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Fitzgerald Leader. FITZGERALD, GEORGIA. — PUBLISHED BT— KNAPP db SON". Russialias accumulated gold amount¬ ing to $561.MW.MU); the Bank of Eng¬ land has 3200,000,000; tho Bank of Franco has $383,000,000, and the United Statos have upward of $152,- 000 , 000 . But four oounties in the State of Iowa are without creameries. Tho Iowa dairy interests have been devel¬ oped into one of tho most important subsidiary branches of its agricultural pursuits. One of the accusations against Groece is that she was bulldozing the six Great Powers of Europe. It is as if a herd of mouse-colored elephants were to complain that a saucy sparrow was teasing them. “The live farmer in tho lower Mis¬ sissippi Valley is the one who studies navigation as well as crops, and who puts a rudder on his kitchen and an anchor on his front porch,” facetious¬ ly observes the San Francisco Chron¬ icle, An estimate has been made from published yearly statistics showing that of $500,000 spent in twenty of tho leading libraries of this country, a little over $170,000 was devoted to books, while the other expenses con¬ sumed $358,000. According to the Globe an Atchison (Kan.) woman has figured it out that “between the ages oE sixteen and twenty-seven her heart was broken eleven times.” Court plaster has done wonders in such eases, facetiously ob¬ serves the Chicago Times-Herold. There are over 300,000 French Cana¬ dians in New England, who are ooming and going between the United States and Canada. They have fifteen news¬ papers in New England which circu¬ late largely in Canada, and every one of them is a Liberal in Canadian poli¬ ties. According to a cycling journal, the State of Missouri spent $600,000 for supervisors in 1896 to oversee road work, the cost of which in itself was only $490,000; or, in other words, an expense of more than $1,0000,000 was involved in getting less than $500,000 worth of work done. They say that Mr. Austin, the Eng¬ lish poet laureate, is afraid that if Ohn- lalongkoru I., King of Siam, visits England during the coming summer the poet laureate will he expected to turn out a poem in his honor. Mr. Austin has a quick ear for rhyme, but even he recognizes the fact that the name Chulalongkorn does not lend itself readily to rhyme. The lines, Chulalongkorn, As sure as you're born. which at once suggest themselves, are a little too colloquial and familiar to be used in au ode to royalty. The records kept at the Patent Of¬ fice show to what an enormous extent the invention of bicycle improvements has grown in this country. Since 1886 over 4000 patents relating to bicycles have been granted by the United States Patent Office, and at least half ot these have been issued in the last six years. It now takes the labor of eight expert assistant examiners to handle the applications of cycle inven¬ tors, and even with this force there is always a big batch of applications awaiting examination. How fast this industry has grown may be judged from the statement that up to 1876 only about 300 patents for cycles had been issued. There is no country in the world that shows a similar rate of growth in this same line. Consul Germain, in a report to the State Department from Zurich in re¬ gard to a plan recently introduced in the public schools of several European cities, says: In Brussels the children attending public schools were re¬ quested by their teachers to gather up on their way to and from school all such apparently valueless objeots as old metallic bottle capsules, tinfoil, tin cans, paint tubes, refuse metal, etc., and deliver their collection dally to their respective teachers, In the period from January 1 to October 1, 1895, or within eight months, the fol¬ lowing amounts were collected : Tin- foil, 1925 pounds; old paint tubes, 220 pounds; bottle capsules, 44*15 pounds; sorap3 of metal, 1221 pounds. Total, 7781 pounds. This apparent rubbish was disposed of, and the pro¬ ceeds applied so as to completely clothe 600 poor children and send ninety sick ones to recuperation colonies, and there still remained quite a balance, which was distributed among the poor kick of the city. ACT TO-DAY. Time