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SUNDAY MORNING.
SIR JASPER’S ADVENTURE.
Sir Jasper Peters was the fortunate
pon of a man who had made a large
fortune In trade, and who had then
devoted himself to one of the great
political parties with so much dogged
ness that he had been rewarded by a
baronetcy without ever having had to
expose the defects of his early educa
tion by making a long spiech in the
house.
Whatever his party did v/aa right;
that was his motto, and he had lived
up to it with a simplicity which had
brought its inevitable reward.
The consequence was that his only
son was able to give up any active
share in the business, and to play at
being a country gentleman of patri
archal descent, while his wife could
assume the airs of a Lady Bountiful
on the one hand, and, outshine all the
great ladies of the neighborhood by
her diamonds, on the other.
Peterscourt, the country seat of the
distinguished pair, was of course an
old place where many generations of
ancestors —of somebody else —had
lived their little day.
it was a large, rambling, two-storied
building, dating from some far away
period, and altered in the castellated
style in the early years of Victoria’s
reign.
Beautifully situated in the southern
part of the country of Dorsetshire, it
was a little too far away from London
to be quite to the taste of Lady Peters,
wiio was ambitious of playing a great
part in society, and who would often
run up to town for a few days at a
time, while her husband was enjoy
ing his dignified seclusion within the
well wooded grounds and park of Pet
erseourt.
It was on one of these occasions,
when the baronet was sitting in soli
tary state in his great library after
dinner, ills little electric lamp on (ho
table behind him and a pile of litera
ture suitable to a country gentleman
by his side, that he was disturbed
in his leisurely perusal of bis paper
by tile sound of a footstep on the
gravel outside.
He had scarcely raised his heal,
when, to bis surprise and alarm, a
man in tiie unmls,alcalde dress of a
convict, panting, breathless, wltii
slarling eyes *nd hanging jaw, l-aprl
upon the window ledge from outside,
and then fell, exhausted, upon the
carpet.
"By Jove!” cried Sir Jasper a3 he
sprang up and made for the bell.
But the man was too quick for him.
Panting still, Indeed, but recovering
himself sufficiently to stagger to his
feet and across the floor, t'.ie unwel
come visitor threw himself upon the
terror stricken baronet, and stooping
at the same moment for the poker,
which he was near enough to reach,
lie growled out between his set teeth
a threat to "do for” that unhappy
gentleman If he so much as uttered
a call for help.
air Jasper gurgled out promise to
refrain, which he did not moan keep,
and the man thereupon let him down
again into the arm-chair from which
be had risen, and suddenly altered his
threatening tone for one, of abject en
treaty.
“Look 'eve, gntruer.” said he. in a
thick, hoarse whisper, moistening his
mouth as he spoke, still standing near
and holding the poker in his hand,
but no longer menacing his unwilling
host. "I don’t want for to do yer no
'arm. I'm not so bad as what you'd
think for to look at the dress I've got
0r.."
"You're a c —r —convict!" stam
mered Sir Jasper, half timorous and
half study. "You've escaped from
Portland!"
The man frowned uneasily.
"Well, so's a many more than me
been convicts, and a many as deserve
it a precious sight wus nor what I
do." said .he man. And as he spoke
he throw from time to time an an
xious glance toward the window by
which he had entered. "But this ain't
no time for to throw my failings in
my face. I'm a 'tinted man. that's
what I am. The warders is after
me "
“What!” cried Sir Jasper, with
something so like relief in ais face
that his guest scowled him promptly
Into silence.
“Surely, guvnor, you wouldn't go for
to betray a 'tinted man, a noble gentle
man like you, with everything 'and
some and comfortable about him! You
wouldn't go l'or to give up a poor
wretch that hogs you to give hint a
change of clothes, would you?
Alt—hh!"
The sound he uttered was an inde
scribable one. as ite suddenly straight
ened himself and listened Avi,it strain
ing ears to the unmistakable sound of
a rapid footstep on the grave!,
"They’re coming! They've traced
me 'ere! For mercy's sake, sir, don't
give nv up!"
