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If KING
A STORY OF MILITARY llfE 1,1 INDIA.
BY AlflVOR ALLAN
W. 'J 'J ' I n. 'p-
CHAPTER X. (Continued.)
That night aho would not consent to
forsake his couch.
A new strength the strength of de
spair hnd como to her, and the doc
tor and nurso allko marveled at the
courage and promptitude with which
fiho assumed tho duties ot her position
when tho sleepless night was over at
last and tho good ship steamed slowly
Into Southampton docks.
There she Indited telegrams, ar
ranged for Don's removal to tho llt
tlo steamer for the Islo of Wight, and
gavo orders anont their luggago, nil
with a fortltudo and forethought that
had never heen called upon till now.
The sympathy of tho wholo ship went
with her, for tho calamity which had
hofallcn her and her great endurance
beneath It had won her golden opin
ions from all.
Tho captain stepped forward and
grasped tho little hand alio proffered
In silent gratltudo for hla condolence
when tho moment of farewell camo at
last. Ho had n lcttor to deliver Into
her keeping which, owing to Don's 111
nesa, ho had refrained from doing be
fore Ho explained that tho letter had
been found upon tho dead body of tho
Indian when recovered from tho sea;
and as Captain Cordon's name was
mentioned In It, ho thought Captain
Cordon's wife should luivo It.
Llllio took It and put It In her pock
et, with a wan Httlo smile of thanks.
Vivid as was hor rcmembrnnco still of
that ghaBtly acono tho night of tho
storm, her thoughts had seldom dwelt
on tiio swarthy seaman's dastardly
deed which had added this twofold
agony of Don's Illness to hor sorrow
laden soul. Indian life had Inured hor
to tho deep-rooted thirst for rovengo
of tho natlvo If ho believed himself
wronged; but Don was over so uni
versal a fnvorlto she could not fathom
tho seaman's attack. She had neither
tlmo nor heart to read tho letter now.
Yet It was not till tho channel pack
et moored alongside tho Cowcs pier,
and alio saw Roddy and Dl, In responso
to her telegram, hurrying forward to
greet hor, tho unnatural strain upon
hor endurance and calm gave way, and
sho fell on Diana's neck with tho bit
ter, broken cry which meant the wholo
world to hor.
"Ho Is dying."
All that night Don's life was de
spaired of. His fcoblo pulse went
down to tho lowost obb; and, as If
that brief period ot consciousness had
sapped tho last spark of vitality, his
exhaustion was so groat that at tlmos
they scarcoly could tell If tho broath ot
life had not gono out forevor. Thoro
was no question ot proceeding to
Shnmklln, whoro Roddy and Dl had
fondly expected to welcome brldo and
bridegroom to tholr cottage homo.
To tho big hotel overlooking tho
nzuro sea they carried Don to die.
True, tho fevor had loft him now, but
It had left him prostrato, helpless as
an Infant. Ho slopt continuously,
knowing not tho dlfforonco between
night and day, aomotlmoa dimly con
scious of a loving hand over ready to
minister to his wants, but too weak,
too far out on that limitless gult that
flows botweon tho worlds to dream ot
what awaited htm on elthor shoro.
L And Llllio? Sho muBt havo Buffered
o'von It sho had not loved him, and hor
lovo during thoso long weeks of nurs
ing had becomo to her both Uto and
food.
f Sho sat by him while night wanod
nnd dawn broko. "Why sock rest
when sleep was impossible?" sho ar
gued. And so they let hor havo hor
way, passing In and out ot tho sick
room, always to find hor sitting there,
with her bluo oyos fixed upon Don's
faco, motionless, almost broathlcss In
hor piteous despair. Hut Just as tho
sun was rising and bathing tho fair
world without In a blazo ot golden
light Diana stole to hor with somo re
freshment, to And hor sitting up in her
chair, a hectic flush on her faco, hor
eyes nflamo with mlnglod oxcltemcnt
and grief. A letter lay open on her
lap. It was tho letter tho captain ot
tho troopship had glvon her, and which
had lali in her pocket forgotten until
now, when a chanco thought recallod
It.
It was written In Hlndostanco, nnd
boro-tho straggling slgnaturo ot ono
who had so ruthlessly wrecked "tho
White Lily's" peaco. Tho signature
wad Sing, and was It wonder, as Llllio
laboriously waded through its brief
contents, passion and pain and romorso
overwhelmed her bleeding henrt?
