AMtquRy *f BpeelseThfc
tk« ordinary magnifying spectacles
With ONTU leases cam* Into on oom*
lima naar tbe end of tbe thirteenth
rectory. Tbelr Invention la generally
attributed to two Italians, Annati and
Spins. Aa a matter of fact at thin
time aid people In Germany wen
area ring glasses. Accssdlng to G. H
Oliver, writing In tbe British Medical
Journal tbs first use of concave leases
was of much later data, probably sot
until tbs middle of the sixteenth cen
tury. it appears that at first tbs doc
tors wars down on glasses because
they Interfered with tbe sale of lotion*
for weak eyes. Tbelr first mention by
a doctor la credited to Bernard Gordon,
professor in Montpellier, who informed
tbe world that they were unnecessary,
thanks to his wonderful lotions, la
these early days tbelr use was limited
for many reasons They wars clumsy
end ill shaped, making tbe wearer con
spicuous and subjecting him to ridicule
oftentimes of far from gentle type.
And above all they were very expen
sive. For example. Dr. Oliver says
“At tbe end of tbs sixteenth century
tbe price per pair, expressed In terms
of present day value, was from ISO to
•100:”
Ginseng In China.
Much of tbe American ginseng sent
to China brings small prices because
K shows cultivation, being smooth,
round and light In color. Wbst la
wanted Is the wil l looking root- The
central theory of tb# ns# of ginseng
decoction Is that U r—Mum In itaetf
tbs virtues of nature—wind, water,
woods tbs elements and wild nature
generally; hence tbe gnarled, twisted
wild root la tbs ideal, and any domes
ticated or cultivated variety Is merely
a substitute. This substitute ought to
be as near like tbs wild as possible '
If tbs root grows In tbs shape of or
seems to bear some resemblance, even
by severe stretch of the Imagination,
to some animal It baa Increased virtue ;
In tbe trade For this and similar tea
sons It la necessary that the small
head of the root joined to tbe rest of
tbs root by a small Deck shall remain
a part of tbe product Breaking off
such little heeds reduces tbe value of
the root In tbe Chinese market by fully
half, as a rule.—Chicago News
Juvenile Financial Genius.
"Johnnie." said a prominent mine op
erator to his youngest the other day.
‘Til give yon a dollar if you’ll dig up
tbe front yard for your stater’s new
garden.” “All right” said Johnnie
thoughtfully. “But I shall have to aak
for 25 per cent of the contract price in
advance. Not as an evidence of good
faith, but for working capital." "But
—what do you mean?” “Well, you see.
I guess I’ll bury tbe quarter some
where and tell all the boys in tbe
neighborhood that a pirate bid some
treasure round there. When they strike
that quarter they'll make tbe dirt fly
I can tell you. In that way I can
clean up about 75 per cent. In fact.
I"— •'jFell. wbatT "Ip fact. I don't
pno* but what I can also arrange so
as to And that quarter myself. Ill
work it Just Uka that salted mine you
were telling mamma about unloading
on the street last night” And the
father wept tears of Joy.—Pall Mall
Gasette.
Jewels #f Londee’e toed Mayer.
The gold chain and Jeweled insignia i
of the lord mayor of London are among
the most wonderful ornaments tn the
world, being composed of pore gold
and adorned with an enormous number
of diamonds. Their value has been es
timated at not leas than £120.000. Ev
ery lord mayor, before he la elected. Is
called upon to enter Into a bond for
their safe custody daring his term of
office, and before be resigns the insig
nia at the close of his mayoralty they
are moot carefully examined by spe
cial Jewelers In order to see that dur
ing the year's wear its diamonds have
not been looeeijed In their holdings and
that his successor may wear them with
oct anxiety. No wonder that when the
lord mayor la wearing all tbe insignia
of his proud position he is a special !
object of attention by a special police
guard.—London Saturday Journal.
Thunder,
Wher clouds are driven past one an
other by wind current* electricity of a
frictional kind Is produced. Light nine
la caused by the peering of the elec
tricity between the two clouds or from
a cloud to the earth. i> ft travels It
expands and drives the air In front of
It When the lightning hae passed the
air that was driven away returns with
a rush, and It la this rush which causeu
the noise of thunder. — Pearson’s
WpfVT. _
He Wen.