The baronet looked at the close
cropped head, with the ugiy ears
standing out on each side, and the
coarse features distorted with fear,
with a disgust no found it hard to
bide. I-le, tix>. heard the approaching
footsteps, and secretly congratulated
himself upon his prosper.ive deliver
ance from iiis tormentor.
Before he had time to answer the
man's-emreaties the noise of footsteps
ceased; the convict threw one glance
at the window, a second glance round
the room, and ,hen he made for the
door with all speed. Sir Jasper
jumped up from ills chair and ran to
the window.
Yes. there, at the distance of but a
dozen steps, was one of the prison
warders, with a carbine in his hand.
He was standing srili and looking
about him. It was evident that for
the moment he had lost the track of
his quarry.
Sir Jasper beckoned ro him quickly.
"Warder!” cried he. "Warder! This
way!”
The man turned and came rapidly
toward him. He was a tail, strong,
fine looking man, with shrewd eyes
and clear cut features; and, even
as Kir Jasper called him, he was smit
ten by a sense of the inequality of the
contest between this stalwart, well
fed, handsome pursuer and the under
sized, lean, grizzled rascal of whom
he was in pursuit.
Saluting as he came, the warder
was under the window in a moment.
“You are looking for a convict who
has escaped?” said the baronet.
"Yes, Sir Jasper.”
"You know me, then?”
“Why, yes, to be sure, we all know
Sir Jasper Peters,” said the warder
with a smile. "Have you seen any
thing of the man, sir?”
“Yes, yes; he’s in my house at this
moment,” answered Sir Jasper, in
stinctively lowering his voice with a
sort of fear of retribution at the hands
of the hunted man if he were to learn
he was betrayed.
“Where, sir. where?”
Even before the baronet had finished
the sentence the warder hail put his
iiand on the window sill and sprang
into the room. Sir Jasper pointed to
the. door.
“He got away through there the mo
ment he heard you coining."
The warder looked at him in con
sternation as ite crossed the room.
"Then I'll he bound he’s rifling your
stiong room, sir," said he. “The mart's
one of the cleverest safe thieves In
England, and he’s got some sort of
tools with him he’s managed .o make;
and as you ha'’e got .plenty of stuff
to steal. I'll he sworn he's having a
shot at it.”
"W—w —w—what!" stammered the
startled baronet. "How can lie know?"
Already he was leading ihe warder
out of the room and across the hall,
in .he direction of the strong room.
“These chaps know 'most, evory
iking. Goodness only knows how.
Else wity should he come slraignt
hero? It’s miles from the prison, your
house is, and there's many a place he
might have took in on bit way. in
stead of making straight for neio!
It was my guess to come this way, the
only one of the lot ,o believe he'd got
so far."
The baronet was hunting for his
keys. Titey were standing together
at the door which led into ihe base
ment and as Sir Jasner turned tno
handle he said.
“We'd better have the butler with
us, had we noi?"
Tlie Warder smiled, and raised hi*
carbine.
“1 think this will be protection
enough for us both. Sir Jasper: and I
wouldn’t call the man if I was you.
You're never quite sure, with men ser
vants, whether they’ll be a help or a
hlu drauce.”
So tne two descended together into
the basement, looking an 1 listening,
but without coming upon any trace
of the escaped convict until they
leached the strong room door.
Sir Jasper turned up the electric
light in the opposite wall, and heaved
a sigh of relief as he saw that tu-re
was no sign of any attempt having
been made to tamper wi.lt the lock.
The warder, however, was stooping
to listen at the tiny keyhole and mak
ing a sign to Hie baronet to keep
quiet. Then ho nodded and came to
wanl liim.
"Will you listen at that door, sir,
and tell me if you hear anything?” he
asked.
Trembling, and sick with alarm. Sir
Jasper took his place at the keyhole.
"I—l fancy 1 hear a kind of scratch
ing,” whispered he at 'ask
The warder nodded.
"That's it. sir. That’s our man at
work!"
Sir Jasper stood up.
"But how did he get in?” said h<v
with white lips.
The warder shook his head.
The baronet took his Utile key front
his tvaich chain and proceeded to fit it
in the lock.
“Have n care, sir!"