"I command you to removo tho dos-
plcablo Forlngheo (Englishman) Cap
tain Cordon out ot my path," ran tho
Prince's scroll, "Dotard! poltroonl
that you woro to tako Captain Dor
went's llfo In his stead! Your oxcuso
that tho darkness ot tho night and
Captain Gordon's conduct lod to your
failure avail you nothing. You havo
robbed mo of a friend, and lot my toe
go freo. Expect nolther reward nor
morcy from mo."
She understood it all now. Tho In
dlan whoso knife had pierced Don'
breast was no othor than the sepoy
who. in the secret service ot the
DO IN:
5
'I I? aI? K At n rf
Prince, had followed Don Into Tlrah.
His orders had been to shoot Don, but
In tho gathering dusk of tho nullah ho
had mlstakon Captain Derwont for his
Intended victim. Ho had thereupon
graphically reported Don's every word
and action to try to account for tho ex
cellent which led to the misdirection
of lila own rlflo; but tho oxcuso had
weighed not at all with tho haughty
potentate, whoso Imperious will had
thus been frustrated.
And tho Eepoy, with that blind dovo
tlon to his master which Is tho In
dian's truest point, had willingly faced
donth, disguised as a seaman, again to
make attempt to carry out tho Prince's
dcslro.
Sho realized with n shudder tho aw
ful strength of her royal lover's deep
rooted Jealousy. Sho felt anew tho
agony of romorso doublefold.
In vain Diana, with her larger faith
and greater endurance, tried to solaco
her. Sho know intuitively that Dl, in
her noblo abandonment of self, would
havo sacrificed hor grief for tho father
who was dead in ordpr to teach tho
comfort of repentance at tho foot of
tho cross to the living husband's suf
fering soul.
And now Don was dying dying!
and that supremo privilege would nov
er bo hers. Sho might never hold hla
hand and nay: "If wo confess our
sins, Ho is faithful nnd Just to forgive
us our sins, nnd to cleanse us from all
unrighteousness." Sho had told Don
sho forgavo him, yet she had bidden
him go nnd work out his own ro
pontanco and salvation, bereft of
earthly comfort nnd companionship
Don, whoso nature she knew was so
weak to resist temptation or enduro
hardship, who know nothing of tho
strength of Bolf-rollanco or tho trust In
a redeemer.
Am what was her forgiveness
worth?
Colonel Gordon from Gudle arrived
t West Cowes on tho second day fol
lowing Roddy's mcssago of Don's con
dition. Though his non undoubtedly
hold tho first place In tho old laird's
heart, his nephow Don had over re
ceived a largo sharo of his affectionate
sollcltudo, and he was profoundly
moved by tho young officer's lllnesa.
Yet It was ho who resolutely drew
Llllio from tho sick room, leaving
Roddy and Dinna to watch with tho
nurso through that tlmo of dread crisis.
Ho saw tho strength of tho girl wifo
was all but sapping beneath tho aw
ful strajn, both physical and mental;
and It was In thoso short, calm con
verses by tho wido senshoro at tho
bravo old soldier's sldo that Llllio
learned tho greatest of faith's secrets
'Ho dooth all things well."
And it was then then, when her
heavy-laden heart had found relief in
submission to that Higher Will than
hor own, tho vital wave of Don's llfo,
hnvlng ebbed to its furthest limit, be
gan to flow back. Tho doctor's verdict
Wont forth that It was posslblo Don
might live.
Oh, tho agony then of thoso nights
and days! thoso alternate hours when
llfo and doath struggled for supremacy,
and each hung in the bnlance!
Once moro Llllio hovored almost In
cessantly by Don's pillow, living only,
in that hopo ot tho first look, tho first
word ot recognition. Sho hungorod for
It with an eager Intensity that had no
thought of self In It now.
Sho longed to pour out In his cars
tho comfort of that proof of the
Prince's guilt and his own innocence.
Sho told horsolf not oven death could
appal hor now It but that brief com
munion ot souls might bo theirs, for
suffering hnd taught hor ovon resigna
tion's wondrous hope.
"I shall go to him, but ho shall not
roturn to mo."
