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Mynheer Joe BY ST. qZBRQE JVOHBORNE. yon, old boy, It'o good for m to eee you again, and look natural u ever. Never have I to remember tbo day* of *aald when wo two did tbo Nil* ?"T- Talk about fata la our jW ?iill|n^t doesn't bold a candlo P y*1 8?? grasp, oamo old ffwr aad bo worka tbo prodlg&a arm ?? ? pump-hsndle. wbllo rattling y** b tbia strain. I Ir'VliMtwd in Cairo. Sandy? writing tfco beauties of lower Egypt n a or have yon booa ap> a Consul borer* asks tbo - with a Jolly laugh that causes Grimes to wonder what stuff this jjy la made of to be so composed aven merry after what be has ?MM through. r*bafs not my luck. StlU pegglni ?way at the old business. Mskeo both ?aet and gives me a chance to Ma tbo world. But see here! Confound *y tupldHyl Here'a a friend of ff*11 waiting to meet you, and I've bsoa monopolising your time." ^Mynboer Joe raises himself to a sit* mg posture and faces the silver king. basltates for a few seconds and ahaa comes forwsrd. ^Tardon me!" he aaya frankly. "You n??de a mistake, 8andy. I did y claim to be a friend of Mynheer JJJ only * fellow-countryman, ?M *** who heard much about him g? ? tokea a deep Interest In bis wel 5E*'*#.0be?. GrUne*? at your service, Mr. Miner." explorer possibly catches some Mgntflcance back of bis words. At y nte>' he looks at the stont gen ?*nan with the florid countenance as though intent upon studying out a problem; but noticing the outstretched ?ju?d. accepts It In bis usual hearty way. Now and then, during the sub> Mont Interview, while the corre. jpoudent plies him with questions, *y*h*?r Joe can be seen to keep a rsaurtlve eye upon Mr. Grimes. Per he la endeavoring to place th? Wealthy miner; and yet the latter baa they have not met before. ? Wandy thinks only of one thtny Jn*. be has been especially pleased one he regards so highly; IT g now Siren way lathe Instinct of his craft. He has ?aoa educated up to being a newspaper ...aU e,M> and- all otbera y has a keen nose for 23T* J i,.1* th* tnt at the wire [*? startling Information is the ?jam of Ssndy Barlow's dally life. fiT^wi "*** * *?Wen opportunity ftor making a ten-strike. The whole 7?* hangs to ???pense ?waltlng deflmte news of the heroic OWnese Gordon's fate. Rumora have ?eon rife almost dally, sometimes do t,tllp* deaU* ?nd again giving ac ?rants of some wonderful victory over *? the foll<>w ErT dl "? ca,,ed? hI? own numbering but two thousand. * J^nt tie-cock, gashed bltber I Httledoors, has tbia 25 ? if!?. !? ?n tb* *? tor week*. tCk n,fbt ln February ejr xe w,e,T?,l !L dreadful Impatience sLk^!!* < Wide-awake corre JJWdent is aroused to the exigencies ?f the hour, and for the benefit of the braltiug civilised world would aelse tb? 51nJL,0nt "??"thtatle account of IIlfated Khartoom. Mjcbanlcally he draws out his note book and, pencil in hand, prepares to Jiko down in shorthand what may be ???<?? ??bwr Jo.^ ^ "Pardon me, my friends, but I am Br^ntisr hd* wb,en 1 wcnt to i,pcp VI M,d he ^W havS W^hn^ f*l me when 1 *woke. I mke ?57. U' bUt 000,(1 keep J i0ng *notIgh t0 tak* * cup mm* 11 bJte' Ho* iwaTw p Jom word?" dusky Ben Hassan Effendl nods ^gn;,,,7Uh hN hand??. UMied lately two fellahin appear. One E?*i w,th ^ wb,*o Krit^h*^er. fy> * >c,o,h OMIItUe round table. Almost like r 2SS IL ? *7, ?tnam!n* raeal Is thus or Kf !?* bunfry My*?heer wh,?h ^e mnglclan waves w*S? Mk}?' v??" Urtrt 5PntIeinen- I hare E? ?T daj8 now? ?nd the fcTf!r i g/r?m, tb,# SPrtad ? tOO b for me to wltbstsnd. Captain, long have 1 slept?" b,>?rs, gentlemen, n fwivaly announces the old rels. I ^Lmr]eL^XC\BlmH Mr' Gp,?c?. 71 Jovel Yoa may co TV?,C" you *et >oS working! | ve beard of such' ?i.n,ii>cop,0K #,ecp,ng for day?." Sandy, with an air that plainly ?d the martyr, and says: "Don't der me? I can wait." tth Bmp,c i?*tloe ^ before h,m and. when ?am.in? p0Mcd? TerX little . g?tas of wbnt waa brought in. At |b itmo time ^meth.ngB of til pebod look hns left his face, and * Uke th* man U*6r Tba correspondent has been survey. 