ME WALKS ON THE WATER
Rough or Smooth, in Tin Shoes, Otto
Grossmann Performs Great Feat.
i
Otto Grossmann, who walked on
water from Hallo, the old university
town In Prussian Saxony, to Horlln,
itucd a pair of tin ahoca constructed on
tho prlnclplo of snowflhoon. Ilia newly
Invontcd water hIioo, lllto tho snowshoo
racket, proventa the fool from sinking,
thereby making locomotion possible,
and that Is tho whole secret.
Tho substructure of the water shoo
Is nu air nnd water tight tubo mado
of tin zinc, fourteen feet long nnd n
trlflo over six Inches broad. At its
lower end the tubo Is furnlshod with
flvo vnlvcB, If tho walker thrusts out
his foot these vnl-on act upon tho
water Hko n fish's flnH that Is, thoy
push the water away. Tho shoes are
fastened to tho feet by a sandal-llko
arrangement with leather straps,
Tho wntor-walkor glides forward llko
a skater, being careful, however, to
hold ono foot in rcpoeo until ho has
finished his stroke with tho other. Tho
bettor to bnlauco himself nnd to aid
the work of tho propelling valves,
Gronsmnnn carries a short oar.
While ho Is in motion tho water
comes up to his ankles. It ho stands
fctlll' ho pushes ono leg in up to tho
kneo, thcroby securing n porfect bal
ance. Orossmann has been Keen to
stand in the water fully ten minutes
trying to balance himself or Ueop from
sinking.
Ho says ho can sleep stnndlng on tho
water, but ho hat not exhibited hlmsolt
In tho act, probably becauso tho pcoplo
flocking to his exhibitions do not glvo
him a chance. Whllo going from Hallo
to tho (lermnn capital, walking 100
miles on the Snalo, tho Unstrut.Plolsso,
Havel nnd Spree, ho took nil his meals
standing In tho mlddlo of tho river that
served him nH highway. Ills admirors
on Bhoro followed him for miles look
ing at tho wonder. On other occasions
passengers of tho river stcamors, which
ho wnB not afraid to approach, gavo to
bin what ho wanted to ent. Orossmann,
while working and walking, likes his
solid food in tho shnpo of steaks, chops
and sandwiches, nnd his liquid food
must bo bottled. Tho best speed ho
mndo was n mile and a half an hour.
Qroasniann is n poor flshcrmnn, and
has mado no effort to utilize his Inven
tion beyond giving exhibitions hlmsolf.
Ho has not even patented his shoo. That
It is of practical valuo tho military au
thorities have acknowledged. Tho com
mander of tho Berlin balloon division
naked OroEomann to walk up to a big
steamer coming dwn tho Havel. Ho
dd so without flinching, and tho big
waves could not uubalanco him. Ne
gotiations for securing tho shoes for
army uso consequently nro under way.
Superstition In a llumlnn Village,
A Horlln correspondent of tho Daily
Telogrnph reports nu extraordinary
citso of "Gruesome Suporutitlon" in a
UilBslau vlllngo, not far from tho Gor
man frontier, Hero is tho story: Tho
rumor got about that tho corpso of a
woman who had rocontly bcon buriod
had turned in tho coflln. Everybody
in tho village not only bollovod tho
rumor, but aacrlbod tho prevailing
drougth as tho causa of tho unuBunl
circumstanccB. A villago counsol was
held, nnd it was decided that tho bus
bud of tho deccaaod should havo tho
coflln oponed and tho body roplacod
in its original position. Tho husband
rcfuBod, and nothing could peraundo
him to yield to tho unanimous wish of
bis fellow-villagers, whoroupon tho
latter took tho matter in their own
hands and, procoodod to tho church
yard to dig up and opon thj collln. To
their groat surprise tho body lay In
Its original position. Tholr nsonlsh
mont was not lessonod when tho legal
authorities appeared on tho scono nnd
oponed an Inquiry with n viow of lm
posing punishment for tho desecration
of the grave. Tho whole nolghbor
hood seoms to havo been possessed
with the idoa that nowly buriod por
Bno wero to blame for tho prevalence
ot dry weather, for in another villago
not far off n gravo woo opened and
tho coflln unscrowed, In order, in this
case, to pour water on tho corpse. Tho
benighted peasants of this vlllngo wcro
of opinion that this was tho best way
to induce much-needed rnln.
