t
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m
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f')Jlr)tbAfat&j
J.1ME GIRL
HAli! WAY
"pnwnim i pinwwn
S T O R Y
O F
i -- '' ""-'! II. AriHOK OH Till. SI'UHY OH Till! COWIIOY
CotiriekttJ. laos, 6y D. Attltttn i- Lemtn, tttw Vtri
Sa-rfjWrfyvu
CHAPTER XII. Continued.
One morning Batterslelgh was at
work at his Httlo table, ensajred, as
lie lator explained, upon tho composi
tion of a letter to the London Times,
descriptive of tho agrarian situation
in the United States of America,
when he was Interrupted by u knoek
at his door.
"Come in. como in. Ned, my boy."
he exclaimed as he threw open tho
door and recognized his visitor.
"What's the news this mornln'?"
"News?" said Franklin gaily, hold
ing his hands behind his back. "I've
iii'we that you can't guess good
news."
He held up a small bag before Bat-terslc-lgh's
face.
"It's not potatoes, Nod?" said Bat
terslelgh in nn awed tone of voice.
rrank.Hu laughed.
"No better than that," ho said.
Batterslelgh approached his face to
the bag and snuffed at it once, twice,
thrice, as though Iifs senses needed
confirmation. He straightened up and
looked Franklin in the face.
"Ned," said ho, his voice sinking
almost to a whisper, "it's it's ap
ples'" 'Right." said Franklin. "And isn't
that news?"
"The best that could be, and tho
hardest to believe," said Batterslelgh.
Whcre'd you get them, and how?"
'Never mind that," answered Frank
lin. "Tell me, do you knowliow to
make a pie?"
Ned." said Dattersleigh. looking ai
him with an injured air, "do you sup
pose I've campaigned all my "life and
not learned tho simplest form of
cookin'? Pie, indeed, is it?"
"Well." said Franklin, "you take
some risks, but we'll chance it. Go
uihead." '
Batterslelgh busied himself about
the little box which made his cup
board and soon hail out what ho called
his "ingraydoyints."
"Of course, ye'vo to take a Httlo
And there yo
flour," ho said, "that'3 for the osseous
structure, so to speak. Ye'vo to add
a little greaso of some sort, lard or
butter, an' we've nayther; tho bacon
fat'll do, methlnks. Of course there's
tho bakin' powder. And, lastly, male
In, as I may say, tho roundln' out of
tho muscular and adipose tissue of
the crayture, as the sowl of tho pie
we must have tho apples. Now, thin,
over tho top of the whole 1 sprld this
thin blanket of dough, thus. And now
1 dint in tli--flhircumt'erenco with mo
thumb, the samo as July Trelawney
did in the Ould Tinth. And there ye
are, done, me pie, an may God have
mercy on your sowl! Ned, build up
the fire."
They sat at tho sldo of the little
stove somewhat anxiously waiting for
the result of Batterslelgh's labors.
Every once In a while Batterslelgh
opened tho oven door and peered In.
As they sat for a moment silent
thero came the sound of approaching
hoof-beats, and presently the cracking
and popping of the feet of n galloping
horso fell Into a duller crunch on
tho hard ground beforo tho door, and
a loud voice- called out, "Whoa-hope,
Bronchi Hello, In tho homio!"
"Come In, Curly," cried Batter
slelgh. "Come In. We've business of
importhance this mornln'."
Curly sat down on the edge of tho
bed, under whoso blanket the newspa
pers rattled to tho touch. "Seems
like you all mighty busy this morn
la ," said he.
"Yes," said Franklin. "You can't
gupss what wo're cooking."
"No; what?"
"Pie."
"Go "long!"
"Yes, sir, pie," said Franklin firmly.
Curly leaned back" on the bed upon
his elbow, respoctful but very Incred
ulous. "Was you sayln' I'm In on this
hero pie?"
"Certainly you are. You wait. It'll
bo done now pretty soon," said Frank
lin. "If yo can poko a straw Into thim,
they're done," said Battorslelgh orac
ulaily. "Curly, hand me tho broom."
