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About Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922 | View Entire Issue (Oct. 9, 1904)
r TITE 0MAI7A ILLUSTRATED BEE. Some. Interesting Experimental Work in the Semi-Arid Region s r? .4 vy , ... K MACARONI WTTBAT Cmm rf THK NORTH PLATTE KXTJOUMENT TASK MAN FIY-al "JKT TibN INCHES HIGH. UK need of an experiment station la western Nebraska has been keenly felt by farmers and ranch men living In that part of the state under cllmatia conditions dlfferfng materially from moae x. ...,. where experimental work Is conducted at Lincoln or in adjoining states. The demand for such a station arises from a fwetl of more accurate knowledge of the country and Its capabilities for crop production. Stretching from the Missouri river for 400 miles westward, tho eastern counties of Nebraska contain magnlilccnt farming land, equal to any in the world, whlie Its western counties are largely seml-.irid range country, producing good beef, but requiring ten or twenty acres to pusturo a steer In summer and additional hay to wlntor him. Between the fertility of the east and the sparse vegetation of the west there Is no sharp diverging line, but a gradual chango from one condition to the other with decreased rulnfall and Increased elevation. Corn and wheat fields grow smaller and grazing land Increases toward the west. The price of land decreases as production becomes more uncertain. Groves disappear except along the banks of streams. In sections of the country sand hills stretch away In ull directions covered with sparse grass, but often surrounding fertile valleys containing hay meadows or shallow lakes. In other sections the land Is fertile rolling prairie, covered with rich buffalo grass and other grasses or with cultivated crops, which flourish in favor able seasons, but are often cut short by drouth, hot winds or early frost. West from, the 100th meridian the homesteader locating on those lands has often given up the straggle, abandoning the claim and moving on some new land which the stran ger, stopping at his cabin, has pictured as the Ideal land. What is to be done with this country which supports many cattle and few men: which has abundant crops In favorable sea sons, but holds ever before the settler the fear of blighting drouth? Has the limit 'of production of this land been reached? Can It be made the home of thousands, or only the lone herder with his migratory flocks? If desertion of the homesteader, the pass ing of the pioneer to new lands, measured the possibility of the development of a country, then would every state In this f&. Some Quaint Features of Current Lile OVERNOR TERRELL of Georgia has on his staff Colonel J. S. Ralne, who Is a stickler for the respect due the state executive and members of his family. This was shown the other day at St. Louis, where the governor and party were visiting the fair. Colonel Ralne knocked down a I camel driver In the streets of Jerusalem because the driver refused to permit Mrs. Terrell to dismount when she discovered that she did not like to. ride. The blow brought results. The camel was stopped ,and forcefl to kneel while the trembling vile oi me governor aismoumca. V The other day It was announced that A. M. Barker had arrived at Seattle from Siberia with two fleas from an Arctic fox, on his way to deliver them to Charles Rothschild, son of Lord Rothschild, who was willing to give 5,000 for them, as his collection was incomplete without them. The London Express telegraphed an In quiry to Dr. Jordan, curator of Mr, Roth schild's musoum, and received this reply: "Report all nonsense. A new kind of flea la worth Is Cd. Nobody pays more." Mrs Mollle Rotzien of LaPorte, Ind., Is plaintiff In a most unusual divorce case. She has petitioned the court to grant her a temporary divorce. She makes no denial of her affection for her husband, but sets forth In her complaint that existing condi tions have caused an estrangement which she believes time will heal. A divorce is, therefore, asked for a determinate period, when the marita vows may again be as sumed. In the Interim she prays the court that her husband pay her alimony suffi cient for her support. The action Is said to be the first brought under a recent act of the -legislature providing for determinate period divorces, and In this action the con stitutionality of the law will be tested. Thinking to play a practical joke upon his room-mate. Dr. J, W. Curiar of Emma, Texas, was shot and Instantly killed. About 1 a. m., Dr. Carter entered the apartments occupied by himself and C. L. Lockwood, a druggist, also of Emma. By way of the veranda Dr, Carter ap. proached the window to the rooms, en veloped In a white sheet and also with a hell of a watermelon on his head. Inside