THE NAVY'S NEW
STEEL-MESH MAST,
Tremendous lumi are annually ex
endcd in target practice by the nary
M this nation. .The ultimate end
Mught for in this sedulous training
li.d costly expenditure is the acquir
ing of an ability to hit the enemy first,
to hit rapidly and to hit hard.
It is now realised that the sea
fights of the future will open at ex
tremely long ranges, say, five or six
miles. "The fleet that first gets the
range,' said Hear Admiral Evans In a
recent Interview, "and is best handled
after the range Is obtained, will un
doubtedly do such dauiugo In the first
ten minutes ns practically to disable
the opposing fleet."
All other thtlngs being equal, the In
itial advantage would therefore apiear
to be the deciding one. The gaining of
this advantage Is now almost wholly
dependent uiKn the observers station
ed In the tops, the clenr-cyed, cool
beaded men who from their point of
vantuge determine the range, and, by
the various systems of fire control com
municate It to the men behind the
guns. With these salient points in
mind, the reader can clearly compre
hend the vast Importance of an observ
ing station sufficiently elevated for the
range finders to execute their mission
with precision and celerity, and, more
Important still, a station that can re
main longest erect under the stress of
battle.
In a recent notable test which was
conducted by the British Admiralty it
was found that the ordinary cylindri
cal steel mast with which nil battle
ships are now fitted is wholly uusult
ed for this purpose. The Hero, an ob
solete battleship of . the second class,
was selected for the experiment. A
complete system of fire control was In
stalled in the old warrior, and then
the vessel was anchored over a shoal
and attacked by the guns of the mod
ern first-class battleships Illbernia and
Dominion.
Although the deductions of the Ad
miralty officials have been withheld, a
NAVX'S JfEW SKELETON MAST.
writer for a service Journal (The
Navy) has ascertained that the effect
of the gun fire upon every part of the
fire control system located above the
protected dejk was disastrous. A six
"nch shell burst in the improvised fire
control top on the mast and carried
awny the range-finding station In the
very beginning of the simulated com
bat. Most significant and important
of all, a splinter of shell not a di
rect hit went through the mast, and
although the mast stood, every one of
Its fire control wires was severed.
Thus was the. most important prob
lem solved in the first two minutes.
Then was asked the question, wheth
er the modern system of fire control,
with its most important installation in
a cylindrical steel mast and Its obser
vatory placed at a high elevation upon
that mast, could withstand for any
length of time the fire of a straight
shooting foe. It was realized at once
that it could not that with the in
creased range and deadly precision of
modern high-powered guns not only
masts, but smokestacks and othor su-
fier-deck attachments are more than
ikely to be shot away at the very be
ginning of tho battle.
This brought naval administrations
face to face with new conditions. The
reed of some method of carrying range
finders high In air had been noted in
the battle of the Tsushima Straits,
where the initial advantage had been
galued by the Japanese, who had con
centrated their tire upon the Souva
roff, Rojestvensky's flagship. Accord
ing to Semenoff, u Russian officer on
board the flagship, the mast of that
vessel was shot uway almost at the
beginning of the action. This not only
interrupted all further efforts on the
part of that vessel to get the range of
Jier antagonists from her fighting tojm,
but it also interfered with the display
of signals.
The need of some new method indi
cated by that battle was accentuated
and made urgent by the test to which
the Hero was subjected. Some of our
own very alert and progressive navy
officers at once set about solving the
problem. The result is tho test to
which tho monitor Florida was sub
jected a few days ago. The Arkansas,
a sister Bhip, was selected to do the
firing.
Tho Florida Is one of the new type
of single-turret monitors. For the pur
post of the test she was towed to tho
Thluible Light Shoal, off Old Point
Comfort, and anchored about midway
between Cupe Charles and Cape Hen
ry. Tho Arkansas took a position
about 350 yards westward, so that the
shots, after passing through the Flo
rida's military inasr, would full Into
the open sea. The shots were fired
at a range of about 350 yards with a
reduced charge, bo that the effect was
practically the same us a range of
6,01)0 yards with a full charge of pow-
aer.
It was the first time la the history
01 tne united States Navy that actu
al conditions of warfure were repro
II 1
duced for experimental ptirposes.
