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, THE WIND BLEWJN THE WHEAT.
A sickle moon hung low and white, In tho edge of n golden west.
With clanging bells tho herd came home; nnd mother birds on tho nost
Thrilled to the song that is never sung—so soft! so wildly swoot!
The whippoorwill In the marsh-land called, and the wind blow In the wheat.
High summer had broken to hedge-row waves with a foam of elder bloom.
By wasto and way-side the sweetbrler stars showed faint In the tender gloom.
And nibbling hares crept out to play, on silent velvet feet.
As waxing dewdrops timed tho chant, the wind blew in tho wheat.
“Benison to each bearded head, in tho land of golden graiu!
Ye shall drink of the sun, in strength and power, nor lack the grateful rain.
In the bursting mills, In the ocean pressed with the keels of a laden fleet,
Ye mav read the smile of tho Lord of Hosts,” tho wind blew In the whoat.
—Martha McCulloeh-Willlams, in Harpers Weekly.
A* RAILWAY* ADVENTURE.
* *
By DH. MAX NORDAIi.
C this night
' I (i lykjy crow ‘l'
which filled the large hall.
A glance out into the night showed
the deep-blue heaven overhead and a
brilliant full moon, whose cold, clear
rays sparkled on the fresh foliage of
the budding trees as they swayed
gently to and fro in the light breeze.
The members of the society to which I
at this time belonged had been accus
tomed for some time past to reserve a
certain table in the cafe for them
selves, where they met every evening
to chat over and discuss the events of
the passing hour. They were, for the
most part, respectable citizens, who
had far more appreciation for bright
gas-light and a good dinner than for
the charms of a glorious spring night,
and nothing was further removed from
their thoughts on this particular occa
sion than a romantic contemplation of
the beauties of nature. On the night
I am speaking of our conversation
was of a prosaic enough character, as
was only natural in a small town, and
exhausted itself in discussions about
local matters, the theatre, taxes, and
similar —-to au outsider—extremely un
interesting topics.
Through some chance remark, how
ever, which I can no longer recall, the
question had sprung up if it were
Teally credible that a man’s hair could
suddenly become grey in consequence
of a violent shock to the mind. Some
of those present were only half inclined
to disbelieve this somewhat startling
theory, whilst others could not be
sufficiently scathing in the remarks
they made concerning people who were
simple enough to place any credence
in such nursery tales.
As the discussion grew warmer and
warmer, until every member of our
party was engaged either in champion
ing or combating the question in point,
a man, seated near us, rose -slowly,
pushing his chair from him, and ap
proached our table. He was a fine, tall
fellow, of heroulean build, and his in
telligent features, which bore an ex
pression of great determination, were
rendered very striking by a pair of
keen blue eyes; but what made his
appearance Btill more remarkable was
the fact that both his hair and beard
were as white as snow, although they
surrounded a countenance which would
not permit one to reckon his age at
more than about thirty-five.
“Excuse me, gentlemen, if 1 am in
terrupting your conversation/’ lie re
marked, bowing politely to us. “You
•were just discussing a subject that has
more than an ordinary interest for me.
I happen myself to be a living proof
that, under certain circumstances, a
terrible shook to the mind can pro
duce that self-same physical effect of
xvhich you were just speaking, and
which the majority of you seem to dis
credit.”
These words naturally excited the
curiosity of all present to the highest
degree. We quickly made room for
our new acquaintance at the table,
and, when he had seated himself
comfortably, urged him to relate to
ns the circumstances which liadj pro
duced such a strange and sudden
change in his appearance. The
stranger feigned no great shyness,
and acquiesced in the most pleasant
manner possible by relating to us the
following:
“If any of you gentlemen have ever
interested yourselves more closely in
American affairs, the name of Auburn
cannot well be strange to you; it de
notes much the same for the United
States as Spielberg does for Austria.
You must not picture Auburn to your
selves merely as a gloomy and exten
sive prison—as one large, solitary
building—no! It is rather an entire
colony of criminals, a sort of town or
metropolis for the "wretches that the
community has thrust out,
“Shut in by immense walls, which
rise up from the level plain to a con
siderable height, are crowded to
gether a large number of detached
buildings—houses that contain the
prison-cells, warders’ dwellings, hos
pital, and workshops—all sullen and
forbidding-looking; and here and there
dotted about may be seen a small patch
of grass, a few trees, and, very occa
sionally, a flower-bed, like the last
lingering recollections of innocent
childhood amongst the black thoughts
of a criminal.
