The Fitzgerald leader. (Fitzgerald, Irwin County, Ga.) 19??-1912, May 27, 1897, Image 6

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Fitzgerald Leader. FITZGERALD, GEORGIA. —PUBLISHED BT— HCNAPP d) BOW. Dr. Jabez Fisher, of Fitchburg, Mass., thinks the agricultural societies that are losing money on fairs and cat¬ tle shows should give them up and try “farmers’ institutes” instead. Japan is said to contemplate stock breeding on a large scale. The Gov¬ ernment proposes the founding of 850 farms for experiments with foreign breeds of horses for cavalry and artil¬ lery use. The breeders of our great middle w’est need only a hint and they will forward equine samples by next mail. Experts in the grain trade, it is re¬ ported, generally agree that the sup¬ plies of wheat have been much under¬ estimated, and that the consumptive demand had probably been exaggerat¬ ed, and, therefore, it was but natural that sooner or later there should be a sharp reaction from the high level to which prices had been forced. The Rio News says: It is a curious fact that at the beginning of February the Government invited Dr. Ruy Bar¬ bosa to take charge of the Brazilian case in the Amapa arbitration question, and he was generally acclaimed as the best man for the task. One month later his life was in danger and he was compelled to leave the country. As the result of a recent investiga¬ tion made in Massachusetts by the leg¬ islative Committee on Public Health, a statement has been prepared, explain¬ ing how consumption is propagated and how best it may be combated. The document contains nothing new, and is notable only because of the emphasis with which it advocates the segrega¬ tion in special colonies of all sufferers from the disease whose circumstances are such that they cannot receive at home the sort of care, that will prevent them from being dangers to the com¬ munity in which they live. These pa¬ tients, it is stated, should be placed in suitable hospitals or homes, in locali¬ ties where the air is dry, where out¬ door life is possible during the greater part of the year, and where they would not imperil the safety of other people. This suggestion is signed by two pro¬ fessors in tbe Harvard Medical Col¬ lege, by the Chairman of the Boston Board of Health and Park Board, by tbe medical examiners of Suffolk Coun¬ ty, and by the Chairman or medical member of sixteen other towns and cities in the State. There has been a remarkable in¬ crease in the export of horses from the United States during the last few years. In 1893 the total number shipped to foreign countries was only 2967. In 1894 it increased to 5246, in 1895 to 13,948, in 1896 to 25,126, and during the first six months of the pres¬ ent fiscal year, ending December 31, the total was 14,232; so that if the same proportion is continued during the remaining six months the total for the year will be 28,464. Nearly half the entire exports in 1896 went to Great Britain, the exact number being 12,022; but it is believed that 1000 or more additional were sent through Canada, the exports to the dominion being 5305 horses. The trade with Great Britain in horses has shown a remarkable increase, for in 1893 the total exports were only 564 head. The increase in exports to Germany was even greater, notwithstanding the laws of that country, which are very annoy¬ ing to importers of live stock and quite expensive. In 1893 we shipped only thirty-three horses to the German em¬ pire. In 1896 we shipped 3686. Among other countries r.ow receiving Ameri¬ can horses is Belgium, which imported none in 1893, and 1,134 in 1896. France took very few, only 397. Italy bought one of our horses in 1893, two in 1894, three in 1895 and four in 1896. We sent 987 to Mexico last year, and a good many to the West India islands, with the exception of Cuba, where, strange to say, we sold none at all. Two American horses went to Japan, four to China, one to Samoa and one to Africa. New York is the largest horse market both for the export and the domestic trade, but a good many are shipped from Baltimore. Exports of mules have increased in a correspond¬ ing ratio, the number for the last few years being as follows: 1893, 1634; 1894, 2063; 1895, 2515; 1896, 5918, and for tbe first six months of the present fiscal year, 3854. So far as the Department of Agriculture is aware there has been no