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HAPPINESS. How happiness goes flaunting by, As daily as a butterfly; And when we eateh the lovely thing, Alas! it has a broken wing! Carolyn Wells, In Lite. CTAe BALKY BURRO. By Herbert F. Coolidge. "Mommy, there’s two men in camp! An earnest youth and an excited youngster rode a sturdy burro oul from the timber and shouted the words simultaneously. “Two men, laddies? Which way from, and what like are they?” “One’s a tall, Mexican-looking fel low,” replied the youth. “His paid ner is stubby and red-headed, the same two that the Vigilantes chased out of camp—and there hasn’t been any sluice-box robbing since.” “They offered us sls for Donk, added the youngster. “And you refused it?” said the mother, severely, but with eyes twink ling. “A thousand dollars in gold would not touch our Donk,” averred the youngster. The elder brother nodded his firm approval of the small boy’s remark, then queried, “What do you suppose those toughs are snooping around try ing to buy burros for, mother?” “They want to rush to Coarse Gold Creek with the rest of the ninnies, I reckon. Or if they’re the sluice-box robbers, maybe it’s a cache of gold they’ve corhe for. But jump down from that thousand-dollar Donk of yours, both of you, and get ready for sup per.” Early the next morning the youth, with his father’s rifle on his shoulder, and the youngster, carrying Donk’s bridle, went up the canon through the deserted camp. Donk was needed to drag a log to the wood pile, and if a squirrel could be knocked from a pine top, the bacon would last just so much longer. The burro was nowhere to be found; but at the company’s corral, Ills favor ite haunt, the hoys came upon tracks —Donk’s tracks, and tracks made by Jong, French-heeled hoots and short, wide, hobnailed shoes. “They’ve stolen him!” said the youth, sorrowfully, and the youngster began to cry. “Go back and tell mother I’ve gone after Donk,” said the youth. “I’m going with you—after Donk,” declared the youngster, suddenly dry ing his tears and setting his jaws with a decision which his brother accepted as final. Along the dusty trail up the canon they followed the tracks. They were covered by the lace-llke tracings of creatures that crawl by night. “They’ve hours the start,” observed the grave youth, sternly. The trail divided at Sluice Valley, and the tracks and the trailers turned northward. About the middle of the forenoon the youngster broke a long silence. He had need of all his breath, for he had to walk very fast, when not trotting, to keep up with his brother. “But Donk will balk,” said he, not very hopefully. “Donk always balks, and nobody but us knows our system." “He’s traveling right along,” the youth replied, impassively. An hour later, when the youngster had fallen some distance behind, the youth again broke the silence: “Feet gettin’ sore, brother?" "Ye—no, not very.” "Hungry?” "You bet! Good and hungry.” “We’re getting a good piece from home, and Donk is still traveling right along. Maybe you’d better go back and tell mother where I’ve gone.” The youngster promptly closed the gap between him and his brother. “I’m going with you- after Donk.” About noon the trail loft Sluice Valley and began switch-backing up a ridge. And at the foot of the switch bark the trailers found signs of much trampling. Donk’s tracks, the front rims cutting sharp half-circles, were everywhere. Tue French-heeled boots and the hobnailed shoes had scraped and slid as if from much pulling and hauling. A little farther on they found In the dust the mold of a shaggy coatod, outstretched burro. “Goody!” cried the youngster. "Dotik’s balked!” Then from up the mountain came a muffled whack! whack! whack! And the youngster shuddered and almost cried, for he remembered how Donk had looked when first they bought him —a sorely beaten burro that had balked. With beating hearts the brothers stole upward through the timber. They gained the first ascent, and there, on i the backbone of a low, brushy ridge | between two gullies, they saw a tall Mexican, anti a stunted, rod-haired man mauling the burro. The youngster gasped and wrung a| s hands and wept softly. The youth, pale and trembling, cocked his father’s rifle and w’as about to step forward when Donk suddenly dropped to his knees, flopped over sidewise, and lay sprawling. The tall man hopped up and down in frantic rage, then strode down the bank of the right-hand gully to cut a new r cudgel. The short fellow sat down on a rock, mopped his red face with a flaming red bandanna, then started down the left-hand gully for a drink. “Come on!’ whispered the youth; and the brothers crouched low between the brush walls of the trail and sneaked swiftly toward their donkey. The little beast, although battered and bleeding and still half-reclining, was munching a mouthful oif dry leaves as the boys approached him. Donk had never been known to miss aai opportunity. “Blow in his ear—just a little, mind you!” ordered the youth, as with half raised rifle he watched both gullies. “Whoo-o-o!” breathed the youngster, snd with the swiftness of a jack-in-a box Donk rose to his