Sir Jasper, tints warned, opened the
dco" most cautiously, and filing it
wide. Then, hastily pressing the but
ton Just inside, he flooded the smait
aitar.ment at once with light. He
drew a long sigh of relief—there was
no one there.
"And the jewelry—is that all right.
Sir Jasper?"
The baronet advanokl into the room
and opened a safe at the father end.
Lady Borers' emeralds and diamonds
were almost world famous, and a sud
den ntc.nemar.v doubt flashed through
the baronet's mind as to the wisdom
of letting even the prison warder
know the exact place where they were
kept when her ladyship had them for
use in the country.
But a glance at the warder reas
sured him. The stalwart guardian had
his watchful eye. not on the safe Where
the baronet was busy, but on the dark
corners inside and oiustde the room,
and even as he looked about hint he
held his carbine ready in case of a
surpiise front unseen enemies.
"It's all right!" cried Sir Jasper,
with relief, as he came to the snug vel
vet nest where the jewels were spark
ling.
But even as he uttered the words
the warder's cry broke upon his
ear, —
“Ah, would you!"
And, looking around. Sir Jasper saw
the convict rush past the warder from
some unseen corner outside, and,
THE BRUNSWICK /DAILY NEWS.
j jerking up the arm which held the
I carbine, make a da3h for the jewels.
! The next moment, before the baronet
! had time to make all safe, he per
| ceived that the warder’s weapon had
fallen to the ground, and that his
right arm hung limp, w.ti!e he cried
out excitedly,—
"Seize him, Sir Jasper, seize him!"
The convict, even as these words
i were uttered, was springing upon the
j baronet, who, good man, living an easy
; life, was net in condition to grapple
i cs equal terms with the lithe, spare
frame of his assailant. In another
moment both were on the floor, the
convict on tne top.
There was a short, sharp struggle,
during which the baronet felt him
self for some moments blinded, chok
ing. I'hen the man was pulled off
him by the superior force of the war
der. who even with one arm disabled,
knew a trick or two which made him
more than a match for his man.
"Now sir, up with you an t help mo
with-him,” cried the warder, wnile
t!ie convict muttered curses on them
both and vainly struggled to get free.
It was some seconds even then ire
fore the warder was able to clap the
handcuffs on he desperate prisoner,
at the cost of much pain to himself
from his wounded arm. But win the
baronet’s assistance he at last over
powered the wiry rascal and dragged
him upstairs, where, wuh the help
of the men servants, who aow, hear
ing the noise of the scuffle, joined
their aid ,o the master's, the convict,
still Jefinant arid sullen, was led out
of the house and hoisted up into a
light cart which happened to be
within Hat 1.
“To Portland!" oriel the warder, as
barely remaining long enough io re
ceive the congratulations of .he baro
net, he sprang up in the cart and
laid a powerful detaining hand on ihe
rascal’s shoulder.
Then Sir Jasper, who was some
what dazed as a result of these un
wonted exertions and exci.cmc.its,
turned back to the mansion wit:i a
sigh of relief and a distinct conscious
ness Dial he was considerably bruised.
He could not, however, wai. to at
tend to his wounds or even to ascer
tain the extern of them, as he sudden
ly remembered that ,ie had left tie
door of t ie . long room open, ami ilia:
even the safe w.iere his wife's Jewels
were kept was still unlocked.
As the lights were burning botli in
side and outside the strong room,
however, it was a matter of a few
seconds only to retrace his steps and
to regain the velvet nesi where he
gems lay.
What was his amazement, his hor
ror, to find, on looking into t.ie case
which he had previously opened, tha'
the chief treasure of the collection,
ills wife's tiara of hung emeralds
mounted in brilliants was gone!
The unfortunate baronei s.ood for
a moment petrified by his discovery.
He could not remember at what point
of the hurried proceedings of the iasi
salt hour it was that the convict had
had the opportuni.y of seizing ihe
jewels; vo. tHat lie had made good
use of some momentary chance was
only too plain.
A trembling examination of the
other canes showed ihat a magnificent
that tan real, of ihe collection was safe.
Scarcely aide to walk, the baronet
made all safe and iotcored upstairs.
“Order tlie phaeton around at one?.”
said ae to the first servant he met,
and then, as ho paced up and down the
hall, he debated the chances of his
ever recovering the property.
