TEN , MILLION PEOPLE
IN THE CANADIAN
WEST BY 1920
"Toronto Star," Dec. 16th, 1910.
Tho prediction In made that before
1920 Manitoba, Saskatchewan, Al
berta and British Columbia will bave
ten million people. It is made not by
a Bangulno Western Journal but by
that very sober business newspaper,
the New York Commercfal. It Is
based upon actual observation, upon
the wheat-growing rapacity of the Ca
nadian West, and upon the prospects
of development following the build
ing of railways. Tho writer shows
how the position of leading wheat
market of the world passed from
Milwaukee to Minneapolis and tbence
to Winnipeg. Canada's wheat-growing
belt Is four times greater than
that of the United States, and only
five per cent of Canada's western agri
cultural area Is under cultivation.
There are 170,000,000 acres of wheat
lands which will make those Western
Provinces richer, more populous, more
dependable for food supplies than the
Western States can ever become. The
center of food supremacy will change
to Canada, and 25 years more will
glvo this country 40,000,000 popula
tion west of Ontario.
All these estimates of population
re In the nature of guesses, and must
not be read too literally. Hut the
enormous area of wheat-growing land,
the rapid construction of railways,
and the large volume of Immigration
are facts which must be recognized.
They point to the production of an
ever-Increasing surplus of wheat and
other cereals. However rapidly tlije
urban, the Industrial and commercial
population of Canada may increase,
the Increase of homo consumption Is
hardly likely to keep pace with that
of the production of wheat; for a sin
gle acre of wheat will provide for the
average annual consumption of four
people.
While production In Canada is thus
running ahead of consumption at a
prodigious rate, consumption In the
United Stales la overtaking produc
tion, and the surplus for export is
rowing smaller year by year. It is
true that the limit of actual power to
produce wheat is as yet far away.
By methods of Intensive cultivation,
mch as prevail In Prance, the produc
tion could bo greatly Increased. But
with the overflowing granary of Can- I
Ida so close at hand, It seems likely
that our neighbors will begin to Im
port from us, turning their own en
ergies more largely to other forms of
agriculture.
It must be remembered that while
the Northern States resemble Canada
In climate and products, the resem
blance diminishes as you go south
ward. The wheat belt gives place to
a corn- belt, and this again to semi
tropical regions producing cotton, to
bacco, cane-sugar, oranges and other
tropical fruits.
The man who secures a farm In
Western Canada at the present time
secures an investment better than the
best of bond of any government or
bank. It is no unusual thing for a
farmer in Western 'Canada to realize
a profit of from $5 to $10 per acre.
There are thousands of free home
steads of 160 acres each still to be
had, and particulars can be obtained
by writing your nearest Canadian gov
ernment agent.
COULDN'T BE VERY WELL,
Mrs. Stoskson Bonds StocKton, thai
stenographer of yours Is whistling!
Is she in the built of whistling when
alone?
Stockson Bonds I don't know. I
was never with her when she was
alonel
IT 13 A MISTAKE
Many have the idea that anything
will sell it advertised strong enough.
This Is a great mistake True, a
few sales might be inado by advertis
ing an absolutely worthless article
but It Is only the article that is
bought again and again that pays.
An example of the big success of a
worthy article is the enormous sale
that has grown up for Cascarets
Candy Cathartic. This wonderful rec
ord is the result of great merit suc
cessfully made known through per
sistent advertising and the mouth-to-mouth
recommendation given Cas
carets by its friends and users.
Like all greut successes, trade pi
rates prey on tho unsusiectlng pub
lic, by marketing fake tablets similar
In appearance to Cascarets. Care
should always be exercised in pur
chasing well advertised goods, espe
cially an article that has a national
sale like Cascarets. Do not allow a
substitute to be palmed oft on you.
A Scarecrow.
Miss Brush I suppose yon don't
mind my being la your field, Mr.
Co bell"
Fanner Gobel (heartily) The long
er you stay, the better, miss. Fact la,
the birds 'ave been very troublesome
this season. London Tattler. -
Don't part with yonr Illusions.
When they are gone you may still ex
1st, but you bave ceased to lrve.
Mark' Twain.
Censtlpatlon rtiuMa Mtd serioualy aggra
tM many dianiM-i. H la thoroughly cured
Vr Dr. Firrve'a Pellet. Tiny aagar-eoetad
craaulea.
