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?Mynheer Toe. BY ST. QEORQE PATH BORNE. CHAPTER III. LCootiBWd.1 - *Vmi I hmd a shot Just beside me. Wltk ? borrar I cant explain, I VfehM arooi to see the black devil of ? trsltor ilalni a revolver, from tbs ainle of wblcb smoke still coded, fkacnl Gordon bad bis bsnd pressed la Ma heart, and I could see tbe blood lihtlbf over bis fingers. Tlaat eight win bannt me all my life! I who law seen many strange snd terrible dhlags In mj time csn never forget akat happened on that awful 2Gtb day of January. "I knew tbe brave Gordon had re ceived bis death-wound at the hand* of one wao had even fought at bla tod*, and the consciousness that the ?ell bear bad come seemed to turn mj wet j blood Into molten lava. "Fearful sounds arose all over a nartoom. for the aighal hod been given that was to Indicate Gordon's downfall. The enemy assaulted the walls, a portion of the late defenders JsAned them, and Khartoom became tbe scene of a massacre too terrible Car words. *1 assure yon. my friends, I did not aland Idle while sll this was going on. Ha sooner did 1 see tbe falling hero at say side, when, quick as the lightning ttosvas the clouds, my sword leaped ban Its acsbbard. Giving a true Yankee yell I sprang at the assassin, lbs descending blade cleft his miser able skull to the chin, snd through all daw I aball never cease to rejoice that It was the arm of an American that avenged Gordon's death. "What happened after that is more Uke m dream than a reality to me. but ? X aball give it for what it is worth. I remember plunging Into the thick of tbe fight. All around me arose the naost fearful sounds of a desperate battle. while throcgb Khartoom rang tbe shrieks of poor women and the ahoats of exulting demons; for the black horde had swarmed over the walla, and. In their great fury, seemed to ape re none. "More than one went down before aay sword and revolvers, for, expect ing only death, 1 fought as a madman aalght. . "In the midst of the melee, covered with grime and blood. I could hardly be distinguished from or.- of the trait or-soldlers who had at last turned apon their general. Suddenly my body was clasped by a pair of hands from behind, and I found my aelf hurled to the ground. N "Naturally I expected .nstant death. When, to *ny surprise, a voice called to my ear: - " 'Feign death! I would save the sahib!* "It was my falthl'ul servant Kas oee, whom I had brought from Bom bay. I hardly know why I obeyed ' him; It must have been because I had ao little power to resist, for life did not seem worth any trouble Just then. ?"He dragged me into the house that overlooked the river and there se creted me. All through tho day I beard the shouts of the victorious hordes as they thronged through Khartoom. Something bad come into my mind, and I found that I had -ti object to live for, n mission to per form. The news nf Gordon's death most be carried to his people, and I bad come to the conclusion tlint of all the faithful within the walls of Khartoom, Joe Miner was the only living soul that remained. "Night came, and faithful Ivnssce made his appearance. He had dis guised himself as one of the enemy, and thus escaped the common fato that befell tbe defenders of the city. "From him I learned that a clever scheme Lad been arranged whereby we could make our escape down the riser. The water was very low, but Gordon had several small, liglit draught steamers for use upon the apper waters of the Nile. One of these lay not more thnn a stone's throw down the river, tied to the bank. "Kassee's bright plan was for us to drop Into the river from the back of tbe bouse, wade down to the boat, climb aboard and, aided by tbe dark ness, cast her adrift. When some dis tance down the river, we could light a Are, stsrt op steam and, as soon as daylight came, make good progress north. ?There waa something fascinating about the adventure, particularly as It promised to be our ouly chance. "Acting under the Instructions of my faithful Kassee I clambered through the slit of a window in the aaad wall ?if the house, lowered iuy aelf by pieans of the convenient rope, aad finally stood knee-deep In the wa ters of the Nile below, waiting. "When the ex-sepoy joined me," continued Mynheer Joe, "we began to creep along down in tho direction o: ^ little ateamcr. It was guarded, hat Kaesee knew where the sentry was posted, and ho attended to his case while I got ready to unfasten the ropes. **I heard a single splash, but not a cry. Then Kassee came to me and de clared everything was working all right. Wo pushed out Into the stream and began to leave the doomed city behind. As yet discovery had not co see. _ "K will not dwell on this part of iny trip, In the morning we got up stonin aad began to make good headway. ''Until half way to tho Second Cat a tact we were not molested. Then a troop of scouting followers of tho Mabdl sighted us, and riding Into tho river attempted to take the steamer. "We had prepared for tble. There waa a small cannon on board, which wo kept :n readiness for Just such an emergency as this, and when we aent Ha content a Into the mldet of the black rascals they scattered to tbe wlnde. "Below, we bad another fight, and ?Ms time they very nearly took tbs wmI, bat *ar flea waa a trifle too warm, and they finally allowed us to to on. "As w drew scar the cataract we knew we would have to abandon the little steamer, but we bad determined to continue the voysge In ber light yswl. wblch could be carried around tbe cataract tj two stout men. "This was finally done, and we kept on down tbe river. Fortune bad been kind until now. We ran upon some hippopotami, and In a rage one of tbe monsters crushed our boat. It was In tbe night. 1 believe my poor Kassee must have fallen a victim to the sav age beasts, for I saw blm no more. "My own escape waa very miracu lous. I landed a mile down the stream. At break of day I pushed on. Pato threw me In with a native, who car ried me aa far as the First Cstaract In his boat. Here I met an English hunter, a bold fellow who. with some guides, had been up the river shooting river horses, as he called the hippo potami. "He was horrified at my news, and gladly gave me a place In his comfort able boat, after which we set out for Cairo, hundreds of miles away. "All went well until we were about two dsys' run above the city, when a audden squall took us unawares; tbe boat capsized, and I found myself wrecked sgaln In tbe darkness. "I spent weary hours clinging to the hatch which had somehow come un der my hands. Several times boats came near me in tbe morning, but no one would take me off. They pre tended not to hear me; In fact, I might as well have been a thousand miles away for all they noticed me. You see, they have a dread of being held as witnesses, and If part of u boat's crew Is lost there must be a legal Inquiry, which will compel them to be in town and lose time from their work. "As the day was passing I felt that 1 must leave my raft and try to gain tho distant shore, where the railroad runs unless soon rescued. Just then this boat came down the river, running close by. 1 called to the captain, tell ing blm I was from Khartooin, with news of Cordon; he at once put about and came to my rescue. The rest you already know, my friends." Thus Mynheer Joe finishes his story. It has not taken a great while to tell the facts, but volumes could be filled with the details. He endeavors to control himself when speaking of Gor don's death, but It Id evident that event has made a powerful impression on the sturdy explorer, who ho often has fought side by side with tbe Chris tian hero. Sandy has ceased making his hiero glyphics upon tbe pages of his note book. His face beams with enthusiasm at the thought of being fi?-st with this authentic account of Gordon's death. At the sa me time, out of respect for tbe feelings of Mynheer Joe, be en deavors to subdue ibis mark of Jour nalistic pride and appear sober, but it is really beyond him. As for Mr. Grimes, lie has observed the narrator wilh deep interest all the while he tells of tbe strange things which happened to him. Whatever is passing in the mind of the silver king he does not allow it to be shown upon his face, which is as expressionless us that of the Sphinx. The messenger from Khartooin sits there tor a brief Interval, with that look of sadness on ills face. as though the thoughts surging through his mind have been too much for him. "Come, rouse yourself, my boy! You are among friends at last, thank heaven, nnd will be the lion of Cairo when it is publicly known that you were with gallant Gordon when he fell." eays Snndy. but the other holds up his hand, and says quietly: "That is a distinction I do not cntve. Somehow I feel guilty in not leaving my nody beside Gordon. At best, I see nothing to boust of in having es caped his fate." "The brave are ever modest." says Sandy. "At least, j*ou will make a re port to the proper officials to-morrow and verify my dispatches V" "Yes, a very brief one. That is only Just. I would, for certain reasons of my own which you cannot understand, keep it as quiet as possible." "Just so!" remarks the r liver king. In such a peculiar way that Mynheer Joe glances at blm, and then finds his attention caught by a photograph on the wall, which he sees for the first time. "That face again! Whose