of the shell was a burning taper. Look wood was awakened by sepulchral voices, and seeing the apparition at the window Immediately nrd with a 43-callber pistol. "Curbstone Johnny" Is the name given to an afternoon stroller on Fifth avenue. New . York, by tha men frequently brought near the corner of Fifth avenue and Twenty ninth street to observe his peculiarities. He appears regularly every day at 4 o'clock, walks to the curbstone of the northeast comes, of Fifth avenue and Twenty-ninth streetWuid kicks the base of the lamp post with oraLfoot. Then he walks to the corner . of Thiryth street and repeats the oper ation oiiVhe lamppost there. The next move In this curious game brings him to the west side of the avenue, where he pays his respect with tho toe of his boots to the lamppost tn front of the Holland house, and he. winds up again at Twenty-ninth street. After a final kick of the lamppost there he disappears. Frank Krupa was brought before Justice MeCormlrk In Bhamokin, Pa., charged w4th having been disorderly. The evidence was clear and the prisoner was sentenced to thirty days In Jail, whereupon he began to curse tha court. Ills honor caimly kept tally on his blotter the number of oaths Krupa uttaied and found that they V- numbered sixty. The state law provides a tine of 17 cents tor each, making a total of 140.10. When told he would have to pay that amount for hs swearing the prisoner began cursing again. Tbe justice, when Krupa said he had no money, added sixty tUgrg to the original sentence, making 5- f; J union have been abandoned and lie still unsubdued, for the pioneer of every land moves on to new fields, except few of the hardy and successful who, under Improved methods, becomo the builders of em pire. Tho pioneer rough hews tho land and gathers tho harvest which na ture yields under his crude hand. The men who dovelop the land follow in the wake and by scionllllc methods make production more certain and se. cure a fuller meas ure of the soil's producing power. The country under consideration repre sents nn area of approximately 43,000 square miles, or morethan one-half the area of the state, Including the extreme western counties, which at present are considered fit only for grazing unless under Irriga tion. This area In 1U0O had a population of 170,000 people, or slightly over four per square mile, including town population. It has an annual average rainfall of from 14 ..Inches In the extreme west to 13 or 20 Inches adjacent to the 100th meridian. The elevation varies from 2,500 feet to 3,500 feet above sea level, much of the land favor able for cultivation being less than 3,000 feet. Over large sections of the soil Is a light clay loam, wind or water formed, with perpendicular cleavage, and Is fertile level or rolling prairie. The wells on this table land vary In depth from 100 feet to 200 feet. The central northern part of tho state Is made up of ridges of sand hills, covered with sparse and coarse grasses, many high points being entirely devoid of vegetation. Water Is found In well at 20 feet to 40 feet below the surface..' Good Summer lUnsei While the grasses on the sand hills are Inferior In quality, the furnish good sum mer range for cattle, but often requiring fifteen to twenty acres for each animal. It one day per path. Then his honor picked up his pencil expectantly, but Mr. Krupa had had enough and kept quiet as he was led away to jail. " The house In Portland, Me., where Long fellow was born, is now a tenement In the poorer part of tho city, mostly inhabited by Irish. A correspondent writes us that a few years ago a teacher in Portland was giv ing a lesson on the life of the poet. At the end of they hour she began to question her class. "Where was Longfellow born?" she asked. A small boy waved his hand vigorously. When the teacher called on him his answer did not seem to astonish the rest of the class, but it was a cold shock to her. "In Patsy Magee's bedroom," he said. A parrot with a hobby for talking base ball in and out of season was suppressed by the police of Poughkeepsle, N. T.. last week, after a delegation from the Wash ington Street Methodist Episcopal church had complained that if the bird was al lowed to continue Its wicked way tho preacher would probably have to give up business. The troublesome bird Is owned by Mrs. Raymond, who keeps a board. ng house across from the church. Most of the members of the Poughkeepsle base ball nine board there, and the parrot has heard so much slang of the diamond from hear ing the players practice In the back yard that it has become the most enthuslastlo of tha fans. Rev. B. C. Warren, meat amiable of preachers, has striven In vain to raise his volco above the cries of tho parrot on Sunday. It Is difficult for a preacher to