special effort on the part of American horse breeders to ex¬ tend their foreign trade. The growth has been natural and the result of low prices in this country. SONC OF.THE MODERN CREEKS. Rising from the battle thee soil of Hollas, sword. Liberty, wo know by thy By thy beckoning, by thine eyes that toll us Thou art worthy still to be adored. Chorus Hall tlieo. hail thee, spirit; linger, hover Over Hftlarais and Marathon, Till each hero’s heart that called thee Kiso with thee to lead the patriot on. Slumbered Hellas long in shame and sad- Waiting for a voice to call her forth; Hushed the infant’s glee, the mother's gladness North...... By the brutal tyrant of the Chorus. Hail thee, hail thee, spirit; etc. Long, too long, she dwelt with burled he- rocs. Cherishing the glories she had known; R®? Caligulas, her mocking Neros Not by pride or tears could be o’er- thrown. Chorus. Hail thee, hail thee, spirit; etc. i__ But at last, uplifted by thy presence 1 Floating on before her like a cloud. Every arm, the prince’s and the peasant’s, Struck, and Greece once more was free and proud. Chorus. Hail thee, hail thee, spirit; etc. Ah, hut there are brothers still whose weeping Comes from over sea and land. While they moan shall we again be sleep¬ ing— We whom thou hast wakened with thy hand? Chorus. V. Hail thee, hail thee, spirit; eto. .< Hasten, Liberty, and and we will follow Unto suffering Crete and Maeedon, Striving till, some happy dawn, Apollo Find fair Hellas come into her own! Chorus. Hail thee, hail thee, spirit; etc. —The Outlook. tQQOQOQOQQOQOZOQaaOO; A NEW WOMAN. BY J. SARGENT. >GG( <5 STHEE LIjT- |E3S tlejohn was a » lady of uncer- rf. f tain age. s\ S) J of But thing that is out sort of t 2 .TV* If venty years ago it meant an old maid, to be regarded by personal friends with spasms of blame and com¬ miseration—a life irrevocably lost; a soul wbo sat on the outside, so to speak, of all comfortable existence—it was quite another story with Esther Little¬ john. “Such a cozy home, and absolutely nothing to disturb either it or herself,” Jane Evans remarked. Jane had mar¬ ried young, and had a very bilious husband, who was addicted to lavender trousers, a fiery temper, and melan¬ choly pale green ideas on subjects which looked fairly cheerful to ordi¬ nary mortals, to say nothing of an inability to provide, which made life a pretty hard workaday world for Jane, whose previous occupation had been entertaining her many admirers, and furnishing laundry work for her dear mamma. If Jane’s mouth took on a bitter curve, and little envious ideas came into her head when she passed Esther’s house and regarded her snowy window draperies, who could blame her? For there was Phyllis! Surely, any¬ one who had such a treasure as Esther’s Phyllis could afford three hundred and sixty-five Thanksgiving days in every year. Such a little black bundle of comfort as she was, neat as wax, punc¬ tual as the clock, and in the family for thirty years. For Miss Esther had inherited them all—the cozy home in its homey garden, the snug little mort¬ gages and black Phyllis, who felt her¬ self quite as much a part of the estate as though she had never heard of Abra¬ ham Lincoln. Another schoolmate, who had been blessed with three cross babies in four years, said, “She’d like to know what need Esther had of a man.” To be sure Esther had had a lover or two. There was a foolish little story that came to naught. Then there was Lester Irwin, schoolfellow, play¬ fellow, rising young lawyer, life-long friend, would-be lover. Her only com¬ ment on this affair was, “I would as soon have married my dictionary.” So Miss Esther went her cheery, comfortable way. She belonged to a club or two, was a member of the church, and, above all, was charitable. Tbe poor people blessed her. Her dear Aunt Maria, wbo had gone through life with an eye for the worst side of everything and everybody, sweetly remarked that “Esther Little¬ john had a natural-born desire to die a martyr, and it wasn’t much matter what new-fangled fad accomplished her end.” Of course, this came to Esther’s ears in due time, but as she was quite well acquainted with tbe dear old lady, it did not quite annihilate her. One morning Phyllis’ round, smil¬ ing Ethiopian countenance, appeared at the door of her mistress’s sanctum. “Please, missy, dat dar ole Daniel Tubbs dun come agin; face