Historical Newspapers of South Carolina

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THE GARDEN. ? j TBIgMM MinU ? - ? ? a. Wm ?w wca??ftlii? port,^^ lorUtr jftui the mom beat aknha Haw Higiil Ik* Miliags ol Dm |?r. n. With ml|M of a PMOffttl nn, Aad rintli not fa aay cod*; 1 laid the (Qmat-bothM kua " ? browa boo gnuabhng witk hwlnii, ra. Was mr ma M caha a port? Aad jot? aad yet, tho' no moo f? Nor aaohoco drag; wu over bout 80 ooro affrighted oador ana? IV. The Mi lor poood tho garden 'round; Hio brow a hoado plucked the hanging *1 doMkLow tho tidM," bo Mid, "Aad wind's will ii a woman's wo jr. V. "What charts are there to help me now? Whet* break the reefs I do not know? I laid my course by sun and stars? God's tMtod marks? a year ago. VL w gentle inland 1mm . Wans nihil down Um w?jt? of b&4 ?*?? TVr? at* no lights to guido. A wilful hsa rt njr compass ii. VII. The sailor pa cod the garden 'round; Tho apple-bloom ??u> cIom beside. "1m there no pilot here," be asked, "To con aoe through this hooeved tide?" VIII. He turned, and saw her in the path Sweeter than all the garden bloom. "I tannot find my way , ' he said, "Through thia uncharted garden room. IX. "The sun swims down a roar fog; And love burns, lights I cannot ssadt The choice meana life ? or death, and 1 Know not which (lower-flags to heed.1* t X. She said, "Love's light should si clear." Was ever vovage so brsve as thia^ Sailed in sn inland gsrden place Between s heartache and a kiss?. ? Woman's Home Companion. The Pale Blue Cashmere Gown. By Sarah S. Pratt. HE Reverend John Lau rence sat at his Kind) table, leaning on his ?I bow, his usually liusy ppi held Idly betnrei'U his flu fers. He cased far over the plains. ? trancelike expression In his thought ful eyes; lie believed that the tliue was coming when those plains wouhl he peopled, and, with the hopefulness Which made his missionary life beau tiful, he seemed to see the church Veadlng, Inspiring and ministering to these people. Already he had visions of a school wherein his own wife should be the ruling spirit; visions of a hospital, a guild-house and club rooms, where these savages might Stow less savage. Even the fact that thus far only one pc-or little wooden 2hurch building was to be found in many miles did not in the least inter fere with his dreams. How long be might hare dreamed, no one knows, but he was recalled hy ft gentle voice calling to him: "I am twenty-two inches arouud the waist, John, and my sxlrt length Is forty-three. You know you asked me yesterday." "Sure enough," he answered, with a little start, taking up his tapeline. which lay conspicuously on his desk. MI must get that letter off today; but I'd better measure you myself. You probably measured with a string, that's the feminine way. 1 believe." His wife came in, feather duster In band, and as he drew the line about her waist, he dropped a kiss upon her forehead. "I hope they will send you something j pretty," Mrs. Lawrence burst Into laughter. "The bleu of anything pretty In a missionary box, John! Who ever lizard Df It? It's against the nature of things. Perhaps it Is wicked, hut I have some, ilmes thought that tlicy made thoai as ugly as possible. l>o you remem ber the snuff-colored dressing jacket with the black fringe''" "Wasn't that pretty?" he queried. *1 always thought it was very ele gant, except when the fringe dipped In the coffee." "You dear dreamer! You don't know what Is pretty. You don't see anything but your beloved Sunday school and night classes and sick ? people. A rheumatic old Indian wom an is beautiful to you If " "If she Is a Christian! Yes, I admit It," ho said gently; "all of Clod's crea tures are beautiful to me, and one of them most beautiful." and again he gave her a loving caress and resumed his work. "Sheets, pillow cases, street suit for my wife, clerical suit for myself, over coat? I hate to ask for that, but It Is ?uch a necessity In this bleak land." ' He read once again the friendly let ter, In which he had been urged to make known all bis needs, assuring ?him that they would be supplied, so far as possible, by a branch of the Woman's Auxiliary, These boxes, which had so Irked the pride of many a missionary, never of fended John Lawrence. He gave little thought to self. His Divine Muster had lived on alms, and his owu hor izon was too rich, too broad, for any petty egotism to creute even a speck apon It; but, be sometimes reflected with regret, liis ?vife keenly disliked this phase of missionary life. He could not forget at times that he had taken her from a luxurious home; but had he not given