Historical Newspapers of South Carolina

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tttffc? THE NATIONAL BflNKOFfl?QUSTA L. C. HATNK, Pree't P. G. FORD, Cashier. (apita!, $250,000. Until vided IT..il ts } ?110,000. Facilities of oar magnificent New Vault containing 410 Safety-Lock Boxes. Differ ent falzes aro offered to our patrons and tue public at $3.00 to $10.00 per annum.. THE PLANTERS LOAN AND SAVINGS BANK, AU (i? ST A, GA. Pays Interest on Deposits. Accounts Solicited. L. C. Hayne, President. Chas. C. Howard. Cashier. VOL. LXVII. EDGEFIELD, S. G.. WEDNESDAY. JULY 2. 1902 NO. 27. THE CHER? ^ By OWEN That scar? You see only the end of it Fortunately by wearing a high collar I can just conceal it; but it ex tends from the neck (close by the jugu lar vein, too, my boy) down over the shoulder quite to the breastbone. A tiger did that-a royal Bengal and a beauty he was, I tell you. You can see the skin any day in my married sister's sitting room. But it's a story quite worth the tell ing, and it has a fuuuy side, too, that was thought quite woru repetition ot the time in the English papers, though they did not get at the inside facts of the adventure. It was the period of the hot season stagnation when we were in the con sular service at Madias, you know. The English society (including the few Americans there) were doing little else than to sleep and yawn to pass the time. But everybody, the men especially, were galvanized into excitement when the news came that a ticer had car ried off first a woman and then a child during the previous week from a sta tion about fifteen miles in the interior at the foot of the mountains. Time was when this would have been a sort, of cvery-day announcement in ? India; but of late years these monsters had been killed off except far in the interior wilderness, and it had already become a rare event for one of these royal fellows to issue from his jungle kingdom. At any rate, things had got to such a pass of mental torpidity that we need ed only the slightest straw to grasp at for the sake of excitement. In half an hour a hunt had been agreed upon, and servants were fiying everywhere about the town to arrange the details and secure accessories, such as teams and wagons, native porters and beaters, and in the cool of the evening fifteen or twenty gentlemen , sportsmen wero engaged in oiling gun lochs, swabbing out rifle barrels and preparing generally for the morrow's expedition. It was just dawn the following morn ing when .ve started-a curious caval cacte of fifty or more, in which the white faces were largely in the minor ity. Some were on horseback, some in carts drawn by bullocks, which, in that country, were very different from what are known as such at home. About a mile from Madras there was a little bungalow, commanding a view of the sea, which had become a sert of house of public entertainment, popu lar with the better class of residents as a resort for tiffins aud such little ex cursions as we would call picnics. We had hardly entered thi when a silvery feminine laugh .Qur.-ear^ cqminc, Oi>ni-ihe"dire the native ncuse. The major, beside whom I 1 ing, perceptibly started at th? and glanced at mc. I in turn inquiringly at him. "Don't you recognize the vol asked. "No, I cau't say I do,' ? answered. "Whose is it? Surely'urns of mine host Singh's family have such a sweet thrill." "I should say not, decidedly!" as sented the major. "But I must be wrong if you don't recognize it-I thought it for all the world like Miss Bradford's voice." I could not help looking quickly and keenly at the major. Miss Bradford .was ray sister and the major had cer tainly been very attentive to her dur ing the few months of their acquaint ance. If he could recognize her voice in an Indian jungle when her brother failed to do so there must be something ser ious on the carpet. I therefore had a peculiar interest in the development of the next few mo ments. "It is positively cruel of you!" said another and petulant voice. "You make no allowance for my extremely sensitive organization. But I simply cannot go back over that road; the mere thought of it is killing! Hark! don't you hear something creeping out from the grove?" and there arose a shrill scream which became hysterical as it seemed to diminish as if the femi nine speaker had flown into the cot tage. She had doubtless heard