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IF WE KNOW. ‘ * When the year has found its freedom from the bondage of the frost, And the memories of winter in a tide of life are lost, Then the heart awakes to answer Nature's impulse and rejoice If we'know her hidden meanings and the music of her voice. There are voices in the tree-tops—wo mny hear them as wo pass— There are whisperings of summer in the springing of the grass; There's a noble sweep of triumph whore the hawk is on the wing, And the perfume of the lilac is the spirit of the spring. Oh, the pulsing warmth of waking, how it permeates the air ’Tis the anodyne ot hope that steals the bit terness "from care. Wemay lay aside our burdens in the glory of our choice If wo win the heart of Nature and will , hearken to her voice. - Harper’s Bazar. A Cowboy Virtuoso. By O. B. DUNHAM ] HE persistence of Mr. Rime Jenks V y W-o at length reoeived -A/yi its due reward— •JgVH he was asked to l fiddle for a dance. You hiay re member that this gentleman, who ‘t was second to none when it came to olose quarters in the branding-pen, or following a wild calf through the sage-brush, had not one ounce of mi sical capacity in the hun dred and sixty-odd pounds of his make-up, yet had a particular ambition and an unflagging zeal to become a fiddler. The object of this writing is to show that he reoeived ample returns upon the zeal invested, but never at tained to the ambition, t For so many years that the memory of man runneth not to the contrary he had packed a violin in his bed-roll ‘‘on the annual round-up, and at every opportunity, when the day’s work was "Hone, he rosined his bow. ? Through out the winter months, when work ’’was light and evenings long, he had practiced faithfully, if not intelligent ly, in the bunk-house until banished by a plebiscite to a near-by dug-out, where he found sacks of onions and , bins of potatoes more patient sufferers than the general sitting-room afforded. In some former year the outfit had {boasted a man who could ‘ ‘play any instrument,” and Jenks, seeing how easy it was, decided to become equally accomplished. The violin was not his first choice, but his first opportunity, and, having accepted it, his code of ethics bound him to break the critter or break the cinch. t On the 29th of February there was a leap-year dance at Richmond’s. , This place was on a hill in the border land between the open range and the settlements, and however much cow boys might despise farmers and farm ers detest cowboys, the social amen ities were rarely disturbed and the country dance was a popular institu tion. My friend Rice voiced the gen eral sentiment thus: “I like ’em be cause everybody is a-le’ping and a-skipping, and if anybody falls down he gits up again.” The plain infer- from Mr. Rice’s statement is that at any other than a country dance if one falls down he stays down—which might embarrass and endanger his bet ters. When I called Rice’s attention to this, he explained that he meant "in your mind.” “It’s like getting On to a bucking horse any morning and being dumped,” said he. “You don’t mind it much, but | just tighten your cinch another hole and climb on again. But suppose you are doing some fancy riding or roping at the county fair and your saddle gets emptied, why, you feel so low down you don’t get over it for a week. ” i Our boys all went over to the dance at Richmond’s, and someone evident ly told the committee that Mr. Jenks was a competent fiddler, for soon after his arrival he was approached by . a bright-eyed young woman, who asked if he had brought his violin. < “Xo, I did not,’’repliedthe startled Jenks, nervously fingering a large piece of rosin whieh he produced from his pocket; “but if you want to use it, I'll be very glad to go back to the ranch and fetch it. It is only abou t twenty miles.” slightly showing several white teeth, "that you carry your violin with you wherever you go, and I’m sorry to find that it’s not true. Our music has dis appointed us; the house is full of peo ple and nobody here to play for them hut a ’cello and a moutli-organ. But I think we can get a violin within less than twenty miles, and”—here she showed him the full set—"will you kindly play for us until Mr, Smith ar rives?” "Miss, I should be delighted ” said Jenks. I “Oh, thank you, so much ” in terposed the girl. "If I knew how,” he continued, "but I don’t. You see I’m only learn ing. I can just start a few. ” "Oh, I am sure you will do it well,” she replied; “and I will go right out and send for an instrument,” and ®he hurried away. Mr. Jenks was astonished and per plexed. Of course he had hoped to play in public at some time, hut this .was so sudden. He was not in a hurry. Some other leap-year would be soon enough. Should he bolt, or face his own music? "What n very pretty girl when she laughs,” thought he; ‘Til stay. Wish I had practiced more. Wonder if I’ll break up the party.” In what seemed to him an incredi bly short time in which to summon a fiddle from the subjacent valley, the girl reappeared