picture have we here'/" ho demands, with an alarming interest CHAPTER IV. 1 KNOW HIM A8 MYNHEER JOE." Sandy turns his head and sees what has attracted the explorer's attention. He smiles, too. for the words of Myn heer Joe would Indicate that this' is not the first time his eyes have rested on the picture or Its original. "That is the dnugliter of the gen tleman who hires the daliabeah upon which we are Just now," returns the war correspondent. "Name?" asks Joe. "Demosthenes Tnnner." "Can It be possible!" "That is her father, of course. The glil " "Stupid! It was her name I asked for." "Ah. I see. She is called Molly," re plies Sandy, with a wink Iti tbe di rection oi* T?n\ Crimes, who fu, liow-* ever, too deeply interested In watching Mynheer Joe's face to notice aught else. He seems to be not a little fasci nated by something in connection with tbe other. "Molly? A pretty name. 8omehow It Just seems to fit those features. Molly Tanner Is It? Good! I will remember. What a strange freak 6f fate that I should be picked up by her father's b~at of all on the river I Mynheer Joe Is muttering to himself, *? Indulging in some reml* juaccnct oC tae |om; at ?ufcut muiw jmm ?fiT>a vpoo Mi meter van Mi bMPnl tfc?ih always itrlklag Cmc. Ertdentlj the tlMfbta that (Up lata kla mind aia pleasaat ones. It Is not la the nature of Sandy Bar loir to let a comrade cajoy a went alone. Not that be has any desire to be meddlesome, bat be wishes to ebare the Joy ae well aa the Borrows of tboes la wbose company be travels life's highway. Hence be nods his wise lit* tie bead safely, sad. cocking It oa one side la a manner peculiar to him self. be remarks: "I say. Joe. this Isn't the first time tu?t face ha a !??Nd before your en ehsnted Vision? Owa op, now. like a man. We're all In lore with the divine Molly; every single man In Cairo at this hour yesrns for her smiles, and you will be only one of ?cores. Speak up, man: Where did you ever meet her? I've never heard her mention your name, to my knowl edge, and. by Jove, she thought yon were n Dutchman, when she sent me down here! Leave It to Grimes If It ain't so.** ? Mynheer Joe smiles. "For once, friend Sandy, yon have hit the bull's eye. I have met this lady l>efore." "And still she does not recognise your name ? that by which the whole world of scientific geographers has learned to call you? When she spoke of Mynheer Joe she showed no emo tion. and, as I said before, told us to do all for the poor unfortunate German we could. She even wanted to come herself to bear of Gordon. He's her hero, you know, as he is of many thousands. Yes, and we bad even to promise to bring . you back with us. So, what do you say to that?" "I suppose I shall have to go. A woman's will Is law, generally, espe cially one whose face is as charming as that photo betrays." "But. your former meeting?" ham mers the man of pencil and note-book, who does not deviate from a course he may linva marked out, and, as a consequence, generally gets there with both feet. "Ah. you will have it, Sandy," laughs the other. "Why not? There Is something ec centric about It, I'll be bound. You didn't meet Molly in the ordinary or thodox way. or you'd know her name, while she could never forget yours." "Well, you see It's a poor place to ask for n name when suit water. Is running into mouth and eyes," returns Mynheer Joe. The correspondent appears to havo received a tremendous shock, for. sud denly springing to his feet, he clutches the explorer by the arm to whirl him around so that he may look In his face. "Confusion! Were you the hero of that little episode at Malta n year ago?" he demands. "I don't know about being a hero, but I did have the extreme pleasure of jumping from my sailboat and sav ing,* from a watery grave, a young girl who had fnllen overboard from a boat that nearly upset in a squall,'* returns the man from Khartoom, mod* estly. Mr. Grimes puckers up his lips as if to whistle, and his whole manner says: "So, that's the way the wind blows, is It, coming events cast a shadow before." As for Sandy, he shrugs his shoul ders nud pretends to look dreadfully disappointed, though there is a twinkle in his eye that tells of a sly humor. You cannot always take Sandy as he appears, lie lias often turned out to be a 6ly rogue. _ "And then you sailed away, without even leaving your nntue, nor has the young lady ever been able to learn who it was so gallantly jumped over board after her. One thing is settled -you've got a clear road there, Joe. Not another inau will have a chance when once Molly recognizes you as her preserver." Instead of looking flattered the par ty addressed has something of a bored appearance. A