us breaking through the thicket, and in an instant the head of our calvacade came in* full view of the place, and. there sitting calmly on a seat before Che door under the overhanging boughs and looking expectantly but undismayed towards us was-my sister. "You here!" I exclaimed, really sur prised. "And Miss Blithedale, too; I need not ask that." I said, glancing at an open parasol of flaming cherry that lay a few feet away on the ground where the fair and nervous owner had dropped it in her flight Tnat parasol! In defiance of all the scientists from Ben Franklin down, Miss Blithedale must needs import from the west a sunshade of the color of which above all others reflected least the rays of that very orb. This she imperturbably carried, a "shining mark for derisive jokes, or, perhaps as an incentive to well-born subaltern bachelors in the arena of love, she thc matador and they the quarry. "How penetrating you are!" was my sister's ironical reply. "Major, you are just in time. Miss Blithedale has just declared that she will not return to town without the escort of the whole garrison-or of Major Gallanton, per haps." The major looked almost pained at this allusion in the dead set that Miss Blithedale had been making at him to every one's amusement. "And so," my sister continued brisk ly, "you have all your hunt for noth ing! The royal quarry seems to know something about flank movements and strategy as well as your own gallant selves." "Really, I don't understand, Miss Bradford," said the puzzled soldier. "What is all this about escorts and flank movements! Ah, Miss Blithe dale," as that lady appeared, apparent ly nerved again to a welcome encoun er >wi:.*a the major; "this is a most IY PARASOL. \ I HACKETT. charming coincidence. But explain, please, Miss Bradford." Then my sister narrated as follows: The two ladies in question, bored to death at the absence of the only ob ject of interest-thc men-had decided on a little expedition of their own. They had hired one of the native "jaunting cars,"-as we call them, with its zebu team and native driver, aud stowing a luncheon hamper in the "boot," had driven out before the noon day heat for the "park." Already in sight of the grove, they had ben horrified to see the sudden appearance of a great tiger, who step ped out from the undergrowth beside the road, disclosing his superb propor tions and brilliant coloring as he first gazed curiously towards them and then lowered his head and began to stalk after them in long strides. Miss Blithedale uttered a terrified shriek, the driver, turning, saw the beast, and wild with fear, first whipped up his bullocks and then incontinently fled into the jungle. Meanwhile in the same moments, my sister had been equally appalled. But Belle is a girl of pretty strong nerves, as you may know, and though white with fear, she uttered no cry but silent ly if wildly looked around for a wea pon. There was no- e, of course-but stay! the cherry parasol! She snatched it from the nerveless hands of her com panion, opened it witu a vicious snap, and thrust it sheer into the face of the beast, who was not four feet away. At the same time she closed her eyes i from sudden faintness but recovering j instantly she looked again and-he was j gone! She could just see the tail dis- j appearing rapidly as he crawled among ? the leaves in dire fright. Without an instant's hesitation my sister sprang to the "box," whipped up the slow bullocks, drove the few rods to the bungalow' with Miss Blithedale clinging tc her and alternately moan ing and screeching, as we learned in private. That was five hours before; Miss Blithedale had absolutely refused to return with the cowardly native driver, who had arrived before them, and my sister had laughingly vowed that in that case she would go back alone, ask ing no better protection than thc cherry i parasol. "You have revolutionized thc tiger hunt for the future. Miss Bradford," said the major, with his eyes full o? ad miration at the tale which my sister told so lightly and laughingly as to rob it of any traca nf asotism. "Herc _, LUV v.iii/ij-iianut-U nimrods. We started back tu town and joking ly made a gi ?at sko.w of surrounding the car as a protection on every side. But it turned out to be no joke. When half way back (the major and myself riding beside the car;, there arose frightened cries ahead, and