Nebraska Newspapers

    DAKOTA COUNTY HERALD, DAKOTA CITY. NEBRASKA.
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THE
RANCH AT, THE WOLVEMN
A tale of the wild outdoor life of pioneer days that called forth all the cour
age and resourcefulness of men and women inured to danger and hardship
(Copyright, Little, Drown Co.)
Ts
By B. M. BOWER
BILLY LOUISE DISCOVERS THAT HER LOVE FOR WARD
IS DARKENED BY SUSPICION THAT HE IS CON
NECTED WITH SOME BAD MEN
Synopsis, Mttrthy and June Mell-3, pioneers, have for twenty
years made a bnro living out o thel? rttdch at tlio Covo on Wolverine
creek hi the mountain range country of Idnlio. Their neighbors, tho
MacDonalds, living several miles away, have a daughter, Billy Louise,
now about nluotpcn years old, whom Marthy has secretly helped to
educate. At tno time tho etory opens Billy Louise Is spending tho
afternoon with Murtliy. A snowstorm comes up, 1ind on her way homo
lite girt meets nn Interesting Btrangcr, who is invited to stay over
night at tho MacDonald ranch. Ward Warren and Billy Louise be
come firm friends. Jnse dies and Marthy buries his body without aid.
Charlie Fox, Martby's nephew, comes to the Cove. Ho discovers evi
dence of cattle stealing, and Billy Louise vermes suspicions.
CHAPTER VI Continued.
"Toll John .to saddlo up and go for
the doctor, Phoebe, and don't let moin
m!n tinmv rrtmte.ver vou do. Tills isn't
hor lumbniK) at all. I don't know what'
it is. I wonder if a hot turpeutlno
cloth wouldn't bo better than this? I've
a good mind to try it; her eyes nro
glassy with fever and her skin Is cold
as a fish. You tell John to hurry up.
Ho can rido Boxer. Tell him I want
him to get a doctor hero by tomorrow
noon If ho has to kill his horse do
ing iU'
That night took its toll of Billy
Lwhso nnd left n scared place in hor
memory. It was a night of snapping
lire in tho cook stovo Unit hot water
mlebt bo always ready: of tireless
htrugglo with tho pain that camo and
tortured, retirod sullenly from Billy
Ioulse'o stubborn fighting with poul
thx nnd turixmtlno cloths and every
homely remedy sho had ever heard of,
nnd camo again Just when she thought
ttlit had won the fight.
Thcio waB no tlrao to glvo thought to
thft trouble that had ridden homo with
her, though ita presence was like a
luaIt shadow behind her while sho
worked and went to and fro between
bedroom nnd kitchen and fought, that
tearing pain.
Hjio met the dawn hollow eyed nnd
bo trrcfl Who could not worry very much
about anything, Ilcr mother slept un
easily to provo that tho battle hud not
gono altogether against tho girl who
had fought the ulght through. Sho had
her reward In full measuro when the
doctor came, In tho heat of noon, and
uftcr terrible minutcH of suspense for
Billy Louise whllo ho counted pulso
and took toraporaturo and studied
Bjmploms, told her that sho had done
well nnd that she und her homely poul
tices had held back tragedy from that
house.
Hilly Loulso luy down upon the couch
out on the back porch nud slept heav
ily for three hours, whllo Phoebo and
tho doctor watched over her mother.
Sho woko with n start. Sho-had been
dreaming, and tho dream had taken
from her cheeks what little color her
,ulght vlgtl had loft. Sho hud dreamed
that Ward wns in danger, that men
were hunting him for what ho had douo
at (Sat corral. The corral seemed tho
center of a light between Ward nnd tho
men. Sho dreamed that ho camo to
her and that she must hldo him nway
und eavo him. But though sho took
him to n cave, which was secret enough
for her purpose, yet sho could not feel
that ho waB eafo even there. Thcro
wub something some menace.