her n greater oppor tunity to do (lod's work? And was she, not doing It sweetly and uncomplain-' Ingly? He would try to believe that ?he did not care. In the meantime. Mrs. Lawrence was lusting the sitting room, and she had "*ome to a standstill before a little rory miniature of herself, the price ?f which would almost have paid for everything In their modest home. It was made ten years before, when she had Just finished school and was arch ly charming In that dainty gown. How becoming It was, and how muck he had admired her In It! "Alice, la there anything you want? We are to meritlon everything we need, and they will supply as far as pos sible." "Yea," she called, a little snreastl cally, "please tell them I need very much a pale blue cashmere gown," and then she smiled at the absurdity of auch a request from a missionary's wife. "Imagine the consternation that would create," she thought, "If he CMll? would ask for such a thing!** She replaced the miniature with a Was It a crime to love pretty things} And would she aver have any n^nin? Her trousseau wan tong ago exhausted, and now she lived and moved and had her being In blaek things and brown thing*. and all thluga that wouldn't show dirt. Oh. dear! but? blessed afterthought!? wouldn't she rather he the wife of John Law rene;? in black brilliant hits and brown s2r?<?s. than anybody o1sl? in the world? The president of St. Mary's Auxiliary was rapping loudly for order. She wan I reading a letter saying that thi? Hew ' erend John Lawrence would be deeply grateful for a suit. an overcoat, et eetera. It was when she eatue to the overcoat that the confusion arose; for one lady had a practically new over coat which her present coachman, ! being stout, could not wear. It was ex actly the Reverend Mr. Lawrence's size, hut being a surtout she questioned whether It would he the correct tblug for clerical w.?ar. The entire auxiliary sot Itself to argue this point, when the president stopped tliem. "Ladies, we can discuss this matter later. Let rue llulsh reading this let ter. Where was I? 'Sheets, pillow cases, tnble linen, and*? what Is this? ? 'a pale blue cash mere gown'!" A pale blue cashmere gown! Had sho asked for an automobile coat the request could not have produced more surprise. There wus a deep silence. ICven the president found nothing to say for some time. "A little unusual," she finally said. "Well, I never had a pale blue cash-] mere gown In my lite," gasped some one. "Pale blue! So perishable!" another suid feebly. "And cashmere! So out of stylel" a third added. "She must be some poor little coun try soul," the secretary said. "Well, whoever she is she ought to be reprimanded. The Idea of such 'world iitiess in a missionary's wife!" "He should have known bettsr than to have asked for It!" "The Idea of our money go!u& for a pale blue cashmere gown!" So the comments went nrotlnd. till everybody bad had her say; some of them had two or three "says," and they were seemingly gasping for breath to say something even more severe, when a bombshell fell In their midst. "Why shouldn't she have a pale- blue cashmere gown? She Is probably a young woman, and maybe lias not a single pretty thingl Oh, gracious!" and the speaker grew 9o energetic that she arose and stood facing them, her face rosy with excitement. "I have helped with box after box In this so ciety, und never have I seen a really pretty thing go Into them. They are so deadly practical. How It will wear, how It will wash, whether It will show dirt? I sympathise with this young woman away out there among those Indians, dependent on us hard-hearted things for tho little she wants. God knows," she added, even more ear nestly, "where they get the grace to sustain them in their work. As for this gown"? her voice trembled a lit tle? "let us give It to her. Cashmere Is cheap, and just Imagine her pleas ure; and do you know, I think a pret ty gown would have a cheerful effect on both herself and her husband. Per haps It might even convert a few more Indians." She sat down, a little em barrassed by tho foaling she had shown. "We might make her a mother hub bard If you are so bent on It," some one said doubtfully. "Made up plainly it would not cost much." "But It mustn't be a mother hub bard. I wouldn't doom even a wo man living among the Indluns to that. If we send it at all, let it be pretty. Lot Us put our hearts Into It and make It a beautiful surprise for her. She will probably expect something ugly, If she experts It at all." "I don't know why we should dis criminate this way In favor of Mrs. John Lawronce. We have never done It before." A severe voice threw a damper on tho proceedings. "Mrs. John Lawrence," echoed an other; "pray let, me see that letter. Mrs. John Lawrence was an honor stu dent In my class at college In 1MW, and I bellve I am safe In saying that there Is no one here who could sur pass her In either Intellect or beauty. I remember now that she married a missionary enthusiast aud went out to those wilds cheerfully." The speaker crossed the room rapidly and tp proached the advocate of the blue gown. "I will gladly help you with the gown, and we will make it beautiful , aa a dream." ? How quickly the *0ea became tnfec? tlon! Everybody to do waethlss ?