the leaders of the calvacade came tumbling back upon us in the wildest fear. The major and I dashed to the front. There in the middle of the road Btood his kingship, glaring at the procession with blazing eyes. We flung ourselves from our horses, unslung our rifles and-he had been creeping slowly towards us; now he sprang at me just as the major's rifle cracked.' The bullet could not stop his advance. I felt a terrible shock as the tiger fell at my feet with outstretched claws. One paw dug into my neck as he de scended, and tore down over my breast deep through my clothing and into the flesh, pulling me down with terrific force upon his own body. I sprang to my feet and saw that he lay dead. The major's shot true to the mark, between the eyes had caught him in midair. As he lay there the type of ferocious beauty and brute power, we all mar veled that such a magnificient beast should have been frightened off by a mere parasol, even though it flamed like the fires af Aetna. We were met at the edge of town by a piece of news that went far to ex plain this improbability. He had satis fied bis hunger on a low caste Brahmin only an hour previous to thc roadside encounter with the ladies. The major claimed the skin, and no one thought of denying it to him. But he only wanted it to present it to Belle, and as they married the following year, he got it back again. My sistei, however, backed by all her friends, made a demand on Miss Blithedale for the cherry parasol, and she has it yet as her peculiar trophy. Indeed, Miss B. was quite resigned to parting with it, as she at the same time procured a gray scarlet jacket that covered the noble form of Lieuten ant the Honorable Algernon Binks, H. M. Ninety-seventh Fusiliers.-St. Louis Star. The Czur'8 Ponaemuofis. The czar's possessions in Asia em brace more than twice as much land as the United States proper. They are about as large as the whole of South America and almost twice as much as Europe. The Russian possessions in Central Asia alone, including the reg ions nov/ being opened up by the Trans-Caspian railroad, are half as large as the whole of our country, and the czar is now claiming the right to all concessions in- Chinese-Turkestan, a territory twice as big as the empire of Germany. Siberia is 25 times as Mg as Germany or France. It is a mil lion square rnMes TT than Europe, and bigger than thc United States, Cen tral America and Mexico combine'-. Manchuria, which is now practically annexed to Siberia, is lugger than any country in Eurn^e outside Russia, and Mongolia, which will follow1 suit, ia one-third thes ize of the United States. ARIBS ns n nice have ceased to ex ist. They perished during the recent volcanic eruption on St. Vincent, Which, among all thc islands of thc C a r 1 b b e o s, is unique in. natural wonders mid beau ties. It is com posed lnrgely of a single peak, risiug from the ocean's bed, with no out lying islets. It is about uinety-five miles west of Bar badoes. Volcanic hills cross the island from north to south, intersected by beautiful and fertile valleys. St. Vincent ls eighteen miles long and eleven miles wide, and It has a population of nearly fifty thousand .persons. It was discovered by Colum bus in MOS. The island is more thor oughly English than the two ol hers of the group. Grpat Britain obtained sovereignty in 17S3. Historic among thc volcanic erup tions on the Caribbee islands was that of the Soufri?re ("sulphur pit"); of St. Vincent, in 1S12. Earthquakes had for two years terrified dwellers on the South American coast and the West Indian Islands. In March of that year an earthquake buried ten thousand souls at Caracas, spread ruin along the line of the Andes, and ended in the outburst from the Soufri?re, which j i altered the appearance of thc island . < and destroyed its eastern end. I The Soufri?re is situated at the nor;h- ? l 151 MONT TELEE IN EUUPTION. ern extremity of the island, and is 404S feet high. It is the last of a mountain chain which was called Morne a Garou by the natives. Baron 1 Humboldt states that it had out flames In 171S. Willie ..>.......