long’s de jidgment day; dun say got see Missy Littlejohn.' Anyting tire dis chile, it’s poah white trash forever asservating quality folks!” “Why, Phyllis!” Esther looked up from a pile of missionary papers with anything but an aggravated expression. “Show the poor mau in, that’s a dear.” Phyllis retreated with a grunt of something besides satisfaction, and soon opened the door for tl e disdained representative of “poor white trash.” He was an old man of some seventy winters, and from the poverty and ut¬ terly hopeless dejection of his counte¬ nance, one could readily believe he had been banished to the frigid zone every one of those seventy summers, kept underground every day the ““’‘r" 1 !'™’ a11 th ® Year * ound ’ - He lifted a spare, dirty gray face at Miss Littlejohn's cheery greeting, and a tear stood in each eye, the only sign °f expression in the stolid countenance. He plunged headlong into his story: ole “You know my Jane; poor ooman , g been gioU this long while, an’ not 'and nor foot can she raise since 'er stroke, and I with no work the six mon ths.” Esther nodded with the remembered patience of a well-tried friend, who the many bowls of soup and loaves of wd whioh had traveled to the little house in the hollow, with only th >■ casual memory of a friend; but lie pro- oeeded: “You know our son Willuui. Well, our son Willum was up to our little place up north, an’ I writ’im to collect ,’ the rent ban send us the money. I mother tried .... to slink , , , ’er ’ead , , when , .. s I told ’er. Money’s halways ’ad such ha peculiar haffect on Willum, but it did seem *ee couldn’t be hanytliing but honest habbout the money from ’is mother’s little place, ban ’er so sick ban ’elpless! Wall, to day the money eum, all but forty-live cents, which is doin’ well for Willum; but through some mistake the order’s made out to Mrs. Willum Tubbs, hinstead of Mrs. Daniel, hau the man to the koffis won’t let me ’ave nothin’ lion it, an’ us ’tkout lia bit or sup bin the ’ouse, ban I sez to myself, ban to ’er, wat ’ill hi be doin’, ban then hi thought of you, hau cum straight.” dependent old Ho stood there, poor, soul, waiting for Miss Esther to adjust her eye-glasses and his affairs at the same time, confident that there would be satisfactory results in both cases. Now, Esther -Littlejohn was impul¬ sive, and not exactly possessed of the wisdom of the oracle she impersonated for the moment. She was a little in¬ clined to be perfervid, especially in charitable affairs. She herself had a lurking impression that Mr. Irwin did not exactly approve of all her enthu¬ siasms, and although she knew him to be quite as correct as the above-men¬ tioned dictionary, she kept on in her own perfervid way, considerably to her personal satisfaction. But we must not leave poor Daniel Tubbs standing, bat in hand, while we examine the gray matter of the brain of the last of the Littlejohns. acquainted Miss Esther was not with the new postmaster, and still there was no reason why he was obnoxious to her, so she spoke with scarcely a moment’s thought, and a trick she had of getting at things easily. “I will cash your or¬ der,” said she, and handing the old man eight dollars and five cents, much to the disgust of sable Phyllis, who was not too proud to listen at the crack of the door, and bear the jingling of the money, she went on looking up the matter for a paper on America. In the afternoon she went to the post- office, signed Mrs. William Tubbs to the order, received her money,, and went on her way rejoicing, happy in the thought that the family of Tubbs, Sr., were enjoying peace and plenty for a short space. I wonder how many of our cheerful musings would evaporate; how many of our pleasant hours be turned to sixty times sixty pin pricks of irritation, if we knew the adverse influences con¬ stantly at work, the mighty plants that grow from a single wicked mustard seed. Just one week later Esther Little¬ john was the recipient of a large yel¬ low envelope, postmarked Cook’s Corners, and addressed iu . conspic¬ uous characters to Mrs. Wm Tubbs, with “Esther Littlejohn” below in small brackets. No. 22 Ingham Place was added in triumphantly large let¬ ters. The contents, which Esther read with constantly opening eyes and emotions difficult to describe, wens as follows: Pi ease Mum— I take iny pen in hand, bein’ as I’ve heard you’re