Newspaper Page Text
SUNDAY MORNING.
rouTroSm^iTEsl
’ ' JL
THE FACE ACAINST THE PANE.
THOMAS HAILEY ALIIIIICB.
Jf*hc!. little Mabel, > Of the eaiiore on the sea!
With face against the pane, God pity them, (iod jiity them,
Ixxiktj out rtCfoas the night. Wherever they may be!
And nee* the Beacon Light God pity wives and sweethearts
A-irenibling in the rain. Who wait and wait in vain!
Rhe hear* the sea-birds screech., And pity little Mabel.
And the breakers on the beach With face against the pane.
Making moan, making moan.
'And the wind about the eaves A boom! the Lighthouse gun!
KJf the cottage sobs and grieves; (Jlow its echo rolls and rolls!)
And the willow-tree is blown "fin to warn the home-bound ships
To and fro, to und fro. Off the shoals!
Till it seems like some old erone Bec! a rocket cleaves the sky
standing out there all alone From the fort; a shaft of light!
With her woe, See! it fades, and fading leaves
Wringing as she stands. Golden furrows on the night!
Her gaunt and palsied hands! What makes Mabel's cheek so pale?
While Mabel, timid Mabel, What makes Mabel’s lips ho white?
With face against the pane, Did she see the helpless sail,
Looks out across the night, That, tossing here and there,
And sees the Beacon Light, * Like a feather in the air,
A-trembling in the raiu. Went down and out of sight?
Down, down, and out of sight!
Ret the table, maiden Mabel, Oh. watch no more, no more.
And make the cabin warm; With face against the pane;
Your little fisher-lover You cannot see the men that drown
la out there in tlie storm, By the Beacon in the rain!
And your father— vou are weeping!
Q Mabel, timid Mabel. # From the shoal of richest rubies
' Go spread the supper table, Breaks the morning clear and cold;
’And set the tea a-steeping. And the angel on the village spire.
Your lover's heart is brave, Frost-touched. i bright as gold,
His boat is staunch and tight; Four ancient fishermen,
And your father knows the perilous reef In the pleasant autumn air.
That makes the water white. Come toiling up the sands.
But Mabel, darling Mabel, With something in their hands—
With face against the imne, Two bodies stark and white,
Looks out across the night An. so ghastly in the light.
At the Beacon jg the rain. With the sea weed in their hair!
O ancient fishermen.
The heavens are veined with fire! Go to yonder cot!
And the thunder how it rolls! You’ll find a little child,
In the lulling of the storm With face against the pane.
The solemn church bell tolls Who looks toward the beach,
For lost souls! And looking, sees it not.
But no sexton sounds the knell She will never watch again!
In that belfry old and high; Never watch and weep at night!
Unseen fingers sway the bell For those pretty, saintly eves
As the wind goes tearing by; Look beyond the stormy skies.
How it tolls for the souls And they see the Beacon light.
A PIANO THAT LAUGHED.
BY CLAUDIA MAY FEKRIN.
W -y O ouc could play upon It—tliat'
|\ j lg, no one whose nerves
| were very sensitive or whose
’’ horrors of the uncanny or the
Inexplicable were in the ascendancy.
A magnificent piece of workmanship
it was, to be sure, famous since Its
completion for its sweet tone nml Its
wide compass of expression. Yet it
stood there in Mr. Briggs’s parlor ready
to indulge in mocking laughter at who
soever should dare to seek its music.
The laughter in itself was oufßdent
to unnerve even the most courageous
scoffer at the possibilities of phostdoiu.
It was a harsh, grating ‘Tin, ha. ha!”—
Much ns a merrymaking bedlam will
give vent to. and with us little occa
sion for utterance. The longer any
one played the louder the laughter be
came, until even the boldest would
clasp his bands to his ears and arise
In nervous haste. Another strange
thing was that It did not begin until
the performer touched the note O, con
tinuing until he ceased playing,
whether that note was sounded again
or not. It (topped as soon as the
last echo died away, whicli caused
more than one to gate back at the
Instrument In shame-faced confusion.
“What* shall we do with* it?” said
Mrs. Briggs, helplessly, after n llnal
effort to ploy upon it without heeding
its ridicule.