Mrs. Bacon—What’s the matter with
Tommie's face and hands? They are
badly swollen. Mrs. Egbert—Too see.
they offered a prise at his school for
the boy who would bring In the great
est number of dead wasps. and Tom
ale won."—Yonkers Statesman.
Cinder In the Eye.
▲ railroad engineer who gets a cin
der In bis eye never rubs It; be robe j
the eye that has no cinder In it This :
Claris the tears to flow in both eyes
and probably washes out the i-inder
Peeling the Judge.
Judge—Hava you ever seen the pris
oner at the bar? Witness Never, jonr
honor; bnt Pro seen him when I've
strongly suspected be. -wen at it—
Boston Transcript
Silent Hereea.
•To our sbant heroes." little Willie
read from the memorial hmnse. "Pa.
What are silent heroes?’ i
"Married men." said i* • London
Jahdfraph. .
I
"On til* whole, the finest gentleman
I hare ever met," says a writer In the
Unpopular Review, “wag the Japanese
Samurai and art critic, the late Oka
kura Raknao. I recall as vividly hie
courteous and expectant alienees aa I
go his always eloquent and brilliant
discourse. Indulgent to the email talk
of others, he declined to share it If
be ever gave etterance to a mare
prejudice or to any petty personal con
cern it was not In my heerlag, He
appeared to husband himself until the
talk should taka a vMe Impersonal
range, and then hie comment was
fervent and innmtsattng. A noted
American poet critic haa somewhat
similar habits. His prolonged silences
ere comfortable, even deferential, hie
rare speech Instinct with sympathetic
understanding with men and books
and nature. The late John LaFarge.
who waa In congenial society a eon
Undone talker, offered aa Interesting
equivalent for reticence In the alln
■Irenes* of his touch and In s beauti
ful perception of the kind of sympa
thetic response you would hero mad*
bad you not been better occupied la
listening to him. He had what moat
free talkers signally lack, perfect
ttet” _
Titles t* Land.
On what Just basis can I claim ex
clusive right to a pert of the limited
surface of the earth? "No man made
the land." said Mill "It la the origi
nal Inheritance of the whole apodee.”
No matter bow far w* delve into the
past, we esn find do Just title to the
private ownership of land. Blackstooe
admits that "there la no foundation In
nature or in natural law why a set
of words upon parchment should con
vey the dominion of land." "Whilst
another man haa no land.” says Emer
son, "my title to mine, your title to
yours, is at once vitiated." And Her
hert Spencer maintains that the titles
ell rest on force, fraud or cunning.
When Edward I. sent bis commission
to Inquire Into the existing Judicial
franchises in 1278 Earl Wartime flung
■ rusty sword on tb* table and cried:
'This, sirs. Is my warrant By tb.
sword our fathers won their lands
when they came over with the con
queror, and by the sword we will keep
them."—F. W. Garrison In Atlantic.
The Chain of Lakes.
North Missouri's famous hunting
ground, known as the Chain of Lakea.
baring reslated all attempts to drain
and cultivate, ha a been allowed to re
turn to Its natural atate. The Chain
of Lakes la wild ernes* surrounded by
rich fanning land, towns and good
country roads. This section was the
original happy buntiag ground for the
Indiana of the west On the banka of
the Chariton rirer. at the edge of the
lake territory, they pitched their wig
wams. built a atone fort or dam and
put up an Ingenious flab trap, for there
were no game wardens In those daya
That trap, repaired and atrengthened
from time to time, was inherited by
white men who followed the Indiana
and operated half a century. Then tht
game wardens, attracted by the an
cient flab trap's fame, went over to the
river and blew It up with dynamite.—
Argonaut
European Monkeys.
One of the rarest of living creatures
Is undoubtedly a European monkey.
The only place on the continent where
these animals may be found la on the
rock of Gibraltar. They are of the
type known as Barbery apes and are
about the eUe of a terrier dog. A most
noticeable feature la that they do not
possess tails. Only about twenty of
the apes exist, and only by unceasing
protection and artificial feeding la the
species preserved. Many theories are
advanced aa to botv these apes first
came to Gibraltar. A popular idea la
that a subterranean passage exists be
tween tbe rock and tbe adjacent coast
of Africa, and that tbe monkey* pass
tq and fro. but tbe more matter offset
theory that they were originally im
ported by some local Inhabitant la prob
ably correct.—London Answers.
