 853,125 tons. i- Does any reader of the World realise tvlinf this immpnsA nrndnntirm of ^ eggs and meat means to the oountry? Here are a few figures for comparison: .. Value of silver production 572,510,000 Value of wool cnp 38,146,459 Value of all sheep ?, 65,167.725 Value of all swine 186,529,745 v Value of mules 103,204,457 !. Value of horses 500,140,186 - Value of petroleum products... 62,383,403 Value of potato crop 78,984,901 Value of tobacco crop 35,574,220 . Value of cotton crop... 259,164,040 Value of oat crop 163,655,068 Value of wheat crop 237,938,998 Imports of coffee one year 84,793,124 n Imports of tea one year 12,704.440 !- Total of pensions 139,280,078 Total of school expenditures 178,215,556 |. Total interest onjmortf?ages? 76.728,077 Cost of i'ost office Department... yo,u^u,a9B Net earnings of railroads 823,196.454 Dividends on railroad stocks 81,375,774 The value of all gold produced in American mines in 1895 was $46,610,D00, and all silver $72,051,000. The value of all minerals, including iron, n gold and silver, taken out of Ameri Vassal^TW 0 ?T GIGANTIC UMBRELLA FO] p .. can mines in 1894 was $208,168,768. e Americans are given to bragging about our immense mineral resources, and yet you will notice that the hens paid for it all one year and had enough left to just about pay the interest on all mortgages! a Mrs. Hen will earn enough this 1 year to pay the entire State and county tax (which in 1890 was $143,186,007), and have enough left for every ' cent of pensions that are paid to old b soldiers. The average cow weighs 130 times a.s rnueh as the average hen, and yet all the milch cows in the country have d a total value of but $263,955,545. ? "Irs. Hen in one year will earn enough j to buy every cow, and put the entire 3 tobacco crop in her pocket as well. She could pay out of her year's earnoil + K/1 foo C&Twl 1 "mil f Iff? ed in one year and all the petroleum f products, and have enough left to buy i all the tobacco grown in 1890. The total assessed valuation of the followj ing States fall below the hen's yearly ) earniugs: \ t JMsw Hampshire, Nebraska, Vermont, Alabama, Delaware, Mississippi, Arizcoia, Idaho, West Virginia, Louisiana, North Carolina, Arkansas, South Carolina, Montana, Utah, Oregon, Florida, Wyoming, North Dakota, Colorado, South Dakota, New Mexico. Nevada, In other words, Mrs. American Hen , could buy any of these States from I .-.no voor'a ecrcr n.n<l nlliflken monfiT. ? -co * She conld buy in this way New Mexico, Arizona, Wyoming, North Dakota, Idaho and Montana all put together. The total cost of conducting the Postoffice Department last year was $90,626,296.84. Wo can pick out 50,000,000 of our best hens that will cover every dollar of this outlay in one year. The net earnings of the railroads in 1895 were $323,196,454. The railroad dividends paid amounted to $81,375,774. The American Hen paid nearly DAN HEN OVER COMMERCE AND AGRIC twice the profits earned by American railroads. The total earnings from passenger traffic amonnted to $261,!6-40,598, or less than that of the hens. It cost in 1895 slightly over two cents to carry one passenger one mile, .0184 of a cent to carry one ton of freight one mile, and ninety-one cents to run the average train one mile. One single hen, laying 150 eggs per year, could have 215 days of vacation, and -would still bo able to pay for carrying one passenger 100 miles, or for hauling ten tons of freight 10,000 miles, or for running ari ordinary train two miles. One hundred and forty such hens would pay the salary of the average teacher employed in the public schools, while seventy-five hens would pay the average pension to old soldiers. OMAHA'S IMMENSE UMBRELLA. When Raised It Will He 250 Feat Above the Earth. The last Paris exposition had its Eiffel tower, Chicago hail its Ferris wheel, Nashville has its giant see-saw. The department of concessions of the Omaha trans-Mississippi exposition of 1898 has also received an application lor space for the erection of a novel mechanical device. It resembles the framework of a gigantic umbrella more than anything else which might be mentioned. The part corresponding to the stick of the umbrella is an immense cylinder, thirty feet in diameter, constructed of steel plates firmly riveted, making a standpipe which rears its head 250 feet above the level of the ground. At the extreme top of this cylinder are fastened twelve long arms, resembling the ribs of an umbrella. These are steel trusses, reaching almost to the ground. At the lower \ THE OMAHA EXPOSITION. end of each of these ribs is suspended a car for carrying passengers, each car having a capacity for twenty persons. These monster ribs are raised by hydraulic power, acting by means of steel cables operating through the cylinder, aided by ft mechanism greatly resernb?.ing that portion of an umbreda which comes into action when the umbrella is opened. By means of this mechanism the gigantic arms are raised until they are horizontal, the cars in the meantime being carried outward and upward until they reach a point 250 feet above the ground, the diameter of the huge circle formed by the suspended cars Leing also 250 feet. When the highest point has been reached another mechan.