He knew well enough thai if the
rascal were to take the jewels bark
to Portland with him the search he
would undergo would discover the
stolen property; Imt his fear was that
the man. whom the warder had Ic
some means of getting rid of them
on ill ■ > way. If they were to lie (tun;;
into a di.elt or into i he sea. wiiat was
his chance of ever seeing them again?
The minutes seemed hours as he
drove along in the darkness toward
the prison, and when he leaped to tire
ground and addressed the warder who
opened the door ais voice was cracked
and broken as ae stammered out.-
"l—l want to s >e the warder who
brought the escaped prisoner back."
The ma.i stand a. him Intently.
"What escaped prisoner, sir? There
has been no escape of a prisoner.”
"Oh, yes. there lias." said Sir Jas
yer. impatiently. "I tell you he was
caught in my house—Petersoourt—
not an '-our ago."
due warder looked at him, recog
nized cue of the nragnat.es c.f the
neighborhood, and begged him ,o step
inside ihe lodge.
Sir Jasper, with a terrible sinking of
tilt heart, accepted the invitation,
gave a minute account of what had
taken place, and was shocked to see
a more dubious look come over the
warder’s face. When he paused, the
man said, —
“I'm very much afraid. Sir Jasper,
that you stand a poor chance of see
ing your jewels again. You've been
the vicilrn of a very artful robbery,
an t!i, by your description of the men.
I should think it was the work of
Neiherby and Fletcher. If it is them,
and they've pulled off a big thing like
that. I should thing they'll be out of
the country before tomorrow morn
ing. They've evidently laid their
plans very well, down to having the
cart in waiting to carry them off. I'm
very sorry for you. Sir Jasper, but
you’d better drive to the nearest po
lice station and lodge your complaint
a* once. It's your only chance, and
I'm afraid it's a very poor one."
And so poor Jasper found.
Not otriy were the police convinced
that he had been robbed and that he
! stood a bad chance of recovering iiis
i property, but it even seemed to him
; that they took a misguided pleasure
| in hearing every detail of the affair at
I great length, in order to express some
thing very like admiration of th*
means by which the two artful scoun
drels had possessed, themselves of tha
jewels.
"Then—then it must have been the
one tha. pretended to be a warder tb.3t
took the things!” he stammered, whits
with rage.
"That's it, sir,” said the officer,
cheerfully. "While you was on the
floor struggling with the convict —I
mean the one dressed like a convict —
why, the tail chap was helping him
self!"
Sir Jasper groaned.
"He never seemed to look at me or
the safe either!" sighed he. "He's the
mort artful rogue I ever heard of,
and I’d give the world to see him in
the dock!”
Sir Jasper did have that pleasure
some six months later, when Ne.her
by ami Fletcher, after having expatri
ated themselves for a time, rashly re
turned to their native land.
The baronet had the satisfaction of
seeing them, forlorn and dejected, re
ceive a sentence of some years penal
servitude. But neither he nor Lady
Peters ever saw the jewels again.—
Black arid While.
fiUAiNT AND CURIOUS.
You cannot swear at or abuse any
body in the Japanese language. The
worst you can say of anybody is that
he is a "fellow," and if you waut to
express your very, very pointed indig
nation you shout, "There, there!"
A German has arrived in Vienna,
Austria', after walking 14.000 miles
pushing a perambulator containing his
wife and child. On an average he cov-,
ereil 20 miles a day, and often gave
lectures in the evening.
Heat from cold water seems fabu
lous. hut it is an established fact. The
water is decomposed by electricity into
its const 4 'pent gases, hydrogen and
oxygen. When these gases are reunit
ed the act of combination causes the
evolution of intense heat. The well
known theatrical limelight is an ex
ample of this.
At. the Paris Mont-ile-Piete is an
Empire clock pawned in 1835 for S.!O,
an old silver lid pawned To years ago
and a l it of lace pawned T 5 years ago
tor $2.50. For alt these things the
contract has lawn religiously renewed
every year by somebody. But the outl
et; i of these oddities is a common old
umbrella in green gingham, in value
perhaps worth 50 cents to a connois
seur. Tiie pledge for this has been
steadily renewed for 03 years.