with one in her hand, and escorted the reluctant and protest ing .Tenks to the head of the room, in troducing him to the ’cello, the mouth organ, and the floor-manager. j“Now, boys,” said he, when the committee had turned away, leaving him with his fellow-musicians, who re garded him doubtfully, “let’s have an understanding. I ain't in this like you for a dollar a head and free drinks,but I’m doing it to oblige a lady. I expect to make some pretty bad breaks, and the first one of you that snickers will eat his instrument right here. Are yon ready?” Jenks is not afraid of any individual man, perhaps not very much afraid cf any woman, but when he stood up on that platform with the fiddle in his neck and faced the crowd he was bad ly rattled. “Play a waltz first,” said the floor manager, “and play slowly.” With a sigh of relief and thought of “What’ll I do when they demand fast music?” Mr. Jenks began that classical strain which fits the words “Where, oh,where is my little dog gone,” the ’cello and mouth-organ struck in, the girls chose the best waltzers, the floor filled up, feet shuffled, boards creaked, and the hall was opened. Accomplished speakers have recorded the difficulty experienced in learning to think upon their feet, but Jenks, facing an audience for the first time and sawing away desperately at the first bars and repeat of a slow waltz, had no such trouble. He told me af terwards that his thoughts “thunk themselves and came a-running,” and that he was conscious of three distinct trains of thought running on parallel tracks. The first concerned Mr. Smith, 'the delinquent musician; the second subject was “what a very pretty girl when she laughs;” and the third, aocented to waltz-time, rap: “Oh, 1 can play them that second strain, I know I’ll break down if I try.” To anticipate difficulty is to insure t. After repeating the first strain some twenty times, Jenks made a des perate effort to strike the second movement, failed, and collapsed. The ’cello and mouth-organ hammered along uncertainly for a time and oeased. The stranded waltzers dotted the floor like boats becalmed on a m:n iatnre lake. The waltzers had been so engrossed in their own efforts, aud the rest oi us in looking on, that the quality oi the music had apparently received lit tle attention. When the player broke down, there was only a general move ment of impatience at the interrup tion, and I looked to seethe persistent Jenks start up again on the same eight measures. But he had entirely re covered his self-possession. Laying the fiddle aside, he advanced to meet the girl at whose request he had made the effort, “Don’t yon think,” he asked, “that I have proved that I can not play? ’ “Well it does come pretty close to a demonstration,” she answered; “but I thank you very much for helping us out. Mr. Smith has come and will re lieve you,” So Mr. Smith took the fiddle and Jenks took the girl’s hand for the first dance, and perhaps for others, and the evening was a success. Many hours afterward, as we rode sleepily homeward in the gray light of morning, Jenks said to me: “What a very pretty girl when she laughs.” “What did she say about your play ing,” I asked. “Said I must play at the next leap year dance; 1900 is not a leap year, you know—would give me eight years to practice.” “Did you promise?” “I promised not to; told her I had something better to work for now.” P.ime Jenks is a rather taciturn fellow, and I am not in his confidence, but I know that he goes pretty often to Richmond’s Hill, and he has traded his fiddle for a cow. I have also noticed him studying a book entitled “Comfortable Cottages for Six Hun dred Dollars.” —Argonaut. What a Model Bakery Should Be. What should be the essential con ditions of a model bakery? First, the building should be above grouud, per fectly drained and ventilated, well or ganized, absolutely clean, and the ex pense of labor should be of no consid eration. The men should be systemat ically inspected with regard to their personal cleanliness, having, in the first place, been selected for employ ment on the ground of their good gen eral health and temperance. The hours of labor should be limited, aud conven ience for washing purposes should be provided. The buildings should be dust-proof, in order to make dust con tamination impossible; the oven should be fired at the back of, and not in, the bake-house itself. Water used should be of the very best and guaranteed quality, and, in order that only a pro per proportion should be used for its corresponding equivalent of flour, it should be measured by meter. These are roughly the essentials to a typical bake-house.