“Certain events, which would have
but little interest for you, had led to
my journeying from Hamburg—my
birthplace—to America, immediately
after the completion of my studies, and,
after a short stay in New York, I ac
cepted the post of prison-doctor at Au
burn, which, as you perhaps know, is j
-situated in the State of New York. I
was intrusted with the medical sn
pervision over that part of the prison
which was set apart for the worst
class of criminals—men, or I should
say, human hyenas, whose blood, as
Mephistoplieles says, had already
ceased to be ‘a fluid of rare quality. ’
“Two of these wretches were des
tined to spend the remainder of their
days in the prison, and they, by rea
son of their great physical strength as
well as by the extraordinary cunning
they had evinced in several desperate
attempts to regain their freedom,
were subjected to even closer super
vision than the rest of their compan
ions. I was an object of particular
hatred and dislike to these two scoun
drels, because I had been instrumen
tal in the discovery of a number of
iron implements which they—God
only knows how they had obtained
possession of them!—had concealed
under their clothes; and again on
another occasion, because I had re
fused to receive them into the hospi
tal when they feigned illness, expect
ing * doubtless when they were
once in there that they would find
more favorable opportunities for ac
complishing their escape. The ruf
fians were separated and placed in re
mote parts of the prison, and were
laden with ctrains; but in spite of all
these precautions, one fine morning
the one, and a few days later the
other, together with their chains, had
disappeared without leaving -a trace
behind them.
“It must have been almost a fort
night after the flight of these two
criminals, which had caused the ut
most consternation amongst the
authorities at Auburn, that I ordered
my horse one afternoon, and started
off for a ride to Cayuga Bridge. It
was midday when I reached the end
of my journey, and I stood still for
some'time contemplating with silent
delight the exquisite scenery which
lay stretched out for miles before me.
The Cayuga Lake, one of those which,
together with Lake Erie, compose that
vast system of inland seas in the State
of New York, lay in all its beauty at
my feet. The long, slender streak of
silver wound in and out of the rugged
black cliffs which hemmed it in, and
which rose sheer up out of the lake,
facing each other like grim opponents
who had for thousands of years bid
one another defiance. Far down the
lake, which is forty miles long, and
at this particular spot about one
broad, I could discern the enormous
trestle-bridge, a marvel of American
engineering skill, which carries the
Auburn division of the New York Cen
tral Railway across, passing on its
way through the small station of
Cayuga Bridge.
“My business in the village was soon
finished, and towards evening I started
home again. Do you know how de
lightful a ride on a summer’s evening
is? Cavuga Bridge is surrounded by
extensive oak forests, through which
the greater part of my journey lay. The
gnarled and massive trunks cast long
shadows, and the foliage rustled so
gently in the soft evening breeze, that
one seemed rather to feel than to hear
it. As I rode between these giants of
the forest, sweet recollections of my
distant home crept into my heart, and,
sunk in my thoughts, I let the reins
fall on my horse’s neck, who trotted
steadily forward. I admired the mar
vellous variety of color that the rays
of the setting' sun produced as they
shone through the mass of dark-green
leaves, and seemed to kindle their
edges into flame.
“Suddenly I was startled out of my
reverie by a slight noise which ap
peared to come from the undergrowth
on either side of the road. Turning
sharply round, I grasped my revolver,
but in the same moment I received a
stunning blow on the back of my head,
which knocked me senseless from my
saddle. Once more I recollect opening
my eyes, and thinking that I could see
indistinctly one of the escaped criminals
bending over me, and then all became
ajalaiik.
“It must have been late in the night
when consciousness again returned to
me. Slowly opening my eyes, I saw
far above me the dark blue vault of the
sky, and the full moon shining bright
ly. A dull, painful sensation at the
back of my head prompted me to place
my hand there, and then I discovered
that I was bound hand and foot. Grad
ually I collected my thoughts; I re
membered now the murderous attaek
in the forest, and a fearful foreboding
flashed through my mind, which al
most caused my heart to stand still.
I felt that I waslaid across two sharp
parallel projections, which cut into my
shoulders and the back of my legs,
causing me intense pain, and far be
low me I could hear the gentle plash
ing of water.
“Heavens; there could no longer be
any doubt: I was lying stretched across
Cayuga Bridge, bound, incapable of
moving an inch, with the hideous and
absolutely certain prospect of being
cut literally to pieces by the next train
that passed. For the second time that
night I almost swooned as I realized
my situation; but by a powerful effort
of will I recovered myself, and tugged
desperately at the ropes that bound me
until they cut almost into my muscles;
I shrieked, and wept finally like a
child. I made mad endeavors to roll
myself into another position, and then
recollected that a careless movement
might precipitate me into the flood be
low —bound baud and foot, to sink like
a stone!
