Newspaper Page Text
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' TIMES ENTERPRISE, THOMASVILLE, OA., AUOtTST 19, 190^. ,
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WALTER S'LOOMFIELO
CopyrtsM BW. br W*m Bmn'i bom
CHAPTER XXIII.
, Continued
( Them obaerratloiM convinced mo
that unde Sam hod that morning de
ceived me when he bad ao Jauntily na-
•erted that old Mr. Wolsey could tell
lik wife nothing which ahe did not al
ready know. 1 was not, howevgr, ao
much interested In that conairtemtion
as la the disquietude of Constance,
hud lu hope that I might be able to
•comfort her, mg aunt had no sooner
taken up her position by the piano than
I crossed over and occupied the seat
she had Just vacated,
i The intention of the company waa
wholly bestowed upon the singer, and
the sound of another voice, though hut
In a whisper, would have been rightly
regarded aa an Ill-mannered Interrup
tion. Though I could not for the mo
ment apeak to my feir one, I was able,
even in that public situation, to press
Iter little band In mine with a slgnlfl-
Vance w)Hch was not misunderstood-
Aunt, llertrude was followed by sev
eral Wher singers of Various degrees
of rf|frlt, but all alike In so far as they
prevented conversation between Con
afance and me, nor could I find any
'convenient opportunity to Interrogate
her until We were again on board the
Iroquois. Fortunately l had not ioug
to wait for this, for the river being a
■low way to return to New York Oily
It was decided that we should leave
Tarrytown early. We were no sooner
on board than my aunt, whom I sus
pect partly understood the aspect of
affairs, wttidrew to the cabin tp re
sume her book. leaving Constance and
I to do aa we would. -The evening
being delightfully fine and cool, and
t|» sky on unfathomable blue studded
with Innumerable stnrs, to any noth
log of other reasons, of course we pre
ferred (o remnln upon deck.
Notwithstanding my Impatience to
know precisely how Constance was af-
. fueled by (he Information ahe had
gained from Mr, Fuller's letter to Mr.
Price, we were seated clbeely together
for several minutes before I ventured
to ask her, and when I did so my que*>
lion received no reply, but hot teors
fell upon my hand. I was painfully
■urprlsed and unnerved by this Inci
dent, and knelt down beside the dis
tressed girl, saying I know not whnt,
but doing all In my power to comfort
her. After a little while ahe beohrae
more composed and looked at ms etoad-
Hy.
“My slater muat never know of this, 1
ahe snld; “It would klU her.”
“Muat never know of whntr I asked.
"Of the contents of that letter Mr,
Price showed me.’
“I have not read that lettor, but I
fear I know what yon refer to,” I an-
- swrred.
“Your words confirm the letter. 1
Teored It wns true as I read It. l’oor
dear CScrtle! and she Is such n loving
wife, and has such unbounded admira
tion of her husband. Can It lie that
all men are false?
• “No, darling, It cannot, big I confess
f greatly fonr there are many such.
Speaking for myself. I swear by the
iky above and the water beneath, and
by the great Being who created them
both, that you ore the only woman I
have ever desired; that If you will be
mine and faithful to me, according to
yonr promise and my belief, I am
yonra, and yonrs only, till I die. With
yonr faith In mankind thus rudely
ahaken, and knowing Ihnt 1 must leave
Non to-morrow net to see yon again
for at least a month, eon you trust
me?'
Constance looked np at me, and the
tears In her eyes glistened In the star
light as she softly replied;
“I will trust yon."
I caught the dear girl In my nv;ns,
and pressing her fare to mine, for the
first lime rsstowed upon her Ups
What Is this I am writing! This will
never do. On rending this page It
really Impresses me as more like- a leaf
from a novel than n passage from tho
memoirs of a middle ■ aged English
squire.
I. ’■!' CHAPTER XXIV.
THE ACCUSATION.
Holdenhurst village! Was It possible
that I had Itevu absent from It but lit
tle more than Ihree weeks? The calen
dar affirmed that such was the ease.
Why. In those few days I had traveled
further, seen more of mnnklml, and
committed myself for good or for evil
more deeply Ikon In all my lire Ik shies.
Yes; this wns my native place, un
changed -lit any respect, yet somewhat
strange to me now that I regarded It
In the light of nil enlarged experience.