* to give something. It wma almost u, delightful u drawing a dollt 8t Mary** Auxiliary had turned oat many a bos, but never had aorthlBg aroused such Interest as this now bit of work. It bocame a fad; with Its silken linings. Its dainty frills of lace. Its "fagoting" and exquisite accessor lea. the beautiful Empire gown lay complete. The Auxiliary women who were packing the box stopped fre quently to sdmlre snd almost to caress It "I hate to see It go.** said the secre tary. "It has done us more good than any thing we ever did. Whst a lovely Idea It was!** the treasurer said. MI don't begrudge the money at slL** "Let me fasten this In.'* Some one bent over the (own snd tscked In a little sschet of violet. "And I must slip this handkerchief Into Its bosom;" another deftly tucked an embroidered kerchief into Its folds. "1 have written this note to my dear old friend, snd have told her irliat a pleasure this has been;" and the note, too. was pinned to the blue gown. And no. with little final adjustment, and pats of admiration, the blue gown, soft and rustling and enveloped in white tissue paper, was put Into Its individual box. and shipped nway, with more practical things, to the land of the Indians and the plains. ? ????? Mrs. Lawrcnce came home some what discouraged from her sewing school one afternoon, to find her house In great disorder, everything was covered with clothrs. It seemed. The box had come and he husband had lost no time in opening it. The street suit for which sht? had asked confront ed her from the hookcane; dark, neat and serviceable. She examined It with enthuslssm. * "They were so good, weren't they, John?" "flood! My dear, the Auxiliary Is al ways good. Now, don't say anything about your brown sack with the black fringe! The Auxiliary ? well, you know whnt I think of It! See! They have sent us everything, even to the last thlny on the list? your blue cash mere gown!" lie bunded her the box. "My pale blue cashmere gown! John Lawrence! You didn't really write that, did you? Oh. what must they have thought!" She sank into a chair, pale and distressed. "I think the dress tells what they thought." lie lifted the delicate gar ment as If it were a baby. "Silk! Lace! Perfume! A train! John. I can't believe it is mine! And I can't help crying! I didn't mean It. I said It In a half-joking, half-cynical way, never thinking you would ask for It. and see how they have repaid me for my unfalth! Everything Is so beau tiful. so dnfnty! There's so much love In it, JolifV! That's what touches me. It mean? the love of women who saw In me only n servant of Cod. When you write, tell them this means more to me than anything that ever hap pened.** Lafe that night she sat with her old friend's note. She had written a long, heavt-full letter. She turned to her huftband with moist eyes? "I don't believe I ever told you be fore. John: but It Is very sweet to be 4 missionary's wife."? Living Church Jade an Medicine. Everything In China of any rarity whatever Is certain to he dragged Into the pharmacopoeia of the Chinese phy sician. Jude is no exception to the rule. It may be swallowed as a pow der or in little pieces the size of hemp seed for various stomachic complaints. Kveu pockmarks and scars may be ob literated by being dally rubbed with a piece of pure jade. It is also consid ered to be of a inoist nature, and we read of an Imperial favorite of the eighth century who was cured of an excessive thirst by holding a flsh Jade In her mouth. And so when the tomb of the great commander, Ts'ao Ts'ao, third century, A. D., was opened U00 years after his death, among the usual objects found In such circumstances was a large silver bowl full of water. That the water had not dried- up was accounted for by the presence In the bowl of a jade boy three feet In height. Jade Is chiefly brought from the K'unlun or Koulkun range, between the desert of Gobi and Tibet; from Ivhoten or Ilchl In Yarkand, and