A Story of Patriarchal Times.
By JULIA MAGRUDER. . .
COPVKIGIITED 1890 , 1BOI AND 1800 IIV UOIIEIIT UONNER'S SO.V3.
CHAPTER I.
Jephthah , the Gileadlte. had only one
child , a young maiden named Nama-
rah , and beside her , he had neither son
nor daughter. Now , Jephthah was a
mighty man of valor , and his name
was feared exceedingly , albeit he had
a heart most kind and tender , and the
chief treasure of his heart was even
the maiden Namarah ; for he had been
father and mother and all in all to the
young child , whose other parent had
died , and left her to the great soldier ,
as the sole fruit of a happy wedded
love , too early cut off by death.
As the child grew into girlhood , it
was known to her , by comparing her
father to the other men she saw , that
he was not as they ; a gloom was ever
on his face , except when his eyes were
upon her , and then , indeed , he would
look glad and smile. Namarah always
felt that it was the early death of her
3'oung mother that made her father's
face look sad , even ( when aglow with
pride she would look at him all in glit
tering armor ) as he. rode his magnifi
cent war horse at the head of his host.
For this , her heart was very tender to
him. and she strove the more to make
up to him by the sweet service of her
love for what he had lost. As she grew
older , and stories of the sin and folly
of the world were told her , there was
known to her a deeper reason yet for
her father's melancholy. The stern
grief of childhood had preceded the
grief of age , and , though she only
gained her knowledge by putting many
J small hints and observations together ,
she learned that this gentle father had
been himself a neglected and abused
son , whose mother he had never
known , and whose father and brethren
had treated him with cruelty and in
justice. As his father's younger sons
grew up , they hated Jephthah because
he was stranger and of a nobler pres
ence than themselves , and they thrust
him out of their father's house , that
they and their mother might be no
more offended at the sight of him. So
Jephthah fled from his brethren aurf
dwelt in the land of Tob. But so great
a soldier was he , so majestic in ap
pearance and so valiant in fight , that
the fame of him went abroad through
out the land , and came even unto the
cars of his brethren.
In the land of Tob he took a wife ,
and there were spent his days of hap
piness , and there was born unto him
the child Namarah. But it came to
pass , before the babe could stand upon
its feet , the wife of Jephthah died and
was buried , and in all the world there
was no comfort to the man save in the
child Namarah. Her he watched and
tended as his all in all , and so great
was his love and kindness to her , that
her heart was knit to his , even as his
to hers. And in all the land there
was no maiden so fair and beautiful.
Her eyes were like cool streams of lim
pid water , for clearness and for blueness -
ness like the heaven above. Her skin
for whiteness , was like the leaves of
soiu little woodland flower on which
the sun hath never shone , but which
the gentle winds of shady places have
fanned and kept cool. Her hair , won
derful , soft and dusky , was like the
brown leaves of the forest , and when
she shook it down , it wrapped the slimness -
ness of her body round and clothed her
like a garment. Her voice , when she
spoke , was ever sweet and low , as the
cooing of the wood doves in the
branches , and when she lifted it up ,
and sang with the maidens that were
her companions , it was , for clearness ,
like the sky lark's.
What wonder that Namarah was un
to her father as the light of his eyes ,
and that many young men. strong and
goodly to see , looked upon her with
favor and sought her to wife. But
of all these she would have none , dis
daining even to hear them speak , and
saying only that her life and service
were her father's wholly , and she de
sired the love and companionship of no
man but him. When he was at home ,
she never left his side ; tempting his
appetite with dainty dishes when he
was exhausted and In need of food ,
serving him with her own hands at
table , and bringing herself the fresh
water for his ablutions ; after which
she would bend her head for his blessing -
ing , and then lift up her face with
a smile of radiance , good to cheer the
weary man. If it was his will to stay
at home and rest him from his strenu
ous exercises of arms , she would sit
beside him , and draw his great head
down upon her lap , and with her lit
tle milk-white fingers ruffle or smooth
the thick masses of his curly hair and
magnificent beard until she coaxed him
to sleep.