5? ^?a Interior of the cabin cuvloualr Maarnrfof to keep down tbo spirit of taptdwct that makes a minute mm u boor. Ha knows bis friend baa gnat aacd of all tht latwinw be caa sscata at pwaurt, aad bene* will not allaw bla own selfish motives to AM be finishes bla earrej of tba say decoraUoaa npoo tbe walls of tba cab la, wbere score* of noveltiee add to tba gjihmeqiis appearance of tba MM, Sandy beara a algh of deep sat Isfactton, aad, wheeMag about, la Just la ttee to aee tbe captain, at a signal fm tba pilgrim, dap bla beads, wben tba two attendants dart In, removing tba debria. "Gentlemen one favor. la tbe name of merry, bare either of you? a ci gar?" asks tbe recent.dlner, la a tragic voice. has a choice weed la a second, aad ere three pass, lire bas been ap plied to It. "Richard la himself sgsln? first ci gar In seren months? think of It," be says melodramatically. "Now, my dear felow, pardon mj beastly haste, but after midnight I lose tbe wire. Can you tell me wheth er Gordon Is desd or sllve?" Mynheer drops his bead suddenly, snd something like a groan comes from bla lips. "Gordon is desd." be replies, slow ly. "with these eyes I saw him fall, and this right arm struck his murder er, cleaving him to tbe chin." CHAPTER III. THX TBAOIDT OF THB HOI. At these words, both Americans look very grave, and even Ben Has san, standing near by, seems as though appalled. Faith In the aston ishing powers of Chinese Gordon bas always given thoee who know him an Idea that nothing could ever overcome him. Ho was a man absolutely without fear, with a fine Christian character, respected everywhere by the natives, for his personsllty was something far beyond the ordinary. For six months and more this valiant man has been ?hut up within the walls of Khar toom, with a few thousand miserable native troops facing fifty thousand dervishes of El MahdL Without the presence of Gordon, these troops would not hold out a day against the enemy. There, with a few faithful officers snd friends, he has held out from week to month, hurling back the le gions of the False Prophet and hold ing the debatable ground against the slave-traders, waiting for the rescue that will come too late; for England, the more shame to her, being engaged In political discussions, delsys sending a relief-column until It becomes a ne cessity on account of the clamor of the people, which column will find Khartoom In the bands of the enemy, and Gordon? lost. "This Is sad news you bring, Joe," ssys tbe newspaper man, at length. "Sad, yes; but true, too true. Eng land has, by ber vacillating policy, murdered tbe bravest of her sons. How blind tbe powers that be! This will topple over the ministry quicker than anything else on earth. The peo ple loved Gordon because his motives were alwaya honorable." The man from Khartoom speaks quietly, as If be has long since learned to look upon the disaster with compos ure. He Is not given to emotion, at any rate, as a glance - Into his face would Inform an observer. "Tell us about It, Joe," bursts out the Impetuous Sandy, note-book and pencil In band. The other passes one hand wearily across bis brow, as though he would clear away th > cobwebs time bas spun alprat his brain. "It Is hardly a propitious time for entering Into details, my friend. I am willing to speak, but I know you will pardon me If I simply sketch tbe mat ter lightly." "Yes, yes, tell what you please, Joe." Mr. Grimes and tbe rels say nothing; only moving a little closer to the mes senger from Khartoom, In order to hear how Gordon fell. Millions will, later on, read the story of his deser tion and death in that town on the Nile, and from every country under the sun will oreatbe curses against Old England for the cowardly policy that has ended in this way. "You know what took Gordon to Khartoom and the sacred work to which be devoted bis life. He was the deadly enemy of the slave-trader, and long ago declared that bis life would be spent in endeavoring to break up that terrible trade on the upper Nile. The rattle of . slave-chains was tbe most balefT sound he knew, and It was this that made him hold on even when doom stared bim In the face. "I* know his mind, for I have talked with lilm day by day, and found Gor don a rock. He could a dozen times liavo saved himself by flight, but he would not dosort his post. Iloaven sent him there, nnd at Khartoom he would remain, the rock of Egypt, un til the longed-for line of British troops appeared in view or doom came. ".What we went through with during those months heaven alone knows. Dny after day wc fought the black dervishes of the desert, and thou sands laid doTvn their lives In front of Khartoom's walls. Now it was a sally; anon, an attack. We might have even won on a certain occasion but for the treachery of certain lend ers. Gordon tried them later, and aH were shot. He would not stand insub ordination. . . "Thus months passed. ^Ve