from Lan-t'len, on the Gelurtagb Mountains, still farther to the west. In the tenth century, A. D., the latter was actually kuown as the Jade hills district, though it does not appear that any jade hns ever been fouud there. Fast Steam Train*. The recent experiments In Germany to test the practical speed limit of elec tric traction trains, has been followed by an Investigation of the highest steam train movements by some stu dents of that country. The subject was taken up by others connected with the University of Chicago, and results tabulated in a railway publication. The superiority of American train service was conclusively established. It was shown that the fastest trains In the world were run by the Pennsylvania anfl Philadelphia ami Heading systems, between Philadelphia and Atlantic City? the Rending flyers standing at the head of the list. It was found that four different trains upon these lines, running between Atlantic City and Camden, mako these high figures per hour, respectively, 04.44, GO.OO, 00.92 and 07.90. The maximum speed shown by Kurope was between Paris ntid Calais, 59.72. Beleaguered bjr Ice. Nantucketers will long remember the winter of 1903-4. Three different times has the Island been Isolated by Ice, weeks In all. No one person could buy two pounds of sugar or more than one quart of kerosene. Only island beef could be purchased at the markets. Cnptaln Klllen, a well-known Islander, nfter figuring the price of grain and the amount of milk he was getting, aud then learning the price that lean cow meat was bringing, decided to kill old Hal, his favorite cow, and she fetched from thirty-eight to forty-four c< its a pound. The assistant keeper from Gray Point light walked to town across the bay, a distance of twent/ miles, something that never was heard of before by the oldest inhabitants? and seme of them ars past ninety.-* , Wavarlay. Macasln* - THE rum WHO IMJ n*bc modern Russia Bgr Senator A. jr. Bavarldg* N hi* Natrkable book on Rnaate and the war be tween Imh and Japan. 8?u(ar Albert J. Bever id(? nya of Finance Min fitter Witt?: ThtJvf thine that Im ?rwm you about Swrgtm Wlltte Is perfcct simplicity. ? child or a back wodsman or the most highly cultivated I man of the world (and the manner of these three are almost the aame) could not be simpler than this powerful min ister. He speaka In a low voice, look Ins directly at you. What a steady eye! The freedom of hla conversation. In rlew of your previous notions of Russls and Russians, astonishes you. There Is not a Cabinet ofllcer In Wash ington who will talk with the apparent unreserve of this chief counsellor of the Csar. His eyes are large and brown, uilth an expression of patience and weariness aboot them which re minds you of what frou read about the eyes of Lincoln. The eyes are not Sharp or luminous, but have the specu lative expression of those minds which are not content with things as tliey are, but are planning and dreaming of the things as they should be. His fore head Is high, but not too high, of me dium breadth, but between the ears the breadth Is perceptibly greater, and the back-head* where realdes the "drive" of the human Intellect, la perfectly de veloped. His hair la brown, has a slightly waving effect. Is of medium length, and Is worn brushed back from the forehead. In his office he wears n common, unpretentious sack coat, well worn trousers, which bag at the knees, and shoes that show that they do not receive overmuch attention. Every thing reveala the characteristic indif ference of great men for the details of personal appearance. The Senator, who has met Minister ?Wltte recently, goes on in his book. "The Russian Advance:" It Is interest ing to note that this great mind, whom Tolstoi considers a surface and artifi cial juggler, is of Dutch origin, al though this is strenuously denied by the Russians, who begin to see tli<* mountainous proportions of the man, and who, with racial Jealousy, are now claiming him all for themselves. Whether this is true or not, true It is that he has worked himself up, un aided. against obstacles that seemed almost insurmountable, from the hum blest of positions to the greatest. There Is not a life work in America which more perfectly illustrates tin* power of merit in building a career than does tlic stflry of Sergius Wltte. Minister of Finance, and practical Chancellor of the empire. He camp from the people. It is true that soiue claim that Witte's family was noble, but If so. 4hey were not of any practical consequence, and. besides, it amounts to nothing to be a uoblcmuu In Russia, unless nobility