Vnknown Poem,
Robert Bums
The following verses were recently found among some papers belonging
-to the late Mrs. Berrington, who died in 1885. During the great part of
her life Mrs. Berrington lived In Monmouthshire at no great distance from
Itton Court, the home of Mrs. Curre, to whom, according to the indorsement
on the manuscript, the verses were addressed by Burns. Mrs. Curre, who
died in 1S23, was the daughter of John Bushby o Tinwald Downs in Dum
friesshire. The copy from which the verses were printed in Macmillan's
ilagazine is in the early handwriting of the late Miss Eliza Waddington,
whose family also lived in Monmouthshire:
O look na. young lassie, sae softly and sweetly!
0 smile na. young lassie, sae sweetly on me!
Ther's nought waur to bear than the mild glance of pity
When grief swells the heart and the tear blins the e'e.
Jest such was the glance of my bonnie lost Nancy,
Just such was the glance that once brightened her e'e;
Eut lost Is the smile sae impressed on my fancy.
And cauld is the heart that sae dear was to me.
Ilka wee flow'ret we grieve ta see blighted.
Cow'ring and with'ring in frost nippet plain;
The naist turn of spring shall awaken their beauty;
But ne'er can spring wauken my Nancy again.
And she was less fair than the flow'rs of the garden
Was she less sweet than the blossoms of May?
O, was na her cheek like the rose and the lily.
Like the sun's waving glance at the closing o day?
I
And O sic a heart, sae gude and sae tender!
Weel was it fitted for beauty sae leal;
'Twas as pure as the drap in the bell o" the lily,
A wee glinting gem wi' nought to conceal.
But the blush and the smile and the dark e'es mild glances,
1 prized them the raaist, they were love's kind return.
Yet far less the loss of sic beauty lamented,
x was ue love mat sne oore
ARE MAXIMS MISLEADING?
Perhaps no maxims arc so mislead
ing to the judgment of those who im
plic.tly relieve them as those which
assert what is absolutely true actually
pnd very often false metaphorically.
For instance, "Where there's smoke
there's fire" and "Straw3 show which
way the wind blow3." If by smoke we
understand scandal and gossip, then
there Is often a good deal of very nasty
.em&ke and no fire at all. Neither,
metaphorically speaking, do straws
show which way the wind blows, for
euch are the cross-currents of char
acter that you can seldom judge of its
general trend by a trivial action. A
man may save a penny and yet not be
mean, or throw away a pound without
being generous or even habitually ex
travagant. Take, for instance, the common
Yorkshire saying. "When in doubt do
nought." How very seldom the prin
ciple herein contained can be applied
with advantage. How many weak
wills, we should like to know, ha3
this pestilential little proverb contrib
uted to paralyze? "All things happen
to those that wait" and so they do
wait, till the only thing which Is sure
to happen to every one does happen,
and they die. Could they but have
realized that "he who hesitates Is
lost" contains far more truth than its
opposite they might have done some
thing in life. Not that this energetic
assertion of an occasional fact is by
any means a sure guide. Who is not
familiar with the man who never hesi
tates before any decision and nearly
always laments ht3 precipitation, usu
ally loud? Who has not got tired
of Imploring such a one to make the
best of a bad job or of suppressing the
obvious comment of "We told you
so? " All the same, believers in a
motto which spurs them into foolish
action seem to do better in the race of
life than those who rely upon one
which preaches nothing but caution.
Garden Water Lilies.
At the farthest point of marshy
ground you can some day excavate a
little basin cemented to retain water,
but a cheap way to obtain water lilies
here would be to sink some old paraf
fin barrels. Saw them in half, burn out
the oil, knock off the bottoms and sink
them In the marshy soil, puddling the
bottom well with clay, to which add
old cow manure and fibrous loam and
a sprinkling of charcoal. Above this
foundation connect the barrels with
small piping.
In each plant a water lily rhizome
tied in the sod of good turf with a few
pieces of charcoal and fill with water
to the depth of two feet. If the bar
rels do not fill from the. natural sup
ply they must be kept full artificially.