Billy Loulee went softly Into tho
hotiBe, tiptoed to tho door of her moth
er's room nnd saw that sho lay quiet,
with her eyes closed. Bcsldo the win
dow tho doctor sat with his spectacles
fur down toward the end of Ids nose,
reading a palo green pamphlet that ho
nivst have brought In his pocket, rhoc
b was down by tho creek washlug
clothes In the shade of n willow clump.
She went luto her own room, Btill
walking on her toes. In her trunk wns
n tilno plush box of tho klud that is
given to ono at Christmas. It was fad
ed and the clasp was showing brassy
at the edgea. Sitting upon, her bed with
the box In her lap Billy Loulso pawed
hastily in the jumble of keepsakes It
held; an eagle's claw which sho meant
some time to have mounted for a
brooch; thrco or four arrowheads of
tVe ehiuy, black stuff which the Indians
woro eald to havo brought from Yel
lowstone park; a knot of green ribbon
which eho had worn to u St. Patrick's
day dauco lu Boise; rattlesnake rattles
of all Blzcs; several folded clippings
verses that had caught her fancy and
had been rmt nwny auu lorgotten; an
amber bend she had found once. Sho
turned th6 box upsldo down in her lap
and shook It. It must bo there tho
thing Bhc sought, tho thing that had
Irooblcd her most In her dream; tho
Iblng that wao n nionaco whllo it ex
isted. It waB at tho very bottom of
he box, cuunht In a corner. Sho took
it out with Angers that trembled, crum
tJofl it into n littlo ball so thnt sho
could vat rid what it said, strnlght
ne4 It immediately and read It re
luctantly srom tho beginning to tno cnu
where tho last word was clipped short
rlh liasty scissors. A paragraph cut
from n newspaper it wns; yellow nud
frayed rsm contact with otiior objects,
tejlins of things
"amy Leulso bit her lips until they
hurt, but Hhe could not koep back tho
tear tor caw hot and cttuglmr while
she read. She slid tho littlo heap of
odds nud ends to the middle of tho bed,
crushed tho clipping Into her palm and
went out stealthily luto the iimnaculato
kitchen. As If sho were being spied
upon she went cautiously to the stove,
lifted n lid nud dropped tho clipping In
where the wood blazed the brightest.
Sho watched it flare and become noth
ingnot even n pinch of nshjs; the
clipping was not very large. When it
was gono she put tho lid back and
went tiptoeing to the door. Then she
ran.
Phoebo was down by tho creek, so
Billy Louise went to tho stable,
through that nnd on beyond, still run
ning. Farther down was a grass
nook on beyond tho road. She went
thcro nnd hid behind tho willows,
where sho could cry nnd no ono bo the
wiser. But she could not cry tho ncln
out of her heart nor the rebellion
agalust tho hurt that llfo had given
her. If sho could only have burned
memory when she burned that clip
ping 1 Sho could still bellevo and It-a
happy if only bIio could forget tho
things It said.
Phoebo called her after a long while
had passed. Billy Loulso bathed her
f aco in tho cold water of tho Wolverine,
used her handkerchief for n towel and
went back to tnko up tho duties llfo.
had laid upon her. Tho doctor's team
wns hitched to tho light buggy ho
drove, and tho doctor was standing la
tho doorway with his squnro medicine
caso in his hand wnltlng to glvo her a
few flnnl directions beforo ho left.
llo was Hko so many doctors he
sceined to be afraid to tell tho whole
truth about his putlent. lie stuck to
evaslvo optimism aud then neutralized
tho reassurances he uttered by empha
sizing tho necessity of being notified if
Mrs. MncDonnld showed any symp
toms of another attack.
Billy Loulso ran into her own room,
grubbed a can of talcum nnd did not
wnlt to see whether sho applied It even
ly to her telltale eyelids, but dabbed
at them on the way to her mother's
room.
"Doctor says you're all right, mom
mio; only you mustn't go digging port
holes or shoveling buy for awhile."
"No, I guess not!" Iler mother re
sponded unconsciously to tho stimula
tion of Billy Louise's tone. "I couldn't
dig holes with a teaspoon, I'm that
weak and useless. Did he say what It
was, Billy Loulso?" Tho sick aro al
ways so curious about their Illnesses.