"What love do I want more than
his ? " she would ask herself. "Why
should I leave him desolate , to take up
my life with another , who must ever
be as a stranger to me compared to
him who hath been my companion and
my friend my whole life through ? And
where is another like unto him ? In
all the land there is not one who , be
side him. seems not base and small. "
And when Jephthah would wake
from sleep , she would clasp and cling
to him , and beg him that they never
should be parted.
"Nay , my daughter. " he would an
swer. "It must not be that thou sacri-
ficeth thy young life for me for whom
pleasure is over. I would have thee
wedded to a good man , who will cher
ish thee ; and In seeing thee happy , and
having thy children on my knee , I
shall know the best joy that is left for
me. "
Then Namarah would weep , and im
plore him not to send her from him ,
saying that what he pictured as her
happiness looked to her like the very
face of death , so greatly did she dread
it. Whereat her father Jephthah would
but smile , and say it would not be so
with her one day , when the lord and
master of her .heart should come.
"He is here , " she would say , flinging
her white arms about him , "there will
be never any other. " And Jephthah
would smile again and say only the
one word : "Wait , " whereat Namarah
would grow almost angry , and tears of
vexation would spring into her eyes.
Then would Jephthah rouse himself
and stand upright on his strong legs
and lift her in his mighty arms as
though she were still the little maid
he used to toss and dandle , and hold
her high above his head , and refuse to
let her down from this unseemly alti
tude until the break of her childish
laughter had blown away her tears.
CHAPTER II.
It happened one fair morning , when
earth and sky seemed all to meet in a
blessed promise of tranquility and
peace , that Namarah stood in the midst
of her garden , with a small basket on
lie ? arm , from which she was scat
tering grain to a flock of white doves ,
which , fluttering from far and near ,
came to her feet and sank down there ,
a moving mass of snowy plumage , from
which her slender figure , clad in spot
less white , rose up like a human ema
nation from their pure loveliness of
hue and outline. Her face and throat
and hands were pure white , too , and
a look of deep serenity was upon her.
The sky above seemed not more still
and placid.
She raised her hand and put a few
grains of the food into her mouth , and
at the motion some of the doves were
frightened and flew up , with a whir
ring noise , only to circle round and
come back again and fall to nodding
and dipping about for the grain at
her feet. Presently one of the flock
flew up and alighted on her shoulder ,
then another and another. Namarah
opened her red lips and showed the
dark grains held tight between her
little white teeth ; at which a pecking
and fluttering began among the three
tame doves , as she would offer her
mouth first to one and then another.
It was evidently a familiar game
which all the participants enjoyed.
Suddenly there was a great whirring
and fluttering , and the whole flock flew
wildly off , and were out of sight behind -
hind the trees , before Namarah , left
quite alone , perceived the cause of
their fright. A young man , taller even
f
than Jephthah , her father , but with
the ruddiness of youth and dawning
manhood upon his beardless face , stood
before her , all in shining armor , on
which the moving light danced and
glinted. He had taken off his helmet ,
j
and sunlight kissed sunlight in the ,
gold of his thick curls. And , behold ,
when Namarah turned and looked at
C
him , a strange thing came to pass.
Her white cheeks , which no one had
ever seen other than calm and color
less , were all at once suffused with
?
pink , as if a rose had been suddenly
placed beneath a piece of fair white .
cambric ; and in that moment she be- 1
came a hundred times more beauti
ful than she had ever been before. The
young man colored , too , and bent his
golden head , as she said :
"If this be the maiden , Namarah , thy
father Jephthah hath sent me to ask
of thee some pieces of his armor that
he hath need of. "
"Is he going into a fight ? " the maid
en .asked , the rose disappearing from
her cheeks. "Will he not see me , to
say farewell ? "
"There is. in truth , some danger of
a fight , " the young man answered ,
"for the times are troublous , and a
mighty man like Jephthah must be
ever ready ; but his name is great and
terrible , and in going forth to put
down the enemy that hath so suddenly
arisen , I think the report that thy fa
ther Jephthah leadeth the host will
be enough , and that there will be no
bloodshed. But , maiden , " he added ,
more gently , seeing that her face
looked still affrighted , "I pray thee
have no fear for the safety of thy fa
ther. I will even guard his body with
my own. " And , as he spoke , he looked
on her and loved her.