“Sell It,” replied her husband
promptly.
“No, no, no!’’ slie said. "Father
made ine promise upon my knees that
I’d never part with It. Resides, who’ll
want 11? 1 must have a piano that I
can play upon, for I cannot live with
out music.”
“Well, then. I’ll send an expert to
examine it—what say you?”
“Send him. of course. But what
good can he do? The laughter was
not heard until after father died, and
yon know that the letter (5 was his
Initial—G of Gottlieb."
“It Is a strange cotneldenee. to be
sure. But G may also stand for
Gretna," said the practical Mr. Briggs.
“Bet’s see what the piano-maker will
will discover before wo worry further.
Tl)en if he cannot remedy the trouble
I’ll get you anew one.”
The next day the expert came, taking
apart the beautiful instrument and
minutely inspecting every detail in its
tnnke-up. To their dismay he discov
ered pothing out of the ordinary, in
forming them instead that It was the
best-made Instrument he had ever ex
amined. His efforts proved a failure.
Obviously: for as soon as he had put
It together again It stood ready to emit
that blood-curdling laughter in the
face of any and every performer.
The Instrument was made in Ger
many by tlie father of the cultured
Mrs. Briggs. Gottlieb Vanflofen bad
been one of the leading manufacturers
of pianos in Berlin, also owning large
manufacturing Interests in Paris and
London. He was reputed as fabulous
ly wealthy, yet at his death the entire
bulk of his fortune did not exceed
$3,000,000 in American money. This
was to be divided equally between his
daughter. Mrs. Briggs, and his son.
Karl Yandofen. A sense of disappoint
ment was experienced by the former,
though she tried to persuade herself
that she had known so little about
her father's business affairs thnt per
haps she had overestimated his finan
cial worth.
The son was absent In Australia and
Its neighboring islands when the father
was attacked with his final illness,
failing to receive tlx? letter bearing
the news of bis approaching demise.
Three months previously he had goue
thither, led by his roving disposition
and the desire to see that part of the
world. The two had had a lengthy
conversation previous to Karl's depar
ture, but Gretna had not learned the
purport of It, neither did she let it con
corn her very mueh. Slit* know that
her father aud brother were upon the
best of terms.
Two months after Gottlieb Vando
fen’s dentil his daughter Gretna was
married to Augustus Briggs, an Ameri
can professor who had gone to Ger
many to study the language. This
seemingly hasty marriage was but in
accordance with the father’s request,
for he knew that Ills daughter’s inter
ests would be safe in the hands of
that gentleman. As soon as the busi
ness could be adjusted, the happy pair
sailed for America, expecting Karl
to reappear upon the scone at any
day to take charge of affairs there at
Berlin.
But lie did not come, and, unknown
to them, was anxiously awaiting word
from the beloved Fatherland. Finally,
he wrote his sister a letter of inquiry,
ns to her silence, which reached her a
few days after her arrival In America.
Three months more passed, aud at tlio
time of the final struggle with the mys
terious piano Mrs. Briggs was daily
expecting another missive from her
wandering brother.
The letter failed to come, but the
brother arrived In its stciul. .Sun
burned, weary and heartily satisfied
to refrain thereafter from ills long,
aimless journeys, lie appeared at her
door one morning, to be welcomed as
none but a sister can welcome.
Explanations, over, lie began to
glance casually about the room, and
Immediately bis eyes fell upon the
new piano.
"What’s this for?” he queried.
“Where’s father’s piano?”
"It’s haunted,” replied Mrs. Briggs,
with subdued voice. '
"Haunted? Tut, tut!” Aud without
further comment lie seated himself at
the familiar old instrument at tin* op
posite side of the room. Eagerly he
struck the central note E, then list
ened intently. Next the note I*', and
listened again. Lastly the note G;
and as the laughter began its weird
reverberations he turned to his sister
with a smile of triumph.
“Haunted, is it?" he cried, exult
antly. “No. no, Gretna. That’s just
what I was hoping for. Come, sit
down, and I’ll tell you all about it.”
Leading lier to a divan near by, he
seated himself beside dper. and began
to explain carefully the* hitherto un
fat honmble mystery.