passin’ yerself off as Mrs.Willyum Tubbs, and maybe you think you be, for all I know, but I can prove that I took in washin’ fur six years back, an’ knp’ that misserable, shiftless Tubbs in ’bucco and breeches, to say nothin’ of the twins an’ the hoarders from the Junction an’ little Jim, that cum in November. Wall, I kicked Tubbs out come spring an’ told him, the weather bein’ warm, I thought as he might shift fur his own self, an’ I cud wash fur Jimmy an’ hearn the twins an’ he’s now, for the land a-living, I tell as gone and got another woman, and is actually sendin’ her money! You can’t deny it, bein’ as one of my neighbors who had gone to town happened into the post-office an’ seen you cashin’ an order for $8 and five cents! My, but you must be a hustler to get that oot’n Will Tubbs, as never worked a day ’cept when I was sick and couldn't. I don’t want him back agin nor to make you no truble nor to try him nor nothin’ but bein’ as X have a felii’n on my hand an’ had will to put Jimmy in the Orphant Sylum, if you send me $35 and fifty cents to take me an’ the twins back to my folks in Ver¬ mont I won’t make you no trouble nor nothin’ an’ bein’ as Jim Sylvester says you’ve got a bit from vour mother that's the way to squar it. Send me $35 an’ fifty cents an’ you kin have him titel clar. Cook's Corners. Mehitabel Tubbs. Now, the Littlejohns had very aris¬ tocratic noses, and it was not surpris¬ ing that at this juncture the eyeglasses of the last of the Littlejohns flew com¬ pletely off, and required an extra amount of coaxing before they would properly return to their proper sphere. But the Littlejohns were sympathetic in spite of tlieir aristocracy, besides, Miss Esther could no more avoid being charitable than old Mr. Lincoln around the corner could help eating his break¬ fast at the free lunch, and dropping the fifteen cents he saved thereby into his strong box for his sons to quarrel over when he was gone. Esther paused a moment to wonder if she had better go over and ask those wretched Tubbs people about the mat¬ ter, but shook off all idea of further entanglement with them. With a groan for the new fall jacket she must now forego, she enclosed ten dollars in a letter of explanation to the Mad¬ ame Tubbs, of Cook’s Corners, poor soul! Her heart went out to her in sympathy, the letter was so genuine, so honest! Then Esther, in a way of her own, dismissed the whole matter from her mind, and turned her atten¬ tion to making a pair of petticoats for seme children up North who were blessed with a clerioal paternal and short rations, and were to be more than blessed with n generous mission¬ ary box from “The Willing Helpers.” The fact that Mrs. Tubbs soon died, and the old man took up his abode in a distant county house, gave her the comfortable feeling of no future refer¬ ence to the affair. So things went on quite as usual, until one afternoon iu November, when Esther returned more chilly and spir¬ itless than usual from a meeting of some committee at the “Old Ladies’ Home.” Evidently someone was on the look¬ out for her, for while she was yet sev¬ eral rods away from the house, faith¬ ful Phyllis rushed out of the side door and threw herself on her astonished mistress. “Missy! Missy! I dun know what de house am cummin’ to. Dis chile dun been in de fambly since befoh you was bown, an’ nebber ’spected de like. I doan say nuddin’ to yer charitable¬ ness, but dis hoklin, dirty chile, am it to stay? Oh, Missy.” Esther’s curiosity was now fully aroused, and although Phyllis con¬ tinued to pour forth voluble torrents of sentences, and fragments of sent¬ ences, they were neither satisfactory nor to the point, and she opened the front door with a trembling hand and sinking heart. There, iu a big arm-chair, before her cozy grate fire—I came near saying re¬ posed, but there was anything but re¬ pose in the waving arms and kicking neither limbs of the fat infant, whose dirty, red, tear-stained face seemed to have bidden adieu for two or three life times to all complacency. When Esther had regained her breath, and was able to control herself sufficiently, in spite of the deafening howls, it dawned upon her that Phyl¬ lis had all the time been holding an envelope toward her. She tore it open and read the following: Madam—When your child was admitted to the Orphan Asylum, we supposed you a person in