feet, his aerated ear pointing angularly outward. The youth lowered his rifle, whipped out a pocket knife, severed the pack rope, threw off a roll of blankets and a sack of flour that were lashed across the seat of an old riding saddle, and hurriedly mounted. As he settled into his seat the tall man emerged from a clump of willow's with his cudgel. For a moment he stood angrily trimming the stick, then suddenly raising his eyes, he gave the boys a fierce stare, and perked out a revolv er. “What you doin’ there?” he yelled, shrilly. “Don’t you blow in his ear! Don’t you!” begged the youngster, in a sa cred stage whisper, scrambling franti cally for a position behind the saddle. “Don’t you blow in his ear till I get on.” The youth expected to be shot, but he sat motionless. Bang! The tall man’s bullet struck the saddlehorn and flew off, scream ing. “Mike, you fool,” he yelled, “head ’em off! Shoot ’em! Shoot ’em, quick, or we lose the sack!” As he leveled his revolver and fired again, the youth felt a wiry pair of arms clamp his w'aist, and bulging toadlike from a deep inhalation, he leaned quickly forward and sent a blast of air into Donk’s fuzzy ear, at the same moment turning him about by a sharp blow on the cheek with his hat. The bullets were flying from both gullies now; and as Donk whirled to lope homeward, his master puffed at his ears till he stretched himself like a greyhound. For a hundred feet the trail kept the ridge top. The boys rode in full view of the murderous partners, clinging like leeches to their mount, terribly scared by the shots and shouts from be hind and the bullets that whistied by them. Still unharmed, tuey dashed over the crest of the ridge. They were now out of sight indeed, but they were in new danger. For Donk, thoroughly roused at last, was racing down the side of the moun tain like a hounded rabbit. His mas ter had blown in his ear too hard and too often. It is against burro nature to run away, but once started, it is also against burro nature to stop or to swerve aside for anything whatever. Donk, entirely oblivious to the safely winding switch-backs, went down the rough and precipitous slope with the headlong velocity of a rolling boulder. The boys had blown too hard in Donk’s ear before —nothing else saved them. With cool-headed precision the youth calculated Donk’s leaps and bounds, and with knees tensely gripped and shoulders deftly shifting into bal ance, successfully offset them. The youngster, his arms clasped tightly about his brother's waist and his heels digging into Donk’s flanks, clung blind ly. So, breathless and nerve-strained, they made the descent to Sluice Val ley in safety. Just before dark that evening a battered burro bore his two years mas ters to the door of their mother’s cab in. and while she welcomed them with tears and caresses, Donk, intent on re trieving a lost opportunity, licked up tiie potato parings which he had failed to come for that morning. Later, when they, including Donk, went into the cabin, and with barred doors awaited the appearance of the shrice robbers —who were never again seen in that part of the country—they discovered a shot-bag full of ill-gotten gold wrapped in a coat tied behind the saddle. When the men had all straggled back from the rush to Coarse Gold Creek, it was planned to divide the sack in equal parts among those who had lost by the rifling of sluice-boxes. But every miner scornfully refused his share, and the gold was laid aside, to be used a little later for the boys' edu cation. —Youth's Companion. As evidence of the decline of tipping in England it is stated that the num her of public houses in 1881 was 96, 727. and in 1904 the number was 91,- 502. Georgia Callings Curtailed Items of Interest Gathered at Random. Atlanta Telegraphers Quit. Atlanta’s Western Union and Pos tal operators went on strike Sunday afternoon at 5 o’clock, within a few' minutes after Atlanta local No. 60 had ordered, by a unanimous vote, a walk cut. * * * Notice to Pensioners. The following notice has been given out at the pension office; Pension Office, State Capitol.—All persons holding vouchers for pensions due and unpaid for 1907 who w'ill pre sent them at this office on August 20, or any day thereafter, will get them paid. J. W. LINDSEY, Commissioner of Pensions. * * * Decision in Unique-Church Case. The right of the First Cumberland Presbyterian church of Atlanta to unite with the Northern Presbyterian church and to retain possession of its church property has been determined favorably by a decision of the supreme court of Georgia. The history of this case forms one of the most interesting chapters in the annals of litigation in the state, involving as it does a struggle to Pre serve a distinct church organization, and hold the physical property of the contestants. Since the case has been pending the two factions have held services in the church on alternate Sundays. The opinion, written by .Jus tice Cobb, is concurred in by all of the justices. Criminal Libel Charged. In his charge to the Catoosa grand jury for the present term of court, Judge Fite instructed the jury to re turn an indictment