maintain his dignity while a parrot Is loudly screaming such phrases as "Put It right over, old boy;" nobody walks today;" "you ought to had It;" let him hit you In the slats," and ''you've hit It on both sided, now souse it one In the middle." A small boy "living at Annlston, Ala proved himself to have a good deal of courage as well as a level head. He had gone to bed when something stung him on one of his fingers. He got up quickly and saw a big- rattlesnake near his bed, which had crawled into his room In some un known way. The boy realized that he was close to death, and ran and got an axe with which he cut off his finger. Just below tke spot where the snake had struck. His quick action saved his life, but It must have taken a lot of pluck. Very few are aware that William H. Taft, secretary of war, of th,e Philippines, got his start In life through performing . the dangerous feat of whipping .an editor. His father, after a distinguished publlo career, had Just formed a law partnership In, Cincinnati, when a weekly paper at tacked his private life in a scandalous way. The young man, fresh from Tale, at once called at the newspaper office and In a few minutes had polished off his man in flno style. The exploit called publlo attention to the vietor and he was shortly appointed to publlo office. One of the most remarkable wills ever drawn and executed la that of Benjamin Evcrhart, a citizen of Westchester, Pa., deceased. His wealth was In houses and lots, and he moat appropriately distributed the greater part of It among old tenants. Tha ordinarily good tenants who had paid their rent promptly and had not convt plained too much about the plumbing, the paint and the picket fence got their hounes and lota In fee. The exceptional tenants who had always paid to the day durlj yars of occupancy, and who had never complained at all except hwhon they hal some suggestion to the landlord's ovn good, got two houses and lota apiece, and so were turned Into landlords ttvmsolvea. The "kickers" and slow-pay tenants got nothing at all except a chauca to giin and bear It while they listened to the Ule of their neighbors' good fortune. Between these ridges of sand hills are fer tile valleys, which make good meadows If fenced away from the cattle, and furnish the hay which la needed for the herds lnv winter. ' The government Is planting; timber In sections of the sand hills' and their efforts to reforest portions of these hills seem to bear promise of success. There are no streams In the sand hills, but water Is easily secured at a depth of about 40 feet and Is usually abundant The paramount Industry In this drier sec tlon of the United States Is the raising of live stock. AH production bends Itself to that end. This condition will continue, but with Increased producing capacity of the soli, due to better methods, a greater variety of live stock will be kept. Hogs will be grown upon alfalfa meadows, to rival the famous bacon of Denmark. Sheep feeding upon alfalfa hay and local or Im ported grains will rival the sheep feeding industry of Fort Collins. Cattle which now are so poorly wintered as to require tores , . ,;j a, .Hv,C5 -J '4 v v PICS DT AXVAXJTA JEKFERXMXin AT NORTH PIATTB1 EXFK&ZKEirr STATTOI flfBCHXJt LOTS ABM BZZNO TBX DnTFERENT AMOUNTS OIP CORK. or four years' growth to be ready .for tha feed lot will under better conditions bo grown in a shorter time. Within the so-callod seml-arld belt are many successful and extensive farmers, who grow winter and spring wheats, bar ley, emmer, sorghum for forage, with a rapidly Increasing area of alfalfa tn tho valleys. Most of the farming has been extensive In its nature. Few men have tried to test new varieties, or to develop methods adapted to severe conditions. Crop rotation are unknown or unpractlced. But this sparsely peopled country is being pressed for settlement, land values have rapidly Increased, production has been found more certain than supposed. Means of producing revenue hitherto unused are opening. An experiment station has been established Dy the state to Btudy these vexed questions and a new era of progress' seems to be at hand. Work of tbe Sew Station. The work of the new experimental sub station will naturally bo devoted In the beglnlng to testing varieties of grains, the growing of forage crops and testing of grasses, both for meadow and pasture, and to feeding experiments with -live stock. For the season of 1904, four varieties of macaroni wheat have been grown which promise a yield of twenty-five or, more bushels per acre on high tableland which African Methodist Episcopal Conference , BISHOPRArAVP MJSMBERa OS HE steady growth and advance ment of African Methodism in tha west was forcibly brought to pub lfc attention In the deliberations of the Kansas