man who hns devoted his life to science nnd exploration has no business to fall in love. Ills heart is supposed to bt? wrapped up In his work. "Don't mention it, Sandy. I beg. I was bound upon a very curious errand at the time nnd didn't mean to be rude, but time was money. I could spend the minutes saving a girl's life but deliver me from an hour of thanks from her relatives. When I got buck to Malta they had gone." ? [To be Continued.] otr*nfl? bounds at 8ea. It is a well-established fact that the JnieH8Pread 88,18 ?f a 8h|P- when ren dered concave by a gentle breeze, are excellent conductors of sound. The celebrated Doctor Arnott relates the following circumstance a3 a practical proof of this assertion: *rt,b|,Pn ?nCe 8a,,,n& a,?ng thf coast of Brazil, far out of sight of land Suddenly, several of the crew, wh!l? walking along tho deck noticed that when passing and repassing a part leu 1st spot they always heard with greal distinctness the sound of bells chlm ng sweet music, as though being rung but a short distanco away. Dura founded by this phenomenon, thej quickly communicated the discover) to their mates, but none of them was able to solve the enigma as to the origin of these seemingly mysterious sounds. 8everal months afterward, upon re turning to Hrazll, some of the llstpn ers determined to satisfy their curl oslty. Accordingly they mentioned the circumstance to their friends, and were Informed that at the tlmo when the soi.nds wero heard the bells In the fathet'fal at Han Salvador, on the ooas'., had been ringing lo celebrate o feart held in honor of one of tho salr.fs. Their sound, wonderful to relate, favored by a gentle, steady breeze, had. traveled a distanco of upward ol on* hundred miles over the water, and had been brought to a focus by the sails at the particular locality In which the sweet sounds were first toard. This Is but one of several instance* of a similar kind, trustworthy authori ties claiming that It has often happen ed under somewhat similar circum stances. To this class of phenomena Is doubtless due a great many stories ?bout mysterious voices and other sounds heard on the ocean. KURIL. To raise squubs successfully a house that will be free from dampness and rats i? needed, for If rata once get a squab It Is nlmost Isapoaslble to keep them out of your basas It la best to bare tiro or more nssts for each pair, for some pilrs breed rery fast, sod if tbcre are not euoufb nests they will flgbt instead of breeding. It pays to keep your Luu?? cittu sui free from lice. iMdlU Uttk Chick*. There Is greater danger of over-feed ing than under-feeding llttio chicks. A cblck. like a baby, comes into the world with its digestive organs both empty and weak, hence it is necessary that It be fed with the greatest tare, and not too much. By following this plan It will be seen that the digestive organs will be able to dissolve and ab sorb the food that goes into them in a satisfactory manner. A newly hatched chick Is a very Insignificant creature. If its size and present con dition alone be considered. The true fancier, however, will look beyond the lays of the downy coat and will strive to assist the chick in its efforts to at tain full maturity as a healthful speci men of its kind, and the critical time it the chick's life, after it leaves the ihell. is the first ten days. If It starts >ff all right and passes the ten-day nark It Is all right, provided sudden ;hanges are uot made In its food. On Ills subject we hope to publish the rlews of some of the most practical and successful poultry raisers in the future, for these are they who know ichereof they speak.? Green's Fruit ^wer. I.ow-11 citCefl Apple Trees. Green's Frnit Grower proposes to continue talking about low headed fruit trees of all kinds, and particularly about low beaded apple trees. ? The lay is passed when intelligent fruit growers can be found training their apple trees so high that it requires a balloon to get high enough to gather Ihe fruit. Think for a moment of the inference between gathering the fruit >f the tree whose branches nlmost rest apon the earth, md the gathering of fruit where the llrst branches are from ten to twenty feet high and the top branches thirty to forty feet high. Nearly double the amouut of apples ?an be picked by oue man in a dny from the low headed trees than can ha picked from the high headed trees. Then consider the danger in picking from those very high trees, and the dme spent in going up and down the ladders and in moving tall, heavy lad fiers around. The ordinary planter ased to head his apple trees at about five feet from the ground at planting, [n future years he kept cutting away the lower