Nebraska Newspapers

    DAKOTA COUNTY HERALD; DAKOTA CITY, NEBRASKA.
u
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the
Last Shot
BY
FREDERICK PALMER
(Copyright, 1914, by Charles Scrlbncr's Sorts)
SYNOPSIS.
At their homo on tho frontier between
llio Browns and Grays Maria Oallnnd nnd
her mother, entertaining Colonel Wester
llnR of tho Qrnys, seo Captain Lanstron,
Hart intelligence ofllccr of tho Browns,
Injured by a fall In his aeroplane. Ten
pears later. Wcsterllwr, nominal vlco but
real chief of staff, reinforces South La
rlr, meditates on war, and speculates on
tho comparative ages of himself and Mar
ia, who Is vlRltlng In tho Gray capital.
VVestcrllnK calls on Marta. Sho tolls him
8f her teaching children tho follies of war
Mid martial patriotism, bKs him to pro
vent war Whllo ho Is chltf of staff, and
predicts that if ho makes war against tlio
Browns ho will not win. On tho march
with the 63d of tho Browns Private Strnn
iky, anarchist, decries war and played
out patriotism and la placed under arrest.
Colonel Lanstron overhearing, begs him
fff. Lnnstron calls on Marta at her homo
lo talks with Feller, the gardener. Marta
tells Lanstron that alio believes Feller to
be a spy, Lanstron confesses It Is true.
Lanstron shows Marta a telephone whlrh
Feller has concealed In a secret passage
pnder tho tower for uso to benefit the
prowns In war emergencies. Lanstron de
flares his lovo for Martn. Westcrllng and
tho Gray Dromter nlnn to use a trivial In
ternational affair to foment warllko pa
trtotlsm In nrmy and people nnd strike bo- (
iuiu uucjuriiHf war. I'anow, jirown unii'i
if staff, and Lanstron. made vice, dismiss
the trouble, nnd tho Brown defenses Par-
w reveals ins plans to Lanstron.
CHAPTER VIII Continued.
Now Dollarmo disposed his men in
flno bad: of tho rid go of fresh earth
that they hnd dug in tho night, ready
lo rush to tholr places when ho blow
tho whistle that hung from his neck,
but ho did not allow them a glimpso
jvor'tho crest.
"I know that you nro curious, but
powerful glasses aro watching for you
lo show yourselves; and if a battery
turned looso on us you'd understand,"
to explained.
Thus tho hours woro on, and tho
:hurch clock struck nine and ten.
"Never n movement down there 1"
tailed tho sergeant from tho crest to
Dollarmo. "Maybe this is Just their
Bnal bluff before thoy como to terms
ibout Bodlapoo" that stretch" of Af
rican, Jungle that seemed very far
tway to them all.
"Let us hope eoI" said Dollarmo
icriously.
Choosing to go to town by tho
:astlo road rather than down tho tor
race to tho main pass road, Marta,
itartlng for tho regular Sunday ser
vice of her echool, as sho emerged
from tho grounds, saw Poller, garden
ihears in hand, a flguro of stono
watching tho approach of somo field
batteries.' Tho question of allowing
him to undertake his part na a spy
aad drifted into tho background of her
tnlnd under tho distressing and ovor
prosent pressure of tho crisis. Ho wan
to remain until thoro was war. Sho
tfaa almost pa,at him beforo ho real
ized hor presence, which ho acknowl
edged by a startled movement and a
jtep forward as he took off his hat
Sho paused. His oyeB wero glowing
tiko coale under a blowor as ho looked
'it her and again at tho batteries,
looming. to lncludo hor with tho guns
In the spell of his fervid abstraction.
"Frontier closed laBt night to pro-
rent Intelligence about our prepara
tions leaking out Lanny's plan nil
kllve tho guns coming," ho said, his
ihoulders stiffening, hla chin drawing
In, his features rcsoluto and beaming
with tho ardor of youth in action
"troops moving hero and thoro to their
places engineers preparing tho de
fenses automatics at critical points
with the infantry field-wires laid
Hold-telephones set up tho wirolesB
iplttlng tho caissons full planes and
dirigibles ready search-lights in po
iltlon "
Thero tho torrent of his broken sen
tences was checked. A Bbndow passed
la fronl of him. Ho camo 'out of his
tranco of Imageries of activities, so
vividly clear to his military mind, to
reallzo that Marta was abruptly leav
ing. "Miss Galland!" ho called urgently.
"Firing may commonco at any inln
nto. You must not go Into town!"