Three tests were ordered ; one to de
termine the effect of shell fire upon
turret armor and turret fittings, one
for the purpose of showing the use
fulness, if any, of crinoline nets as a
protection against torpedoes, and an
other, regarded by naval men as the
most important of the series, Intended
to test the relapse safety of a new
type of skeleton mast.
The mast is described as a raesh of
steel, 00 feet in height, and carried
near the steru of the monitor. It was
built upon- a double spiral principle,
each set of spiral columns running in
an opposite direction. At the top was
a platform upon wlilch were two dum
mies weighted and wired for record
ing the shock of the projectile. The
steel rods which form the mast ar
two Inches In diameter at the base,
narrowing at the top. Tho experts
who had dejdgued It had employed all
of their mechanical skill to construct
a framework that would still remain
erect though pierced by ninny ' shot.
Tho mast whs subjected to a thorough
test and emerged successful..
ZURICH A MODEL MODERN CITY.
One of the RfM Ornranlaed and Mont
Perfectly Equipped Town.
Seventy years ago, ns we may see
In the national gallery cellars, Turner
found at Zurich one of the most love
ly subjects of his brush, says the Bos
ton Transcript. It Is no longer a ro
mantic 'old relic of middle ages, but It
Is one of the best organized nnd most
perfectly equipped of European cities.
Its magnificent situation nnd rare nat
ural opportunities have been used to
the full by Its energetic citizens. If
one Is Interested In municipal organiza
tion, let him study the institution and
ability of Zurich Its boulevards,
quays, electric tram lines, Its water
supply, Its public gardens, Its lighting.
Its railways and Its post office. Zurich
Is now a model modern city, in size. In
construction and arrangement, the Ideal
of what a city should be to live In ami
work In.
But I wish especially to call atten
tion to Its new national museum of lo
cal antiquities. It is barely ten years
old. but as a monumental history of
Switzerland for 5.000 years It lsfar the
most complete collection In Europe.
Neither London, nor Berlin, nor Vienna,
with all their splendid collections, can
show anything nt ail equal In historic
continuity for a single country as Swiss
patriotism has done at Zurich. Its fifty
rooms record the evolution of the na
tional life from tho age of the lake
dwellers to our own day. And the
value of such n systematic collection
of national monuments. Industry and
art can hardly be overrated. The his
torian nnd the artist might siend
weeks of study in mastering its varied
contents.
Does Vacation Part
What a difference there is in whai
two people bring home from a vaca
tion ! One conies back tired, disgusted,
bored, ne has spent his money and
doesn't feel that be has much of any
thing In return. Another comes back
all radiant with the riches which he
has drunk In and absorbed during ev
ery moment of his vacation. He comes
back rejuvenated, refreshed, inspired,
a new creature, with a new grip 'upon
life. The cobwebs, the brain, ashes
have ben swept away from his Jaded
brain. He has been made over anew.
Life means more than ever before.
His dimmed Ideals have been brighten
ed and sharpened, his ambition renew
ed. Ask him If a vacation pays, and
he will ask you, in turn. If It pays the
grub to throw off its ugly shape and
blossom out into a butterfly; If It pays
a rosebud to ojen up Its petals and
fling out Its fragrance and beauty to
tho world.
When you go Into the country, make
up your mind that you are going into
God's great gnllery of charm and beau
ty to enjoy yourself and to see what
you can get ont of It. Resolve that you
will come home laden with riches that
no money can buy ; that you are going
to extract from the landscape from
tho mountains, the valleys, tne fields,
and the meadows a wealth which does
not Inhere In the dollar.
Learn to drink in beauty and health
at every pore. Try to realize that the
flowers, the grass, the trees, the brooks,
the hills the charm and beauty every
where are God's smiles; that they are
for him only who cnu appreciate them,
who can respond to them, who can ap
propriate their message. They cannot
be bought ; they belong only to him who
can enjoy them. Success Magazine.
Vpboldlnar Authority,
It was a score of years ago that W.
J. Connors, now Chairman of tho New
York Democratic State Committee, se
cured his first great freight-handling
contract, and when the work was rendy
to start he appeared ou the Ohio street
dock at Buffalo uiul called a thousand
burly "doek-wollopers" to order.
