Historical Newspapers of South Carolina

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MYNHEEKyJOE BY ST. QZORQE JUTHBORNE. chapter ym. . IQottwfl 1 T** : nt ahall be as yea nj. Mynheer Vm, only .1 mtat git* him to Baflw that tW next thnltor ' of tbl MXt ?h>llT offc -wm not only to followed by Tm Mtd arm fotr that this un wretch will ever offend again the eama way. I can goanatMi it, Mies Molly. It waa all a ml* take, anyhow, which I can fiphhi Hon ate, be had a positive Idea " Unfortunately for hie peace of anlad, Mfraheer Joe gete no farther than this. Ktoy are Interrupted. The baron and % companion come op and Introduce ssmc subject that all Cairo le talking MoUy looks annoyed, while Mynheer 9m le eecretly fuming. He silently Miw hie wrath, hoping that eome tk&c the chance may come when be taua take It oat npoo the baron. Do npon It, he win no longer stand sen the other and any vengeance may Invite; Indeed, It would do good to watch a man of about 'a build nee tbfe baron neatly ta Bis Ideaa bare changed, yon see. Then Sandy makee hla appearance, tad Joe presently finds himself tete a-tete with hie roluable ? newspaper fHend. There are times when one desires ? confidant; even a man llkee to poor lis woee Into a sympathetic ear. Myn* toer Joe's life has been each that, ae ? general thing, be baa been deprived Of thla privilege; but be baa the feel deep down In hie heart all the In Sandy he aeee the friend who may kelp him out of the hole. A sugges tion will do It, for hie brain, usually as Clear, seema strangely muddled Just at present. Besides, tbe war correspondent knows Molly and her father very well, having met them in varloua places. Perhaps he can discover a loophole af escape, whereby Joe may crawl out Sf hla awkward scrape with honor. Having made up hla mind to trust Bandy, he first of all draws a pledge grom him that he will not reveal a Word of the story or hint at It In any hla correspondence ; all of which Bandy, duly impressed with the grav ity of the situation, eolemnly prom Tben Joe relates the difficulty into Which bis impetuosity and love of fair WtoJ have led blm, nor does be forget ta lay dne emphasis on tbe fact that he fancied and truly believed he was defending tbe dear old governor him self. Sandy holds in as long as he can, and at laat, doubling up, ahakes all aver with laughter. It is silent, too, all but tbe gurgling sounds as of water bubbling down a rocky ravine. Mynheer Joe appreciates the sltua#' Uon, knows be has made a consummate ttonkey of himself, and although nat urally tempted to make use of his boot, firmly refrains. Two mistakes do not make a right. Sandy has rea aon to be merry. And, besides. Joe realises that he has need of advice from this sagacious writer? this little man who has, figuratively, waded knee-deep In gore at battles, search ing for news. The great obligation under which fce has, this nf$ht. placed Sandy, by giving him the story of Khartoom's downfall and Gordon's death, must ?erre as a lever to lift him from the ?lough of despond. Back of It, of coarse, Is Sandy's personal regard for his fellow-dtlsen. That goes a great way. He patiently waits till the other Has had his laugh out. "I must beg your pardon, Joe. Aw ful trick, that of yours. Too Impul ?Ive by half, my dear boy. If yon had known the baron as I do?" ' "I would have danced to see him knocked out!" cried Mynheer Joe, vin dictively. "Ho! You've come to It already, eh? Thought It would be that way. Ex* pect pistols for two between you and the baron yet Sly felloe, that man. They do say he's downed half a dozen men In affairs of honor, with sword ?r pistol." Mynheer Joe snaps bis lingers. To the deuce with the baron! If ha ever comes my way, I'll ring his beastly neck as I would that of a Chicken!" he mutters. ?'Good! Glad to bear you say so! Despise the fellow myself. And yet, foe, he's a power In the land, protected toy a hired gang that Is paid by Bus Man gold. When the time comes. If It aver does, for you to lay that plotter ?ut, remember that the moment your hand touches him It will be a signal (or several desperadoes to leap Into the game, armed, and ready to take life, if necessary. In order to save the bmlssary who Is worth so much to Bussla." Mynheer Joe gives a low whistle. The deuce! Do you hsppen to know these men, Sandy?" he asks In ? low tone. Two of them I am sure of. TherC Is another who baffles me. Without any apparent motive, cast your eyes ?cross the room. Do you see that f ii, elegant-looking man in full even' tag dress? He Is known here as Colo* del Taylor, an ex-Confederate officer. In reality, he la a Russian spy, and tone ot to* tmngs ne is paid for is to )be always at the elbow of the baron, ?o that a signal will fetch liltn up. I've aeen the baron In many places ?lnco Icomlng to Cairo, but never ha? Colo nel Taylor been more than fifty feet laway." I "And the other shadow?" pursues |7oe, whoie mind Is working upon a (Subject I "He Is a dark -skinned fellow? a na Eve of Indis, I believe. You know is baron leaves Cairo for Bombay p Calcutta soon, and this msn will rt of great use to him there." "gee here.