indigent circumstances; we are satisfactorily informed to the contrary. We return your child, utterly refusing it farther support or the sustenance. Our insti¬ tution is not for aid of imposters. Board of the Sherman Asylum. This, then, was little Jimmy. Was ever a sensible, respectable woman in such a position! Imagine an aristo¬ cratic maiden lady under such circum¬ stances! Our Esther sat down and had a good cry, the baby meanwhile con¬ fining itself to soprano notes, with the grim identity of a masculine , who must sing bass the rest of liis life, and purposes to make tbe most of the pres¬ ent opportunity. Our Esther -was not very different from other women, and after ten min¬ utes at this profitable employment rose refreshed, snatched up bis small ma¬ jesty, scoured him as never orphan was scoured, fed him a generous supper of bread and milk, clothed him in a cozy little night dress of tennis flannel from tbe convenient missionary box, and tucked him into her own bed fast asleep, completely exhausted with such luxuriance. Just what Phyllis thought I would dislike to take time to inscribe, for there were volumes of it; but Esther ultimately decided that tbe easiest way to settle tbe whole matter was to keep the baby and say nothing. Anyone who had heard the peals of laughter that issued that evening from the last of the Littlejohns, as she sat in her study, might have guessed her a trifle hysterical; but the time came when the tormenting little every-pres- ent Jimmy, w r ho seemed to be quite as much alone in tbe world as Miss Little¬ john herself, grew to be more to her than the absent cherubs of tbe mission¬ ary fields. And in the winter evenings, when the curtains were drawn and the fire¬ light flashed out from the open grate, Miss Esther hushed the little lad to sleep, and more of a home feeling than she had ever known crept into her heart and made her kinder, happier, more satisfied. And so Miss Esther went her way through the bright springtime, full of the merry renewal of life and hope that made the trees and meadows burst in- to bloom, played with the little Jimmy, worked and sang,and sang and worked, and made her life as complete a suc¬ cess as though she never were guilty of doing those rash, impatient, improvi¬ dent things which the Theosophists would have us believe are fraught with eternal consequences. But one sad day, through the sun¬ shine and the springtime, a stranger wandered to Miss Esther’s gate. He was travel-worn and travel-stained by the turmoil of life and the ties he had counted, but confident as a prodigal, not exactly coming to his father’s house, but thankful for the small favor of a friend from whom he proposed to ask large favors. It was William Tubbs—insolent, familiar—who, having spent part of the winter with Mehitabel (it goes without saying, that she had recovered from her felon enough to take in wash¬ ing), had heard of the ten-dollar bill, and thought best to return to the place where such things grew. He was not to be dismissed, and Esther in despair at last seized her hat from the rack and fled into the street. With burning face and beating heart through the moist spring air she rushed. Overhead the sky was full of fleecy clouds; a storm was brewing; there was a storm already in Esther’s brain, and its name was Tubbs! She went straight to Lester Irwin’s office. How she told her story I can¬ not tell. I do not think Mr. Irwin had ever listened to just such testimony as the case of Mr. Tubbs versus Little¬ john, but he listened silently, patiently, in a very business-like manner to the end. Esther paused and looked up im¬ patiently, a trifle injured that the friend to whom she had fled for coun¬ sel should express so little lively sym¬ pathy in so grievous a manner. “What do you advised me?” she said, abruptly. just the least Then there came sus¬ picion of a twinkle into his merry brown eyes as he replied quite as laconically, “Marry me.” If he afterward added some sort of nonsense, even men as correct as the dictionary are often betrayed into that sort of thing, and our Esther, new wo¬ man that she was, was quite too wilted to resent or resist.