“A shudder ran through my frame,
and I lay motionless again; but not for
long, for the light of the great—almost
fearfully bright—moon overhead, the
ripple of the water deep below me, the
breeze that came in light puffs, and
then died away again, giving place to
a deathlike stillness, occasionally
broken by the scream of some distant
night-bird—all was unbearable, and
caused me the anguish of death. And
then the rails! the rails! My thoughts
were torturing me, and yet I could not
escape them. The wooden beams of
the bridge vibrated perceptibly fi**m
the movement of the water below, and
I thought that I could already feel the
approaoh of the train, and my hair
bristled with the horror of it. The
breeze now blew somewhat stronger,
and I imagined that I oould already
hear, far away in the distance, the
puffing and panting of the locomotive,
and my heart stood still, to beat with
redoubled force the next moment,
“There are certain things, gentle
men, which are absolutely incompre- ■
hensible to me: one of them is the fact j
that I was able to survive that night.
One thought stood ever clear in my
mind: I must endeavor by some means |
to shift my position—if possible, to j
one between the metals—if I did not
wish, possibly even in the next mo
ment, to become the prey of the most
awful death one could conceive. And
I succeeded! I strained every muscle,
every sinew, till I oould strain no more.
I wound and twisted myself, and
panted until I thought my head must
burst, and after superhuman exertions,
which appeared to last an eternity, and
perhaps lasted but a minute, I found
myself in the hollow between the rails.
“Was I saved? I had no time to
consider that, or to rejoice over the
fresh chance of life which was now
offered to me, for my whole being con
centrated itself in intent listening. Far
away in the distance I could now hear
—first of all indistinctly, and then
gradually increasing as it drew nearer
and nearer—the regular, monotonous
panting which heralds the approaoh ol
a locomotive. The fearful stillness of
the night gave way, as each minute
passed, to the more fearful noise, to
the clanking and thundering of the en
gine as it raced on towards me at the
headlong speed of American trains.
Now a thousand feet more—now five
hundred—all the horrors of hell pos
sessed me; but I lay without moving a
muscle. Once, indeed, I tried to scream.
I could no longer hear my own
voice; how, then, could the people in
the train be expected to hear me? And
now for an immeasurably short space
of time a blaze of light beat down upon
me, and a blast of hot air rushed over
me, then everything became dark, and
I heard a thunder as if the heavens
were crashing in. Close, quite close,
at scarcely a hairbreadth’s distance,
rushed the enormous mass over me. I
was saved!
“Already half-unconscious, I wan
still sensible of a deafening clattering
and roaring above me, and I saw shad
ow-like masses flying past; still one
moment more of deadly anguish—one
of the coupling-hooks, hanging some
what lower than the rest, had caught
and dragged me several yards, tearing
finally a large piece out of the breast
of my coat—then all objects seemed to
whirl around me, the moon, the bridge,
and the lofty cliffs, in one mad dance,
and I became insensible.
“When I next woke I found myself in
my own bed, and around me well
known faces. And now to be brief:
I had been found on the morning after
that awful night by a plate layer who
had recognized me, and had brought
me back to Auburn. For a fortnight
I lay delirious with brain fever, hover
ing between life and death; but my
strong constitution pulled me through.
The first time, after my recovery that
I had occasion to use a looking-glass,
I saw what traces those moments had
left on me.”
The doctor ceased speaking; hut his
pale face, the look of horror, and the
great beads of sweat on his forehead
all showed how keen his recollection
was of that terrible experience. We
also had listened to his narrative with
breathless attention, and it was some
time before we could shake off the im
pression it had left upon us.—From
the German, in Strand Magazine.
The Nation’s Coal Product.
The coal production of the United
States for 1896, according to compila
tion made by E. W.JParker, statistician
of the United States Geological Survey,
amounted to 190,639,959 short tons
(2000 pounds), valued at the mines at
$195,557,649; against 193,117,530 short
tons, valued at .$19,7,799,043 in 1895.
The amount of coal mined in Pennsyl
vania was 53,771,800 tons anthracite
and 49,101,148 tons bituminous. The
average price obtained for anthracite at
the mines increased from $1.41 in 1895
to $1.51 in 1896, while the average
price for bituminous decreased from
86 cents to 83 cents. Illinois is sec
ond to Pensylvania, with nearly 20,-
000,000 tons, and Ohio and West Vir
ginia mined each nearly 13,000,000
tons. Alabama comes next with near
ly 6,000,000, then Maryland, Indiana
and lowa with about 4,000,000 each.