^ saya Joe. quietly, "I re* i? mint such a fellow. He cugbt my ?y* ob the eftnare at the time I noticed the dtotn rbance. He aaadt me ^ of my faithful rwiii i. which the t cauaea me to remember him. At the he wee Just hack of Tanner; Indeed, not fire feet eeparated them." Mjwt eo," remark a Bandy. rtgnlfr cantly. . " ' , "Aa Idea strike* me.* v -Well, lefe hear It.* I -it la possible that had Tanner been forced Into conctaakme with the baron, he would have been act upon by theee Those.** L ?I i|w positive of It." f -Bach a thins would explain the confident assurance of the baion." L -Tee." I -a brilliant thought cornea to me, Sandy." i "I can gucm it, old fellow." ? -In knocking Demoetbenee Tanner out, I waa really doing him the great est favor." ~ -No doubt of Iti , -Baring, his life." ? -They would hare nearly or quite finished him." -If she could only be Induced to eee the thing In that light." -Depend upon It, Joe, my dear fel low. che shall. I myself will under take to open her eyee." -God bless you. Bandy!" -One good turn deeerree another. Ton gave me a monopoly of your startling news, and that Is something I can never repay. Beet assured that when Bandy Barlow has had hie tete a-tate with lflss Molly she will believe you a god." "Heavens, don't draw It too strong, my boyl" -I shall deceive her only In one thing." -What le that?" -Ton knew or suspected the truth when you rushed Into the breach." -That will hardly do, for you remem ber I thought the small man was her father." ? -Bosh! Don't tell her that? she will fed Insulted? thinks the old governor le the handsomest In the world. No, no, you must have suspected the truth beforehand? we'll give you the bene fit of the doubt, anyway." "Take a look acroes? as I live, that little fiend to himself telling Molly the truth. Notice the look upon her face? she can't wholly believe him. Confound the villain, he's got the start of me! Now, what am 1 to do, my good friend?* Joe has been considerably shaken op by what he has Just seen, and he turns to his companion for consola tion. Fortunately, Bandy Is equal to the emergency, and quickly responds: "Leave Miss Molly to me. Joe. Ill ando all that rascal has built up, and establish you In her heart more firm ly than ever," he says, at which the traveler squeemes his hand in a way that marks bis gratitude. "Again I say, bless you, my boy. "What a fix I would be In, only for Four genius in arranging things." "Don't mention it. Time may be near at hand when poor 8andy shall have need of your strong, right hand ?who know b?" "And willingly shall It be plsced at his disposal. But, see here, I ought to have a hand In my own redemption ?I don't like the Idea of standing around doing nothing while you ac complish the work." "That's Just like a man of your size, Joe. Well, I see no reason why you shouldn't hold your end of the log!" "Good!" "While I win over the daughter, you can be patching up the peace with the wnrful dad." . "Good heaven, face that tartar again I I'd sooner take a whipping !" "Hush! He's her dear old governor ?a savage I'll admit, someways, but the better you know him the more you'll find in Demos to admire. Dla mond in the rough, you see." "Exactly. Well, I do admit I could see something of a sterling character back of the exterior. Yes, I'd even grow to like the old bear. If need be." "For Molly's sake I" says Sandy, sly ly. "For Molly's sake," returns Joe, un abashed. "See here, old chap, don't you think you're?well, rushing matters?" "How so?" "Just got In to-night from Kbartoom ?fought a duel on Esbehiyeh square and already arranging to make way with your rival for the hand of the belle of Cairo, whom you have met to-night " "Do you mean Molly?" interrupted Joe. "Of course, man." - "Ton forget, Sandy .she has belonged! 'to me for a whole y?ar. I saved her from death In the .Mediterranean at Malta, and ever since her fair fnce has haunted me, sleeping or waking. I felt that, if I lived, tp would come together somewhere. You don't know what a solace it has been to me. in times of danger, to think that I hnd been able to do her a service and thnt thin invisible bond united up. though wc might be thousands of leagues apnrt." "I fee, you're a gone case. Joseph.