endured all that can come during that pestilen tial season from July, when the city was invested. The weeks passed us by fn a way that was maddening. Our eyes were strained looking for tho succor that never came. Through It all Gordon was the same man I have ever know bim, ehstrial, sober, and aever faltering. If It was b?s fate te if" ?jsts *3 laths to ptt ? iirlii. Tk world wlU keep kla wmmmj pmb for Itaa, u tke awtha p>ii away, tv itofii |itw liv, tid a spirit of Aacwtcat mom. Momj was scarce, and tbo wMlw wen to a state of cob* staat Irritation borftrkif at frenay. Mutiny would takf since hm broken out bat for tbo isMbMiIm power this man ssfcuasd to bare om his subjects. I marveled at It then. and It will nmr cease to be a source of wonder to me. "At last came tbo fatal boar wben tbls magnetism coaMI no longer bold tbe fragments of bla little army to gether. I knew It waseomtng as well ?s I knew anything. Signs pointed to It from all quarters, and each mocn> iff aa tbe son rose In tbe east I won* dered wbetber It wonM erer be mj good fortoae to look on Its setting "Gordon never despaired of a rescue. "He bad no doubt prepared for tbo worst, but bis faltb In tbe ultimate coming of bis comrades' was sublime. They will come to-morrow/ be would aa y eacb nlgbt as tbe darkness settled about us, and deep down In my beart 1 firmly believed that to-morrow would never arrive. "Thus tbe daya moved along, eacb sun showing new difficulties that at its setting Gordon bad managed to smooth over In a way that waa simply marvelous; bat each time I noticed that things looked worse, and It was only a question of how long It would be ere certain matters came Into con junction, and bore ua under. What I moat dreaded waa a mutiny during one of the enemy's fierce assaults. Should a portion of our troops turn upon us, even the fierce ardor of the Baahi Bazouks who remained faithful cotold not keep Gordon's life sacred. "My fears proved to be well ground ed. as you shall soon see. It hap pened on the 20th day of January, and that should be a day of morunlng for all time to come in England. "Gordon came from hia room that morning aa cheerful as was his wont, ,and ready to meet the duties of the day, whstever heaven might send him. The storm was gathering, but bis presence had chaaed away the clouds so often that all of ua had come to be lieve him Invincible. "We knew the enemy was about to make a desperate assault, but, we had hurled them back from the walla of Khartoom so often In bleeding masses that we did not doubt our ability to do the same thing again, although ammu nition was beginning to grow scarce. "I have alnce come to the conclusion that during the night of the 25th some arrangement must have been made between our native troops and !the sheiks who led the hordes of the SProphet. Certainly, the events of tbe day justified such a conclusion. ?''Gordon, aa uaual, assembled his leaders and harangued them. Up to pow, he had never once failed to Im part some of his own entbuslaam to those In charge of his men, so that they went to their aeveral stations In spired to fight like heroes In the cause of this magnetic man. "With wonder and uneasiness I saw that bis words on this morning ap peared to fall upon deaf ears. The dark faces grew moody. Aa it hap pened, I was tbe only white man close by, though I could hear some of his officers giving orders near the govern or's house. "One man threw the spark that ex ploded the magazine. He dared an swer Gordon back t?id tell blm It would be best to give up Khartoom while El Mahdl was willing to let them depart In peace, since the doom of the city waa a settled thing, any how. "The general's face flamed up as be heard tbls cowardly plea. I can see him now, as In scathing terms he re buked tbe officer. The man hung his head. I expected to see him fall on bis knees and beg for pardon. "My attention was drawn from him for just a few seconds, while I swept my eyes around to see how the others .were taking It. I found that tb?y, too, Trewled and looked ugly. [To be Continued.) Soldiers on 8kl. The Norwegian government ha* lately been setting soldiers in march ing order to travel for several con* secutlve days on ski. The result has been to show that the military ski runner of ordinary proficiency cap travel over snow In fair condition Jut# about as far as soldiers in marching order can move over ordinary roads free from snow. For several days the average distance was about seventeen