There waa the quiet, straggling street:
the old'Norman (lmreh on ike hill sur
rounded by moss-grown, knlf-obllter-
ated atone memorials of bygone getter*
ations; the Truman Arms', our village
Inn. wilh the carrier's horse drinking
water from a trough outside while his
master refreshed himself within, and
The great Iron gates of the Halt, sur
mounted by the heraldic devlcer of the
Truman family, a lion struggling in the
colls of n python |
It wns past midday when I entered
Holdenhnrst on foot, and the street
wt« more than usually deserted, out
the villas* Mk. with qxceptioo only
of the very yonng and the very old,
coaid be discerned harvesting in the
Holds beyond, while over the whole
scene brooded that opjjreselTe heavt-
hoes which in England not common-
ly heralds an autumnal storm.
As I had not communicated with my
father since despatching the telegram
from New York announcing my Intend
ed return, no conveyance was at Bury
Ft. Edmund’s to meat me—a circum
stance for which I was Inclined to he
thankful, for my Journey from New
York, long and tedious aa It was, hod
not sufficed for me to digest Oil my ro-
oent experiences, and 1 waa anything
but prepared to meet my father and
John Adams—particularly the latter.
A long walk alone on a country road
I had always found a favorable condi
tion for solving any problem which
perplexed me, but to-day my specific
failed to produce Itc usual effect; I
waa unable to shape or In any way ad-
oqtmte!y realise the scaults which
might follow the doing of that which
I had returned to England to do, and
when I turned Into the patch which led
up to the Hall'my mind waa scarcely
more clear tfian the eky abort mo-
now more than ever dark, but emit
ting frequent flashes of lightning.
On entering the house I was told by
eerrnnt that my father and Mr.
Wolsey were together lb the study,
and I went there to them at onoe with
out ceremony. Both Were unfelgnedly
pleased at my return, my grandfather
regarding me with much enrloslty. and
'expressing his pleasure at my Increased
height and apparent health.
"To tlilnk that five years should
make such a different??’ exclaimed
my grandfather. "'When I left Hol
denhurst! yon wore a mere boy; now
yon are almost a man.’’
"Not quite?” I asked.
"Well, hardly," said my grandfather.
“A rellow-paseenger of mine, a clever
old fellow who came from Sydney to
England with me. used to Sky there
was no man under thirty years of age. 1
"Your friend Is wrong," I replied.
“A large part of tho world's best work
has been done.by men when they were
!*■■ than thirty. For my part. I am
convinced that my Judgment In gen
eral matters Is as sound as It will ever
be, Slid I shouldn't hesitate In making
unassisted decisions In all matters re-
Inttng to myself."
Mr. Wolsey seemed -a little discon
certed by my rlgorope reply, and
looked .Inquiringly nt my father, but
the latter, affecting not to notice It,
turned the conversation by asking If
I bad a pleasant voyage to England.
'A very pleasnnt voyage. Indeed," I
replied; “no such storin ns this either
going or returning"—for at that mo
ment tlie rain was lashing against the
windows with tremendous force, nnd
thunder and lighting were nlinost con
stant.
"I was Jnat completing an arrange-
meat with yonr grandfatlier," said my
father, speaking slowly, as he turned
over n number of lenses and agree
ments which lay piled upon his desk
In front of him. "Mr. Wolsey has
agreed to settle down nt Holdenhurst,
though not ns my tenant. As jou
know, I have no less tlinu four forms
at present meant, and ns soon as Mr.
Cooper goes I shall linvo another. To
look for an agricultural tenant In these
times Is like seeklug for the philoso
pher's stone, so 1 have offered your
grandfather his old house (It has re-
alnod empty ever since ho loft It)
and a small salary, nnd ho lias under
taken to superintend the cultivation of
niy tenantless farms. What with bad
seasons nnd the low prices at which
foreign agricultural produce Is put
upon our nmrkets, the farmers sre
really In desperate straits, and It's diffi
cult to see what the end of It all will
he. Nothing but a duty on tho Impor
tation of corn, or n European war. can
save them from ruin. Mr. Fuller lilm-
solf admits ns much, though lie doesn't
eoo Ids way clour to pray for either of
those things. Of course you are glad
that your grandfather Is to bo near us
gain.”
"Most assuredly I am. and " 1
added with n sudden outburst of cour
age—"I am very pleased that ho lias
accomplished the purpose which occa
sioned his going away. How Is itiy
-opsin Annie?"