*' "Proud to admit it. Sandy. Think of the peculiar circumstances that unite lis, outside of t lie fact thnt I saved her life, and thnt both of ur are crazy on the subject of travel." Hereupon, in a sketchy why, he re lates the story of the legacy In al) Its peculiar details. i fancy's mouth opens as he hears. Ho utters exclamations repeatedly about It being the most remarkable thing lie ever listened to and worthy of record ' Ing. When Mynheer .loe finally ceases the little wnr correspondent finds it his turn to do the squeezing act, and lends all his power to the work of crushing the traveler's stropg hand; but Joe minds It little more than he might the buzzing of a fly. Bandy evi **1* oat rMBtlkiblt cam* Ntwr httrd Sff&ttJZSX*. be ku! Wot that 'lfc? | look at him wj " f* bm> tut tin. w atumntlai fTttTSiM. of o?r American belte* I'm aorry to *y." hue ring a aigh as he eatehca a gllmpae of Ma own dlmto utive panwo In a |Ja? "Many a flower, yon know. Bandy, la born to blvab maeen," saya Jo* conaollngly, "and trbo bnowa bat wbat some day yon nay Jump In and aare an betreea from a watery grave, to be rewarded wltb ber band?" -All wry good.** groan a Sandy, wltb mock deapalr. "but 1 can't awlm a stroke." ?Then I' advlae yon to take leaaona In tbe Nile at once. Every man abould be prepared to accept bla fate aa It comee. and be ready to reacue a drowning maiden." "Pll do Itr aald Sandy. Impulsively. "Oh, not Juat now, I hope?" aa tbe otber dotM off. "Hardly, my boy. I notice tbat tbe baron baa left Miss MolW. she atanda there looking disconsolate. I am off to cheer her op ? to whisper worda of conaolatlon In her gentle ear that will warm her heart toward a certain per son of my acquaintance." "Thanks, my fine fellow, and don t forget to pray for me." "Eh? what now, Joe?" "Because. while you enjoy you? tete-a-tete with an angel, 1 shall be engaged keitb ? well, hardly the Old Nick, but at least, the governor. I go now to beard tbe lion in bis den, and fate holds tbe scales In tbe balance." book IX. Th? Duel Undar th? Palm* CHAPTER IX. "aniHKKB JOS, iWAXI ? DiKOIll" It is little trouble for Mynheer Joe to find out where Demosetbenes Tan ner is quartered. One of tbe English servants of Shepherd's gives him the Information, and Is tipped Immediate ly in a way tbat warms bis heart. ?s Joe passes by a window, on bis way to tbe quarters of tbe great Amer ican orator, he is given a last gllmpae of the drawing-room or parlor of the hotel, and avails himself of the op portunity to take a look In tbe direc tion where be saw Molly standing. 8be Is still here, but seated upon a Turkish divan, and at her side Is the little war correspondent, talking ear nestly. Joe's heart gives a bound of pure delight when be notes the look of pleased surprise spreading over her fair countenance as she hears Sandy'a marvelous tale; for tbe latter is used to making tne most of any news; It is bis dally ouslness, and surely time baa never given him a morsel he can en large upon with more pleasure than tbe valor of his dear friend Joe. "God bless blm ? he's a comrade worth having. In battle brave as a lion, despite bis size; in time of trouble a wise counselor. I hope the day will come when 1 can do as much for Sandy." Thus muttering Mynheer Joe move* along the corridor until he finally reaches the door to which he has been directed. He makes a survey and finds that the light flows from tbo windows, which Is a pretty good indi cation that the Inmate has not retired. Boldly he knocks? this thing has to be gone through with, and the sooner he starts at It the better. Besides. Joe has a pretty good idea tbat he liolds the trumps and can best Demosthenes Tanner as readily at argument as he ijld in the duel. "Come In!" roars a voice that would scare a crocodile half to death. Mynheer Joe opens tbe door and pushes through Into the room, surprla ing the giant In the act of saturating a handkerchief with the extract of liammamelis, as Joe instantly recog nizes the odor. His back Is toward tbe door, and tye does not even turn bis head to see who It Is. [To be Continued.] Birth Notice by Code. v*~ A Nuneaton doctor raised some mer riment In the Divorce Division yester day, says the London Mail, by de scribing an arrangement ho bad made with a client for tbe secret announce ment of a birtb by telegraph. 