conference recently held In Omaha. This conference embraces the numerous churches of Kansas and Ne braska, which are among the most flourish ing In the west, and Includes many of the foremost ministers of that denomination. Omaha Is the seat of some of the pioneer movements in African Methodism, having one of the oldest of the churches in the transmisslsslppl country. This Is St. John's African Methodist church, located at Eigh teenth and Webster streets. The recital of Its history reveals the many obstacles with which Its founders and promoters had to contend and places a tribute upon their work which has been brought to such a successful consummation. I The organization of St John's church dates - from about the year 1867. During that year somo fifteen or twenty of the col6red residents of Omaha met In a build ing near the corner of Eleventh and Dodge streets,, which Is still standing,' and organ ized the Colored Methodist church. Rev. John Hubbard became, the first pastor of the church, which struggled along with varied fortunes for a year or so under his pastorate. In the latter part of the follow ing year he resigned and was succeeded by Rev. William Onsley, who continued as paster for two years. During Pastor Hub bard's administration the church member ship, which had 'materially Increased In the meanwhile, acquired thelot at the south west corner of Webstor and Eighteenth streets and undertook, with varied success, to raise means to build a church edifice on the property, as well as a parsonage. riaas to-T First Build In. It was not until some time lu 1S70, under the pastorate of Rev. John Harrod, that any definite steps were taken toward build ing, and tho money was slow in coming In. The church prospered, however, and that year was reorganized under the name of St. John's African Methodist Episcopal church. Rev. Mr llerrod was transferred to another confererco and was succeeded by Rev. Q. W. Gaines, who remained one year. . ?lev. B. V. Watson succeeded Pas tor Gaines, and little was doaa toward had previously been cropped for several years. This wheat has been quite thor- oughly tested In several states through the efforts of the United States Department of Agricultural and promises to be a safe and profitable croD In the semi-arid regions east of the Rocky mountains. A favorable season for all varieties of oats has prevented any wide distinction In favor of early maturing sorts, yet the Kherson and sixty-day oats have each yielded crops comparable with the yields on land worth 350 per acre In the eastern part of the state. Kherson oats on the tableland will yield forty bushels per acre of well matured and heavy grain. The lo cal variety has made It magnificent growth of straw, but has been Injured by rust -and lodged by the wind so that Its yield may be cut down. Local barley has given a good crop and winter rye. which was continuously pas-. t vi red during the winter season has been an estimate of twenty bushels per acre. The results only show possibilities. Seven varieties of corn ara being grown upon the benchland (about 80 feet to water) to determine which of these Is best adapted to the locality. In addition, cultivation ex- perlments are In progress to determine the effect of intensive and ordinary cultivation on the yield and a field of corn Is also being grown on alfalfa sod. All the corn was listed, part upon land which had been plowed and part on land which was twice double-disked before plowing. Experiments with sorghum indicate that for seasons like the present one the moat forage will be secured by sowing with a press drill, although more seed will prob ably be raised on the listed land or on plats where two rows were drilled 7 Inches apart and a space of 35 Inches left for cultivation to conserve moisture. Tests of potatoes are being made to com pare the yield of northern grown with home grown seed, also to compare Inten sive cultivation with ordinary methods and to compare early and late planting. A study of alfalfa Is being made both on the tableland and at an elevation of 3,000 feet, and on the benchland, which Is not over 30 feet to water. Abundant crops are being grown on the tableland this year, assurance that it will continue to be so with its abundant rainfall, but there is no successful In average seasons. The success of alfalfa on the tableland would bring untold wealth to the people TUB KANSAS-NEBRASKA. CONFERENCE! P DEACONESSES OF THE) AFRICAN t church building during this time. Rev. Mr. Soxton succeeded Pastor Watson, and he was In turn succeeded by Rev. Mr. kForchlce. He was succeeded by Rev. J. W, Braxton, now presiding elder of the district, who was succeeded by Rev. Mr. Rlcketts. It was under Mr. Rlcketts' pastorate that the foundations of the church were laid, but