"But I must)" sho declared, Hpenk
Ing over her shoulder wlillo 'slid
passed. It was clear that no warning
would provall ugttlutil hor determined
mood.
"Then I shall go with you I" ho said,
starting toward her with a light Btep.
"It Is not necessary, thank you!"
she answered, moro coldly than sho
had over epoken to him. This had a
magically quick effect oa his atti
tude. "I beg your pardon! I forgot!" ho
explained In hlB old man's volco, hla
bead sinking, his shoulders drooping
In tho humility of a servant who rec
ognises that ho has been properly re
buked for presumption, "Not a gun
ner any moro I'm a spy I" ho thought,
as he shufilcd off without looking
toward, the batteries again, though tho
music of wheels and hoofs was now
close by.
Marta had a glimpso of him as she
turned away, "Ho Is what he is he
causo of the army; a victim of a cult,
a habit," she was thinking. "Had ho
been in any other calling his fine qual
ities might huvo been of service to the
world and ho would have been happy."
A company of Infantry resting
among their stacked rifles changed
the color of tho square In the distance
from the gray pavement to the brown
of a mass of uniforms. In tho mlddlo
of tho main street a major of tho bri
gade staff, with a number of junior
officers and orderlies, was ovldently
waiting on somo signal. Sentries wero
posted at regular Intervals along tho
curb; Tho people In the houses and
'B-hepafrom tlmo to time mopped pack
lag up their effects long enough to go
to tho doors and look up and down
apprehensively, asking bootless, nor
voua questions.
"Aro they coming yet?"
"Do you think thoy will como?"
"Aro you suro It's going to bo war?"
"WIU thoy shell tho town?"
to get away!" Bhouted tho major. "All
wo know is what is written In our In
structions, and we shall act on them
when tho thing starts. Then wo aro
In command. Meanwhile, get ready!"
Then tho major became awaro of a
young woman who wno going in tho
wrong direction. Hor cheeks wero
flushed from her rapid wnlk, her lips
wero parted, showing firm, white
teeth, nnd hor black eyes wero re
garding him In a blazo of satlro or
amusement; an emotion, whatever It
wns, that thoroughly centered his at
tention. "Mademoiselle, I am very sorry, but
unless you live In this direction," ho
said very politely, "you may riot go any
farther. Until wo liavo other orders
or they attack every ono Is supposed
to remain In his house or his placo of
business."
"This Is my placo of business!"
Marta answorcd, for she was already
opposite a small, disused chapel which
was her Bchoohoom, where n half
dozen of tho faithful children were
gathered around tho masculine Impor
tance of Jncky Werther, ono of tho
older boye,
"Then you aro Miss Galland!" said
tho major, enlightened. H1b smile had
an appreciation of the Irony of hor oc
cupation at that moment. "Your chil
dren aro very loyal. They would not
.tell mo where thoy lived, so wo had
to let them stay thero."
"Thoso who have homes," sho said,
identifying each ono of tho faithful
with n glnnco, "havo so many broth
orB and slaters that thoy will hardly
bo mlsucd from tho flock. Others
havo no homee at least not much of a
ono" hero hor temper roso again
"taxes being so high In order that you
may organize murder and tho destruc
tion of property."
"Now really, Miss Galland," he be
gan solicitously, "I havo boon assigned
to move tho civil population In cubo of
attack. Your children ought "
"After school! You havo your duty
this morning and I havo mlno!" Marta
interrupted pleasantly, and turned
townrd tho chapel.
"They nro putting shnrpshootera In
tho church tower to get tho aero
plnnes, and thoro nro lots of tho llttlo
guns that flro bullets bo fast you can't
count 'em and llttlo spring wagons
with dynnmlto to blow things up
and " Jacky Werther ran on In a
sorles of vocal oxploslons as Marta
opened tho door to let tho children
go In.
"Yet you camo I" said Marta with a
hand caressingly on his shoulder.
"It lookH pretty bad for peace, but
wo camo," nnswored Jacky, round-
eyed, In loyalty. "Wo'd como right
through bullets 'causo wo said wo
would If wo wasn't sick, and wo wasn't
sick."
"My seven disciples sovon!" ox
claimed Marta as sho counted them.
"And yoUvnood not sit on tho rogular
seats, but uround mo on tho platform,
It will bo more intimate"
"That's grand!" camo In chorus.
Thoy did not bothor about chairs, but
seated themselves on tho floor around
Marta's si'Jrts.