Outside the barrels make a handsome
bold group of taller aquatics, such as
calamus, epilobium, Guacera sagit
taria, and especially Tylpa latifolia.
the great bulrush. Plant these only
on one side of ths little pond, and
even if there be not water enough for
the lilies they will thrive. Tampas
grass, I think, flourishes In similar
hot, moist poeition3. A very little
by Burns Found
me luai gaes me to mourn.
And hasty people generally seem to ar
rive at their goal, in however bad con
dition. Coin-Sort !n Machines.
In banks, large stores, and ticket
offices it is no small task to sort the
different coins which go to make up
the receipts of the business, and so
John J. Hoey of New York city has
designed a machine to perform this
work expeditiously and accurately. The
apparatus consists of a rotary barrel,
having a continuous groove running
around its face from end to end. This
barrel is inclosed in a cylinder, having
slots in the under side in line with the
rings formed by the groove on the
face of the roller, the length of the
slots varying to correspond with the
various coirs, from the dime to the
dollar. To put the machine in opera
tion the miscellaneous coins are poured
into the open top of the inclosing case
and fed into the hopper at one end.
As the coins fall downward the crank
is turned ta revolve the barrel, the
coins working their way gradually
along the groove, which feeds them to
wards the opposite end of the barrel.
As soon as each coin reaches the slot
In the cylinder corresponding to its
size it drops through first the dimes,
then the pennies, nickel3, quarters and
halves. When the coin is all "ground
up" the drawers are withdrawn from
the machine and the different coins
poured out for counting or storage.
Buildings In New Tork City.
Net only are the buildings lifting
themselves to heaven, but they are,
also, crowding their way down to the
very ribs of the world. By a very re
taining wall of pneumatic caissons,
from which the workmen emerge half
trembling from the added pressure of
twenty-five pounds to the square inch,
the engineers cf the addition to the
mutual Life building have pierced
through forty feet of sifting sand, on
paraffin floated on the snrfar. vni
destroy mosquito grubs. Lipplncotfs
Magazine.
Sunffgllnr; by Auto.
The bulky nature of motor cars of
fers special temptations to people who
have no scruples about the rights of
the octroi. Numerous have been the
cases lately of attempts to dodge the
officials at the gates of Paris. The res
ervoirs of an automobile can be
made to hold almost anything, and re
ports say that a lot of dutiable spirits
is being got through free, so much so
that the receipts have been falling off
to an alarming extent. It appears that
the chauffeurs are no longer to be
dealt with with leniency, and exam
ples will be made.
largest of Sniltng Vessels.
While there has been for years a
steady decrease in the number of sail
ing vessels, French and German mer
chants have fornd it profitable to use
very large vessels of this kind. A five
master of 9.C00 tons now being built
at Rouen will be the largest sailing
vessel in the world.
through thirty feet more of trap rock
and bowlder, through another layer of
sand to the bed rock 100 feet below the
street level. The original Intention
was to obtain solid foundation for the
building, for the smallest sinking of
any portion would throw the entire
structure out of gear, says World's
Work. The actual result is, indeed,
that the building is founded upon a
rock, and It Is more. Five stories of
space below ground will be ready for
use, and quantities of machinery will
be located there, leaving room for of
fice and other rooms which, can be
rented. It is possible in the new-r city
that many men will rush by subway to
and from underground offices.
"Hawaii" the Official Term.
The United States postofflce depart
ment recognizes only the term "Ha
waii" as being the official designation
for the Hawaiian islands. "Territory
of Hawaii." "T. H." or "Haw." have
no place in the official abbreviations
for the new territory.
When the islands became a territory
of the United States considerable
peculation was had as t how letter
writers abroad should address their
friends here, and many believed that
"T. H." would about hit the mark.