Ourly passed over the broom, and
the two, with anxiety not unmixed
wifli cynicism, watched Battersllgh
as he made several Ineffectual at
tempts to penetrate the armor of tho
plo.
"Stop lookln' at me like a brace of
evil-minded hyenlos." protested Bat
terslelgh. "Yo'd make the devil him
self nervous, a-regardin' ono so like
a object o' suspicion. Mind ye, I'm
goln' to take It out."
AT THE
MOUSE
THE
P
OH
I. A 1 N S
The others watched him eagerly as
ho removed tho hot tin from the oven
and set it upon tho bare table. Curly
drew his clasp knife from his pocket"
and cut Into the portion assigned to
him. Franklin was reserved, but Cur
ly attained enthusiasm at the second
bite.
"Rile Irish," said he, "I'm not so
sure you're such a h 1 of a military
man, but as a cook you're a burnin'
success. You kin sign with our outfit
to-morror if you want to."
Tho pie, startling as It was in some
regards, did not long survive the de
termined assault made upon it. Curly
wiped his kulfe on the leg of his
"chaps," and his mouth on the back
of his hands.
"But say, fellers," ho staid, "I plumb
forgot what I como over hero for.
They'so goln' to be a dance over to
town, an' 1 come to toll you about it.
O' course jou'll come."
Jj'What sort of a dance can It bo,
man?" aaid Batterslelgh.
"Why, a plumb dandy dance; reg'
lar high steppln' outfit; mucha bailie;
best thing ever was In this settle
ment." "I'm curious to know where the
ladles will come from," said Frank
lin. "Don't you worry," rejoined Curly.
"They's plenty o" women-folks."
"And when does this all happen,
Curly, boy?" asked Batterslelgh.
"Why, night after to-morrer night,
to tho big stone hotel. They're going
to clean out tho dinln' room for us.
Three niggers, two fiddlers, an' a
'cordlon oh. we'll have music all
right! You'll be over, of course?"
"That we will, me boy." responded
Batterslelgh. ".Man, wo'll bo the
first."
"Now. as to a ball, Batterslelgh,"
"Well, then, so long, fellers," said
Curly. "I got to be movin' along a
little. See you at the dance, sure."
said Franklin, argumentative!!1, when
they were alone, "how can I go? I've
are, done."
not the first decent thing to wear to
such a place."
"Tut, tut!" said Batterslelgh.
"There speaks the coxcombry of
youth. You're able to pull out your
blue uniform. I know, an' b'gad! the
uniform of an officer Is full dress the
world over!"
Franklin grinned amiably. "Thank
you for the suggestion about the uni
form, at least," he said. "Now, if wo
can fix you up ns well."
Batterslelgh came and stood before
him, waving u long lorefinger.
"Listen to me, Ned," ho began, "an
I'll lay down to yo a few of the fun
damental rules of conduct and np
par'l. "A glntleman never lies; a glntlo
man never uses unseemly haste; a
glntleman is always ready for love
and ready for war for, Nod, my boy.
without love and war we'd miss the
only two Joys of life. Thereto, a gln
tleman mupt shoot, fence, ride, dance,
and do anny of 'em like a gintlemnn.
But if ye found yeself a bit low in kit.
as Batty is this day. what would yo
say, Ned. mo boy. was the first Balient
what Is the first essential In the
dress of a glntleman. mo boy?"
"I.lnen." said Franklin, "or is it
gloves?"
"Ned," said Batterslelgh. solemnly,
laying a hand upon his shoulder,
"white, white, me boy, la the first
color of a glntleman! White, to show
the integrity of his honor and tho
clanene38 of his merit toll. A touch
ol white at neck and wrltt anny gln
tleman must show who presints him
self at a ball."
"But. now, how?"
Grasping" his companion by the
arm, Batterslelgh stepped outside tho
houso, and strode off with long steps
across the prairie. "Como." ho said.