Tho church clock boomod out Its do-
liborato strokes through ton, tho hour
set for tho lesson, and all counted
thorn ono two throo. Marta was
thinking what a dismal llttlo effort
tjjolrs was, and yet sho was very hap
py, tremblingly happy In her distrac
tion and oxcltomont, that thoy had not
waited for hor at tho door of tho
chapel in vain.
Sho announced that thoro would bo
no talk this morning; thoy would only
say tholr oath. Uopeatlng In concert
tho pledgo to tho boys and glrlB of
other landB, tho childish voices pecu
liarly sweet and harmonious in con
trast to tho raucouB and uneven
sounds of forobodlng from tho street,
thoy camo In duo courso to tho words
of tho concession that tho oath inado
to militancy:
"If an enemy tries to take my
land"
"Children I " Marta Interrupted
with a soneo of wonder and Uhock.
Thoy paused nnd looked nt hor ques
tlonlngly. "I had almoBt forgotton
that parti" sho breathed confusedly.
"That's tho part that makes all
wo'ro doing against tho GrayB right!"
put In Jacky Worthor promptly.
"As I wroto It for you! 'I shall ap
poal to his sciiBo of justlco and reason
with him' "
Jaws dropped and oyos bulged, for
abovo tho sounds of tho street, roso
from the distance tho unmlstakablo
crackling of rlflo flro which, as they
listened, spread and increased in volume.
"Go on on to tho end of tho oath!
It will take only a momont," Bald
Marta resolutely. "It Isn't much, but
It's tho best wo enn do!"
tho peppered silhouette that fooed
Wosterllng'B desk. What thoy had
dono repeatedly In drills and maneu
vers thoy wero now doing in war, me
chanically as marionettes.
"Como on! Tho bullet Is not made
that can got mo! Como on!" cried tho
giant Eugeno Aronson.
Nearly all felt thu exhilaration of
movement in compmiy. Then enmo
tho sound that generations had drilled
for without hearing; tho sound that
numinous tho Imagination of man in
tho thought of how ho will feel and
act when ho hears it; tho sound that
Is ovorywhoro like tho song snatches
of bees driven whizzing through tho
air.
"That's It! Wo'ro under flro! We're
under flro!" flashed a crooked light
ning recognition of tho sound through
qvory bruin.
Thero was no sign of tho enemy;
no telling whero tho bullets camo
from.
Whlsh-whlsh! Th-ipp-whlngl Tho
refrain gripped I'ctcrkln's imagination
with nn unseen hand. Ho scorned to
bo suffocating. Ho wanted to throw
himself down nnd hold his hunds In
front of his head. Whllo Pilzer and
Aronson wero not thinking, only run
ning, Petorkln was thinking with tho
rapidity of a man falling from a high
building. Ho wbb certain only that
ho was bound to strike ground.
"An Inch 1b ns good as a mile!" Ho
recollected tho captain's teaching.
"Only ono of a thousand bullets fired
in war ever kills a man" but ho was
certain that ho had heard a million
already. Ho looked around to And
that lie was still keeping up with Eu
gene nnd felt tho thrill of tho bravery
of fellowship at sight of the giant's
flushed, confident face reveling in tho
spirit of a charge. And then, just
Pilzer Was Shooting to Kill.
CHAPTER IX.
The Baptism of Flro.
All tho landscape In front of Fra
casso'B company seemed to havo boon
deserted; no moving figures wero any
whero in eight; no Blgn of tho onouiy'a
Infantry.
Faintly tho town clock was heard
striking tho hour. From eight to nlno
and nlno to ton Frauasse's men wait
ed; waited until tho machine was
ready and Westcrllng should throw In
tho clutch; waited until tho troops
wero In placo for the first move before
ho hurled hla battalions forward.
They did not know how tho captain at
their back received his ordors; thoy
only heard tho noto of tbo whlstlo,
with a command familiar to a tralnod
instinct on tho edge of anticipation. It
released a spring In their nervo-cen-tore.
Thoy responded aa tho wheels
respond whon tho throttlo is oponod
Jumping to their foot thoy broke Into
There 11 vbe tlmo enough for you a run, bodlos bont, headB down, Hko
then, Eugeno convulsively throw up
his nrms, dropped his rlflo, and
whirled on his heel. As he went down
his hand clutched at his left breast
and camo away red and dripping.
After ono wild backward glance, Po
torkln plunged ahead.
"Eugeno!" Hugo Mallln had stopped
and bent over Eugeno In tho supremo
Instinct of that terrible second, sup
porting his comrndo's head.
"Tho bullet 1b not made " Eugeno
whtspored, tho ruling passion strong
to the last. A flicker of tho eyelids, a
gurglo In tho throat, and ho was dead.