The curious custom of marriage by
P’oxy still exists in Holland. A Dutch
gentleman residing In liatavia was re
cently united by proxy to a young lady
residing with her parents at Amster
dam. and, incongruous as it seems to
our ideas, the bridegroom's sister rep
resented liim and took the young lady
in his name "for better or worse.” it
seems (hat the young man was tired
of waiting for his old love any longer
l ot found that she would not be mar
ried unless her mother was present.
Her parents would not go to Batavia
am; he •-oilid not go home. A compro
mise was happily possible, as they
wire both Dutch subjects, by the lady
icing married with her relations
around her, and she has now sailed for
J..va.
The British government has iate’y
caused a survey to lie made of several
islands in the Indian ocean, and in the
published account of it mention is
made of sortie peculiar crabs of the
“hermit ' species that were found
there. It is said tlial they were once
inhabitants of the sea, but having
abandoned it for ihe land, they retain
their habit of protecting the under
part of the body by some hard cov
ering. To do this, they take posses
sion of shells abandoned by other sea
animals. and of anything of a similar
nature that they can find. One was
observed running about with a bro
ken co count shell as its protection,
but the awkwardness of smh a
"house” did not seem to interfere
with either its locomotion or it3 com
fort.
Shot ly mi Kupilmo Hunter.
Wild geese and brants are known to
travel, during me migratory season,
very far south. Recently a large wild
goose was killed not far from Spokane
City. Wash., which had evidently
winged its way from ihe remote Eski
mo lamb-. When the hunter picked
up the bird he was surprised to ob
serve a slender piece of ivory protrud
ing from its breas. just below one of
its wings. With much difficulty be
succeeded in pulling out the piece, for
the flesh had grown tightly around it.
It proved to be an arrowhead, about
eight inches long, which had some
queer carvings on the stem where it
had been fastened to the shaft. The
carvings were delicate, though quite
disiin t. On a careful inspection by
sonic Klondike miners the carvings
were pronounced to be of Eskimo orig
in. No arrowpeint of that kind warg
ever known to have been used by tha
Indians of Washington or British Co
lumbia. Tlie head was of fine ivory,
no doubt carved from a walrus tusk.
Evidently the goose had been shot 'ey
an Eskimo hunter in the Arctic ro-
I gions, the wound had healed, the flesh
i had grown around the weapon, and in
j its long flight the bird had no doubt
j broken off the arrowshaft—Scientific
| American.
An Owl’# I>iet.
Eighty pigeons had their eyes pick
ed out recently by an owl which en
tered their loft by night at Ncrdbaa
sen. Prussia. The same owl the night
before picked out the eyes of a whole
litter of kittens which were in the
same building.
SCIENCE AND INDUSTRY. "
Sufficient power fr the automatlo
winding of a clock has been obtained
from tbe expansion and contraction
of a column of alcohol under the daily
variations of temperature.
Many steam-pipe explosions are due
to water-hammer action, in a late
paper Mr. C. E. Stromeyer showed that
a plug of water only six inches long
propelled only two feet under a pres
sure of 15 pounds would exert a pres
sure of 6400 pounds on being suddenly
stopped.
Sweden is about to establish a sta
tion for wireless telegraphy, and the
recent Diet voted the necessary money
therefor. A start has been made al
ready with the preliminary work of
establishing this form of telegraphy
betwen tae island of Gothland and the
mainland.
The Japanese military authorities
in Formosa have lateiy made an in
teresting experiment by mechanically
protecting soldiers from the bites of
mosquitos. A whole battalion of sol
diers was protected for 161 days and
not a single ease of fever was ob
served. During tbe same time and at
tlie same plai e 231) cases of malaria
occurred m another battalion not so
protected. It would scorn chat the
scientific demonstration of the agency
of the mosquito in producing malaria
was complete.
The popular notion about South Af
rica is that. it. is a vast. dry. r.it 'less
plain, little suited to crop farming or
stock raising, but it is really one o!
the best regions for sheep. The west
ern half of it is almost rainless, and
all but the coast laad3 along the south
and east have a‘deficient rainfall, so
that farming is not possible. But over
nearly the whole area nutritious
gras.es grow, and water can be had
for stock simply by sinking wells, it
Is estimated that before the war 13,-
000.060 sheep were grazing in the
Great Karoo desert in the northern
part of Cape Colony, and the flocks of
the Transvaal were without number.