Tho sun was setting ovor tho green,
sloping hills nnd glinted on tho flcots
of yachts and Httlo boats In the har
bor and on tho castlo at Its mouth.
Away beyond tho dividing River Medi
na roso Norrls cnstle, with its fair
parks extondlng to U-o shore, and Btlll
further woro Just vlalblo tho two
squaro turrets of tho Httlo Island homo
of tho sovereign lady, Queon Victoria
It was a fair, fair scono, nnd as Lll
lio stood at Don's window looking out
upon It, hor heart swelled with min
gled patriotism and emotion. Ah,
surely God, who was bo merciful.
would grant that Don, too, might yet
rovol In tho fairness sho now looked
on?
Then suddenly, as she turned, sho
saw Don's oyos wore open, nnd ho wis
gazing upon her with tho rapturo ot
full consciousness which onco botoro
lit his face on board tho groat stoam
er. Sho went to him and fell on her
knees beside his bed.
"My darling," ho said faintly, and
his weak arms wont out to hor nnd
gathered her nearor and drew hor hend
down to hor breast. "Where aro -wo?"
ho asked thon, after a moment ot si
lence that was too full for speech.
"Wo are homo," alio answered, In a
voice of Joy.
Through tho near bay-wludow his
eyes fell on tho distant towers ot On
borne, and suddenly, at that touch of
memory, ho kissed hor passionately,
with all tho ardor of hopo and llfo.
"My queen Is here," ho murmured.
Yes, Ilka tho Israelites ot old, these
two had needed to pass through tho
wide red sea of suffering oro they
gained tho promised land.
Dut "King Don" had como Into his
kingdom at last.
(Tho End.)
i :
LIFE IN SAMOA.
Description of the Island Feople by
Mr. Strong;.
Mrs. Isabel Strong, stop-daughter ot
Robert Louis Stevenson, lived wlt'i the
Stovcnson family during most of their
llfo In Samoa, and she was closely as
sociated with Mr. Stevenson in his lit
erary work. Sho told recently ot tho
beauty of tho Island, nnd said it could
really bo called tho "Emorald Islo," on
account of the luxuriance ot its tropi
cal vegetation. Orchids grow thore
like buttercups and daisies in. an Eng
lish meadow. Stevenson had a great
lovo for tho placo, and ho considered
It restful and full of Inspiration. The
natives looked upon him with venom
tlon, nnd his mother, who always woro
a white cap, they called an exiled prin
cess, confualng tho cap and tho crown
08 aymbollc of royalty. Mr. Stevenson
becamo friendly with mnny of the na
tives and ono of hla pleasures was to
see tho offect upon them of highly civ
ilized customs, as for instance, Invit
ing twelve or moro of tho warriors to
n course dinner, served with grsat
formality. Tho warriors would como
In native costume and never appeared
111 nt case, always waiting for Mr. Ste
venson to begin a course nnd then Imi
tating exactly. Contrary to tho llfo
of most aavago people, tho women of
Samoa do not do tho heavy work, un.1
under tho teaching of Mr. Stcvonson
they becamo etlll moro exempt from
unnecessary burdens, nnd lived much
the enmo domestic llfo ns civilized
women. In their dress they still re
tained, howover, mnny aavago traits,
and it wnB not an unusual thing to
bco tho children going to church at
tired only in a hat and a wreath of
smilax. When Mr. Stevenson died,
tho nntlvcs built a coral road from his
homo to his grave, and this they call
'tho road of loving hearts." They
havo also built a hospital In his mem
ory, and Mrs. Stevenson partly sup
ports It, sending a yearly contribution.
Tho natives havo always boen afraid
tho body would bo removed from Sa
moa, and thoy guard tho gravo with
great caro.
A CHEROKEE ALPHABET.
It 11ns Heen InTented by a l'ull lllooded
Member of tbe Tribe.
Tho new hloroglyphlc alphabet Is a
novelty. It Is tho invention of a full
blooded Cherokee Indian, by nam
Sequoayah. Ho has tor a long tlmo
sought somo mothod ot writing tho
Cherokea language.hltherto only spok
en. Ho found that the English letters
would not express the sounds ot that
tonguo, nor would his fellow Choro
kees tako up tho white man's letters.