My grandfather seemed surprised at
y question nud remained silent,
hllc my faiher glanced uncomforta
bly nt ns both.
“Is she quite well?” 1 Inquired again.
'Poor Annie Is betler In health than
reputation," snld my father after a
pause, answering for Mr. Wolsey, "I
l sorry to say It, but my brother Is
heartless villain. I never thought
he was so black as lie Is."
And 1 don't think be Is so black as
some people regard him.” I answered,
Ith unguarded warmth. “Is It not
possible uncle Snm may be able to
urge some conalderation which will
estemmte the fact that he took Annie
away without her father’s consent!
Besides, Annie Is old enough to know
the consequences of her act*."
“Did your uncle tell you to say that
to us?" asked my two companions in
a breath.
"No, indeed, he did not; nor did be sug
gest any such Ideas to me. I speak
only for myself.’’
“Then I am sorry, Ernest, that yon
bare no clearer Ideal of right and
wrong,” raid my father.
“Ob, aa to that, different people view
a matter differently. Even If a man
were convicted of t particular Offence
I should not regoxd that Met aa proof
of his guilt Of another and totally dif
ferent offence, blit there are people
Whoae ideas bf right and wrong permit
them to ibason ah.’’
1 felt strongly, for my uncle Sam, and
could not bear the man who, bad been
so extraordinarily kind to me nbuahd
without a feeling of indignation. Aa
If to add force to my declaration I had
scarcely articulated the last ward
when a terrible flash of lightning bril
liantly Illuminated the almost dark
ened room, and waa followed by a tre
mendous thunderclap which shook the
whole bouse.
The relied reference to the inference
my father had drawn from uncle Ram's
affair with Annie Wolsey did not es
cape attention. But my father was
too firmly convinced that hla brother
bad atolen the sequins to wlnoe at any
tatlre I was tnsetcr of. hooking at me
steadily be said 1n a reproachful tone:
You have been away from home
nearly a month, and are no sooner re
turned than we almost quarrel, a tiling
wo never did till my brother enme
here. Has not thpt man caused mis
chief enough—to me, to your grand-
rather, to your coueln. end I know
not who else beslde^-but tie must need
destroy aH sympathy between yon and
me?'
Not yonr brother bor nny man
eould do that," I asserted stoutly. “I
nan your sou, end honor you as a good
father to whom I owe everything, but
none the less do I profoundly lielleve
that jsou are tho victim of a disastrous
mistake, and I don't despair of a day
to come when you will be thankful
that my opinion In the matter of the
sequins dlffersd so widely from yours.
Whst If I were to establish beyond
question that your brother never had
anything to do with those seqnlns!"
“I should be Immensely relieved and
most devoutly thankful. But I have
no each hope; common sense forbids
me to entertain St."
“And my common eonse will not per
mit me to reject It,” I replied.
‘That bring so, It Is useless for ns
to talk any more of the matter until
yon have something tangible to show
In support of your views,” sold my
father, turning away.
"Quite so,” I agreed; “1st us speak
no more on this wretched subject until
I Imre.”
The gong In the hall wns sounding
far luncheon, bnt eould only be heard
Imperfectly amid the din of the storm,
which still raged furiously. My father
Ed the way to the dining room, where
luncheon was Igld far three. There,
nervously fusafug about the sideboard
and appearing older and more decrepit
than ever, waa the man who laid occa
sioned my hasty return from America.
John Adams regarded roc with a pur-
sled Jook, apd with that familiarity
which Is not unfrequently' permitted
In old servants congratulated me on
my safe return from abroad.
We were no sooner seated nt tahle
than MV. Wolsey. with tlie laudable
dflrire, ns 1 thought, of preventing the
conversation from running upon illsn-
grqpnbh, topics. Inquired how I liked
NOw York, to which I answered Hint I
thought It was o very fine city gener
ally, bnt that Us harbor nnd chief
river were mngnltleent.
"New York did not Imprees me so fa
vorably,” remarked Mr. Wolsey; "It Is
' ^PLUCK, ROMANCE
' v /[NO W VENTURE,
1
CRUSE SAVED THE TROOPER.
HOMAS CRUSE, quarter-
master's department, Uni-
tod Staled Ariiiy, got an
other atop tbe Other day
and onoe more changed
the little" image in his shoulder sirup.