they were found to be Insufficient for the proposed structure, and (urlng the pastorate of Rev. B. Mitchell, following, the present superstructure was completed. Mr. Mitchell was succeeded by Rev. P. A. Hubbard, a relative of tbe first pastor. This was In 1883. and during the pastorate of Rev. P. A. Hubbard the church was fin ished. Mr. Hubbard remained In charge for five years. The church thrived under htm. The membership was largely In creased arid the parsonage built. In 1KS8 liev. W. A. Moore was called to the pastorate and be continued to fill the pulpit until 1892, when he was succeeded by Rev. H, B. Parks. Debt Is Paid Off. It was during the pastorate of Mr. Parks, who remained only ons year, that the church dbt was paid off, solely through Ms efforts. "Tbe church was 'now on the high tide of prosperity, notwithstanding tha ::: '"J Z Z if & v - - Y ri iTi W & - " - tx & w - a f w q living In this region. That It Is being suo cessfully grown at present on a small seal Is an Indication that the limitations wo , have ascribed to it may not. be well founded and that where acres are now Men thousands of acres may yet be grown, Fifteen years ago there were less than 10,009 acres of alfalfa growing In the state, There is now estimated to be 200,000 acres growing In our valleys and hillsides, each acre producing a net profit much greater than the same area In corn. With 7,000,009 acres of corn, most of this land adapted to growing alfalfa, it Is plain that these two great crops are out of balance and that 1.000,000, acres of the land now growing com could more profitably be sown to alfalfa. Alfalfa Hay He Staple Crop. In the soml-arld region, where corn Is not considered a safe crop at 3,000 feet eleva tlon, alfalfa may be found a staple crop even without irrigation. If alfalfa can be grown on the tablelands tn suffloUnt quan tity to furnish paatura tot hot a every farm, a limited amount of wheat or rye can readily be grown to feed sparingly during the season and to furnish at least one-half of the ration with alfalfa hay dur- ing the fattening period. Such an addition 0 ', revenues of tlve western farmer would double his yearly Income. That alfalfa can bo raised In the valleys In large quantities Is already proven. Thou sands of hillside ranches may be had en tending from the valley across the narrow bench onto the tableland above. These farms are Ideal places for the establish ment of dairies or the breeding of cattle or pigs. The native meadow upon tbe lower bottoms, the alfalfa upon the bench and higher bottom land and the dry pastures of rich, sweet grasses upon the hills offer an opportunity to utilize the products of a farm as they would be used In the older states, feeding crops upon the land and marketing only concentrated products. In favorable places eighty acres of alfalfa and 240 acres of upland pasture will feed twenty-five cows and grow 100 hogs per year, furnishing an annual revenue, under good management, of not less than 11,500, and a better business opportunity than can be found on Iowa or eastern Nebraska farms. Loss Prom Starvation oft Cattle. With live stock furnishing the great OTP, TIIBJ AFRICAN METHODIST EPISCOPAL CHURCH .AT THE ST. JOHN ; t. r k.'" METHODIST EPISCOPAL CHURCH. dull financial period then prevailing. The membership Increased rapidly and tho spiritual-welfare of the church was ad vanced accordingly. Mr. Parks was trans ferred to another conference in 1893 and Rev. J. W. Braxton again became pastor after a lapse of nearly fourteen years. He continued In charge for three years, being succeeded In 1896 by Rev. J. C. C. Owens, who continued as pastor until 19C0. During Mr. Owens' pastorate the church Improved steadily and took rank as one of the fore most African Methodist Episcopal churches of the country. Its membership was greatly increased. A series of great re vivals was held during Mr. Owens' In cumbency of St. John's pulpit. Many Im provements were made In the church build ing and In the parsonage. The lecture room was enlarged and th Sunday school especially thrived under his ministration. In 1900 Mr Owens accepted a call to an other conference, Mr. Owens was succeeded In 1900 by Rev. O. II. Shaffer, who at once began a vigor ous campaign for the good of the church, bringing to It a rip experience and earn estnass that boded well for the future of Bt. John's. Dr. Shaffer took up the work Inaugurated by Mr. Owens and church Im provement was again la order. Tha struc t ... CUTS QBCWM ON NORTH PLATTB XSH INCHES HIGH, source of Income over this vast area many experiments will bo conducted locking to belter methods nnd In creased profit. Free grass ujjon the pub lic domain or cheap range, with cattle depending on grsz. Ing In winter, sub mits tha cattle of the country