1 If the expected child proved to be a boy, the client ? Charles William Tur ner, a cycle agent, living at Lutter worth? was to wire to the doctor. "Gentlemen's safety bicycle arrived;" if It were a female, "Lady's safety bi cycle arrived" was to bo the firm. The latter was tbe signal that 42ae event called for. Transvaal Gold. The ambitions of the Transvaal mine owners and the possibilities of their mines do not halt at mere restoration to the results shown in 1899, says the New York Sun. The owners wish, very naturally, to double their output. To do that would Increase the present annual world supply of available gold about one-third. With an abundant supply of cheap labor, easily obtain able from China, these seems no rea son to doubt that this could be dono. Tbe influx of so considerable an an* nual increase could not fail to have some influence on the market price of commodities whore value is meas ured in gold. Bankers and national treasuries would feel Its effects. The present annual supply may be fairly adequate for the world's require ments. The result of so very marked an Increase in that supply presents ? topic for interesting consideration Zebras as Beasts of Burden. South African native traditions have it that in the lohg- forgot ten days tbe zebra was a domesticated animal and was held In complete subjection by its master, man. In modern timet several attempts have been made tc train this hardy beast. Experiments at the London zoological gardens in tilcate that zebras can *>e readily made serviceable. There are innu merable herds of zebras running wild in South Africa and If they could be broken to domestic use their subjec tlon would solve a problem which fot generations has been a puzzle to the best experts. For the zebras of South Africa are immune from the tsetse fly and the horse elcknens which ha? lately been ravaging Rhodesia and othei portUns of the con tit en t AGRICDLTffiAL MMTMT9M. Name the farm in huf the name board in a conspicuous . place at the Croat entrance. Make the farm worth baring a name, too. r??itry tw wm>i. ? There la one economic merit In pool* try keeping that many farmers do not take into consideration, and that la the large amount of waste grain that they pick np and convert into meat and eggs that would otherwise be wasted, ssys an exchange. It does not coat much to keep fowls on a farm, and no class of people can pro duce eggs and fowl flesh as cheaply as the farmer. Alffclfe For Wallaces' Farmer saya alfalfa hay, when fed *to brood sows in winter should be cut fine and fed with ? little mesl. For two years now we have wintered onr brood sows on plsln al falfa hay without cutting, and they eat it np clean. Not a spoonful of grain la given them until they farrow. The effect of alfalfa is seen in the splendid quality of the pigs produced snd the sbundsnt yield of milk by the sows.? Hoard's Dairyman. - Whn to Dig fiwtiii. Potatoes are ready for digging as soon ss the tops fall down. It is best to dig them early in the dsy snd al low them to remain on the ground for a few hours, when they should be tsk en to the barn and stored in a cool, dark, dry place; but it Is not sdvls sble to place too many In a single heap. All diseased or injured potatoes should be removed from the lot, or they will have more or less effect upon the whole, ss they will be the first to decsy. Potatoes may be stored in mounds during the winter, but are not easily utilized in that condition. Xntton w. Wool. ft is claimed that mutton at five cents a pound will pay better than wool at thirty-five cents. Such claim depends upon conditions. A good meri no will pay more in wool than can be derived from common sheep, while a breed of mutton sheep will give a greater profit than can be derived from sheep that are not bred with an object to be attained.. Farmers who keep sheep also make a profit in the ma nure and in the utilization of the waste materials consumed, but sheep require feeding as well as other stock, and should not be expected to seek their food entirely at any season of the year. PI?? Npoia on Fruit. Writes a farmer to The Epltomlst: "I have found that from trees with their roots deep in the subsoil, even if they fruit freely, neither apples nor pears satisfy, because disease spots develop In the fruit when they are on the verge of ripening, if not before, rendering them of no value, because decay so quickly sets in. To have good fruit, either of apples or pears, the roots of the trees must be active surface, fibrous ones, otherwise the crop will be much reduced In value. Some sorts are greater offenders