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„ Set Your Faces to the San.
There's a ringing glorious measure
In the march of life, my brothers;
If we listen we may hear it all day long,
•With an undertone of triumph
No discordance wholly smothers,
And this is the cheerful burden of the
song:
“Forwardl Keep the column moving!
Perfect rest shall be our guerdon
When our missions are fulfilled—our labors
done;
Duty's path lies plain before us,
Whatsoe’er our task and burden,
If we bravely set our faces to the sun,
A Four-Footed Contest.
“Djeridgowka will kill tho stallion at
the first spring," said the Rija’n, in his
lazy, arrogant and heartless way. There
is no tiger of hill or jungle that cm
compare with my Djeridgowka (thun
der spear) for size, strength and feroci
ty. The white steed, wero he twenty
fold the equine horo you claim for him,
Sahib Colonel, would not evade hi 3
doom. Ho will go down like a shot,
and you will no longer dispute my
guardianship over Mahala, the demure
little Nautch girl under your wing
there.”
“But your Excellency,” said the
officer addressed, “if tho stallion should
■win, the girl will go to Bombay with
me, according to your august promise?”
Tho dmky potentate waved his arm,
whoso jewel-stiffened sleeva fairly
blazed with the movoment.
‘‘You have my word, Sahib,” was
his supercilious reply. “The word of
Djampudra Ilissan, Rajah of Nagpoor,
Is his bond.”
“Certainly,” called out Major Poin
dexter, another red-coated officer of the
group. “But if you are so suro of your
tigor winning, Excollency, I will lay
you an additional thousand of rupees on
Nadgka, the mountain stallion.”
The Rajah inclined his head in assent
and the wager was duly registered by
an obsequious white-robed secretary at
his elbow.
* The arena was a deep walled circular
pit, about 100 feet in diameter, and
around this the tiors of seats, with a
capacity of 5000 spectators, rose so
steeply as to give every one, even tho
humblest, a complete view of the inte
rior, and yet grant immunity from the
fiercest wild boast’s spring,
In addition to the throng of personal
attendants surrounding the R: j ih in tho
gorgeously tapestried Stato compart
ment sacred to his accommodation there
,was a group of E iglish officers, resplen
dent in their scarlet uniforms.
The first one of these to whom tho
Rajah had addressed himself was Col.
Mohun, and at his side was a singularly
beautiful young Hindoo girl, the Ma
hala referred to. Everything was at
stake with the poor child in tho unique
combat that was about to ensue. Mo
hun had found her with a band of
Qhant dancing women or Hindoo gyp-
Bie3 of tho DeccaD, and secretly
verified a rumor that she was tho
last surviving child of Muley Hassau,
half brother of tho present Rajah of
Nagpoor, who had, after usurping tho
throne, foully murdered all the other
rightful heirs, many of whom ho had
thrown as prey to his favorite tigers.
The Rajah had only boon prevented
from wresting Muhala from her self
constituted protector through a whole
some fear of the British conquerors,
but had at last exerted his malign and
still powerful insistence to such an ex
tent that the present contest had been
agreed on as a test of tho girl’s guard
ianship.
The Rajah agreed to pit his cham
pion fighting tiger Djeridgowka against
a white stallion, likewise noted for his
Combative disposition, that OoL Mohun
had obtained from the foot hills of the
Western Ghauts, justly celebrated for
their fine cavalry stock, much of which
is blooded, with a pure Arabian ancos
try.
Should tho stallion win, Mahala
would bo transferred to tho protection
of powerful friends in Bombay, with a
fair prospect of ono day recovering at
least a portion of her inheritance.
Should the tiger come off the victor,
•he wa3 to Lo surrendered uncondition
ally to her cruel and rapacious kins
man, whose appalling character was a
sufficient guarantee of tho terrible fate
in that event awaiting her.
There was a sea-like murmur of an
ticipation, and all eyes were rivetei
on one or two strong iron gratings that
were side by side in the wall of the pit,
ea a level with its sandy floor.
An instant later it shot aside, and
there was an involuntary burst of ap
plause as the noble horse bounded into
view.
He was not largo, but perfectly pro
portioned, with a glistening coat, as of
snowy satin, a mane and tail that were
of light golden tinge, furnishing a con
trast as unique ns it was harmonious
and beautiful. Fire was in his eye, the
rhythm of speed and activity in his fine
limbs, and, as he curveted snorting
•round the arena, it was noticed that
his small hoofs were shod with new and
sharp steel shoes, that fairly flashed
like a running rivulet in tho sunshine,
with the graceful and airy movements
that scarcely seemed to touch the earth,
and vet were suggestive of a Uercc wari
ness and expectancy.