“When 1 was about to leave on this
last trip, you remember, fattier called
me to him and we had a loug conver
sation. That morning he told me for
the first time the exact amount of his
fortune—about $10,000,000 in American
money—and gave me a working knowl
edge of his three establishments. He
had long been thinking of selling his
interest in the factories at Paris and
Loudon, but was not yet ready to close
negotiations. Whenever he did so, that
would necessitate the handling of large
sums of money, aud he was then at
a loss to know just which city—
whether London, Paris, or Berlin—
to deposit the bulk of his fortune in.
He expressed the fear if such should
be the case he knew that you could
not manage affairs, as you had never
handled money except to spend it. I
read his thoughts and offered to give
up my trip, but lie would not consent
to that. Instead, he exacted a promise
from me that when I should return
this time I would remain at home and
devote myself to business.
"Well, when h? had explained every
thing so thoroughly that 1 knew just
what was depending upon me, he then
told me that he was afraid to leave his
fortune all in one bank, and that he
intended to divide it into two sums.
The smaller amount he would leave in
tlie bank with which our family has
always done business: the other—and
now comes the great secret of the
piano.
‘•You know ns well as I (bat fattier
did every bit of the work on this in
strument except, perhaps, the carving.
Ite spared neither pains nor expense
in building It, for it was to be a family
treasure go Ion;; as an atom of it
remained. Well, that morning he tool;
me to ft and removed a part of the
ease, showing me that the rear of Hie
musical framework was double, with
space chough between the hoards to
admit one's hand. In Hint space Is a
peculiar bit of mechanism of father's
own dovlrirff, with h It • termed a laugh
ing-jack. if. can be connected with the
musical apparatus by means of a very
slender wire, which Is brought around
past the sounding board in such a way
that no one can find it unless be knows
beforehand just where to look for it.
‘ To show lne how it worked he at
tached the wire to the hatnntersliank
of a string near the centre of the in
strument. and struck that note with Ids
finger. At once the laughter began,
just as If will do no— lie played a
strain or two and flic thing kept laugh
ing ns long as the piano continued to
sound. This amused me so that I
laughed in earnest. He feared that
you might hear us. so Ik> released the
hammershank from the secret wire.
“He then told me that he was think
ing seriously* of depositing ids money
in a bank in a foreign country, so that
the lawyers and sharpers would not
lie so apt to discover it and perhaps
purloin part of it in ease I should not
be at home. He mentioned England
and France, because of his factories
being at the capital of each country.
I sanctioned the suggestion, whereupon
he explained that if he deposited ids
money In England, at London, he
would attach the laughing-jack to the
note E. by which I should know that a
letter of introduction to the cashier of
the Bank of England was secreted in
this recess at the back of the piano.
If lie left the money In Paris he would
attach the wire to the note F, mean
ing France; If In our home city, to the
note G. signifying Germany. Of
course when he gave me these instruc
tions he took It for granted that I
would get word Immediately If he
should die ere I returned, so that you
would not need to be alarmed by the
laugidng-jack’s merriment. He said
further that if he should die so sud
denly that lie could uot attend to this
matter, then I must look for the letter
In the secret recess in Ids desk at
home, with which you also ore fami
liar. I searched for II there as soon as
I reached home, but finding nothing, I
concluded that you had either taken It
or that it was in the piano."
“I found nothing of importance.” re
turned the sister. “There was no letter
there, at any rate—nothing but some
old bills and about fifty marks in
money."
“Then I’ll inspect tlie piano.”
With that Karl Vnndofen arose and
moved the instrument to a lighter part
of the room. In a very few moments
lie had taken away a portion of the
casing, and his first act was to show
his sister the thread-like wire attached
to the base of one of the hammer
shanks, the prime cause of all that
hideous laughter. With a small stool
which lie had brought for the purpose
lie unwound the wire, whereupon he
struck the middle G note of tlie key
board to prove to her that the en
chantment was gone.
He next gave his attention to the
double back of the instrument, dis
closing the unusual bit of space to
which lie had alluded, with its queer
piece of mechanism witliln—the laugh
ing-jhek. Near the latter was a care
fully sealed envelop,', addressed to
Karl In scrawling hand and lettered in
faultless German—the father’s special
legacy to his son and daughter.