than others, it is true, but even the best can be readily spoiled if the conditions are not right" Fattening Hop. Those who are fatteuing hogs on corn as an exclusive diet should try an experiment in feeding a variety. Take two lots of hogs, allowing one lot corn only and the oth er lot a variety, which may include corn, bran, scalded chopped clover, skim milk or ground oats. The hogs will grow much faster and increase more in weight on the mixed food than on corn, while the quality of the flesh will be improved and the cost per pound of pork will be less than If corn Is used exclusively. Tlie reason is that a variety promotes digestion and is more "balanced" in the elements re quired by the animnls. Incurable DIwmm. Scrofula is liable to exist as a dis ease in a flock, and to permit such birds to exist is to incur the liability of having the disease transmitted to succeeding generations as well as to become contagious. It Is chcaper and better to obtain better fowls, tlrst de stroying those In the yard. When tu mors appear they Indicate a diseased condition of the fowls, which places them outside of the uses of the farmer. Tumors, warts, sores and affections of the skin are peculiar to fowls ns they are to some human Individuals, and come from the same causes, being almost as difficult to cure. There are those who attempt to make cures of such cases, which is wrong, as such fowls should be destroyed.? Mirror and Farmer. Ringworm In fnli ? This troublesome difficulty Is appar ent during the winter more than at any other time, and is due to a vege table parasite. It is not a dangerous disease, but Is far from pleasant, and as it is contagious, considerable effort should be made to overcome it. It \isually appears on the neck of the an imals. working toward the face, and soon leaving bnre spots. If the trouble is noted on the calves, treat them at once ^y taking one part of carbolic acid, four parts of glycerin and six parts of olive oil and mixing thorough* ly. Rub thoroughly Into the skin about the pnrts infested after first washing the parts thoroughly with warm water made soapy with carbolic soap. Other animals in the barn, es pecially calves, should also be washed with the mixture to prevent contagion. Wash every other day for ten days. Wh#r* to Flit# thr InmbMor. There nre good places for the Incti bator and bad places. Much depends upon the atmosphere of the room in which the incubator is placed. The kitchen Is snld to be a good place for incubators, since the nir in that room Is usually moistened by the steam of pots and kettles upon the kitchen stove and can be kept at at>out the right temperature. But remember that the Insurance company which in serts your farm house will probably object to jour ylaetas an Incubattv in your kitchen. Whenever JM make changH in yoor buildings or addition* thereto, or deeiro to pet an incubator in jour cellar or any part of the bouse you must get permission of tho com pany who insures your buildings. oth erwise you will make your Insurance policy invalid and thus secure nothing on insurance in case your buildings should burn. A 0?i< Ckkkn >m*. We built a chicken house last spring Ike this one and find it gives entire sat* isfaction. Size ten by sixteen by eight feet high, from sill to eaves. We have a window in each side and back end and door In front. Now for the roosts. Take a two by four scantling and spike it above one of the side win* dows, then take some boards and make a trough about fourteen feet long and let two feet project out at the back end of the building; put trough two feet above the floor. Now take matched lumber or some that will lit up clesa and nail onetend to the trough and the other end to the two by four acantllng and make it full length of trough, tlien take boards that will reach front trough to the two by four and cut notches in them for the roosts to lay in and put upper end on hinges. When you want to clean the house, rake the droppings down into the trough and then rake tham out the back end into a box or something that can be hauled away. The roosts will be high enough to walk under and put nests along the wall under them. Fig. 1 is end of trough. Floor is fifteen inches off the grouud.? Fred E. Denny, in The Epit omist. Inmulac DaHtndo For Llvnlotk. The large and rapidly increasing city population of this country demands a large supply of meat each year, and furmers are coming to realize the im portance of livestock as never before. Small farmers are breeding and feed ing more animals, and everywhere we see manifest interest taken