is also accompanied by wealth or ability. From the time of Peter until now many of Russia's greatest public serv ants have been of comparatively low origin. The biography of Wltte, briefly told, is as follows: With a fair education bet>egan,ns a clerk in one .of the departments of the Odessa railroad, with headquarters at that port. Within a short time It was noted that he was the most competent man iu the whole force. Accordingly, he was given more important work. Again, he did his work better than any body else had done it before. And so, steadily and rapidly, he rose to the management of the road Itself. In this position he proved the best railway ad ministrator of a limited line who had yet appeared upon the flehl of Russia's railroad activities. During the Turkish war his genius for organization is said to have saved the military situation. With the con fusion of things then prevailing in Russia, and which still prevails to a considerable extent in spite of Wittc's work, there was the very gravest dan ger of congestion in forwarding the troops. It appears that Witte bud foreseen this difficulty and had worked out In advance a system which, when the time arrived, he put Into successful execution. He did this, too, without obtruding himself offensively upon the notice of anybody. Nevertheless, a work so important fa the empire, did not, of course, go unnoticed. It at tracted the attention of the Govern ment and the admiration of the rail way men of the empire and of Kurope. After the Turkish war a greater line than the Odessa road claimed his serv ices. He was made managing direetor of this line, and he made It the best road in the empire. He beeame an ex pert on railroad tariffs. He Improved the roadbed. Ha Improved the rolling stock. He Introduced flgld system. He so economised thut he turned chan nels of expenditure into channels of revenue. The Government and all of Russia, and Indeed the railroad world of Kurope, could not but be Impressed, and were impressed. And so Vyshtie gradsky, then Finance Minister, offered him the head of the railroad depart ment of the Ministry of Finance, be cause of h'is urirlvalled knowledge and resource lu the matter of railway tar iffs. He accepted, and for n few months conducted this department with the snme notable ability that had formerly marked his* mil way manage ment. Then the position of Minister offways and Communications became vacant, and the Czar appoluted Wltte, who had made himself by effort and ability, and nothing else, the railway man of the empire, 1o this Cabinet po sition. He held It for a year with bril liancy and distinction. Then fate yield ed at last her entire favors to this man who could not be denied. The position of Minister of Finance became vacant, and the Czar looked over the heads of bankers, over theoretical bankers, over all. to the practical uyui of affairs, who knew how to create sources of revenue and how to spend economically that revenue after It had been collected. Tlivis Wltta mounted to the high place at the right hand of the Czar. Huch I* the story of this patient, sleep less. ceaselessly active, stern and silent man. It Is possible that he will con tinue for the remainder of his life the nioat powerful Influence ameug the Our's 140.000.000 of subjects. It seems to be on the cards of fate that more and more, as years so by. the name of Witt* will be beard In every centre of finance and In every Cabinet of every Government on earth. He Is scarcely more than fifty years of age. With his vast energies, his great dar ing and hta productive mind, tempered by a lifetime of practical experience. It Is probable that his future work will be even more striking thsn his paat ac tivities. Should Sergtus Wltte die. or should he be the victim of court In trigue. and deprived of his power. Rus sia will have lost her ablest statesmsn and the Csar'bls most resourceful min. lster. To make Russia commercially and Industrially modern; tp make Rus sia absolutely self-supporMng; to place Russia's treasury In as opulent a con dition as the reproductive forces of her people, which are so great that sh? turns away from her military service every year almost AOO.OOO young men; and. finally, to impel Russia onward toward the mastery of the earth? this is the mission, this Is the secret ambi tion of this most practical mind of that great world of meu and human possl billtles which we call the Russian Em pire. He Is the chief exponent of the uggresslve forces of order, system and material advance, against which Tol stol Is the principal voice of protest. LAZIEST OF CRAFT. Two