strikes tho hour of each pnsstnpr day With swift precision and unerring toll Nor pauses In his journey to survey The ruined castles of tho human soul. Bwift though his flight, think not ills Jour¬ ney short; For life, however briof it ohanco to be, Doth oarry, as It nears the unseen port, Hopes freighted with eternal destiny. [tomomber, then, the field of life’s survey Cannot be circumscribed by human creeds, And he alone is wise who crowns each day With lofty purpose and ennobling deeds. —Charles Babson Soule, tu Chicago Journal. That Tantalizing Letter. V I4l ELL, I’m both- I ■XiJ /=// ered if I can tell .Aff who it’s from 1” “It” was a mm letter ; and, surely, the eas¬ iest way for Mr. Ex Sprunt to ar¬ — —-- ■ ■' rive at the de¬ sired informa- tion was simply to open it. No doubt; but here arose a slight difficulty: it wasn’t his. The postman had delivered it at the shop by mis¬ take. It was addressed to Mis3 Nancy Vale. All day tho sight of it lying on the top of a ham on the counter had literally tantalized him. When the shutters were going to be put on for the night, he took it up for a final scrutiny. “The postmark’s London,” he ruminated. “I never heard tell of any—my goodness! I’ve done it now J” And so he had. The imperfect adhesion of tho envelope had yielded altogether to his too insinuating finger. Of course, now that it was open, it would have been a depth of folly passing Mr. Sprunt’s comprehension not to master the contents, and Iiib face actually quivered with suppressed excitement during the perusal. “If that doesn’t beat the Dutch!” he ejaculated on reaching the end. “A legacy of five hundred pounds from her grand aunt. If I had known this was going to happen, I would have made her Mrs. Sprunt long ago. I’ve always been fond of Nancy, and I'm fonder now than ever. What a mercy this letter came my way!” This was no time, however, for moral reflections. The situation called for immediate action. In order to secure this golden windfall for his own coffers, he must not let the grass grow under his feet. A moment’s cogitation showed that the first thing to be done was to get the fair legatee, by hook or by crook, to promise to marry him before she knew of her good luck. Suppose he proposed that night,and was accepted? In the course of a day or two he could produce the letter, all sealed up again, as if it hnd newly ar¬ rived. Once Nanoy had pledged her word, he could dopand on her not throwing him over. With Mr. Sprunt to think was to act, especially when five hundred pounds were at stake. It was a blustering March evening, both raining and blowing at a rate enough to quell the ardor of any ordi¬ nary suitor. Bat a deluge of old wives and pike-staves wouldn’t have deterred the redoubtable Sprunt from setting out for Cherry-tree Cottage to put his fortune (or rather Nanoy's) to the test. A few minutes’ battling with the elements brought him to his destina¬ tion. In answer to his resounding rat-tat- tat on the knocker, Nancy appeared at the door, accompanied by Spook, a handsome black cat. “Ah!” says the clever reader; “an old maid 1” Well, she was single, undoubtedly, but it wasn’t from want of- “An offer,” interposes the readers, with a cynical smile. “It never is.” To tell the little dressmaker’s story to one capable of making so viie an insinuation would be casting pearls before swine. Enough to say that ten years before, Nancy, then a winsome dark-eyed maiden of eighteen, had played out her one romance. To bring about a reconciliation be¬ tween her lover and his tyrannical father who had threatened to disin¬ herit him if he persisted in his atten¬ tions to her, she had given poor Tom his conge, coldly, firmly, finally. Instead of this having the eflect an¬ ticipated, it made life at home seem bo intolerable to young Ford that he ran away. From that ill-fated day Nanoy had never seen her lover again, though his haggard face and that last look in his eyes as of some dumb animal in pain had haunted her ever since. But this is a digression. Let us re¬ turn to the present and Mr. Sprunt. “It’s a very wet night, my dear,” he observed. Without waiting to be invited, he entered and seated himself in the armchair, and after a few desultory remarks and preliminary clearings of tho throat, he made the plunge. “What a time it seems since yon’ve been over to the shop, Nancy! I’vo been missing you badly.” “Have yon, really?’ 