Tn the water supply and irrigation
papers of llie United States Geology
Servey (Nos. 57 and 61) are lists of all
wells in the United States deeper than
300 feet. The cables give the depth
of each well, its diameter, the yield
per minute, etc. References are also
given to publications relating to the
wells of each particular region. The
large product of natural gas in the
cast and in the west, the enormous
output from the oil fields of Califor
nia. Texas and the east, and the con
siderable and indispensable w-ater
supply furnished by deep wells on
the plains and in arid regions make
concise information of the sort of
gu-at use to all those interested in
the economic development of such
productive fields, as well as to scien
tific geologists.
it is well known that many diseases
are propagated by vermin. Flies
transport tuberculosis, mosquitoes
yellow fever and*analaria. rats the
plague. Mr. V. Haazen in the An
nales do Bharmacie reports the resulL
of experiments on the destruction of
verm'u. that are of immediate prac
tical importance. Bedbugs resist
exposure for 24 hours to an atmos
phere containing six grams of formic
aldehyde per cubic metre. With eight
grains a certain number died. All per
ished with nine grains per cubic metre.
The gas furnished by the burning of
25 grains of sulphur per cubic metre
also destroyed all these pests. Flies
and mosquitoes are killed by two
grains of formic, aldehyde per cubic
metre of air. Fleas are destroyed by
seven grains per cubic metre, or
by burning sulphur. Rats and mice
are destroyed oy 36 hours' exposure
to an atmosphere containing 15 grains
of formic aldehyde per cubic metre,
but the full exposure of 36 hours
must, be given; 24 hours is not suf
ficient.
Tliw Ajippnilix—Mlmt It I.
People as a rule know nothing se
garding the appendix. They talk about
appendicitis, but. the organ afflicted is
to them a profound mystery. Let me
endeavor to make plain the nature of
this curious vestige in human ana
tomical history. The digestive system
of man. and that of all other animals,
is a canal or tube whereof the stomach
is simply a dilated part. Now, be
yond the stomach we find the intes
tine tor bowel), which in man aver
ages 26 feet, in length. It is
divided into the small intestine, meas
uring about 26 feet, ami into the
large intestine, which makejau about
six feet of the total lenga^^ Wheje
The small intestine —which is the part
that immediately succeeds the Uom
ach —joins the large vve find the cae
cum. Tills, as its name indicates, is a
evil tie sac, a kind of blind alley, lying
below the point ol' junction. Attached
to the caecum we find the appendix, a
little tube-like vestige, averaging about
three inches in length, and of the di
ameter of a goose quill. If the caecum
is a blind alley the appendix is a kind
of trap, lying as it does to the back
of the caecum. When indigestible
things find their way into ihe appen
dix —cherry stones, grape seeds and
and even the hairs of tooth-brushes—
they cause irritation, and when this
irritation goes the length of inflamma
tion we get the ailment known as "ap
pendicitis.” The removal of the ap
pendicitis is an operation of modern
surgery which, under ordinary condi
tions. is both safe and successful.—
London Chronicle.
A thornless rosebush blooms in th-.
gardens of Mr. Leopold de Rothschild
at Acton. It ig named the Zepherin
Drou'.in
SEPTEMBER 21
THREE ACES OF WOMAN.
At fifteen, like an opening bud,
The maiden fair is seen;
And she would have the world believe
That she is full eighteen.
Next, by the time that thirty years
Their steady course have run.
She tbeu would have us understand
Sho is but twenty-one.
Time roils around, her girlhood friends
Are nothing more but names,
Though she has seen but ninety years.
A century she claims.
—New York Tim*.
HUMOROUS.
Wigwag—How did you get along
abroad, not knowing any of the lan
guages? Newrich—Oh, money talks."
Tom—lf I stole one kiss what would
you think of me? May—Not much; I
have little sympathy for petty larceny.
Stulib —There goes a man who i3
full of mystery. Penn—You don't say!