in this im portant branch of agriculture. In our agricultural schools young men are eager to study livestock with untiring interest. The State Livestock Associa tion meetings and short courses in stock judging at the various agricul tural schools are well patronised, and only j*o to show the attention that farmers are giving to thfa subject. Sev eral factors figure prominently in the advancement and improvement shown along this line. Through our county and State fairs, aud larger expositions, farmers are coming to recognise the difference between superior and inf? ior animals. The agricultural press has come to be a mighty potent agent in the work of education. Farmers and stdekmen, particularity, read and study. The agricultural colleges and experiment stations are putting much important information in livestock work. American farmers are coming to recognize the value of improved blood in herd flock aud stud. Breeders are breeding better, feeders are feed ing better, and marked improvement is seen on every hand. Among the va rious forces which are at work for the progress and advancement of agricul ture, there is no one agent doing so much for livestock interests as the big livestock shows of the country. The State fairs huve done much for all branches of agriculture, and particu larly livestock. They afford splendid opportunity for the farmer who is a student of his business, in that they give him new ideals and Inspiration to reach the higher degree of develop ment along some definite line. The modern State fair has grown to be o big thing, and one to be encouraged ot every opportunity. It brings to gether the best there is in the ngricul* ture of the State.? Indiana Farmer. Maple Syrup Making. j Concerning the niter or inalate of liine nuisance in maple syrup a New England Homestead writer has said? It is well under wuy where a reversb ble current evaporator is used. By having the evaporating pan construct ed with partitions extending length' wime instead of crosswise and with a syrup faucet on both sides at the back end, as shown in the illustration, then by changing the regulator gate from side to side and thus changing the cur* rent or flow of sap every few hours, Bevkrsible current evaporator* and by so doing bringing the syrnping off first on one side and then on the other, r.o niter will become burned on the bottom of the evaporator. It will come out with the syrup as a precipitate and can be entirely re moved by the use of a thick felt filter. The filtering must be done while the syrup is boiling hot, and in order to have all tne niter form in a precipi tate it is necessary to bring the syrup to 210 degrees P. If it is filtered before that degree is reached much of the niter will still be in solution and ap pear in the syrup if boiled afterward to standard weight and in the sugar If sugared off. If syrup is boiled to eleven pounds weight and then "set tled" without filtering, it usually hns a cloudy appearance, and if put up for market in pans or bottles will deposit a sediment in the bottom after awhile. The resort of a cricket match in Mel bourne was cabled to London. 17,000 miles, through nine in two and a half mlnutea. Am BMMat Flea. ENA.TOR Latimer, of South Carolina, has come to the front aa on? of tbe leading champlona of road im provement. In fact, he **' nectrt to the Senate mainly on that laaue. Last fall he introduced Into the Senate a bill for National aid tlmilar to that which Congreaaman Brownlow Introduced into the House, ft ud he has defended it ably and elo Itentlj. In an address recently de livered at the Beacon Society dinner tt Boston he said: "The improvement of the common roads of the country engaged the at* tention of our ablest statesmen from 1S02 to 1KS2, and during that period about $14,000,000 was appropriated by Congress for road purposes. AH the great minds of that period were one in conceding this question to be of the bigest importance iu determining the bappinness and prosperity of the American people. It is to-day, as it was then, a question which demands the earnest consideration or every I American citixen. The mud tax, levied on our people bj* the miserable condi tion of the common roads, is the most onerous that we have to pay. It will astonish you to kuow that it ccsis the people of the United States every year more to transport the surplus products of the farm and forest to the shipping point, than the total cost of transport ing all the freight, passengers. mail and express over all the railroads of the United States. In ISiK; the rail roads