1 returned she, a faint tinge of color stealing into her palo cheek. "Yes, I’ve been missing yon, and it set me a thinking,” continued Mr. Sprunt, in a reflective tone. “1 says to myself, says I, ‘ef you misses a person when yon don’t see her, that shows yon’ve a hankering after her. And if you’ve a hankering after a per¬ son, that shows you’re iu love,with her. And if you’re in love with a per¬ son, well, the next thing’s to get mar¬ ried to her,’ says I—subject to her approval, of course,” added the man of soap and treacle, and as an after- thought hardly worthy of considera¬ tion. Having thus logioally stated his ease, he leaned hts burly figure baok in his chair, stuck his thumbs into the arm¬ holes of his waist-ooat, and com¬ placently awaited a reply. “I’m very sorry,” stammered Nancy, whom the proposal had takon entirely by surprise. "If you moan me, Mr. Sprunt, it’s quite impossible." shouted “What, impossible!” almost that gentleman, starting up iu such nndisgniBed astonishment thnt Nanoy with difficulty repressed a smile. “You can’t mean impossible, surely? For my sake, take time and oonsider. Tho shop’s a good going ooneern. I could keep you like n lady. A silk gown and a gold watch and’ chain would bo nothing to me. And I’ve a snug bit of money laid by—” “That makes no difference,” inter¬ rupted Nanoy, a little frown pucker¬ ing her forehead. To say that her elderly wooer was dumbfounded, is putting it mildly. If money made no difference, what on earth would? He was almost at his wits’ end, seeing his obanoe of flvo hundred pounds visibly receding, when a bright idea struok him. The senti¬ mental card was the one to play on a woman. Accordingly, with a rueful look, he rose as if to depart. “Weli, I cau say no more. I’ve fered yon my all, and it doesn’t please you. Many’s the time, Nancy, my dear, I’ve thought of yon here so solitary-like. Maybe, after this, you’ll think about me sometimes sitting lone¬ some.” “Oh, hush!” cried Nancy, smitten with real compunction for the pain she was inflicting. “If it was anything else, Mr. Sprunt—” “Ay, that’s it,” with a heavy sigh, taking a step to the door. “If you knew how I’ve saved up, and planned and counted on this, you’d be sorry for me. You see a disappointment tells more on a man come to my time of lifa. I’m not so young as I once was.” The smile with which be concluded was more touching to Nancy than tears. A wave of infinite pity swept over her. Sprunt paused half way to the door, deteoting sigm of indecision. “I see you’re not able to bring your mind to it,” ho said, humbly. “I might have known you couldn’t. You’ll not let this make any difference between us; it will kill me, if you did. Good bye, my dear—God bless you 1 l’ou’ll never want a friend as long as old John Sprunt’s living. Good bye.” “Stop a moment,” said Nancy hur¬ riedly. She was fairly overcome by such disinterested affection. “If you care so much—” “Care !” broke in Sprunt, with gen¬ uine fervor; “yon don’t know how much 1 care” (which was quite true). “Oh, Nancy 1 Just change your mind and say ‘yes. J M Nancy said “yes.” While this settling and sealing of his mistress’s destiny was taking place, it may be profitable to enquire, "What was Spook after ?” During the most interesting part of the colloquy he was intent on an ex¬ amination of the visitor’s overcoat— foreign articles (that is, those not in¬ digenous to Cherry-tree Cottage) pos¬ sessing a rare fascination, for him. Spook had a - terrible nose for dis¬ covering secrets. The nearer he ap¬ proached one of the pockets the keener grew the sniffing; the reason being that therein lay the fateful letter, whioh had acquired a very pronounced smell of tho ham it had been in close proximity to all day. Now, Spook had one weakness—and that was for bam. Ham in any shape or form was to him irresistible. For ham he would have stopped at no crime, how much less at mere pocket¬ picking 1 After considerable manoeuvering, he dexterously