Colonel Cruse has beeu a k>ng time iu
the staff department which has to do
with army mules, tent*, canteens and
haversacks. When he first left the
line for the fltdft friend* ftuid he
couldn’t stand it, but when ii man has
fought more than moat and licked all
that lie fought, it’s not overbard to
urge him to take the soft aide of a
pillow. They say In the army to-day
that Tom Cruse can’t pick up a sample
shovel that some contractor has sub-
blitted for Inspection without coming
to an “advance ftarbittt” with It, aftd
later trying to flock the thing. Cruse
for years was an officer hi the Sixth
Cavalry. Out at Port Sheridan the
other day a retired enlisted man who
had served under Cruse some years
ago, told the story of how the quarter
master officer won Hie little bit of
bronze which on certain occasions lie
wears pinned to his blouse.
In the early summer of 1882 Cruse
was a seeond lieutenant In ”R” Troop
Of tho Pixth Cavalry. lie was out
scouting after Apaches down hi the
▼cry hottest part of Arizona. Tlte
command had trailed along till it came
to tbe rocky basin known as the Htg
Dry Wash. Ornse bad something loss
than a corporal’s guard with him
The little band bad not teen a sign of
an Indian since it .set out. but titan
Apaches fire not given to making
signs, nor do they wntt for formal in
troductlon before extending warm
greetings to tliose who would cross
the threshold of their rocky desert
fastnesses. »
Beyond the basin of the Big l>»y
Wash was a natural fortification of
rocks. Cruse sent a man by the Tight
flank to take a peep behind the bowl
ders Ik* fore erossiug. The trooper re
turned and reported there wns nothing
there. Then the little eojnmnml
rushed down Into the basin, and hades
opened front behind the rocks to their
front. The fire wns concentrated end
terrific. Two of the fix saddles were
emptied nnd the mounted command
gave way nud sought the shelter of
the rocks to the roar. Under the
trumping hnil of bullets. Cruse lifted
n wounded trooper to his saddle and
boro him back to shelter, where the
men dismounted and took what count
they could of their hidden enemy
across the basin.
It wns supposed flint tho second
trooper who ha<J fallen in the open
was dead. While looking out across
tbe waste between him ami tbe am-
bus lied savages Oruse saw the fitl'AH
trooper move. Then there happened
one of those things which a single Hue
in tho medal of liouer list tells about,
bnt to which a whole volume can not
do Justice. Cruse, carbine In hand,
stood straight up, a fair and cosy
mark for a bullet. A tawny lace
showed beyond and an eye glanced
along a rifle barrel. Before the weap
on spoke. Cruse’s carbine sent n bullet
straight through the Apache’s head.
Then lu* rounded the rock In front ami
strode across the open towards the
w w dod soldier. At every stride he
evjdent that you have seen only tho j fired. He was otic of the crack shots
bettor part of that city. I was there ; of the army and the bullets scared tlio
for two months, and I never wont to rocks close to the hands of the lurk-
the place again.” I big rods.
[ wns lu New York for only five They had scon their comrade’s head
days, nnd I hope to see that clty'ngnln : *I>Ht clean nt 150 yards. They dared
very soon. Indeed I am not sure hut, ««t expose themselves enough to take
that I would l!ko to live there entire- j careful aim. but they answered the
ly.»» officer's challenge with a scattering
The absence of a middle class cor- volley. He reached tho moaning
responding to what we In Englnnd mi- trooper. Behind him had conic two
derstnnd by that term.” pursued Mr. °f bis men.
Wolsey, Ignoring my remark, “strikes “Ph'k him up. boys.” sniff Prose,
me ns very bad for tho whole of so- "nnd I’ll cover the retreat."
clety there. Perhaps yon did not oh-! stood there facing the enemy’s
serve that It Is only rich persons who, lurking place. A savage braver than
can afford to keep a house entirely for *be rest stood np and fired. The bill-
their own use, and that the smaller J scratched Prust- s arm. hut nn ounce
trnders, artisans nnd laborers nro,, ' cad crashed Into the Apache’s
herded together In teuement houses—, bead. Cruse walked backward, while
huge, unsightly barracks of groat! behind him his two devoted men
height, each accommodating scores of bore their stricken follow. Bullets
families. Whnt can he said for such : to,v W P *bo * and - l)nt ( be magnificent
a system lu n climate where In summer j nprvp nnd ° ourn «°, of * hp "° M,pr "ho
tho thermometer commonly stands 8on * bark true a shot for every volley
palsied tho Apacli
ninety In the shade, and for wacks to
gether there Is not so much breeze as
would flutter a leaf?”