received from all sources a little over $700,000,000. Every dollar of this was returned to the people in the em ployment of labor, payment for mater ial, in taxes to the States, and in in terest on invested capital. The one billion dollars or more spent iu cost of transportation ever the dirt roads was a total loss, not one cent being re turned to the people in taxes or as in terest on invested capital. And yet this is on I J- a portion of the loss caused by the poor conditim of our roads. "In this enlightened age no one ques tions the stupendous advantages which follow a complete system of improved roads. The cost of the work would be paid by the savings of one year. On the improved roads of Europe the cost of transporting a ton a mile is from eight to twelve cents, while in the United States the cost averages twen ty-live cents. A reduction of 'this cost by one-half would save to the Ameri can people $500,000,000 per annum. "The practical question which con fronts us to-day is how is this condi tion to be met and overcome? Upon whom must the burden of this great undertaking full? We have tried the present system which was inherited from England, which has not resulted in much improvement iu the past 100 years, and in my judgment, will never prove a success. It is evident that some change in our method of road improvement must be adopted. The local community is not able to construct roads unaided. Many of the States are not able to do so, and even if they were, there is n feel ing, which, in my opinion, is justly founded, that it would be nnjust to require them to bear the whole bur den. The consumers of raw material and food products throughout the United States are equally interested with the producer in lowering the cost of transportation, as they, in the end. have to pay this heavy tax. As this burden cannot be equitably dlstrlb titcd except by placing it on all the people, and as Hie most remunerative powers of raising revenue, originally held by the States, .are now in the Fed eral Government, it is only by an ?p propriation out of the Federal Treas ury that the improvement of our roads can be accomplished with jus tice to all the people. "The next question which presents itself is as to the power of Congress to moke such an appropriation, i think that the power exists by express grant in tne Constitution. Baaing my opinio on the views of such eminent men as Madison, Monroe, Gallatin Web ster, Calhoun, Clay and Adams, and taking Into consideration the legis!a tlve history of the country, I hold that the power is clearly established. The power has been exercised whenever Congress thought it wise to do so, and Ihe only question which is really im portant is, vhether or not this is n proper subject for Federal aid. All that is asked by the bill introduced by me is the appropriation of a fund for road purposes. The States are to furnish the right of way, maintain the roads after they are built, and pay one half the cost. Congress is not naked to invade the States, but simply to appropriate money as an aid to an object for the general welfare and happiness of all the people. There rou Id bo no better investment of the public fundR than in road improve ment. It would enhance the value of farm land* from ten to fifty per cent ?n increase in value of $r? per acre would add three billion dollars to the wealU) of the country in this item nlone. The congestion of business during the winter months would dis appear. and our people could go to the markets at all times. In fact the ma terial advantages which would follow ? re too numerous to mention and too great to estimate. "What will we do with the propo- i sitlon? Will we go on for the next I one hundred years as we have during the past, or will we arouse ourselves I and make this question q burning I Issue before the people until the result J is accomplished?" I (iood r.o.i<1i For New TVamp?tilre. I flovernor Ruohelder, of New lljrinp- ! shire, has appointed an engineer who i i is at work mapping out the highways j i of toe State. When this has been | ! tlone a comprehensive system of road | improvement will be bejeun. It is in- ' | tended that every r.eetion of Now j ; Hampshire shall be provided with a ! ! first- dans gravel road and the cost is i ' expected to be from $8<K> to $1500 per | j mile. The State is to appropriate j I $100,000 a year for this purpose, and I the governor thinks tl at in six years tiOO mile* will have been completed. PRACTICAL1 gardening TRIMMING FRUIT TREES. Trim the fruit tree*, so as to bar* the tops open and free, not allowing