With trembling hand Karl opened it.
to find therein the following message,
also in German:
“My Dear Son—The money awaits
you, as I promised all in twenty-mark
pieces. Present this letter to the cash
ier of our national bank, whereupon
he will produce an exact duplicate of
it and will give you tin* key to a box
in the safety vault. Take the money
aud divide it equally between yourself
and Gretna; but first give the cashier
100 marks as a reward for his fidelity,
although I have already paid him a
handsome sum. Sell our interests In
Paris and London, and live in the old
home, rememhering the blissful days
when your mother lived and we were
an unbroken family. Awaiting death's
call. GOTTLIEB VANDOFEX.”
Thus the magnificent piano delivered
its message, which touched a tender
spot in the heart of each recipient.
Nothing was left them but to obey,
with Karl as the principal actor in
the drama,
A few months later the wishes ex
pressed in the letter were all fulfilled
save one. And Karl had taken the in
itial step toward its consummation,
having begun to pay attention to a
buxom little lass in Berlin with a view
to installing tier finally as mistress of
the Ynudorcn mansion. Now York
Times.
A Multiplication-Addition Table.
Tlie following table was worked out
by a Harvard professor. It is interest
ing to look at. but one is thankful that
it is not included among the multipli
cation tables:
1 time 9 plus 2 equals II
12 times t) plus 3 equals 111
123 times 0 plus 4 equals 111!
1234 times 9 plus 5 equals 11111
12345 times 9 plus 0 equals mill
123456 times 9 plus 7 equals 1111111
1234567 times 3 plus .S equals 11111111
12343078 times 9 plus 9 equals 111111411
1 time 8 plus 1 equals 0
12 times 8 plus 2 equals 98
123 times 8 plus 3 equals 987.
1234 times S plus 4 equals 9S7C
12345 times 8 plus 5 equals 98705
123456 times S plus 0 equals 987054
1234507 times 8 plus 7 equals 9870*543
12345078 times S plus 8 equals 68705432
12345U759 times Bpllis9equals9S7os432l
—Success.
THE BRUNSWICK DAILY NEWS.
AGRICULTURAL
Ilapn Sramls DroutH Well.
Experiments made the past season
with rape show that it lias long tap
roots and stands drouth well. The
plants grow rapidly, and when cut off
sefld out new shoots for another crop.
It has been grown on light sandy soil,
and seems to thrive on ail kinds of
land. It is a crop that can stand slight
frosts and lasts late in the fall, provid
ing green food until close to the ap
proach of Christmas.
Peril: Corn.
Sumo farmers carefully select tiui.-
seed corn and their crops are conse
quently better < :.< b stive eding year.
The first duty is to go into the stand
ing corn and mark the best and most
promising stalks by fastening to each
stalk a strip or rag. Then the stalks
that have been selected are again care
fully examined to select the best ears
and grains. The object is to secure
vigor of stall: as well as quality- of ears.
Prolificacy, tii" grains and freedom
from imperfections are desired. If this
is done every year the variety will' be
improved. At this season, if the selec
tion has not Jieen previously made in
lie field before cutting down the stalks,
the best ears front the shocks or cribs
should be retained for seed. Seed
corn should also he kept in a dry loca
tion. as severe cold may injure its ger
minating quality. If only one remark
ably superior ear is found it may be
the foundation upon which improve
ment can be started. Corn may be
made to double its yield with a selected
variety that is adapted to the climate
and grown upon favorable soil.
lArr Stork in \%int*r.
It is after the harvest is over and al!
work finished that the fanner turns his
attention to caring for his stock and
Increasing his manure. There are two
classes of animals to consider while
endeavoring to derive profit, the out
class being the producers of milk, but
ter, meat or wool, while the other class
consists of the Immature or growing
stock. With the wonderful improve
ment in dairy methods the farmer
utilizes the winter season much better
than formerly, as the period was when
the cold season was considered a loss
of time; but at present a large number
of animals can be kept with less
labor, a greater variety of food is
given and more care is exercised in the
preservation of manure. The foods
given to the animals now have a value
not before accorded, as the profit does
not depend entirely on the product
sold, but also upon that portion re
turned to the farm in the form of
manure. The farm increases in value
in proportion to the amount of fertility
added to the soil through the agency
of the stock, and this fact is now
strongly recognized, as many farmers
are satisfied to purchase animals to be
fattened, realizing no profit therefrom
other than the manure remaining after
such animals arc sold, the expenses
aud receipts being balanced, except
the gain in the manure heap, and the
system pays when the improvement of
the soil is considered. Philadelphia
Record.