—The Home Quoen. MONEY AND OMENS. Points Brought Out In a Debate at tl»o Superstitious Club. When the Superstitious Club went into session last week its president astonished and somewhat awed the giddy members, by announcing that “Money, In All Its Phases,” would be under discussion. “You must have often noticed,” she said, sweetly, “the money that floats on the top of your cup of coffee at breakfast?” “It is about the only place I ever do see it,” remarked Helen Stewart, spitefully. it?” asked the “How do you treat president. the coffee and “I stir it up with swallow it. Brother Fred says it’s all nonsense about its being money, He says the bubble that looks like a quar¬ ter is caused by the sugar.” The president’s gavel rapped the table with emphasis. “Miss Stewart is out of order,” she said sharply, “If the dictum of mere outsiders, is to be taken for the tradi¬ tions of the Superstitious Club, then we may as well adjourn sine die.” “How beautifully she presides,” said Maud Johnson in a whisper to her chum, Margaret Potter, who was comforting herself with caramels on the sly. “Let me give you some much needed instruction on this matter of money “I rise to a point of order, Miss President. We are discussing matri¬ mony.” “Some people think they are smart,” said the president, ignoring parlia¬ mentary rules. “I said matter of money, but it is plain to see where your thoughts drift. Now, girls, this is a most serious thing. If you do not separate your coffee money from the coffee without breaking it, and swallow it while, you will not get the real money of which it is a sign. ” “Signs are so deceiving,” quoted Maud Johnson from one of the club lyrics. “I have always stirred my coffee money up with the sugar and swallowed it. No wonder I’m poor!” “Who has seen the new moon?” in¬ quired the president. shoulder,” “I saw it over my left said Nellie Wright. “Poor thing! No luck for you this month. Anyone else?” “I saw it, Miss President, with money in my hand, and there was no glass between, and I wished ever so hard. Papa gave me a dollar when I told him, and called me a ‘slave to superstition. ’ But my wish came true all right,” said Eily Irving. “How many of you know the rule of the itching palm?” asked the Presi¬ dent. “Please recite it in concert.” “If your right palm itches, A stranger comes to stay. If your left palm, riches ■Will surely come your way.” “Miss President,” asked Kate En¬ sign, “is it in order to ask if our quar¬ ter of a dollar is an unlucky omen?” “I should say not. Those who get enough may consider themselves mighty lucky.” said “You bet they are!” Helen Stewart, who was immediately fined for using slang, said fine being or¬ dered paid into the marshmallow fund. Miss Ensign then explained that there were no less than ten repetitions of the unlucky number 13 on one side of the twonty-five-cent piece, She enumerated 13 stars, 13 letters in the scroll the eagle holds in its beak, 13 marginal feathers in each wing, 13 tail feathers, 13 parallel lines in the shield, 13 horizontal bars, 13 arrowheads in one claw, 13 leaves in the branch in the other claw, and just 13 letters in the words “quarter dollar.” Would the president please say if such money would be unlucky to spend? “A-hem,” answered the diplomatic presiding officer, “I never beard that the original thirteen States were un¬ lucky, did you? Or the thirteen stripes on our flag—[applause]—and if any member of this club has a pocket full of those unlucky quarters, I should not advise her to throw them away. Will some member pass one around for inspection?” But a canvass of the club failed to disclose that amount of lucky or un¬ lucky money.—Chicago Times-Herald. Pearls Buried Under Water. An interesting story is told concern¬ ing some of the jewels belonging to the Empress of Germany. She owns a very fine necklace, made of large pearls, well matched in size, and singularly pure in color. The neck¬ lace, however, had been laid aside for some time away from the light and air, and as a natural result the color of the pearls had suffered considerably. In fact, when the Empress took out her necklace it was so discolored that she found she could not possibly wear it in its then condition. The court jeweler, when appealed to, gave it as his opinion that nothing would restore the pristine purity of the pearls ex¬ cept a very long immersion in the sea. A glass case was accordingly made, with holes in it to admit the water, the pearls were deposited in it, and it was sunk “full fathoms five” in the waters of the North Sea, says Madame. The spot chosen is