To overcome this difficulty ho decided
to invent a now alphabet, easy to learn
and nt tho samo tlmo expressive ot the
sounds of tho Cherokee language. Tho
Indian eyo will not easily como down
to mere lines, so he used pictures of
things to Indicate tho letters or sounds
of letters. Ho succeeded at last In
forming an alphabet of sixty-eight
signs by which ho could express all of
tho Bounds ot his natlvo tongue. At
tho samo time tho letters are so largo
and distinct from each othor as not
to bo easily confused. Ho first tried
his new alphabet on his wife, and
found that sho could easily remember
tho sounds and learn to read. Then
ho called in half a dozon ot the Cher
okee warriors and tried his letters on
thorn. Hero again he succeeded. He
wrote a few sentences In Cherokee,
nnd they read them after a little train
ing.
About Frightening Children.
If a child is constitutionally nerv
ous, says tno American Journal or
Health, It Is no use to think that It
can bo made dlfforent by force. Argu
ment, too, In many cases only Intensi
ties tho terror which children often
feel it loft alono In tho dark, and gives
deflnlto expression to tears which are
purely Imaginary. Many people argue
thnt a child who Is afraid to bo left
alono or to go into a dark room ought
to bo mndo to do cither of theso
things In order to find out that no
harm will como to him. Now, chil
dren aro soldom really utrald unless
they have been made so, nnd It Is a
curious fact that the most timid child
shrinks from disclosing his fears to
nnyono. In such n caso someono has
certainly warned him that worso
things will hnppon If ho dares to dls
closo tho reason ot his alarm. Very
often It Is tho simplest thing which
has boon mado to appear so terrible
under certain conditions.
Bay Uentai Buould Nut Marry.
. Possibly the host known unmurrled
man ot lottors Is Henry James, tho
novelist. Ho maintains stoutly that
tho artist, no matter what the medium
ot his expression, should remain sin
gle on tho ground that tho petty
cares and cnrplngs ot domestic llfo
tend to wear on dollcately-adjusted
nerves and exhaust the mental fiber
ot geuluB, whether Us possessor bo a
painter of pictures, worker in words,
a modclor ot statues, a composer of
music, a singer or oue who amuses
the people from tho stago.
Somo mon never rcallzo how mean
they have beon until thoy run tor
offlct.
TWO LETTERS.
The picture was n decidedly pret
ty ono there was a sloping lawn lead
ing down to tho river Thames. An old
fashioned house, with gabled roof and
French windows were nil open, for
the day was a hot ono in July. By ono
of them a girl stood in a white dress,
with a crimson roso fastened In hor
bolt. Her eyes were lowered; sho was
reading ,a letter.
"It's awful to think of tho two let
ters coming tho samo day," she said to
herself. "Of courso, I know what this
letter contains." Hero she looked
down at an unopened envelope which
sho was holding firmly clasped in hor
right hand. Sho hesitated as she glanc
ed at It, and with an effort sho took
tho second letter out of Its cover and
road tho following words:
"Dear Margot For God's sake, don't
glvo yourself to that othor fellow be
cauao ho is rich. You know perfect
ly well that 1 love you to distraction.
Yours,
"ROBERT CECIL."
"Margot, Margot," shouted a gay
voice. Somo Httlo steps were heard on
tho gravel, and n girl of elevoii or
twelvo years of age, with a quantity
of hair falling over her shouldors, ran
around the houso and up to Margot's
Bide.
"Sir Peter Ansell is coming down
tho avenue, Margot ho is driving his
mall phaeton tandem, and It's perfect
ly splendid to boo him. Why, how
funny you look, and whnt Is that let
ter which Glp Is worrying? Oh, Mar
got, It's in Sir Peter's handwriting."
"Pick up all tho bits, Polly, do, do,"
exclaimed tho older girl. "Oh, you
wicked Glp, what a nuisance you are.
Why, I had scarcely read tho letter,
and nnd "
"Was It very Important?" asked
Polly, who was down on hor knees
helping to collect tho scattered frag
ments. "Oh, I Eupposo so; well, It does not
matter. Is Sir Peter coming around
hero, Polly? Do I look all right?"
"You look splendid," said Polly,
with emphasis. "Of course, he's com
ing round here. It's you ho has como
to visit we all know what ho wants.