"Now," roared Connors, "yez are to
worruk for me, and 1 want Ivery man
here to understand what's what. I klu
lick anny man In the gang."
Nine hundred nnd ninety-nine swal
lowed the Insult, but one huge, double
listed warrior moved uneasily, and,
stepping from the line, he said: "You
can't lick me, Jim Connors."
"I can't can't 1?" bellowed "Fingy."
"No, ye can't," was the response.
"Oh, well ; thin go to the office and
git your money," said "Flngy." "I'll
have no nisn In uie gang that I can't
lick." Success Magazine.
Thank for III Money.
Weeklc So Slippsy Is a defaulter,
eh?
Deckle So they say.
Weokle By George! I always won
dered why be said "Thank you" so
pleasantly every time I mude a depos
it. Bohemian Magazine.
UramBiatlcallr Speaking-,
He Cun you explain to me the dif
ference between "shall" and "will?" For
example, if I say, "Will you marry
me?" should you reply "I shall" or "I
will?"
She (coldly) I should reply, "I
won't." Homo Herald.
The man who never attempts to
sing at any other time, will break out
In a piuiilc wagon-
A CAUSE OF CRIME.
t FnlUraalntkroVa View of KI
feet of ."! Plates on Mankind.
I fuippose," aald Mr. Phllgmlnthroe
to the New York Bun man, "ihat when
ererything has been counted up and re
duced to the final analysis It will be
discovered that the one single, most
prolific cause of crime is cold plates.
"I wouldn't be understood as saying
that cold plates are a direct incitement
to murder, though It la not lmiosslbtc
that tfacy might be so; but as an insid
ious, undermining cause, as an Influ
ence lending perhaps Indirectly, but
still with no less certainty, to the com
mitting of crime I have no doubt you
would find cold plates leading all the
rest
"How often do we hear It sold of the
fate of nations that It is trembling In
the balance, ready to be moved this way
or that If the slightest touch? And
if this can be true of nations bow much
more may it be true of individuals, who
may be swayed, their fortunes for the
time settled, or their whole conduct of
life determined by the slightest circum
stance? "Coming back ttow to cold plates.
You take a man who has worked hard
BELLICOSE BEAVERS AT THE
Vcli A - w N Ttt
i .... if i i-.'!.,... ..i-rwii.. .
rVV. l "fi ' 6. r.4.
rrc M&fc
Oytih
One of the most amusing .things lu the Fritikco-Brltish exhibition Is thu
beaver dam, which is drawing crowds of visitors. If the chief performers, how
ever, are golug on ns they are doing the show will come to an end for want of
actors. The beavers have been lighting furiously, even to the death, and
now only four of them remain. The slain are snld to have besu eaten.-
London News.
and been harried all day and who
comes home at night tired and worried
and whom a square meal would brace
up mightily ad cause to take a -new
view of life and to set his face In the
right direction, and you give this man
a good dinner with hot plates and
don't you see that you head him up
right and confirm In him his good im
pulses? You nnll him, so to speak, you
start him off right, nnd you keep Ulin
going right; and there's a man save
"And now you take that same man
and give him his dinner on cold plates ;
and that may be the last straw that
breaks the camel's back, and he may
get peevish over it, and not enjoy his
after-dinner smoke, and get so wrought
up that hs doesn't sleep well that night
and wakes up the next morning -and
goes to business already tired out and
not fit to do anything, so that he loses
his temper and Is cross and Irritable,
and misses every play he makes and
goes on from bad to worse and winds
up maybe by killing somebody licfore
the day is over. All this Is absolutely
attributable to cold plates.
"So of major crimes such ns murder
and that sort of things; but when it
comes to little things, such as plain
sulklncss and kicking over chairs nt
home, and being cross to the children
and making your wife unhupy and caus
ing gloom to settle on the household
generalry, why, aere cold plates have
crimes to answer for Innumerable.
"Tall oafcs from little acorns grow,
mill-dams break and spread their de
vastating waters from leaks that ut
first you couldn't put your little fmger
through, and I have no doubt that
many disturbing, distressing, harrow
ing things have been primarily due to
so small s thing ns cold plates, whih
Indeed, as I have said, I believe to be
the one most prolific cause of crime.
"And taking this view, what a re
sponsibility rests upon those whose
duty it Is to see that the plates are hot !