The Rajah stroked his beard onca
more and smiled again.
“It was not mentioned in the com
pact that Nadgka should be shod,”
said he. “Still, I waive the point—l
can well afford to."
Then he straightened himself with a
cruelly gloating and exultant look, and
there was a fresh burst of many throat
ed applause, not unmixed with terror,
as the other grating shot back with a
clang, and the vaunted monarch of the
jungle, after springing into tho arena
with a snarling sort of roar, began cir
cling around and around it in ominous
silence, with his eyes fastened on every
movement of the stallion, who coolly
kept revolving in thq centre, as on a
pivot, head down and heols invariably
to tho foe.
“Djeridgowka’s way—Djeridgowka’s
pet trick I” chuckled the rajah, rub
bing his jewelled hands together.
“Sahib Colonel, in two minutes Nadg
ka's satin skin will bo in red ribbons!”
The tiger was, for very truth, a
prodigy, even for thoso days, when
larger and fiercer prisoners were made
than now. Ho was four foet tall at the
shoulder, precisely eight feet from tip
to tip, and correspondingly propor
tioned, with a ferocity that was at that
time proverbial throughout India.
Round and round prowled the mon
ster with no more sound than would
havo been produced by the footfalls of
a kitten.
Suddenly thoro was an exulting roar,
the large striped bulk seemed to fly up
into the air as though hurled by
springs, and he was seen to launch out
toward the whitostallion as if projected
out of a cannon’s mouth.
But lightning-like as wa3 the attack,
it was countered by a movement as
electric and as effective on the part of
tho equine hero.
There was a white, whirling sort of
flash, out flew tho glistening steel-shod
heels, striking the tiger in tho chest
whilo yet in mid-air with tho force of a
catapult, and hurling him back with a
resounding crash against the wooden
wall of tho pit till it fairly trembled.
Tho rajah frowned, whilo Mahala’s
soft faca correspondingly brightened,
and the bronze face of Mohun slowly
relaxed into a smile as he drew her
slight figuro yet more reassuringly to
his side; the entire British contingent
at the same time bursting into a shout
that rang and reverberated over the
shriller p’audits of the native onlookers
much like the hoarse braying of a battle
horn over tho squeakings and c’nmor
ings of the fife 3 and kettledrums.
“Another thousand on Nadgka 1”
cried Poindexter, excitedly fluttering
two fingors at tho potentate in betting
book fashion. “A whole lac of rupees,
if I only had thorn 1 What says your
Excellency?”
Djampudra-Hassau composedly nodd
ed his assent, aud the wager 4Ls re
corded.
“It was Djeridgowka’s first miscal
culation; his impatience overreached it
self,” he said, stroking his board once
more. “Watch him now.”
Apparently but slightly injured by
his repulse, though panting slightly,tho
tiger had resumed his silent, watchful
circlings of the arena, seemingly with
no moro want of confidence in himself
than if they had not been in tho least
interrupted.
But tho stallion was now seen to have
chauged his tactics so far that, while re
suming hi 3 pivotal gyrations, his head,
in lieu of his hindquarters, were now
presented to the front.
Another breathless interval of sus
pense, followed by a fresh hurtling
spring on the part of the tiger.
But it was countered even more cun
ningly and effectively than before.
Crouching and gliding under the flying
black and yellow bulk, much as a
gazelle might crouchingly evade a lam
mergeyor’s hurtling swoop, out flew the
glistening heels again at just the right
instant, this time bringing up with a tre
mendous impact on tho monster’s flank,
so that when Djeridgowka’s revolutions
were resumed, as they were almost in
stantly, it was with a sullen, half-gasp
ing air, and with a perceptible limp
that betokenod more than a trifling in
jury to bis hips.
“Another thousand to five hundred
on the whito stallion 1” vociferated
Poindexter yet again over tho many--
voiced applause. “Is it a go, your Ex
cellency? Or Igo you three to one I”
The Rajah’s Oriental composure had
deepanod into something more than
Oriental glumness; and his cruel gaze
roamed from tho tiger to the little be
gum —now radiant—with a smoldering
fierceness of dissatisfaction; but he,
nevertheless, inclined his head majesti
cally, and the third additional bet was
registered.
But again and again was the tiger’s
spring rcpeateJ, and with no batter suc
cess, save that on one occasion one of
his mighty forepaws managed to fetch
the bravo steed a long raking stroke
along the loins, ripping his skin into
strips and staining his silvery coat with
blood.