-Oh, Margot, do say yes to him. I do
want to drlvo a tandem so dreadfully,
and Dob said this morning ho was go
ing to get a pony first thing out of
that old beggar of an Ansell, bco it
ho wasn't. You havo got to say yo3,
and sco that you do. Oh, what letter Is
that you aro crushing up In your
hand?"
"Nothing nobody's , letter," said
Margot, Incoherently. "How do you
do, Sir Poter?" She held out her hand
to n stout, florld-looklng man who
now approached.
"Woll, Margot," ho aald, "you have
read my latter, and, of course, It's to
be yes. Isn't It you do lovo mo a Ht
tlo bit, don't you?"
"Yes, I like you," said Margot, mak
ing a desperate effort.
"Woll, that's pleasant to hear you
can easily chango liko Into love now,
can't you?"
Margot thought ot Dob. who want
ed good schooling; of Polly, who was
running wild, without any chanco ot
growing up as a young lady should;
ot hor father who was over head nnd
heels in debt, and ot her mother, who
had been worried straight out ot this
world by money cares.
Sho shut away the plcturo of the
man who had sent her tho other let
ter. "After all," sho Bald to herself,
"what docs ono girl's llfo matter?
Sir Poter Is a millionaire, and he can
save us all. Yes, I'll marry him."
Sho turned her faco toward tho burly
countenanco ot her lover, and said
bravoly:
"You aro very kind to me, and I
supposo I'll lovo you In time."
"Yes; that you shall, and pretty
soon, too," ho nnswered. "Now, glvo
mo a kiss, Margot."
Margot held up her check Sir Peter
put his arm around her and kissed hor
several times.
Tho rest of the day passed In a sort
of a dream. Thoro was oxcltoment
and delight In tho Forrester house
hold. Margot was kissed, blessed and
congratulated by ovory soul In tho
placo. Sir Peter had a long and emi
nently satisfactory Interview with Mr.
Forrester. Margot wondered how she
was ever to go through with it. Tho
other letter seemed to burn a hole In
her pockot. SV, felt It wherever sho
went.
"You know perfectly woll that I lovo
you to detraction, "
This sentence kept repeating Itself
over and over, in hor disturbed mind.
Sir Poter was coming back to lata din
ner, nnd special preparations woro be
ing mado In his honor, Mr. Forrester
was uncorking some of his latest good
Burgundy Polly was Ailing all tho
vases with fresh flowers. Thero waa a
festive air over everything.
Dinner was to bo at halt-past 7.
At half-past 6 Margot put on hor
bat and went out. Tho great heat ot
the day was tempered now by a gontlo
breeze. Margot mnnt to give herself
hnlf an hour of solitude. Sho meant
during that half hour to read Cecil's
letter and then tear It Into tiny frag
ments. When tho letter was torn up
perhaps that tiresome sentence: "You
know I love you to distraction," would
cease to haunt her.
Sho went down to the bnnk ot tho
river, and, seating herself under a
treo, took out tho letter.
Sho had scarcely done so before n
manly voice shouted her name. There
was the dip of oars and tho gentlo
swish of a boat being propelled rapidly
forward. Cecil, in boating costumo,
pulled up under tho treo where Margot
was sitting. In a moment ho had
Jumped out.
"Now, this Is luck," ho exclaimed.
"To think thnt I should find you here,
nnd absolutely reading my letter. Oh,
I say, Margot, Is it is it all right?"
His bronzed faco was palo as he asked
tho question, his volco shook.
"No; it's all wrong," said Margot,
with a sudden passion. "Oh, Robert,
I'm not strong enough I could not
withstand them all. Wo aro so fear
fully poor and father's debts. Rob
ert, I could not help myself somo ono
had to be sacrificed."
"You don't mean to tell me," said
Cecil, Interrupting her, nnd grasping
her arm with such forco that sho cried
out with pain, "you don't mean to toll
me, Margot, that after my lotter you
havo gone and given yourself to that
fellow?"
"Yes, I have," said Margot, bursting
Into a passion ot tears. "I havo, and
ho's coming back to dinner, and I must
go."
"Look nt me, Margot," said the
young man. "You don't lovo him?"
"No."
"And do you lovo mo?"
"Yes."
"Then don't you think you'ro doing
a very wicked thing, a very unfair
thing to Sir Peter?"
"I am marrying him Ijflnauso he Is
rich," said Margot, "and to help all the
others. When a girl has a father and
brothers and sisters, Bhe must sacrifice
herself sometimes. I novcr told him
thnt I loved him."