For the good of humanity, if not for
our own comfort, well being and happi
ness, glre us hot plates!"
HAD ANIMAL EYES.
PaJntera Fouml Some of Them I
ful ns Model.
Some men' poswess "animal eyes,"
which defy disguise and wlilch ure ul
ways liable to prejudice their owner's
chances throughout life, says Stray
Stories.
That this, however, Is by no menus
invarlubly the case Is cvldcmvd by a
solicitor In the north of England, who
ascribes much of his prosperity to n
look of profound wisdom which '
gained for him many clients, but which
is lent to what would otherwise be a
Bouiewhat commonplace countenance
by a pair of "owl eyes."
At h)ftft three men who have come
under fhe writer's isitb (and there
are poetifbty many more like them)
earn a precarious Uvellliood by sitting
to atihiml painters. All three hav
cotDo down In tho world, and one la un
known to the other two.
Ths first mentfoned belonged ones to
a good Cheshire family, but wenl
wrong and emigrated years ago to Can
ada, where lie found lib level on the
waterside at Montreal.
According to bis own story, be was
on the verge of starvation, when, one
evening, he was accosted by a Frcnch
Canadlau artist, who asked hlmVvheth
er he cared to earn a dollar by com
ing to his studio nnd sitting to him
for half an hour.
Only when the painting, a very large
one, was completed did the unfortun
ate model discover that the picture was
a study hi farmyard life and that the
hatefuT and all too familiar expression
In his own cjys had beon transferred
faithfully to the optics of a pig on the
canvas.
The two other men with peculiar
eyes wh;v earn a living by sitting to
animal pnlnters are also expatriated
Kiigltshmen. The writer met both In
Paris In the winter of 1S!7. One of
them had "dog eyes," while the other
wore the expression of n cat. Both
arc well known to Bohemian dwellers
In tfit Ijitln quarter.
In Florence, one Boutempl got his
living by posing to Mntarazza, the
well-known nnlmnl painter. Dogs were
bis specialty. He had their expression.
FRANCO - BRITISH EXHIBITION.
r,. 7f
that dogllko fidelity of eye which one
amircs so much In the pictures by
Landseer.
In' 1893 there was employed as hall
porter lit Oporto a mlddle-agod Indi
vidual who claimed to have been a
Catholic priest In the curly days of his
life. He was in the habit of slttlnz.
on occasions to Senor Jouqulno da Cos
ta, a pnirHer of wild animals, of rath
er more than local repute.
ProTerba of Slam.
It has been said, "Tell uie a people's
proverbs, nnd I will tell you what sort
of people they uro!" Judged In this
way, tho Siamese are a shrewd peo
ple. The Menam, their chief river, Is to
Slam what the Nile la to Egypt, and
tho elephant, tiger and crocodile are
round In Jungle and stream.
Here are a few of their proverbs;
"When you go into the woods, do not
forget your wood knife." "Place not
your boat across the stream" (because
of tho current). "An elephant, though
he has four legs, may slip, and a doc
tor Is not always right."
"Go up by land, you meet a tiger; go
down by water, you met a crocodile"
(there are difficulties on nil sides).
"Nobility Is seen hi the race, manners
In the individual." "If a dog bite you,
do not bite him again." "He who Jives
under fhe sky should not be afraid u(
tho rain." "Nourish no worms that eat
timber" (be careful In Hie choice of
friends). Loudon Srrnps.
How PrlKonern Head.
"It is rather pathetic," said a ir!soi
chaplain, "the way o.ir inmates rend
their surreptitious ncwsjwpcrs. It in
bad for the poor fellows' eyes, too.
"It Is against tho rule for them to
read In their cells, and In the cell tloors
there ure peepholes, to which the Jail
ers come noiselessly, seeing that till tho
rules ure enforced.
"The prisoner who simply must rend
pastes with a bit of porridge his Jour
nal up axainiit his cell door beneath
the peephole. He sits down on t!.e
l!oor a yard or two nwny and holds bis
("iistpau in one band nnd his brush In
the other. In this awkward and weari
some itidtlon, his cyis nearly popping
out of bis bend from strain, lie rends
away for dear life.