Ship* Which Take tk? Medals For Slowaee*. The slowest craft that rides the seas ?the San Ignaclo ile I/oyola? Is oucc wore in port. She flies the Spanish flag, and there Is not a time that she sails into local waters that she Is not a subject of comment. Of ships she 1? sul generis. There is nothing like her. She is bark rigged, and she flies the pennant for snail-like qualities. Cap tain Toro commands this peculiar craft, and there is a legend that will not down that, under whatever skip per, this bark anchors at night wher ever she tinds herself. Her sailing is co 11 lined to days of clear skies. There Is another vessel that long bore the palm of nautical laziness until it was wrested from her by the Loyola, and that is the Italian brig Anita S. A comparison of this brace of vessels is interesting. The Loyola was 117 days making the run from Sables d'Olonne, France. Think of it, 117 days, when a Yankee or a British cap tain pushing his craft would have cov ered this trifling distance in at least three weeks. It may be In order to apologize for the Loyola. The entire summer was nnxspil between the time the sight of the French coast was lost and the looming up of the American coast. The -long run was attributed by the master to the course having been shaped too far south, which took her directly Into the region of calms. The only fresh fowl eaten on the passage was what flying llsh could be caught* and the attempts to capture these kept the watch'on deck always on the alert. Some of the voyages of the brig Anita S. are worthy of comparison with the performance of the San Ilg* naclo de Ivoyolu. Among these are re corded : One hundred and ninety -three days from ltosarlo to Plymouth, 117 days from Plymouth to Santos, KM! days from Buenos Ayres to Plymouth, 12- days from Cardiff to Montevideo, 1SS days from Brunswick to Paysaiulu, 2U4 days from Pa.vsandu to Baltimore, and eighty-four days from Baltimore to Mnraiiham. Were almost any other sailing vessel to take two-thirds as many days on any of the above voyages their insur ance would be paid and the ship posted as lost, but the Anita S. would have to be about three years overdue before any shipper would consider her actu ally lost. Ten months from Fort de France for Nantes, France, which was never reached closer than Tenerlffe, was the performance of the Anita S. In 1901 and 1002, but on November 17 of last year she sailed from Haytl with cargo for Marseilles. On March 31, 100,*V the Anita S. put into St. Thomas leaking, and advertised for tiOOf. on bottomry bond, which must have been secured, for she arrived at Marseilles on July 4, and was there on August 20. Seventy-four days was the trip of the schooner Joseph W. Brooks, Cap tnln Davidson, which arrived at Ha vana on Monday from Newport News. The Brooks left Newport News to load coal for Hnvana, It Is thought Cap tain Davidson tempted the Florida straits to make his trip to the south ward, and met with the result that he can be placed In the record with the Anita and San Ignacio de Loyola.? Philadelphia Telegraph. Fortune and the Beggar. Frank K. Stanwix, an English com mercial traveler, who has spent four years in Russia, said at the Walton to-day: "I have a strong feeling that Japan will emerge a victor in this war.#Kus sla has been marching toward the east with scarcely a perceptible check since the Crimean War, a period of fifty years, and in -that time she has ab sorbed a great deal of territory, Iu three words, she has 'bit off more than she can chew,' as I heard a man say out West. "A famous Russian proverb tells how Fortune, disguised as a woman, once encountered a beggar whose only possession was a rlcketty traveling bag. 'I will give you,' said Fortune, 'all the gold your bag will hold, but If any falls to the ground you lose It all.' Then she poured some gold In the bag and nsked If It was enough. The beg gar said no, and she poured In more, and-stlll he said Ifwns not enough, un til at last so much was put in*that the bag broke, and the beggar was worse off than when he started, for he did not even have the bag, "It Is like that with Russia; she did not know when she had enough, and now stands to lose all her Eastern .possessions unless she can create a belief In the 'yellow peril,' and ask Europe and America to step In and call off the Japs."? Philadelphia Tele* graph. MORNING IN JAPAM KMIIt lk? star CltlM lh? Aadttrt Ptar s ttc? ?* lailjr Kltiai ObUlM. The ancient practice of arUlu? w'th the sun Is still kept by many of the fapaneae outside the big cities. At fire In the morning shojls are ed slightly apart and bright fsivn toward tbe East. "Ohayo! Ohayo!" (Hood morning? or more lit erally. "It la morning!"