—New York Ledger. A Kartlroatler Who Antedated Steam. Charles Stewart died recently at the home of his son-in-law, Mr. John Hill, Xo. 1110 Valley street. Mr. Stewart was ninety-three years old, and had the distinction of driving the first ear over the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad when that road was com pleted to Ellieott City and before steam power was used on the line. Mr.. Stewart also had the honor of as sisting in the laying of the cornerstone of the railroad. On the 22d of May, 1830, the road was opened to Ellieott City, and on that oeeasion Mr. Stewart drove the team whieh drew the first car, a dis tinction of whieh he was very proud. When steam was introduced and the railroad was pushed towards the West, Mr. Stewart was appointed to a posi tion at the company’s stables, where he acted as veterinary surgeon. He continued in this position for forty years, when he was retired by the company. This w*as about fifteen years ago. —Baltimore Sun. llow to Sleep at Will. According to the newest theory of sleep, that curious phenomenon results from the brain being literally drowned in blood. The physiologist who has made this discovery has also found out how you may regulate your period of sleep to the minute, and wake as regu larly as the punctual cock. Ail you have to do is to raise or lower your head by means of pillows of various thicknesses. If you want to sleep longer thai) yon do at present, lower the pillow and let in more blood on the brain; if you want to sleep less, raise your pillow and let in less bloo’d. Never take narcotic drugs, as they in jure the brain, but lower the pillow more and more till sleep comes. You need not go to the expense of buying an alarm clock, either, since this sim ple plan will enable you to awake at any hour. Power in a Nile Cataract. Professor Forbes calculates that the first cataract of the Nile at high Nile represents 500,000 horse-power, anu’ at low Nile 35,000 horsepower- OUR BUDGET OF HUMOjR. LAUCHTER-PROVOKING STORIES FOR LOVERS OF FUN. Hot StnC—The AU-Prevalllna—The Height of Her Ambition—ltefore the Bargnin Sale—The Main I’oint— Hie Last lie sort- Itouml to ItlRO, Etc., Etc. Press me closer, all my own; Warms my heart for thee alone, Every nerve responsive thrills, Eaoh caress my beiDg fills. Best and pence In vain I crave, In ecstasy I live, thy slave. Dower’d with hope, with promise blest, Thou dost reign upon my breast. Closer still, for I am thine, Burps my heart, for thou art mine. Thou the message, I the wire— I the furnace, thou the fire— ■'* I the servant, thou the master— Boaring, red-hot mustard plaster. —Green Bay Advocate. The Height of Her Ambition. Bertha—“ What is the height of your ambition, dear?” Marie (blushing)—“Oh, something between five and a half and six feet. ” —London Fun. The Main Point. Elooutionist (begining to recite Long fellow’s famous poem).—“Listen, my children, and you shall bear of the midnight ride of Paul Revere.” Impatient Auditor—“ What make of wheel did he use?”—Puck. Clear Reasoning. He—“ How do you know your father will give his consent?” She—“He has often Said that you are the last man in our set to whom he would give me, and he has sent all the others about their business as they asked for me.” Before the Bargain Sale. New Salesman—“l understand that no purchaser is to have more than ten yards. But suppose a lady edmes baok after one purchase shall I refuse to sell her any tuore?” Floor Walker—“lf you’re tired of your position.”—Puck. The All-Prevailing. Kind-hearted Old Lady—“ When you finally reached the barren island, 400 leagues away from the beaten courses of ships, what was the first thing that met your eye?” Recently Shipwrecked Tar—“ ‘Bi cycles Sold Here,’ mum. ’ ” A Great Inventor. “You wouldn’t take that man for a great inventor, would vou?” “No. Is he?” “He is. He invented an excuse for being out with the boys that satisfied his wife, and he’s been married seven teen years.'”—Cleveland Plain Dealer. At the Athletic Games. She—“ What a wonderful jumper that man is!—but why do they keep ringing the big gong while he is mak ing his jumps?” He—‘‘That’s Jerolamon—he’s from Brooklyn, and he can’t do his best unless he imagines he is getting oit of the way of a titdley car.” HIB LBt Resort. “Hc.w did Slims happen to marry his landlady, professor?” “I am not conversant with all the facts, but from what I have gathered incidentally I am under an impression —I might say conviction—that a board bill had some direct bearing upon the unexpected union.’’—Detroit Free Press. Its I Miration. Hemrypeek (drearily)—“l fancy my wife’s mother intends to make her stay with us a Kathleen Mavourneen visit. ” Askins—“What do you mean by that?” Hennypeck—“Oh, “it may be for years and it may be forever,” you know.”—New York Journal. Bound to Rise. “My child, do you think he has the force and perseverance to raise him self to your level?” “I am-sure he has, mamma. Why, have you forgotten the time the eleva tor was broken, how he climbed the whole eight stories?” Love laughs not alone at locksmiths; especially in our throbbing civilization there are others.—. Detroit Journal. Explained. “See here, young man, I’ll have to take you in. Your lantern’s out.” “Hold on, officer, I’ll explain. You see I bought one of these 32-bieyele suits this afternoon, and it burst on me ten miles from home. Xow, I’m trying to get back as quietly as I can in the dark. You see the necessity of it?” “That’s all right—go ahead.”