Tinve may make the world so round,
but It doesn't always seem to be able
to make both ends nieeL
If Jmg
IS
rhz It!
I tie flag Paramount I
By O. IIEMtY I
tCoLt i iglil, by AIiimU'h MuH4iiiu v u.)
DOZEN quarts of cham
pagne. In conjunction
with an informal sitting
rT i I !1 '-..4
yil ' lie President and his
cabinet, led to the estab-
Jl upnt of the navy and the
Hpi'Miiiuiie lit in rt-iij.u
Carrera as its admiral. The wine had
been sent by the Mogul Banana com
pany of New Orleans as a token of
amicable relations and certain con
summated deals between that com
pany and tho republic.
Next to the champagne the credit
of the appoiutment belonged to Don
Sabas liacido, the newly appointed
minister of war.
The session had been signally te
dious; the business and the wine pro
digiously dry. A sudden, prankish hu
mor of Don Sabas impelling him to
tho deed, spiced the grave matters of
state with a whiff of agreeable play
fulness. In the order of business had come
a bulletin from the department of Orll
la del Mar, reporting the seizure by
the custom-house ofllcers at the coast
town of Solltas of the sloop Estrella
de Noche and her cargo of dry goods,
patent medicine, granulated sugar and
three-Btar Drandy. Also six Martini
rifles and ten thousand Havana cigars.
Caught In the act of smuggling, the
sloop and cargo was now, according
to law, the property of the republic.
The collector of customs, in making
his statement, departed from conven
tional forms so far as to suggest that
the confiscated vessel be converted to
the use of the government. The prize
was the first capture to the credit of
the department for ten years. It oft
en happened that government officials
required transportation from point to
point along the coast, and means were
usually lacking. Furthermore, the
sloop could act as a coast guard to dis
courage the pernicious art of smug
gllng. The collector would alBO ven
ture to name one to whom the charge
of the boat could bo safely entrusted
a young man, Felipe Carrera, not, be
it understood one of extreme wisdom,
but loyal, and the best sailor along the
coast.
It was upon this hint that the min
ister of war executed his little piece
of drollery that so enlivened the tedi
um of executive session.
In the constitution of this small,
maritime banana republic was a for
gotten section providing for the main
tenance of a navy. The champagne
was bubbling Irlcklly in the veins of
the mercurial statesmen. A formid
able document was prepared, encrust
ed with chromatic seals and Jaunty
with fluttering ribbons, bearing the
lloral signatures of state, and con
ferring upon el Senor Don Felipe Car
rera the title of Admiral of the ma
rine fleet and force of the republic.
The southern races are lacking in
that particular humor that finds enter
tainment in natural misfortunes. Ow
ing to this defect, they are not moved
to laughter at the deformed, the feeble-minded,
or the insane. Felipe Car
rera was but half-witted. Therefore,
the people of Solitas called him "el
pobrecito loco," saying that God had
sent but half of him to earth, retain
ing the other. A somber youth, glow
ering and speaking only at the rarest
times, Felipe was but negatively loco.
When the outcome of Senor Pla
cido's little pleasantry arrived in the
form of the Imposing commission, the
collector wondered and then smiled.
He sent for Felipe, placed the docu
ment in his hands, explaining careful
ly to him the high honor that the gov
ernment had granted him. Without a
word, the newly created admiral took
his commission, and departed.
The next morning he came again to
the collector, and,' as he passed
through tho village streets many were
the compassionate exclamations .of
"pobrecito muchacho," but never a
laugh or a smile.
Somewhere. Felipe had raked to
gether a pitiful semblance of a mili
tary uniform a pair of red trousers,
a dingy blue Jacket embroidered with
yellow braid, and an old fatigue cap
abandoned by one of the British sol
diers in Belize. In the latter he had
fastened the gaudy feathers of a par
rot's tall. Buckled around his waist
was an ancient ship's cutlass contrib
uted by Pedro Lnfitte. the barber, wh.o
proudly asserted its inheritance from
his ancestor, the illustrious buccaneer, j
At the admiral's heels tagged hla 1
newly shipped crew three grinning,
glossy black Caribs, bare to the waist;
the sand In the streets spurting in a
shower from the spring of their naked
feet.
With becoming dignity, Felipe de
manded his vessel of the collector.
And now, a fresh honor awaited him.