Chief Clerk Kenake states that when
ordering stationery from Washington,
he made out the forms, intending to
use the letters "T. H.." but the sta
tionery came back with the word
"Hawaii" printed thereon. Rubber
stamps also came to his office with
this word, and thus it has become rec
ognized in the business and official
circles on the mainland to write the
word "Hawaii" In full on envelopes
for the islands. The word "Hawaii"
does no mean the island of Hawaii In
this sense. Letters addressed to HIlo,
Hawaii or Mahukona. Hawaii, do not
specifically designate the island of
Hawaii, but comes into the postofflce
under the same terms as letters ad
dressed to Honolulu. Hawaii. There
were formerly two Waimeas, one on
Hawaii and one on Kauai. The Wai
mea on the island of Hawaii has been
changed to Kamuela, and the only
Waimea now in existence, so far as
the postofSce is concerned, is that on
Kauai.
School Work in Kansas.
Miss Anna Sharpless is the name of
the schoolma'amn district No. SI, in
Montgomery county, Kansas. Miss
Sharpless is described as a muscular
young woman, weighing 160 pounds,
and with courage enough to lead a
regiment.
One day recently she set out to
whip a big 18-year-old boy for re
fractory conduct. The boy knocked
her down three times, but each time
she came to the scratch for another
round.
In their excitement the children
rang the bell and one of the directors,
who lived near by. came to the teach
er's assistance. But about the time he
had conquered the boy the boy's
father came on the scene with a club
and knocked the director senseless.
Then others came and the father and
son made off to their home, being later
arrested on the charge of assault.
In giving an account of the affair,
the Independence Reporter says: Ml3s
Sharpless restored order in the school
room and proceeded with the regular
work until closing time. She is very
nervy, and says she will teach that
school if she has to be taken away a
corpse."
Specific for Snake liite.
Those who fear snakes or live where
snakes are found will find comfort,
says the New York Times, in the as
surance of Dr. John H. Henry of
Montgomery. N. Y.. that sulphuric
acid is a specific. Dr. Henry says:
"The poison of animals and snakes
Is intensely alkaline and sulphuric
acid taken internally and injected
hypodermically. diluted or pure, in the
fang puncture, immediately kills the
poison. This discovery was given by
a gentleman who says he has been
bitten by snakes and insects over a
hundred times. This gentleman takes
a delight in keeping snakes in his
room runnins all about. Six weeks
ago he was bitten in the foot by his
big rattler. He immediately used
(hypodermically) the acid, and it did
not swell or give him any trouble. He
says he fears no poison of animal,
snake or insect bites If he has his acid
with him." . .
New Cse for Mice.
Mice will hereafter be part of the
.miinmMit of the submarine boat Ful
ton on her trips below the surface of
the water. They are expected to pro
tect the crew from asphyxiation Dy de
tecting gas, by which they are affected
twontv times more quickly than men.
They are expected to give warning of
its presence. The gas comes from the
fumes of the engine. Hair a dozen
white mice have been secured.
Frisco's Many Telephones.
San Francisco leads the American
cities in the matter of telephones, there
being an instrument to every sixteen
persons. In Greater New York there
Is one to every forty-eight persons.
New Zealand Island Telephone.
Another step in the realization of
Mr. Seddon's dream of an Island fed
eration apart from the Australian com
monwealth, of which New Zealand
should be the acknowledged center,
was taken during the last month,
when that statesman provided in his
budget for a lower rate of taxation on
goods Imported into the Cook islands
the only group which New Zealand
has so far annexed than on Austral
ian goods, and declared that goods
from New Zealand would ultimately
be admitted free. In view of the de
termined effort of New Zealand to
amalgamate with the Fiji group this
action is regarded as an indication of
the anti-commonwealth policy that
would be adopted if Mr. Seddon's
scheme were carried out.
Highest German Smokestack.
The highest smokestack In Germany
has just been completed ty the chemi
cal works iM Rheinau for the purpose
of obviating tho deleterious effects of
the noxious gases upon the agricultural
products of the vicinity. The height
of the stack is 396 feet.
II BEFORE p
" PUBLIC EYE
LATE HEAD OF LONDON POLICE.
Colonel Sir Henry Smith, who has
just resigned from his post of com
missioner of London city police, had
held that important place for eleven
years, and is admitted to have been
the best commissioner that ever filled
the office. His resignation was due to
the fact that the police committee of
the common council of London refused
to act on his recommendation for an
Increase in the force. Sir Henry has had
several ugly experiences, due to the
small number of men at his command.