Franklin followed for a quarter of a
mile. Then, bending his gaze In the
direction of tho march, he saw afar,
fluttering like a signal of distress In
tho engulfing sea about, a little whip
ping Hag of white, which was upheld
by the gaunt hand of a ragged sage
bush. This, as he drew near, he dis
covered to be a portion of an old fl'vr
sack, washed clean and loft bleachT.ig
In tho sun and wind.
Batiorsloigh made dramatic ap
proach. "There!" said ho, pointing
with triumphant dignity to tho fii. .tar
ing rag.
"Yo, I so," iald Franklin, "but
what do you want of this piece of
sack?"
"Sack!" cried Batterslelgh. offend
ed. "'Sack!' say you, but I bsv
White!' A strip of tr.ls nt mt nt-jk
and at me wrist; me hat, an' mo
saber and me rldln' whip I r-rlde up
to the dure. 1 dismount. I throw mo
rein to the man. 1 Inter the hall nnd
I.lace me hat nnd gloves In order ai
they should be. I appear Battel
sleigh, a glntleman, appears, standln'
In the dure, the eyes of all upon him.
I bow, snfutlu', standln' there, nlone,
short on allowance, but uate and
with mo own sllf-respect. Batters
lelgh, a bit low in kit and in allow
ance, with whlto at neck and wrist,
bows, and he says, 'Ladles and gin
tlemon, Brtterslelgh Is here!'"
CHAPTER XIII.
The First Ball at Elllsvlllc.
Tho wife of tho section boss sat In
conscious dignity, as became a leader
of society. Below her In order of
station came Nora, the head waiter,
and the red-headed wnltor girl, and
the littlest waiter girl, and tho wife of
tho new grocery man. These sat
silent and unhappy at ono part of tho
long row of chairs that lined the side
of the hall. Opposite to them, equally
silent nnd equally unhappy, sat a Ht
tlo row of men.
It was the beginning of tho ball.
These were the first arrivals. At
tho head of the hall, far off, sat throe
musicians, negroes nllegcd to play
violins and an accordion, and by thnt
merit raised to a bad omliience.
After n vast hiatus tho door at tho
main entrance was pulled cautiously
open, a little at a time. ' Evidently
some ono was looking in. At length
tho door opened nnd two figures n
tered nffrightedly, those of Hank Pe
terson, a neighboring rancher, and
bin wife. Hank, having forthwith de
coyed to the row of men sitting silent
against the wall, ho duly reached that
harbor and sank down, wiping Ills
face and passing his hand across his
mouth uncertainly.
The door opened again nnd yet
again. Two or three engineers, a rod
man, a lovelc and an axeman came in,
near behind them more cattlemen.
From nmong the guests of the hotel
scveial came, and presently the clerk
of the hotel himself. Tho Hue of men
grew steadily, but tho body upon tho
opposite side of the room remained
constant, Immobile, nnd unchanged.
"Say, Curly." whispered Del Hick
man hoarsely to his neighbor, "of
somethln" don't turn loose right soon
I'm due to die right hero. I'm thlrstl
er'n If this here lloor was the Staked
Plains."
"Same here." said Curly in a mut
tered undertone. "But 1 reckon wo'ro
hero till the round-up's made. When
she do set loose, you watch me rope
that littlest waiter girl. She taken
my eye, for shore."
Sam, the driver, was sitting rapt,
staring mutely across tho great gulf
fixed between him nnd Nora, tho head
waiter. As she sat, the light glinting
upon her glasses, her chin well up
held, her whole attitude austere and
commanding. Sam felt his courage
sink lower and lower, until he be
came abject and abased. Fascinated
wnono the less, he gazed, until Curly
poked him sharply and remarked:
"Which 'mi you goln' to mnko a
break fer. Sam?"
"I I d-d-don't know," said Sam,
startled and disturbed.
"Reckon you'd like- to mlnglo some
with Nory, hey?"