Hit Feet In Hie Meuth.
Another one of the things a fellow
•aye as a compliment and thep realises
that it Isn't is thla-reported by a post
card helper:
"I waa so grateful for your thought
fulness Id writing me about my poor
husband's terrible accident!" exclaim
ed the pretty widow.
"Not et all, not at all." stammered
the family friend. "I waa only too
glad to hare the opportunity!"—Ex
change
Cricket
Cricket seems always to bar* been .
played in Britain- Tba first mention j
of It la found in a manuscript of the !
thirteenth century. The name comes
from the Saxon "crlc" or "erye," a
crooked stick, an obvious reference to
the bet with which it la played.
Guatemala.
Guatemala la about is large as Lou
isiana. The planters are the moat in
fluential element, and they tell their
products for gold and pay their labor
lo depredated currency.
Korea's Plum Blsetem
Korea displays the pinm blossom on
Her stamps- It is the royal flower of
her last dynasty—« dynasty which
reigned for 500 years, until the Jape
aeee wrested it awey.
Afghanistan's Fruit.
Much fruit is raised in Afghanistan.
During August. September and Octo
ber a special dally fruit train of about
fifteen care Is run from Quetta to dif
ferent dries In India.
Wl«e men read very rhnrply ail youi
private history in your look sad |>i(
behavior. -Emerson.
WHERE HIS1CHY IS LAME. .
Benefactors of th.i Hocian Raca Who
Gat Too L c Credit.
History as it > liicn ind as It la
taught Is ouc urv i >r.iuia of wars
and dynasties. i nri-.tl»*s with tho
names of doughty warriors and rul
j era, describes at length their struggles
and achievements nnd dismisses the
' Inventors and promoters of the great
agencies which have umile modern dv
lllzatlon possible, with scanty, tf any,
mention.
Tho invention of printing has had
mors influence upon the development
of tho race than any act of any ruler
that the world has ever known, and
more than half of those who read this
will not know the Inventor's name
The men who Invented aud develop
ed tho steam engine did more to light
en human toil SDd to make possible
to each of the dwellers upon earth a
larger mead of comfort und enjoyment
than all the generals who ever pitted
men against their fellows Hunt for
their names In the Indexes of yonr his
tories.
Art and literature have been broad
highways to fame. The high school
scholar can tell you who wrote what
and when be wrote it. hut ask him
who built the flrst railroad in America
and when and where It waa. Tb®
magnificent Albert memorial la cov
ered with the names of authors and
painters and sculptors, but Michel
angelo ia there because he was an
artist, not because he was an archi
tect and Leonardo Da Vinci because
be was a painter and not because ho
was an engineer.—Power.
KEPT HIS SECRET WELL
Even Scott'* Sen Didn't Know Who
Wrote the Weverloy Novel*.
A Scotch newspaper having referred
to the old story that Walter Scott, son
of the great novelist, bad never read
bis father’s novels, the Dunfermline
Court Journal reprints a letter that
Brat appeared In Its columns on Sept
IT, 1859. It wai signed "Veritas,''
and the writer say a: "From 1810 to
1833 I resided In Edinburgh and waa
on Intimate terms with Walter Scott
Bitting together one winter evening
several years before hia father made
the famous declaration at the the
atrical fund dinner held In the assem
bly rooms of Edinburgh that be was
the author of the Waverley novels. I
put the following questions to my
friend: ‘Do you not really and truly
believe your father to be the author
of the Waverley novels, or who do
you anppoee the anthor to be?'
"His answer was: T have really no
Idea who the author is. If my father
Is the author he keeps the secret to
himself, for none of the family knows
And then he added. ’The moment a
new novel (by the author of "Wav
erley") la announced my father orders
g copy from his bookseller, and the
whole family assembles In the parlor
In the evening to hear the novel reruj
£iy myself and my slaters, each taking
a turn
“He further added. ’When anything
very droll or funny occurs In the read
ing of the novel my father Joins moat
heartily In the laugh, perhaps more so
than any of the family.’ ”
Got the Bast of Carlyle.