ACCIDENT TO BUFFALOES.
Driven Over a Precipice hjr n Illlzzaril
In a Destructive ftantlstorm.
Near Chcycnno Wells is n long
strotch of level prnirlc, which sudden
ly terminates in n preclplco, making a
perpendicular descent of perhaps fifty
feet to another plain below, says tho
Denvor Field nnd Farm. In tho wlntor
of 1858 n great blizzard raged for sov
oral days. Tho snow was driven at n
torrlllc rato beforo n hurricane of wind
and tho buffaloes were obliged, In solf
preservation, to turn their backs and
run with tho wind. Tho result wns
that vast numbers of tliu buffaloes
woro carried over tho preclplco and
their doad bodies wcro coverod with
twenty or thirty feet of buow. For
many years pcoplo visited tho Bpot to
look at tho bonos, which lay In piles
ten nnd ilftocn feet high ns fnr as tho
oyo could reach along tho preclplco, and
it was commonly estimated that 100,
000 buffaloes found a gravo on that fa
tal spot. Sandstorms in thoao days
woro so destructive that it was not un
usual for freighters to loso their ontlro
outfits. During tho provalonco of a
atorm no nttompt was mndo to movo
forward and drivers cleared tho sand
out of tho nostrils of tho horses and
oxen, as otherwise tho animals wcro
threatened with death from suffoca
tion. A sandstorm usually lasted only
two or three hours but its affects wcro
felt for days by men nnd animals ox
posed to tho fury of tho blast. A curl-
WALKING ON THE WATER.
ous phenomenon noticed in different
places on tho plains was tho immonso
excavating power of tho wind in n
sandstorm. Thoro woro areas ot threo
or four acres whoro tho wind scoopod
out tho Band forty or llfty feet deop
nnd whirled it away in tho nlr. It
Boomed ns If tho work began ot n cen
tral spot no larger than could bo cov
ered by a man's hat. In an incredibly
short tlmo a round hold would bo ex
cavated. The wind thon took hold in
real earnest nnd tho probabilities woro
that nn ontlro Band hill would be lov-
olcd in tho next thirty minutes.
TRAVELED IN A MAIL BAQ.
Vat unit Vive Kittens Arrive ut the
Natvpnrt l'ostonice.
Tho clerks of tho Nowport postof-
flee woro treated to n gonuluo surprlso
recently whon n mail pouch from Cov
ington wns oponed, disclosing to view
n cat nnd ilvo small kittens. Tho story
of how tho cat and hor family mado
the journoy in ono of Undo Sam's mall
pouches is an Interesting ono. At tho
Covington ofllco a pouch is fixed at
night to rccolvo tho mail which Is de
posited after tho regular ofllco hours.
Into this pouch Tabby crawled, nnd
following her camo a great mass ot
rcgiatorod mall matter, which mndo a
flno bod for hor, nnd among which dur
ing tho night hor family wero born.
In tho early morning houra tho pouch
was locked up nnd sealed, thrown ou n
Nowport and Covington Dolt Lino car
nnd ultimately reached Us destination
at tho Nowport postofllco, nftor much
rough handling, for bo it known mall
pouches aro not handled llko glass.
When tho pouch waa opened tho sur
prlf) of tho clerks can hotter bo Ira
ngLlod than doscrlbed. Live cats nnd
ono day old kittoua nro not mallablo
nccordlng to tho Unttod States postal
rogulatlono, bo Postmaster Meyer was
notified. Ho In turn notified Postmas
tor UeynoldB in Covington. Mr. Rey
nolds told Mr. Meyer that he wantod
tho CAt back, but did not want the kit
tons, Mr. Meyor said it tho cat goes
back so do tho kittens, and the mat-
tor will bo rcforred to tho postmastor
general for final adjudication. It is
perhaps needless to relate that Tabby
and her progeny nro doing well, nnd
nro well contented in their now homo.
Thoy will remain in tho Nowport of
fice until furthor dovolopmonts, but if
thoy go back to Covington thoy will
not go in n registered mall pouch.
Cincinnati Enquirer.
ARTIFICIAL blLVER MINE,
llonr the Treasury Dennrtniont Checks
the Waste at the Mint.
