The Brunswick news. (Brunswick, Ga.) 1901-1903, November 30, 1902, Image 6

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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*.