"W-w-w-well " began Sam, de
fensively. "But she don't see it that way.
Not in a hundred. Why, she'll bo
dancln' with Cap Franklin, or Batty,
er somo folks that's more in iicr line,
you see. Why In h 1 don't you pick
out somebody more in yer own bunch,
like?" Curly was meaning to be only
Judicial, but ho was cruel. Sam col
lapsed and sat speechless. He had
long felt that his ambition was pre
sumption.
(To be continued.)
WAIL OF THE PESSIMIST.
Change of Belief Result of Visit to the
Dentist.
"Bah!" snorted my friend tho Optim
ist, 'what's lovo but tho imbecile de
sire of some lunatic to upend ?1! on a
pill .or every' dollar ho spends on
himself? Don't talk to mo of such
h focy !
"And, friendship, too," he growled.
"What's it but a man scheming to
have some plncc where he can borrow
money without paying interest on tho
Ii.m? This talk about friendship
gives me a severe shod;.
"And truth and Itegrlty," he went on,
g-owing inoro excited. "There's loads
and loads of truth and Integrity scat
tered around, ain't there? Rend the
papers, look at our courts, observe the
legislatures, glance at congress, do
business with any man, and figure up
how much truth and integrity you'vo
bunted into.
"And honor." continued the Opti
mist, sneoriug until his noso looked
like a section or coppor sheathing.
"Honor? What is it? Wboro'll you
find It? Have ou oer seen a speci
men ot It In man. woman or child? Go
talk metaphysics to an ass, but don't
talk about honor to me."
I had always found the Optimist's
cheerful outlook upon things in geu
era! so hopeful and rosy that I was
aghast nt these niorblil sentiments,
so I looked Imploringly at his wife for
somo explanation.
"Oli. you mustn't mind John to
n'hi." she responded. 'The dentist
put a wodge between two qt his tooth
today "Philadelphia Lodger.
Commerce of United Kingdom.
Tho Urito.d Kingdom has increased
ilt export trade about TVs per cent
since 1ST". Its population hr-s in
creased 30 per cent In the same time
Ii exported to the United States and
Germany $580 000.000 worth or goods
in !S72..and only ?3C3"')OOO0 In 1902.
i
lOma
ICBES
Br
,jSKR2y imi
Copyright l'tJ lv "lcin Nouflp.tpor
futon
Belly-Buster.
Did o over title down hill.
holly. uhoppln"
On M pled?
All stretched out upon t!i tup,
Xllto a iluppln'
'Quodtiiped?
Hum kids linn another immo
"liolly-liustlir "
night out plulti! ,
'Talu't no mattii- whnt th" term
's pood for' niftlii'
Of Hi' bruin!
Say! ii kid wo slide down hill
.lout n-scoophr
t'p III' snow! m
Holler like Conmncha biicfcn,
Jest a-whoopln'
An wo got
Had n constor thot could II;,
Ilolly-hitler
Down th' truck!
Past Hi' fastest Mod In (own
They could tnuslcr
In a ptick.
llnd n race-horse pitcher on
llrlly-whoppln'
Is th' fun ,
When o alius tnlto th' load, ,
Never stopplti'
'Till je'vo won!
Onct I nut my p.i to go
Holly. piickln"
On my sleigh.
Pa ho lnffed nn' paid, "Uh-uhJ"
Kind u bncktn'
Like away. , ,
"Tako yer inn." my p. suz lie,
Uclly-bUBter!" . '
An' lie smiled:
Mn sho up and chased my pn
With her duster,
llnlf a inll'tl!
I don't Urrr If pn or ma
Don't llleo Hlldln
Down tho lilll.
They ain't notliln suits me llko
This sled rldln'
lie they, Hill 7
& 6
Antony and Cleopatra.
Having triumphed over Julius Cae
sar, Cleopatra was entertainingly en
gaged in making Antony's lawful wife
play second fiddle In tho orchestra of
his love. The silken breeching wns
already In place, nnd the brldlo ready
for tho great general, when Antony
called ono evening, by appointment, to
enjoy a pink tea with her.