"Did you tell him that you loved
me?"
"No."
"I ropeat that you are doing wrong,
Margot, and no good will como of It."
Cecil sprang down the bank onco
moro and Jumped Into the boat. Mar
got returned to tho house.
In tho hall sho was mot by Polly.
"Margot," she exclaimed, "I don't
know what can be gong on, but Sir
Peter arrived here about a quarter of
an hour ago, and ho was not dressed
for dinner, and ho seemed to bo In a
most nwful rage about something. Ho
is with father In tho study. I was lis
tening at tho door and I heard his
voice getting louder nnd louder, and
father trying to sootho him. Oh, there,
I hear tho door opening and father Is
calling you. Run, Margot, do run,
nnd find out what Is tho matter. Oh,
dear, dear!" continued Polly, "your
eyes aro red and your faco all stained
with crying. Aro thlng3 going to turn
out wrong after all?"
"Margot," called the father, "come
hero at once."
She obeyed him immediately. Ho
took her hand, drew her Into tho study
and locked the door.
Sir Peter, whoso face was alarming,
ly red, was standing on the hearth rug.
Ho camo straight up to Margot when
sho entered tho room.
"Now young lady," ho said, "I want
to nsk you a plain question. Is that my
lotter that I wrote to you this morn
ing, or Is It not?"
Hero ho held up a much chewed
and disfigured morsel of paper.
"Is that my letter?" ho repeated;
"Is that my slgnaturo?"
"Yes;" said Margot, looking at It,
"I'm really very sorry," sho exclaimed,
"Glp has been chewing It."
"You henr her," exclaimed Sir Peter,
turning to Forrester. "You see, sho
confesses tho whole thing. Now, what
excuso havo you to make for such con
duct, Miss Forrester?"
"Margot could havo known nothing
about It," began Mr. Forrester.
"Yes, I did," ald Margot. "I saw
him doing it, but tho fact Is I was so
busy reading another letter that I did'
not wait to stop him. Sir Peter," she
continued, "I mado a mlstako when I
said 'yes' this morning I can't go on
with my engagement. I And that I I
don't lovo you thnt I shall never lovo
you. and thnt I do love some ono else."
"By Jove!" exclaimed Sir Poter,
"Isn't that a nice confession to make?"
I write you a proposal ot marriage and
you allow your dog to chew up my
letter. You accept mo In tho morn
ing nnd you reject me in the evening,
and finally you tell mo that you lovo
another man better than me. Don't
you think you havo behaved very bad
ly?" "I do," answered Margot, "I havo
behaved dreadfully both to you and to
tho othor mnn."
She left the room wlthont another
word nnd went up to hor bedroom.
The day had begun badly, and now
It was going to end badly. Margot did
not dnro to return to tho bosom of
her Justly aggrieved family again that
night. Sho cried n great deal; Anally
sho took Cecil's letter and rend It care
fully over not onco, but mnny times.
Then she raised it to her Hps and kiss
ed It passlonutely, and she got into
bed, and, holding It open In her palm,
sho went to sleep with it pressed
against hor cheek.
When sho awoko tho next morning
sho felt less.unhnppy; In short, things
seemed to have cleared themselres a
little In her brain.
Sho no longer folt thnt it was her
duty to sacrifice herself to her family.
It so happoned that Cecil, who had
called early nt tho house that morn
ing, was ablo to confirm her In this
opinion.
Thoughts that disturb men most
never enter a woman's head.
BARB WIRE TELEPHONE LINE.
Two Indiana Timni, Fifteen Mil
2rt, SucneetioHy Cnnuentcd.
An Anderson, Ind., correspondent
writes: One ot the most novel tele
phono systems in the world Is tho
"barbwlro" line, which connects t'jo
towns of Anderson, Pendleton nnd In
galla. It la fifteen miles In length. Its
lavontoi, builder nnd solo owner, Cas
eins Alley of Pendleton, Ind., now hn
six subscribers nt 50 n year each.