<. -. tinged with a light blue Hame. Evergreens, flowers and arc shrubs clothed the steep sides c crater, which sent, as the first cation of the eruption of April tremulous noise in the air. A s concussion of the earth followed then a column of thick black . burst from the crater. Volumes of sand darkened thc and woods, ridges and cane l'taccs covered with light gray ashes, . speedily destroyed all vegetation, sun for three days seemed to bc total eclipse, the sea was disco' and the ground bore a wintry ;?? . ance from the crust of fallen ash?, Carib natives who lived at M Rond fled from their houses to Ki ton. As the third day drew to a < flames sprang pyrainidically from crater, accompanied by loud thin and electric flashes, which rent column of smoke hanging over volcano. Eruptive matter pouring from northwest side plunged over the ' carrying down rocks and woods in course. This, island was shaken bj earthquake and beaten by shower? cinders and stones, which set hot on fire and killed negroes and na th Northeast of the original crater the Soufri?re a new one was fora which was a half mile in diann and five hundred feet deep. The . crater was transformed into a beau ful blue lake, walled in by ragged eli: to a height of eight hundred feet was considered a wonder worth see ?i The "Carib country" of St. Vine i included nearly all the districts iu il STREET 3CENL H ! north iu which the soil was either Kio j thin or the surface too rugged.for t'jc I cultivation of the great staple of the I West Indies-sugar cane. Of ali the millions ?f Indians difc ii By Fred. A. Ober f the Caribs, the Native terminated by the Eruption i Soufri?re. covered by Columbus, his contempor nrlcs aud Immediate successors, in the islands of thc West Indies, no descend ants remain on earth to-day save -the Caribs, these forlorn remnants of a once great family in the two islands of Dominica and St. Vincent. The north part of St. Vincent, then, being mountainous in tne main, inac cessible by good roads and unfit for the cultivation of cane, was set aside l'or the Carib Indians by treaty when LA SOUFRIERE, THE VOLCAi DEATPi AfSP DESTRUCTION Hie English took possession of jjtne island. When, howwur, it was^jtls ..overed that the arrow-root conldlbe n-ofitably cultivated ou thc slope's'of I he hills and in many fertile pockets dong the ravine-scarred ridges of ?he jrent volcano, their reservation^whs ;radually encroached upon, until they ivere finally compressed within -the .onlines ut" two rather restricted?T? ,'?ui?s between thc groat Soufri?re, or ;ulj)liur, mountain-thc volcano-ami bc northern coast. St. Vincent is celebrated for iis.nr ?ow-root, which at one time Was a airly profil a hie cultivation, bnt^pf ale bas not been remunerative. Tbe 'uribs lived in palm-thatched hms, milt their own arrow-root mills, w??ch rere run by water power, preparedfeje oil, carefully cultivated the roots and vere very skilful and intelligent faym- j rs. Th ev -' w ln Ca bb to the many excellent traits of these people, now departed forever. LONGEST BEARD IM THE WORLD Beard IO Feet io i-2 Inches-Mustache o Yard and a Half LOUR. Jean Coulon needs n shave mort badly than any other living mnn. Il his strength lay in the length of his hair, this Frenchman would bc a verj Hercules. His beard measures ten feet ten and one-half inches in length, while his mustache is over a yard und a half long. Of course he has taker his time to cultivate those amazing adornments, as you may gather from the fact that he is seventy-six years of age. He is very proud of them, and this ls perhaps one reason among many why he does not permit the vulgar to gaze on his grandeur every day of the week. The Inhabitants of Montlu con, iu the department of Allier, where SO WMIC? MAS BROUGHT UPON 5T- VINCENT Conlon resides, are very proud of him, and by way of acknowledging I heit appreciation tho man with unlimited beard exhibits his luxurious growth to all and sundry who care to conic and see him any .Sunday. Indeed, it may be said that for him the Sabbath is scarcely a day of rest, for when not on view bc is carefully dressing his a max ing appendage and mustache. During the week he rolls his beard iu a ?or? j 1 i ' i I ' s ; i that he may bc able to go occupation thc more cou Chicago Kecord-IIerald. Kcfsources or Palestino. i mining engineer traveling : 1 . has written to the Kirch- j Ische Blatter to tho effect ? hat mineral treasures have j in the country that an in- j ; kening is assured. As yet, ! ;. voling is very unsafe. The j ii ?sits lie on both sides of M and the Dead Sea. Ol j ii ks the salt deposits of thc j .ould alone be developed j . ensivc industry, but that, j lo them, there aro the ultu? i lk springs of Neb! Musa, j ain from twenty to forty I of asphalt. However, lie i most important of all are i s of phosphates. There are ? elds of these, he says, to j id west of the Jordan, only j transportation facilities for | ipmcnt. us Philippine Bullets. lily of the Filipino to un- j at accuracy of bullet flight thing to be sought in rifle | unit for thc many wierd j hy which the insurgents j ncrease the deadliness of i is nt the expense of unor ?oy will, in n fiendish do- j . ? bullet that will cruelly] 's body, produi t' - iis.