The boudoir was resplendent for tho
occasion. Uenutirul fiowers breathed
their amorous odors, whllo redolent
perfumes, heavy with brain hashish,
hovered over th sonin of Cleopatra's
prospective conquest.
Antony . was a matrimonial ship
wreck when he arrived and took in
the voluptuous settings of this fascin
ating feminine gem:
. . . "To his eyo
There was tint one beloved face on earth.
And that wus shining on lilin!"
In his heart thoro burned, oblivious
to honor, allegiance and sacred vows,
only tho mad passion to possess her.
And Cleo, the cut-up, did her best!
The pink tea was but half over when
Antony, bewildered and ill at ease,
ticcausQ of lacking self-control, drop
ped his napkin. It took a header and
rolled half way under tho tuble.
Running about tho room was a
whlto rat, a prized pet of tho fam
ous man-killer. As Antony stooped for
hlo napkin, the rat chanced to slip
quietly underneath the luxurious lin
gerie of Clcopntra's dainty skirts, nip
ping her gently on tho ankle.
As Antony's head emerged from
under the table, his face florid with
Tim I.ATKST At'THOItlZKn POP.
TKAIT OK GISNKUAL ANTON V.
exortlon, Cleopatra arose majestically
and gasped:
"8Ir!"
Antony, much chagrined, and won
dering, could merely stammer his
apology.
When the scandal got Into the nows
papors. ho doclded tho beat wny out of
'It was to marry the girl. Owing to
having a wife of his own, this could
not be, and he did tho next worst
Jiing.
But, anyhow, this is a true nnd here
tofore unprintod story of how Cleo
patra coerced Antony. One car-not
always rely on history keeping the
rocord straight.
Infatuation Is Jilting her with her
store clothes and blus.li roues on; love
Is liking her with hsr hair In curl
papers. N trouble to diagnose tho
two affef-Uons after having said "I
will" anil .'he ha3 wilted.
yw
I O0JPOIA I
Copjrl;ht, 1P0J, li Western Nev.apnper
Talon
The Choice.
An pH.iy olmlr. a lliddy kIuw;
OutMldo the wind and drifting -now;
A uinRiuliie, a liook or two.
Tli ex oiling news I've Just gone through.
Quite Bpeiu with wrath, tho grate lire,
rod.
Hums low It ioiiIh In iihIij- hod;
Yet ntful with effulgent lliune.
It Hares nnd sltviis within ltn triune
Ah! dr((iiii tlutt come in fancy theie
Of KAMK nnd I.O I:. iurornM fair
That ulied tholr glow upon my name
Illicit rs hold n now! tla ' KAMI!"
"All' DltnAMS THAT COME'"
Then shifts tho blaze! trnUKfortncd is nil.
Though Htlll without the miowllnkcs fall
Tho coals lollect u wealth of hue,
A loey red! Dour henrt, 'tis you'
See! Through the iisli that dims above.
Theio Hlilncs this word tho word of
"LOVE!"
Yes, KAM13 and 1.0VK, the purest gems
TL'it npaiklo In men's diadems!
Yet, seldom In the selfsame crown
Do LOVK and KAMK unite renown
'Twlxt thin and that, hero In my den,
In purzlcd drenm I doze nnd then
Declnro for LOVK! Again for KAMRI
"i'ls Bwoet tin everlasting name
To bo renowned whenever mini
In years to como tho scroll may scan!
And then within tho dull llrcplaco
I sec u sweet, appealing fnco
With Hush of love, with eyes of blue,
With lips of rlpo and ruddy hue.
Ono Itiig'rlug gnzo Into the grnto
Goodby to l''AMK I lend my Kate!
For LOVK Ik true, content with lovo.
And constant ns the stnrs nbovc;
While KAMK Is false, a llckle Jado
Thnt changes In Life's sun and shade!
"True, love Is fumo enough for theol"
,'r. what tho Hiellglit says to me.