inserted into the pocket a paw, and, without more ado, contrived to fish out tho letter. As it fell on the floor, a sudden movement of Sprunt’s made Spook think he was detected, and he precipi¬ tately fled, leaving his booty lying half-hidden under the table, to be dis¬ covered in due time. If anyone had told Nancy the next morning, when she began washing her doorstep, that she would loave it hr.tf- done, she wonld have laughed the crazy prediction to scorn. But so it was decreed. She had given tho preliminary wayh with water,when a shadow fell athwart the step. Nancy looked up id surprise, and met the steadfast gaze of a tall, bronzed and bearded stranger. Uttering an inarticulate ory of half incredulous joy, she sprang to her feet and took a step forward. The next instant the stranger’s strong arms were round her, and his lips were pressed to hers in a long, passionate kiss. It was Tom—Tom come baok from the grave as it were. Who could describe the feelings of the long-severed pair? Nancy’s glow¬ ing face, when Rbe raised it from her lover’s broad chest, looked almost as young and as fair as when they had parted—and a thousand times hap¬ pier. Tom’s story was not a long one, but, owing to sundry mysterious interrup¬ tions, it took a good while to tell. To begin at the beginning, he had worked his passage out to Australia, got u place as shepherd on a sheep farm, and before half a dozen yeare had elapsed was himself the owner of a large sheep run. “And I wouidu’t be here now,” con¬ cluded he, “if, last Christmas, I hadn’t come across a Strathendy man: Jim Black, the joiner’s son. We got pretty friendly talking about old times, and he Folks told me you were still Nancy Yale. said it was for my sake you would not marry. When I heard that, the real reason for your refusing me began to dawn on me, I made up my mind to sell oat, ind come back and ask you again. Sl here I am. You won’t send moYway this time, little Nanoy, -will you?” Nanoy turned away her head with n sadden shiver of anguish. Not till that she remembered moment, since what^isd Toil’s return, transpired had the previous eveningX 1 Oh, the horror off, t\e e thought 1 Tom had oome back, butt) o late; was she not John Sprunt’s affianced wife? in an agony of despair Knd shame she hid her face in her hands. Yes, shamo! How couid she tver confess to faithful Tom that she had plighted her troth to another? But it had to be told. f J? was 0 anxiously demanding what v as \ the matter. \ “John Sprunt was here last she said at last, in a strange, unnatu¬ ral voice, “and he asked me to marrj him.” “Ha, ho, ha ! Is that all?” laughed Tom, immensely relieved, “But I wouldn’t look so Bolemn about i Don’t you think it a capital joke?” “No, I don’t,” said Nancy, bnrstin into tears; “because I said I wonld. A dead silence followed this declar- ation. Nanoy got out her little handker- chief and slowly wiped her eyes, steal- mg a piteous glance at Tom, who sat wave as a judge, with a perfectly iu- s.irutable expression, "Aro you ancry, Tom?” she asked, timidly, when the silence grew un¬ bearable. "Angry?” with a short, bitter laugh. “Oh, no. I’m delighted, of course. At the same time, it’s an unexpected honor. I didn’t know I was taking a journey of thousands of miles to be present at John Sprunt’s wedding. But why, in the name of wonder,” breaking off his tone of polite irony— “why didn’tyou tell me this at first?” “Beoause l forgot,” sobbed Nancy. “Oh, why didn’t you come a day sooner—just one day?” “You don’t mean to say you would have preferred me to the young and handsome and generous Sprunt?” asked Tom, with biting sarcasm. Poor Nancy lifted her swimming eyes in mute reproach. The sight brought the penitent Tom to his knees by her side. “I’m jnst a perfect brute!” he de¬ clared, kissing away her tears. “Can you ever forgive me for being so cruel?” For answer Nancy silently laid her slender little hand in his broad palm. Tom pressed it again and again tc his lips. “This is mine now,” ho said, reso¬ lutely; “and I refuse to give it up till you can toll me somebody else has yonr heart. “I’ll just go over to the shop at once, and see Sprunt myself,” re¬ marked Tom presently, getting