Namarah met the look , and the
trouble of her face grew deeper. She
felt the disturbing power of that quiet
gaze , but all her thought was for her
father.
"Maiden , " the young man mur
mured , in a voice that had a softened
cadence , "already , even today , there
hath been a surprise attack , and your
father hath been in danger ; but it
please God that I should be near him.
to protect him , as I could , and for this
cause Jephthah , thy father , hath
chosen me to be his armor bearer , so
that in future my place will be beside
him ; and I say but the truth when I
'
tell thee that I will protect his life
with my own. "
"But , truly , " said Namarah , "thou
art very noble , and life to thee is even
also dear. "
"Life would be dear to me no longer
maiden , " he made answer , 'if I should
look upon thy face to tell thee that I
lived and Jephthah , thy father , was
slain. "
This time , when he spake the words
"thy father , " it seemed unto the maid
en that his voice dwelt upon them by
the space of half a second. The idea
glanced through her agitated mind
like lightning , but afterward she be
thought herself of it. But now the
young man spake again , and reminded
her of his errand.
"My lord Jephthah hath sent thee
his blessing through me , " he said ; "and
he prays thee to be of good cheer , and
to dread no danger for him. "
"I cannot choose but dread , " the
maiden answered , as she walked be
side him to the house , and led the way
to where her father's armor lay.
"Nay , but surely , " said the young
man , full humbly , "thou wilt be a
little comforted because of the promise
I have given thee. "
"Ay , " said Namarah. 'it doth com
fort me much , and I thank thee from
my very heart ; but the thought of bat
tle ever makes me tremble , although
I am a soldier's child. I pray thee ,
give my loving greeting tomy _ father ,
and tell him I go at once to pray the
God of Israel for his safety. "
"Maiden , I also would be thought of
in thy prayers , " the young man said ,
half doubtingly ; and she answered :
"I will pray for thee also , soldier.
Tell me thy name. "
And he said :
"My name is Adina. "
Then onoe more he looked at her ,
and again his strange look troubled
her ; and as she stood and watched the
goodly figure in its shining armor
down the streets of Mizpeh , a wonder
got hold upon her that for the first
time at the thought of battle her fears
were not wholly for her father.
Long time she knelt and prayed , her
maidens waiting without ; and all her
struggle was to recover the lost feeling
that her father was her all in all , but
another image rose up , over and over
again , and would not be forgotten. At
last she gave it up , and murmured ,
half aloud :
"Bless him , even the young man
Adina , also , 0 my God ; and bring them
back in safety together. "
_ Before the close of day , the streets
of Mizpeh rang to the gladdening
sound of the victorious return of troops
from battle. Namarah , high up in her
chamber , watched them with breath
less delight , as she saw the-body of
soldiers coming down the street , and
soon she was able to make out the
majestic figure of her father , at their
head. She was fuH sure of that , but
still , she bent from her window eager
ly , and strained her vision to see more.
Suddenly , her breath was drawn in
pantingly , and once more the rose was
on her cheek. Behind her father she
had recognized the tall figure of Adina ,
and her eyes continually strayed from
one to the other , as the setting sun
burnished the curls of his golden hair
as the young man rode his splendid
horse adown the streets of Mizpeh.
( To be Continued. )
MATCHINGBUTTONS HERTRADE
Old Sarah Cohen's Unique Business
Proves Profitable.
In a little house just off Hester street
dwells an old woman who carries on a
most peculiar trade. She is Sarah
Cohen , or "Old Sal , " as she is more
familiarly called , and east side resi
dents know her well , and most of them
patronize her. On the window pane of
her little shop is a sign , which reads :
"Buttons Sold Inside. Any Button
Matched from One Cent to a Nickel. "
Her stock in trade is stored up in
thousands of buttons in little heaps
pearl , glass , bone , jet , shell , brass ,
cloth , silk , horn , and every other va
riety of button made. It is said the
old woman's business is profitable , and
that she has 'managed to save about
5,000 out of her curious occupation.
"You see , " she said to me , "it often
is the case that a woman buys only
enough buttons for a dress , and then ,
when she loses one , it is difficult to get
it matched at a notion store. Those
who know me come along here , and I
can always do it from my stock. 1
have my regular customers , for most
storekeepers around here know me and
send their customers to me when they
are unable to suit them , and they sel
dom go away without the very thing
they are after ? Where do I get them
from ? Many come from junk shops ,
where on the rags sold are buttons.
