Below is the OCR text representation for this newspapers page.

/ til Canary-Brseding', For Pleasure <51 Profit CONTINUED KROil SECOND PAGE. time people from other countries came to Elba for pleasure or business. These trav elers saw and heard the sweet songsters, and straightway wanted some to take home with them. Of course the people of Elba were glad to sell softie of them, and this was the beginning of the flight of tlie canaries, as they now began to be called, from the.ir native island—all over the world. Their sweet little voices and chip per little ways have always captivated the big bipeds wherever the little birds are known, and that is almost every where. You have noted that T have said “green birds?’’ Perhaps you think that a slip of the pen. But no. All canaries were green at tirst, with only here and there a tinge of yellow on some of them, and rather more than a tinge on others. Green, olive green, was the color of the birds that adopted Elba as their home, and it is the color of the wild canaries of today in their native islands. Not a solid olive green, but dappled with black and yellow. As usual, many people were not satisfied to let well enough alone,They wanted to improve on nature’s handiwork and so clamored for more and more bright yellow in their new found song ster®. Of course the demand had to he met. Demands always are if there is enough profit in them. The dealers in can ary birds began a careful selection of their breeders, mating only those with the most yellow splashes in their uniform. Continuing this process, selecting in suc- i ceding generations the birds with the most yellow, there was finally created a race of pure sulphur yellow birds. Tlie green canaries vanished so entirely from the markets of the world, that lew people today know that the canary bird was ever anything elss* than the yellow color now so intimately associated with its name. But if these yellow robed cana ries were sent back to their native for- . ests. and there turned loose in the home of their ancestors, their numerous wild country cousins would not recognize them as such, for these letters still wear the old family uniform of dappled olive green. But in spite of alt the many generations of yellow canaries, in spite of tile contin ued care of the bird fanciers to perpetu ate this artificial color, the original uni form will occasionally crop out. just as some odd or forgotten quality will some times crop out in the human family, com ing down from some far-away ancestor. And then a dapple green appears in the nest among the yellow ones, whose par ents may have been the yellowest of the yellow. So you see there are. misfits among birds, as well as among people, and this green offspring among the yel low ones must be a puzzle to the fond parents of them all. It is rather a curious fact that these dark birds are almost in variably better singers than the light ones. Their plumage shows that they have gone back part way to the wild type, and the wild birds are better sing ers than the domesticated. Entirely apart from their swecL song, canaries are worthy" of their position as household pets. They are cheerful and sprightly, sociable and easily tamed by those who love them, a fact they seem to recognize by some strange instinct. Their plumage is varied and beautiful. They are easily kept, and breed freely in tlie cage, and they are good parents and kind to each other. Canaries a re emphatically tlie bird of the peopie and for the people. The demand for them is on tlie increase all the time, and, therefore, it pays to meet that demand by raising them. In London, England, nearly every household has its canary, and nearly all of these birds are raised in cottage or country homes by women and children. It pays them well, and it will pay us, too, to follow thel r exam ple. Jt is not only in their color that can aries vary. By long years of careful se lection of freaks or sports In color and form, and by crossing with other birds, many varieties, some of them mote gro tesque; than beautiful have been produced. There are over thirty named and recog nized varieties, some with raised top- knots, some with flat ones, some with feathered legs, some dark, some almost white. There is one variety known as the Belgian, fine specimens of which have been sold for over twfee their weight in gold. They look as if thej" had broken backs, their shoulders being high, and their head and tail point ing downward from them, their outline being much like that of an irregular semi-circle. Then there is the Scotch canary. This queer looking bird has the shape of an iron itoop, and be cause of its odd appearance, it is a special favorite among bird fanciers. FREAKS FROM