The Rev. Thomas Alexander, a Pres
byterian minister, long resident In
Chelsea and well known as a brother
Scot, was most anxious to know Car
lyle, but had no opportunity of getting
an Introduction to him. One day In
the King’s road be saw Carlyle coming
In his direction and took advantage of
the opportunity by golDg up to the
sage and saying. '•Thomas Carlyle, I
believer Carlyle's reply was. •’Tom
Alexander. 1 know!" They became
good friends, and later Mr. Alexander
wrote to Carlyle for a subscription to
ward a school building fund, and Car
lyle wrote back a refusal in doggerel,
whereupoD Mr. Alexander replied that
If be did not send him £5 be would sell
bis poetry to a collector or publish it
The £5 was at once forthcoming.
Naming the Picture.
Tbe artist was of tbe Impressionist
school. Be bad just given tbe that
touches to a purple and blue canvas j
when his wife came Into tbe studio.
"My dear,” said he, "this is the land
scape I wanted you to suggest a title
for.”
"Why not call It 'Home 7”’ abe said
after a long look.
- 'Homer Wbyr
"Because there’s no plaep like It."
she replied meekly.—Glasgow Times.
A Bclsmj Critic.
A local band was one day playing at
Dnmfernltne when an old weaver came
np and asked tbe bandmaster what
that waa they were playing.
"That Is tbe 'Death of Nelson.’ ” sol
emnly replied tbe bandmaster.
"Ay. man.” remarked the weaver,
“ye ha’e given bim an awfn' deathl"—
Glasgow News.
A "Place of Learnipg.t
Sydney Smith, once being asked why
S pertain college waa called a place of
learning, replied that, although a great
many had been there to get learning,
no one bad ever taken learning away;
hence It was quite appropriately
named
Blockhead.
Baplelgh-The barber wanted toalnge
my hair but I said no. Smart- Yonf
caution wan commendable He might
have started a wood fire.—Boston
Transcript
Hsrd work Is still the road to pros
perity and tl-re is no other.--Benja
min Franklin
A PERILOUS CROSSING.
They Got Safely Over and Than Cam*
a Curious Climax.
Mrs. Exe xUhhI ou n crowded corner
when the (rathe was at its height, star
ing at the thick. tangled come and go
of motorcars and drays and cabs, and
not daring to venture in among the
dangers of that moving mass.
"May 1 cross the street with you.
madam?"
She turned and saw an elderly
stranger with lifted hat and gallant
stnile.
"Oh. thank you!" said Mi*. Exe.
And the stranger grasped ber arm with
a firm grip, and together they plunged
boldly Into the wild crush of vehicles.
In and out. right and left up and
down, they zigzagged, at imminent
peril of life and limb. Pedestrians on
the sidewalk stopped and looked at
them Parers and chnpffvutl shouted
and swore at them It W&S plain to
all that they were in unusual danger.
The escort of Mrs. Exe. still wearing
his gallant smile, still grasping ber arm
firmly. ecouicd to make no effort to
avoid the oncoming vehicles. Be dart
ed erratically and yet calmly this way
and that.
At Inst by a miracle the other side
wan reached. Mrs. Exe then jerked
ber arm awny from ber escort's grasp,
and. with a look of scorn, she said:
"Ifs no thanks to you that we were
pot both killed Why. tbp way you
positively courted danger one would
think you were blind!"
"Madam. I am blind," be replied
“That's why I naked if I could cross
with you “ -New York TTibuup.
TALE OF A LOST MINE.
It I# Somewhat Cloudy at to I to
Soureo and It* Voracity.
This touching tale, fop the veracity
of which we do not vouch, cornea from
a source that we do not know, says
tbe Engineering and Mining Journal:
“About IftriO a Spaniard In Penj
named Jose Salcedo fell |n love with
an Indian girl. Hp proceeded |o do b
thing almost unheard of In those times
—be married her. Out of gratitude her
mother revealed to him a vein of silver
of unexampled richness. He worked
It and drew from It considerable
wealth-too much for bis bapplnpss,
for bis opulence excited the cupidity at
the viceroy. Count Lemos. who bad
him charged with high treason, the
penalty of wbicb was death and tbe
confiscation of all worldly goods.