The collector's wife, a thin, little, yel
low woman who read novels in a ham
mock all day, had found, in an old
book, an engraving of a Hug purport
ing to be tho naval flag of the repub
lic. Perhaps It had been so designed
as no navy bad ever been established,
oblivion had claimed Its flag. With
her own tawny bands she had made
a flag after this pattern a red cross
upon a blue and white ground. Hav
ing a little of the romance that
abounded In ber novels, she present
ed It to Felipe with the words: "Brave
sailor. This flag Is of your country.
It you will defend with the life. Go
with God."
For the next month or two the navy
had its troubles. Even the admiral
was perplexed to know what to do
without orders, but none came. Neith
er did aoy salaries. The sloop was
re-chrlstened "El Nacioaal," re-painted,
and swung Mr at anchor. When
Felipe's little store of money was ex
hausted, he went to the collector and
raised the question of finances.
"Salaries! " exolalmsd the collector,
with bis beads raised. "Que salaries!
Not one centavo hare I received of my
own for seven months. The pay of an
j admiral, do you ask? Qulen sabeT
Should it be lees than three thousand
pesos T Mlrat Ton will see a revolu
tkm in this country very soon. A
good sign of it Is when they call for
Pcms, pesos, pesos; and pay none out."
Felipe left tho collector with a look
almost of content in his sombre fce.
A revolution would mean fighting, and
then the government would need his
services. It was rather humiliating
to be an admiral without anything to
do, and have a hungry crew begging
for reales to buy plantains and bread
to eat.
When he returned to where the
good-natured Caribs were hopefully
waiting, they sprang up and saluted,
as he had taught theiu.
"Come, muchachos," said the adnilr
al. "The government Is poor. It has
no money at present. Wo will earn
what we need to live upon. Soon"
his heavy eyes almost lighted up
"our help may be gladly sought for."
Thereafter El Naclonal turned out
with the other coast craft and freight
ed bananas and oranges out to the
fruit steamers who could not como
nearer than a mile oft shore, there be
ing no harbor at Solitas. Surely, a
self-supporting navy deserves red let
ters in the budget of any nation!
There was a little telegraph office
in Solitas whence a little telegraph
line ran over the big mountains to the
capital. After earning enough at
freighting to keep his crew to provi
sions and pay for a week or two, Fel
ipe would Infest this office, looking
like the chorus of an Insolvent comic
opera troupe besieging the manager's
den. Sprawled in a favorite corner,
upon the floor, in his fast decaying
uniform, with his prodigious sabre dis
tributed between his red legs, he
awaited, day after day, and week after
week, the long delayed orders from
his government. Each day he would
inquire, gravely and expectantly, for
dispatches. Tho operator would pre
tend to make a search, and reply:
"Not yet, It seems, Senor el Alml
rante Poco tlempo!"
One day In early summer the rev
olution predicted by the collector
ilamed out suddenly. It hnd long been
smouldering. At the head of the in
surgents appeared that Hector and
learned Theban of the Central Amer
ican republics, Don Sabas Placido. A
traveler, a soldier, a poet, a scientist,
a statesman, and a connoisseur the
wonder was that he could content him
self with the petty, remote life of his
native country.
"It is a whim of Placldo's," said a
friend who knew him well, "to take
up political intrigue. It Is not other
wise than if he had come upon a new
tempo in music; a new bacillus in the
air a new scent, or rhyme, or explo
sive. He will squeeze this revolution
dry of sensations, and, a week after
ward, forget it, skimming the seas of
the world in his brigantine to aW to
hie already world-famous collections
of por Dios! everything from
postage stamps to maqulnas de vapor.
But the aesthetic Placido seemed to
be creating a lively row, for a mere
dilettante. The admired of the peo
ple, they had risen almost In a body
to seat nim In the place of the inclem
ent President Prados. There was
sharp fighting in the capital, where
(contrary to arrangements) the army
had rallied to the defense of the in
cumbent. There was, also, lively skir
mishing in most of the coast towns.
It was rumored that the revolution
was aided by a powerful concern in
the states the Mogul Banana com
pany. Two of their steamers, the
Traveler and the Salvador, were
known to have conveyed insurgent
troops from point to point along the
coast.