"Oh, your lumbago got to scrapping
with your liver. I forgot tho name ho
gavo it, but it's nothing to worry
about." Billy Loulso had Imagination,
remember.
"I guess ho'd think it was something
to worry about 1C ho hud it," her moth
er retorted fretfully, but reassured nev
ertheless by tho casunl manner ot Billy
Louise. "I believe I could eat a littlo
she
It tho breath of llfo so that it stood
nturdlly beforo her sho took heart nnd
created reasons, a wholo company of
them, to tell her why sho ought to give
Ward tho benefit of the doubt. Sho
remembered what Charllo Fox had said
about circumstantial evidence. Sho
would not make tho mistake ho had
made.
So she spent other days and long,
wakeful nights. Aud since it seemed
impossible to bring her faith to llfo
again Just as it had been, with the
glumor of romance and tho sweetness
of pity and tho strength of her own In
nocenco to mako it a beautiful faith
indeed, Bho used all her innocence and
all her pity and a little of romance and
created something even sweeter- than
her untried faith had been. Sho had n
new element to strengthen it She
knew that sho loved Ward. Sho had
learned that from tho hurt it had given
her to lose her faith in him.
That was the record of tho inner
Billy Loulso which no ono ever saw.
The Billy Louise which her littlo world
knew went her way unchanged except
in small details that escaped the no
tlco of thoso nearest her. . A look In
her eyes for ono thing; n hurt, ques
tioning look that was sometimes re
bellious as well; n droop of her mouth
also when she was off her guard; u sad,
tired littlo droop that told of the weight
of responsibility and worry she was
carrying.
Ward observed both the. minute ho
saw her on tho trail, lie uau come
across country on tho chance that sho
might bo riding out that way, and ho
had como upon hor unawares while
she and Bluo were staring out over tho
desert from tho height they had attain
ed in tho hills.
" 'Lo, Bill!" ho said when ho was
quite close nnd held himself ready to
meet whatever mood sho might pre
sent. Sho turned her head quickly and
looked at him, and tho hurt look was
still in her eyes; the droop still show
ed at her lips. And Ward knew they
had been there before she saw him.
"Wha's molla, Bill?" he asked in the
tono thnt was calculated to invite un
unburdening of her troubles.
"Oh, nothing in particular! Mom
mle's been awfully sick, and I'm al
ways worried when I'm away from the
ranch for fenr she'll have another spell
while I'm gone. Tho doctor said she
might have any time. Were you head-
mite, of toast and drink some tea,"
added tentatively.
"And an egg poached soft if you want
It, mom. Phoebe Just brought lu tho
eggs." Billy Loulso went out humming
unconcernedly under her breath as If
she had not n care beyond tho proper
toustmg or tno ureuu nnu urowmg ot
tho tea,
One need not go to war or voyago to
tho far corners of tho earth to llnd tin
stuff heroes nro mado of.
Ho
CHAPTER VII.
Each In Hi Own Trail.
SINCE nothing in this world is abso.
lately immutable tho human
emotions least of all perhaps--Billy
Loulso did not hold changeless
her broken faith in Ward. Sho saw it
broken into fragments beforo tho ovl
denco of her own eyes nnd tho frag
ments ground to dust beneath tho
weight of what sho know of bis. past
things ho had told her himself. So sho
thought there wns no nioro fnlth in
him, nnd her henrt went empty nud
aching through tho next few days.
But, shico Billy Loulso was liumnn
and a woman not altogether because
sho was twenty sho stopped nfter
awhile, gathered carefully tho dust of
her dcud faith, and, Hko God, sho be
gan to create. llrst sho fashioned
doubts ot her doubt. How did sho
know sho had not mado a mlstuke,
thcro at that corral? Other men woro
gray hats and rodo dark bay horses;
other men were slim and tull, nnd she
had only had n glimpse, after all, and
tho light was deceptive down there .In
tho shadows. When that first doubt
wi molded and she had brcnUicd into
Was Like So Many Doctors
Afraid to Tell the Truth.
d for our place? If you are, como on.