The last affair of this kind was that
of the return of the London volunteers,
when the force was called upon to
handle a crowd of drunken persons,
several hundred thousand times great
er in number than the police. This
affair drew matters to a climax. Sir
Henry demanded an immediate en
largement in the strength of the de
partment. The council committee
would not listen to his request, and he
therefore resigned his post in disgust.
Much feeling has been aroused in Lon
don by the council's sluggishness.
BEAUTIFUL AMERICAN SINGER.
Miss Bessie Abbott, who has just
made a highly successful debut in
grand opera in Paris, i3 a charming
American girl about whose musical
talents and training much mystery has
been made abroad. It is said that she
was found in America by Jean de
Reszke, who brought her to Paris and
placed her under the charge of M.
Gailhard. She is described as being
very dirk, quite pretty and an admir-
able singer. The part in which she
made her debut was Juliet in Gounod's
"Romeo and Juliet."
Praise for the Czarina.
There Is a most wonderful fascina
tion about the czarina, and to English
people she will always prove an object
of interest, for was she not the grand
daughter of our late queen? The Em
press of Russia is an extremely beau
tiful woman, and we cannot but ad
mire the way in which she, a mere
Cirl, took up her position and its re
sponsibilities in a foreign land, and
at once made her presence felt at the
court over which she reigned as em
press consort, says Woman's Life. A
devoted wife, she is hardly ever ab
sent from her husband's side, and at
the same time she is a model mother.
It must be a terrible disappointment
that there is no heir to the imperial
throne; nevertheless, it would be im
possible to find a happier family party
than the emperor and empress of Rus
sia and their little daughters.
Two Similar Points of. View.
There are few points of resemblance,
it is said, between the English Arch
bishop Temple and Popa Leo XIII., but
curiously similar remarks on a simi
lar occasion are attributed to both.
The pope, as was recently recounted.
when told that a certain necessary
task would kill a subordinate In six
months, replied that he only wanted
the worker for six months. And to
Dr. Temple on one occasion a friend
said he had been told by his doctor
that he could live no more than two
years if he undertook a certain piece
of work. "Well," said the archbishop.
"what.dot:s it matter what happens in
two years If you do your duty now?"
Varied German Schools,
There are schools in Germany for
farmers, gardeners, florists, fruit grow
ers, foresters, blacksmiths, carpenters,
machinists, cabinet-makers, bookkeep
ers, tailors, shoemakers, druggists;
there are cooking schools, institutes
for training servant girls, barbers and
chiropodists. One can find a school in
Germany for teaching anything one
wants to know; and it is usually sup
ported by the government and free to
all comers, or perhaps only a nominal
tuition is charged.
Berlin Bans Blinders.
The president of the Berlin Society
for the Prevention of Cruelty to Ani
mals has Issued a proclamation to the
public urging them, in engaging cabs
or wagons, to take only those drivers
who do not follow the stupid and cruel
custom of using blinders over the eyes
of horses, which is the principal cause
of shying.
Explorers have approached within
223 miles of the north pole, but the
nearest approach to the south pole
Las been 772 miles. .
1 II XlCTfil! I r,
Current News
and Views
INCREASED COST OF LIVING.
The average cost of living has ad
vanced nearly $30 per capita within
less than five years, according to a
statistical comparison just issutd by
Dun's Review.
In July, 1S97, the average cost of a
year's supplies for one person was
172.45. To-day it is $101.37. Forty
years ago it was $20 greater, the exact
figures in January, 1860, being $121. o.
The present prices are higher than
for many years, or since modern indus
trial, distributive and agricultural con
ditions were introduced.
During the period mentioned it has
been found that while the price of la
bor fluctuated greatly, the average was
$1.50 a day, or about the rate prevail
ing to-day. This would indicate that
the increased cost of livins has not
teen met by an increase in ability to
pay it.
But to offset this there must be tak
en into account present steady em
ployment and larger opportunities for
advancement. Existing conditions
certainly do not bear out the bare
statistical statements that the cost of
living has so greatly advanced while
wages have remained at an average.