It was now a foregone conclusion that
Nndgka would bo tho victor. The Eng
lishmen roared themselves hoarse; even
the natives yelled their unrestrained
delight, in spite of their royal master’s
displeasure; while little Mahals fairly
clapped her hands and bounded in hci
seat at the side of her stornvhaged pro
tector.
But Djeridgowka, though plainly dis
pirited, had as yet suffered no positive
ly disabling injury, and it was quickly
evident that ho intended to make one
more effort to retrieve tho day.
Without the slightest warning he sud
denly changed his tactics by swerving
from his prowling circuit, and running
instead of leaping directly toward the
horse’s lowered crest, until within a
couple of yards, and then launching
himself forward, like the veritable
thunderbolt for which he was named,
full at Nadgka’s throat.
But tho stallion was not there to meet
it, having danced to one sido with the
rapidity of thought. Then, and before
the tiger could recover from tho shock
of striking tho opposite wall of tho pff
crash 1 crash! crash! successively were
tho steel shod terrible heels launched,
each time reaching tho mark with ar
rowy precision and bone-crushing force.
And then the jungle monarch was
seen running whimperingly around the
skirts of the arena on three legs, and
with his jaw hopelessly broken—con
quered, defeated, and with the solo ob
ject of effecting a skulking escape from
his victorious foe.
Tho Rijah made the sign by which
his favorite was permitted to makegood
his retreat, and then, with a bow to
Col. Mohun, turned to go with his
suite.
“Oie moment, Excellency 1” shouted
Mihala’s protector. “Deign, if you
please, to formally announce that the
victory is with Nadgka, and my little
friend here is to continue undisturbed
under my guardianship.
The potentate did so with none of
the best grace, it must be said, and
then took his departure with as much
haste as was consistent with his august
©
dignity. - v ;
It was none too soon.
Tho whito stallion, which had until
that moment remained proudly in the
centro of the pit, suddenly reared him
self high in the air, with flashing eyes
and floating mane and then fell upon
his side—dead.
“Poor Nadgka!” commented Major
Poindexter, laying his hand on Mohun’s
shoulder, on which tho little begum
was now sobbing as if her heart would
break. “See, his entire left ribs were
laid bare by that one stroke of Djer
idgowka’s paw. But never mind,
Mahala it free from the Rajah’s clutchos
and I have won a pot of his money.”
And perhaps they didn’t mind, at
least not greatly. M mey had changed
hands; Mahala, the whilom Nautch girl,
was saved to become a g.-eat magis
trate’s wife in Bombay, and tho mother
of a child destined to depose tho usurp
ing Rajah of Nagpoor, twenty years
later and restore‘lio rightful dynasty,
and a most single combat had
been nobly contested and heroically
won.
But then the hero was only a whito
stallion—only ahorse!—[Once a "Week.
The Oil Tree of China.
The Rural Horticolo calls attention
to the value of the oil yielded by tho
seed of tho “oil tree’’ of China and
Japan. This tree resembles in habit
and in foliage the common fig tree.
The fruit i? a capsule the size of an
orange, formed of several cells, each
containing a large thick-shelled seed.
These seeds contain an activo purga
tive principle, and are not edible. They
contain, however, 40 per cent, of their
weight of a clear, colorless, limpid oil,
possessing remarkable siccative proper
ties. This oil is used largely in China
and Japan ia the manufacture of lac
quers, in making water-proof cloths and
in painting buildings and for lights.
An oil tree five or six years old may be
expected, it appears, to produce an
averago annual crop of from 300 to 400
pounds of seed. It thrives on dry,
sandy, rocky soil, and has been found to
succeed ia some parts of southern
France, where, and in Algiers, its mcro
general cultivation is now urged. Ex
periments with thi3 tree should be made
in California, and as it is found in the
northern Island of Nippon, it may bo
expected to be hardy ia many parts of
the United States.—[San Francisco
Chronicle.
Adhesive Qualities of Onions.
Paper pasted, gummed or glued oa to
metal especially if it has a bi ight surface,
usually come 9 off on the slightest prov
ocation, leaving the adhesive material
on the back of the paper, with a sur
face bright' and slippery as ice. The
cheaper description of clock dials are
printed on papor and then stuck on
zinc, but for years tho difficulty was to
get the paper and metal to adhere. It
is, however, said to be now overcome
by dipping tho metal into a strong and
hot solution of washing soda, a'ter
ward scrubbing perfectly dry with a
clean rag. Onion juice is then applied
to tho surface of the metal and the label
pasted and fixed ia tho ordinary way.