I was just starting back. I don't dure
be nway any longer." If that wero a
real unburdening Ward was an unrea
sonable young man. Billy Loulso look
ed nt hlra ngnln, nnd this tinio her
eyes wero cloar and friendly.
Ward was not satisfied, for nil tho
surfuco seemed smooth enough. He
wns too seusltlvo not to feel a differ
ence, nnd ho wns too innocent of any
wrongdoing or thinking to guess whut
was tho matter. Guilt is a good barom
eter of personal atmosphere, and Ward
had nono of it. The worst of hlra Bho
had known for moro than a year. Uo
had told her himself, and sho had heal
ed the hurt almost of the past by her
llrni belief In him nnd by her friend
ship. Could you expect Wurd to guess
thnt sho had seen her faith in him dlo
n violent death no longer than two
weeks ago? Such n possibility never
occurred to hliu.
For nil thnt ho felt there was n dif
ference somewhere. Ho carried back
with him a tit of tho blues which seem
ed to havo attacked him without cnuso
or pretext, sluco ho had not quarreled
with Billy Louise and hud been warm
ly welcomed by "mommle." Poor moiL.
mlo wns looking whlto aud frail, and
her temples wero too distinctly veined
with purple. Ward told himself that It
wns no woudcr his Wllhemlnn acted
strained and unnatural. Ho meant to
work harder than over and get his
stake so that ho could go and mako
her glvo him tho right to take euro of
her.
no began to figure the cost Of com
muting his homestead right away, so
that ho would not havo to "hold it
down" for another three years. Maybo
sho would not want to bring her moth
er so far off tho rnnlu road. In that
caso he would go down nnd put thnt
Wolvcrlno plnco in shape. He had no
squeamlsbncss about living on her
ranch instead of his own if sho want
ed it that way. Ho meant to be bet
tor "hooked up" financially than sho
was and havo moro cattle when ho put
the gold ring on her finger. Then ho
would do whatever she wanted hlra to
do, aud ho would not hnvo to crucify
his prldo doing it.
You see, they could not havo quar
reled, since Ward carried castles as
well as the blues. In fact, their part
ing had given Ward nn uneven pulse
for a mile, for Billy Louise had gono
with him ns usual ns fnr as the corral
when ho started home. Aud when
Wnrd had picked up his reins and turn
ed to put his too in tho stirrup Billy
Louise had como close to his very
shoulder. Ward had turned his face
toward her, and Billy Louis; Billy
Louise had impulsively taken his head
between her two hands, hnd looked
deep Into his eyes nnd then hnd kissed
hlra wistfully on the lips. Then she
had turned nnd fled up the path, wnv
tng him away up tho trail. And, though
Wurd never guessed that to her that
kiss was a penitent vow of loyalty to
their friendship and a slap In tho face
of tho doubt devils that still pursued
her weaker momenta, It set him plan
ning harder than ever for that stake
ho must win beforo ho dared urge her
further toward matrimony.
It's n wonder that tho kiss did not
wipe out completely tho somber mood
thnt held him. Thnt it did not, but
served merely to tangle his thoughts in
a most hopeless manner, perhaps
proves how greatly the inner life of
Billy Loulso had changed her in thoso
two weeks.
Sho changed still more In the nest two
months, however. There wus the strnln
of her mothers precarious health
which kept Billy Loulso nlways on tho
alert and always trying to hide her
fears. Sho must bo quick to detect tho
first symptoms of n return attack of
tho illness, and she must not let her
mother suspect that there was danger
of a return. That much the doctor had
mado plain to her .
Besides that, there was nn undercur
rent of gossip nnd rumors of cattle
stealing whenever n man stopped at
tho ranch. It worried Billy Loulso In
spite of her rebuilt belief in Ward.