up. “Hello! here’s a letter, Nanoy,” picking up the all-important docu¬ ment, which had lain undisturbed whore it fell till now. Nanoy looked at the lellter in puz¬ zled surprise. Together they perused it. Their amazement at its contents was equalled by wonder as to how it got there. Suddenly Nancy exclaimed: “Ob, I tnink I cau explain it. I re¬ member jnst like a dream seeing some¬ thing white fall ont of one of the pockets of Mr. Sprunt’s overcoat. Spook was poking about it in his usual way. He must have been at his old pilfering trioks—” “Oh, well, I would hardly call it that. Let’s say he took it in a fit of abstraction—just as Sprunt opened it to begin with, wherever he got hold of it. Do you understand the reason of his sudden affection for you, Nancy? The grasping old miser!” At this moment there was a loud rap at tho door, followed by the entrance of the very individual in question. His dismay on seeing a stranger may be imagined. His first impulse was to withdraw, but Tom’s voice arrested his movement. “What do you want, sir?” Sprunt stopped, gave his q uestioner a baleful glare out of his little ferrety eyes, and then utterly ignoring his presence turned to Nanoy. “Good morning, my dear. I dare say you’re surprised to see me so early; but the truth is, I’m anxious about a letter for you that the post gave roe through carelessness yester¬ day. I had it in my poolcet for you last night; but it’s not to be wondered at that, in the circumstances, I forgot it,” with a leer at Nancy. “And now, I’m sorry to say, it’s nowhere to ha found.” “You don’t need to waste your sor¬ row on that-. It has just been found,” said Tom. “Oh, ah—I’m very glad,” stam¬ mered Sprunt. “This letter has been opened. Per¬ haps you’ll kindly give an account of your proceedings with regard to it,” continued Tom, sternly eyeing the de¬ linquent, who was mopping the per¬ spiration off his honest brow. “I am not accountable to yon, sir,” growled Sprunt. “Nanoy, my dear, I’ll explain it, all to you.” lady “Just daro to call this vour ‘dear’ again 1” cried Tom, with such fe¬ rocity of aspect that “the Sbop”backed two or three steps to the door. "As for explaining, you may save yourself the trouble. It’s an ill wind that blows nobody good,” observed Tom, with a comical glance at Nancy as the door banged behind the baffled schemer. "The very first thing you uro going to do, my little Nanoy Pretty, is to chooeo your wedding gown.”—Boston Bouquet. Canada’s Population. The Canadian Department of Agri¬ culture estimates the population of the Dominion to be 6,125,438, a gain of rather less than 300,0110 since the cen¬ sus of 1891. In 1890 there were two States of the Union that exceeded Canada in population—New York, with 5,997,853 inhabitants, and Pennsyl¬ vania, with 5,258,014. THE CHANGING STYLES. SOME NEW DESICNS THAT ARE TASTE- FUL AND DRESSY. A Princess Tea Goivn Which Han an Air of Although It i* iu Construction—Made of 151 ue-and-White * Challie—Basque With Fanciful Fronts, May Manton writes that blue-and- white French challie was the material chosen for this model garment, the T, §ffi! 9 f II C| IB k\ 1A 'A - /if I Wf m a iil: Wmk 1% * 4 Y', Si LADIES’ PKi !ESS TEA GOWN. decoration being H am-white lace and insertion. Althoul k quite simple in construction, it ha' An air of elegance that distinguishes itm ba<A 0 m the ordinary house gown. The s are trimly ad- W' ( u fm It f/\ it il m- 1 V m. m ilSS T m sms | Wimm i % IL = - •• mri 111 . (MSI I m / m ss kimm* m II m i m m IS \! W; \ (las m PS m. ms r* Wm m MM mf* m ; gsi = ip KM 1 r r; ■ , Si m mm b =-= m mm == STYLISH FANCY BASQUE. ' justed to the figure by means of a centre seam and curving sido hack seams, while the fronts have double bust-darts and a deep under-arm dart that renders the fitting perfect. The full front and back present the watteau effect, that is particular pleasing in tea gowns or wrappers, Below the waist line the seams of the garment gradu¬ ally expand, affording the requisite fulness to the skirt, which has a foot decoration in the form of a narrow ruffle of lace headed with a band of in¬ sertion. Bands of insertion are applied to simulate a yoke, and the closing is