BREEDING. It looks as if standing on tip-toe, with Its head and tail bending forward, as If in the effort to meet each other. Then thefe i s another variety that looks as if it had a little toadstool on top of its head, or a parasol without a han dle. This is the Manchester coppy. Again, there is tlie dark or iight yellow bird, with a pretty, curly top-knot or crest on its head, and others with a plain, smooth head. Still another canary is called tlie liz ard because the back and wings nre spotted with dark green, like some liz ards. Again, we have the canary moles, one a cross between the canary and the gold-finch, the canary and the linnet or the siskin. In these crosses the female is always the canary, because the other birds named are not so tamed by years of captivity and the female refuse to breed in cages or use the artificial nests. It is a curious fact that if two crest ed birds are mated, their young will not have, as might lie expected, extra large erests. but will be actually bald. This is something for amateurs to remember. Naturally, in the wild state, eanaries pair, but the domesticated male canarv is polygamous, often mating with four or five. But he loves best the one he was first mated with. The best birds, however, come from the later matings. These sweet songsters, to be attuned to their best capacity, need to be taught how to sing. This may seem to many a strange statement, but it is true that every sing er, bird, as well as human, requires train ing and example. In Germany and the Tyrol, Where the breeding of canaries gives profitable employment to a large number <j£ people, the young birds are usually placed n« .r a nightingale, or an extra fine singer of their own race, so that they may learn its song. In England the woodlark Is the usual teacher. We of the south have as fine a tutor for young cana ries as could be desired, in our mocking birds. Encourage the latter to build near our homes, and then hang the young ca naries where they can hear the sweet singer of the southland, and there will be no trouble as to their learning how to sing best. One I knew of had learned to whistle clearly several bars of ••Hail Columbia,’’ and to whistle for the dog. so that the latter was kept hustling to and fro in a vain search for the mas ter whom lie supposed was calling him. But such accomplishments as these art thrown Into the shade by a canary that cin ialk. Those, indeed, are rare, but there are two cases on record of proved authenticity, and several others that one may,be excused for doubting. One of the l\nven ones was exhibited in London about forty-five years ago, and the in formation that follows concerning its won derful accomplishment was sent to the vicq president of tlie London Zoological Society. The parents of this unique bird, thia rara avis, ihanwd once upon a time to hatch only one out of four eggs. It was a n*iserable failure, such as the old folks Oiad never made before, and they were so disgusted, at it that they set to work at once to wipe out memory of it by building a new nest on top of the one unlucky little bird that was their all—that time. Fortunately the unfledged and forsaken waif was discovered by Its owner just In time. It was almost dead, but hemg wrapped in flannel, placed near the stove and given every attention, including food, which its indignant parents had omitted to give it, it revived. The rescued little one was brought up by hand, and thus be came familiarized,only with those persons who fed it. Consequently, its first singing notes were of an entirely different char acter from the usual notes of the canary, thus proving, if proof were neded, how dependent the young bird is upon its teacher for ft. t oeaj qualifications. A TALKING CANARY. The little bird, being talked to constant ly. and never ).earing the natural bird notes, astonished its mistress, wlira ev»» three months old, by repeating the endear ing terms used in talking to it. Instead m singing, like any other well ^•egubi'Ua canary, it came hodly out one day with the clear, distinct words, “Kissie, kissie,’’ followed by the peculiar sound that us ually accofiifTTfnied the words, as though a noisy kis.s had been given. Not satisfied with the sensation it had made by uttering this one word, the bird kept on listening and practicing, and then for hours together, amused itself and its hearers by ringing all the changes o» its word-song. “Dear sweet Tltlchie, (its name), kissie, kissie.’’ “Kiss Minnie." “Kiss me then, dear Minnie.” “oweet, jpetty little Titchie, Titichie, wee, wee, gee, gee. kiss, krssie.’’ A dog whistle w:ts often used about the house, and its clear, shrill notes were caught up by Techie, to the dire trouble of the poor dog. who was kept on tlie trot answering t io whistle to no purpose. One of the members of Tltgiiie’s family was fond of whistling "Pop Goes the Wea- sel,’’ and it was not long before the lit tle bird astonished everyone by whistling several bars of this lively tune. Of course, brought up ms Titchie was. it became very fame, and was not more at home in its cage than mi the ’head, shoulders or fin ger of its special friends, jt would hop down from Its perch on to the finger presented to it for the purpose, and cling to it, while being swung to and fro, or cairied around the room, talking shouting with delight all the while. ITO BE CONTINUED.) and DOES A VACATION PAY? (Orison Swett Marden, in tlie July Sue- cess.) Does it pay to regain your cheerful personality? Does it pay to sip power from its very fountain head? Does it pay to increase jour creative power and originality? Does it pay to get a firmer grip on vour business or profession? Does it pay to regnin your lost con fidence by up-building your health? % Do you want to get rid of the scars • mu stains of tlie year's campaign? Will a fresh vigorous brain serve you better than a fagged, jaded one? Does it pay to exchange flaccid, stif fened muscles for strong, elastic ones? Does it pay to get a new grip on life and to double jour power to do good Work? Does it pay to put iron.into the blood and to absorb granite strength from the everlasting liiils? Does it pay to renew the buoyancy and lightheartedness, the spontaneitj- and en thusiasm of youth? Does it pay to get in tune with the In finite by drinking in the medicinal tonic from the everlasting hills? Does it pay to get rid of your nagging rasping disposition so that you can at tract people Instead of repelling them? Does it pay to get rid of some of our narrow prejudices, hatreds, and jeal ousies that are encouraged by the stren uous city life? Does it pay to add to the comfort and happiness of ourselves and those about us by being brighter and more cheerful ourselves? Does it pay to make the most of all the powers that God has given you by bringing superb health and vitality to your aid in developing them? Does It pay to develop our powers of observation; to learn to read “books in the running brnolcs. sermons In stones, and good in everything?" Does it pay to put beauty into the life, to gather serenity and poise from the sweet music of the running brooks and the thousand voices in nature? Is It better to be a full-rounded man or woman with large views and.a wide out look, or a mere automatic machine run ning lh the same old grooves year after year? is it a good investment to exchange a. few dollars for a great deal of health and linpplnes^ to economize on that on which the very well-springs of our being de pend? Does it pay to be free, for a. time, ft am the peWy annoyances that vex, hinder, and exasperate; to get out of ruts and the old beaten tracks and take In a stock of brand-new ideas? Does It ptty" to get away from the hot bricks and mortar of the city and breathe the pure air of the country; to becrrflnp rejuvenated atnd refreshened by breathing the untainted and invigorating air of the country? Is if better to go to your task with a hoperul outlook than to drag yourself to your work like ait unwilling slave; to go through life halting, weak. Ineffi cient, pessimistic, or to be strong, vigor ous. self-reliant and optimistic? Does it pay to save 5 per cent of your income by economizing on your vacation this year and break down next year ffom the continued strain or be 'obliged to pay 50 per cent for doctors' bills, be sides ’the time lost in enforced idle ness? Does It psv the- hard-worked, nerve- racked, desk-bound man to lock his bus iness cares In Ms office or store and be free once more: to exchange exhausted and irritable nerves for sound, healthy ones which will carry pleasurable sensa tions instead of rasping ones? ] Masonry Is Tabooed j ? ? 1 By Monarchs f 15he Fate of a Voice HIDE the secret of tho >■•■••••••••••«•••••••• Roman Catholic confes sional is universally re spected by tlie courts here in America and in Europe, no matter what tlie belief of the judges, •r the re ligion of the people, a strong sentiment appears to be growing UP against the. grant of any such concession whore the se crets of free masonry are concennqd. in Alabama and elsewhere in the United States law suits have recently taken place where the tribunals have held that masonic vows of secrecy were powerless to release the parties and the witnesses in the case from the legal obligations of giving evidence, while at Paris a demand has latelj- been made in the legislature for the compliance by the grand orient of France with tlie provisions of the