charging the Chat tanooga Times with criminal libel. He stated that The Times had recently charged Sheriff Pendleton of Catoosa county and other Georgia officers with “fee grabbing,” and intimated that they were a set of grafters. The allegation came up in connec tion with the recent numerous arrests of Chattanooga autoists who have been arrested in the county on charges of violating the various auto laws and regulations of Georgia. * * * Over Seven Millions Gain. Fulton county tax returns for the year 1907, which have Just bene com pleted by Tax Receiver Armistead, show' an increase in property values over the ytar 1906 of $7,358,115, near ly twice the amount of increase of 1906 over 1905, and an increase over the year 1905 of $11,396,515. The rapid strides that have been taken in Fulton county during the past year in buildings, real estate booms, and other projects, have in creased the value of property in the locality to such a great amount that i: can hardly be realized. For the year 1906 the total tax value was $66,105,- 750, and in 1905, $62,068,350. The in crease in two years has been $11,396,- 515. The aggregate value of the white property in the county amounts to $72,- 107,020. The aggregate value of the negro property in the coun:y amounts to $1,357,845. Farmers’ Union Day at Fair. Wednesday, October 16. has hern selected as Farmers’ Union day at the Georgia state fair in Atlanta, and plans are now making to have this one of the biggest days of the fair. A number of prominent men have been invited to be the guests of the fair on that day, among them William Jennings Bryan, who, however, has not decided whether he can accept the invitation or not. , The exhibition of agricultural im plements planned for this year's fair will be the largest ever seen in At lanta. Twelve counties have so far decided to make agricultural exhibits, and, judging bv prospects they will be ex ceptionally fine ones. Secretary Weldon is negotiating for a number of midway attractions, but as yet has closed no contracts. He is also working on the racing program * * * State's Honor is Saved. The state will now make the pay men; due on the Georgia building a* the Jamestown exposition. The Geor gia commission found it was about $7,- 000 short of the amount need and to pay for furnishing the Georgia building ar.d entertainment on Georgia day. The contractor, who put up the Geor gia building, was threatening to sue STOP AT THE ZETTLER HOUSE. The best SI.OO a day house in the city. 293 FOURTH ST., MACON, G A ., Mrs. A. L. Zettler, Proprietress. cut a lien, and the honor of the state was at stake. In this emergency the Georgia James town commission, through Governor Smith, applied to the attorney general for a ruling as to whether the state appropriation made by the legislature for the purpose of placing a Georgia exhibit at Jamestowm could be used for this purpose. Judge Hart furnished the commis sion an opinion a few days ago, to the effect that the balance of the money due on the Georgia building can legally be paid out of the fund appropriated hv the state, and this will be done. For Tuberculosis Sanitarium. Hon. Clem Dunbar of Richmond, who, with Hou. W. H. Burwell of Han cock county, is joint author of the bill in the house for the purpose of secur ing an appropriation of $20,000 with which to establish a state sanitarium for the treatment of consumption, is hopeful that the appropriation needed may be. available for this purpose next session. Said he: “That there is a crying need for just such a retreat one has only to read the reports of the Anti-Tuberculosis League of America, cr its branch in Georgia. “There.is nothing settled definitely as to where the sanitarium is to be located. All we want now is to get the money with which to establish it, and the location will be speedily found. “When it is established, w T e hope to see tried there the new remedy of a cotton sed oil emulsion for which Dr. George Brown of Atlanta, ex-president of the Anti-Tuberculosis League of America, is authority for the state ment that as a preventative or as a cure for incipient consumption it has no equal and, in many respects, is su perior to the fish emulsions. “This treatment, which is rightfully a Georgia treatment and certainly a southern remedy, will probably be given' its first official test.” * * * High School and College Conference. The third annual session of the Geor gia High School and College Confer ence was held from July Bth to 13th, in connection with the state summer school at Athens. Three hours each morning were giv en to departmental conferences, in cluding English, foreign languages, his tory, mathematics, sciences, industrial and fine arts. Two hours each after noon were devoted to discussions of high school organization and manage ment. Colonel R. E. Park acted as chair man of the English conferences, three sesious of which were held. At the first of these conferences there was a general discussion of English in our educational system. The need of a wed articulated course in English from the primary grades through the lower col lege classes was brought out in the discussions. A committee was appoint ed to prepare a syllabus on English, as sugestive for our Georgia schools. The committee will make a final report in bulletin form some time next spring. In the preparation of this report th committee will welcome suggestions and criticisms from all the affiliated colleges and secondary schools. The report will prove helpful to superintendents and teachers in plan ning their English courses. 