In ono corner of tho molting room
at tho Now Orleans mint Is a largo iron
tank in which tho newly cast sliver
bars nro dropped hissing to cool off,
flays tho Times-Democrat of that city.
At tho end of a hard dny's work tho
surfaco of tho water shows a faint raln-bow-hucd
scum, like tho metallic luster
of stagnant pools, seen near a dye
house. It comes in part from micro
scopic flakes of silver that have scaled
off in tho cooling. Tho wator, when
changed, runs down a pipe that termi
nates In tho bottom of n cistern, which
contains a lnycr of mud a couple of feet
deep. As tho water Beeps up and
through, tho mud nets ns a filter and
catches tho particles of precious metal,
so in tlmo it becomes an artificial silver
mlno. Onco overy quarter tho stuff Is
scooped out and pnescd through a re
duction process, Tho result Is n silver
brick, worth maybo $G0. When it
cornea to money making, Undo Sam
can beat tho world for stinginess. Tho
artificial sliver mine in tho yard of tho
old mint promises Is only ono of his
numerous schemes for checking waste.
When tho casters raise their glowing
ladles from tho molting pots a ohower
of sparks fly from tho molten surface.
Thoy aro mostly Incnndcscent particles
of carbon, but among them aro pin
points of silver, almost gaseous. Somo
fall among tho ashes and clinkers be
neath tho furnaces and when tho lire
boxes nro raked out nt night the con
tents aro scrupulously preserved. Down
below, in tho baeement, Is a great re
volving crusher, that grinds tho debris
into flno powder, and when enough nc-
cumulates it is sold by samplo to a
northern smelter nnd treated llko or
dinary ore. Nor 1b this nil. Every
evening tho floor of tho smoking room
Is swept far moro carefully than over a
lndy'B parlor, nnd tho sweepings nro
preserved nlong with tho nshes. Onco
In threo monthB or so tho soot Is scrap
ed out of all tho Hues and chimneys
and finds its way to the Bame recepta
cle From tho nshes, clinkers, sweep
ings and soot of tho New Orleans mint
Undo Sam dorives n larger Income
than tho avcrago bank president. Tho
crucibles used in molting nro good for
about threo charges; thon thoy nro
wheeled down to the basement, crush
ed, nnd sharo tho fato of tho cllnkors.
Tho pores of their carthon sides are
full of virgin silver, and tho gritty
brown powder Into which they nro
ground yields an nvorago of $200 a
ton. A worn-out crucible is really
worth moro than n now ono.
Itevalver Did It.
Hero Is a new way of holding your
emt on a train when you havo occasion
to loavo it. Tho othor morning a
traveling man ot this city got on tho
train and was walking through looking
for n seat, when ho discovered ono
which to all appearances was unoccu
pied. Ho went to It and Imagine his
surprise when ho saw n six-shooter
calmly resting on tho cushion. He
passed on and found a soat in another
part ot tho car. Ho says that peoplo
camo in and started for that soat, but
as soon as they oaw wliat it contalnod
marched on. Try It aomo time. Ar
kansas Travoler.
City of Mantel.
Augollca, N. Y Is famous for tho
slzo and numbor of Kb maplo trees
Its principal street, which runs In a
straight lino for ovor a mile. Is bor
dorcd ou either tldo with a row of
immonse maples. In the ccntor of the
vlllngo Is a flowing well, which Bpouts
water nnd flro nt tho same tlmo. Tho
wator la cloar und cold, and tho gns,
which rises to tho surfaco through tho
same pipes, burns flercoly whon Ig
cited.
1" wwfjfafflfj
KITTY'S
By Author of
CHAPTER VI. (Continued.)
"Kitty," ho Bnld, "I want you to
listen to mo for n littlo whllo, will
you?"
I cast ono quick, scared, deprecating
littlo glanco nt him, nnd lot my eyes
fall. My heart was beating in such a
wild nnd foolish wny thnt I could not
speak, could not
speaking, could not think.