All the rag dealers know I pay a fair
price for buttons , and they save them
until they have a sufficient quantity
and then they come to me. Another
way I obtain them is by visiting the
dressmakers , who often have buttons
left over , and their customers seldom
*
ask for them. These I can buy up very
cheap. Although my little board outside - '
side says that the highest price I
charge is 5 cents , my better class customers - :
tomers do not hesitate to offer me a ]
quarter , or even 50 cents , for a button (
that they have lost , in order to make t
their garments look neat and com
plete. " New York Herald.
l
Honey an Excellent Food.
Scientific men say that honey is a (
much more healthful sweet than sugar ,
and has many valuable properties. It
is nutritive , and when used freely with
bread makes an excellent food for chil
dren. It is laxative and may be used
advantageously in place of medicine by
persons of sedentary lives. Being also
the daintiest and most delicious of
sweets an extract of blossoms it is
hardly possible to eat it to an injurious
extent. It needs no digestion , as su
gar does , and even acts as a digestive
aid.
TALMAtiE'S SERMON.
TALKS OF NEEDS OF THE
CHURCHES.
Lessons From Fait Penitential Season
Mar lie Helpful to All Clutrchca Im
portance of au Observance Tliut I.eacN
to Reduction.
Text : Acts ii. , 1 : "And when the
day of peatecost was fully come they
were all with one accord hi one place. "
He said :
'The blessings of Episcopal Lent
from a Presbyterian minister's stand
point is the theme of this sermon. The
histories of hermits , ascetics , penances ,
macerations , sackcloth and ashes , pil
grimages , monasteries , juggernauts ,
human sacrifices and medicine men
prove that days of fasting and suppli
cation have been among the sacred cus
toms of all nations. St. Agnes day ,
Candlemas day , St. Blaze day , Valen
tine's day , Hoke day , St. Patrick's day ,
St. George's day. Shrove T.uesday ,
Maypole day , Holy Innocents' day , All-
hallow E'en , St. Urban's day , Royal
Oak day , St. Nicholas day , St. Vitus
day , SS. Swithin , Margaret , Bridget ,
Catherine , Andrew , James , Ethelburgh ,
Elizabeth , Barnabas , Simon , Jude days.
Holy Rood day , Martimas day. Cor
pus Christi day are only a few of the
many we could name in the gleaming
constellations of past holy days , as
well as holidays.
"The present close communion of the
Covenanters dates back to the time of
Scottish bigotries , when Lord Claver-
house ; like Paul , 'persecuted them even
unto strange cities. ' As it meant life
or death if an enemy discerned the
worshipers , they had their tokens or
little pieces of leaden metal about the
size of an English penny. When these
Covenanters came to the door where
the communion was to Ja held they
presented these tokens , vhich were the
same as a soldier's countersign. So
the modern custom of eating hot cross
buns on Good Friday finds its origin
in heathen times when the devotees
would bring the sacred bread to lay
upon the altars. Down to the reign of
Henry VIII. the Catholic church , in or
der to celebrate the triumphant entry
of Palm Sunday , made a wooden ass ,
and astride this ass they placed the
wooden figure of Jesus Christ , and the
people would drag it through the
streets before which the worshipers
bowed in holy rapture. As was quaint
ly expressed in the ancient poem :
"A wooden ass they have and image
great that on him rides.
But underneath the ass's feet a table
broad there slides.
Being borne on wheels which ready
drest and all things meete there
fore ,
The asse is brough abroad and set be
fore the chtirche's door.
Feast of the Jews.
"Not only did the Jews have the
feast of the Passover , the feast of the
Tabernacles , the feast of the Pentecost ,
the feast of the New Moons , the feast
of Charity , the feast of dedication , the
feast of trumpets , the feast of the Sab
bath , for these feasts were only an
other name for fast , but in Zechariah
we read , "The fast of the fourth month
and the fast of the fifth , and the fast of
the seventh , and the fast of the tenth
shall be to the house of Judah joy and
gladness and cheerful fasts. ' After the
ascension , when they were all with one
accord in one place , the little band of
120 disorganized followers of Jesus
Christ gathered together in an upper
chamber in Jerusalem , and there they
fasted and prayed day after day until
at last the Holy Ghost came in the
sound of a mighty rushing wind and it
filled all the house where they were sit
ting , and there appeared unto them
cloven tongues of fire and it sat upon
the heads of each.