-ile j .ly always be counted o.i ' rget. says the Anny am1. . Instead of aiming J gilt (hey waste their cn- \ ls lo add peculiar lacer- ; o their bullets. or Word Gringo, ringo," which Mexicans leans when speaking of i 'tempt, is said to have i hus: During the Mexi- : ar our soldiers got into j lng thc simple Mexican j they look prisoners ! iiguify their ignorance j neral. and ol* military j y. Tho Mexicans re- ; diing the Americans j this word finally dc I trinos." "Honeymoon." ic know the origin of viuoon;" but it really j tile old Teutonic cus- . Imnoy-wine (.hydromel) 1 after marriage. It is the Hun died fror.i ' ?', iking "an, enormous oiucl at his marriage ave a li.'.'?H purse than iut more comfortable Exercise Care In S pru y in jr. Care should be exercised in the use of poisoned solutions for spraying, a3 many insects that are friends of the farmer may bc ?Vstroyed. Bees have been exterminated in some sections by spraying, though something depends upon the kinds of plants sprayed. How l'ljt? Ar? Lout. More pigs are lost in tho Bummer season from improper feeding than from any other cause. They are com pelled to consume foods that arc not conducive to thrift, and which l<*ad to disease in the herds. Some leaders keep slop In barrels, which ferments until sour, hav'ng a very disagreeable odor, the pig., being fid largely upon the slop. This kind of food is more in jurious in summer than in winter, as it induces bowel disease. The best slop is milk and bran, freshly made, with grass, vegetables and plenty of pure water, which will indues growth and keep the pigs in good condition. Corn Stalks na j? ?'erliliznr. In regard to burning cornstalks merely to get rid of them, as I see a great many fanners doing. I will say don't do it; it doesn't pay. Some think they cannot plough them under so as to cultivate. The trouble is they don't use the right implement on the ground ant! they do not plough deep enough. I use a good stalk ct:tt.?r, then cross with a tfibk, and afterward have no trouble with stalks, ard I find them a benefit lo the ground, especially where the lard is never manured on': year after mother. If every farmer would plough his stalks under it would profit him by enriching the ground.-I. A. Miller, in New York Tribune. Homemade Brooder Coop. A homemade brooder coop was fixed ip to take care of some chicks in an ther brooder. It was a box 3x5 feet, IO inches deep at eaves and IS inches at "idge. Legs G inches long were put un ler it to keep the floor off thc ground t o avoid dampness. Ventilation was > >rovided for by holes bored in ends j lear the ridge. A section of the roof c vas made reraovrable so that the box t s easily cleaned. Dry sand and a small a luantity of air-slaked lime were scat- t ered over thc floor. It was white- \ '/ashed inside and out. It was cleaned s ind fresh sand and lime given once a s veek. As it was only for use with r nonth-old chicks and during warm t weather, no artificia; heat was neces- ? ?ary-Mrs. C. G. Ford, in New Eng- c and Homestead. ? Are took a chicken feather with a long I juill, cut it thc right length, pushed ?Ut the pith, and opened the pointed md. We greased it well with anti ?eptic witch hazel salve and inserted t t into the Leat, pushing it up past the t rut. and letting it protrude a little at c he bottom. We dressed the cat with i he salve morning and evening, and in ; i week were milking the cow again. i The quill allowed the teat to heal with- j >ut closing up the milk passage, and ? 