to r'rl vation, often to ib solute starvation during bud storms or severe winters, The loss from star- vatlon Is not meas ured by the cattle which die. Hie writer has seen 1,000 go Into winter quarters weighing an average of 900 pounds each and come out In tho spring every animal 200 pounds -lighter in weight. This loss of weight is equivalent In Itself to a loss of 22 per cent of the entire number. Can men complain that they are being crowded from the public domain while they are making such use of the resources of nature? Experiments In the breeding and feed ing of animals will be carried on to prove that the loss of flesh by starvation Is un profitable wherever practiced and that good methods of feeding are most profit able. Prominent among the experiments carried on will be those to determine the most profitable methods of wintering cattle and pigs and economical methods of their production. Many .questions are pressing for solu tion. In every new country quantity. Is considered the great desideratum. It will be the province of this experiment station to show that quality Is Important also and that the margin of profit lies In producing a superior article. New Industries will spring up with settle ment. Over this area of bright sunshine and abundant food, poultry Is produced with large profit. The alfalfa valleys and plains of Nebraska furnish Ideal conditions for carrying on this Industry and the ex penses of the farmer's family are often largely met from this source. o ture was strengthened,- repainted and re papered during the early years of Dr. Shaffer's pastorate and a new organ added. He was aided In all his endeavors by his family and early surrounded himself with a group of enthusiastic church workers. The young people's societies, missionary so cieties and old societies were given a new Impulse for work, and when but a few weeks ago. Dr. Shaffer laid down the pas torate of St. Johns' to his successor, he ' left with him one of the most prosperous, loyal and devoted church congregations In the Kansas and Nebraska conference. Dr. Shaffer bade goodby to his church and congregation during the past week and de parted with his family for Indianapolis, Ind., where he becomes pastor of Bethel church, the leading colored church of that city. Rev. J. W. Wilson of Atchison, succeeds Dr. Shaffer as pastor of "St. John's church. He comes to Omaha highly recommended as a devoted church worker and of superior attainments as a minister. They Were Lightweights Russell Sags, on his recent birthday, talked In an Interesting manner about the famous Americans he sias known. Apropos of Henry Ward Beecher, be said: "I went to Beecher's church one night A.o hear him preach. The church was crowded to the doors. But Beecher, unex pectedly, had been called out of town, and In his place In the pulpit there sat a beard less, black clad youth a youth who la today one of the most powerful preachers In Asnerlca. "But this youth, fresh from college, was unknown then, and the great congregation had come to hear Beecher and not him. Consequently, as soon as he arose and an nounced that he was to preach in Beecher's place the people began to drift out. First one went; then two; then a half dozun; and the young man stood watching this dispersal from the pulpit. It was a trying moment, and yet there sat on his youthful face a smile singularly composed. Out the people tiptoed, and he waited, saying noth ing, for almost five minutes. Then he said, as If In explanation of his silence: " 'We will not begin this public worship until the chalt blows off.' "Baltimore Herald, 'V I 1 '-- EXPERIMENT FARM MAN FTVT3 FEE The problem of tlllngo Is the great ques tlon which Is asked by every man whe would settle outside of the established area known as the nhcot belt or the corn belt. Will tillage hold the moisture and mature the crops In times of drouth? This ques tion cannot yet be answered uncondition ally. Enough has been done In dry coun tries to prove that intensive cultivation and frequent stirring of tho ground surfaea will store moisture in the subsoil very greatly In excess of that found In unculti vated land. In many Instances this Is suf ficient to produce a crop. Kspecially Is this the case where grains are grown which ripen early In the summer and escape tha summer drouth. It Is thought that winter wheat and cany varieties oi i early grains may thus be raised and that by Judicious culture such forage crops as sorghum and early varieties oi corn may be raised In such quantities as to furnish, forage and limited amounts of grain for winter feeding. Farm management In western Nebraska will differ materially from that farther east. Only small areas will be under plow, and much land will be In pasture or meadow. Excerrent tillage