close to the shore, and it is said that sentries are on duty there night and day. It is said that some time ago a small potentate in Afghanistan offered a British collector $42,000 for a complete set of stamps of Afghanistan. PIAZZAS ARE POPULAR. Valuable Suggestions About, Their Best Situation and Construction. If the experience of the majority of house owners could be gathered, it is altogether probable they would testify that no one feature of the house has so amply repaid the construction cost iFj rJS i / ■5 GENERAL VIEW. as the piazza, American climate and social conditions are such that it is possible to make constant use of the piazza during almost all of the year, even in the northern latitudes, The wide growth in popularity of the piazza, is nowhere more strikingly shown than in the farmhouse. A decade or two ago one might ride mile upon mile in the country without seeing a single farm¬ house with a piazza; but now almost every new one erected makes some pretentions in this line. It is safe to say that not a single villa or detached bouse, aside from the smallest and cheapest home for the laboring man, is built in this day with¬ out a piazza. Often even a small house will have two. It is, therefore, im¬ portant to consider the subject in a general way. The size and style of the veranda must depend upon the de¬ sign of the house, its height, the shape of the roof, etcetera. In a very warm climate, or at the seashore, where people expect to live a large portion of the time out of doors, almost every¬ thing gives way to the piazza, and the Pinl.*' HCU. *?»»«)). 3 V* 7' 3 *'.'6' Dining Kitchen. IZ'k I4’V J to*. I.': Nol including b*y. uu H*n. I o'* 13*6 Pat to.7* 12V |V L u £l" Ver*.nd«.-. 9' Wide. FIRST FLOOR. plan of the house is made to yield pre¬ cedence to the veranda itself, thus re¬ versing the usual order, But this is the exceptional case, and need not be dwelt upon here. The general run of modern houses have piazzas from six to eight feet in width. A very wide piazza has a tend¬ ency to make a house seem squatty. But if it is too narrow the effect is even worse, for then it does not appear to be an integral part of the house; it looks like a mere excrescence, and de¬ stroys the entire effect of the building. It must be remembered that the ver¬ anda, more than any one feature, gives character to the house, and consequent¬ ly it must be in perfect accord with tbe general style. Whenever it is possi-’ ble a piazza should extend upon two sides of a house. It should preferably have an eastern exposure, There need be no fear that a piazza will prove too sunny. It should get the full rays of the sun, even at midday, rather than catch the chilling breezes from tbe north. A hardy vine, carefully trained over a wire rack, or a quick growing annual like the morning glory, will provide a sufficient screen for com¬ fort or for privacy. If for any reason these cannot be had, the pretty Japan¬ ese split bamboo screen affords an ad¬ mirable substitute. The accompanying plan shows a style of veranda that is occasionally adopted with excellent effect, The roof is carried up in an unbroken sweep to join tbe main roof of the house. This gives an extremely pic- Clo.j Cl..- Dec! R., I 9V* io' 1 Bed R.> 6*1 h I2’» IS' MNiMe ClT Hill. Bed R. Eh 12'* l &'4* Bed R. kV. io' ■Cm. i Roof. SECOND FLOOR. turesque appearance, and it will be seen that no inch of space in the house itself is sacrificed.—-Copyright 1897. The Telegraph in Persia. The overland telegraph line which connects England with her great In¬ dian empire passes through Persia, and has recently been subjected to an inter¬ ruption of a quite serious character, due to the fanaticism of the populace. It seems that there has been a terrible drought, which the subjects of the Shah, instead of attributing to Provi¬ dence, ascribed on the contrary all, to the telegraph poles, and, above to the posts and signs of the survey depart¬ ment of the company. Accordingly all the obnoxious poles, wires and survey signs were destroyed by a priest-led mob. Strangely enough, heavy rain fell immediately afterward; and now, in spite of [the severe punishment in-, flicted by the Teheran Government up¬ on the ring-leaders, the masses of the population through Persia are firmly convinced that telegraph and survey i*osts are productive of drought and in¬ ventions of Satan.