I did not mean to sny this to you
Just yet," ho went on uontlv. in bin
quiet, steady, earnest tone. "It scorned
scarcely fair to you to say It yet You
aro so younc llfo la all beforo von
you havo Been so fow pcoplo, Been so
nuio ot tho world, that I feci I may
bo taking nn unfulr ndvnntnco of vnu
an unfair ndvantngo of your youth. I
meant to do patient, Kitty; I meant
to bo Datlont nnd wait. Hut n wnnlr
or two ngo I confided to Mrs. Corfleld
wnat i meant ono day to nslc you; and
It has struck ma since then thnt tihn
must havo told you something of what
i Bant to ner. That Is why I nm speak
ing to you, dear, bo Boon."
There was a moment's pause.
Though I never raised my eyes, I was
conscious of his gaze, fixed earnestly,
Intently on my face nil tho whllo ho
spoke.
"Kitty, I think you know what I
w
ant to tell you." ho continued. "I
lovo you, Kitty. I want to nsk you,
dear, If you will bo my wife."
Ho had Bnoken very nuletlv. In n
very gravo and stnndv wnv. tint no
ihough ho wcro conferring a boon
pon mo, yet not with exccsslvo hu
nllltv. My hnnd.i. whlrli lm hni,i in
nls, wcro trembling, my heart wns
Denting rnst. I looked ncrosa nt him,
jmd his eyes seemed to hold mine; I
jouia not iook nwny again. Ho was
o strong, so tender, bo good, so truol
Knd I loved him oh, I loved him! Ho
read my lovo in my oyes; I lot him
-cnu it, i could not help it.
"Kitty, tell me," ho pleaded, gently.
'Don't lot us blunder either of im. T
lovo you, dear, dearly most dearly.
MEG'S PRETTY FIQURE S
Out don't bo afraid of hurting mo,
Kitty. If you toll mo I havo no hopo,
( shall bear It as ono boars most
hlngs. What I could not bear, dear,
4 that you should Bncrlllco yourself
crimps rcgrot It. If you fed that you
mvo no lovo to glvo mo, not enough
ovo, tell mo, Kitty; toll mo now."
"I enn't tell you," I cried "I can't
oil you; it is not true." My volco
was unllko my own, tense, suppressed.
rho words enme quickly, yet In a la
jored wny; and ench word seemed to
iurt mo Bharply. "I lovo you," I said.
I can't help it; it's true."
Holding my hands firmly In his, ho
lrew mo to tho sofa bcsldo him; ho
sut his nrm round rao and drow mo
aonrer to him and kissed mo. For n
mlnuto nil doubts had dlsappearod; I
ivaa supromely, blissfully content,
rhon tho good mlnuto pnssed. I drow
aiysolf away, looked at him doubtfully,
ind felt my heart Blnk.
"It's not not for kindness' sake?"
t questioned eagerly.
"For kindness', sake, dear?" ho ro
peated, In n puzzled tone.
"You don't think I'm unhappy, do
rou? I'm not. I'm happy enough. I
lon't mind Aunt Jnno, nnd things nro
not so horrid ns thoy seem tho girls
iro nice, nnd Undo Richard's kind.
Don't bo Borry for mo; I couldn't bear
It, I Bhould hnte ill It's not that you're
lorry, is It?"
Ho wns looking at mo with tho samo
perplexed expression.
"I'm afraid, dear, I don't undcr
itnnd," ho snld.
I found It hard to explain. I could
aot speak with that self-contained
talmncss that was necessu to mnko
my moaning plain.
"Aro you Buro?" I asked him, eager
ly. "Tell rao again, I want you to sny
It again, that you're suro, qulto Buro."
"8ure ot what, dear?"
HUSBAND
"Hclty," Etc.
61
44&
nnumw
"Of what you said. You said you
wanted me."
His gray eyes looked nt mo with n
gleam of merry yet tender laughter.
"I nm qulto suro of that," ho an
swered. "There is nothing elno in tho
world, Kitty, of which I nm bo suro."
A mlnuto later nn Interruption came.
Undo Richard, paper in hand, strolled
into tho drawing-room.
'What's tho matter, Kitty what's
tho matter?" ho Bald, as I ro3o precipi
tately to retreat.
"Nothing Is tho matter, Blr," John
Mortimer replied, quietly. "Kitty has
been promising to bo my wife. Wo
hopo you will not disapprove."