It is said to be almost impossible to
separate paper and metal thus joined.
Probably metal show tablets might be
successfully treated in the same manner.
—[Scientific American.
CROTON AQUEDUCT.
Punctured Through Thirty Miles
of Solid Rock.
New York Possesses the Long
est Tunnel in the World.
The longest tunnel in the world is
rapidly approaching completion. In
other word), says the Sun, New York,
lin about eight months’ time, and after
the expenditure of about $20,000,000,
will have her aqueduct.
It n of interest to tho public to take
a glanca at this great engineering feat
in some of its more practical features—
tho question of Now York’s water sup
ply and its utilization under present
and prospective facilities being of vital
importance.
The drainage area of the Croton basin
covers about 3G4 square miles. In
other words, the supply from which
New York derives hor water is brought
to Croton Lake from that area of country.
Thh vast water-shed, even in periods
of tho greatest drought, will furnish a
supply of water equal to tho noeds of
tho city for about thirty years to come,
allowing for an increaso in population
in ratio proportionate to that of the
past. But, under present conditions,
the facilities for storing this water are
totally inadequate. Tho present ca
pacity of Croton Lake and other reser
voirs is roughly estimated at about ton
billions of gallons, and assuming that
each year, like the present, shall give a
regular monthly rainfall averaging
about four inches, these reservoirs will
be kept filled and equal to the increased
demands made upon them by the new
aqueduct. But, given a few months of
drought, New York may find herself as
badly off as ever.
The reason for this is obvious. The
rainfall at present being far in access
of the storage capacity of tho Croton
reservoir, the groat excess of water
passes over the dam and so into the
Hudson River and out to sea. Hence
tho necessity for tho proposed Quaker
Bridge reservoir, which, when con
structed, as it inevitably must be, will
impound and storo ail this waste water
and furnish ample reserves from which
to draw in seasons of drought. Thb
reservoir, therefore, is a most impor
tant feature in the present plan for im
proving New York’s water supply.
When the dam shall have been con
structed the proposed reservoir will
have a capacity of about 35,000,000,000
of gallons. It will form a
lake practically about sixteon miles
long and of an averago width of over
half a mile, from the mouth of the
Croton river to Croton Fulls, near Pur
dy’s. By reason of its vaster body and
greater depth, the water ia this reser
voir will not only be cooler but of great
er purity. It is a well -known fact that
tho rays of the sun acting upon any
body of water of general depth of less
than eight feet cause a vegetable growth
or green scum, the gradual decay of
which renders the water moro or loss
impure although not actually deleteri
ous to health.
The new aqueduct is about 30 miles
long, and will deliver to tho city 350,-
000,000 gallons a day. It i 3 horse-shoe
shaped and a little over thirteen and a
half feet ia diameter from Croton lake
to a poiat near Jerome park, through
which section tho water will run by
gravity, with a fall of about seven
tenths of a foot to the mile, filling the
conduit to the extant of about four
fifths of its capacity. At Jerome park
tho aqueduct makes a somewhat abrupt
fall of about 100 feet, passing under the
Harlem river some 300 feet below tho
level of the water, running under Man
hattan island, and finally rising at
135:h street, where a gate-house has
been constructed, from which the water
will bo distiibutei by means of eight
iron pipes, four of which run into the
reservoir at Central park and four to
the city.
Throughout its entire length this
great tunnel has been blasted cut of
solid rock, with the exception of three
or four spots where “blow-off,” have
been const!uctcd with the object of
rapidly emptying the aqueduct—which
here meets the surface—for the purpose
of examination, repair or cleansing. The
tunnel is lined throughout with brick
and, in one or two places, where the
rock has been found imperfect and a
leakage is possible, iron ha 3 been ad
ded as a lining. In eight months time
this vast undertaking will have been
accomplished, and nothing will then
be lacking but tho Quaker Bridge res
ervoir, which is now under considera
tion by the new commissioners.
Good Reasoning.
“Ma,” remonstrated Bobby, “when I
was at grandma’s she let mo have two
pieces of pie.”
“Well, she ought not to have done
so,” said his mother. “I think two
pieces of pie are too much for. little
boys. The older you grow, Bobby,
tho more wisdom you will gain.”
Bobby was silpnt, but only for a
moment. Well, ma” ho said, “grand
ma is a good deai oider than you are.’
■’[Christian Advocate.
Watercress Cultivation.
It was not until 1808 that watercress
growing was undertaken in England.