-.sm comes into play and the suspended cars are swung slowly around in a circle, after which they are lowered to the ground. The sides of the cars arc of glass, so that the passengers may secure an extensive view of the surrounding country. The University of Palermo has about 1110 students. _ REMARKABLE PEAR TREE. Trained to Grow at the Side of a House in a Wonderful Way. One of the most remarkable of old trained pear trees that we are acquainted with is the splendid specimen of Uvedale's St. Germain at Wes ton House, Shipston-on-Stour, the residence of the Countess of Camperdown. The accompanying illustration is published in the Gardener's Magazine. Mr. Masterson, the gardener at Weston House, writes that "the tree is admired at all times of the year, but more especially when covered with large handsome clusters of flowers. In autumn, when laden with quantities of big fruits, it also presents an attractive appearance, and there are many who also admire the tree when tJae stems are Dare, ana certainly at this season it is interesting, as the training is very remarkable. The tree seldom fails to ripen a heavy crop of frnits, cropping right down to the ULTURE PICT0RIA1LY SHOWN. ground. It has never been fed or root pruned, and its roots are in the bed of the carriage drive, gravel also encir cling the stem at t,ne Dase, wnere it measures six feet in circumference. It is, however, very protable that the ; roots have penetrated a considerable distance and come into contact with the stable drains, thus deriving the nourishment required by so large a tree. The fruits are seldom thinned, / WINTER VIEW OF THE PEAR TREE. as the tree is so vigorous as to be capa-, ble of carrying very large crops, and' yet the fruits weigh from half a pound to one and a half pounds each. The total weight of the crop last year was two hundredweight. Many first prizes have been won from this tree, including firsts at the Crystal Palace in 1894and 1895." Qneer Flsli This. There is a new kind of fish on view in the Aquarium. It comes from Bermuda and is called the "trunk fish." Three specimens are on view. With a little stretch of the imagination the fish looks somewhat like a Saratoga trunk. It has a triangular cross section, its belly being flat and its sides rising from a sharp angle to a sharper edge along the back. Along these edges are queer flaps that resemble the ruffles on a sofa cushion. The scales are thick and hard. When viewed head on it looks remarkably like a pig without legs. Its tail does not seem to fit at all. The body seems to cut off abruptly some distance from where the tail should be and the caudal appendage stuck on wherever it would go.?New York Herald. Precious Manuscripts. Sir Walter Scott'B manuscript of "The Lady of the Lake" has just beeu sold in London for ?6450; thirty years ago it brought SI000. The manuscript of "Old Mortality" sold for $3000. Lord Nelson's autograph memoir of his own life, with some autograph letters, was sold ior $5000; twenty-three other letters of his to Trowbridge fetched $1400. Robert Burns's private journal, begun in 1787, "The Edinburgh Commonplace Book," brought $1815. Eight manuscripts of A. C. Swinburne, poems published in his first volume, sold fbr ?198. Garden In an Old Umbrella. Last summer au ingenious woman found an ornamental use ior au oia umbrella frame. A large nail was driven in the end of the wooden handle, so it would press into the ground with more ease, the frame was opened and the handle planted in the middle of a round flower bed. A pretty trailing vine that had a white blossom was placed where each wire rib of the umbrella came and twined around. Low flowering plants were placed around the remaining portion of the bed to keep it in good form.?New York Journal. The Firnt Prepiilcl Post. According to M. Piron the idea of a postpaid envelope originated early in the reign of Louis XIV. M. De Velayer in 1(563 established a private post, placing boxes at the corners of the streets for the reception ot letters i wrapped in envelopes, -which were to . he bought at offices established for i the purpose. And it is said that a Swedish artillery officer, in 1823, petitioned the Chamber of Nobles to i propose to the Government to issue stamped envelopes for prepaid letters. COLONEL TOM OCHILTREE, The National Character Who Jetted His Bills Through Congress. Colonel Tom Ocliiltree became a national character a few years ago wtyen he came to Congress as a Repre TOM OCHILTREE. sentative