Doubt would seize her sometimes in
spite of herself, and sho did not see
Wnrd often enough to let his personali
ty fight thoso doubts. Sho saw him
just once in the next two months and
then only for nn hour or so.
A man rodo up ono night nud stayed
with them until morning, nfter tho
open handed custom of the rnngo land.
Billy Louise did not talk with him very
much. He had shifty eyes and n
conrse, loose lipped mouth and a thick
neck, and, girl-like, sho took a violent
dislike to him. But John Prlngle told
her afterward that he was Buck Olney.
tho new stock inspector, and that ho
wus prowling arouud to see If ho could
find out anything.
Billy Louise worried n good deal aft
er that. Once she rodo out early with
tho Intention of going to Ward's claim
to warn him. But three miles of saner
thought changed her purpose.' Sho
dared not leave her mother all day, for
one thing, and for another she could
scarcely warn Ward without letting
him sco that she felt ho needed warn
ing, nnd even Billy Louise shrank from
what might follow.
Tho stock Inspector stopped again on
his way back to tho railroad. Billy
Loulso wns so anxious that sho smoth
ered her dislike and treated him nice
ly, which thawed tho man to nn nlarm
Ing amiability. Sho questioned him art
fullytrust Billy Loulso for that aud
bho decided that tho stock inspector
wns either a very poor detectlvo or a
town m I
HELPSS 1
WHY POORLY MANAGED CITIES
Inefficient Officials Placed In Charge
of Affairs of Which They Know
Nothing; Extravagance Follows.
It was Bomo time In the latter pari
of September that Billy Louise got up
In tho middle of a frosty nig'.-t because
sho heard her mother moaning. Thai
was tho beginning. She sent John off
beforo daylight for the doctor, and be
fore the next night she stood with hct
lips pressed together nnd watched the
doctor count mommlo'f, pulso and take
mommlo's tcmpcratuio rnd drew lit her
breath hardly when sho saw how long
ho studied the thermometer after
ward. There was n mouth or so of going
to and fro on her toes und of watching
the clock with a mind to medicine giv
ing. There were nights nnd nights and
nights when tho cabin window winked
Hko a star fallen into the coulee from
dusk to red dawn. Ward rode over
oucc, stayed nil night nnd went home
in n silent rngo because ho could not
do a thing.
There was n week of fluctuating
hopo and n time when the doctor said
mommlo must go to a hospital Boise,
since sho hnd friends there. And there
wns a terrible, nerve racking journey
to tho railroad. And when Ward rode
next to tho Wolverine ranch there was
no Billy Loulso to taunt or tempt him.
John Prlnglo and Phoebe told him In
brief, stolid sentences of the later de
velopments nnd gave him n meal nnd
offered him a bed. which he declined.
When the suspensfc becnine madden
ing nfter that ho would ride down to
the Wolverine for news. And the news
was monotonously sctnt. Phoebe could
rend nnd write nfter a fashion, and
Billy Louise sent her a letter now and
then, saying that mommle was about
tho same and that sho wanted John
to do certain things about the ranch.
Sue could not leave mommle, she snld.
Ward gathered that sho would not
Once when he was at the ranch ho
wrote n letter to Billy Louise and told
her that he would como to BoIsh if
there was anything ho could do and
begged her to let him know If she
needed any money. Beyond that ho
worked and worked and tried to crowd
tho loncsomeness out of his days nnd
the hunger from his drenms with com
plete bono weariness. Ho did not ex
pect nn answer to his letter at least
ho told himself that he did not -but
ono day Phoebo gave him a thin little
letter.
Billy Loulso did not write much.
She explained thnt she could only
scribble a line or two while mommle
slept Mommlo was about the same.
Sho did not think there was anything
Ward could do, and she thanked him
for offering to help. There wns noth
ing, she said pathetically, that anybody
could do. Even the doctors did not
seem able to do much except tell her
lies and charge her for them. No; she
did not need any money. "Thank you
just tho same, Ward." That was about
nil. It did not sound in the least like
Billy Louise.