"The sacredness of the Lenten sea
son is the natural outgrowth of heath
en as well as Christian worship.
Though we hold not allegiance to any
bishop , nor reverence the idea of apostolic
tolic succession , and use not the Lit
urgy , let us gather next Ash Wednes
day in the different parishes under the
shadow of the cross , and for forty days
bow the knee in worship , side by side
with those who are merely sheep of
another fold , of whom Jesus Christ i ?
the same shepherd.
"In the first place the text honors
the Episcopalian Lenten season be
cause it Is a protest against social dis
sipations. In order to dissipate some
people believe one has to be a drunkard
like Edgar Allan Poe , a libertine like
Lord Byron , or aa opium fiend like
Thomas de Quincey. who on account
of his physical infirmities made that
marvelous mind so weird and unbal
anced that in dreams he wandered
among the clouds. The stars were the
shining knobs which opened the dark
doors of the night. In the strange pal
aces of vision which fatal narcotics
built , he heard his little baby playmate ,
the loving sister who died in childhood ,
sing the songs of the nursery. As an
artist he painted his pictures , and as
a magician waved his wand until vast
processions passed along in mournful
pomp , friezes of never-ending stories ,
that to my mind were as sad and sol
emn as if they were stories drawn from
times before Oedipus or Priam , before
Tyre , before Memphis. And at the
same time a change took place in my
dreams ; a theater seemed suddenly
opened and lighted within my brain ,
which presented nightly spectacles of
more visions than earthly splendors.
Visions Fndo at Last.
"But at last in Thomas de Quincey's '
visions the angels of heaven and the j
sweet incense of the fields and the
bright eyes of hope were driven away
by the Satanic influences which sent
him flying and shrieking through |
space. He was a maniac shivering in :
the clutches of despair. The cemeteries
were turned into mobs of chattering j
skeletons. The resurrected spirits of j
loved ones were stretching forth their
protesting arms across the dark
chasms of horrors into which he must
fall and they could not change the
eternity of his woe.
"But there are 500 different ways of
read : 'And God said. Let there be
light , and there was light. And God
saw the light that it was good , and
God divided the light from the dark
ness. And God called the light day
and the darkness he called night. '
Too Much Llzht.
"In other words , those verses mean
this : In the beginning God ignited for
self-murder besides those found along
the poisonous highways of opium ,
liquor and moral weakness. The de
spised worm destroys the monster
oak as well as the woodman's ax. The
little seed or the frozen stream cracks
the solid rock as well as the angry
dynamite. The flowing waters of Ni
agara river dissolve the mountains.
"In the first chapter of Genesis we
this planet two suns. The moon is
nothing but a burnt-out sun. But after
the creation God felt too much light
would destroy the human race , so he
practically said : 'My children must
have a time to sleep. The flowers close
their petals in slumber. The trees be
come torpid in a winter nap to give
forth the spring buds. Even the ma
chinery must have a rest or it will soon
wear out. The angelus bell without
quiet will cease to chime , so , in order
to have man and woman sleep , I will
show them my will. For ten hours at
least I will envelop the earth in total
darkness. ' Like our grandmothers
with a candle-snuffer. God reached
down and put out the light of that
sun which we call the moon. And this
is the reason we ought to go to bed
with the chickens and answer early to
the morning call of the crowing cock.
"In the next place , the text honors
( he Lenten season because it is a pro
test against human perfection. If
there were any people on earth who
by physical contact were fitted for the
receiving of the Holy Spirit on account
of their natural conditions , they were
the little band of 120 Christians , com
posed of Peter , James , John , Martha ,
Lazarus , Mary , the mother of Christ ,
and Mary Magdalene , who had the
seven devils , and the rest of the apostles
tles who sat with Christ at the last
supper. They ate of his body and drank
of his blood. Many of them knew
Jesus when he was in Galilee and made
the wine at the wedding of Cana. They
saw him crucified. They saw the tomb
which was rifled. They saw him and
talked to him and touched him when
he was resurrected. Paul said : 'After
that he was seen of above 500 brethren
at once , of whom the greater part re
mains unto this pentecost , but some
are fallen asleep. '
liohold the Ascension.