— Cleveland Plain Dealer. A Bertous Case. Mrs. Briske—“Joknuy, did the doc tor call while I was out?” Little Johnny (stopping his play)— “Yes’m. He felt my pulse an’ looked at my tongue, and shook his head and said it was a very serious ease, and he left this prescription and said he’d sail again before night.” Mrs. Briske—“Gracious me! It •wasn’t you I sent him to see; it was the baby, ” —The Yellow Kid. The Safest Ice Water. An old physiciau considers this the only safe ice water to be used during the smmmer months: “Procure some nice looking bottles which will hold about a quart, and fill them with water which has been running for some time. Water which has run through a filter attached to a faucet is preferable. Then cork them tightly and place them directly on the ice for some hours before you need to use them, turn them two or three times, so that they will become' uni formly colu, and you will find that you can drink more of this wnter with less after discomforts than you can the water which has been cooled by being directly iced.”—New York Herald. The Tui’kisli Crescent. When Philip of Macedon approached by night with his troops to scale the walls of Byzantium, the moon, then new or in crescent, shown out and dis covered his design to the besieged, who repulsed him. The crescent was after that adopted ns the favorite badge of the city. When the Turks took Byzantium they found the cres cent iu every public plaoe, and, be lieving it to possess some magical power, adopted it themselves.—St. Nicholas. .. -■ ODDEST TOWN (N THE COUNTRY. A I)i'sert.d Village In Wisconsin Wheri Tramps Are Having a Picnic, Ten miles from Brule, Wis., is about the oddest town in the country. Itjias 300 inhabitants, every one of them a tramp. It is also something of a Utopia. No one pays rent; no one works; everybody loafs, all are fat, happy, aud lazy. There may not be $lO in the town, and there is no reason for tho possession of money. Tliore is nothing to buy and nothing to sell. Vulgar commerce never disturbs the peaoe of the com munity. The houses are new, the streets are broad. Near by are the deep waters of Lake Superior, and ten miles inland is the railroad running between Ashland and Superior. The railroad is handy when any member of the community decides upon taking a ljttle tour, and the lake is convenient because of the fish it furnishes. Within a radius of half a dozen miles are enough farms to supply the vi'lage with pilfered produce. These farmers and the few people who know of the existence of the place call it Trampville. The railroad men who have heard of it desoribe it as Hobohurst-by-the-Lake. The resi dents however, adhere to its official title—Clevedon. Baok in 1880 a syndicate of English capitalists conceived the idea that a town could be established at the mouth of the Boise Brule River which in time would compete with the city of Supe rior and attract much of the lake traffic. Where the Brule River flows into Lake Superior the land was cleared and a town site mapped out. Mechanics and buildefs of all kinds were em ployed with a lavish hand, and houses and buildings grew up almost iu a night. Such quantities of money were poured into the scheme that Clevedon soon at tracted attention from the outside world, and numerous families came to the place, bought lots and put up homes. In a year Clevedon had a population of about 1100 people, and seemed destined to become tho great town the syndicate had planned. A big hotel was erected, streets were laid out, and the] well-built and brightly painted cottages gave the place an air of bust ling prosperty. But the tide of lake commerce re fused to sweep upon Clevedon. It kept on moving toward Duluth and Superior just ns it had before the ad vent of the new city. Then the popu lation began to fade away. Cottage after cottage was deserted, and the next calamity was the collapse of the fund behind the syndicate. Two or three times the syndicate secured ad ditional backing, and made powerful efforts to revive interest in the place, but the energy and money were wasted. Clevedon could not be resus citated. By 1890 it was as dead as any place could be. Everyone had left. The neat little houses were empty, the big hotel took on a ghostly look. Grass grew up in the well laid streets. It was as silent as the pine forests sur rounding it. No one ever went that way. It is many miles off the general line of travel, hidden in thick woods on all sides, except where it faces the waters of the lake. Three years ago some Wandering Willie discovered it. Perhaps, years ago, he was one of those who had put his money and faith in the prosperity of Clevedon. At any rate, other hobos soon after began to pay it fleeting visits. Last fall a score met at Clevedon. Some of them were not natural or voluntary tramps. They were products of the hard times. These saw the place, sized up the comfortable houses and the big hotel, and determined to spend the winter there. When others came along they were invited to join the permanent colony, and many did so.