Ward answered the note then and
there and called her Wllhemlnu-mlne,
which wns nn nwkwnrd name to write
and cost him five minutes 6f cogitation
over the spelling. But ho wnnted it
down on puper where she could sec It
nnd remember how it sounded when ho
snld it, even If it did look queer. Far-the-
along he started to call her BUI
Loo, but rubbed it out nnd substituted
Lndy'Glrl (with cnpltas). Altogether
ho did better thau he knew, for he
mado Billy Louise cry when she read
It, and he made her sny "Dear Ward"
uudcr her breath and remember how
his hair waved over his left temple
and how he looked when thnt smilo hid
just behind his lips and his eyes, and
he made her forget that she had lost
faith in him. Sho needed to cry, and
she needed to remember and also to
forget some things, for llfo was a hard,
dull drab lu Boise, with nothing to
lighten it savo a vicarious hope that
did not comfort.
Billy Loulso was not stupid. Sho
saw through tho vagueness of the doc
tors, nnd, besides, sho was so hungry
for her hllln that she felt like beating
A big city whoso nffnlra, nays the
Chicago Post, nro more complex thnn
thoso of nny private corporation;
whose revenues nnd expenditures are
counted in mnny millions; whoso ad
ministration affects tho prosperity,
health und morals of n million or more
people selects from nmong Its citi
zens n polltlclnn, good fellow. Joiner,
nnd makes him Its mayor. Ho ap
points to office men of his own hind,
chosen for pcrsonnl or political ren
sons. And then wo wonder thnt extruvn
gnnce, Inefficiency nnd worse murk mu
nicipal government
A big city puts on Its council wnrd
politicians and individuals who hnvo
never dlsplnycd n capacity for any use
ful occupntlon, nnd wo wonder thnt
tho public Interest is neglected.
A big city puts on Its school board
men who hnve no knowledge of edit;
cntionnl problems, and wo wonder thnt
our schools nro mismnnnged.
It is tho Inefficiency of democracy,
we say. Rather, It Is the stupidity of
people who have never tried to reullzo
the possibilities of democracy; who
hnve never given democracy a chance.
It Is no essential principle of democ
racy to Ignore the necessity of training
for service. But thnt Is what wo hnve
been doing. We persist in regarding"
public position ns political Jobs rather
than ns occnslons for tho employment
of trained men In the doing of highly
specialized work.
Mayor Mltchel of Now York declares
It to be his oxperlcnco that trained
men nro practically unobtainable for
municipal office. And that will re
main true until we provide for their
training and create a popular demand
for their service.
The Wisconsin leglslnture Is consid
ering n bill to establish in the stnte
university u training school for pub
lic service under a professor of pub
lic administration.
Every university has departments of
political theory, but this school will
deal with the practical problems of
c;overnment and administration mu
nicipal engineering, lighting, street
making nnd cleaning, transportation,
parks nnd playgrounds, health, drain
age, education nnd the rest. It will
endeavor to develop the practical ex
pert In such matters.
LESSON FROM THE INDIANS
did nothing to make her mommlo well
enough to go home. She grew to hate
tho nurse and her neutral cheerfulness.
That is how tho fall passed for Billy
Louise and tho early part of the winter.
Billy Louise is sorely troubled
In her suspicions of Ward. He
is puzzled by her apparent cool
ness1, and later offers help.
very good actor. He did not, for in-itho joctors wUu ilor fists i,ecauso they
wtanco, mention any corrui uiuucu in u
blind cnuyon away back In tho hills,
and Billy Louise did not mention It,'
cither. Ho had not found nny worked
brands, ho said. And he did not appear
to know anything further aboutWard
than tho mere fact of his existence.
"There's n follow holding down a
clnlra away over on Mill creek," he
hud remarked. "I'll look 'him up when
I como back, though Seabeck snys he's
all right."
"Ward Is all right," asserted Billy
Louise rather unwisely.