} says the po 4te Japanese, and bows with great friendliness and appreciation to the 61s yellow globe pushing its way up Mrard In the sky. A murmuring of rolces runs through the house. IH>wu to the kitchen the noisy maid -servant makes herself heard. She is scolding her little army of assistants, for she. the chief servant and cook, has an as sistant. a boy of seventeen, who in turn has a small boy assistant, who in turn likewise has an assistant, a still smaller boy. The chief servant scolds them all thoroughly. She would like to shake more energy into their lazy, sleepy bodies. "Hurry! for the Oku uma (august lady of the house* will be down presently." She sends theiu hurrying this way and that, one to draw and carry water, one to pre pare the dining room, one to sweep the verandas, open the shojls and let In the morning sunlight and air. and ?be herself sets to work upon tlie rooking. Thus lu the hours when the average Western servant Is sleeping the Japanese servants do all the house work for the day. Before breakfast the housework is done. When the honorable lady of the house descends to the honorable down-stairs the rooms shine In cheerful morning welcome to her; breakfast is on the lacquered trays which stand on feet a few Inches In height. Before she breakfasts, how ever. the Okusama looks into tlie var ious rooms with the searchiug eye of the experienced housekeeper. If all Is well she sweetly enters the dining room, and herself waits upon her Iras band and parents, ami pours for them the morning tea.? Onoto Watanna in ?per'a Weekly. Disarming the tiu<l?. Among the Eastern nations tlie he ginning of school life is a critical time for the child. The priest or astrologer must be consulted to choose u lucky lay. Every precaution must be taken to avert the Jealousy of the gods, whose malice is especially directed tgainst a tine boy. The Chinese father who adores bis *on will take tbe utmost p. 'ins t ? con vince the powers of the .-tir that tlie ?joy Is of no account. The child may be given a despicable name, like ilea, or Cliu-tze. a pig. or. more insulting Bt ill. he may be given a girl's name. The boy may be started olT to school wearing a girl's dress and one earring, tml If the deception is complet" this will be the most effectual of all. for even the gods do not care for girls iu China.' The .Tapuncse selioollioy wears hang ing froui his belt a little red bag. con taining a brass tag. with his name and his parents' name and address upon it. f[e must have his paper umbrella and ills fan. and. lu a gay bag upon ids arm. Is a jar of rice for bis luncheon. This quaint little fellow has probably made his offering at Ids own private shrine to Tcnjluscn, . the god of pen manship. When the Hindoo boy has found an auspicious day to begin school, lie is taken to the god of learning, Surasvati. Here the little supplicant presents bi t offerings of rice and betclnuts. and re. peals the letters of the alphabet afler the priest. Thus is he entered into liio ways of knowledge in the very prrs ence of tbe god. Alien Mortuln. Think for a moment of the narrow limits of our knowledge! Sixteen hun dred millions of featherless bipeds, more or less, are picking up u living, eating and drinking, marrying and giv ing in marriage, on this pretty planet of ours; of what infinitesimal propor tion can you really unveil the secret* Und gauge the virtues and the happi ness? How many people do you know intimately enough to say whether their lot Is, on the whole, enviable or the re verse? Every human being is a for eign kingdom to every other. Wo innke a shore excursion Into their minds; we touch at a port here and there; and we say glibly that we know them Intimately. Wo know not how many dark corners are carefully hidden uway from all strangers, and what ?ast provinces have never been reached In our most daring travels. How, then, can we judge one another? Such utter ignorance of our neighbor's thoughts ami motives should make us womlr mm charitable. On Katlluiu'* Klin. We are evidently yet on the outet rim of the varied powers and effects of radium. Experiments at tin* 1'ni verslty of Michigan seem to demon strate Its power to convert ordinary ruin and spring wr.ter into a minora! water more highly medicinal than any before known. Injected Into cancers, this water stopped nil piiin in ten min utes. Patients now under the radium water treatment include one with a cancer of eighteen years, and some of the ordinary nose and breast cancers. The eighteen-year cancer has had si* weeks of water treatment, and from the first five minutes after applying water pain has been almost wholly absent. In each of the other case? pnltis stopped Immediately, and sev eral sufferers were released f r< in t lie morphine habit, which hud l> v:* upon ti:cm. An Kpl<t*mlr of App?