effected invisibly at the centre-front. The lower edge of the yoke is defined by a full bertha of the material, which is mitred to form three graceful points that fall over the sleeves, with insertion and lace daintily decorating the edges. The sleeves are one-seamed and are shirred along the edges, producing the mousquetaire effect. They are arranged on two-seamed linings, finishing at the wrists in bell shape. A crush collar of taffeta covers the close-fitting collar that finishes the neck. Dainty gowns of wool, cotton or wash fabrics can bo attractively de¬ veloped by the model, and lace and in¬ sertion or embroidery will be suitable for decoration. To make this wrapper for a lady in the medium size will require ten yards of forty-four-inch material. Ladles’ Fancy Basque. In the two-column design, says hand¬ May Manton, black moire velours and some passementerie are stylishly united, with the inevitable touch of red introduced in the full vest and sleeve decorations. The fanciful fronts are simply arranged over smooth linings that close in the centre, the jacket fronts flaring apart, disclosing the vest portion of mousseline over satin that closes under the left front edge. The smooth yoke bolero is included in the right shoulder, arm’s-eye and under¬ arm seams and closes invisibly on the left. The back is rendered glove-fit- ing by the usual seams, the shaping be- low tho waist lino forming a stylish pointed effect. The sleeves, of latest design, are prettily pointed and flaro deeply over the hands with bands cf passementerie and lace employed as decoration. The tops of sleeves pres¬ ent a puff of diminished size daintily caught through the centre with an out¬ standing ruffle composed of finely plaited mousseline. At the neck is a close standing band of passementerie with the indispensable and becoming soft finish of lace above. With this stylish composed basque is entirely worn of a toque from Virot violets delightfully mingled with rib- bon shading from the palest lavender to a deep rich shade of violet, a hand- some rhine stone buckle ornamenting the front. To make this basque for a lady in the medium Bize will require three yards of forty-four-inch material. er Variation in Shirt Waist*. hB The ever popular shirt waist JM taken on still another variation. here shown the material is plain .10 tired gingham in pale leaf-greej belt, collar, cuffs and closing b V of plaid combining the green 1 * n TliC , eeru and lines of pure white. full tinctivc features It is are fitted the yoke closely ha- f^H lflj fronts. figure under-arm by means piece. of shoulder Tint sean^B Itia-JH an that forms the plait is laid plain goods and stitched in Either studs or small pearl bit be used as a means of closin fulness in the front is drawl ward the closing plait and in toward the centre, The sle< gathered at the shoulder and 4 plied with pointed overlaps I opening at the wrist. If wd detachable cuffs they are gathei a straight band. Cuffs and coll be either attached or made sepi be kept in place by studs. ( latter method is- preferred keep! by m men as enabling them to fresh and dainty without consigning the entire waist to the tub at the ex¬ piration of a single day’s wear. The style is well suited to all ging¬ hams or organdies, silk weft zephyrs and similar cotton materials as well as inexpensive wash and India silks. As illustrated tho tie matches the collar after the style that is most popular, but if the latter be made attachable can be alternated with white ones worn with a stock and so make greater variety. The range of choice in both ties and collars is well night limitless and a second great advantage of the detachable collar is the fact that it al¬ lows freedom of selection in place of binding the wearer to one style. To make this waist for a lady in the medium size will require three and i. H\ 9 if A (I mmlmk' lit -U c. wm* tHIBT WAIST OF UNFIGUBKD GINGHAM. one-fourth yards of thirty-six-inch ma¬ terial. The beet sugar bounty law just en¬ acted in Michigan provides that the State shall pay to the farmer four centa a pound for all the beet sugar he raises, • and one cent a pound to the man who- manufactures the sugar. ___