"Haven't n doubt of It. I thought
maybe he might hnvo seen something :
thnt might give us n clow." Perhaps
tho stock inspector was wiser than sho
gavo him credit for being,
at any rate pursue tho subject any fur
ther until he found an opportunity to
talk to Mrs. MacDonald herself. Then
he artfully mentioned tho fellow on
Mill creek, nnd becnuso sho did not
know any reason for caution ho got all
tho Information, ho wanted and more,
for mommlo was in ono of her gar
rulous humors.
After that tho days drifted quietly
for a month and grow nippier nt euch
end nnd lnzler in tho middle, which
meant that tho short summer was over
nnd thnt fall wns getting rendy to
Natives Made Bread From Nuts and
Other Products of the Forests
That Still Exist.
Germany has sent her children to
the forests for oils thnt nro badly
needed in tho fatherland. Mere tots
arc employed to pick up beechnuts,
which nro rich in nutritious qualities
vital to the health of the nation. If
America Is ever compelled by a great
food shortage to return to nature, the
present Inhabitants of the United
States will do well, according to the
forest service of tho depnrtment of
'L'ri culture, to take a lesson from the
orlglnnl owners of tho soil, Thomas F.
Logan writes In Leslie's. The forests
nf this country offer an amazing va
riety of edibles. America's beechnuts,
butternuts, wnlnuts, peenns, chinqua
pins nnd hazelnuts aro toothsome,
highly nutritious, nnd may bo used
ns u substitute for meat
Tho Indians, according to forest
scnico experts, mixed chestnuts with
comment nnd made n bread which wns
bnked In corn husks, Hko tnmales. Our
redskin predecessors also mennfac
tured u flour from the fruit of tho oak.
They pounded the acorns nnd leached
out the tnnnln by treating tlto pnlp
wlthhot wnter. The nsult was a pnln
tnble and nourishing bread. Pino
seeds, wild persimmon wild rrnb ap
ples, bulbs of the Judas tree nnd pods
of the honey locust, cabbage, palmetto,
mesqulte nnd snssnfrus aro excellent
substitutes for cultivated fruits and
vegetables. Nature Is so prodigal of
her riches In this country thnt America
enn never bo starved t death by an
"iron ring."
(TO BE CONTINUED.)
To Remove Smoke Stains.
This suggestion will be beneficial to
He did not housewives who havo not tho conven
ience or electricity or tno mouern gas
fixtures. Frequently tho celling abovo
An old-fashioned gas jet becomes dis
colored from smoke and heat Tho
discoloration may bo removed If a
layer of starch and water Is applied
with a pieco of flannel. After tho mix
ture has dried It should bo brushed
lightly with a brush. No stain or
murk will remain.
Poisoned Fish for Rata.
Tho city dump nt Somorvllle, Mass.,
Is headquarters for n rat army which
hns invaded tho city. Tho authorities
are carrying on a franc-tlrcur warfare
against the Invaders, nnd the enemy
hns been exacting reprisals on fnmlly
Inrders.
Householders fenr that tho cold
wenther will drive the rata awny from
the dump to Rome moro-prlvute and
exclusive domicile.
Poisoned fish nre scattered about the
dump and boys police tho vicinity to
keep children, dogs and cats from In
terfering with tho rats repast.
Man Who Stves.
The fellow who has $200 In tho bank
Is Just that much richer than tho chup
who hns to borrow $r from his neigh
. . ... 1,1 1Ann .141. l.HH n
pailll IUO WOOUOU BlUliixt viiu uui kJ- --- -- --- - ---- -
est colors aud that ono must prepare bor, but expects soma day to havo
for tho sicse of winter.
I fortune,
Maund Unit of Weight.
Tho average Aden merchant prefers
to calculate tho weights of many of
tho commodities which ho Imports or
exports, buys or sells, In terms of
maunds. A nmund Is an Indlnu unit
of weight having different vnlues In
vnrlous parts of that country, but hav
ing a value of 28 pounds in Bombuy.
It Is tho Bombay maund that Is used
extensively In Aden, und four maunds
equal 112 pound, the local hnudrcd-weight.
.Jaf','