from Texas. He was conspicuous to look upon, and he rarely said anything that -was not conspicuous. He made friends and he was so good-natured to his enemies and so quick -with his wit that the men who were opposed to him were anxious to get over their tilts. He was pointed out on the floor of the House as the first native Congressman from hie State. It was also related that his district was wider and longer than many of the States of Europe, reaching over a territory of twenty-seven counties, and running from the gulf to Eagle Pass, on the Rio Grande. This area comprised 37,600 square miles. Ochiltree was practically the king of it. He was the only man in the district when power was in consideration. Ochiltree went to the top of capital favoritism at a single bound. He was a prince of story-tellers. The beauty of his humor was that it hit no one so 1 j :a u.-i.iv: rr~ ? :-l.? utt.ru a,? 1i> mi liiiiioeii. jj.c wao ? juac to himself. He rarely appeared upon the floor of the Forty-eighth Congress that he did not put the House into a furore of laughter. The country members used to declare that he was more fun than the minstrels. His bills and appropriations were jested through? the jest always bearing a strong argument why Texas and Texas harbors should be the especial care of the country. He called himself the "Red1 headed Ranger from Texas," and the title was enough to get him a hearing before the business committee. It was his custom to send in word to an important session of a close-mouthed and dignified committee that the "Red-headed Ranger from Texas" had a few remarks he would like to make covering a few points in a measure the august body had in its pigeon-holes. The admission of Ochiltree meant a good laugh?a long series of good laughs?and it is a part of Legislative tradition that the Colonel's stories have done for him what plain,' unvarnished and prosaic logic failed to do for others. ?Chicago Times-Herald. The Mystery of Heredity. Out of 222 pupils in the grammar schools of Chicago who attained a certain percentage of efficiency only twenty-five were boys. This would indicate that girls are about four times as bright as boys. It is hard to unstand these things and to straighten ap the rules of heredity. It is, we believe, an accepted rule that boys "take after" their mothers and the girls after their fathers. If, then, the 'women are the smartest, the boys, "taking after" the mother, should also be smartest. If the men are the smartest, then the girls," "taking after" the father, should be smartest. ! It is a difficult riddle to-unriddle.? Baltimore Sun. Moving Staircase for Passengers. A moving staircase for passengers, I n T i 11-? 1? | in tue suape ux ttu euuican icuiuci ucn j transferring them from one story to ; another, is now in use in some of the I great department-stores of Paris. It i is called a transporting carpet. End! less belts of canvas have been used ! for some time to corvey packages from place to place within the stores. WORLD'S BICCEST JUC. | Nearly as Tall as a Man and Will Hold 175 Gallons. As a curiosity there may be some interest in "the largest jug in the world," i but there is little use for such a receptacle. An Illinois pottery firm has conj structed an immense jug of the shape I onrl ormenMiicd r>f t.hfi familiar little brown jug of history. It is so heavy that several men would be required to lift it high enough for one man to drink out of it. It is almost as tall as a man, being sixty-one inches high. It is thirty-six inches in diameter and holds 175 gallons. The jug is perfect in every respect, and expert potters have declared it the finest piece of workmanship ever seen. The owners have been offered handsome sums for the jug by firms desiring to use it for advertising purposes. It is no small task to finish a BIGGEST JCG EVER MADE. vessel of this size, and the greatest care must be taken, for if a single flaw creeps into the clay it is liable to burst when being turned and create great havoc in the workshoi). An octogenarian vagrant was lodged at a St. Joseph (Mo.) police station one night, - ... i ( VHHHN MUST HAVE COMPANYMHMB A safer world this earth would be If every Joking elf On folly bent WH Would be content To frolic by himself. . > ; %. The man who loves to rock the boat nas never yei oeen juiowu To drop into The briny blue' While rgwing oat alone. The_"dMn't-know-'twas loaded" flendf Would free us from much care If he'd explode ? That rusty load Out in the woods somewhere. vgfl The scorcher racing with the wind, Whom all men dread to meet, Is joyless till He tries his skill Upon the crowded street. ?Washington Star. PITH AND POINT. "Pretty Polly!" said the lady. "Gal Polly talk?" "Polly," replied th< Boston parrot, "c$n converse. "-J Indianapolis Journal. * | "Whut some folks call 'er hopeful disposition," said Uncle Eben, "ain' nuffin' bnt laziness an' trustin' ten luck."