“It was In vain that Salcedo demand
ed permission to appeal to Madrid and
offered to pay two Ingots of silver
dally during tbe fifteen mouths that
must elapse before a reply was return
ed. Tbe count refused and banged
him tn lira But tbe bntcher got small
good out of it Tbe Indians. Intent on
avenging their friend, destroyed tbe
workM of tbe mine, filled It with water
and concealed the entrance so cleverly
that It could never be discovered- la
ther promises nor threats could extract
their secret which remains so to this
very day."
This story Is more romantic than
those of the Gunsicbt. I'egleg and sev
eral other “lust mines" of tbe Ameri
can desert
Getting Even With the Parson.
Parson Wheeler waa invited out one
afternoon for a motorcar ride with
one of bis friends. The minister, who
enjoyed all outdoor sports, was very
enthusiastic over motoring, so be was
allowed to drive the ear. While speed
ing along be whs stop|>ed by a con
stable and ordered to tbe station boose
“Well.” said ihe captain, after listen
ing to their story, “you say you were
going at only fifteen miles an hour, but
tbe constable declares you were trav
eling at forty. Now, I don't like to
doubt tbe word of either of you. Can
you think why be Insists you were
traveling at that rate of speed? is
there any grudge he owes you?"
“No," said the clergyman thought
fully "No. I can't think of anything—
unless it Is that I married him four
years ago''- Lippincott's.
Alternatives.
A stalwart young derman applied
for a position uu a farm. As be walk
ed Into tbe Itarn be addressed tbe
farmer. “Hey. mister, will you Job
me?"
“Will I wbatr
“Will you Job me? Make me work
yet"
“Ob. I see: you want a Job." eald the
farmer “Well, how much do you
want a month?"
“I tell you. If you eat me on der I
f*rm I come for flfe do'lir*. but for
twenty-life dollars I eat myself at
Schmidt's." -National Food Magazine.
__ _____ ♦
The Same Medicine.
“Doctor, do you remember three
years ago that you predicted positively
that I would be a deed man in all
weeks?"
“Why. yes. 1“
“Well. I’ve got a friend In tbe next
room wb<> U despondent about bint
self. Just tell nlm there Is no hope for
him. will yon?'’
Doing Hie Beet.
Sportsman latter ids tenth mUe>—
Ob. bang the birds! Kee|>er—Sorry,
sir. but we ain't got no string, hut If ;
you likes to let me nave tbe gun I'll
shoot 'em for yon -Pearson's Weekly
Quite a Long Way.
“Does It cost much to feed the gl
ruffes?"
“No: yoo see e liftt«- goes a long
ways with them" -Har a'd Lampoon
No Danger.
Rich Father—I fear that young man
of yours Is living beyond bis meana
Daughter -Oh. no. papa: he hasn't
any Ronton Transcript.
I
RIGOROUS SCHOOLING.
He Carried to Hie Death the Lesion Ha
Learned at Eton.
Dr. Keate. the terrible bead master
of Eton, encountered one winter morn
ing a small boy crying miserably nnd
asked Idm what was the inntter. The
child replied that be waa cold. “Cold!"
roared Keate. “Yon must put up with
cold, sir! You are not at a girls’
school!"
It is a horrid anecdote, and I am
kind beutred enough to wish tbnt Dr.
Keate. who was not without bis genial
moods, had taken the lad to some gen
erous tire (presuming such a thing was
to be foundi and had warmed his fro
zen bands and feet. But it so chanced
that lu that little snivelling boy there
lurked a spark of pride and a spark of
fun. and both ignited ut the rough
touch of the master.
He probably stopped crying, and he
certalnjy remembered the sharp ap
peal fo manhood, fur fifteen years Inter,
with the Third dragoons, be charged
at the strongly Intrenched Sikhs <30.000
of the best lighting men of the Khutsin
on the curving banks of the Sutlej.
And as the word was given he turned
to his superior officer, n fellow Eton
ian. who was scanning the stout walls
and the belching guns. “As old l\eate
would say. this Is no g|r|s' school." he
chuckled, aud rod? tu his death ou the
battlefield of Sobraon. which gnve La
hore to England.—Agnes Uepplier lu
Atlantic.
CORREQTEQ BY A SENTRY.
Th* Incident Which Lad to Coleridge
Retiring From the Army.