"And whe.i tin Jnllev's cold, hard
eye peers in through the iH-cphole it
misses tho paper ami lights up with
H'enic faint approbation nt the sight of
the prisoner polishing tip his floor."
New York Press.
In the Ixioks when a haughty girl
Is indignant she draws herself up to
her full height, leaving the Impression
that ordinarily she carries herself
folded like a Jack knife.
Over Ui'.tXiO natives are employed by
the missionary societies of this country
and KiirojMj In' spreading the gospel
among their fellows.
There Is always t.ntneone to say that
" k V 1
Opinions of Great Papers on Important Subjects.
CHICKEN FAHMINO.
LMOST everybody thinks
I chicken farm ami make
I looks extremely simple.
uiujr iitf-miMirj iu ituiiu u
buy a few chickens, sit
theiu scratch for worms,
now and then, and when
broiler, it locks as If anyone could do it and make a
living at it
Ou the contrary, however, nothing calls for more tech
nical knowledge and more business sense than the run
ning of a chicken farm. In addition to this It requires
a peculiar gift or Intuition, something like fishing. Some
people make a great success of it who might be expected
to fall, and some make great failures who might be ex
pected to succeed. The business Is a good deal of a lot
tery. An article appeared In a recent Issue of the Brooklyn
Times giving a few salutary hints to 'anyone who thinks
of embarking In this husim-. A chicken house may be
built of rough boards and light Joists, but the north and
west sides should be covered with asphalt paior. The
floor may be of cement or earth. There must lie windows
of unbleached muslin Instead of gliii-'s. There must be
rentllatlon, but no draft. There must be shade trees
near by. The feed must be a mixture of many grains,
and It must bo thrown Into straw or leaves, so that the
Chickens will have to scratch for It. If corn Is given
it must be cracked first. There must always be beef
scraps, grass clippings nnd oyster shells accessible.
This is the A, B. O of tife business, and then the whole
science and nrt of chicken raising is still to be learned.
It is n beautiful and fascinating business If it Is well
conducted, but nothing Is more mortifying and expen
sive If It Is not: well hnndled. As there never liavo boon
and apparently never will be enough fresh eggs and
dressed chickens for any market. It looks a If everybody
might rush Into the business, fut many who do rush in
are glad to get out. Chicago Ileconl-IIornld. ,
TO MARRY OR NOT TO
IIKliE Is considerable
H "V I married, even If you are only a mere man.
I I For example: Your liability to die Is
Sk I 1U ...... ...iltt l,-l,.,l...u I.n.,1..
JO J'l ' M il,, III U HO 111411 lk LNIV1I
elors between the iigeu of .'ill and 43 rises
as high as 27 in loo. You tiro less liable
to be out of employment, the projiortlon
of the unemployed among married men being, according
to recent statistics, from S to. 14 In 100; among bach
elors It is rarely less than IS In KM). Nor ure your
chnuces of Ix-coming n criminal more than 2 In 100;
but if you are unmarried they are over 4 per cent. Tho
drinking returns account for over per cent of the un
wexlded wights, find 27 of the married fraternity.
It is found that men who wed before the age of 20
usually marry women three' or four years 'older than
BLUFFINQ A MAN KILLER.
lion Senator Mrnari I'V.et'd a Ne
vada Denperado Sucefuxf ully.
"I have never seen a desperado, or
man killer, who. If be thought an an
tagonist were ready for him with weap
ons equal to his own, would not back
out of a light," remarked Senator Stew
art, of Nevada, to n representative
of the Washington Post.
"There was Sam Drown, the cham
pion bad man of Nevada In the old
days, who was drended by the communi
ty as the public here would dread, tho
turning loose ou the avenue of ,n Nu
mldlan lion. This Sam Brown was n
giant, six feet four Inches high, 2."0
pounds avoirdupois, and as. ferocious
a looking man as ever mortal eye be
held. He loofced more like a danserous
beast than a human being. Killing
was his trade, and one winter in Vir
ginia City he slew sixteen men. Timid
folk shuddered at sight of him.