statutes, which require the communica tion to the government and also to the national library of all its laws, rules, publications, and accounts, no matter how confidential. In .France, indeed, the question of re vealing tlie secrets of the craft lias de veloped into an important parliamentary issue, which is not altogether surpris ing when it Is borne in mind that in France, as well as in Italy and in sev eral other countries of continental Eu rope, free masonry has become a weighty factor in political life. It is tills that render® rulers nowadays so reluctant to be connected with the order, whereas in former times, when it held aloof from politics and devoted it- • self almost exclusively to philanthropy, there were many crowned heads and princes of the binod among the brethren. Only tliree monarchs—namely, Edward VII. the kaiser, and King Oscar—belong today to the crqft, and in each instance they have, since their accession to the throne, ceased lo he active members, and have severed their connection with tlie lodges to which they belonged, find ing the obligations of sovereignty incom patible with those of the brotherhood. Thus during tlie last j'ear of Queen Victoria's reign the discovery that an atheistic masonic lodge, known as the Hiram ledge, had been constituted in London under a charter from the grand orient of France, compelled the then prince of titles, in ills capacity as grand master of the English rite, to issue a violently worded decree directed against French Masons, denouncing them as be yond the Masonic pale, and prohibiting P-ritish members of the order from hold ing any Masonic intorroume with them. MAY EMBARRASS KING EDWARD. True, it was in keeping jvith the at titude assumed by tlie grand lodge of England in 1877, when tlie grand orient of France banished, so to speak, the Al mighty from its lodges, excluding in the most rigorous fashion from its ceremonies all acknowledgment of or reference to the grand architect of tlie universe. But in view of the role played by Masonry in the political life of France, where most of the leading statesmen, from the presi dent of the republic and the premier downwards, arc members of tlie craft, it was, to say the least, awkward, and it is easy .to see that if circumstances were to ai tee necessitating the issue of another such attack upon French Masons by the English grand lodge tilt connection of King Edward with the latter would not merely endow the manifesto witli an official and international character, but would iu calculated to impair tlie friendly relations between tlie two governments. Tills danger was brought home to the king within a few weeks after his ac cession. For among the earliest petitions which lie received after becoming king was an appeal signed, not only by a large number of Turkish free Masons, but likewise by thousands of other mem bers of tlie craft, calling upon him to use Ids influence to secure the freedom of a. brother Mason, ex-Sultan Murad, who “for 'tho last quarter of a century has been imprisoned at Constantinople on the pretext of a mental malady” by his younger brother, the present ruler •of tlie Ottoman empire. It was perhaps fortunate .that c. few days before this petition reached its destination Edward had surrendered the grand mastership of the order of England to his brother, tlie duke of Connaught, since otherwise ills Masonic obligations would have forced him to rake some steps in behalf of Murad, which might have clashed wiih the political interest of his kingdom. Emperor William, on succeeding to the throne, with tlie object of avoiding just such _ quandaries as these, hastened to sever his connection with the craft, nom inating his cousin and brother in law. Prince Frederick Leopold, to the grand mastership, while King Oscar of Sweden showed similar prudence. Napoleon III, however, neglected to take this precau tion when lie became err«f% >ror of the French, and it was owing to his Ma sonic obligations that he gave such pow erful support to the united Italy party south of tlie Alps in defiance of French interests. For it is hardly necessary to point 'out that It was to tlie advantage of France that Italy should remain di vided up into a number of petty sov ereignties instead of constituting one united kingdom that would necessarily •become a menace and a danger to France. Napoleon was a Mason of the Italian rite, and he had joined tlie order in his youth, while living in Italy, and at a moment when the Italian lodges were the life and soul of the movement in favor of the unification of Italy with Rome as its capital. When he ascended the throne of France lie found it con venient to forget his obligations. But Mazzinl. who was one of tlie principal