branches, constantly raising the head of the tree. My advice is to Itart the heads of api#'o tr-? not high er than four feet from the ground, and keeping the head low. Horse* la Demand. The outlook for the horse industry iras never before more promising. With the progress of national develop nent has materialized Increased de mand for horses. So pronounced has been the enlarged use of horses for the past five years that domestic con sumption has nearly exhausted the inpply. The surplus is so light thot >rlces have remained nominally sta tionary, while other classes of live 'took have declined in value matcrl illy. All the modern Industrial de velopments of civilized nations were xiade possible by the use of horses, ind the future demand promises to be ?f Increased proportions. Horses for general utility use ore Indispensable. ?nd as nations advance In wealth and (flluence the demand for horses Is in tensified. There are no substitutes ? eliminate the noble equine In his iphere of usefulness in the progress of nanklnd. The equine fashion of the twentieth century will be repeated In the succeeding cycle and the future of the Industry is brilliant with encourag ing promise. The breeder who raises food horses of any commerciol class 's assured of a stable and remunera tive market for bis surplus and has 'very encouragement lo intelligently ixploit the Industry. ? Drover's Journal. Shoreline Board. A good servlcoble shoveling board )o be attached to the form wagon for Icooplng corn, potatoes, etc., Is mode is follows: For o wagon box twenty four or twenty-six Inches deep make four board thirty inches high and lust as wide as the outside measure of !he box. On each side noil a piece of food tough plank six inches wide at (he bottom and tapering to a point ot the top; make these pieces two Inches onger than the shoveling boards, al- ! owing the projection at the bottom. Two inches from the bottom of th?se toords and even with the bottom of Jie shoveling boards saw a notch three Miches deep from back .side of the toard and split out to the bottom; lext nail a 2x4 under the back end of ?Jio wogon box allowing half of It to >roJeet behind the box for shoveling >oord to rest on; also make It long ?nough to project three Inches beyond :he sides of tho box for notches In the ilde pieces of shoveling board to book >ver. Now get two old top props off >f an old buggy top (If you have none ?on can get them of nlmost any black 5iot ooAao WAQON DOX imlth v'or almost nothing) nnd put on ?s In IlivMrntlon. When end gate is tip :he long purt of the prop should he bent dott.li so It will not come open; lending t\ls rod thrown the elbow in llreot line with the other hinges which will hold end gntcs np. Holt brace on to the outside of the wagon box and mortise n hole through the flovr of (hoveling board on ench side against the side pieces', make hole nhont half tn Inch wide and two Inches up nnd down. Now bore n small hole thronxh the edge board through centre of mor tise and Into the edge of the bottom board and drlre belt In. Is dumping com. lower board, poll oat at bottom, ?ad pat oa top of wagon box. The blngtd joints allow It to so up easily. ? C. E. ltichardton. In The Epltauilst. Far* UTMd Cow*. The cow thn: ocvcpiM a ttall two years and gives o?ly onebalf cs uucU milk or gutter as would a first-class animal. Is more costly than a cow raised from a calf, for she will not only have occupied the stall for a year without profit, but also entailed nu ex pense of perhaps fifty dollars in her purchase. If the dairymeu would con sider that by breeding their own stock they could miyo expenses and tteeurc larger profits they would no longct fill their stalls with unprofitable cows. A calculation will demonstrate that It Is not profitable to buy cows. Instead of raising good stock. It must be * good common cow that wll! give thirij pounds (about fifteen quarts* of milk dally, but the grad?? or pure breed* have been to yield more tliau double such quantities. If. In the period of seven years, a pure-bred cow is pro duced on the farm, she may require but three years for growth before coin lag In, while a purchased cow, beiup ready In the beginning, given milk durlug a much longer time, but froir the time the pure-bred cow coiues in. though occupying the stall much lee? time than the native, she \$ll yield n larger quantity of milk on the aver age, or, to put it plainer, she will give more milk in four years than the r.a five will in six, while her value will he much more. If the period is extended to ten years the difference will be still greater, nnd it may be added that the pure-bred cow will also give a larger quantity of milk in