Work In tlir Winter Season.
After the loaves fall there is appar
ently little work to do on farms, and
the farmer is liable to lose a large por
tion of the year when crops are not
growing, but the fact is that but for
this cessation of field work the farmers
could not exist on their farms. There
are periods when they are exceedingly
busy j;i planting, cultivating and liar
vesting their crops, at which time all
other departments of the farm a*e
overlooked in the effort to secure from
the soil as much as possible. But the
soil must be repaid, and something
must go back to the land iu order that
if may continue lo yield. When the
field work is over there will always be
found more to do. Busy and progres
sive farmers now find that their work
is never done, at any season of tin
year. The farmer of to-day gives more
attention to the management required
at the barnyard than formerly. With
the improvements made in securing
cheaper power, and with tlie aid of
more efficient feed cutters, grinders
and shredders, he not only effects a
saving in the foods, but more easily
makes manure. Repairs of buildings
and implements and the shipping of
produce stored over from harvest gives
employment for weeks, while tlie care
of live stock requires longer hours of
labor than is given the growing crops
in summer. Instead of tlie winter sea
son being one of leisure it can he made
the most important 'and busiest, the
only advantage being that much of the
work is done under shelter, though not
always with comfort during severely
cold weather.—Philadelphia Record.
Trt Check Itceltive Hobbert.
When it is found that a hive is be
ing robbed it may prevent it if the
entrance to the hive is made smaller,
that the bees inside can more easily
defend it. or a more effectual way !s
to cover the hive with a blanket for
a day at least, so that none can go out
or in. But as soon as the robbing is
checked examine the colony to see if it
has a good queen. It is tlie queenless
colony, that is too weak iu numbers to
properly defend its stores, that is in
danger of being robbed, and in some
cases i; occurs when the queen, though
living, is not a prolific one. But if rob
bing once begins and gels well under
way. the robber bees are liable to at
tack any hive, and if they don't suc
ceed in robbing it. they will have a bat
tle which will reduce tile number in
the robber colony ns well as the one at
tacked. It lias been suggested that
If one can find those that are doing the
robbing, they may be cheeked by feed
ing them, but wc fear that when their
supply of syrup was cut off they would
be only too ready to begin their old
method of obtaining a supply- from the
labor of others, unless winter set in
to stop them.
We think if has been decided by the
courts that one whose hives arc robbed
by bees from another person's apiary
has no remedy in law. but he may
take such measures to defend his own
property as seems necessary. Also
that one who suffers damage by going
himself or hitching his horse too near
beehives has no claims for damages
from the stings of the bees, unless the
owner calls him there maliciously.—
The Cultivator.
ralpil Corn l-'odtler.
“Corn bay” is a correct term to ap
ply to shredded corn fodder, ns the
busker and shredder has made it pos
sible to Reduce tile corn fodder to
short lengths, and at the same time
shredding it to a condition which ren
ders it equal to timothy hay. One
objection to the shredding of corn
fodder was its enormous bulk, making
it necessary for the farmer who did
not care to have his fodder exposed
to the weather to construct sheds or
svi
\ j
BALED CORN FODDER.
barns for storage, but such difficult;
an be obviated by baling the fodde
and stowing it in the least available
space.
Machinery has been designed fo
cutting, shredding and baling this cori
fodder, and after it has been Ibui
treated it is known as “corn hay.” It
this form it not only takes up bui
little room, hut can be preserved it
excellent condition for a long time
which is impossible in its original
shape. It is claimed, says a writer in
the implement Age, that the corn hay
crop of one acre is from three to five
tons, worth from S.B to $lO per ton,
the compressing of this hay for stor
age or market giving It a value neve*
before anticipated by the grower of
corn, who lias relied solely upon the
grain. The shredder and busker not
only reduces the entire stalk to the
finest condition for use, but also husks
I the ears from tin* stalks and carries
the hay to the highest barn loft or
stack. Baled corn hay is rapidly find
ing favor in the cities, not only as a
food for horses, hut aiso because the
vesidium is one of the best absorbents
kuown for preserving the manure.