"Knowing he was going to bo present
nt a lawsuit In which I had been re
tained by a client whose Interests were
opposed to the desperado, I thought It
best on tho day of the trial to put n
couple of old-fashioned derringers In
my overcoat pocket. Sure enough,
Brown was ou hand In a little room In
which tho case was heard, nnd When I
saw him enter the Idea came Into my
mind. that he had come to make me
his latest victim, ills favorite weapon
was a big Bowie knife, and the knowl
edge that the villain meant to stab me
to death made me feel exceedingly un
comfortable. It was enough to make
tho bravest heart qunll. But I knew It
would never do to show the creature
that ho had mo seared, and, looking htm
so.uure.1y In the face, I brought tho
pocket of my overcoat around to where
he could see the full shape of both my
derringers. My hand was grasping the
handle, and I was rendy to shoot on
the second. These pistols shot with
terrific force, nnd would knock down,
evou If they did not kill.
"He was watching me like a hawk,
and I saw bis eye fall on the weapons.
Before this he had !oon fumbling nt
his knife, but Immediately he ceased.
and presently he walked out of tho
room. When the business was over I
found him In the front of the house.
which was fitted up as a saloon, In tho
act of taking a drink. With a smile in
tended to be amiable he advanced to
meet me, holding out both hands and
declaring that I was the sort of man
be admired, Invited me to Join him. A
week later he asked me to represent
him In a mining suit."
DIET AND ELEEP.
ICatliiU lleforo Itetli-lnic and 1)1
Itestlon I)urlii( Slumber.
IHet has little influence on sleep ex
cept in so far as It may produce dis
turbances of ingestion ami through
these of the general balance of health.
The hypnotic elects of certain
fwsls, such us onions, lettuce, milk, etc.,
are clileliy imaginary. Kven the time
of tho last meal of thy day Is of rein
tlvely little importance except that It
is well to let tills ho at least two or
three hours before retiring. But even
this rule bus many exceptions, us mnny
healthy latsirlng men habitually fall
asleep over their plics directly after
upper, and children after Hking the
spoon into their little eyes nod off over
the tea taMe, with the breud and but
ter still clutched In Mielr chubby fists.
The prooe!scs of digestion probably
fe ou more slowly dml ig sleep, but
he could run a
money. The thing
Apparently It Is
lime ut-iuioum,
around and see
collect the eggs
necessary kill a
OUR SOUTH
are
that makes for progress than the region extending from
the Rio Grande to Patagonia Is not an idle one. It has
been hampered in the past by conditions that are fast
disappearing political Instability is giving way to
strength and permanence in government; great cities are
springing up; vast railroad enterprises are linking hith
erto Inaccessible territories with the outside world a ad
with each other; agriculture, manufactures and all the
arts of civilization flourish, and wealth and culture
abound. A happy region, unburdened with armies and
navies, and endowed by nature with Immense resources
may it be worthy of the great future before It! Wash
ington Herald. '
MAURY.
advantage in belnir
has already reduced the cost of wood alcohol from prices
varying between 0 and 75 cents to 30 cents a gallon, a
fact which amply Indicates that a fairly efficient mo
nopoly has been established In tho wood alcohol business.
--Scientific American. )
NATURAL HISTORY BY TOUCH.
' VYI '' " ' ,1
' ' II '
V-i -? ;. htfj
HOW BLIND CUILDItliN IN PARIS ARE TAUGHT ZOOLOGY,
lu the Institute for the Blind in Paris tho children are taught zoology
by means of models and stuffed specimens. From the models they learn to
distinguish the animals, and then they are taught In greater detail the
anatomy of each animal or nlrd by handling stuffed specimens. London Il
lustrated News. . ,
they are perfectly carried out, ns is Il
lustrated by the almost Invariable hab
it nmong animals of gmng to sleep
directly after a meal.
Indeed, n moderate amount of food
In the stomach or intestines seems to
promote slumber. Many night workers,
for instance, sleep much better for tak
ing a light or even full supper Just bo
fore retiring. Dr. Woods Hutchinson
In American Magazine.
The Colored Ilrother'a Iteaaon.
Bcsiker T. Washington told the story
of a negro pastor who was having
some dllllculty with his flock.
"The old fellow came to me and
asked nm to help him out," said Mr.
Washington. "I went down to the little
backwoods country church with him
ono Sunday, incidentally I took occa
sion to iuiiuire umoug the parishioners
u little and found that they had not
paid tho old man bis salary.
"I'pon this basis of Information I
started In to astonish the members
of the congregation. I told them that
they should pay their pastor; that he
had to live; that he had to have his
salary.