will be, given tho cultivated land. Stable- manure will ba used freely, spreading It upon the surface to act as mulch as well -as to enrich tha land. The farm will raise most of the food needed to support the family its butter, eggs and meat and its flour nnd vegetables. If need be a windmill will Irrigate the gar den, but field crops will depend on tillage and the selection of hardy varieties. Groves and small orchards will be planted under s the protection of windmill Irrigation, and homes will spring "up and flourish under this new condition which could not ba maintained under old methods of growing cattle on the open range with borrowed capital, or raising large areas of grain t market through the elevator. Making Repairs at Sea "Tea, sir," continued the baron to his enthralled audience, "our rudder was torn away by the storm and we were all In a terrible situation." , "How did you remedy It?" all breath lessly Inquired. "We fortunately had a cow on board, brought along to furnish fresh milk for the captain's wife. I simply took her udder and put It In place of the one we had lostl" . New Orleans Times-Democrat. About Noted People COLLEAGUE of Senator Black- burn told this story at a dinner' at which the senator was to give a toast: "In his younger daya Mr. Blackburn was very chiv alrous. Asked by a friend to second a duel he readily consented. At sunrise the par. ties met at the appointed place. It was Mr. Blackburn's duty to say the last words about the terms of the duel. And, gentle men,' continued the speaker, "do you know that duel never took place?" A murmur of "Why not?" went around the table. "For a very simple reason," said the colleague. "When Joe finished speaking It was too dark for a duel." "Private" John Allen, ex-congressman from Mississippi, recently related one of his experiences. "It was," said Mr. Allen, "during the early part of my first term. I was deeply Imbued with my responsibility to my constituents and the necessity for more economical administration of tha affairs of tha government. We had Just re turned from the funeral of a western con greesman, which cost about 111,000, and I saw my opportunity to advocate retrench ment. I made a speech urging more modest and less expensive obsequies. Some of my speeches by some means reached a few of the people In congress district, and when I went home a little later several people congratulated me on the speech. They said I was light, and ona fellow, mora frank than the rest, said, 'John, If you die while you are In congress, have It ar ranged that your body Is sent directly home, and I will assure you there are quite a number In your district that would have great pleasure in burying you and would save the government all expensa' " Senator William A. Clarlc of Montana has built on his Vegas ranch In Lincoln county, Nevada, a fine hotel and sanitarium. It is a beautiful spot, and the Montana, million aire has determined to spare no expense la making it an Ideal resort. It seems to have been established thai there was no truth In the report of a ma trimonial engagement between David B. Hill and May Irwin, the actress. But tha rumor Is believed to have caused Mr. Hill the most profound annoyance. A friend who knows him well says: "Dave Hill cares not a rap (or criticism or condemna tion, but make the shadow of a suggestion that a woman has captured his heart and . he will tremble like a bamboo carbon In an electrio light lamp. His distress when ha was accused of having capitulated to tha ample charms of May Irwin was really pitiable. He shivered when the suggestion was made In the most delicate manner. Ha Is so cold that the suggestion of caloric, looming up with the abundant May, was like pouring boiling water on an Iceberg. II Is probable D. B. Hill never was so really terrified In his life before." Congressman William H. Jackson of Maryland was engrossed in discussing with a number of colleagues the decadenca of oratory. "Sane people are not emotional," declared tho . congressman, "and the con versational delivery of speech carries as much weight with an Intelligent audience as doe the effect of a declalmer who In dulges tn brilliant periods with an arm swinging accompaniment." "You are right," said a listener, "and your state ment reminds me of a young lady who had two suitors. Both men had about the same n advantages and prospects, but gossip de clared that the girl would declda In favor of the man who was a lawyer, for he knew better how to present and win his case But gossip erred; the lawyer was rejected. Later It was learned from a friend In whom the betrothed had confided tha reason for her choice. "Harry Is convincing, but Jobit I just as convincing and does not have to remove his arms every Uma bm wants) to aajr something.' M i