dignitaries of file grand orient of Italy, and other Influential Italian Masons, lost no time jn reminding him of his solemn pledges, giving him to understand that not only the enmity of the craft, but also punishment in the shape of death would inevitably overtake him unless h® lived up to his promises. Not merely threats but bona fide at tempts upon his life commenced to fol low one upon another with startling rapidity, until, in 1859. he, to the dismay of all his most sensible counselors and friends, embarked France in a costly and wholly unnecessary war with Austria for the purpose of driving her out of Lom bardy and of uniting'the latter as well as the grand duchy of Tuscanf. the duchy of Parma, and a number of other petty sovereignties of the peninsula to what was then known as the, kingdom of Car dinal. He likewise gave material sup port to the movement which resulted In the overthrow of the kingdom of Naples, • and its absorption by what Is now the kingdom of Italy. Napoleon’s Masonic friends demanded that he should help them to secure pos session of Rorfie. But he realized that his subjects could not tolerate his taking part as sovereign of France in any move ment that had for its object the .over throw of the temporal sovereignty of the pope, and that he would risk revolution and the loss of his throne if he con tinued anv longer to yield to the de mands of his Italian fellow Masons. It was then that he caused his cousin. Prince Murat, to become grand master of the French Free Masons, and pro claimed iiis intention of protecting the craft in France in order to thoroughly make it clear, both in his own dominions and in Italj-, that he had ceased to be a Mason or to be bound by his obligations? as such, although he would remain a friend of the craft. And in order to give a token of his good will to the latter he issued a decree bear ing date of 1862 legally recognizing and authorizing the existence of tlie order of Free Masons in France. It is an irony of fate that this same fraternity should have become one of the chief factors in bringing about his downfall and have constituted one of the chief obstacles to anj" monarchical restoration in France. To what extent the Masons on the con tinent of Europe interfere in politics may •be gathered from the fact that after the collapse of the Boulanger bubble those of bis adherents who belonged to the or der were subjected to severe disciplinary measures by their lodges, not because they lhad taken part in a political move ment, but because they had happened to be on the losing side. In order to ap preciate this let any American Mason consider how he would feel if called to ac count and punished by his lodge for hav ing voted with the foes of the political party to which the majority of the mem bers of his lodge belonged. In Italy, after Crisp”? first visit to.the late Prince Bismarck at Friedrichsruhe. ho invoked the support of the grand orient at Rom P for the triple alliance, which was unpopular among the peopie. As a reward, for his services in the mat ter, the late Signor Lemni, the grand master of the craft, was granted by the cabinet of the dav the monopoly of pur chasing the foreign tobacco needed by the Italian government, the sale of tobac co in King Victor Emmanuel’s dominions being a. state monopoly. This enabled Lemni anti his Masonic confreyes to real ize enormous fortunes within the space of a few years. IN POLITICS SINCE 1830. It was in the third and fourth decades of the nineteenth century that the Ma sons of Italy. Austria. France. Spain and Prrtugal first'commenced to devote their attention to politics. This was due to the severity of the various monarchical governments in dealing with persons pro fessing liberalism anil radicalism. The men found that it was only behind the closed doors of Masonic lodges, duly tiled, that" they could make their voices heard and give free expression to their political opinions without pent to imprisonment arid even worse. But while this association between poli ties and Masonry has served the per sonal muls and ambitions of many of the statesmen who wore members of the etaft, it cannot be said to have furthered tlie ?