—Milwaukee Sentinel. Trains That Never Stop Running. Anew system by which passengers may be taken on or fjrom trains with out the necessity of stopping has been recently devised by an ingenious engi neer, who proposes to exhibit bis plan at the Paris Exhibition of 1900; This feat is accomplished by means of a moving station platform. The in ventor proposes to use for the purpose a circular disk, the outer circumference of which is to travel at the same rate of speed as the passing traiu. When entering the platform from a staircase in the centre there will be no danger, since the speed at this point is com paratively low, nor will it he felt much when going toward the edge of the turning platform, for the increase in speed is gradual, and anticipated. The inventor has already gone so far as to calculate that the railway com panies of Europe would save some tbousauds yearly by abolishing the notices, “Wait until the train stops.” —Answers. For Poor Traveler#. Switzerland has always been fore most in the cause of charity. Becently a society has been formed which has most commendable objects. The State subsidizes and the police' authorities assist the operations of this society, ■which has been founded for the purpose of aiding poor travelers. In the canton of Aargua refuges are now provided.ou the main thoroughfares at regular in tervals, where bonafide travelers oil foot, who are seeking work or who are passing through the c juntry for a legi timate purpose, can obtain refresh ment and a night’s lodging. The Berne Consul says the beneficial re sults of the scheme are likely to cause its extension throughout Switzerland. Food Law# in France. France knows how to protect the rights of her people. Anybody who doubts the genuineness of an article of food that he has purchased from a Parisian tradesman may take it to the municipal laboratory for analysis. It will cost him nothing to have it ana lyzed and the fact determined whether it is unadulterated or adulterated, aud if the latter the law deals with the of fender without further action cm the part of the purchaser. The shopkeeper is liable to be heavily fined and im prisoned, and has to display conspicu ously in his shop window' or on his door for a year a large placard bearing the w'ords, ‘‘Convicted of Adultera tion.” Bonnet Sales In London. It is stated in a fashionable journal that, 1,000,000 bonnets were sold ia London during one week recently. THE HARVEST OF PRUNES. AN INDUSTRY OF GREAT MAGNI TUDE IN CALIFORNIA. Estimated That There Are 53,000 Acres Planted to This Fruit, Involving an Investment of 830,000,000 Hint Prunes Are Gathered and Dried.; The magnitude of the prune indus try of California is little realized by the people in the Eastern States. In a decade the growing of prunes has gone forward in California by leaps and bounds, and to-day $20,000,000 is invested in it—that is, in lands, trees, irrigation systems, agricultural tools and packing houses. Notwithstanding damaging frosts last spring through out the lower part of the San Joaquin Yallcy, and all over the horticultural valleys of Pomona, San Gabriel and Santa Anna, the total product of green prunes now on the trees in this State, says a Los Angeles letter to the Chi cago Record, is estimated at 83,000 tons. Of this quantity about one-fifth will be shipped East as green fruit for sale at fruit stands and for canning purposes; the remaining four-fifths will be dried for market, making about 24,000 tons of dried prunes. Ten years ago the total area of bear ing prune orchards in California was less than 7000 acres. In 1890 the to tal area of bearing prune orchards was 13,000 acres, and there was an enor mous planting of prune trees that year in all the fruit growing valleys of Cali fornia, because of the large profit in the industry. Twelve thousand acres of prune orchards were set out in the winter of 1891-91, and 24,000 acres more were planted in the next two years. These orchards have now come into bearing, and the State Board of Horticulture finds that there are 53,- 000 acres of bearing prune orchards in California to-day and about 8000 acres more to come into bearing. Con servative estimates put the total crop of California prunes in a favorable year at not less than 90,000 tons. The value of the crop has gone down very rapidly in the last three years. In the season of 1892 good prunes fresh from the trees sold fors3s a ton. In 1894 the same product brought $25 a ton. This year the very best prunes bring $lB a ton, hut the general mar ket price is sls a ton. When the prune crop is harvested iu August the scenes in the orchards and in the drying fields are long to be remembered. Thousands of men, women and children throughout the valleys of central and southern Cali fornia are busy in the prune orchards and at the fruit-packing houses in these days. A prune orchard in itself is one of the most beautiful things in the realm of horticulture aud when the throngs of workers are there it is an interest ing sight. The thousands of trees are planted in