At the first note of war the admiral
of the naval fleet and force made all
sail for Belize, where he traded a
hastily collected cargo for cartridges
for the five Martini rifles, the arma
ment of El Naclonal. Then back he
hurried, to be prepared for bis coun
try's call. As yet, there had been no
actual uprising in Solitas. Military
law ruled, and the ferment was bot
tled for the. time. There was a report
that everywhere the revolutionists
were encountering defeat. In the cap
ital the president's forces triumphed,
and there was a umor that the lead
ers of the revolt had been forced to
ilee, holly pursued.
In the little telegraph office at Sol
itas there was ulways a gathering of
officials and loyal citizens, awaiting
news from the seat of government.
One morning the telegraph key began
clicking, arid presently (he operator
called, loi'diy: "One telegram for el
Alniiraiite, Don Senor Felipe Car-
if ra ! "
There was a shuffling Boun.; a
treat rattling of tin scabbard, ant the
admiral, prompt at his spot of wait
iug, leaped across the room to receive
It.
The message was handed to him.
Slowly spelling It out, be found it to
be his first official order thus run
ing: "Proceed ininir.liately with your
vessel to mouth of Rio Ruiz; transport
beef and provisions to barracks, at Al
foran. Martinez. General."
Small glory, to be sure, In this, his
country's first call. But it had called,
and Joy surged In the admiral's breast.
He drew his cutlass belt to another
buckle hole, roused his dozing crew,
and in a quarter of an hour El Na
clonal was tacking swiftly down roast
In a stiff landward breeie.
The Rio Ruiz la a small river,
emptying into the sea ten miles below
Solitas. That portion of the coast Is
wild and solitary. Through a gorge
in the Cordilleras rushed the
RuIe, cold and bubbling, to glide, at
the last, with breadth and leisure,
through an alluvial raoraaa into the
sea.
In two hours El Naclonal entered
the river's mouth. The banks were
crowded with a disposition of formid
able trees. The sumptuous under
growth of the tropics overflowed the
land and drowned Itself In the fallow
waters. Silently the sloop entered
there, and met a deeper silence.
The admiral decided to cast anehot.
En1, flt fi" chain's rnttle. the forest
wa stimulated to Instant and resound
ing uproar. Th mouth of the Klo
Bulz bad only been taking a morning
nap. Pnrrots snd babboons screeched
and barked in the trees, a whirring
and a hissing and a booming marked
Hie awakening of animal life; a dark
blue bulk wns visible for an Instant,
as a startled tapir fought his way
through the vines.
Tho navy, under orders, bung In
the mouth of the little river for
hours. The crew served the dinner
of shark's fin soup, plantains, crab
gumbo and sour claret. The admiral,
with a three-foot telescope, closely
scanned the Impervious foliage p0
yards away.
It was nearly sunset when a rever
berating "hallo-ao" came from the
forest to their left. It was answered,
and three men, mounted on mules,
crashed through the tropic tangle to
within a dozen yards of the river's
bank. There they dismounted; and
one, unbuckling his belt, struck each
mule a violent blow with his sword
scabbard, so that they, with a fling of
heels, dashed back again Into the for
est. Those were strange looking men to
be convoying beef and provisions.
One was a large and exceedingly active
man. of striking presence. IIo was
of the purest Spanish type, with curl
ing dark hair, gray besprinkled, blue,
sparkling eyes, and the pronounced
air of a caballero grando. The other
two were small, brown-faced men,
wearing white military uniforms,
high riding boots and swords. The
clothes of all were drenched, bespat
tered and rent by the thicket. Some
stress of circumstance must have
driven thern, dlablo a quatre, through
flood, mire and Jungle.
"Oh-he! senor alnilrante," called the
largo man. "Send us your boat."
The dory was lowered, and Felipe,
with one of tho caribs, rowed toward
tho left bank.
The large man stood near tho
water's brink, waist deep In the curl
ing vines. As he gazed upon the
scarecrow figure In the stern of the
dory a sprightly Interest beamed
upon his mobile face. Months of
mmmm
THE NEXT INSTANT HE
wageless and thankless service had
dimmed the admiral's splendor. His
red trousers were patched and ragged.
Most of the bright buttons and yellow
braid were gone from his Jacket. The
vlsqr of his cap was torn, and depend
ed almost to his eyes. The admiral's
feet were bare.