"Horo, you aro not going to got out
this way!" Fracasso shouted, In tho
Irritation of hnsto, slapping Huko with
his sword. "Go on! That's hospital
corps work."
Hugo had a glimpso of tho captain's
rigid features and u last ono or Eu
gene's, whlto and etlll nnd yet as If
ho wero about to apeak his favorlto
boast; then ho hurried on, his stdo
glanco showing other prosorato formB.
Ono form a few ynrds away half roso
to call "Hospital I" and fell back,
struck mortally by n second bullet.
"That's what you got If you forgot
Instructions," said Fracasso with no
senBO of brutality, only professional
exasperation. Keop down, you wound
ed men J" ho shouted at tho top of his
volco.
Tho colonel of tho 128th had not
looked for Immediate resistance. He
hnd told Fracasso a men t'o occupy tho
knoll expeditiously. But by tho com
mon Impulse of military training, no
Ices than In answer to tho whistle's
call, In face of tho withering flro thoy
dropped to earth at tho baBo of a
knoll, whero Hugo throw himself
down at full longth In his placo In line
next to Petorkln.
"Flro polntblank at tho crest In
front of you! I saw a couple of men
standing up therol" called Fracasso.
"Flro fast! That's tho way to keop
down their flro polntblank, I tell you!
You'ro firing Into tho sky! I want to
sea moro dust kicked up. Flro fasti
We'll havo them out of thoro soon!
They're only an outpost."
Hugo was firing vaguoly, liko a man
In a dream. Pilzer was ehootlng to
kill. His eye had tho steely gleam
of his rlflo Bight and tho liver patch
on his cheek was a deeper huo as ho
sought to avengo Eugono's death.
Drowned by tho racket of tholr own
lire, not oven Petorkln was hearing
tho whlsh-whlsh of tho bullets from
Dollarmo'a company now. Ho did not
know that tho blacksmlth'B son, who
waa tho fourth man from him, lay with
his chin on hla rifle stock and a tiny
trlcklo of blood from a holo in hla
forehead runntng down tho bridge of
hla uoso.
Young Dellarmo, now to his cap
tain's rank, watching the plain
through hla glasses, saw the move
ment of mounted officers to tho rear
of tho 128th aa a reaBon for summon
ing his men.
"Creep upl Don't Bhow yoursolvca!
Creep up carefully carefully!" ho
kept repeating as thoy crawlod for
ward on their stomachs. "And no ono
la to flro until tho command comes."
Ilujrglng tho coor of tho rldgo of
fresh earth which thoy had thrown up
tho previous night, thoy watched tho
whlto posts. Strnnsky, who had boon
rumlnatlvely silent all tile morning,
was in his place, but ho was not look
ing at tho onomy, Cautiously, to avoid
a reprimand, ho rnlsed his head to en
able him to glanco along tho lino. All
the faces seemed drawn and clayish.
"Thoy don't wnnt to light! Thcy'ro
just horo becauso thoy'ro ordered hero
and haven't the character to defy au
thority," ho thought. "Tho leaven Is
working! My tlmo Is coming!"
For Dellarmo tho mlnuto had como
when all hla training was to bo put to
n test. Tho figures on the other side of
tho whlto posts wero rising. Ho was to
provo by tho way ho directed a com
pany of Infantry in action whether or
not ho was worthy of his captain's
rank. Ho smiled cheerily. In order
that ho might watch how each man
used his rifle, he drew back of tho line,
his slim body erect as ho rested on
ono knee, his head level with tbo
other heads whilo ho Angered his
whistle. Tho Instant that Eugeno
Aronson sprang over tho white post
a blast from tho whlstlo began the
war.
It wns a signal, too, for Stranaky
to play tho part ho had planned; to
mako the speech of his life. His six
feet of stnturo shot to its feotv with
a Jack-in-the-box abruptness, under
tho impulso of n mighty and reckless
passion.
"Men, stop flring!" ho howled thun
derously. "Stop flring on your broth
ers! Like you, they aro only the
pawns of tho ruling class, who keep
ub nil pawns in order that they may
havo champagno nnd caviare. Com
rades, I'll lead you! Comrades, we'll
tako a white Hag and go down to meet
our comrades and we'll And that they
think as wo do! I'll lead you!"
Tho nppeal was drowned in tho
cracking of tho rifles working as regu
larly as punchlng-machlnes in a fac
tory. Every soldier was seeing only
his sight and the running figures un
der it. Mechanically and automatical
ly, training had been projected Into
nctlon. anticipation Into realization. A
spectator might as well have called to
a man in a hundred-yard dash to atop
running, to an oarsman In a race to
jump out of his shell.