Dttt I fled without hearing Undo
Richard's answer. I fled nwny to tho
top of tho houso to a littlo dusty gar
ret whoro not oven tho girls would
think of searching for mo; nnd thoro,
with my now muslin, costly to tho ex
tent of two golden guineas, gathered
around mo, I eat boneath tho skylight
on an old dusty leather portmauteau
of Aunt Jane's, and tried to think
calmly of tho ordeal thnt lay beforo
me when I should venturo forth from
my hiding place. I could not faco Aunt
Jnno, Undo Richard, tho keen, merry
eyes of Meg nnd Dora, until I had
Uiought nbout things a little, grown
moro sedately happy, until my cheeks
had cooled, my heart had begun to beat
moro quietly, and my mind had grown
lesB bewildered with happiness.
CHAPTER VII.
Perhaps a mlnuto, porhnps an hour,
had passed I do not know how tlmo
went by but long beforo my cheoks
had cooled an interruption camo. I
had thought myself secure; but tho
garrot door opened, nnd Meg's pretty,
graceful, alort flguro Btood In tho door
way In tho twilight.
"Kitty, my dear, John is discon
solate," Bho said.
If my cheeks had been cooling, thoy
grew brilliantly red again. My heart
beat faster than over as Meg's morry
TOOD IN THE DOORWAY.
volco pronouncod my lover's namo
tho namo by which I had nover called
him, by which It seemed to mo I should
nover dnro to call him. Sho stood In
tho doorway looking in, her bluo eyes
sparkling with laughter, hor pretty
Hps pretending to bo gravo, but not
carrying tho protenso bo fnr that it
should decelvo me. I was discovered;
I roso from my dusty portmanteau, lot
down ray dress nbout me, and followed
Meg out upon tho landing.
"Como hero, under tho window, and
let mo look nt you," sho said, taking
possession of me. "Kitty 1"
"Yes."
"Do you know what a a peony Is
like, dear?"
"Oh, Meg, don't tenso mo, don't laugh
at me; lot rao go!"
"Kitty, mamma left off blushing
when aho left off blba and pinafores.
With the disappearance of your pina
fores, tho habit seemB to havo grown
upon you. Now, como, Kitty, I'm your
earliest confidante; come, confldo in
mo."
"I don't want to confldo in you I
don't want to confldo in you nt nil."
"Did ho go down upon ono kneo,
Kitty and nnd did tho windows rat
tlo very much? Oh, Kitty, my dearest
Kitty, I'm dying to know what ho
said."
"I shall never toll you."
"Oh, yos, you will!" said Meg with
Bweot nssurnnce, putting her arm coax
ingly nround my shoulders, nnd bend
ing forward to look into ray faco nnd
laugh nt me. "You accepted him; nnd
nfter your solemn profession to Dora
only this evening that nothing on
earth would ovor mako you, HIb argu
ments must havo bcon wolghty, Kitty;
but thoy wero suro to bo wolghty
John Is nothing If not profound."
I shook off tho nrm thnt was cm
bracing me. Dut Meg would not bo re
pulsed; she put her pretty littlo hand
beneath ray chin, looked at mo with,
mock reproach, thon, laughing again,
bent forwnrd and kissed mo.
"Ono might fancy, Kltt. if ono did
not know tho circumstances c5 tho
enso, ono might fancy Do you
know what ono might farcy?"
"No."
"That you wero in lovo with John."
"And I nm," I declared, my cagor
tono sounding unconvincing somehow
as I caught tho amused, incredulous
littlo twinkles in Meg's clear bluo oyes.
"I am. Meg. You don't beliovo mo
but its true."
"Poor Kitty," Bald Meg in a tragic
tono, still unconvinced. "When did It
hnppen, dear?"
I turned nwny. Meg tripped after
mo down tho dusty garret stairs; nnd,
as wo reached tho floor below, twined
her nrm caressingly about my waist
ngaln.
"What doe3 it feel llko to fall In
lovo, dear? Is tho fall a Bhock? And
what does it feel llko whon you'r
thoro?"
"Where?"
"In tho land of love, tho land of
lime-light. In tho lime-light I Bup
Poeo oven John would look romantic?
Dut a romnntlc flguro with a short
beard! Oh, boar with mo, Kitty! Im
nglnntlon falls me, I can't plcturo it!