'Mowed the milk to escape. We have ? since known to several cows that < kvero saved by our plan; we also know af a neighbor's cow that lost two teats from a similar injury, when she might ? have been saved if the owner had only known how-Mrs. M. C. Downing, in Thc Epir.omist. Spraying In the Fprlnff. Tho spray calendar, which has been helpful to fruit growers and farmers, writes George C. Bute, State Horticul turist, has just been revised by the Pennsylvania State College Agricultur al Experiment Station, such modifica tions, having.been made as recent ex perimentation warrants. - Spraying to control fungous diseases and insect enemies has become a fixed practice in the best orchards and gardens. Far mers and gardeners are becoming fam iliar with the ordinary remedies, and need only a simple guide to direct them properly in making use of them. The spray calendar serves excellently as such a guide. In the revision the prin cipal changes have reference to the treatment for the San Jose scale. The treatment so popular on the Pacific coast, and known as the "lime, sul phur and salt," remedy, is given. On account of some satisfactory results in the use of this remedy last year, it is being employed extensively among peach growers this spring. Thc use of crude petroleum is also indicated ' the remedy for thc nursery ? use I ir briefly outlined. This ; the hydro cyanic acid gas treatment for dorment trees by means of a specially concoct ed fumigation house. Many fruit growers are learning to their sofow that they have neglected their fruit trees too long in this mat ter of spraying, and are now seeing their orchards declining, because of the permanent injury to their trees from thc ravages of insects and fungous foes. Some are ruined by "canker," some weakened by "leaf curl," while scab and fruit rots have rendered un salable the crops for which labor and money were expended. A considerable portion of the station correspondence is to reply to patrons that "thc twigs sent bear thc San Jose scale." This pernicious insect is now reported in nearly every county in Pennsylvania, and no doubt it. is play ing havoc in many gardens and or chards without the owner knowing it. The day has come when fruit grow ers must be constantly on the lookout for the enemies of their crops. Their vigilance, accompanied with judicious and timely action in forestalling loss es, will pay them many fold. Insects and fungous diseases new to Penn sylvania are making their inroads up on our territory each year. In north western i .".antics the canker worm is spreading southward from New York. In the eastern counties the asparagus rust and asparagus beetle are traveling westward. The San Jose scale li lipreading from many infested centres Therefore, the progressive fruit grow er will seek to know promptly any new enemy that makes Its appearance with acquaint himself with the approved methods of fighting it The "moth catcher" traps, which have recently been fraudulently ad* vertised to supplant spraying in or chards, are meeting with condemnation from many quarters. They cannot bo depended-upon to catch the codlin moth and other orchard pests, which are now best treated with sprays of arsenical poisons. Careful tests of the "moth catchers" show that a large percentage of the insects caught are beneficial insects, which would kill ?nany more obnoxious insects than the trap catches.-Philadelphia Record. Rnn-Dowil "Pastures. In handling run-down pastures 1 have had excellent results in reseeding early in thc spring after harrowing several times. The earlier that the work can bt> done the better, for then the seeds get the advantage of thc early wet weather and make a good growth before the midsummer. After sowing I rolled thoroughly, so that the seeds would be pressed firmly in the soil. The harrowing should bs done both ways until the top surface soil is pretty well pulverized to give the seeds a good bed. I should sow just before or after a rain, l have even taken advantage of April showers to sow the seed while the rain was falling. If it is a dry spring soak the s?ed beforehand. It will insure quicker germination and growth. If the pasture is pretty well run down, and the soil poor in quality, I general ly ghe it a top dressing of some good fertilizer In which there is a good per centage of potash. This will help to increase the immediate growth of the seeds. Fall seed sowing is all right, but a good many times we fail to do :his and we cannot wait for next year. We need the improvement in the pas are this season. Consequently spring seeding like this will prove of great ' talue. We can in good seasons