Kentucky mined a little over 3,000,-
000, and Kansas, Tennessee and Mis
souri each mined over 2,000,000. Wy
oming and Nebraska are taken to
gether and credited with over 2,000,-
000 tons, and Virginia, Montana and
Indian Territory and Washington each
produce over 1,000,000 tons. The
States which produce coal in smaller
amounts are Arkansas, New Mexico,
California and Alaska, Georgia and
and North Carolina, Michigan, North
Dakota, Oregon, Texas and Utah.
Kloivdin Wan Afraid.
When Blondin was astonishing the
world by exhibitions of his wonderful
feats of balancing, one of bis favorite
jokes was to offer to carry some dis
tinguished spectator aeross the rope
with him on his back. Everybody
naturally refused, aud the great equi
librist, with a genial smile, would say :
“I am sorry you are afraid I should
drop you.” But he was hoist once
with his own petard, and the story is
told in the Washington Post. He was
exhibiting in Paris, and was about to
cross the Seine on his.rope. Cham,
the great caricaturist, had come to
make a sketch. Blondin, recognizing
him, at once invited him to cross with
him. “With pleasure,” replied Cham,
“but on one condition.” “And that
is?” queried Blondin. “That I shall
carry you on my back,” answered
Cham. “Not if I know myself,” an
swered Blondin. “Ah,” triumphant
ly exclaimed Cham, ‘ ‘this time, M.
Blondin, it is you who are afraid!”
Returning to Palestine.
During the last few years nearly
150,000 Hebrews have entered Jerusa
lem, and the arrival of another host is
said to be imminent. Already the
railways are opening the country be
tween tile coast and Jerusalem and
Damascus, aud a Hebrew migration on
a large scale may cause Syria to be
come once more of # vast importance in
the East.
ghhhh
The Country School.
If the elementary principles of soil
fertility and plant growth are to be
taught in our country schools, some,
even, of our most successful teachers
will, perhaps, need to “post up” on
these branches, and we repectfully
suggest that they might do well to be
gin now; the country school is bound
to grow bigger, broader and better; it
has the people back of it; they must
know more about the common things
with which they come in daily contact
and the mighty forces of nature with
whioh they have to deal.—The Epito
mist.
Turning the Weeds to Good Use.
Summer heat, when it comes, starts
a numerous and enterprising crop of
weeds into active life. These may
be easily controlled by frequent use of
the iron rake, which stifles them at
birth. But if, through inattention,
they get the start of the gardener and
need to be reduced by the lioe, they
should be attacked vigorously at the
first chance, and not allowed to per
fect and drop their seed into the soil.
Pull up and shake the larger ones when
not so near as to endanger valuable
plants thereby, and hoe up all others,
not merely scraping the ground over,
but breaking it up and pulverizing it
while rooting out the weeds. These
may then, while still green and suc
culent, be raked together and put into
the compost heap, where they will be
obliged to return to the gardener all
that they have purloined from the soil
This compost heat may, by ft little
care, be made quite an important fac
tor in the fertility of the garden. Not
only all weeds, but, as crops mature,
all the garden refuse not used for
mulching other plants, may be put in
to it wet thoroughly and covered with
a little earth, and thus rotted down
and retained for use as so much home
made fertilizer. It should be estah-
lished in some out-of-the-way corner;
a hole dug a few feet deep to
accommodate it will be found con
venient, and the contents drenched
with the hose from time to time to
promote decomposition, after which a
few shovelfuls of earth will delay eva
poration and help retain the gases.
When used the addition of wood ashes
and bone dust of course makes lit by
so much the richer..—Boston Evening
Transcript
Increasing a "Wheelbarrow's Capacity-.
When wheeling corn, fodder, and
other light stuff, a wheelbarrow’s ca
pacity is too limited for convenience.
The illustration shows a simple attach-
WHEELBAKBOW ATTACHMENT.
ment that can be slipped into the bar
low on such occasions, to the great
increase of its capacity. The side
pieees should be hardwood strips. The
attachment may be supported by books
from the gtrips to the top of the wheel
barrow’s back if preferred.—American
Agriculturist.