long rows, so equidistant one from the other and in such sym metry that one may look in any direc tion among them and the alignment is perfect. The ground is soft and even, and the years of monthly cultivation and care have made it so smooth that not even a pebble or a clod or a blade of grass or the smallest weed may be seen anywhere. When ihe fruit grower, who has been daily watching the process of ripening of bis crop, finds that the fruit is so tlforoughlp ripened as to be soft to the touch he employs a force of workers. Great sheets of cheap cloth are laid on the ground beneath the trees. Strong men shake the trees and boys shake branches so that the prunes may fall. The sheets are gathered up at the ends and the fallen fruit poiu'ed into padded boxes, so as to avoid handling as much as possible. Tree after tree is treated in this way, once each day, until the crop is gath ered. The operation is often repeated once a day for twenty days before all the prunes are harvested. Meanwhile the gathered fruit has been carried to the washing boxes aud the dripping caldrons. The prunes are put into great heavy wire cages holding several hundred pounds each and are first dipped into running water, where the dirt and dust are washed away. In a moment more the cage is elevated on a crane and let down into a caldron of hot water, heavy with concentrated lye. The purpose of this operation is to remove the bloom and crack the skin that en velops the flesh of the prune in order that the drying process may take place more rapidly. In its natural state the skin is so smooth and tough that it would take a week to dry the fruit properly for market. From the caldrons of hot lye water the cages of prunes are lifted a ;ain and onee more plunged into hot c ean water, so that the lye may be washed away and a gloss be given to the fruit. Then comes the drying process. Girls and boys come with shallow 1 wooden trays a yard square and, as the prunes pour down from a hopper into which they are dumped from the cages, deft hands spread the product over the trays in the tw inkling of ail eye. A little irimway carries tie trays and fruit out into the drying yard every minute and there on the ground, covered for two or three acres with some cheap fabric, the prunes are placed for drying by the sun. There is a strong sunshine twenty-nine clays out of thirty in each summer month in the valleys of cen tral and southern California, and so it is the rule that prunes are well dried in two and a h.qlf or three days. A little army of workers is always busy in the prune season in gathering the dried products from the trays and carrying it in baskets to the sweat boxes, where, after a week or ten days, the dampness that arises from quickly dried fruit has evaporated. Often a prune grower on an extensive scale may have in his bins at the close of the harvesting of the crop 600 or 700 tons of dried prunes, while his drying yard of several acres may be so completely covered with trays as to look as if smeared a purple black. The more extensive prune growers in California handle as many as seventy tons of prunes in a day. It takes from two and one-half to three I pounds of the green fruit to make one of the dried product. The active work of the harvest over, the grower looks about for buyers for his yield. There are always scores of purchasing agents for Eastern whole sale fruit dealers and commission houses throughout the horticultural regions of California in the fruit seu son and there are hundreds of local fruit shippers in the State. The fruit is sampled and tested for its sacchar ine qualities, the firmness of the fiLsh and the gloss of the skin. Little bags of sample fruit are sent here aitd there. AVhen a sale is made it is done on the basis of the sizes of the dried prunes. Thus there are six sizes; 1, those ranging from forty to fifty to the pound; 2, fifty to sixty to the pound; 3, sixty to seventy; 4, seventy to eighty; 5, eighty to ninety, and 6, all below ninety. An ex perienced prune grower and buyer can tell at a glance what size of fruit he is looking at aud, of course, the larger sizes are the more marketable. Soldiers to Guard Buffalo. The Secretary of the Interior at Washington has under consideration a project which will hereafter furnish some of the Fort Logan cavalrymen with a novel variety of active duty in the summer and fall seasons. It is that, a detail of Regular Army troopers be told off to guard the herd of buffalo which exists in Lost Park, Colorado. There are still about forty of these rare beasts alive, but if some immedi- ate precaution is not taken to protect them against the depredations of pot hunters they will speedily bo exterm inated. Late last fall one buffalo was found dying at a remote distance from its fellow’s, having been wounded a number of times by rifle bullets. It was put out of pain by a deputy game warden, and its stuffed frame is now among the collection of rarities iu the rooms of the State Historical Society. This incidont led to the discovery that several others of