••*! interests and aims of the fra- ternitj", which has for its object univer sal brotherhood, and 1 recall the bitter resentment excited in France by two speeches of Adriano Lemni, the grand master of the orient of Italy, delivered at. Naples and at Rome, in which he pro claimed his ardent, hope of seeing ere long the flag of his country floating over Corsica. Jt was different during the eighteenth find tlie earlj- portion of the nineteenth centuries. Thus we find King Louis XVI, who met with his death on the scaffold, and his two j’ounger brothers, who reign ed over France as Lmiis XVIII and Charles X, respectively, figuring as Ma sons and belonging to a lodge known as tlie Three Brothers. King-Charles’ son, the due de Berri, was likewise a promi nent Mason. So. too, was King Louis Fhiitppe, and also his eldest son. tho duke of Orleans, father of the late count of Parts. •Vehig Frederick the Great was Initiated while still heir apparent at Brunswick in 1738. and subsequently founded a lodge of his own at his chateau of Rheins- bt-rg. His connection with :the order re mained close and intimate throughout his reign, among the proofs thereof being a ratable letter addressed by him the year before his death to the lodge in Berlin, knowli as the Royal York of Friendship. Both of Frederick the Great's successors Were grand masters of the grand orient of Prussia, an office which the late Em peror Frederick was the last Prussian monarch to hold, and it is extremely doubtful. if in view of the political role cf Masonry on the continent of Europe, there will ever be again sovereigns acting as grand masters of the craft. longing for utterance, determination gleamed in his eyes as lie looked at the people laughing and chat ting about him. With an air of dogged endurance he laid his hat at his feet and standing with bowed head and bent shoulders commenced to sing in a low, quavering voice a popular song of the day. A few bystanders looked and listened with indifferent interest. As the jtong ended some children approached the old man and east their pennies into his hat. A moment he waited; then, pocketing the money, began another song—a north country ballad of the sea. As he sang —his notes louder, clearer than at first— something of the free, rollicking sailor life crept into the melody. Involuntar- il>" some of his hearers kept time with his singing, and nodded to each other a mild approval. Passersby stopped to listen, and as the song ended the group around the fountain had trebled itself. Scarcely waiting for the echoes of the ballad to die away, the old man, with voice resonant and tender, started afresh: -"Drink to me only with thine eyes And I will pledge with mine; Or, leave a kiss within the cup And I’ll not ask for wine.” As each verse of the old love song floated out in the clear, starlit night, {f wave of feeling geemed to pass from the singer to the wondering people about him. Hi s bent form and white hair vanished. Decrepitude was lost in the glory of youth. It was as if they were listening to an ardent lover pouring out iiis heart in all the rapture of its first idolatrj-. A shower of money was scattered at the old man’s feet and a confusion of voices Trom tlie throng before him shouted “Bravo! Bravo!’’ Still he went on, with flushed cheek and flashing -eyes, caroling gaily this time the quaint French ballad; “MAlbrouck s'on va t’en guerre." I he spirit of the simple song was irre sistible and as the sorrowful cadences of the last verse s'tolp away down the silent streets there was a movement of bonder and pity, and then an imperative demand for the old singer to go on. A group of fashionably dressed ladies and gentlemen stood listening on the outskirts of the fhrong. “Here is another marvelous voice.” said one. “Your protege should be here, my dear Mrs. Oakley." “Is it not remarkable! Such an old man, and witli such power and feeling. What a history he must have!” ‘The usual one. probably,” said the old er lady superciliously, "a drop of genius to a gallon of dissipatiori. The result is always the same.” “The voice is so sympathetic. At times it reminds me of Bertram Ganse. Have you not been struck with the resemblance, Myra ?’’ The young lady addressed was silent, absorbed In the scene before her.* Again the old minstrel lifted up his head to sing. The dense crowd around him, overflowing now into all the paths of the square and even Into some of the streets beyond, swayed together in eager expectation. For a moment he scanned them with a look of triumph. His lips trembled. The joy of .the artist exulted in his veins. Then the clear tenor notes, quivering now with a. subtle despairing quality, rang solemnly above them, "A1 claror del triste iuna. Faro del pesar, El rigor de mi fortuna Qitiero lamentar.” The passion of music, blending with the magic of the resplendent nignt, cre ated in allisuion that none could with stand. It seemed as though the warmth of southern skies, thrilled with the haunt ing romance of some dreaming trouba dour, enveloped him. On, on he went, his face illumined with an inward emotion, his voice increasing in volume and intensitj’ with the dramatic CONTINUED FROM FIRST TAGE. Then a sudden pathos of his song, and ending wnh a Joj’ous burst of