proportion to fooJ consumed.? Philadelphia Record. Chit of Farm Tool*. The following Illustration shows a box which may be readily made at home and In which may bo kept man; things now without a proper aud regu lar place. While the Illustration shows a box of considerable size one of small er dimensions may be used if desired, and it can be made on the same plan. No instructions foi- making are ne cessary for the cut shows plainly bow It Is put together. Several dry goods boxes would answer well for the pur pose. The drawers may be used for holding blankets, curtains and robes, and the shelves or compartments for brushes or small tools. If desired a lid may be placed over the opening at the top of the large box. to keep out the dust, and this commodious space be utilized for anything desired. If care is taken in putting this contrivance to gether it would bo practically rat proof and could be used for seeds if one wished. There are a dozen uses ' IIANDY DARK BOX. to which the box could be put ami as the expense of It Is largely In labor thera Is no reason why such a box could not be in every farm barn. If every farm contained a tool house, in which every tool was kept in its place when not in use, there would be a great saving of time dur ing the busy season. It often happens that the value of the time lost in seek ing some tool not In Its place is greater than the cost of the tool. Much of (lie loss of time and exposure of tools is due to lack of some suitable place for storage. It costs but little to build a toolhouse. as it need not be proof against heat or cold, the main point being a good roof, so as to protect the tools and Implements from dampiu's* rout try Note*. To treat fowls for health !s better than to dose them for disease. Season soft food with salt. It sharp ens appetite and aids digestion. A handful of sunflower seed now and. then adds luster to the plumage. Ileus will pay well for table scraps. It Is wasteful to feed them to mong rel dogs and cats. Litter in which there is tough, wiry hay is not safe to put on the scratching floor. If raten It causes crop-bound conditions. An active breed Is less liable to be come overfat than the larger sized, sluggish fowls, hence should be treated accordingly. It Is a mistake to wait until hens are lousy before using Insect powder*. Constant prevention is the only safe method to pursue. To renew the vitality of a flock It Is not necessary to cross-breed and make them mongrels. Better get males of a different strain or family of the same variety. Save the droppings; they are valu able for fertilizing purposes and will come In handy In the spring. Store them In a dry place In boxes or barrels. There Is no better fertilizer when prop, erly used. Dirty windows In the poultry horse prevent the fowls from getting the full benefit of the sun's rays and make the house cheerless and uncomfortable, it Is a good plan to place the dust-bath where the sun can shine directly Into It during some part of the day. Clean the windows and let a little sunshine in. N*w Snrdmrln* Plnnt. The new saccharine plnnt discovered In South America contains a consider able quanalty of saccharine matter, is not fermentable, and is unusually sweet. The plant Is herbaceous, grow ing to a height of eight to twelve Inches, and Its scientific nine Is Kupa torlum rebandlum. It is expected to prove of much Industrial value. It was discovered by the director of the agri cultural Institute at Asuncion, and his experiments indicate that the sugar yielded is from twenty to thirty times as sweet at ordinary cane or beet ?u car. - T A C**d Rokdi LMuler. (IE Massachusetts Ilighwnj | Commission is entering lut? i sympathetic and hearty co I operation with the friend* of theBrownlow bill, whirl propones tbe organization of a natlona": ?oad bureau and an appropriation o! (24,000,000 to be used in conjunction with the different States for road juildlng. It is entirely in harmonj with tbe purjioaea of that measure ot :be niaiu question, but proposes quit? t number of minor amendments, it >rder to harmonize tbe bill witt state laws, and the law* of our owi Stnte in particular. The original con lieta with our own statute, tnasiuuct is it provides for advertising and con :ractlug by tbe director of the goot' roads bureau instead of the Massa chusetts Highway Commission, am* rliat would prevent the State from bo coming a beneliciary under its ti-rmf is at present formula ted. The commission of no State Is bettei 2ua lifted than that of our own to make practical suggestions for the better , nent of the bill. It has achieved more proportionally. If not absolutely, thai my other, and In the process of edu eating