“I noticed none of those things.”
“They are to be seen l*y whocrei
looks for them.” continued Mr. Wol
sey. “And then again, the conditions
of life are every bit ns hard as In Lon
don or any other great city. Work in
New York is fully ns difficult to obtain
and Is no better paid for. prices consid
ered, than In nny city of the Old
World. No Intelligent American who
has traveled denies this.”
I am afraid Ernest takes hut little
interest In public questions,” remarked
my father.
“They will force themselves upon
his attention as he grows older,” Mr.
Wolsey went on. “With but little mod
ification my remarks apply with equal
truth to Mb 1 bourne and Sydney, or In
deed any city of modern creation.
Back to their breastworks the sol
diers went with their burden. Cruse
standing erect and sending one last
shot before sinking to cover. Then
re-enforcements came nnd eighteen
savages were put to flight. To-day ft
is nothing but two cents’ worth of
bronco nnd a hit of ribbon that re
minds one of the gallantry on that July
day In the basin of the Rig Dry Wash.
—Edward B. Clark, tn Chicago Record-
Herald.
BABY PLAYS WITH A SNAKE.
Undismayed by a blacksnnke that-
crept Into the clothes basket In which
she lay In the yard, Eva Bnelah, three
years old. daughter of refer Bnelah,
a River Hill, Pa., farmer, bail**] the
intruder ns a pet and earessad it ns
she would a kitten until rescued from
dangerous position by her fright
all of them the old-fashioned qualifier! pned lather. Her years were too few
of patient perseverance, abstinence
nnd thrift arc ns necessary to tin
amassing of a fortune as in England,
to-day, though they afford greater op* j
portunities for the wily ami itnscrupu-!
lous to grow rich speedily in the man- •
ipuUtion of monopolies and public j
funds, and the practice of rascalities!
not possible lu older communities.” :
To be continued. !
Mount Rcweuzorl, in equatorial S
Africa, is about 20.000 feet high, has ;
for knowledge of the scrape her proto
type had got Into with connection with
a serpent, but little Eva perhaps wns
wiser than Eve: for, whereas the
mother of the race let the constrictor
do most of the talking, the baby kept
up an Interrupted flow of prattle to
the snake. From the moment in which
it dragged its four feet of length into
her wicker paradise she was the most
delighted youngster in those parts. Shn
cooed to the salffe playmate, rapport it
the heart with her rattle and
twenty miles of glaciers, and i« neti> j delight when It wrift-
ly always cloud covered. 1 tied 0V€r her * Ucr l >nrent « beard and
saw her, but they didn’t perceive the
snake until the father walked from the
door of the house toward tbe basket.
Then he dashed to her side, fiflelab
snatched the little one from the bas
ket and gave her a fling that sent her
felling Over the grass. Then he raised
•a citifbei pole and swung it on the
snake until he ikul beaten the reptile
to a palp. He was astonished to find
Eva unharmed. There was no danger
ef poison, but the snake, being of the
odnatfietor species, easily might have
choked the child in its folds.
WOLVES ATE THE fcOUGSISUTS.
Wolves have been particularly ag
gresslve this past winter lu the North
west, and many narrow escapes of hu
man beings have been reported. A
aieighioad 6f people in Cass County,
Minnosota, iVere pursued by a pack
of wolves the other day. The pur
sued dropped doughnuts along the
way. aud tbe wolves fought so hard
for the delicacies Hint the whole party
got home in safety. Two lumbermen
Id the employ of Sam Simpsou, a log
ger operating in tbe neighborhood of
Dtrlirtb. Minn,, heard the ho\vl of a
wotf when they were about a mile
from their eabin. The men hastened
towqrd samp, but did not apprehend
any real danger,
In a few minutes a wolf was heard
at much closer range. Then several
wore hoard at various points. The
mqn eould think of nobody that tbe
wolves had in view for supper but
thenwrelves, and they broke Into a
full.
They arrived breathless nt their
oarnp. three wolves following them to
withlil 150 feet of the cabin door.
Ten minutes later the howls of wolves
In tlie vicinity indicated that a great
pack had assembled.