The shredder doubles the value of the
corn crop by opening more markets fet
its use.— Philadelphia Record.
Defects* in Cliff**,
Gassy Fermentation—Thin is tilt
S worst and commonest trouble in cheese
! factories, and is caused by bacteria
j breaking down the sugar In the mills
; and producing gas therefrom. This
gas causes the appearance known tc
cheese-makers as pin hole i r gassy
j curds. These harmful germs gain ad
j mittance to the milk in the process of
| milking or after the milk is drawn
j from the udder. Particles of manure,
! stagnant water and dirty pastures con
’ tain this class of gas-producing germ
j in large numbers, and it is easy to see
■ How they gain access to the milk by
I careless milking. Cows lying on the
| ground or walking through stagnant
| water get their hairy coals seeded with
! ilicse noxious forms, and they are
dislodged from the animal's coat into
the milk pail by tile movements of
milking. Tlie high temperature at
which milk is usually kept during the
summer favors their growth, and they
consequently become very numerous in
the milk. We have recently made
several analyses of water scut fyom
cheese factories, and have found
therein large numbers of gas-produc
ing germs.
To avoid as far ns possible the con
tamination from milking it is advisable
before commencing (11 to brush well
tlie cow's udder and that part of her
thigh, flank and side next to the
milker; (2) to rub the udder and teats
carefully with a clean, damp cloth.
Bad Flavors—There are many well
known defects in cheese, generally in
dicated by suelt expressions as “off
flavor,” “not clean flavor.” “tainted,”
"goose flavor.” “yeasty,” “bitter,” etc.,
all of which arc abnormal flavors,
due in tlie majority of instances to
noxious bacteria gaining access to the
milk—sometimes by carelessness in
milking, as explained above; some
times from dirty wliey tanks, some
times from carrying sour wliey in
milk cans, and other times from the
use of contaminated well water.
The cheese in an Eastern factory
was pronounced "off flavor." aud an
examination revealed the fact that
tile germ causing the trouble was in
tile well water, which was used in
setting the vats. The water had
acted ns a starter, and a change in
the water supply at once removed the
trouble. The high temperatures of
curing-rooms in the summer time fa
vor the growth of many of these un
desirable germs in cheese.
Color of Pigment in Cheese—A num
ber of abnormal changes manifested
by the production of various colors in
cheese are caused by bacteria. A com
mon result from such bacteria is red
or rusty cheese, the discoloration being
noticeable on the edges of the particles
of curd. Blue, black aud green cbee.se
| are .also caused in this way, but not
jso frequently. Mottled or discolored
| cheese likewise belongs to this cate
! gory.—Report of the Cntario Agricut
J tural College Experimental Farm.
Love at first sight usur.Uy has ar
I Heiress at one end.
•<3S§g|p > '
Oiled Highways.
a DISPATCH from Paris states
/\ that the experiments with
.-rude petroleum, employed to
prevent 1 lie accumulation of
dust on highways, which have been for
some time going on at Saint Germain
and Versailles, have resulted satisfac
torily, aud that tlie petroleum treat
ment is about to be applied upon va
rious roads near Paris, Lyons. Nice
and Marseilles. In consequence of this
undertaking, says the dispatch, there
is likely soon to be a considerably in
creased demand for American petro
leum throughout France.
.So it appears that crude petroleum
as a “dust killer,” which has been fried
repeatedly in the United States and
generally abandoned as ineffective and,
for other reasons, undesirable,still finds
favor among the Frenchmen. It was
reported a short time ago that the
Touring Club of France, desirous of in
creasing the comforts of its members,
had voted a large sum of money for
tlie purpose of conducting a series of
experiments on various roads with
heavy American petroleum and also
with thick mineral oil. During the
last twelve years, it is said, numerous
avenues of St. Gaudens, in France,
have been kept dustless by the free
use of oil and tar. which render the
surfaces absolutely impervious to wat
er. and hence raudless. These mate
rials, declared La Locomotion recently,
are the only ones known to science
which will effectually prevent the crea
tion of dust on roads traversed by fust
vehicles.