"Dear admiral," cried t,he large man,
and his voice was like a blast from a
horn, "I kiss your hands. I knew we
could build upon your fidelity. You
had our dispatch from General Mar
tinez. A little nearer with your boat,
dear admiral. Upon these evils of
shifting vines we stand with the
smallest security."
Felipe regarded him with a stolid
face.
"Provisions and beef for the bar
racks at Alforan," he quoted.
"No fault of the butchers, alnilrante
mio, that tho beef awaits you not.
But you are come In time to save the
cattle. Get us aboard your vessel,
senor, at once. You first, caballeros
a prlesa. Come back for mo. The
boat is too small."
The dory conveyed the two officers
to the sloop, and returned for the
large man.
"Have you so gross a thing as food,
good admiral?" he cried, when aboard.
"And, perhaps, coffee? Beef and pro
visions! Nombre de dies! a little
longer, and we could have eaten one
of those mules that you, Colonel Ra
fael, saluted so feelingly with his
sword scabbard at parting. Let us
have food; and then we will sail
for the barracks at Alforan no?"
The Caribs prepared a meal, to
which tho three passengers of El Na
elmihl net thtiiiiscivcB with famished
delight. About sunset, as was i( j
custom, the breeze veered and swept
back from the mountains, cool and
eteady, bringing a taste of the stag
nant lagoons and mango swamps that
guttered the lowlands. The mainsail
of the sloop was hoisted and swelled
to it, and at that moment they heard
shouts and a waxing clamor from the
bosky profundities of the wood.
"The butchers, my dear admiral,"
said the large man, smiling, "too late
for the slaughter."
Further than his orders to his orew,
the admiral was saying nothing. The
topsail and lib were spread, and the
sloop glided out of the estuary. The
large man and his com pec Ions had be
stowed themselves with what comfort
thay eould about the bare Aeek. Be
lla, the thing big la their miads had
been their da pari are of that critical
shore; and now that the hasard wee
so tar redeeed thskr thoeabta were
loosed to the consideration of further
detteerene. But when the caw the
sloop tvra aad fly up the cues again
they rekaaed. satisfied wKe flee aumim
the admiral had take.
The large man set at a see, Ms sptr-
Ited blue eye engnged in the contem
plation of the navy's commander. Ho
was trying to estimate this somber
and fantastic lad, whose Impenetrable
stolidity puzzled him. Himself a fu
gitive, his life sought and chafing
under tho smart of defeat and fail
ure. It was characteristic of hlra to
transfer Instantly his Interest to the
study of a thing new to him. It vftis
llk him, too, to have conceived and
risked all upon this last message to
a poor, crazed fanatlco cruising about
with his grotesque uniform and his
farcical title. But his companions
hnd been at their wits' end; escape
had seemed Incredible; and now ho
was pleased at tho success of the
plan they had called crack-brained
and precarious.
The brief, tropic twilight seemed to
slide swiftly Into the pearly splendor
of a moonlit night. And now tho
lights of Solitas appeared, distributed
against the darkening shore to their
right. The admiral stood, silent, at
tho tiller; the Caribs, like black pan
thers held the sheets, leaping noise
lessly at his short commands. The
three passengers were watching In
tently the sea before them, and
when at length they came In sight of
a steamer lying a mile out from the
town, with her lights radiating deep
Into the water, they held a sudden
voluble and close-headed converse
The sloop was speeding as If to strike
midway between ship and shore.
Tho large man suddenly separated
from bis companions and approached
the scarecrow at the helm.
"My dear admiral," bo said, "the
government has been exceedingly re
miss. I feel all the shame for It that
only Its Ignorance of your devoted
service has prevented It from sus
taining. An Inexcusable oversight has
been made. A vessel, a uniform and
a crew worthy of your fidelity shall be
furnished you. But Just now, dear
admiral, there Is business of moment
afoot. The steamer lying there Is the
Salvador. I and my friends desire to
bo conveyed to ber, where we are sent
on tho government's business. Do us
the favor to shape your courso ac
cordingly." Without replying, the admiral gave
SHOT THE ADMIRAL DOWN.
a sharp command, and put the tiller
hard to port. El Naclonal swerved,
and headed, straight as an arrow's
course, for tho shore.
"Do me tho favor," said tho large
man, a trifle restive, "to acknowledge
at least that you catch the sound of
my words." It was possible that the
fellow might be lacking in senses as
well as Intellect.
The admiral emitted a croaking,
harsh laugh, and spoke.