The Campbell Farm Cu lfcure*
We might assume that our readers
are familiar with the nature of the
“Campbell method” of farm culture,
as we have once or twice described it,
but we may repeat that it consists,
first, in thoroughly pulverizing the
upper three or four inehes of the soil
intended to be cultivated. This is
best done with a spader' or disk har
row. If the soil is already in perfeet
condition this operation may be
omitted. In this upper stratum, at
the end of the summer, is concentrated
the most of the available plant food.
Secondly, the ground is plowed to a
uniform depth of eight inches, by
measure and not by guess, the furrow
slice to be turned completely bottom
up so that the pulverized surface soil
containing the humus may be in a po
sition to form the rootbed for the
coming crop. Third, the plow is to
be immediately followed by a tori
called the sub-surface packer, which
thoroughly firms the lower four inches,
but leaves the upper stratum in a fri
able condition suitable for a seedbed.
The object of firming the lower four
inches is to prevent drying out by a
too free circulatiofl of air, and to in
crease the inflow of water to rot the
vegetable matter in the rootbed.
Fourth, the grain is sown in drills,
eighteen or twenty inches apart, and
the cultivator kept going in it every
week until headed out. This surface
cultivation is only about two inches in
depth, and with a proper tool can be
done very rapidly. Corn and other
hoed crops are planted at usual dis
tances and tended to maturity.
There is no doubt as to the result of
such cultivation wherever the annual
rainfall is sufficient to make a crop,
and very little rain is required when
the water is all saved. That it is
saved by this method has not been de
termined alone by the size of the
crops, for other reasons might be
alleged for this, but more accurately
by analyses of the soil to a depth of a
foot compared with the analyses of
adjoining soil not so cultivated. In
tlie one case there was always found
sufficient water to make a crop, and
in the other case it was not found.
The question to be settled is whether
it will pay to raise good crops at the
cost of so much labor. As to this the
data are not forthcoming, although
they doubtless will be supplied in the
course of the season. In different
climates, with different rainfall, and in
different years, there will doubtless be
a variation in the number of cultiva
tions possible or profitable, but it
seems evident to us that this method
is certain to open to profitable culti
vation large areas of arid lands hither
to considered worthless, and we be
lieve it to be desirable that experi
ments should be at once made in this
State with the view of determining
what the results will be here. There
is more or less of summer rain in the
districts where it has thus far been
tried, but among the missing links in
the evidence hitherto supplied is the
rainfall by months, on the farms
worked by this method.—San Fran
cisco Chronicle.
Splits In Fruit Trees.
If a fruit tree is trained properly
from the nursery to the bearing period,
the danger from a splitting of the
trunk or a splitting off of some limbs
from the trunk would perhaps not be
very great; but, as a matter of fact,
many trees do thus split, and a knowl
edge of "the proper treatment of such
wounds is therefore important. Some
times the two split portions of a tree
are brc#**.t together and an iron rod
passed through both parts, the ends
being secured by a bolthead and by a
nut. Such material is not always at
hand, and costs, moreover, more than
is necessary. American Gardening
suggests an improvement as follows:
If a coil of stout, galvanized iron
wire (No. 12,at least,) is kept on hand,
a split limb can be instantly replaced,
and a figure eight placed about it and
'^k.
Ml
fr im
TREATMENT OF TREE SPEITS.
its neighbor, as shown in the illustra
tion. Severals strands of the wire
should be used, according to the
amount of weight to be supported. A
bit of sheetiron, tin or zinc, placed at
the sides will keep the bark from be
ing cut by the wire. Such wire is ex
ceedingly convenient in mending
breaks of many kinds, and may well
be kept always on hand.
Feeding, Dressing and Marketing Capons.
To have good profitable capons the
chicks should be hatched in April or
May, The summer and fall hatches
can be caponized and held for the
March and April market but they will
not be as fine as the early ones which
can be sold by the holidays. A point
;iu favor of caponizing all surplus cock
erels is the fact that they are growing
into good money during the fall and
early winter months while the hens on
the farm are taking a rest from egg
production and are giving but little or
no return for the feed they are con
suming.
Do not expect that a 12 or 15 pound
capon from a bird that would have
weighed 6 or 7 pounds in his natural
state. About 1S pounds gain can be
expected on every five pounds, or a
bird that will mature into a five pound
rooster will weigh about 6i pounds at
the same age if caponized and a 10
pound rooster will reach 12 or 13
pounds if caponized. A capon that
will weigh only 5 to 7 pounds dressed,
will sell at the holidays for about fif
teen cents per pound. That is a 7
pound bird will sell for $1.05 while a
capon that will dress 9 pounds will
sell for eighteen cents and will bring
$1.62, leaving a difference of fifty-seven
cents in favor of the heavy capon.