1; is the purpose of the committee and cf the conference to outline a full course in collateral reading for all the grades, as well as selected English and Amer ican classic for careful study MEET SIXTH OF SEPTEMBER. Cotton Association Executive Committee to Fix a Minimum Price. The executive committee of the Southern Cotton Association will meet on September 6th, at a place to be determined later, for the purpose of fixing a minimum price for cotton. What this price will be, no one con nected with the association can tell, but it is the general opinion that the price this year will be higher than last. Members of the association seem to be pretty generally satisfied with the government estima'e of 75 per c nt. The opinion is that the crop is from two to four weeks late. INCOME OF UTILITIES Slated for Taxation by Action of. Georgia House of *Representatives in Hunt for Revenu;. All public utilities in Georgia, ex cept telephone and telegraph compa nies, less than 100 miles in length, and water powers, were taxed 1 per cent on their gross receipts, by the house of representatives, Friday, which completed its labors on the general tax act, after five days’ con tinuous work. All steam railroads, street car lines, Pullman ear, dining car, parlor car, express companies, long distance tel phone and telegrah companies, equip ment companies, manufacturers of pat ent medicines, carbonated drinks, sir ups for soda fountain use bearing a trade or copyright mark, and sewing machine corporations come under this general tax levy of 1 per cent on their gross receipts, as applied by the house during Friday’s double session The house refused on Thursday to levy a general tax of 1 per cent on all public utilities. Friday morning an amendment was offered by Mr. Al exander of DeKalb, which placed this tax only upon the gross receipts of steam and electric street railroad com panies. All the morning the debate waged, and finally the previous ques tion was called and the vote taken. Upon the final count the supporters of the income tax 'were found to be victorious by the vote of 98 to 68. This placed the house on record as being in favor of an income tax. It opened up the way for an avalanche of amendments for the afternoon ses sion. The first of these was by Mr. Way of Pulaski, which proposed an income tax of 1 per cent upon the gross in come of manufacturers of patent med icines, carbonated drinks, sirups for soda fountain use which bear a trade or copyright marie. The house on Thursday voted down a similar amendment by Mr. Persons of Monroe. It now faced the proposi tion again, after going on record to favor an income tax. The aye and nay vote was called, and those who had voted for the rail road tax, almost to a man, voted for the Way amendment. This fixes a tax on the manufac turers of coca-cola, kola ade, red rock and rainbow ginger ale, koca noia and similar soft drinks and any number of patent medicines. After this amendment was adopted another was sent to the clerk’s desk by Mr. Hill of Monrce, whereby it was proposed to tax the manufacturers of sewing machines 1 per cent of their gross income. The vote on this amendment was the largest of them all, as many who op posed the single-shotting of railroads took the position that if one was tax ed all should be. Mr. Perry of Hall sent up to the clerk’s desk another and still longer amendment, which took Reading Clerk McClatchey fully five minutes to read. This took in nearly all of the neglect ed corporations. Only the short dis tance telephone and telegraph compa nies and water power companies were left out. It was passed. The state’s revenue was seen to he increasing by leaps and bounds. Ac cording to the mathematicians cf the house the first amendment taxing rail roads will, if accepted by the senate, and collected, bring into the state treasury from this source alone a half million dollars. The patent, medicines, carbonated drinks and soda fountain sirups are expected to net fully $25,- 000 the sewing machine companies are expected to contribute another SIO,OOO, and those other corporations are expected to yield $50,000. This brings the total of expected revenue up to nearly three-quarters cf a million dollars, if enacted into law. JUDGE ARRESTED ON BENCH. Stops Court Long Enough to Make Bond on Indictment for Murder. Judge S. B. Short was arr< s:ed at Center, Texas, while holding court, on an indictment charging him with the murder of Dr. Mike Paul last fall. The arrest caused a postponement of court until he could furnish bonds of $lO,- 000. Lr. Paul was one of a crowd pur suing a negro, Dick Garrett. Garrett took refuge in the home of Judge Short and fired on his pursuers, kill ing Dr. Paul. Garrett was hanged for the murder.