"They saw Jesus' ascension , when he
mounted higher and higher , until the
trees were under his feet ; higher and
higher , until his hair was moistened
by the halo of clouds , as the gardens
are besweated by the morning mists ;
higher and higher , until other worlds
crowded around him in love ; higher
and higher , until his white , flowing
garments became as the wings of a
dove ; higher and higher , until earth
itself to him must have dwindled into
a star. Yet these disciples , before the
Holy Spirit came , had to gather in one
place , with one accord , for supplica
tion and prayer. Cannot you and I
train our eyes to see the tongues of
fire ; strain our ears to hear the spirit
winds moving among the trees ; reach
forth our hands for the gospel heart-
clasp , and lift our lips for the kiss of
divine love ?
"One day among the arctic icebergs
a whaling ship sighted a strange craft.
Its ropes were ropes of ice. Its sails
and hull and quarter deck were all cov
ered with ice. Its rudder chains could
not move , for they were in the grip of
omnipotent ice. When the commander
came near enough to this strange craft
he lifted the trumpet and called , 'Ship
ahoy , ship ahoy. Whither bound ; from
what port ? ' There was no answer. A
boat was lowered. When the rescuing
party climbed over the bulwarks they
found the captain frozen dead in the
cabin ; the sailors frozen dead in the
bunks ; the cook frozen dead in the
kitchen ; the wheelman frozen dead at
the wheel. For thirteen long years
that ship had floated helplessly about ,
the sport of every current , the play
thing of every wind , and the only fu
neral dirge was sounded by storm
demons , shrieking and hissing in the
rigging.
"So every man at 40 or 50 years of
age is a derelict , a divinely pitied hu
man craft , drifting around with a full
cargo of decayed opportunities , with
his corpses of misapplied influences. <
We must first throw overboard our j
( lead selves before we can let Jesus
Christ step upon the decks.
Actions That Command Contempt.
"By our actions we try to push our
selves down to the lowest depths of
God's great ocean o contempt. This
was not the figure of the Pentecostal
gathering. Methinks we see them.
There is Mary , the Mother , weak and
old , with her eyes red from weeping , j !
There is Peter , repulsive Peter , one j
moment all faith , next all discourage
ment. There is doubting Thomas , with
his face growing longer every day. He 1,1
says : 'Do you think Jesus will keep
his word and send the Comforter ? Do j 1
you believe he will forgive us the way I I
we treated him when upon earth ? j i
Why , I would not believe him until he , d
let me probe my finger into his wound- i
ed side. ' They talk on , day after day , a
until at last gentle John says : 'Bretht
ren , let me pray again , and then , i c
Mother , remember the Savior told me j t
to call you mother then , Mother , you < 1
follow with another prayer. ' While j I
the party knelt , suddenly there was a ! c
noise like a mighty rushing wind , and \ t
some one cried : 'What is that ? A j I
tornado is coming ; listen ! ' As they a
lifted their blanched faces. John points
ed to Mary the Virgin. Over her head t
was a tongue of fire , and , like the innumerable - a
numerable lights of a chandelier which e
when one tip Is
burst into a blaze
of flre flamed over
touched , the tongue
every head and they all cried : It is
the Holy Ghost ! It Is the Holy Ghost !
"I love my church , my own church ,
church. I
the dear old Presbyterian
was baptized at her altars. As a little
in her pews. Asa
child I went to sleep
a boy I found ray Christ at her mercy
seat. As a husband there I brought
my bride. As a young minister there
I received the holy touch of ordination.