“If you want to get a record as a
first-cinhh runner,” said one of the
lumbermen who had escaped, “Just
get out some place and get yourself
chased by a pack of wolves. You will
Add that you have more muscles in
your body than you have any idea
of,
“Yofl want to Imagine every Jump
that they are about to spring on you.
ami wonder whether or not it will
hurt when they are gnawing the flesh
from your bones.
“I know that I can bent the ten-
second class of runners in a walk.”—
Oblcago Inter Ocean Correspondence.
WILD RABBETS SAVED BISHOP.
Wild rabbits saved the lives of
Bishop Peter K. Rowe, Episcopal Bish
op of Aluakn, and his companions. In
March, while they were en route over
tbe new mail trail from Fairbanks,
Alaska, to Vnhha. Bishop Rowe made
the Journey with a mall carrier named
Karstens and John Chllson. They went
through Oolcoua Valley to Copper
River. At the top of the divide they
were to meet am! obtain provisions
from a mail carrier named Frayne,
bound from Valdez to Fairbanks.
Either Bishop Rowe’s party or Frayne
missed tlie trail nnd they passed each
other miles apart. Their food wns
exhausted, compelling thr Bishop nnd
his oomrades to depend upon their
gun for sustenance. Rabbits formed
their sole diet for throe days until they
reached a mining camp and obtained
food. The trip was very hard, tiring
both dogs nnd drivers. Bishop Rowe
seemingly enjoyed the hardships, hav
ing lieconie inured through thousands
of miles of arctic winter travel while
(siting his widely separated missions.
Each day he steamed rabbiti while his
tired companions rested.
ALONE. MTIT CHARGE OF 700.
A dispatch from (Synngtse, Tibet,
Ives the details of the Tibetan attack
on Knugmn i»ost. In which one Sepoy
killed mill six wounded formed the
total British losses. Tlie onslaught of
Tibetans began at dawn. They do-
s“ended a bill in two solid masses.-A
part of the troops had already started
to march from the post, but those out
do the fortifications I mm c<l lately ran
back to cover, save one Sepoy. He re
fused to budge and received the charge
of the whole 700 Tibetans. After
shooting five of them he was cut
down, despite a heavy Arc from the
post.
The Tibetans reached the walls and
attempted to climb over, hacking nt
the men nt tlie-loopholes with their
swords, and even seizing the muzzles
of the protruding rifles. Meanwhile
those behind kept up‘a furious fire
with matchlocks and Lhasa rifles. Tho
Tibetans kept up the attack for half
an hour with the utmost ferocity. They
then withdrew, the garrison pursuing
them.
Kintllv ••Do k « of XV«r.”
The latest movement of the Russians
to provide further aid for their wound
ed, which is badly needed, is the util
ization of dogs.
The German Emperor has presented
three .Scotch dogs which have been
trained in ambulance work to the
Russian I fog Breeders’ Association,
and after they have been tested they
will be sent to the Far East.
It Is alto intended by the association
to teach a number of the animals to
be of assistance, cither by remaining
st the side of a wounded man when
they have found .him and attracting
the attention of the ambulance corps
and conducting it to the spot where
the wounded man is lying.
Each animal is to carry a wallet
strapped on his back containing ban
dages, restoratives and water, thus fob
lowing the old custom of the hospice
at St. Bernard.
Only Two Rctldent*.
Thus far New York bas contributed
only two Presidents by election—Van
Buren and Cleveland. New York has
contributed nine Vice-Fresidents, how
ever—Burr, Clinton. Tompkins, Van
Buren. Fillmore, Whenler, Arthur,
Morton and RatseTelt.
; electricity in the laboratort
rrotetm Mmto Tvrvmce tnd Its
I Advantages.
Harmon V. Morse, professor of are
alytical chemistry st the Johns Hopkins;
j University and adjunct director of th*.
| chemical laboratory, has Invented andj
i recently perfected an electric furnace,
1 which, it is believed, will revolution!**
practical laboratory work I” chemjstrjv
gays the Baltimore Sun. The ordinary
copper oven ia encased id a box doubly
lined with asbestos, with air space be
tween, the whole covered with alumin
ium paint, which Is not affected by
high temperatures. Is a very poor beat,
radiator and preserves tho asbestos
from Shredding. This arrangement
practically prevents any Joss of neat uyt
radiation.
The source of heat is In the stove,
which Is placed within the copper oven.’