There is no danger of getting them
too heavy.
About three weeks before they are
to be sold put fifteen or twenty in a
yard and roosting house and feed
them all the fat forming foods they
will consume. Whole corn, eornmeal,
bran, middlings, animal meal or meat,
a little linseed meal are perhaps the
best available feeds for a farmer.
Giye all the milk they will drink.
Keep plenty of fresh water and grit
by them. See that they do not get to
feather pulling. Should this occur in
crease the meat ration aud put a little
salt into the mixture.
The spurs of a capon do not become
hard like those of a cock, but remain
softened and rather loose on the
shank, neither do they grow long.
He will sometimes play, but will do
little or no fighting. The comb and
wattles do not grow any more after
the operation. The head is slim and
has a pale, lifeless appearance. The
growth of feathers is very profuse,
and the tail feathers especially grow
to remarkable length.
When ready to butcher, hang the
capon by the legs by good strong
cords. Kill by bleeding in the roof of
the mouth. Be careful to keep all the
blood and dirt off the feathers, most
of which are left on and shipped with
the bird. Leave on all long feathers
next to head, those on thigh, wings
from first joint out, all of the tail and
those a little way down on the back
from tail. Dry pick. Wash the
mouth and feet. Hang in a cool place
and be sure the animal heat is all out
before packing. In advance of dress
ing the capons find out how the com
mission man wants them. Some want
all the feathers scalded, others picked
oft' dry. I have given New York style.
Leave head and feet ou and do not re
move the intestines.
Coffee boxes are very suitable for
packages. Line them with clean,
white paper, then snugly pack, placing
the fowls as straight as possible. Nail
the box securely, mark plainly, giving
gross and net weights and to whom
shipped. The flesh of the capon is the
finest in the world.—American Agri
culturist.
Aii Elephant anti a Baby.
At the circus parade in Middleton
recently a small child in Broad street
got away from its mother and toddled
out in the street to see Jumbo. Before
any one could realize what the child
was up to it was directly in front of
the herd of elephants. Every one ex
pected to see the little oue crushed to
death, but the leader of the herd care
fully picked the babe up with its trunk
and swung her out of all danger.—
Hartford (Conn.) Couraut,
UP TOWARD THE POLE.
A Bummer Hotel That I,le Wltliln tho
Arctic Circle.
The most northern hotel in tho
world and probably tho coolest resort
to be found anywhere during the sum
mer months, is situated on tho in
hospitable and ice-bound shoro of
Advent Bay, where it washes the west
coast of Spitzbergon. It is an odd
looking northwestern edifice, called in
the vernacular, “Turist Hytlieu -
that is, Tourist Hotel. It has been
opened for its first season this year, a
season necessarily short in the Arctic
regions, extending from July 10 to
August 18. Its accommodations in
clude thirty beds, and it is now an
nounced that the great increase of
tourist travel to the gate of the Arctic
regions lias mad© ths establishment of
a postoffice in the hotel a necessary
feature.
Persons who have made the cruise
of the Norwegian waters for the pur
pose of delighting in the mysteries of
the midnight sun, and whohavefondly
imagined that in the town of Ham
merfest, situated somwhat south of
the 71st parallel of north latitude,
they met with the last stage of civiliza :
tion, as far as civilization is repre
sented by hotel life, will now find that
they were not quite so far out of the
world as they thought they were. This
little hotel is 500 miles farther north
than Hammerfest. Some idea of its
extreme northern situation can be
gained when it is stated that even the
quarters of the present Jackson-
Harmsworth expedition in Franz-
Josephland are hardly 150 miles
nearer to the pole. Compared with
other high northern points which
have in one way or another become
prominent, the ones which most
forcibly suggest .themselves are those
which have been associated with the
various Arctic expeditions.
Thus the hotel and postoffice occupy
nearly the same latitudinal position as
where, on the west coast of Greenland,
Kane lost the Advance in Rensselaer
harbor; or where, at Cape Sabine, the
wreck of the Greely expedition was
saved from a fate which had already
•overtaken several members of the
party. It is difficult to realize that an
appointed hotel should exist at a point
the latitudinal position of which is re
moved only 550 miles from the farthest
point reached by Nansen during his
late remarkable arctic venture.
The hotel itself is not very preten
tious so far as looks are concerned. It
is but oue and a half stories high, and
has a diminutive porch at the front.