Tho company sergeant sprang for
Stransky with an onth. But Stransky
was in no mood to submit. He felled
the sergeant with a blow and, reck
lessly defiant, stared at Dellarme,
whllo tho men, steadily flring, wero
still oblivious of tho scene. The ser
geant, stunned, rose to his knees nnd
reached for his revolver. Dellarme,
bent over to keep his head below tho
crest, "had already drawn his as ho
hastened toward them.
"Will you get down? Will you tako
your placo with your rifle?" demanded
Dollarmo. .
Stransky laughed thunderously In
scorn. He was handsome, titanic, and
barbaric, with his huge shoulders
stretching his blouse, which fell loose
ly around bis narrow hips, whllo the
flat that had felled tho sergeant was
still clenched.
"No!" said Stransky. "You won't
kill much If you kill mo and you'd kill
less If .you shot yourself! God Al
mighty! Do you think I'm afraid? Mo
afraid?"
His eyes In a bloodshot glare, as
uncompromising as those of a bull In
an arena watching tho next movo of
tho red capo of tho matador, regarded
Dellarme, who hesitated In admiration
of tho picture of human force beforo
him. But tho old sergeant, smarting
under tho insult of the blow, hla sand
Btono features mottled, with red
patches, had no compunctions of this
order. Ho was ready to act as execu
tioner. "If you don't want to shoot, I, can!
An example tho law! There's no
other way of dealing with him! Give
tho word!" ho said to Dellarme.
Stransky laughed, now in strident
cynicism. Dellarmo still hesitated,
roulloctlng Lanstrou'a remuiu. ut
pictured Stransky in a last Btand in u
redoubt, and every soldier was as
precious to him as a picco of gold to
a mlsor,
"Ono ought to bo enough to kill mo
if you'ro going to do it to slow music,"
Bald Stransky, "You might aa well
kill mo aa tho poor fools that your
poor foola nro trying to "
Another breath finished the speech;
a breath released from a ball that
seemed to havo como straight from
hell. The flro control officer of a regi
ment of Gray artillery on tho plain,
scanning tho landscape for tho origin
of tho rlfle-flro' which was leaving
many fnllon in tho wnko of the charge
of tho Gray infantry, 1 f een a figure
on tho knoll. "How kindl Thank
you!" hla thought apoko faster than
words. No need of range-finding!
Tho rnngo to every possible battery
or Infantry position around La Tlr
was already marked on his map. Ho
passed the word lo his guns.
Tho burst of their first shrapnel
shell blinded all threo actors in tho
sceno on tho crest of tho knoll with
its ear-8j)lltting crack and tho force of
its concussion throw Stransky down
beside tho sergeant. Dellarmo, aa hla
vision cleared, had just tlmo to seo
Stransky jerk his hand up to his tem
ple, whero thero waa a red spot, be
foro auothor shell burst, a llttlo to
the rear. This waa harmless, ns a
shrapnel's shower of fragments and
bullets carry forward from the point
of explosion. But tho next burst in
front of tho line. Tho doctor's period
of Idleness was oVer. One man's rifle
ahot up as his splno was broken by a
jagged piece of shrapnel jacket. Now
thero wero too many 8hells to watch
them Individually.
"It's all right all right, men!" Del
larme called again, assuming his
cheery smile. "It takes a lot of shrap
nel to kill anybody. Our batteries will
soon answer!"
His volco was unheard, yot Its spir
It was felt. Tho men knew through
their training that there was no uso
of dodging and that their beat protec
tion was an accurate flro of their own.
Stransky had half risen, a now kind
of savagery dawning on his features
aa ho regained his wits. With in
verted oyeB ho regarded the red ends
of his Angers, held In line with tho
bridgo of his nose. He felt of tho
wound again, now that ho was less
dizzy. It waa oply a scratch and he
had been knocked down like a beef In
an abattoir by an unseen enemy, on
whom ho could not lay hands! Deaf
eningly, the shrapnel jackets con
tinued to crack with "ukung-s-sh
ukung-s-sh" as the swift breath of the
shrapnel missiles spread. Tho guna
of one battery of that Gray regiment
ICE PROPERLY STORED-FARM SNOWHOUSE
. IS
Horse-Power Scraper for Removing Snow From an Ice Field.
(Prepurcil by tho United States Depart
ment of Agriculture.)
Ice is a very perlsbablo commodity
and, therefore, certain Important prin
ciples must bo considered In the con
struction of n placo to store It. In
vestigators of tho United States de
partment of agriculture consider that
there aro four Important things to bo
considered In order to keep Ice well.