?Washington Star. Hicks?"Have a good time outridi ing this evening?" Wicks (neophyte> ' ?"Not so good a time as the peopli who were watching me."?Boston Transcript. "Even a fly can do good by getting a man awake in time to attend church. 1 "Yes, but it doesn't put him in th$ proper frame of mind to go there. Chicago Eecord. "He is one of the leading lawyerB of the town." "Gets pretty big feefl, eh?" "I should say so. Why, it i4 almost as cheap to buy the grand jury as to hire him."?Truth. "I'm so grateful to Mr. Chumpleight for sending me his photograph,? "1 "Why, I thought you hated him.'* 1 "Yes, but just think, he might hare brought it."?Brooklyn Life. "There is one thing I cannot over* look in a woman," said Mr. Smalley. "What is that?" asked his friend. "A high hat in a theatre," said Mr, Smalley.?Washington Capital. "Are you one of the striking miners?" asked the woman at the door. "Yes, mum. I'm what dey call a pioneer. I struck thirty years ago and I've never give in yet."?Detroit Free Press. Mrs. Gilfoyle ? "Mrs. Bargain -r-r _ <1 numer is a morougniy consiswm woman." Mrs. 'Kilduff?"la she?'* Mrs. Gilfoyle?"Yes; she is. She has marked her five o'clock teas down to 4.57."?Pack. A?"Well, how did you sl?ep last , " night? Did you follow my advice and begin counting?" B?"Yes. I connted . up to 18,000." "And then you fell asleep?" "No; then it was time to get up."?Tit-Bits. Mr. Failupski?"Ha! ha! Ho! hoi" Mro "Failimsfei?"Vot is der choke. Isaac?" Mr. Failupski?"Dot baper brints der notice of my assignment nnder der heading of 'Business Troubles.'"?Puck. She?"How would you punctuate the following: 'Bank of England notes of various values were blown along the> street by the wind?'" He?"I think , I would make a dash after the notes." A ?Household Words. "They say people in this countr^^M spend more money on bicycles thai^B^H bread." "That's queer; Bicyclesca^^^B be eaten." "I know; but then peo* pie can't show off with a loaf of bread."?Chicago Record. "Any fool can write a novel," said Griggle; "yon can make things comd * out just as you want them to." "Very true," replied Dixon, "bat you must admit that there are some fools who do not write novels."?Boston Transcript. "Do you always say your prayers at bedtime, Mary?" asked the Sundayschool teacher affectionately. "No, miss, not regular, I don't," was the reply. "Why, Mary, are you not afraid to go to sleep at night without asking a blessing?" "Not when I sleep in the middle, I ain't, Miss."? Household Words. Snail Farming. ./ Snail farming forms a pecular branch of agricultural industry in France and other countries, and the consumption of them in France is very large, says a contributor to Chambers's Journal. "Eflihle snails varv trreatly in size; the large white ones are the real escargot, bnt this term is usually employed to designate all edible snails adapted to table purposes. But in the markets, besides escargot, there are two other varieties known as limace and limacon, the former being of medium size, and the latter quite small. Though the great majority of the edible snails J produced in France are of natural M growth, their artificial culture is carried on to.a very considerable extent. JP They are propagated from August to October in ground especially prepared ^ for the purpose, and fed with cabbage, ^ Clover, etc. .uuniig me wiurei iucj I are sheltered in houses composed ol brick or wood, and they are gathered and marketed from April to June. In the Tyrol from June to the middle of August the snails are collected from every available damp place and taken to the feeding ground near the owner's dwelling. This is a bit of garden ground, free from trees and shrubs, and surrounded on all sides by running water. In this feeding ground are little heaps of mountain pine twigs, mixed loosely with wood moss, and these twigs when dry are f/vnlono/1 lvc fresh nnes. Everv da\ ",l"uvv-" *v V they are feil 011 cabbage leaves and grass, and when cold weather sets in they go under cover?that is, thej collect under the heaps of twigs and bury themselves up for the winter. When this has been successfully accomplished they are collected, packed in perforated boxes lined with straw, and sent off to Paris and other towns. Have Fish a Memory? A distinguished German professor I thinks be has succeeded in proving I that fish have no memory. The seal J of memory in man and other animaW JH high in the scale of being is supposed Mg to be certain cortical centres of the brain. The learned professor hasy^H shown that no such things exist in fish, and he regards that as ccncluJ sive. Yet the layman may venture to inquire whether all animals depend for the same functions upon the same r>r<rona Porliflnsfish are distinsruished w*eMUI" * v*?sr sprofessors, for instanc#, who do nol think ^ith their heads. t y j