"They will stand you," he said,
"with your face to the wall and shoot
you dead. That Is the way they kill
traitors. I knew you when you
stepped Into my boat. I have seen
your picture In a book. You are Sabas
Placido, traitor to your country. With
your face to a wall. So, you will die.
I am the admiral, and I will take you
to them. With your face to a wall.
Yes."
Don Sabas half turned and waved
hla hand, with a ringing laugh, toward
his fellow fugitives. "To you, cabal
leros, I bave related the history of
that banquete when we Issued that
oh, so ridiculous commission. Of a
truth, our Jest has been turned against
us. Behold the Frankenstein's mon
ster we hnve created!"
Don Sabas glanced toward the
shore. The lights of Solitas were
drawing nearer. He could seo the
beach, tho warehouse of tho Bodega
Nacionali the long, low cuartel occu
pied by tho soldiers, and, behind that,
gleaming In the moonlight, a stretch
of high 'dobe wall. He had seen men
stood with their faces to that wall
and shot dead.
Again he addressed the extravagant
figure at. the helm.
"It Is true," he Bald, "that I am
fleeing the country. But, receive the
assurance that I care very little for
that. Courts and camps everywhere
are open to Sabas Placido. Vayat
what Is this molehill of a republic
this pig's head of a country to a man
like tue? I am a palaano of every
where. In Roma, Londree, Vienna,
Nuevo York, Madrid, you will hear
them say: 'Welcome back, Don Sa
bas.' Comet tonto baboon of a boy
admiral whatever you call yourself
turn your boat! Put us on board
the Salvador, and here Is your pay
five hundred pesos In money of the
Estados Unldos more than your lying
government will pay you In 10 years."
Don Sabas pressed a plump purse
against the boy's hand. The admiral
gave no heed to the words or the
movement Braced against the helm,
he was holding the sloop dead on ber
shoreward course. His dull face was
lit almost to Intelligence by some In
teraal conceit, that seemed to afford
him Joy, and found utterance la an
other parrotlike cackle.
That U why they do It," he said,
"so yoe wffl not see the guns. They
fire bourn! and you fall dead. With
your face to the wall. Yes."
The admiral called a sudden order
to his crew. Thp lithe, ellent Caribs
made fast the sheets they held and
slipped down the hatchway Into the
hold of the sloop. When tho last one
had disappeared, Don Sabas, like a
big, brown leopard, leaped, closed and
fastened tho hatch, and stood, smiling.
"No rifles. If you please, dear ad
miral. It was a whlmsey of mine
once to compile a dictionary of the
Cnrib lengua. So I understood your
order. Perhaps you will now "
rut short his word, for he
1 d a sharp "swish" of Iron scra
ping along tin. The admiral had
drawn his cutlass, and was darting
upon him. Tho blade descended, and
It was only by a show of surprising
agility that tho largo man escaped,
with only a bruised shoulder, the
glancing weapon. Ho was drawing
his pistol as he sprang, and, the next
Instant ho shot tho admiral down.
Don Sabas stooped over .him and
rose again.
"En el corazon." ho said, briefly.
'Tenores, the navy is abolished."
Colonel Rafael sprang to the helm;
tho other officer hastened to loose the
mainsail sheets. The boom swung
round; El National described a fluent
curve and began to tack Industriously
for the Salvador.
"Strike Hint "flag, senor," called
Colonel Rafael. "Our friends on tho
steamer will wonder why we are sail
ing under It"
"Well said," cried Don Sabas. Ad
vancing to the mast, ho lowered the
flag to tho deck where lay Its too loy
al supporter. Thus ended tho minis
ter of war's little piece of after-dinner
drollery, and by the samo hand that
began It.
Suddenly Don Sabas gavo a great
cry of Joy, and ran down tho slanting
dock to Uie side of Colonel Rafael.
Across his arm bo carried the flag
of tho extinguished r.avy.