These aro us follows:
1. Tho lco must have a minimum
of surface exposed to tho air or to
the packing material. This Is most
easily accomplished by piling tho lco
In tho form of a cube. A mass of lco
12 by 12 by 12 feet exposes less sur
face than tho samo tonnage piled in
any form less nearly that of a cubo
or of a globo.
2. Tho keeping of good lco depends
upon tho completeness of Its Insula
tion, whereby It la protected from ex
ternal Influences, such aa heat and
air.
3. Dralnago Is important becauBO
tho lack of it interferes with tho In
sulation. 4. Tho lco Itself must bo packed so
aa to prevent as completely as pos
sible the circulation of air through
the mass. Tho moro nearly tho masa
of lco approaches that of a solid cubo,
both in shape and texture, the easier,
with good dralnago and Insulation,
will be tho keeping problem. Tho
keeping of Ice, then, depends upon
the shapo of the masa, Its Insulation,
Us drainage and its Bolldity.
Tho ease and rapidity with which
lco may bo gathered depends upon
tho condition and location of the field
ns well aB upon the tools used for
doing tho work.
If tho Ice field Is covered with
snow the formation .of ice will bo re
tarded, as tho snow acta as a blanket
and raises tho temperature, thus re
tarding tho lco formation. If the Ice
sheet Is sufficiently thick and snow
of artillery, each flring six 14-pound , falls upon it, the snow must be js-
shells a mlnuto methodically, every
shell loaded with nearly two hundred
projeclllea, were giving their undivid
ed attention to tho knoll.
How long could his company endure
thia? Dellarmo might well ask. Ho
knew that ho would not bo expected
to withdraw yet. With a sense of re
lief he flaw Fracasae's men drop for
cover at tho base of tho knoll and
then, expectation fulfilled, he realized
that rlfle-flre now reinforced the ene
my's aliell Are. Hla duty waa to re
main while ho could hold his men,
and a feeling toward them auch as he
had never felt before, which was love,
sprang full-fledged into his heart as he
saw how steadily they kept up their
fusillade.
Stransky, eager in response to a
now passion, sprang forward into
place and picked up his rifle.
"If you will not havo it my way,
take it yours!" said the best shot in
the company, as he began flring with
resolute coolness.
"They have a lot of men down," said
Dellarme, his glasses showing tho
many prostrate figures on the (wheat
stubble. "Steady! steady! We have
plenty of batteries back in tbo hills.
Ono will bo In action soon."
(TO BE CONTINUED.)
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Tells of Tense Moments
moved before harvesting can proceed;
or If, on the other hand, It Is deslra
bio to increaso tho thickness of tho
ice after the snow falls, the field may
bo flooded and the anow saturated
with water, which Is allowed to
freeze, thus adding a layer of snow
ice. Flooding on small fields may be
accomplished in either of two ways:
By "overflowing," which consists,
merely In conducting water to the
field, or by piercing tho Ice field here
and there with a bar or auger, to al
low the water to force Itself to the
surface and gradually to saturate the
snow.
Snow may be removed from small
fields, when necessary, by means of
shovels, but upon large fields It will
bo economical to uso horse-power
scrapers. A simple plank scraper Is
shown In the accompanying figure.
A Snowhouse for the Farm.
"Snow well packed will last as long
as ico," say those who havo tried the
experiment on farms where more
snow than Ice Is svallabls in the win
ter. In a properly constructed snow-
BRACE POST WITH CONCRETE
Trenches Filled With Broken Stones
.. ctrlL- nnrf st rennthcned With
Cement Is Good Plan.
Dig tho hole in tbo usual manner,
then In the directions opposite to tho
pull of the wires dig trenches ten
inches wide nnd two feet long. Put
in some broken stones or brick and
pour cement over it, first a layer of
stono, then aomo cement, and so on
until tho trenches are filled. The
trenches, of courso, connect with the
houso tho snow may bo kept for a
long tlmo and used In tho summer In
tho placo of ice. This plan, say field
ngenta of the United States depart
ment of agriculture, has already given
excellent reaults In practice, and la
especially recommended to farmers In
Virginia, Weat Virginia, Kentucky and
Maryland. Thero Is, however, no rea
son why It would not bo profitable to
construct a snowhouso In any region
where thero la a likelihood of any
considerable snowfall In tho courso
of tho year.
In Virginia and Maryland success
ful snowhouses havo been made from
a pit sheltered by a gablo roof somo
four feet abovo the ground. The dirt
dug from tho pit Is piled around tho
board sides of tho houso and graded
In order to drain tho water away.
