Banks County journal. (Homer, Ga.) 1897-current, September 02, 1897, Image 6

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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.