various communities in good road building it has also educated It self. It Is now building better roadi and building them more economical^ than when these enterprises were first i undertaken, and Its experience ought lo be of great value in any practical attempt to broaden and even national ?ze the movement. The commlssloi has sent a draft of the Brownlow bill with its own suggested amendments to every Representative and United States Senator, xvith some excellen' arguments In its support. As we have already said, there ar? two questions to be settled before tin bill should be favorably reported which are: Is it. a proper service fo? the government to engage in? And if so. is It expedient? Both these ques tlons are affirmatively, and, It seenu to us. conclusively answered In tin commission's analysis of the project It contends that Government aid Is im new thing in the United States. an4 had it not been extended at the propel time "millions of acres of product I vi land would now be in a state of natur< instead of supporting a population oi 10.000.000 sonls." Of course, we an nil familiar with the fact that th? Government Is a regulnr and libera! supporter of annual schemes for tin Improvement of rivers and harbors We likewise remember the princely concessions find grants made fo tin transcontinental railroad companies, it order to develop the great West, and we are sensible of the value and even the vital importance of this policy, bu* not so many of us are aware that Gov ernment aid to the construction o4. highways was one of the earliest acU authorized by tbe Government for the Internal development of tbe country. In the commission's brief it is de elared that "the building of a road from tide water to the Ohio countrj was a pet project of Washington." Hi did not live to see it acted upon, but In 1811 such a road was begun, and seven yearn later It was completed at ? cost to the United States of $7,000,000 For thirty-four years subsequent t? that time it was the one great blghwaj over which passed the malls and tin bulk of the trade and travel betweet the East and the West, and like the 5>7.00n,000 paid for Alaska, the ptir chase price was repaid to tbe poopl# of this country many fold. That seents to at once establish tin propriety aud the expediency of tin proposition. The commission statei very truly that the money appro printed for roads is largely wasted for the reason that the local roadmas ter does not know how wisely to ex pend It, whereas In those States where aid has been given under scientific dl rection for this purpose "it has worked a revolution. ? ? ? The roads bull! have convinced the most sceptical thaf they not only cost less to maintain but reduce the cost of battling from twenty-five to fifty per cent," Thaf the nation would be repaid for expen diture of this kind in "Increased pros perity, enhanced values and a general raising of the moral, the religious and the educational tone of its people," wi do not doubt. There Is almost a di? cernible difference to-day between the citizen who lives on a good road and the one who lives on a bad one. Tliej have different aspirations and differ ent standards of business. Good roadi ?re among civilization's best missis" tries.? Boston Evening Transcript. Laboring Under a Mistake. Some frlendt of the good roade movement hesitate to Join in the do mand for national aid because thej are appalled by the enormous expense involved in macadamizing the entire road milage of the country. These persons are laboring under a mistake The national aid bills now before Con gress do not propose to construct anj particular kind of road. They sltnplj propose to "improve the public roads' and provide for "Investigations and experiments to determine the besf kinds of road material and the bes' methods of road building." In a re cent article Representative Brownlow says: "My own Individual opinion is tha' some of the principal thoroughfare! ought to be macadamized. Well In formed road experts have estimated that if one-tenth of the road mileage of the country were macadamized and the other nine-tenths were improved in other and cheaper ways, using the best local materials available, the cost of hauling the farm products of th# United States to market would be re dnced to one-half." If this estimate is correct, the sav ing to the farmers would bo enormous, and would In a few years be sufllclenl to cover the entire expense of making the Improvements. Besides lessening the cost of hauling, good roads will bring to the people of tbe rural dis tricta pleasures and benefits whlcb cannot be measured in money.? Nm York Tribune. 