In that year a market gardener named
Bradbury of Springhead, near Grave
send observed that tho watercress of
that place was of a finer quality than
that produced elsewhere; and perceiv
ing that when kept free from weeds,
etc., it throve well, he took to farming
it for tho market. Since then it has
become an object of regular cultivation
and largo beds have been planted in
various parts of tho country. A fow
of the glowers have become prosperous
men, and today large numbers live by
its culture, while many more daily earn
their livelihood by its salo. In London
alone it is computed that tho street
hawkers annually dispose of $50,000
worth of watercress, and tho green gro
cers ot that city are credited with sell
ing each year $25,000 worth of tho same
plant. When, therefore, wo come to
consider the quantities, which, in ad
dition to tho metropolis, must be con
sumed in Manchester, Birmingham,
Liverpool and other large centres of in
dustry, wo get some idea of the enor
mous sum annually spent on thi3 relish.
On tho continent it is also much es
teemed as may be gathered from tho
fact that the yearly rental of tho beds
at Erfurt roaches $50,000; and in Paris
octroi duties are annually levied on
watercress estimated to be worth S2OO, -
000. In Now Zealand, whither it was
imported by English settlors, it grows
exceedingly well, tho leaves attaining
an extraordinary size; in fact, it is said
to have become a somewhat trouble
some wood. In India, according to Mr.
Main, it i 3 cultivated under sheds
erected for the purpose.—[Chambers’
Journal,
An Old Saying and its Origin.
The saying, “A bird in the hand is
worth two in the bush,” originated
from the following circumstance: Will
Somers, the celebrated jester to Henry
VIII., happened to call at Lord Sur
rey’s, whom ho had often by a well
timed jest saved from tho kings dis
pleasure, and who consequently, was
always glad to see him. He was on this
occasion ushered into the aviary, where
he found “my lord” amusing himself
with his birds. Somers happened to
admire the plumage of a kingfisher.
“By my lady, my prince of wits, I will
give it to you.” Will skipped about
with delight, and swore by the great
Harry he was a most noble gentleman.
Away went Will with his kingfisher,
telling all bis acquaintances whom ho
met that hi 3 friend Surrey had just pre
sentod_ him with it. Now, it so hap
pened that Lord Northampton, who
had scon the Lird the day previous, ar
rived at Lord Surrey’s just as Will
Somers had left, with the intention of
asking the bird of Surrey for a present
to a lady friend. Great was liis chagrin
on finding the bird gone. Surrey, how
ever, consoled him with saying that he
knew Somer3 would restore it if he
(Surrey) premised him two some other
day. Away went a messenger to the
prince of wits, whom he found in rap
tures with his bird, and to whom ho de
livered his lord’s messago. Great was
Will’s surprise, but he was not to ho
bamboozled by oven tho monarch him
self. “Sirrah,” said Will, “tell your
master that lam much obliged for his
liberal offer of two for one, but that I
prefer one bird in hand to two in tho
bush. ”
A Monster Tree.
During a recent trip through tho
wilds of the Sierras, about tho head
waters of the Kaweah river, Tularo
county, Cal, Mr. Fred W. Clough, a
well-known engineer of the Comstock,
say 3 that ho and his companions dis
covered a tree of sequoia species,
which ho believes to be much tho
largest on the continent of America.
Mr. Warren, who has seen tho big
trees of Mariposa, those of the big tree
grove in Calaveras county, and all tho
big trees of the coast range, says thero
is nowhere in California a tree that ap
proaches in size that on the Kaweah,
The men had with them no rule, tape
line or measure of any kind, but Mr.
Warren measured the tree with his rifle,
which is four feet in length. He found
it to be 44 lengths of his gun in circum
ference at a point as high above the
ground as he could reach. Tho top of
the tree has been broken off, but it is
still of immense height.
This monster tree stands ia a small
basin.near the Kaweah, and h surround
ed on all sides by a wad of huge, rugged
rocks. There is so much brush in the
vicinity that the little valley in which
tho big tree stands is almo.t inaccessi
ble.—[l’rairie Farmer.
Strongest and Weakest Woods.
According to Professor Sargent, says
tho Scientific American, tho strongest
wood ia the United States is that of
the nutmeg hickory of tho Arkansas re
gion and the weakest is the West In
dian birch. Tho most elastic is the
tamarack, tho whito or shellbark hick
ory standing far below it. The least
elastic and tho lowest in specific gravi
ty is the wood of the Ficus aurea. The
highest specific gravity, upon which in
general depends value as fuel, is attain
ed by the bluuwood of Texas.
the
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