nearly iouble the yield of the pasture. Care must be taken not to turn ani ??is on the field too carly, nor to let hem at any time crop the new grass oo short. Such pasturing would prove .ery costly in the end. Both spring md fall sowing of a pasture can be arried on. A good pasture mixture for his work should include red clover, ilsike clover, Kentucky blue grass, red op and timothy. A mixture of seeds viii always give the best results. Less leed should be sown *.o the acre on :pring land that has just been har rowed than on a fi?ld whore the seed )ed has been carefully plowed and pre )ared for an entirely new pasture. If ?ne wishes to make a new start in this I vay it is possible to divide the land up *'-??? and t!ien r>w? imerican Cultivator. The Une of Trap "?its. The advent of trap nests has been he means of more good in poultry all ure than any other invention of re :t-nt years. Before its introduction :he poultry breeder was greatly at sea ind there was entirely too much guess- ' work. For instance, the problem of increased egg production was solved on i "hit-or-miss" plan. Breeders select ed such birds as, in their opinion, showed the best laying qualities, and while in some cases they succeeded in picking out the cream of the flock, in many instances they were misled. Re peated experiments with the trap nest proved the fact that in many cases the best layer in the flock is about the poorest specimen in outward markings. Two years ago I discovered that the finest hen that was fit to exhibit, only laid ll eggs during the entire year. Is such a hen worth keeping? In the same pen a hen that would be disqual ified by any judge laid 150 eggs. The trap nest picks out your best hens. The poultryman's motto should be "breed from the best." The trap nest arrests the egg eat er. Sentence should be pronounced upon such at once. It picks out the drones, enabled you to get ride of un profitable stock. It not only selects your best layers, but it gives their record It avoids crowding in the nest, guarding against breakage of eggs. It tells which arc your best winter lay ers, which hens lay the most fertile eggs, the most perfectly shaped eggs, and which are your brown egg layers. Other advantages trat might be men tioned are that by frequently hand ling, as is thc case by taking hens off the nest, -the hens become more tame and are less likely to scare. All poul try breeders know that excited hens - e unprofitable layers. By handling hens, too, the breeder is able to quick ly determine the fowl's condition, note the first signs of sickness or injury. In short, by the use of the trap nest the breeder can keep in touch with the individual hen, now her good and bad qualities, and satisfy himself of her general condition. I know of no other system that will give such practical lessons as these nests, and the com mon verdict by all who have used them, is that the only guidepost to successful work, and building up of a profitable strain, is by the careful use of some well-devised trap.-Michael K. Boyer in American Agriculturalist. A Klnjc'd Royal Stable. The King of Italy possesses some of the most valuable horses in the world. In his stable are 200 horses, and the double row of stalls forms a regular street. Each animal has its name printed in large white letters above its manger. One of the most valued of all is the horse which was formerly ridden by the late King Humbert Krait and Fowl?. Large quantities of fruit and fowls are being sent to the Transvaal from Natal. Nearly every moruing a train leaves Durban loaded. A newly invented fountain throws rice grains and glass balls under the play of colored electric lights. COMMISERATION. Whenever I see a little boy Dressed up like a young Lord Fauntleroy, With ruffles, and ribbons, and rings, and curls, A nd tblugs that are only flt for girls, I'm ns sorry for him as I can be; And I pity him too, for I know that ho Is either tho namby-pamby kind, Or hts mother is a-well, never mind. -Edward Salisbury Field, in Liie. HUMOROUS. Nell-She's the stingiest girl I know. Belle-That's right She won't even give away a secret. Blobbs-There goes a fellow who knows the lay of the land. Slobbs What is he? Blobbs-An egg dealer. Flatter-Your boy, I hear, is a deep student. Popley-He's always at the bottom of his class, If that's what you mean. Hoax-I know a man who had his leg amputated