5/WKULTURE? ROADSIDE FltUIT TUBES. Few things |?!case me more than tA *?o rows of apple trees hearing fruit along highways. Many apple trees ire tli vis planted in western New York, iml I know of 110 way of heauttCying the roadsides more successfully. The apple tree Is nu object of beauty aad oromise at all seasons of the ye?r. No >ne ean look upou an apple tree during arbiter without thinking of the nhuu lanee of healthful and beautiful fruit it will bear. As the tree opens Its eaves and expands Its millions of ?lowers, or as it 1s tilled with various colored fruits as autumn approaches, "t Is an object of iuterest and admir itlon. There Is but little danger of 'he fruit of these roadside trees liein;; seriously molested. If the varieties ire summer fruits more of them would le taken by passers by than if they were winter fruits. I?ut in either ease 5o?d erops ea:? be gathered from these *oadsidc trees; thus they are doing louol.? service. one as ornamental :rees and the other as mortgage lifters. The soil along the fenee line by the ?oadside has not been cropped, and is kcrefore more fertile than the soil of he fields adjoining.? tiroen's Fruit 1 rower. i.I I.IKS FOR FARM (S ROUNDS. The writer isaconstantadvocateof the iriia mentation of farm groumlR; not lecessarlly expensive ornamentation. >ut the setting of plants that are more >r less hardy, nycordit.g to location, so lint one may have increased beauty In he blossoms as the years go by. Lilies ire among tils best rnd hardy bulbs 'or the border cn a farm, and. after he first expense, are so cheap that here should, not be a farmhouse with ?ut its lily border. The illustration diows two of the best hardy sorts, the ipper blossoms being L. Auratuiu ami '.he two lower ones L. Kuhrutu. The tlrst named is well known fot LILIES KOIl THE FABM. Us pure white flowers, with crimson spots, and it* line of golden yellow running through the centre of each octal. It Is a profuse bloomer, being in almost constant tlower from June to October. Ituhrum, also known as the scarlet turban lily, blooms in early June and its scarlet petals, thickly jpotted with a darker shade of red, ire in charming contrast to the Aura turn. Bulbs may be set in October or November in rich, well-drained soil, and covered during the winter with a mulch of straw manure, which should be removed when the frost is out of the ground in the spring. Set the bulbs so that the tops will be live or *ix Inches under the soil.? Indianapolis News. iioimrri/miAL notf.s. flood drainage is usually recommend Pd for all soils except those underlaid with gypsum. Make a wise decision as to what va rieties and how many of each variety you will plant. Decide now what you are to do thin spring in the way of setting out plants, vines and trees. Sandy soil ought not to be heavily manured at any time, but should re ceive frequent small applications. If severe root pruning is practiced the branches must be shortened and even then unformed tops will result Cut back your young trees about on? third of the new growth, and do It during the winter if it has not been done in the fall. Grape vines, raspberry, blackberry nnd currant bushes, etc., can 1* trimmed any time between now and the first of May. Yellow sweet clover Is considered one of the best green mniiuring plant* for Alabama, according to the State Experiment Station tests. Manure can be hauled at this season nnd spread directly upon the field from the wagon, or It cun be piled up to rot. There is less loss where It Is spread upon the field as drawn. Plants which furnish little shade leave the soil hard when removed. Tho ground should be allowed to lie fal low or grow some crop like clover un til it fs in good inechanicnl condition. If you have large orchards you must begin pruning now In order to get through that work before the leaves open. If .von have only a few trees I should prefer to prune them just be fore the buds open in May. Kndlve should be lifted and placed In frames. I'ark it closely, covering the roots with damp earth, but bo careful not to wet the leaves, which will cause them to rot. Dig up a good bail of earth with each plant. t.nngciit IViicr. One of the longest fences In the Northwest Is being constructed around the I.ower llrule Reservation, on tho Missouri Itlver, in the central portion of South Dakota. This remarkable fence will be sixty-three miles In length. It is composed of four wires placed on posts set a rod apart, cedar nnd ash posts alternating. In Its con struction 2JV0 in lies of wire will be used, or 70.000 pounds. To erect the fence required an aggregate of 10.000 posts. In this long fence there will be only three gateways, which will t)? guarded w*ea the fence Is coutoleted. ,