"Mire! mire! senor. Ah, Dlosl Al
ready can I hear that great bear of an
Oestrelcher shout: 'Du hast mein hers
gebrochen!' Mire! Of my friends,
Herr Grunltz of Vienna, you have
heard me relate. That man has trav
eled to Ceylon for an orchid to Pat
agonia for a head-dress to Benares
for a slipper to Mozambique for a
spearhead to add to his famous col
lections. Thou knowest, also, amlgo
Rafael, that I have been a gatherer
of curios. My collection of battlo
flags of tho world's navies was the
most complete In existence until last
year. Then Herr Grunlta- secured
two, oh, so rare specimens. One of a
Barbary state, and ono of the Maka
roorooe, a tribe on tho west coast of
Africa. I have not. those, but they can
be procured. But this flag, Bcnoi"
do you know what It is? Name of
God! do you know? Seo that rod
cross upon the blue and white ground!
You never saw It before? Segura
mento no. It Is the marine flag of
your country. Mire! This rotten tub
we stand upon is Its navy that dead
cockatoo lying there was Its com
mander that stroke of cutlass and
single pistol shot a sea battle. All a
piece of absurd foolery, I grant you
but authentic. There hns never been
another flag like this, and there never
will be another. No.. It is unique in
the whole world. Yes. Think of what
that means to a collector of flags! Do
you know, colonel mlo, how many
golden crowns Herr Grunitz would
give for this flag? Ten thousand, like
ly. Well, a hundred thousand would
not buy It. Beautiful flag! Uttle
devil of a most heaven-born flag!
O-he! old grumbler beyond the ocean.
Walt till Don Sabas comes again to
the Kocnlgln strasse. He will let you
kneel and touch the folds of It with
one finger. O-he! old spectacled ran
sacker of the world!"
Forgotten was the Impotent revo
lution, the danger, the loss, the gall
of defeat. Possessed solely by tho in
ordinate and unparalleled passion of
the collector, he strode up and down
the little deck, clasping to his breast
with one hand the paragon of a flag.
He snapped bis fingers triumphantly
toward the east. He shouted the
paean to his prize In trumpet tones,
as it he would make old Grunlt
hear.
They were waiting on the Salvador,
to welcome them. Tho sloop came
close alongside tho steamer where
her Bides were sliced almost to the
lower deck for the loading of fruit.
The sailors of the Salvador grappled
and hold her there.
Captain McLeod leaned over tho
side.
"Well, senor, the Jig Is up, I'm
told."
"The Jig Is up?" Don Sabas looked
perplexed for a moment. "That revo
lution ah si." With a shrug of his
shoulder he dismissed the matter.
Tho captain learned of the escape
and the Imprisoned crew.
"Caribs?" he Bald; "no harm In
them." He slipped down Into the
sloop and kicked loose the hasp of the
hatch. The black fellows came tumb
ling up, sweating but grinning.
"Hey! black boys!" Bald the captain
In a dialect of bis own; "you sabe,
catchy boat and vamoa back same
place quick."
They saw him point to themselves,
the Bloop and 8ollt.as. "Yas, yas!"
they cried, with broader grins and
many nods.
The four Don Sabas, the two offi
cers and the captain moved to quit
the sloop. Don Sabas lagged a little
behind, looking at the still form of
the late admiral, sprawled In his pal
try trappings.
"Pobrecito loco." he said, softly.
He was a brilliant cosmopolite and
a cognoscente of high rank; but, after
all, be was of the same race and blood
and instinct of this people. Even as
the simple gente of Bolltas had said
It. so said Don Banes. Without a
smile, he looked and said: "The poor
little erased one!"
Stooping, he raised the limp shoul
ders, drew the priceless and IndnplW
cable flag under them and over the
breast, pinning It there with the dia
mond star of the order of San Carlos
that he took from the collar of fete
own coat.
He followed after the others, and
stood with them upon the deck of the
Salvador. The sailors that steadied
El Naclonal shoved her off. The Jab
bering Caribs hauled away at the rig
ging; the sloop heeded for the shore;
and Herr Orunlts' collection of naval
flags was stlU the finest In the world.
DYSPEPTIC FHILIS0PHY.
What the theater really needs I
Society for tho Prevention of Cruelty
to Audiences.
Why are we supposed to have more
respect for gray hairs than for a bald
bead?
A man can face the world with a
good heart If he can also face it with
good liver.
From a masculine noint of view
would it be heresy to uuc. t'on the seZ
of the devil?
Some fat men are meaner than oth
er men simply because there is more)
of them.
Manv a man who think hn la Ira
love lives to discover that socond
thoughts are best.
Some men are born great, some ac
quire greatness, and others have great
ness thrust upon them, but It doesn't
seem to take any of them long to get
rid of It,
The Modest Model.