any of the limbs to touch or cross each >ther. Much depends upon the tirst trimming of a young tree, as its shspe is then Used, and the cutting away of the small limbs can be done with less injury to the tree when it is young than at any other time. TREATMENT OF HEDGES. When the hedge plants begin to (lie >ut the cause may sometimes be traced to lack of plant food. There is consid erable wood removed from hedge plants every year when the hedges are trimmed, and this annual loss cannot *>e sustained by the plants unless they ?re assisted. Apply wood asues freely ?ve?y full and early spring. PRUNING. Few of the old orchards liave been Droperly pruned. The cliicf trouble ias been that the pruning has been ipasntodic. The fnrin orchard is isually pruned but once in several fears and then so severely that the trees for a year or two are thrown out if balance, a condition manifested by i great growth of water-sprouts. Tbe oroper way to prune is to begiu when trees are young and prune only enough to train and head the tree to the desired form. And then as the trees come into full benrlng. little ortining is needed, if done yearly, sside from heading in long growths, training the branches and removing crossed, crotched and iveak branches. Late winter, February and March, is Ibe best time to pruna. The wounds ihould be made as near as possible to the tree trunk and parallel with it nnd not beyond the bulge and at right ingles with tbe branch, ax is so com moner done. An old and a good rule ?s, "prune strong-growing trees lightly nnd weak-growing ones severely."? Detroit Free Press. GIANT GI.ACIER LETTUCE. There Is considerable profit I- grow fng lettuce fo- market when one can produce heads of large size which are solid and if located near a large town or city. If the location is near a small town It will liardly pay to give much more space to lettuce than is required to produce that needed for the home table. The Giant Glacier, illustrated OIjACIEB lettuce. this we?k, is one of the most promising of the newer sorts which has becu fnirly treated. Oil the grounds of the writer it did not produce the results claimed for it by the Introducers, yet had sufficient merit to warrant further and more extended trials. The heads are large and solid, crisp and tender, while the plant stands the heat of summer well, thus greatly extending the season. One ?f the peculiarities of the variety is the tufted leaves ami these, with the large o??d solid head, makes the varie ty exceedingly attractive to offer ' the market. IIUMUS IN THE OKCIIARD. It is an important point in farm ing to preserve the humus in the soil where there is no humus. Humus has a value distinctive from that of the fertility it contains. It holds moist* ure in the soil and also holds some forms of fertility. To increase it in the orchard a good way is to grow; legumes of some sort and plow them under at stated seasons. Not only, does the cultivator thus increase the humus in the soil, but the nitrogen is increased as it has been caught? from the air by these plants. Some follow the practice of not plowing or spading under the green crop, but of mowing and leaving It on the ground. But to our minds this is a very in* ferior way of getting the good of de caying humus. The 'nir must in that case rob the crop mown of a part of its fertility, especially the volatile i>or tiotis. Moreover, the roots in the ground cannot get hold of this decay ing vegetation, and we see littlo chnnee of their benefiting by it. Wo believe that by all means the crop should be turned under in some way. The soil will tben grow more perfect in mechanical structure from year to year and the roots will always be nblo to get into touch with the humus nnd the fertility and the moisture in It. No Inventors Among Aiilinntn. It has been said by a writer of nature books that a coon will amputate its wounded foot and treat the stump in a rational -way to allay the inflammation. If one coon wiil do this, then all coons will do it under like conditions. The same writer avers that ho has seen a woodcock with a broken leg mend the leg with n cast made of clay and dry grass. Then will all woodcocks with broken legs do the same thing? Ex ceptlonal intelligence of so extraordin ary a character does not occur among the animals. If one fox has been known io catch crabs with bis tail, then will all other foxes, under the stress of hunger, where crabs abound, fif'i with their tails. An animal will not do anything which necessity has not taught Its progenitors to do. -John Burroughs, in Independent.