& &
History to Date,
it wn3 on the morning of the battle
of tho Thormopylnen Pnss. and tho
yolltlcmus of Greece wero still with
out n leader. Lconldns, tho intrepid
general, tho stalwart "he-row" of
ranny a blond Ftrewn tH.d, had over
oaten of grapes tho night beforo and
was undergoing an operation for ap
pendicitis. Tho Maid of Athens, who
sometimes acted as substitute, was
also hors du combat, having Inadvert
ently dropped a curling iron down her
back that very morning. Alexander
had gone fishing n week beforo and
was now three days overdue while Na
poleon, alone in his cigar store, could
not leavo the business.
Things looked dark for tho Greeks
when, at sun-up, they assembled at tho
Pass of Thermopylae to stop the on
coming hosts from Thossnly!
"My country for a leader!"' cried a
civilian who didn't own even a dog
house.
"My cotin "
But a (lying piece of liver hit him
in the oracular orifice and cut short
his sensational harangue.
At this Juncture, a courier, mounted
on a snorting, foaming stcetl, dashed
Into the village courtyard, his riding
habit ileckod with dust.
"She hns came!" he shouted hoarse
ly. "Sho has came!"
There was a mighty rush, n separa
tion of the ways and Joan of Arc
mounted on a blonde-colored horso
with a watch eyo, rode Into view.
Evcn'ns she rode, tho drum beats
of the charging enemy could bo heard
In tho mountainous distance.
"Forward, the light brigade!" she
chouted, pointing with sword erect
toward tjie Thermopylae!! gateway.
"Forward! On to victory or death!"
(Cheers.)
"Wc will fight it out on this line if
It takes all summer!" sho cried,
springing from her blonde horse and
drawing a piece of chalk across the
threshold of the Pass.
With ominous growl, the ward-heelers
from tho Fourth ward of Thessaly
charged straight at tho line, their
spears raised for tho onslaught.
Now ou can see the whites of their
eyes.
Now feel their bated breath.
Now
With one mighty sweep of her arms,
Joan of Arc. standing with toes to the
line, gathered tho spears to her own
breast.
S blood!
But evon ns tho cruol points struck
tho martyr's body, tho Greeks rallied,
nnd crying, "Charge, Chester, charge!
On, Stanley, on!" rushed nt tho foo
with common impulse, crowding them
into the sea forthwith.
To the music of "Hall to the chief!"
tho conquering hosts returned to the
village to meet Alexander who had
Just arrived from fishing with threo
nappies and a stone roller on his
stringer.
Amid the plaudltu of his followers,
ho telographed fo Tammany:
"Wo havo met the enemy nnd they
are otirn. "ALKX."
And thu3 history is brought down
to date,
2 If
POULTRYl
" i i i j i .
Why Some Chicks Die.
During November, 1900, a lot ot
fifty-eight chicks wns hatched for oth
er experimental work, nnd, thla having
been concluded, tho chlckn wero placed
In an out-door broodor. Within threo
weoks all but five had died. Tho cause,
as dotormlncd from tho post-mortem
ovhtenco, was found to bo dlseasos
duo to tho lncloment weather which
prevailed nt that time. Tho aoverlty
of tho chango hotweon tho brooder and
that prevailing outsldo gavo to tho
larger number of tho young chicks
lung diseases from which thoy nover
recovered. Among thoso may bo men
tioned ono of tho first atops In pneu
monia, which gavo an appoaranco of
tho tubercles, which possibly havo
been horotoforo called tuberculosis,
Implying that tho bacillus tuberculosis
was their cause. Thoso tuborcles
within a fow days paBsod through
tholr various stages Into cheesy de
generation, nnd In tho more chronic
cases Boomed to bo In process of ro
palr when tho animal died". Other
chicks died of congestion of tho lungs;
others scorned to dlo of intestinal trou
bles, probnbly brought about by tho
same causes. I noted also that tho
r hicks did not seem to oxorclse proper
Judgment In their solectton of tho food
presented to them. Somo nto It too
conrso; others devoured coarse, fib
rous roots; others seemed to havo no
grit In their gizzards Willi Wiich to
grind tho grain. Rhodo Island (Experi
ment Station Report.