>n<llrl ? i Dr. Sheldon, of Madison. Win., is re ported In the New York Times as a propounder of the theory that appetidl. cltis Is a contagious disease of micro* blc origin. Tills hypothesis, he be lieves, offers the only explanation of the epidemic of the disease which ho. says now prevails in the country. He would doubtless hold us contlrpintory of this theory the story of tluce Misters In Augusta, (.la., who were all operate on for appendicitis in one day. The throe girls were students nt an aend. etny lu Washington, (in. One was at tacked on Saturduy. another on Sun day and the third on Monday, and the three operations were performed on Tuesday. They were all brought to AUfuata fer the operations. Th?> er of the girls wU% himself operated on for appendicitis a few months ugo.-. I Medical Record, Humor of Today la Wall lilrMl. In modern ?peculation Your language you mu*t choose. It'* an investment if you win. But gambling if you Ux?e. ? Washington Star Mwuirt of Wtallli. "How ricb Is lit*?'* "Well. he's ricb enough to have ap> peadlcltK"-Chlt'a({u Post. trithuul Any Qa??Uon. "Was hia failure absolute?" ?'Absolute! Why. he tried suicida Without success!"? Town Topics. **So they eloped iu ail automobile?" "Yes; and the Justice who tuarrleC them lined tlietn for scorching." ? Mo tor. The Important On* "Did she cousult the groom in filing the date for the wedding?" "Oh. noj ouly the dressmaker."? Chi cago Pout. One Out of Tan. .?< he? "Professor Henpeck. of Yale Vard College, speaks ten lauguages." lie ? "He hardly gets a chauee to ipeuk one at home."? Chicago Tribune. Vivid louBlaBtlon. She? "So you are a professional hu morist? How delightful it must be to earu a living writing Jokes!" He? "Yes? er? I always imagined it would be."? Chicago News. A Poor Show. "How did you like the tuatinee yes terday?" -N'ot a bit. The girl I went with la Is .hi no fast I couldn't get a word In eo?iwUe."? Houston Post. ? . ? .?*? SomtllbiM the Way. "He thinks he will go in for litera ture." "Why?" "Because he has made a of tverything else."? Chicago Post. Absent Treatment. "Jennie appears to be worried ov?r her looks." "She needn't be." "Why ?" "Because she hasn't any."? llousloU PosL T<?*? Surnrloeil. Mamma -"I'm lt> Hiram lias given you this nickel. Willie. Now, wlial do you say?" Wlllh'? "I'iii too surprised to s?y any* tiling."? New York American. f\\ K<luri?tril. Crawford? "Newrieh and Ids hullw look so much alike 1 can never tell tlieui apart. How do you distin^uiKb them?" Crabshaw? "The one that nets i:k?? a gentleman is the hutler."? In ' < Sentinel. A Jump. His Sister's Caller? "And y ???. -..i> your sister is skittish and nervous? 1 suppose she would Jump at a mouse." Willie? "I don't know 'bout her Jump lug at a mous *. hut I heard her tell ma that she would Jump at a prop ism I - whatever that is." ? Indian;1 ? * ? :i ? tluel. I'rrminlal. "I suppose I.izzie Olctlmer is ?!:: -1 n Is leap year." said tin* soft-spoken lleU olse. "I don't *uppo*e it makes much dif* ference to lier," replied the mellow voiced I rent'. "She has been jumping at every eliance she saw for l? r* <? mi years." ? Juiljfe. I>wy? of the Week, "Wlnt are the days of the we. :..'" nsk.-.J (he teacher. The little girl pondered deeply for a moment. "Hi* dinner day. washing day. Iron ing day. baking day. the girl's out day. last school day and play day," she answered finally. ? Chicago Post A Benefactor. "Scribbler ought to get rich out of that novel htv has written." "Is it so good?" "No. but It will supply a great de mand. There seems to be a tremen dous wave of insomnia passing over the country, and less than two chapters of It ought to put to sleep the need <>!>? st Unite case on record." ? I>eir Press. Natural Fro|r??iiliiii. Mrs. Ancum ? "How about your -i vant girl? The' last time I was here, you know, you complained about her being so very slow." Mrs. Hiram Offeii? "Oh, she's pro gressing." Mrs. Ascum ? " Yes?" Mrs. Hiram Oflfen? "Yes: she's (jet ting slower and slower."? Philadelphia Press. A Oynlowl Su?(tf*tlon. "So that young woman has Jilied you?" said Miss Cayenne. "Yes," answered the confiding young man. "And you are ?* regret?" "I am." "Well, cheer up H .'?he iia<! accept ed you It might have become a chron ic ailack of regret*"? Washington Star,