miles. The Idea of ski-running, and of all forms of movement over snow and Ice, is so associated with speed In oui minds that it is difficult not to foci a sense of disappointment at this rela tively poor rate of progress; but it It to be remembered that it is made over country where the soldier in his com mon footgear would make practically no way at all.? Country Lifi. Six-Fingered Arabs. The Arabs hold a slx-flngered person in high esteem. They consider tbls a distinct mark by which Allah shows that that person Is privileged. With them the hand Is the emblem of strength. The Sultan wears a silver hand as tho symbol of power. On tho gates of Algerian towns, especially of Tunis, is frequently to be aeen the Im press of a bloody hand. It is a sort of talisman, and great reverence was manifested toward a six-fingered hand, Abd-el-Kader. In 1839. Instituted among his troops a decoration consisting of a silver hand, which was attached to the turban; and the number of tho fingers which were on this band varied ac cording to tho grades ? five for the lowest grade, six for the second, and seven for the highest grade. Where Heather Grows. It may surprise many readers to be told that heather grows not only In Scotland, but In Nova Scotia, New foundland and the Yukon. It was dis covered growing wild In Tewksbury, Mass., about forty years ago, and still grows Id the same spot. In feeding tte rye mj \9 fed etther iranA or ?til to (rowing koga. U ti plt tetitblt to M the vMt grain *7. The tetter Mtbod of feeding to to grind the rye and feed It ii to wkkb Is tiM son economical method. will de fend on the question..?* jitndtog. The ana who doe* his own grindiw will ?nd It nwe prod table to grind his rye and mix It with 0090 corn and oats ground, feeding this combination as slop feed. Whore It Is necessary to pay (or the grinding, the soahed grain will probably be mora economical, aa poo king coots hot Utile; twelve boars' soohlng Is safldent, Bye makes a splendid feed for growing pigs. It should bo free from the dlsaese known aa "ergot.** aa rye which la thns af fected Is poisonous to stock.? J. H. 8**%ner, In Indiana Former. lamro reeaies d ?pram. Much hae been written concerning the short rations which many farmers nse daring the winter for their horses, becsase they do little work, bat there is the other side of the question, the overfeeding and the improper feeding, which is quite a? bad in its effect aa scanty rations. Horses should be fed In sccordance with the work required of them, although this does not algnify that becsase s horse practically does no work during the winter his rations ?hould consist of a pint of grain and all the hay he will eat Improper feeding of bay Is exceedingly injuri ous. in the ground feed that *s given horses not worked a groat deal there should be but about one-third corn or even one-quarter ? corn, one-quarter bran and one-half oats. The roughage of hay. at a feed should bo about the quantity he will consume in three quarters of an hour. Add a little oil meal to the grain ration once or twice a week, exercise the horse dally, and when work is given him regularly, which will increase as spring draws near, gradually increase the ration. The plan on which a horse should be wintered, if he Is not worked a great deal, should be to give hUp food enough to keep blm in good condition and store away a little extra atrength for the heavy farm work of spring, but not enough to make him fat or give him Indigestion. Feadlng Sheep la Troughs. The design of a sheep trough Illus trated this week is one which has been found entirely satisfactory, all things considered; it is some little trouble to make it, but its superiority over the average trough Is so great that the la bor spent In its construction will be well spent. As shown, the trough Is twelve feet long, sixteen inches wide, twenty-two inches high, tapered as ahown. With the exception of the alats, which are one-half inch thick, and two and one-half inches wide, the trough is made of inch lumber. Tho sides, which sre nailed on the edge of the bottom, are six inches wide. The end pieces, or legs, are three inches wide and extend six Inches below the TROUGH TOB 8HKEP, bottom of the trough as shown. These leg* are, of course, fastened securely to the trough after the latter Is built and are independent of the rack itself. The rack is built by nailing the slats one foot apart on pieces three Inches -wide and twelve inches. long, and