Stubb—Yes, he just ate a bowl of chop
suey.
Nell —At any rate, I shall never be
disappointed in love. Belle—How do
you know ? Nell —I'm going to marry
for money.
More cruelty—"l make it a rifle," he
said, “to learn something every day.”
“My!” she replied. ■ “How fast you
must forget.”
Timid Suitor—l wish to ask for your
daughter’s hand, sir. Father—You
might as well take the entire daugh
ter. young man.
Mistress (to newly engaged cook) —
And now, what shall we call you?
Cook —Well, mum. me name is Bertha,
but me friends all calls me Birdie.
The youth—l think Bessie Billus is
as pretty as she can be. Don't you?
The Maiden—Oh, yes; if she could
think of any was" to make herself
prettier you can bet she'd try it.
"His attentions to you have been
marked, have they not?” said the
young woman's experienced friend.
"Oh ye3. He has never taken the
price tag off any of his presents."
Clara (to her old chum) —And that,
horrid Jones boy that used to pester
you with his love-making—does he
worry you as much as ever? Ethel —
Well, hardly; you see, we'er married
now.
Cassidy—Shtop kickin’ about yer
hard luck, man! Some mornin' ye'll
wake up an’ find yersel’ famous.
Casey—Faith, O’ll bet ye-whin thot
mornin’ comes 'twill be me lui k to
overslape mesel’.
Bi/.zer —It makes "my wife angry
when I refuse to let her have the last
word in an argument. Buzzer —Why
don’t you let her have the last word?
Bizzer —Well, then she says I am afraid
to argue with her.
"Y’es, the poor fellow met his death
by a steal.” "You don't say! Some
one hit him over the head with it?”
“No; he ate it.” “Get out!” "Y’es;
it was a toadstool, and he thought it
was a mushroom.”
"Has he been maried long?” “Well,
i can't quite make out whether he's
still in the honeymoon days or has
been married long enough tq be well
trained. It's one or the other, for I
notice he's dreadfully afraid of being
late to dinner.
LAWS OF HEREDITY.
“ Tlirp# Owners lion* to Mnku m Gentle*
mail M 1 set. Not Theory.
Professor Karl Bearson, F. R. S.,
who lias taken a leading part in found
ing the doctrine of evolution on a sta
tistical basis, explained to a deeply
interested audience at the Royal In
stitution some of the results, nays the
London Telegraph. Two of these are
of special importance. It is shown by
examination of large numbers of per
sons that mental and moral as well as
physical qualities are inherited, and
to the same extent. Taking school
children and examining them minute
ly with respect to curliness and color
of the hair, length, breadth and height
of the head, color of the eyes, the ce
phalic index and health on Lie one
hand; and on the other testing them
for intelligence, vivacity, conscienti
ousness. popularity, temper, self-con
scientiousness, shyness and handwrit
ing, the degree of inheritance in the
two categories came numerically as
close as 521t0522. Secondly, it is prov
ed that two or three generations will
suffice to create anew stock. Statistics
of large numbers show that there is
more than is often supposed in the say
ing: "It takes three generations to
make a gentleman," and in the expres
sion, "Visiting the sins of the fathers
upon the children to the third and
fourth genera ion.” Pedigree in hu
manity. as in the lower animals, is a
vital factor. Thus a family or a na
tion will certainly progress or degen
erate as the issue of heredity. It need3
but to repress the numbers of the bet
ter and higher afid to multiply the
numbers of the lower afld less fit for
two or three generations to make na
tional degeneration terribly real. Pro
fessor Pearson’s tabular results show
ed the universality of the laws of in
heritance. not only :n animals like
horses and dogs, but in lowly insects
and even in plants.
Income from Knilowmeiite.
A common note in the financial re
ports of institutions of al! kinds i3
the regret at the fall in the rates of
interest. The basis is now three or
three and a half instead of six or
seven a dozen years ago. This means
that endowments must be doubled In
order to keep up the income returns.
The lower rate alro has a far-reaching
jA'ect upon the chances open to the
S-erage man of retiring in his age
with a competency. He has to save
twice as much to secure the income
that he desires as in the early seven
ties.—Boston Watchman