the herd had been killed during the preceding sum mer. No trace of the marauders who did the killing could be discovered, nor could any effective means be de vised by the State Game Warden to guard against them in future. A good deal of indignation w r as aroused thereat among sportsmen and others who are interested in preserving Colorado’s rapidly dwindling buffalo.. Asa re sult the scheme to use cavalrymen w-as concocted, and James A. Miller, clerk of the Supreme Court, w T as delegated to communicate w’ith Congressman Shafroth on the subject. This action was taken by Mr. Miller on May 5, and yesterday he received from Con gressman Shafroth a letter, inclosing a statement from the United States Adjutant-General's office to the effect that the military buffalo warden pro posal w r as under consideration by the United States Department of the In terior.—Denver Republican. An Expensive Business. Residents of the lower Mississippi have for many years felt the greatest concern on account of the washing away of the banks and the necessity of some means by which the currents could be deflected and stop the con tinual wearing away of the shores. Some idea of the expense attending the keeping of this great body of water within reasonable bounds may be got ten from tho statement of an expert who has just finished an examination of this erratic stream. Immense mat tresses or mats are made of willows and underbrush. These are woven in with w’ires and poles of various sizes, forming ail enormously heavy and ap parently very strong resisting mater ial. These mats are woven on barges anchored out in the stream for this purpose. Then they are slid off into the water and weighted with stones. Some of them are three or four hun dred feet ‘long. Some of the largest of them will cover eight acres. The work can only be done during low water, which fact greatly adds to the cost, as there is only a short season, and the work must be pushed to the highest rate of speed. Sometimes, after all of the effort, the first high w-ater sweeps the whole structure aw’ay, and all must be done over again. Asbestos Rope. Asbestos formerly in use now has a formidable competitor in the blue as bestos of South Africa. The latter is less than half as heavy, and furnishes finer and longer fibres, which have been worked into webs but little in ferior to those made of vegetable fiber, are absolutely fireproof, and resist most known chemicals, corrosive va pors, and atmospheric influences. A blue asbestos rope, three-fourths of an inch in diameter, was weighted at one end with 220 pounds, and ex posed to a constant flame from a large gas jet, so that a considerable portion of its length was surrounded by fire. It only broke after twenty-two hours. The asbestos rope has only two-thirds the strength of anew hemp rope, but as they grow older the proportion changes in favor of the former, since it is but little affected by the atmos phere. The blue asbestos fiber is also worked into mattresses for hospi tals, which are cooler in summer and warmer in winter than those of ani mal hair or vegetable fiber. As an experiment firemen’s apparel is be ing manufactured from the liber.— Chicago Inter-Ocean. A Pyramid of Barrels. A pyramid, not of the kind usually read about, but one composed of hogs heads, barrels and casks of every kind and description, which has been in the process of construction for several weeks on the top of Gallows Hill, Salem, where nineteen persons were executed in 1692 for alleged witchcraft, collapsed yesterday afternoon, much to the chagrin of many persons, who had been anticipating a big bonfire at midnight of July 4. The pyramid had reached an altitude of 120 feet and was to be still higher. It was forty-seven feet square at the base, and coutained more than 10,000 barrels, thousands of tliem being crushed by the fall. Several persons narrowly escaped being hurt. While its destruction has somewhat spoiled the ardor of those building the pyramid, it is an nounced that there will be another one erected, but it will not be anywhere near as high.—Boston Transcript. Ke#triction# on Balloon Ascensions. There has been of late such au ex traordinary craze for balloon ascents in Vienna, that the Municipal Council, on account of the number of accidents, has issued an order to the effect that “every one who should wish to make a balloon ascent must prove that he has followed the course of aeronautic sci ence. Married man desiring to take part iu an aerial voyage cannot do so without the consent of their wives aud children.” FAIR INEZ. O, saw yo not fair Inoz? Shogot upon a bike, And folks that saw her start declare , They ne’er beheld the like; Sho wbro a pair of bloomers, A dickey and a vest; Tho neighbors held the wheel for hep— I air Inez did tho rest. And with tho lovely Inez * A gallant cavalier Bode down the pike, to teaeli her To pedal and to steer; Ho whispered airy nothings,' He boldly scouted fear, Until lie struck a jagged rock And landed on his oar! 1 saw the lovely Inez Descend along the shore, And there was dust all over The bloomers that she word Upon her face she landed, She’s beautiful no more— I’ll wager such a mixed-up mess Wus never seen before. Alas, alas for Inez I She wont away with song; With ribbons on her handlebar, And shoutings of the throngl Slio came hack all disordered, Nor brought her wheel along The doctor says ’twill be a month Before she’s well and strong. —Cleveland Leader. PITH AND POINT. The man who deserves the most credit generally has to pay cash.