arc then hinged to the sides of the trough so that they rest on the edges of the trough when closed. Two binges on each side (strap hinges, of course,) win be sufficient. At about tbe middle of the racks a bent hasp is fastened so that when the racka are in placc tbey may be held so by turning the hasp to the other side over a staple and bold* ing It in place with a bit of wood. In this arrangement either rack may be let down and the trough thus filled from either side.? Indianapolis News. two Mistake*. It is a mistake to allow co?ts and calves to remain out in wood or field through winter storm .and cold witb no other shelter than a fence corner or tree trunk. Hardening them, some farmers call It It surely Is a case of the survival of the fittest if tbey snr vive it and do well. The bony, scrag* fry colt and calf brought up in tbo spring may live out its allotted time in spite of such usage, but It is at a loss. If you trust to tbe mercy of nature, she asks pay for It In shortened days or stunted growth. The other day, passing a large field, I saw one lonely calf, its back parts to the storm, cov ered with snow, shivering in the fence corner. Not a shed or straw stack in sight. 1 thought of the proverb concerning the merciful man. Stock should never be turned Into corn stalk or wood pasture in winter without hav ing something provided in the way of shelter, which they can reach In stormy weather. Better not sell off all the straw to the stnwboard, and use It in covering rude sheds for cattle and other stock. Our cattlc ore now fnr removed froirt their wild ancestry and do not bear cold and exposure well. Again, It is a second mistake to confine horses and cattle too closely. Tbey re quire plenty of fresh air. The stables and cow sheds should be as warm as possible to make theni. but they should bo provided with good ventil ators. Cows standing In a close atmos phere. laden with the poisonous ex halations from their own bodies, pass that poison back again to diseased lungs and milk. Home exposure to the cold and freah air Is necessary for the well being of the cow. It is a teste that shows up quickly In her appear ance. You can kill or weaken your stock by lack or care, and sometimes you can weaken them by too much care.-Ida Sbepler, la Tbe EpItomHt. * Will w&mwmkm. In a greet many firm i?n? QunI lac nail is IM m tht oppcr W, ?ad all that M M eat la carried 4owd taoaa way *t.anotfcer. Aa American Agriculturist writer has a ban ar ranged tbna and with bo suitable apace In the basement for a (rain bin. A* a way out j>f the difflcuitj ha pnt In aome grain chutes to nan from tha bin* above, aa ahowa la tha accompanying cut. In aome eaaea tha cbnte could b? allowed to drop directly from the bis above without any Joints. Under few ctrajSwtaneaa will a chute with less than half pitch be satisfactory. Oats will run through such a pitch with lit* tie dllllculty. Wheat or rye will follow even a less slant, hut with bulky stuff like ground feed there Is considerable danger of dogging. The Interior of the chute ought not to be less than six Inches square? els by eight would be even better. The In terior should be free from all obatrnc tlona. The hopper ahaped device juat A GRAIN CHUT*. under the bin is quite necessary with ontH and ground feed to give greater headway. The cut-off (A) is an ordin ary draw supported by two cleats on either side. An extension is also made to the rear board of the chute so that it projects about half an inch outward, thus giving chance for holding a bag if necessary.? Connecticut Farmer. ? rractlcal Vkm Dmlrylnr. Thinking, perhaps, the experience of a "common" farmer with a common herd would be interesting as well as instructive, I submit this: During the year ended April 1, 1003, our herd aver, sged a trifle over 300 pounds of butter each. We sold the same at twenty-two cents net. During the last year we sold part of the cows. At the present time I am milking four October cows, which make an average of forty-two pounds a week. It would be somewhat difficult to average them to April 1, but I am confident the four will make 400 pounds each next year. The cows are common Jerseys. Not one Is regis tered. No two are alike, nor is there one which could compete in the show ring. In fact, they are what Mr. Pack would call "scrubs." They are stabled In a rather cold up ground stable, confined In stanchions, and let out twice a day for water and put back Immediately, except on pleas* ant