In his young days the poet Coleridge
had n little love affulr which ended in
disaster, for the lady refused him, In
despair he enUsted In a cavalry regi
ment. which he hoped would be or
dered on foreign service, that he might
end his blighted career on the tented
field. For family reasons he dropped
bis correct unaie. hut from H feeling of
sentiment retained the initials, so Sam
uel Taylor Coleridge became Prlvute
Silas Tompkins Cnmberhatcb.
The regiment did not lenve the coun
try, and it was not long before his soul
wearied of barrack life and Its utter
absence of romance. Hia military life
ended in a curious fashion. One day
while Coleridge was doing a weary
sentry go two officers strolled past.
Ope of them made use of a (Ireek quo
tation, which the other corrected. The
first Insisted on his correctness, while
the other was just as positive be was
wrong.
While they disputed, the sentry sud
denly presented nrms and respectfully
Informed them that they were both In
error. He gnve the exact quotation,
name of the author ami other circum
stances. If his musket bad spoken the
hearers could not have been more as
tonished. Ttm incident led to an in
quiry. and the poet was restored to
the bosom of his family.—Argonaut
Bavarian Distance*.
In the Bavarian highlands signposts
along the roads, Instead of stating the
number of miles or kilometers to the
various villages, give the amount of
time which the average [>edestriau will
supposedly take to traverse the dis
tance. This is merely an official ex
pression of the very general custom of
the peasants in the region, who invari
ably tell inquirers on the roads not
how far it is to a place, but how long
It takes to get there.
For instance, one asks, "How far is
it to Oberanimergau?”
"A small half hour." will be fhe an
swer, or perhaps "A gftQd h“>f hour''
or "A b[S half hoiif."
^Vluch is puzzling until the stranger
learns that a "small half hour" means
twenty-five minutes, “a good half hour"
thirty minutes nnd "a big half hour”
thirty-five minutes.
Qualified to Paint Him.
Ambrose Patterson, the Australian
painter, secured a commission once to
paint a very lengthy and wealthy sub
urbanite. Patterson himself Is a lank
brush, shooting up beyond six foot one
Inch. He was rather priding himself
on having been given this commission,
bearing In mind the great pressure of
srtlsts round every possible job In
Australia. Eventually, however, the
sitter explained. “1 was a long time
lookin' for a sootable hartist,” he said.
•‘I’m six foot two an' a 'arf, and till 1
struck you I 'adn't seen a painter what
'ad enough 'igbt tu du a full length of
pe.”— Argonaut,
•chiller and Goethe.
Schiller was. from all accounts, a
much finer man than Goethe, but in
mental grasp and artistic power the
Sage of Weimar was head and shoul
ders above bis dear friend Schiller.
The Germans know this, and while
they love Schiller far more than they
do Goethe, they are not blind to the
fact that the latter was much the
greater intellect.—New York American.
Brutal Delay.
-His love is growing cold,” ahe said,
with a sigh.
"Why do you think ao?” her mother
asked.
”1 told him he might call this even
Ing at 8. and It was half a minute
after that when he arrived.”—Chicago
Record-Herald.
Figures Don’t Lie.
Hoax-Men live faster than women.
Joax—That’s right. My wife and 1
were the same age when we were mar
ried. but I'm flrty now. and abe’a Just
thirty-one.—Illustrated Bits.
Education.
Education does nut consist of knowl
edge alone. It la the mental capacity
of being able to establish and main
tain harmony between ourgeives and
the world.
MIX MAPS AND MEALS.
An Easy Way'bf Studying Geography
While You Eat.
In the dining room of one family
there hung two large colored maps,
one of the world, the other of the state
in which they live.
The parents and children are form
ing the habit of talking during meals
about what they read or hear, of
places and events outside the visible
horizon. And whenever any unfamili
ar place is mentioned one of the chil
dren Immediately leaves the table long
enough to locate it on the map. “It Is
near such and such a town or river or
mountain," "That is where so and so
lives," or "Such a thing happened
there,” is the Information usually add
ed to the first statement.
They do not limit their conversation
to bookish things, hut speak naturally
about whatever they are interested in.
turning to the maps ns one looks at a
railroad guide when traveling, to place
themselves. In this way hits of knowl
edge are linked together, and ns sight
knowledge requires so much less men
tal effort than ear knowledge it is
more fun.