and buried. Joax-It must be uncomfortable to feel that you have one foot in the grave. The Bear-Mr. Fox, why is it that chickens tickle your palate so? The Fox-H'm! I guess it's because I gen erally eat them with their feathers on. Wigg-I thought you told me you were in the iron business, and now you say you have started ? laundry. Wagg -Well, that's an iron business, isn't it? "How is it you're late this morning?" inquired thc employer. "I sprained my ankle on the way to work," answered the employe. "Huh! That's a lame ex cuse." "The only objection to this house is that it has no bath," said the prospec tive tenant. "That's no drawback," re turned the glib agent, "there's water in the cellar." "I tell you that poet is a genius." "A genius? Why, his stuff is the worst I ever read." "I know." "But why do you call him a genius?" "Because he succeeds in selling it" Great Dane-Ever since that dog learned of his long pedigree be has affected a new bark. The Bull-Ah! I ' suppose you might call that the bark from his genealogical tree. "I haven't had a square meal for a week," began the dusty pilgrim. "Neither have I," blurted out the well dressed man as he started to slam the door. "What do you expect in house cleaning time?" "Georgo, dear, I don't believe you love me any more," sighed the tender maiden. "Why, my darling!" the youth protested. "Well," "sobbed the maiden, "it only t-t-took you 15 ra in-minutes to say good-bye 1-1-last night." "You can't eat your cake and have it, too," said the second-hand philos ODher. "I drm** J/?w--J--1_?*.-> . "Why do men flock after the wid ows?" "Because," explained the sweet young thing, not without a touch of bitterness, "the average man lacks con fidence in his own judgment, and in tho case of a widow he feels that he is merely backing the judgment of an other man." Two Intellicent Hobin*. The following incident seems too remarkable to be true, and yet it ls vouched for by a writer whose word should not be doubted. Two robins were trying to teach their little one to fly. It attempted to cover too great a distance and fell to the ground. My little boy caugut it and I told him tr put it on the roof of our side porch. Then he and I watched to see what the old birds would do. They flut tered about the yard for a while and then flew off. We waited for them to return, but they did not, and I had just made up my mind that they had deserted the young one when I saw them coming, accompanied by a third old one. They flew directly to the roof of the porch, and I saw that one o? them had a piece of twine in Its bill. And what do you suppose they did -next?-=if I had not seen it I never would have believed it. Two of them caught hold of the twine, one at each end, and the little one caught the middle of it in his bill. Then they flew off the porch, the third robin fly ing under the little one and support ing it on his back.-Minneapolis Journal. Buoy "Which I? Never Silent. Between 400 and 500 buoys are need ed for the harbors on the Cuban coast. The gas bill for a modern gas buoy ls about 7 cents a day. Some important improvements have recently been made in these buoys. The new buoy has a device by which the escaping gas rings a bell every 15 seconds. A great deal of trouble bas been experienced in the past. A lighted buoy could not be seen in the fog. Then a bell buoy was needed. When there is a fog the sea is apt to be smooth and then the bell buoy is of no service. By the new method tho warnings can be kept up night and day, in fait weather and in foul weather. It is a little more expensive than the old way, but more satisfactory. The lighted buoy costs about $25 a year, and with the bell attachment about $50 a year. The United States government pays the bill-Washington Post. Many 1'eors Not Gentlemen. According to a London cable in the the New York Herald. The Ancestor, a new genealogical quarterly, contains an article by Sir George Sitwell on "The English Gentleman," in which he maintains that a gentleman is not a person of heraldic status who. is en titled to bear arms, but a freeman, whose ancestors always have been free. He makes the somewhat startling statement that quite 20 percent of Brit ish peers are not gentlemen. The vint will not grow at a greatem height than 2000 feet above the sea, nor the oak above 3250 feet. The hr, however, ilonirshes up to nearly 7000 feet.