The most extensive application of
crude petroleum In the United States
for the purpose indicated has been
made by the railroad companies, but
several of them have expressed their
determination lo discontinue its use
for various reasons, one of which is
that the fine soot-like particles which
arise from tin* roadbeds whereon it is
spread are extremely objectionable. In
California crude petroleum has been
employed freely during the past year
or more as a cement. There it is usu
ally applied while a road is in procesJ
of construction, and it is invariably ap
plied hot. Minor experiments of a sim
ilar sort, however, undertaken in the
East, have been conspicuously unsuc
cessful. and the coal oil remedy is re
garded hereabouts as a failure. Pos
sibly its efficacy depends largely upon
the quality of soil treated,—New York
Sun.
Tnlfant I’ane, Mtirariam Top.
Where the material is springy on the
line of a proposed highway, a telford
base of eight inches and a macadam
top of five inches should lie provided,
making thirteen inches over all. On a
gravel foundation the Corn
sioner of Connecticut \IW used a live
inch treatment, four inches of macad
am and one inch of bonding and wear
ing surface. Upon some of the roads
he has used a foundation of slag, with
a two-inch treatment of crushed stone
and one inch of screenings, making a
very good road. TU- engineers put on
the profile for his information tlie char
acter of the material found at each sta
tion. so that he can select the most
economical treatment.
Where macadam is laid with no curb
ing to retain the stone in the position
that it should occupy, it is essential to
build a very solid, compact and firm
shoulder of the very best material.
This very valuable precaution does not
receive adequate attention. In the
forming of shoulders the rule with
contractors is to line out of tlie road
and establish tlie height of the shoul
der. and where shoulders are to be
made to build the shoulder material
flush up to the line, instead of allowing
the material to leak over into tlie trav
eled part not lss than from eight to
ton Inches. This gives nn opportunity
for ramming the shoulders down good
and solid and then cutting back to the
line, thus forming a good firm edge to
work to. When shoulders are thus
made the metal used in the roadbed Is
retained in position, and does not work
out into tbo shoulders, robbing the
road of material that properly belongs
to it.
Hopes to ** Mor* Great Highway*.
It is a fact that since the establish
ment of steam and electric railroads
the construction of turnpikes, or boule
vards. has suffered much, ew
built for comparatively short
This, of course, has a ''*jl re
sult. as traveling by
drawn by horses, has long since liven
way to the swifter steam motor rail
road traveling, and the railroads have
literally become tlie highways of the
nation.
But within the last few years there
lias been a most commendable revival
of interest in good roads, and as a fac
tor toward this end the humble bicycle
played no unworthy part. The intro
duction of the automobile promises to
result in the construction of magnifi
cent thoroughfares of great extent, and
I am glad that this is so. One who
travels through a country on a railroad
train learns nothing of the district
through which he is whirled at express
speed. There is no real pleasure in
such traveling: in fact, it is not travel
ing in the real sense of the term: it is
simply being burled from one point to
another wth the gheatest possible
baste.
It has always seemed to me that the
old-time fashion of traveling by stage
coach or private carriage, stopping to
rest at will, pausing to drink in the de
lights of a particularly fine bit of scen
ery. putting up at fashionable hostelry
tor humble farm house or roadside inn.
according to fancy, was the only real
NOVEMBER 30
way to travel so as to know the coun
try traversed —to know the country it
self, its inhabitants and their customs,
the flora and tlie fauna, the peculiari
ties of dialect, and all tlie thousand
and one little things which go to make
up intimate knowledge of. a commu
nity. What of these can one learn by
gazing from the window of a car speed
ing along at a mile a minute?—Buffalo
Times.
BOERS’ BELIEF IN PRAYER.
Day of Intercession in Kngtaml Caused
Them to Confidence.