It is built of wood, that being the only
substance as well as the warmest to be
obtained in the Arctic regions. Its
timbers are heavy, as they must in
deed be to withstand the blinding
storms of the winter season. Inside,
it is roomy and generally contains pro
visions enough to guard against being
snowed up for a long time. The mail
which goes to and from the little post
office is conveyed by special messen
ger to the northern terminus of the
steamship service, which connects with
the Sofotes Islands. The intermediate
passage is not as perilous, especially
during the summer months, as might
be imagined. In fact, in that region
the ice breaks and leaves the land
scape comparatively clear during July
and August, so that the effete summer
tourist may make au Arctic trip with
little if any more discomfort than ho
would have in going to Europe.
Provisions are brought to the hotel
in the same way, and it may, for tho
reason that there is always a good sup
ply on hand, come to be viewed as a
haven of safety by future Arctic ex
plorers who fail to make connections
with the pole. At any rate it is unique
of its kiud and certainly stands with
out parallel as an objective point for
tourists.—Washington Star.
Deadliest of all Gnus.
The English Government is now ex
perimenting with a gun which will fire
1000 shots in 123 seconds. It is tho
deadliest of all the automatic man
slayers ever yet invented. As with all
machine guns, the first shot must
be fired by baud. After that the
weapon will absorb cartridges and emit
a chain of bullets as long as it is fed.
Experiments made thus far show that
on the occasion of a brief, sharp attack
the gau can actually be made to fire
eleven shots in a single second.
Avery interesting feature of this new
gun is that the explosive power results
from the use of cordite. The whole of
this substance is expended in pressure,
whereas black powder is only useful
for pressure to the extent of fifty per
cent. The experiments with cordite
and with the gun referred to show con
clusively that cordite is not affected by
water, as is gunpowder, and will stand
great variations in temperature.—New
York Herald.
Built For Napoleon’s Use.
Avery interesting discovery has re
cently been made in Paris. In pulling
up the Rue Salayrac for the construc
tion of a sewer the workmen came
across a subterranean passage in con
nection with the imperial box at the
old Theatre Italian. It appears that
Bonaparte, when he was First Consul,af
ter the attempt made upon his life in
the St. Nicaise, as he was on his way to
the opera, had this underground exit
built, so that he might be able to with
drew secretly from the imperial box to
the palace. It would also be a way
whereby troops might be introduced
into the theatre without being seen by
the mob. Such was life in the im
perial days of Paris.—New York Ad
vertiser.
For Public Speakers.
The public speaker can now see it
his spectacles what he is to tell his au
dience—at least, au invention to ac
complish this has been made. It con
sists of a double pair of spectacles.
Between the two sets is a pair of tiny
rollers, upon which winds a scroll of
paper, containing, in minute manu
script form, the speaker’s notes on the
subject which he is to discuss. The
first pair of glasses sufficiently magni
fies the haudwritiug to make it distinct
to the speaker’s eyes.
Lives Lost by Lightning.
The weather bureau issued in 189 b
a bulletin in which it stat ed that during
the five years preceding there had
been 1120 lives lost in the United
States by lightning, or an average of
224 per year. The same bulletin also
states that in the nine years ending
December 31, 1893, lightning caused
4170 Tires, involving a property loss of
814,309,180.
HOUSEHOLD MATTERS.
Orcaßß Stain* on Wall Paper#
It is difficult to remove grease spots
from wall paper, but they can some
times be taken out by covering them
quickly with potter’s clay slightly
dampened. Afterward lay coarse
brown paper over tho clay and press
hot irons on the paper to draw out the
grease. Repeat the work at least three
or four times.
Cleaning Glass.
It is not best to use soap on glass,
Not that it clouds the glass in time as
some foolishly believe, but because it
is unnecessary, and only makes more
work. Wash glassware in hot water,
as hot as the hand can bear. A little
ammonia, which is hard on the hands,
remember, will soften the water.
Ground glass should be washed with
soap, and a small brush will be neces
sary to get it clean. Never use any
thing but the cleanest towels to polish
the glassware, and if you would not
have them covered with lint, use only
the firm fine linen.
Sure Death to Unwelcome Guest*.
Many a housewife is disheartened
when she finds that the house into
which she has just moved was inhabited
before she arrived, and that already
her nicely cleaned beds are being oc
cupied. A si’-; ,'eath for such invad
ers is benzine. It will at once destroy
all insect life, and does not injure car
pets or furniture. Fill a long-necked
can with this fluid and apply it thor
oughly in all cracks and crevices where
the bugs or their eggs may be. Leave
the doors and windows open and the
odor will quickly evaporate. Benzine
should be used only in daylight, as it
is very inflammable, and must not be
carried near an open fire or a light.—
American Cultivator.