days, when they are given an hour'* run. Their feed consists of plenty of good oat straw an& timothy hay twice a day, and shredded corn fodder or chaff at noon. The grain ra tion is four quarts of whole oats and bran mixed and four quarts of buck wheat rinds once a day. They are watered at a trough from which the ice has been removed beforehand. They have no ensilage or summer grain; are well bedded, but never cur ried. They are treated kindly, but in no sense are they under different con ditions than are, or should be, in reach of every farmer. We try to have them dry through September. While I ful ly agree that cows will do better with scientific surroundings and better breeding, still there is better money for the plain farmer with a common herd of full blooded Ayrshires, but the scrub cow Is where we got the start to do so, and. In defense o? much abused beast, will say that many a obe with a reasonable chance would surprise the fellows with the high priced fancies.? Lee Hathaway, In Tri bune-Farmer. Poultry Notes. See that there Is vigor and activity In the male bird. Changing hens to new quarters le apt to check their laying. It is best to cook cut clover hay and then mix it hot with ground grain. Even if the chickens do belong to the wife, you should help her with the heavy work. Exposing fowls to heavy wind storms is as dangerous to their health as is rainy weather. Crowded roosts at night will bring colds to the flock about as quickly as anything we know of. Heavy forcing will no doubt Increase the egg yield, but It will cripple the stamlnti of future generations. Sifted coal ashes should be spread, several times a week, upon the drop ping boards. Never use wood ashes. Feed the morning mnsb before glv? lng water to drink. It is a mistake to allow n fowl to become chilled by drinking cold water while the crop is empty. It is a very easy matter to improve the farm flock, and now is the propot time to look over the flock and select a few of the very best pullets and mate them up with the best cockwcl upon the farm. They can be confined In a wire netting yard adjacent to a por tion of the poultry house. The use of the lead pencil in putting down in black and white the number of eggs and fowls produced and the price received for them is a good way to change the mistaken belief that liens do not pn.v for their feed. A rec ord should be kept of the fowls and eggs consumed for family use. This is the season when many farm ers are moving from one locality to an. other. Changing hens from one place to another Is a good way to cause them to stop laying. They may be coaxed to resume operations sooner than they would otherwise by changing their diet. Give something new and they will come to their meals with an appe* PEACH CULTURE. The Mine pruning and culture de tired for apple* or pear* would not be suitable for peach tree*. The peacl? orchard should be planted by Itself. Peach trees should not be mingled with apple trees or other fruit tree* Do not plant the treea too closely to gether, unless you expect to cut out every other tree when they get larger. Select an elevated site for the orchard; the hilltops are far better than level ground or the level; the soil may be sandy, gravelly or a friable clay loam. After planting keep the soil well culti vated through all the growing season. Half of each season's growth should be removed by pruning each spring. This rule of pruning does not apply tc toy other tree but the peach, wbtcb bss a tendency' to spread too far. By rutting off half the wood you tblu out ? portion of the fruit buds and this li leslrable. since peaches almost Invarl. *bly overbear.? Green's Fruit Grower. THE STRAWBERRIES. Mulching tbe beds will very likely have to be done some time during the moutb. Most of the material for this we already have on band, having been saved from the odds and ends of near 'y everything, as lawn motvings, grass clippings, green weeds and rubbish gathered from every qusrter. It pays in many ways to mulch the beds; if ?eft uncovered, a few warm days In spring may give them a start, only to ?