Tho hen house should bo located 6n
dry ground, and tho Boll, if clayeyV
should bo well underdralned. -
t
Wheat as Poultry Food.
Wheat is n good Jood for chicks
and for full grown fowls. Wheat
screenings nro not nlways as cheap as
their prlco would Bcem to Indicate.
Wo have known screenings to sell at
n cont a pound, which would equal
CO coats per bushel. At tho snmo time
clean, plump wheat could bo bought
for soventy cents. Tho screenings
conlulnod n very largo proportion of
cod seeds, somo of them, llko tho .
Boeds of corn cockle, roisonous. to
animal Hfo when taken in consider
able iiuuntltlos. Tho screenings con
sist largely of shrivolod wheat kernels
and havo not In thorn tho name amount
of food valua as is to bo found In
tho plump whent, Just ns tho material
to bo found in a shriveled up apple
shriveled beforo It was mattiro Is in
no wny to bo compared to that In an
npplo that has matured. The farmer
that haB screenings of bl3 ow'n from
his own wheat will flndJt aJvisablo
to feed them to his -pquiiTy, but tho. s
man that has to buy food for tho poul-
try had far hotter buy whole wheat,
paying for it tho mnr.tot prlco, than
to buy wheat screenings at a Httlo
less price. As food thoy are worth not
only less, but a good deal less. As a
single grain food for poultry, Twhoat
1b somewhat more valuable than corn,
though wo would not recommend any
one gralu ns a complete ration.
The Supply of Litter.
Litter Is a good thing in the poul
try houso, summer or winter, and if
a largo quantity of It Is at hand and it
can bo renowed every weok or so It
will provo of groat advantugo in keep
ing tho poultry houso clean. The ma
nure can be easily falked out with
tho litter, and a broom will complete,
tho work In a fqw minutes. Wo have
seen many a poultry houso without a
particlo of litter, when tho barn near
by had moro chaff lying around than
tho farmer knew how to dispose of.
Tho best kind of litter Is chopped
straw. It acts aa on absorbont under
the roosts nnd as a reccptaclo In the
other part of tho pen for tho grains
that may bo thrown in for the fowls.
This gives them a chauco to scratch,.
Buckwheat hulls are good, nnd thoy
can bo obtained at mills that make
buckwheat Hour. Tho man that usos
a shredder will find shredded corn
fodder very useful in tho poultry
houso. Ono of tho great advantages
of litter Is that In winter tho feot of
tho fowls are kept off tho cold floor,
and If thero are any cracks In the
floor they become stopped up with tho
chaff. The llttor should bo changed
often and nover bo allowed to become
damp. Tho compost it forms will bo
found very serviceable In tho spring.
Langshans.
Langshans aro tho smallest and
most active of tho Asiatic class. Thoy
are a practical fowl in more senses
than one, and their prolific laying and
excellent qualities make them a profit
able fowl for tho farmer and market
poultryman. They are ono of the old
est varieties of poultry and have al
ways been held in popular esteem.
The quality of the flesh of tho Lang
shan la excellent, boing fine grained,
tender, and nicely flavored. As layers
they rank among tho best, averaging
from twelve to tkjrteon dozen a year,
and as winter layers they are to be
recommended. Tho chicks are hardy
nnd maturo early. Langshans are
good sitters nnd mothers, being ot
gontlo disposition; they are easily
kept In confinement pr on free range.
Being excellent fpragers, thoy are
ideal fowls for the farm, and will
gather during the year a considerable
proportion of their food.
It is reported Uiat tho world's sup
ply of peara has been corner"! by a
Chicago firm and that prices will be
sharply advanced.
When a man calls a girl his "dove"
she Is naturally all In a flutter.