According to some of the correspond
ents of London papers who went
through the South African war. it
was not tlie series of victories which
resulted from the tactics of Lord Rob
erts, not the surrender of Cronje, not
the entry of the British troops into
Bloemfontein and Johannesburg, Which
caused the Boers first to lose their
belief tliat they were bound to suc
ceed.
It was the news, which spread like
wildfire among the burghers, in spite
of all the efforts of their clergymen
and leaders to hush it up, that the
British uation had set apart a day in
order to pray to the Almighty for tlie
success of its cause in South Africa.
This solemn Day of Intercession was
February 11. 1900. Of course tlie Boers
did not know anything about it until
some time afterward, but when the
news reached them, its effect was. it
is stated, extraordinary. The great
majority of the burghers, until then,
did not believe that the British had
any faith in the efficacy of prayer.
That the men who were fighting them
.were also convinced of tlie justice of
their cause and could ask God tor ILs
aid was a staggering blow.
And then the Boers began to discuss
a, remarkable coincidence—the fact
that on the day when the British
nation collectively prayed for Divine
aid General French crossed into Boer
territory on the expedition which soon
afterward resulted la the raising of
the siege of Kimberley, the first of tlie
besieged towns which was relieved by
the British troops.
From tha’t day on Great Britain’s
arms prevailed. The Boers lost one
advantage after another, and the word
again went around among tlie burgher
camps that this extraordinary change
in tlie position of affairs had followed
ilic Day of Intercession in the United
Kingdom. The effect, as one writer
says, was overwhelming. He adds:
"Without the least affectation this
Intercession In the day of punishment
was regarded by many (of the Boers)
as the most terrible, as well as tlie
least expected weapon that the Eng
lish could use. and among even the
most irreligious there ran a sudd-.;:
foreboding of ill.”
WORDS OF WISDOM.
Language was given to us that wc
might say pleasant things to eycl
oiiier.
Many of ns have just enough religion
to make us hate, but not enough tc
make us love one another.
Be as cheerful as you can in, well
doing. There is a double grace in good
acetous when they are dr.ne cheeriuily
and brightly.
There is nothing selfish in religion.
The more you give away, the more . su
have. If you can keep ail your religion
to yourself, you may be sure you have
;; religion that is not worth anything.
One grout secret of happiness is
never to allow your energies to stag
nate. The old proverb about too
many irons in the fire is a lie. Have
them ail in—shovel, tongs, poker aud
aii. The more iin better.
Uner receive, and then determine to
carry out that resolve, aud it is as
tounding to note with what marvelous
case everything makes way for you,
provided there be no innate weakness
in yourself which causes you to in:si-
V.'hat a child would do in the eye of
ins fat!: -i, and a pupil before his tutor,
aud a wife in the presence of her bus
band, and a servant in tire sight of ins
master, let us always do the same; for
we are made a spectacle to God, tc
angels, and to men; we are always in
the sight und presence of the all-seeing
and almighty God.
Selfishness is one great cause of lone
liness. if a man builds walls around
himself so that he may keep ail that
he has to himself, he soon finds that
he has built walls around bimsell
which shut out all that might come in
.<> him from others. .So it is possible
mat the cure of loneliness may be the
overcoming of selfishness.
I’erfum- a sle-.lieine.
Modern science is returning to the old
belief that perfume has medicinal and
health-giving properties, says the Worn
..n s Home Companion. Perhaps, pay
sicians say, the Orientals were not
"rung in claiming that a proper use ol
scents prolonged lit'e aud enhanced
beauty. \ ;oiet is said to be especially
valuable in its properties. It is suit
able for nervous people, and the vioiet
cure for cancer is coining to be thought
effective. All the eitrene scents, berga
mot, neroli r.;:d orange flower water
are refreshing and act as mild stimu
lants. Lavender water is also refresh
•ng and very valuable to people of high
strung temperament; it is very Foothing
and quieting iu its effects. Jasmine
tones and braces the system, and in
combination with neroli it is very liigii-
I.* to be commended for persons of
nervous temperament. It is to be ob
sen ed that aii these flower scents
must he pure and derived directly from
the blossoms themselves. Chemical im
* rations are irritant aud apt tc be
poisonous.
An Acute Krill.li Question.
The housing question is getting to be
i acute one in the British country
scriets as well as in the municipal
tie*.