Pittsburg Dispatch.
NEGLECT OF A NATION.
At North Bend, O. the place where
General William Henry Harrison lived
at the time he wa3 ejected president
his ashes lie in a tomb which is in a
state of neglect. That fact speaks but
illy of the respect which the nation
-J:
shows for the memory of those who
helped to make it great.
The insignificant tomb stands on a
little knoll and overlooks the broad,
tawny Ohio river, which there makes
a wide sweep to the southward. An
ideal -location for the eternal home of
one who loved the spot, even as dearly
as he loved his country.
A dreary looking tomb it is at its
best. No one could have planned an
abode more architecturally severe. The
cold, gray granite, damp and dank.
peers from the ground like the rude
formation for some house which was
never built. Over the iron door of the
vault which is reached by a path
through a small cut in the hillside
stands the legend "Harrison." The
door itself seems imbedded in the stone
wali, unpainted and rusty, and marked
and marred with the scratchings of
vandals. Names are scrawled across it
names of those who are unknown,
and whom no one need know. A rusty
iron lock, which might be smashed
with one biow, is all that keeps the
door fasiened and prevents the vandals
from further desecrating the abode of
Harrison.
- The path leading to the door is lit
tered with rubbish and underbrush.
Hosts of weeds mar the beauty of the
green turf from which they spring. No
one cares, or seems to care, how the
spot looks. Forgotten almost the
tomb stands as a monument. Cincin
nati Enquirer.
MONUMENT TO ROSA BONHEUR.
At Fontainebleau, France, a monu
ment to Rosa Bonheur, the great
painter of animals, was recently un
veiled, and is shown in accompanying
picture. On the side panels of the
pedestal are reproductions in bronze
of some of the artist's works. A bas
relief portrait In bronze of Rosa
Bonheur occupies one of the smaller
panels, and a bronze branch lies be
neath. Xatnro and Art.
Senator Bailey of Texas has a face
like a cherub. It is round and soft
and full of color. One day in the cor
ridor of the senate he was approached
by a giggling young woman who asked
rapturously: "Oh, senator, where in
the world did you get your pretty pink
complexion?" Bailey was embarrassed
only for an instant. Looking her
straight in the eye and tapping her
lightly on her slightly rouged cheek,
he very gravely asked: "Where in the
city did you get yours?"
rityslrlans in Russia.
The number cf male physicians In
Russia is 14,784; that of female physi
cians i3 24, but it will soon be larger
as there were last year S69 female stu
dents in the Medical Institute for
Women.
Production or Silk Plant.
Secretary Franklin Allen of the Silk
Association cf America states that the
capacity of the present silk plants 13
sufficient to more than supply the do
mestic demand.
Willie
the WEEKLY
PANORAMA
THE ACCEPTED AUSTRALIAN FLAG.
The Australian Commonwealth gov
ernment recently offered a prize for
the best design for a federal or na
tional Australian flag. No fewer than
30,000 designs were sent in. The
prize of $750 was divided among five
competitors, who designed almost
identical flags viz: "The Lnlon Jack
on a blue or red ground, a six-pointed
star representing the Bix federated
States of Australia immediately un
der the Union Jack, and pointing
direct to the center of bt. oeorge s
cross and of a size to occupy the ma
jor portion of one-quarter of the flag
and the southern cross in the nag as
being indicative of the sentiment of
the Australian nation." To this des
cription of the new flag, as finally
adopted, the Judges add: "Our de
sire has been to give to the people of
our new-born nation a 6ymbol that
would be endearing and lasting in its
effect."
OLDEST CHAPEL IN AMERICA.
The lovers of the antique and pictur
esque architecture of former centuries
in the City of Mexico are pleased at
the announcement that an ancient
landmark, the little chapel of La Con
ception, is not to be destroyed. It has
been variously claimed for this chapel
that it marked the spot where Cuauh
temoc surrendered to Cortes, also that
it was the first Catholic temple in
which mass was said in the City of
Mexico. A recent investigation of
these points among the best authori
ties on ancient history of the capital
did not establish them positively, but
the little chapel is without doubt one
of the earliest places of Christian wor
ship built in the city by the Spaniards
and probably in the whole of North
America.