Besides, the maps, hanging low and
in a goo4 iight. make a splendid rainy
day game for the two younger chil
dren. aged eight nnd ten. The mother,
sitting near with her sewing, gives
them "hard ones to find" (names of
more or less obscurity>. nnd they keep
score as to which gets the most
“firsts." calling twenty the game.
No wonder the whole world seems
like one big picture to this family, nnd
geography hut a play.—Woman’s Home
Companion.
LEAPING FOR THE FIRE NET.
Saf# Jumps of Eight or Nino Stories
Have Been Made.
At a recent Fifty-sixth street tene
ment fire In New York thnt resulted In
more of a smoke alarm than a blaze a
man and Ills wife were seen to get out
on the ledge of a fifth story window.
The firemen told them to wait a mo
ment. that there might be no need to
Jump. The man cried that they were
suffocating nnd must jump.
The firemen stretched the net and
shouted for them to poise themselves
properly and Jump one at a time. But
even while the firemen were shouting
the instructions the couple kissed each
other, locked arms nnd lenped. They
came down straight nnd sure as a
plummet right into the net. They re
bounded about fifteen feet and fell in
the net again in a sitting posture, still
embraced.
The firemen let them gently down to
the sidewalk. They still sat there look
ing at oaeh other incredulously. Then
they were told there was not even a
good fire to Justify their jump. It had
all beeu smoke from a smouldering lot
of rags and other rubbish. The man
and wife heard the news with expres
sions of wonder, thankfulness and con
demnation of their silliness.
Jumps of eight nnd nine stories with
out injuries have beeu recorded. The
makeup of the Jumper is what counts.
The firemen have to be prepared for
all kinds. Sometimes they bave to
shift a few inches quickly because of
the bad judgment of distance shown by
the Jumper. But in most cases the leap
to the net saves life.—New York Sun.
A Little Paint Badly Applied.
The play "I/Homme de Postin'’ was
taken from the stage when tts triumph
was at the zenith. One evening Napo
leon. accompanied by his friend Duioc.
went In disguise to the Toite St. Mar
tin theater, where the piece was being
performed. Rugene Chevalier appear
ing as the man of destiny. They
bought a box. but had hardly entered
it when the emperor broke forth in
violent execrations against the "fool
managers." It seemed that the decora
tors had left in the box pots of oil and
paint, aud into these the emperor had
stepped. Wild with rage, he rushed
from the house and to make matters
worse was recognized in the lobby. No
naiier mentioned the incident, but by
order of tile emperor the play was
never produced ngain, and Chevalier
never appeared again as the man of
destiny—and all on account of a little
paint badly applied.
Theory and Practice.
Little Beatrice was taking piano les
sons and learning at tbe same time
something of theory. I.ike many other
children, she disliked practicing her
Unger exercises. One day her mother,
who was working in an upstairs room,
noticed u sudden lull in the playing.
She looked down and saw Beatrice slt
rlug perfectly motionless.
•’Beatrice, why don't you practice?"
he called down sharply.
"1 am practicing, mother.” replied
lie child with perfect self assurance.
•'I'm practicing my theory." — New
York Post.
Parliament and Congress.
The British parliament and the Unit
id States congress have many points
if difference. The parliament is prac
tically omnipotent, while the congress
, Is subject not only to the provisions of
| tbe constitution, but to the president’s
veto. Congress represents the people,
while parliament to all intents and
purposes is the people. — New York
American.
Thoughtless.
“I offered Chollle a penny for bis
thoughts."
“Did yon get them?"
“No. lie was out of thoughts as
usual.”-Boston Transcript.
, -
Saturday.
Saturday takes its name from Sae
ter. the Roman Saturnus. and for a
long tin e it was looked 01. ns the Uft
luckiest day of tbe week.
LIKED BIG BANKNOTES,
An English Lord Who Had a Curious
Mania For Hoarding,
j A curious story of hoarding ja told
I in Ralph Neville's book of gossip:
A former Lord Dysart who lived
more or Jess an invalid's life in a
house ou the outskirts of London, care
fully watched over by a lady who act
j l‘d as a sort of companion nurse, ouo
day asked her to go to town and got
a check cashed for him at the Bank
of England. When she was ready to
start the old peer sat down at his
writing table and, having written out
a check for £100.000, told her to bo
sure and see that she got one note for
the whole amount * * * When sho
reached the bank the cashier commu
nicated with tlie manager, who asked
the nurse to step Into his private of
fice. Having satisfied himself ns to
her authority for making such a re
quest, lie said that if she did not ob
ject he would much rather send u
elork to accompany her with the note.