When I lay me down to sleep the last
sleep at her pulpit I want to have
spoken over me the same words which
the same place where I
I have said , at
broke the bread of the holy com
munion. But because a minister loves
his wife , that is no reason he cannot
reverence his sister. At the holy altar
of the Episcopalian chancel I have
bowed and wept. I have reverently repeated
- ' all blindness
peated thc-prayer : 'From
of heart , from pride , vain-glory , and
hypocrisy ; from every hatred , malice ,
and all uncharitableness , good Lord ,
deliver us. '
"And I now plead witli you , my Pres
byterian people , to answer with me the
call of Episcopalian Lent and go to the
upper chamber in Jerusalem , where
'we can be all with one accord in one
place. ' "
ORIGIN OF 'HOW. '
First Used by the Indians on tlio Western
They were all sitting around a tablr
In the Gibson House cafe , Farny anu-
a few other congenial spirits. Some
one ordered a drink , and when it camn
and every one was about to raise his
glass Farny said : "How ? " It is an
expression that is heard in a cafe hun
dreds of times a day , and yet few people
ple know its origin. Seated in the
crowd at the table In the Gibson House
was an army officer , and someone said ;
"Where in the world did this expres
sion 'how' come from ? " Then the
army officer laughed and said : "Draw
close , rny children , and I will tell you. "
And he did. "How" Is an expression
used by every man when he drinks , but
it had its beginning in a joke. Years
ago , when the army was engaged in
driving the red man out farther and
farther toward the setting sun , the
officers had many experiences with the
Indians. Many pow-wows and meet
ings were held , and at those assembled
many Indians who could speak but a
few words of English. Army officers
are proverbially hospitable , and at
these pow-wows they always produced
a bottle and asked the chiefs to drink.
In those days the officers said to the
chiefs : "I drink to your good health. "
The chiefs , who knew but a few words
of English , always replied "How. " The
thing started as a Joke , but every army
officer fell Into the habit of saying
"How , " and now it is recognized as the
proper thing to say when drinking.
particularly when doing so with the
sons of Mars. Cincinnati Enquirer.
"Wlno from Apples.
Science has lately made it possible
obtain good wine for the table , \vl
has always been devoted to spar
cider , says an exchange. Expert
been deceived in sherry ,
sauterne , which came from
instead of grapes. Juice
pie Is fermented with years
ent kinds brought from the V- ,
growing districts of Europe to this
country. For instance the flavor of
sherry is not due to the grape , but to
the infinitesimal fungus germs that
cause its fermentation. The American
companies import these germs from
the district In Spain where they flour
ish , inoculate the apple juice and ob
tain a fine wine. These yeasts are ob
tained from the sediment In the vats
of Europe. They are easily propagated
and the only difficulty is to separate
the different kinds. As the quality of
the wine depends on these fungi , winemakers -
makers have usually left to chance the
kind of wine they produce , depending
on the organisms which float in the air
and attach themselves to the grapes.
The yeasts are sold bottled and are
much in demand.
A Vindictive Woman.
An actor who
is thoroughly con
vinced of the
vindictiveness of women
relates this anecdote in support of his
opinion : "I had a woman enemy once.
She was leading woman in the com
pany when I was leading man. On the
stage we were lovers. Off the stage
we didn't even speak when we met.
I had a scene with her in which I had
to I clasp her in my arms , while her
head ] sunk on my breast. I wore a
frock 1 coat and a beautiful light satin
scarf. And what did that woman do ?
She used to make up with grease paint ,
and when her head sunk on my breast
she used to rub her cheek on my tie ,
and well , a light satin tie with red
and grease paint on it isn't a thing of
beauty. I had to buy a new tie for
every performance. I stood it five
nights , and then another woman told
me what to do. I filled my scarf with
pins , points out , and when my lady
rubbed her damask
cheek against mi-
breast that night she looked like a
war map. "
The Microscopic Kxuminatinn of Cotton.
Cotton fiber , when magnified about
150 diameters , has the appearance of a
band of ribbon twisted in a spiral. It
is thicker at the edges than in the mid
dle , and has irregular surface mark
ings. In some cotton the spiral char
acteristics are much more apparent
than in others. In the better qualities
of Sea Island cotton a transverse sec
tion shows a central cavity running
longitudinally with the fiber. The
breadth of cotton fiber is less than that
of wool. It is
a curious fact that cot
ton , wool and silk present characterist
ics in common , being ribbon-shaped
and spiral. The wonders of the micro
scope are many , and familiarity with
this instructive instrument furnishes
an endless source of knowledge and
entertainment.