Underground the pit should not bo
less than 1G feet In diameter and
depth with a bottom from' two to six
feet smaller than the top. This Is to
prevent the formation of air spaces
around tho show as It settles. The
pit should be lined with planks two
Inches thick. Obviously, tho coolest
place available ahould bo selected, and
whenever possible, shado from sur
rounding trees should bo utilized to
keep off tho rays of tho sun. Proper
packing of tho snow In tho house Is
essential. It should bo tramped down
with the feet and tamped with a
block of wood. After a few days,
when tho first loads havo Bottled, tho
spaces between the snow and walls
Bhould bo filled with moro snow piled
as high as possible. The top should
then bo covered first with sacka and
finally with two or more feet of saw
dust or straw. As fast aa the snow
melts around the sides, the spaces
thus left should be packed with straw
in order to prevent air currents. Care
should'also bo taken to fill the snow
houso beforo tho snow becomes wet.
In the case of heavy falls the snow
should be shoveled directly Into tho
wagon from any clean spot as soon
as it has settled sufficiently to p'ack
well. Whero there Is only a light
fall, the snow can bo drawn into rows
by means of n plank drag and then
hauled in wagons to the pit.
Well'packed snow stored in this
way in a properly-constructed snow
house will be useful in the hot weath
er In many ways. It will cool milk,
dairy products and meat, and tho
housewife can use It freely for freez
ing ico cream or in other way3 that
will add greatly to tho comfort of tho
household. Tho pit should, of course,
bo constructed In the summer tlmo
and be all ready for uso when tho
first snow comes. It is also well to
remember that as long as tho outside
temperature remains below 32 degrees
It Is advisable to leave the doors of
tho storehouse open. Aa soon as the
thermometer rises above freezing,
however, the doors should' be shut.
Care should also be taken after re
moving snow to see that tho covering
of sac.ts and straw Is replaced.
EXPENSE OF FILLING A SILO
Man of Prominence Had Two, and
Their Causes Were of Wldoly
Different Beginnings.
I heard a prominent Cambridge man
toll of tho two most tenBo momenta
of his life yestorday, says a corre
spondent of the Boston Journal. But
tho tension In each caso was differ
ent "I doubt ir I over shall forget either
occasion," ho said, reflectively. "They
wero big momonts.
"Tho first was when I was in col
lege. I waa captain of the bnBcball
team that year. Wo camo to tho end
of tho ninth. Wo needed one run to
tie the score and another to win tho
game. Two men down and two on
tho saokB whon I camo to bat. And
for onco In my career I did It. I
lined out a three-bagger, right over
the railroad track. Whon I fell It go
well, that was one occasion.
"And tho other." Ho chuckled, but
a slow lluBh crept over his cheeks.
"It was thirty years ago, soon after I
left college. I went over to Beo a girl
I thought was pretty nlco and to meot
hor folks for the first tlmo. I went
on a Sunday. All tho men were awny.
And thoy had duck for dlnnor." uo
stopped. "Ever enrvo a duck?" ho
asked meaningly. "No, neither had I
beforo. Nor havo 1 since." Hla blush
deepened. "I nover even wont to seo
that girl again." ho added plalntlvoly.
Press-Ganp.
The presBgang was an Institution
which flourished In Grent Britain In
tho oldon times when Impressment
waa tho modo resortod to for manning
the navy. Tho practico, which had not
only tho sanction of cuatom, but the
forco of law, consisted in aolzlng by
force, for servlco in tho royal navy,
senmon, river watermen and at times
landsmen. Tho press-gang, nn armed
party of reliable men commanoca oy
officers, usually proceeded to such
I houBca In tho seaport towna as wero
supposed to bo the resort of tho aea
faring population, laid violent hands
on all eligible men, and conveyed
them forcibly to the ships of war In
tho harbor. Mitigations of the harsh
lawa on the subject wero frequently In
troduced. As early as 1BG3 tho naval
authorities had to securo tho sanctlorl
of tho local justices of tho peace; in
1835 tho term of an Impressed man's
servlco waa limited to flvo yeara eavo
In urgent natlonnl necessity. By that
tlmo tho system was becoming obso
lete, nnd now the navy Is manned by
voluntary aervlce. But the lawe sanc
tioning Impressment are In abeyance,
without being repealed.
aaeCSss J235Hrf
KJBgSggsr
..
Woodchuck "Bile 'Em Fust."