She gladly assented to tills arrange
ment. and in due course the clerk in
person handed the flOO.OOO banknote
to Lord Dysart.
After having done so he told the peer
that there were only three such notes
In existence. ‘'One.” he said, "wo
have at the bank, another 1 have just
handed to your lordship and the third,
which some time ago disappeared from
circulation, we have never bri n ablo
to trace."
"Perhaps I can help you." said Lord
Dysart. and, hobbling over to a bu
reau, he unlocked a drawer and took
out the missing £100.000 banknote,
which had been lying there for many
years.
WATER IN COAL MINES.
Pumping It Out Costs a Big Pile of
Money Every Year.
It costs quite a bit of mouey to pump
1,000,000,000 tous of water out of the
anthracite mines of Pennsylvania every
year, but It must be done or thero
could be no mines. In times past, col
lieries were abandoned because of in
ability to cope with the water flowing
Into them, but more and more pumps,
some of them costing $30,000 ami $J0,
000 each, have been installed, and the
enormous amount of work they do is
all that enables the operators to keep
open the mines.
The calculation as to the amount of
water handled In this way. is simple.
The output of the mines Is a little less
than 70.000.000 tons a year. The av
erage amount of water pumped is about
fifteen tous for every ton of coal pro
duced. The cost of this is one of tho
most important elements in the in
creased cost of mining. As the richer
and more accessible veins have been
exhausted, shafts have been sunk
deeper and the volume of water to bo
pumped has increased rapidly.
The pipes, of which there are thou
sands of miles in the mines, wear out
quickly because the sulphur in the
mine water eats Into the iron like an
acid. This destructive quality prohib
its the use of the water in the boilers
that generate steam at the collieries,
and the result is that, when there Is a
drought, the companies often are oblig
ed to haul water to the mines In tank
cars from many miles away.—New
York Post
Odd Contrasts In Climate.
New York is usually thought of as
being directly west from London It
is. however, despite its fnr more rigor
ous climate. 900 miles nearer the equa
tor than is the British capital. Tho
bleak coast of Labrador is directly
west of London. The same line passes
the southern part of Hudson bay and
Lake Winnipeg. On the other side of
tlie continent it touches the southern
extremity of Alaska and continues
through the center of the Isthmus of
Kamchatka and Siberia and Russia to
Homburg.
Another illustration of the unexpect
ed In contrasts is found in a compari
son of St. John's. Newfoundland, with
Paris. Paris Ims a winter of compara
tive mildness, while St. John's is a re
gion of hitter cold and fogs, with drift
ing icebergs along its coast. Yet St.
John's Is 100 miles nearer the equator.
Anatole France on Journalism.
M. Anatole France. In reply to it
toast of his health, snlil: “I have been
a journalist and am one still I owe
to journalism some of (he qualities
that you have exaggerated. Journal
ism taught me a great part of the art
of writing. The two things most use
ful in writing are ease and simplicity.
Journalism tenches those things so well
that the style even of great writers
like Chateaubriand gained from Jour
nalistic experience."-Loudon Times.
New York’s Sewage.
Every day there Is poured into the
Harlem river 99.000.000 gallons of sew
age; into the North river. 132.000,000
gallons; into the East river, 'JiH.oOO.OOO
gallons. So in the course of a year
New York city pollutes its harbor with
about 495.000.000 gallons of refuse
matter.—New York World.
Judicious Charity.
"I don't believe tie is so miserly as
they say. 1 hear ho Invites his poor
relations to visit him ouch year.”
‘‘Yes. They all live at a considerable
distance and are too poor to come.”
The Reason He Jokes.
When a man Jokes about Ms wife
being Jealous you may depend upon it
his wife him not a jealous hone in her
body. Men with jealous wives do not
Joke about it.—Atchison Globe.
Grief can take care of Itself, but to
get the full value of a Joy yo i must
have somebody to divide it With.—
Mark Twain.
i