swelling melody: “Mas te miro en la ventana! Ya piedad logre! Tu. que fulste aver tyrana, Premias hoy ml fe!” As the last notes of the died on the night air there^ was den movement in the Cio* Serenade” sud- A police man was forcing his way forward by amt of strenuous clubbing ^d vociferat on to where the old man st°°d^ Keacbing the latter he seized him roughly J “I’ve had my eye on you! lie shouted harshly. “You’re a nice one you a.e. masquerading here and ™ a | Un * a ‘ e turbance. Just drop that hair and come along with me." -„•<, A'S he spoke ho grapsed the old man ^ beard and tore it off. Then with other hand he removed his gray “Bertram Ganse!" exclaimed a ipung woman far back in the iCiow . . =• gar! An impostor!" . . “Come. Myra, let us go. It is sho king. The man is a stranger to us!" Heedless of the officer at his side and of the jeering, jostling people around nun. Bertram watched the retreating female figures with blanched face and scornful P ‘As he Was being led away a tall, gaunt man stepped forward and motioned to the policeman. “Here, periice,” he drawled ou L , reckon I kin have somefnin’ ter say about this. I’ve been lookin’ fer that young man hereabout fer th’ last week. H give me the slip somehow. But he’s K., I reckon. Jest a bit flighty, mats all. Anvhow, I’m powerful ter find him. even If he Is in your hands. He s my son. an" me an’ th’ hull family s eeme up ter look fer him an’ ter take a spe o’ sightseein’ about your town. Ye see > we’ve jest struck oil on th’ ole farm down Texas way, an’ they's millions in it, you bet!’ 4 ‘'Bertram!" 4 whispered a soft voice at his side, and he felt the pressure of a hand slipped into his. “Lucy! It is j-ou at last!” TWAIN AS A RESCUER. At a London dinner party recently W. D. Howells, the novelist, praised Mark Twain hlghlj". He said: I like to praise Twain. I praise him often. He is a great humorist. Once when he was a pilot on the Mis sissippi, Twain sat with a crowd of men around a wood stove in a *• ilhf'ge. Pres ence of mind was being discussed, and nearly everybody had a storj" about pres ence mind to relate. Twain said: “Bojs, through my presence of mind I once saved an old man's life. It hap pened this way: I was reading in my room late at night when I heard fire bells. I strolled out to see where the fire was, and soon I came to a brick house that was burning hard. "An old man leaned half way out of a fourth-storj’ window, and the red flames lit up his long w-hite hair and beard. ’Help! Help!' he hollered. 'Help! Help!’ And he waved his arms around his head, making wild gestures. "Everybody in the crowd below seemed paralyzed. No ladder was long enough to reach the old man. The firemen said if he stayed up there he would be burnt to death, and if lie jumped he would be crushed flat. “But I, with my presence of mind, came to his rescue. I rushed forward and j-elled for a rope. The rope was brought to me. I threw the old man. the end. He caught 4t. I told him to tie It around his waist. He did so, and I pulled him down.” PICNIC HORROR. (From The Chicago Tribune.) “Oh. I’m so tired!" panted the girl in the pink shirtwaist, flopping down on the grass. “And I’ve lost all my handker chiefs." “Will a handkerchief rest you?" asked the young man with the tennis shoes, ex tending his own. “No. but a nap. kin," she said. qtt>sing her eyes sleqpily. At which the ants attacked the lunch basket even more savagely than before. Calling' of Captain Ramirez rejoiced at the manner of his death, al though none could understand who call ed him ashore or why he obeyed. Those who whispered the theory of the finish of his contract with Jemmy Squarefoot chuckled at their prescience, as fully justified by the sequel, declaring that the big Kanaka whom I had seen was none other than Satan himself come for his bargain. “Matters went on now in quite a differ- CONTINUED FROM FIRST PAGE. ent fashion. The relief was so great that we hardly knew ourselves for the same men, and it affected all hands alike, fore and aft. The secret of the breaking line was discovered when Mr. Peck, the mate, took the skipper's berth over. In a locker henealh the hunk, he found the pieces of a big bottle, what they call a ‘carboy,’ X think, and in hunting tip the why of this a leakage through the deck was found into the store room where the cordage was kept. Only two other coils were affected by the stuff that had run down and of course they were useless, but the rest of the stock was all right. Now. I don’t know what it is nor how it came there, nor any more about it. and if you ain't tired of listening. I'm mighty tired of talking. Pass that ‘switchel'* this way.” *A drink of molasses, vinegar and water. v c v \ ?! I & » ill I