Horace Kophort once asked old Un
do Bob Flowera, ono of his neighbors
In tho Smokies: "Did you ever eat a
woodchuck?"
"Beckon I don't know what them
Is."
"Ground-hog."
"O, In! dozens of 'em. The red
ones hain't good, but the gray ones!
Man, they'd JeBt mako yer mouth wa
ter!" "How do you cook them?"
"Cut the leotlo rod kernels out from
under tholr forelegs; then bllo 'em
fust nil tho strong 1b left In tho
water then popper 'em and sago 'em,
and put 'cm In a pan and bake 'om to
a nlco rich brown, nud then I don't
want nobody thero but me!" Buffalo
News.
Concrete Around Base of Post Has
Two Connecting Concrete Exten
sions. post hole and aro Ailed as the post la
being held In place by a temporary
braco, aoya Popular Mechanics. After
tho filling Is done, a better bn.ee can
not bo hnd, and the unsightly corner
braco is not needed.
The Change.
"It used to be," declared old Brothoi
BomborBhay, "dmt whon Brudder Mau
ley and hla wlfo waajUh-squabblln dey
had It up nnd dowro like a seo-aaw,
BomotlmcB one of 'em glttln' do bost
of It nnd den do yudder. But now, bless
goodness, dey doss goes 'round nnd
'round llko a merry-go-round, and no
body kin prognosticate which la ahead
Puck
Fattening Calves,
Tho fattening of curves, ono after
another, on dairy cows injures the
latter for uae later as milkers. It
is better to milk tho cows and feed
tho cnlvcs. Frequently, also, In these
conditions two calves may be fnttenod
together by tho uso of a llttlo oil
meal and water ndded for e- 'i calf,
to one-half of whnt the cov. gives.
The addition of tho substitute must
bo mndo gradually.
Unsuitable Food.
Impure feed nnd Impure drinking
water are never suitable for tho dairy
cow. Remember sho turns this stuff
into milk and milk Is ono of the best
of human foodB. It la made up very
largely of the elementa that a cow
eatB. At the samo tlmo a cow must
bo kept healthy and It Is nlmost Im
possible to do It on filthy feed.
Distance That Corn Must Be Hauled
and Efficiency of Labor and
Equipment Determine Cost.
(By J. KKLI.KY WRIGHT, Missouri Ex
periment Station.
Tho cost of filling silos in Missouri
varies from 23 cents a ton to $1.50
a ton, according to conditions and
tho ability of the man on the job to
turn out good work. The average
price for Ailing silos Is CO cents a
ton.
In calculating tho coBt of silage, tho
cost of growing the corn cannot bo
considered, because the crop must be
grown anyway, whether harvested as
silage or not
From tho standpoint of food nutri
ents it contains, a ton of silage is
worth from $3.25 to ?3.50 a ton.
Whenover sllago takes tho place
of hay It 1b worth whatever hay sells
f"'. Many men have sold silnefi in
Missouri for from $8 to $10 a ton.
It coBts to harvest an aero of corn
(40-bu8hol yield) from tho stalk, from
$1.20 to ?1.G0 an acre.
It costs to harvest an acre of corn
(40-bushel, yield) by cutting and put
ting into the shock nnd then shuck
ing It out, $3.20.
Tho samo acre of corn can be har
vested as ailage for $6 (40-bushel
yield of corn) ten tons of sllago.
Cost of harvesting, $G. Ten tons of
sllago at $3.G0 a ton equals $35.
The distance that tho corn must
bo hauled from tho field to tho silo
has much to do with tho cost of fill.
Ing. Tho grentor the dlsta-ico to haul,
the greater number of wagons that
will bo required.
The kind and efficiency of labor and
equipment will also determine ti a
very great extent tho cost of filling
the silo.
Kindness Is Appreciated,
It pays to bo kind to n milch cow;
she appreciates kindness and will ro-
pay her keeper by Increased yields In
milk. Whatever you do, don't try to
Injurious Cold Winds.
The cold, penetrating winds of the
early fall nro disliked by and injuri
ous to young calves. Provide a clean,
dry, warm place for them- Feed thero
milk at a temperature uf ninety to
one humlred degrees In proper qunntl
tloB, and avoid tho oalf scours that are
usually prevalent during tho early win
ter months.
Comforts for Dally Cow.
A high producing dairy cow that
must bo fed to the limit to produco
tho largest nrnflt nnaulhto miici -l.
pound milk out cf h r uitn a milk o!turl bo nrowded wth comfortable,
stool; It de-s not pay .,,, l'des, it . f-, utan .'rrour.d.UBB or she can no
is rank cru H
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