The late Julia Ward Howe, though
a woman of veiy good appearance,
was extremely modest.
"She once posed for me," said a
Boston painter the other day. "But
she hesitated a long time before con
senting. To urge her on I said:
" 'Don't be afraid. I'll do you Ju
flee, madam.'
M,Ab, she answered, it isn't Justice
I ask for at your bands; It's mercy."
Not Just Off the Shelf.
Llttlo M arret has the chtldlnt trait
of curiosity, especially In regard to
me age or ner eiders.
"How old do you think I am. dear?
counter-Questioned the snlnster mint
to whom the child had put the Imper
tinent query. The little girl consid
ered earnestly before replying:
Well, I don t know, Auntlo Alice,
but you don't look newi"
INSIDE HISTORY,
woma Self-Explanatory Letters.
Battlo Creek, Mich., Jan. 7, ML
Dr. E. H. Pratt.
Suite 1202, 100 State St.,
Chicago, Illinois.
My Dear Doctor:
"Owing to some disagreement with,
magazine several years ago
they have become quite vituperative.
and of late have publicly charged me
with falsehoods In my statements
that we have genuine testimonial let
ters.
"It has been our rule to refrain
from publishing the names either of
laymen or physicians who have writ
ten to us in a complimentary way,
and we have declined to accede to the
demand of attorneys that we turn
these letters over to them.
"I am asking a few men whom I
deem to be friends to permit me to
reproduce some of their letters over
their signatures in order to refute the
falsehoods.
"We have hundreds of letters from
physicians, but 1 esteem the one that
you wrote to me In 1908 among the
very best, particularly In view of the
fact that it recognizes the work I have
been trying to do partly through the
little book, 'The Road to Wellvllle.'
"I do not Bell or attempt to Bell the
higher thought which is more impor
tant than the kind of food, but I bave
taken considerable pains to extend to
humanity such facts as may have
come to me on this subject.
"In order that your mind may be re
freshed I am herewith enclosing a
copy of your good letter, also a copy
of the little book, and If you will give
me the privilege of printing this over
your signature I will accompnny the ,
printing with an explanation as to
why you permitted Its use In publi
cation in order to refute falsehoods.
and under that method of treatment I
feel, bo f ir as I know, there would be
no breach of the code of ethics. '
"I trust this winter weather Is find
ing you well, contented and enjoying
the fruits that are yours by right.
"With all beat wishes. I am;"
Yours very truly,
C. W. POCT.
Dr. Pratt, who Is one of the most
prominent aud skillful surgeons in
America, very kindly granted our re
quest in the cause of truth and Jus- '
tlce.
Chicago, Aug. SI, 1906.
Mr. C. W. Post,
Battle Creek, Mich.
VI y Dear Sir:
"I write to express my personal ap
preciation of one of your business
methods, that of accompanying each
package of your Grape-Nuts produc
tion with that llttlo booklet "The
Road to Wellvllle," A more appro
priate, clear headed and effective pre
sentation of health-giving auto-suggestions
could scarcely be penned. '
"Grape-Nuts Is a good food In itself,
but the food contained In this little
article la still better stuff. I commend
the practice because I know that the
greed and strenuousnoss, the conse
quent graft and other types of thiev
ery and malicious mischief generally
can never be cured by legislative ac
tion. "The only hope for the betterment
et the race rests in ludlvidual sou)
culture.
"In taking a step in this direction,
your process has been so original and
unique that It must set a pace for
other concerns until finally the whole
country gets flavored with genuine,
practical Christianity.
"I shall do all that lies in my pow
r to aid in the appreciation of Grape
Nuts, not so much for the sake of the
food itself as tor the accompanying
suggestions.
. "Visiting Battle Creek the other dag
w'i' a friend, Dr. Kelly of KnuietoBV
Illinois, while I was consulting with
Mr. Gregory, my friend flatted 700
- factories aad came away greatly
amased, not only at the luxurious fur
nlahVngs of the offices generally and.
the general eoutpfitcnt of the place,
hut with the sweet, spirit of courtesy
and kindness that seemed to fill the
air with a spiritual osone that was
good to breathe.
"The principles eapreesed In tho
little booklet. The Road to Well
vllle,' 1 well know are practical and
they work in business of all kinds, in
cluding sanitariums, as will lo fairly
tested, fesfort tJige la done.