' "All In oil, I was making a pretty
good speech. had most of Uie congre
gation convinced, I think.
"But there was one old fe'low In
the back of tho church that was mum
bling during my talk. He would snick
er a little nnd duck his eyes below the
old soft hut be held up to his face. 'We
ain't goln' to pay him any more salary
tills your.'
"Tho old fellow became so obstrep
erous that I remonstruted with him.
" 'Brother, why are you not going to
pay your pastor any more salary this
year?' I usked him.
" 'Because wo done paid hlni for
them same sermons last y'nr,' was the
decisive response."
Save Munejr,
"Did your huslmnd have any sort
of luck at the races yesterday f"
"Splendid! The street -oar system
broke down and he didn't get there till
they were over." Judge,
themselves; men of 25 are accustomed to choose brides
of 23 or 24 ; men of maturt age usually marry widows
of mature sge, and very old men rarely marry womea
less than 40 years Junior to them.
And for the divine sex. Just let ns sect The average
marrying age for ths average woman is oyer 20, George
Bernard Bbaw being responsible for the statement that
the fashionable age L e., the age at which modern
woman is mast fascinating Is not a day under 40 40,
if you please, Mr. rrlnter. Of every 1,000 women who
marry, only a tenth part are widows.
Statisticians of note have from marriage returns de
duced a scale of a woman's chances of finding a partner
In life. The betting is somewhat as follows! Between
the ages of 20 and 23 the odds on a woman getting mar
ried are 52 cents to a dollar, adopting the humble mini
mum, between 25 and 30, only lb cents to a dollar; be- '
tween the ages of 30 and 85, 10 cents to a dollar; be
tween the ages of 85 and 40, only 4 cents to a dollar, i
and not qnlte 8 cents to a dollar In the case of a woman .
between 40 and 45. Exchange.
AMERICAN NEIGHBORS.
coming to a better understanding of
1 A fl those growing nations to the south of us,
ff I as they hare conio to a better understand-
Roosevelt's prediction that no other por
tion of the world will see a greater de
velopment in wealth, population and all
THE ALCOHOL OUTPUT.
HE production of denatured alcohol for the
I first alx months of 1007, under the new
I I law 'covering Its manufacture, amounted to
I 1 T7A 971 Al1fttia Ttl iinnldmrntal rn
alcohol law will, it Is estimated, lead to
a production of 4,000,000 gallons for the
calendar year. The operation of the law
WATER SPOILS ASPARAGUS.
Dealera Practice of Hoaklna; It Veu
aena Ita Value aa Food.
Vice-Consul Murphy, at Frankfort,
reports ns follows, says the New York
Tribune :
"A warm discussion has been golrn
on for many years in Germany as to
whether purchasers suffer from the
dealers' practice of submerging aspara
gus in water to prevent its- withering
or hardening. The plea of the dealers
has been that soaking asparagus la
water merely keeps It fresh in appear
ance without either lessening its ali
mentary value or increasing its weight.
"In order to put an end to this dis
cussion, the Gardeners' Union deter
mined to submit the question to the ex
perts of the experimental institute at
Gelsenheltn on the Rhine. According
to the Frankfurter Zoltung Drs. Win
dlsch and Schmidt have completed the
experiments 'with surprising results. It
has been ascertained that the absorp
tion of water by submerged asparagus
Is not inconsiderable, the weight being
Increased about 10 per cent In two
days. Moreover, it loses some of its nu
tritious components, especially those
containing nitrogen and mineral mat
ter. "The. results of exiKTlments with as
paragus whoso cut surfaces had been
coated with paruflln were exceedingly
Interesting. Coutrary to expectations.
It was found that asparagus thus treat
ed absorls-d considerably more water
and lost much less of Its alimentary
value than that which was placed in
water without first being coated with,
para 111 n where it bad beeu cut.
"Thus It has at last been authorita
tively established that the practice of
keeping asparagus fresh by placing it
lu water not only lessens Its value as
food, but also defrauds the purchaser
by Increasing Its weight."
However poor and wretched Its home
may be, or however strong the prob
ability that It will be caught by the
bind legs and have its head cut off for
a stew the chicken always comes bom
, to rocct 1