>e pinched by a sudden cold spell. Sc it Is far safer to cover them and not }e In too much haste to take the cover :ng off until reasonable danger Is past It is better to hold them back a little than to get set back by some freak of lack Frost. While out of season now for plant "jig, very likely many of our reader* will be casting about on the lookout for plants for spring setting. In thlt ?onnection it is well to know tliaf strawberries are of two kinds', stamiiv ate and fistillate. Some of the verj Inest sorts of themselves are flstiilatf jr imperfect In flower, and when plant ?d alone will produce but few berries and those of poor quality. * That our readers may better under stand the difference, we give the stain Inate or perfect flower and the flstillati or imperfect flower. By these any om may readily tell the perfect from tin Imperfect by the stameus extending PERFECT, IMPERFECT. out from the centre In the perfect, and their entire absence In the Imperfect. If carefully preserved, the lllustra< tions will be very helpful for futur< reference. Bubach's No. 5 is no doubt the most popular for market varletj and culture at the present time, ani ought not to be omitted, either fot borne or market purposes. It is of iui* perfect flower, however, and must In fertilized by some stamlnate variety, and none is better, probably tliar Jessie. The Glen Mary in season is medluir to late, and is one of the best in cultl* vation for home and near market, buf hardly firm enough for long distances. It Is very large In size and holds well up to tbe latest pickings. Among the early sorts the Marshall has no equal; very large, high colored *ml excellent flavor. It Is perfect flow ering, but must have high culture foi best results. It sells at sight, is an immense cropper, and should find a place in every gnrden. The Warfield is one of the best late or perhaps medium berries, and if coming rapidly into favor with market men. Its size and color make It eager ly sought after, and as a cropper and ready seller It has no superior. It lr Imperfect, however, and must be planted with some of the stamlnate sorts. From time to time during the wintei we hope to talk of fruit varieties anil endeavor to offer suggestions that will be helpful in selecting sorts for plant ing.? Connecticut Farmer. HORTICULTURAL NOTES. The new berry patch should be spf out early in April. The Prize Taker and similar varie ties of onions will do their best onlj when started in beds and transplanted later on. If the lettuce in your beds or hot house is showing signs of rust, spraj with a solution of sulphate of copper: one ounce to twenty gallons of water Since there Is a scarcity of cucumbci and melon seeds it should be knowr that these seeds have great vitality, mid will grow even if several years old There is a shortage of nil varletlei of wrinkled peas. Two-year-old stock will grow, and if sound and well pre served a fair percentage will grow t lie third > ear. Just the minute the earth soften* enough to permit you to dig a bit of horseradish with the Iron bar. get soiih for the table. It will be the tlrst elixir *>r life to you for the new year. The tomato blight is spreading ovci Ihe country. Old hotbeds Infested will the spores are its breeding places. 1' possible make new beds with new luni her and new earth.' The next bes* tiling to do Is to saturate the oh', frame with a strong solution of sal phatc of copper, one ounce to the gal Ion of water, and use new earth. Mi? One t'Mllnrr. These schools for journalism are great thing*. Filial examinations were recently held for the students at Kan- I sns University who nre taking the course In Journalism, and only one stu dent failed to pass. He was an expe rienced newspaper man. ? Springfield Republican. A #rirt is always proud of her new hat until she meets another girl with one that's more freakish. T 3E movement In favor of ? National appropriation to ahl In the building of road* appeara to be tnaklug great headway. Thla la proven by the number and enthusiasm of It* supporters, and even more strikingly by the consternation of those who are openly or secretly opposed to the scheme. When the agricultural hill came up In the National House of Rep resentatives recently remsrks were dropped by a number of speakers which Indicated that letters, petitions and resolutions demsndlng the passage of the Brownlow road bill are coming In from all sections. The same thing happened again when the bill came up in the Senate. Senator Bailey, of Texas, who Is opposed to National aid. said it was easy to see what Is com ing, and addressed this significant re mark: **I will live, if 1 lire as long as my father lias done, to see a Federal officer probably supervising all the 1 county roads in this country." While none of the so-called good roads bills have come up for action in either end