For Imitation Lace*.
To clean fine imitation laces, partly
fill a large-mouthed bottle with hot
water, and put to each pint a teaspoon
ful of powdered borax, shave up a
tablespoonful of white soap and melt
it over the fire, and pour into the
bottle. Into this drop the lace, put
on the top, and shake the bottle
vigorously. Let it stand for awhile
and shake again. Pour out half the
water, pour in enough to fill the bottle
two-thirds full and shake again.
Empty all the water, just draining
from the lace, and fill two-thirds full
of lukewarm water and borax in old
proportion. Lastly, rinse in clear
j warm water, slightly blued, if you
like, spat the lace between clean folds
of muslin sheet, and smooth every
thread and loop. When almost dry,
fold and place under a heavy weight.
It will be smooth when dry, and will
not need to be ironed, and will be as
fresh as new. Never rub, and do not
wring.
To Clarify Fats.
To clarify either the fats skimmed
from soup or drippings, melt them in
an iron spider and let them stand on
the top of a hot stove until all the
water boils out of them; then strain
them through a fine muslin cloth into
a general pot kept for the purpose.
One can never save enough fat of this
kind from cooking to do all the frying
i of the family, so some oilier kind of
! fat must be added to it. Clean beef
\ suet is the best for this purpose. Chop
J the suet, try it out, and strain it into
the pot with the strained drippings.
Salt fats should be put in a kettle of
! cold water, and then thoroughly boiled
up with it for about au hour. After
this let the water cool, and the fat will
harden on it. Remove it in a cake,
melt it out in a spider, and try it out
like the other fats. Strain it when the
bubbles cease to rise. This shows
that no water is left in it. Put it in a
pot by itself for ordinary use.—New
York Tribune. <
Recipes.
Cucumber Salad—Peel and slice
j two cucumbers very thin, sprinkle
| with half a teaspoonful of salt, let
stand ten minutes; drain the wafer
from the cucumbers, mince a slice of
onion and a fourth of a pod of red pep
per, sprinkle over the cucumbers and
pour over French dressing. Set on
ice until very cold.
Whole Wheat Gems--Separate two
eggs; to the yolks add half a pint of
milk, a tablespoonful melted batter,,
one teaspoonful salt, one and one-half
cups whole wheat flour; beat thorough
ly. Beat whites of eggs to a stiff
froth; add teaspoonful baking powder
to the batter. Beat thoroughly, then
stir in the well beaten whites. Bake
in gem tins for thirty to thirty-fiva
minutes.
New Potatoes ala Creme—Scrape
and boil in salted water until suffi
ciently cooked, then drain and dry.
Put a cupful of milk and the beaten
yolks of two eggs into a saucepan, with
with two tablespoonfuls of butter, a
teaspoonful of finely chopped parsley
and saltspoonful of salt. Make very
hot, but do not boil; lay in the pota
toes, toss over the fire until well
coated and serve in a very hot dish.
Rolled Wafers—Cream half a cup of
butter; add slowly one cup of pow
dered sugar and half a cup of milk,
drop by drop. Then add two cups of
pastry flour and half a teaspoon of
vanilla. Spread very thin on bottom
of a dripping pan, inverted and but
tered. Crease in three-inch squares
and bake in a slow oven until a deli
cate brown. Place pan on back of
range; cut squares apart, with a sharp
knife, and roll while warm in tubular
shape. If the squares become too
brittle to roll, place in the oveu to
soften.
.Soldier* Detailed to Farm.
Emigration from the comparatively
tlrnly populated rural districts of
Eastern Prussia, Posen, Brandenburg,
etc., has decimated the ranks of the
available field laborers to such au ex
tent that the owners of the soil,
mostly noblemen, are in a sad predica
ment. Professor Von der Goltz has
computed the loss accruing to the es
tate owners of the province of East
Prussia last year by reason of slow or
belated harvesting (owing to an insuf
ficiency of laborers) at $12,100,000,and
this is for a single province of Prussia
alone. This year a number *of those
estate owners, through their spokes
man, Baron von Arnim-Gueterberg,
have asked the Secretary of War to
let them have enough soldiers from
the army to make up such deficits of
hands, soldiers hailing from the rural
districts being preferred. This re
quest has been granted.—Chicago
Record.