Now, a long beard a long, big, yellow,
Teutonic beard, or a long, thin, taper
ing, pathetic beard I could put up
with under protest. But a short beard,
speckled brown and gray, with a sorv-
iccablo suit of clothes Kitty, I'm
so sorry; I'm afraid I can't fall In lovo
with John."
"I don't think ho will mind," I said,
with a touch of malice In my tono.
Meg sighed profoundly, hor oye3 still
dancing with merry laughtor.
"Is his heart all yours? Poor mo,
poor world, poor rest of us."
"Oh, Meg, don't bo such a goose!"
"I'm trying to bo serious, liko you.
An engagement, Kitty, is a most seri
ous thing. And tho first serious con
sideration is tho ring diamonds, of
course refuse, dear, to havo anything
to Bay to anything but diamonds.
Now, Kitty, let mo offer you a pleco
of advice Bo exacting; a lover is
nothing unless ho brings dally gifts
of flowers and fruit nnd chocolato
creams. Keep that well beforo hla
mind. Heliotrope and mniden-halr fern
and chocolato creams dally! My spirits
aro rising. Now and then you can sug
gest that chocolato almonds will bo
welcome to mo for a chango."
"But ho isn't engaged to you," I said,
laughing.
"No. Presorvo mo! But lot'a bo
fair lot's divide things equally
you'ro wclcomo to John, but lot mo
havo tho flowers and sweets. And
Dora well, Dora shall wear tho flow
era when I havo dono with them.
Flowers that I wear always Hvo for a
second day. Do you know that that's
unlucky? If you'ro to bo lucky in llfo,
nnd in lovo, tho flowers you wear
should wither quickly. Did you ovor
hear of that superstition?"
"Nover."
"Bo moro sympathetic, Kitty. Don't
say 'nover' in that flat tono. Pleaso
to rcallzo my tragedy. No ono Is com
ing to woo mo no ono Is coming to
wed. No John will over say ho loves
me. By tho by, Kitty,, did John say
ho loved you?"
I flashed ono quick glanco at her,
and caught tho thought in hor mind.
"Yes," I said in a volco that would
not bo steady in splto of all my efforts;
"and I wanted to tell you you wero
nil wrong, you and Dora and Aunt
Jnno. Ho docs caro for mo. Ho cares
for mo for ray own sako for his own
sake not for duty in tho least."
Meg looked at mo doubtfully for a
moment, a littlo graver than her wont.
"That's very nlco," sho said, gently;
but thoro was a note of unreality in
her tono; and I know I had not con
vinccd her.
(To ba continued.) .
Encouraging tlio Witness.
Tho bullying lawyer is unhappily
still to bo mot with, and his confusion
is always tho signal for rejoicing
among the spectators. A distinguished
colonial Judgo recalls how ho onco
tried a case In tho aupromo court of
ono of tho British possessions. The
learned barrister who appoarod for tho
defendant had an unfortunate habit
of bullying his own witnesses. If
they did not nnswer him precisely ns
ho wished he would attack them with,
"My dear man, do attend to me." or
with, "If you can't speak up liko a man,
I must abandon your case." In this
instanco the defendant, whoso namo
was Jonas, was rather obscuro in his
answers. Counsol questioned him
moro Bovcroly, but poor Jonas only
grew moro confused. At length tho
bnrrlater becamo exasperated and
shouted: "My good man Jonas, do
come out of that whale's belly of yours
and answer my questions properly."
This was too much for tho Judgo, who
could not restrain his amusoment,
while tho witness was so confused that
ho refused to answer, and the caao wai
lost.
The 1'nrrot Gave Hint Away.
Victor Chevalier, a clever criminal in
Paris, was run down in a shrowd way.
Ho was known to bo exceedingly fond
of a pet parrot, nnd the pollco woro In
structed to look for a loquacious bird
of this kind. Aftor a fow weeks' search
tho talkatlvo parrot was discovered in
tho Montmartro district. Tho police
kopt a close watch on tho houso, and
in tlmo tho criminal appearod to havi
an affectionnto chat with tho bird.
Truo to tho Family' Traditions.
Jane I understand she comes of a
very old family. Lily Yes von run
Don f1n fnmllv fmlt In i n .An. 1 I
jano wnat trail? Lily Ago. strnj
Stories.