The chapel of La Concepcion now
stands in the rather neglected little
plaza of the same name, which is the
public stand for the heavy carts and
wagons licensed for hire. It is to be
rescued for this unromantic surround
ing, however, and a park laid out about
it. The chapel will be given a few
needed repairs and protected by a suit
able railing. It has been proposed that
the new garden be called Jardia
Berriozabal, after Mexico's late min
ister of war.
Some Prodigious Memories.
Many of the greatest men have had
phenomenal memories. Caesar knew
the names of thousands of soldiers in
his legions. A modern man of science
often has a prodigious memory for
special terminology. Prof. Asa Gray
has said that he could at once recall
the names of something like 23,000
plants; Prof. Theodore Gill can do the
same for fishes. Our memory for mere
words is itself much more extensive
than is generally admitted. The aver
age well-to-do child of two years of
age has a vocabulary of some 500 words
and its father may have the command
of 20.000 more. The 10,000 verses of the
Rig Veda have, for 3,000 years, been
accurately preserved in the memories
of the Brahmins. Not one Brahmin
alone, but thousands can to-day recite
It vord for word. Thousands of Mo
hammedans, likewise, know the Koran
ty heart, as all learned Chinese know
their classical books.
Municipal Golf Links.
There Is a certain amount of irony,
says a London paper, in the fact that
the city corporation, which ha3 hith
erto been eo averse to anything savor
ing of socialism, should be the first
London authority to follow the exam
ple of Bournemouth in the establish
ment of municipal golf links. In fu
ture the self links at Chingford, in
Epping Forest, will be controlled by
the city, and under the new regime It
will be possible for all to indulge in
this pastime at a raerily nominal
charge.
Found a New field of Labor.
A girl in Colnn-.ous. O., Miss Alverda
M. Stout, has. carved out an entirely
original career for herself. She has
become a mechanical engineer and Is
lecognized as among the most compe
tent members of that craft. She is
but 18 years old. but by her pluck and
determination mastered the many dif
ficulties which have necessarily con
fronted her in her new undertaking and
won for herself the approval and
friendship of the male engineers of
her own and other cities.
Mixed the Vernacular.
A Hindoo baker s assistant in Bom
bay, on setting up in business for him
Eelf, bethought him of catering to the
English community, as well as for the
native one. With this end in view, ac
cordingly, he had the following notifi
cation painted over his doorway: "Ram
Bux solicits respectful patronage. He
13 a first-class British loafer."
The St. Lawrence river is only 773
miles long, but if the lake system be
also taken into account its total length
wiu iwi 2.000 miles.
111 fo
JB mm v
FOR EPICURES TO READ.
Add to Tour Knowlf or b Tempting:
Oyster.
This being the oyster season all in
fcimation concerning that sea animal
known to the illiterate a3 the "lunclouj
bivalvi" is In order. We know that
oysters sometimes give peorle typhoid
fever, taste strongly of oil if scooped
up in the Staten Island Kills, are
whitened and fattened for the New
York market by being kept in fresh
water and fed on corn meal; thai their
flavor is spoiled by the process and. in
short, a lot of things about them which
were, perhaps, just as well that we did
not know. At present a discussion is
going on as to how long an oyster lives
provided he is let live Prof. Mobius.
a German authority on the subject,
says that the Schleswig oysters .which
they eat in North Germany are from
peven to ten years old when they come
into the market, and he has seen some
which were between twenty-five and
thirty years old, though he acknowl
edges that oysters even twenty-five
years old are rare. Bertram in hi
"Harvest of the Sea" says that an
oyster is in its prime when it is five
years old. Prof. S. P. Woodward as
serts that an oyster on artificial
ground does not arrive at maturity un
til it is between five and sven years
c'J, but those grown In natural beds
mature at the age of four. It is be
lieved that an oyster, left to its nat
ural chances, would be likely to arrive
at an extreme old age. Fossil oyster
shells have been found which were
nine inches thick, from which It 1
computed that the oyster must have
been more than a hundred years old
at the time of its death. The age of
an oyster is determined by the outside
of its shell, the successive layers or
plates overlapping each other, mark
ing a year's growth each. Up to the
time of the oyster's maturity thes
"shoots," as they technically are called,
are regular, but after that period they
become Irregular and are piled one
over the other so that the shell be
comes more thickened and bulky and
the age marks more confused. New
York Press.