of the Capitol, the friends of the road office in the Department of Agriculture have scored an Important victory in securing in the Senate an in crease of $45,000 in the appropriation* for road investigations and experi ments. including the building of object lesson rouds. This is National aid on a small scale. But it is of great importance from an educational point of view. Heretofore this object-lesson work has been con ducted iu the following manner: An ap plication Is sent in by some experiment station or agricultural college, or by road officials or public spirited citizens of some progressive community asking the Government to co-operate in t ho building of a short stretch of road. The Government usually furnish nothing more than an engineer or an expert to make plans and supervise t '?.*? work. Uoad-making machinery is ?<>u. ally furnished free of charge by the manufacturers for the sake of the ad vertisement It gives them. The rail roads also take a hand ami transport the machinery free. The institution or community making the application lis* to foot the bills for labor and materials. Among the henelits flowing from such work are (1) that it gives an ex cellent opportunity to investigate and test the various local materials; t2) that it gives the people of that locality a lesson in the methods of road build ing and in the use of road materials and machinery, and CI) that the build ing of a short piece of good road usu ally leads to the building of a largo mileage of improved road in the vicin ity. To have Uncle Sam come into a community and help build a good road, be it ever so short, seems to arouse great popular iutcrest and stimulate local effort. It is claimed by those who know most about the results of the work alreudy done, that in no other direction does the Government accomplish so much with so little out lay. But the opponents of National aid nre afraid that object-lesson roads are only a stepping stone to National aid of vastly greater dimensions, and in this they are probably right. However that may he it appears certain that ob ject-lesson road building will be car ried on next year to a larger extent than ever before. Many applications are now on tile in the Department of Agriculture and many more are ex pected. HurcfMaful Macadam. The main points in successful mac adam road building are (1) that the foundation be properly constructed and drained; (2) that the surface of tho road be slightly curved so as to shed water, and (3) that the surface of tho finished road be made herd and smooth and as nearly waterproof' as possible. The fast of these qualities Is secured by spreading on the stone in layers, be ginning with a layer of the largest fragments and finishing with a layer of very tine crushed stone with which some sand is often incorporated. Each layer is well compacted with a heavy roller. Although tlie expense of building macadam roads is trifling compared with that of constructing a stone paved road like that of the Roman Emperor, Appius Claudius, it Is still so great as to form the principal obstacle to mac* ndnmizing modern highways. Tho cost, of course, depends largely on tho eiwe with which suitable stone may be secured. Where tho material him to be transported by rail for a consider ble distance the cost is greatly In creased. Some of the Massachusetts highways have cost $8000 to $10,000 a mile, while in some other States good macadam roads have been built for $1500 to $!1000 a tulle. Not Like Ilia Molli*r, Life tells a good story of the small son of a certain university professor, whose parents are deservedly popular for their tact and courteous speech. The youngster appeared at the homo of a fellow-rrofcssor and hesitatingly asked Mrs. if he might look at the parlor rug. Permission was, of course, granted, and Mrs. felt tome surprise to see the little follow itoop over the rug and stare silently for some half-uiliiutc. He straight ftied himself up, and, meeting her Ivoi* fir ring expression, said triumph intly, "It dousn't make ine slckl" Annual Coffee Consumption. I It Is estimated that tho peoplo of i the United States drink 1,500,000.000 gallons of coffee In the course of a year, at a cost of about ten cents a gallon. Tho importing cost of the requisite fjuantlty of coffee berries for this supply, at seven cents a pound, Is about $75,000,000. Preparation, pack' ago. distribution and dealers' profits make the price to the oonsumer about double the Importing eost.