The construction of this stove is th«j
ingenious part of the apparatus, ana.
requires the highest type of experi
mental skill. It is constructed of a
number of parallel slabs of soapstone
coated with graphite, the soapstone-
being unaffected by the heat. The
graphite must be evenly distributed
over tlie slabs of soapstone, in order
that the heat may be developed uni
formly over the surface. The oven it
self is not so difficult of construction*
but the making of the heating appara
tus within, through which the electric
current is passed, has formed the grgnfc
stnmbling block in the way of f^mer
Investigators. This electric furnace*
can be operated at a cost of less than
one cent a day. A constant tempera
ture of 150 degrees can be obtained
for eight hours at a stretch at a vofit
of three-fourths of a cent. ~~
fiaperitltlon* For June.
June was the month which tho Re*
mans considered the most propitious
season of the year for contracting
matrimonial engagements, especially
If the day cbosefc was that of the full
moon; the month of .May, on. the con
trary, being especially Jn he avoided
as under the influence of spirits ad
verse to happy households’.
Hence the June brides.
All those pagan superstitions ^erp
retained in the Middle Ages, with many
others which belonged more particu
larly to the spirit of Christianity. »
The “best man.” by tlie way, used, to
cut qnlte nn important part in Sweden.
In ancient days it was b r.entli the dig
nity of a Scandinavian warrior to court
a woman's favor by gallantry and sub
mission. He waited nntil she had be
stowed her affections on another and
wns on her way to the marriage cere
mony, when, collecting his faithful fol
lowers. they fell upon tlie wedding cor
tege and the stronger party won. To
favor this practice, marriages were
usually performed at night.
A pile of lances is still preserved be
hind the altar of the ancient church of
Husnby. in Gothland, into which were-
fitted torches and which were liorne
before the bridegroom to give light and
protection.
It wns tbe province of grdpinsmen,
or “best men” to carry these, nnd the
stoutest and strongest of the bride
groom's friends were chosen for the
duty. v
*/
Thu MlarliUf of Statistics.
The announcement that the director
of the Yale “commons” has been
obliged to put up tlie price of meals
to £4.50 a week henceforth nnd that at
the old price of a dollar or so less tho
college has lost $20 a year, will doubt
less fill the hearts of many patient
housekeepers with unspoken gratitude-
For years the American housewife ban
been suffering from the baleful activity
of tlie man of statistics, who prove*
conclusively in the columns of endless
periodicals that $5 n week will feed
anybody royally, nnd that a delightful
dinner may be given for $2.50. includ
ing flowers. A groat pence conics to
the harassed souls when a thoroughly
equipped organization like Yale give*
up the struggle, nnd frankly owns de
feat by raising prices.
A periodical ostensibly devoted to
the interests of the American home
once published statistics showing how
a man nnd wife and two children had
lived comfortably on $200 a year. Tim
misery caused by these statistics, over
the whole broad land, was beyond com
putation. These facts from Yale, we
hope, will cheer the survivors.—Har
per’s Bazar.
In Texas.
“They do things quickly at El I’aso,
Texas.” said a commercial traveler
the other day. “I was on a train near
there on my last trip, when the porter
lit the car was in a scrap nnd hit n pas
senger over the head with a poker.
The passenger drew a gun and shot
the porter six times.
“Well, we took tho wounded man off
the train at Ei Paso, but he died before
the ambulance arrived, and I was told
to be at the inquest at 10 a. in. next
day. to testify.
“I got to the place a little late—at
10.10, to be exact—and as 1 was going
in I met the officers coming out.
” ‘I’m here as a witness.’ I said.
“ ‘Too late,’ they said. ‘The passen
ger was acquitted five minutes ago.’ *•
-Philadelphia Press.
Chicken* Reared by a Cat.
A remarkable freak of nature is
ported from Wadebridge, in Coruwi
where a cat is successfully bring!
up a brood of chickens. The cat a
chickens arc the property of a M
Williams, of Trenant.
It appears that the cat recently h
kittens, and tn due course the lati
were drowned. The cat. while lo<
lug for her offspring, found an old h
with a brood of chickens only i
cently hatched, and decided to ta
charge of the chickens and bring thf
up as her own family. Tbe cat at pi
sent carefully nurses the chickeus
the fireside, and carries them about
her mouth. Just as she would her ox
lhtons.^London News.