SCENT THAT CLINGS.
Smoke of C lears Worries (be Bachelor
i.lrl (alt a l-ot.
"Talk about a grain of u.u rcent
Ing a room for twenty-nre y-r." sat.I
the bachelor girl; ' that nothing to
the way a whiff of tobacco smoke will
make its presence known for age
without apparently diminishing In
strength. My brother calls on ni
sometimes In the afternoons and when
he does he is. of course, accompanied
by the Inevitable cigar. He smoke
during the interview, and I talk a
very acceptable division r.f labor to
both of us and then he goes away
and I air my sitting room thoroughly,
as I suppose. That night, If purchance
I have a visitor, 'Dear me, he si. or
whatever is the masculine equivalent
for that expression, 'dear me, find the
man! I smell tobacco smoke, so there
must be one about here pomewhere.'
When I mention my brother he looks
first incredulous and then suspicious.
I've caught more than one of my call
ers furtively looking at my fingers to
see if they showed any trace of nico
tine, I suppose, and once or twice my
opinion as to the relative merits of the
different braDds cf cigarettes has been
asked suddenly when I was off my
guard, apparently to 6ee whether I
would commit myself. Evidently my
kind friends suspect me of doing the
smoking myself. There's plenty of it
done among women, and what are
known as 'nice' wmen, toe: b-L li' a
habit that I shbor. I urtr had a
cigarette in my mouth, and still bfa"
someone notices the frs.rraare of to
bacco about iny rooms or r? oih h,
for both are imprtgnaltd, they seem
convinced that I am a 'fiend.' Last
week when I took my winter hanging
out of the cedar closet I could smell
last winter's tobacco smoke still lin
gering In their folds. I can't gt it
out. Air is of no avail. This winter
my brothr is going to be denied fcis
cigars," said the bachelor girl. "I
can't get the reputation of being a
cigarette fiend Just to make him com
fortable, now can I? I hate to sacri
fice him, but no doubt for the good of
the family he'll be wliling even ti
give up his perfecto." Baltimore
News.
"John l)o" In Knt land.
Forty-nine years ago died two near
relatives in the legal profession of
the celebrated "Mrs. Harris" John
Doe and Richard Roe. For centurlei
their connection with landed proprty
had been extensive and peculiar. If
Smith wished to eject Jones. Smith be
came John Doe. the plaintiff, and Jones
was compelled to join in the legal
comedy by becoming Rhhard Roe, the
defendant. Those names were ali
inserted In criminal proceedings a
pledges to prosecute. A curious Inci
dent happened at the trial, in 1724.
of Louis Housart for the murder cf
bis wife. Among other pleas In bar
to and abatement of the proceeding,
he pleaded t.iat there were no such
persons as John Doe and Richard Roe."
To this it was replied that there weie
two such persons in Middlesex, one a,
weaver, the other a soldier, and thi
fact was sworn to. TM legal fiction
was abolished on October 24. 1S32.
London Chronicle,
Prairie Bogs Flourishing-
There Is one North American ani
mal that does not share the fate ol
becoming extinct which appears tc
threaten all the other beasts on tfcU
hemisphere. The exception is ta
prairie dog. Man has been bo buiy
and successful in exterminating tt.li
little ground squlrr"! ' natural enemiei
the coyotes, badgers, ferrets, hawk",
owls and eagles that the prairie dof
has multiplied niarvelously and or
certain vast grazing lands its rnourdf
are so many and its consumptlca anl
ruin of herbage are so great that onlj
half as many cattle can be pastured or
thera as formerly, when the beast
were kept down by other animals th;
fed on thpm.
The federal government and tin
state governments of Dakota, Nebras
ka, Kansas and Texas are sperJini
lots of money now to find some m?:in
for exterminating the pest.