— Life. She—“ Two weeks from to-day we’ll be one.” He—“ Well, let’s be happy while we can.”—Picayune. “I can’t see why you object to young Softly. I’m sure lie’s constant. ” “Worse than that. He's perpetual.” —Truth. “I wonder why Dr. Reaper is ad vising ali his patients to go to White Beach this summer?” “He probably intends to go there himself.”—Brook lyn Life. Johnny Barr —“Ha, what’s an ego tist?” Handel Barr —“An egotist, my son, is one who thinks all the world but himself is riding low-grade wheels.”—Puck. Mrs. Youngish—“Oh, Bob, what shall I do? Baby is crying because ( won’t let him pull all the fur off my new _muff.” Mr. Youngish—“ Well, that’s all right. Give him the cat!”— Tid-Bits. “I have proposed to seven girls this surnmen already,” said Timmins, “and I haven’t been able to get accepted once. Dinged if lam not beginning to feel like one of my poems.”—ln dianapolis Journal. Customer—“ls he an up-to-date par rot?” Dealer —“Well, we’ll let bins speak for himself. (To parrot). “Polly, want a cracker?” The Parrot —“Hoot, mon! I dinna’ ken! Hoo’s a’ wi’ ye? Gang awa’ !” Customer — “I’ll take him.” —Puck. “Of course you’ll give me one little kiss before I go,” he pleaded. She looked a him intently fov a minute and sighed. “It’s pretty high pay,” she replied, “bat if you will go early enough I suppose I’ll have to call it 3 bargain.” —Chicago Post, “I wonder,” said the man of a sta tistical turn, “I wonder how much powder is destroyed daily in useless salutes?” • “There must be a lot said the frivolous girl. “But I suppose women will go on kissing one another just the same.”—lndianapolis Jour nal. * “Who is that man who writes com munications every day and signs him self ‘Constant Reader’ ?” said one citizen. “I don’t know who he is," replied the other, “but he’s a mis nomer. He comes a great deal nearer being a constant writer.”—Washing ton Star. Kallow—“1 tell you there’s just as good writers in the world as ever there were.” Dillon —“How about Shake speare?” Kallow —“A piece of luck on his part. He happened to be born at the right time, when there weren’t so many writers as there are at pres ent.” —Boston Transcript. A Sparrow’s Gratitude to a Boy. It is a rare occurrence for animals in a wild state to select a man for a companion and friend, yet well-authen ticated instances when this has been done are a matter for record The following incident is vouched for by a young woman who is a close and ac curate observer: “Last week my brother (a lad of twelve) killed a snake which was just iu the act of robbing a song sparrow’s nest. Ever since then the male spar- Vow has shown his gratitude to George in a truly wonderful manner. Whoa he goes into the garden the sparrow Will fly to him, sometimes alighting on his head, at other times on his shoul der, all the while pouring out a tumultuous song of praise and grati tude. It will accompauy him nbout the garden, never leaving him until he reaches the garden gate. George, 1 as you know, is a quiet boy, who loves animals, and this may account, in a degree, for the sparrow’s extraordinary actions.”—Louisville Courier-Journal. rhiluriclphiii’s Franklin Statue. On the spot where Eenjamin Frank lin stood when he sent up his kite to “wrest the lightning from the skies,” and where he later laid the corner stone of the old University of Pennsyl vania, will be shortly erected a hand some bronze statue of the philosopher, as a gift to the city from Justus C. Strawbridge. It will stand on the postoffice plaza, on the spot recently vacated by the removal of the Lion Fighter. The statue will be iu bronze of heroic proportions, representing Franklin seated on a colonial chair, attired iu the loose robe which is given to him in one of his most fa mous portraits. From the pedestal on which the statue will rest the latter will rise to a height of nine feet, and the proportion will be about one aud a half life size. John J. Boyle, the sculptor, who has been commissioned, to do the work, will have the model completed in a short time. The cost of the piece .will not be less than §IO,OOO. —Philadelphia Record. J,Wantc<l, a Cook anti a Doctor. The Maharaja of Durbangah, a small State in India, is advertising two somewhat- unusual “wants.” One is for an elephant doctor on a pay cf sls a month with allowances. The other is for an “experienced chef cle cyiisine” proficient iu teaching the cu linary art. iu all its branches. The wages for the. Hindoo cook are not 3tated. The Maharaja being of the highest caste usually cooks the food for his own consumption with his own hands.