T.'ij time is npt far distant when thero
wtil be ten-fold this number. One
clothing compnny at Anderson with
branch stores nt Pendleton, nnd tho
Wagner Glas3 Works, with offices at
Andorson and factory at Ingalls, are
using this barb-wlro system In their
business affairs exclusively. They use
the lino frequently. They can convert
It Into a private lino by plugs bo ar
ranged that when ono party la ualng
tho lino he can cut out all other excopt
In Mr. Alley's realdonce, which Is used
ns a central station. It Is no exag
geration to say that this barb-wire
telephone systom Is quite as satisfac
tory as tho copper circuit of tho Bell.
Ordinary phones aro used with no
special strength of battery nnd there
Is very Httlo trouble with tho lines.
In constructing tho lino Mr. Alloy
used tho top strand of tho barb-wlro
fence of tho Big Four railway, mak
ing the connections with the offices
of his subscribers with ordinary tolo
phono wire. -In somo Instances whoro
tho posts hnd rotted It was necessary
to paint the wire and posts with rub
ber pnlnt to Insulnto tjio wire. The
wholo lino of fifteen miles was built
at a cost of nbout $100, and the outfit
for each house, consisting of receiver,
transmitter, battery, call, etc., costs
not over $10. The line has been in
operation since December 22, and has
not been out of order except for a few
hours when a fast train on tho rail
way track atruck a cow, threw her
body against tho fence and broko tho
wlro.
MEN OF GENIUS.
ritst-llorn Nona Do Not Monopolize
Oreutneu.
Professor Axenfeld, nn eminent Eu
ropean physiologist, has brought about
nn interesting dlcusslon by tho state
ment of his belief that mon of genlua
are always tho oldest of families.
"Second or third sons, may bo emi
nent mon," ho adds, "and sons born
later may bo mon of talent, but they
can never be great." Dr. Cyrus Edaon,
a physiologist of Now York, under
takes to controvert theso slutements,
and furnishes tho following names ol
men of genius who wore not tho first
born: Benjamin Franklin, fifteenth;
Sir R. Arlcwrlght, thirteenth; Joseph
Butler, eighth; Sir Joseph Reynolds,
seventh; Alfred the Great, fifth; Slj
Charle.3 Bell, fifth; Prince Bismarck,
fourth; Gladstone, fourth; Cecil
Rhodes, fourth; Wellington, third;
Charles James Fox, third; Sir Robert
Walpole, third; Shakespeare, third:
Beaumont, third; Fletcher, third;
Lord Lytton, third; Philip of Macedon,
third; Tennyson, third; Simon de
Montfort, third; Napoleon Bonaparte,
second; Turenne, second; Solomon,
second; Sir Wlllam Wallace, second;
John Wesley, second; Sir F. Baring,
second; Montaigne, second; Carlyle,
second; Brian Boru, second; Christo
pher Huggens, second; R. B. Sheri
dan, second.
Winter Ocean italln.
The fad of taking plunge in th
waters of tho ocean and bay during
the winter has, it seems, taken a firm
hold on some ot the residents m the
suburban sections of Brooklyn, espe
cially thoso nlong the shores ol
Gravesend Bay, at Bath Beach and
Bensonhurst. Theso two hamlets now
boast of three residents who never fall
to take a cool dip in the bay overy day
in tho year. All those who would doubt
it can go down to Bensonhurst and
make inquiries for John Richmond, s
good natured Englishman, who owns a
Httlo placo on Bath afenns.near Thirty-fifth
streot, where ho conduct? s
Aorlst's business. Ills wlfo prides hor
self on being tho only woman In llu
city who takes tho Icy plunge, It ha;
beon said that a mysterious woman did
mnko her appearance a short tlmo ngc
nt Bath Beach, and, after promonadlnj
tho beach for a time, she plunged Intc
the water. Tho woman, however, wai
apparently satisfied with that one (lit
nnd has not been seen along tho shore
ulnce, while Mrs'. Richmond is thert
every day.
Pensioned Widow of O m rem.
Among tho widows of volunteer of
ficers of tho civil war to whom pen
eons have been granted are Mrs. F
P. Blair, $2,000 a year; Mrs. John M,
Corse, 1,200; Mrs. Nathaniel P.
Banks, $1,200; Mrs. Wnlter Q. Ores
ham, $1,200; Mrs. John F. Hnrtranft,
$1,200; Mrs. John A. Logan, $1,200;
Mfs. Fletcher Webster, whoso hus
band waa tho son of Daniel Webster,
$1,200. Among tho widows of tho reg
ular establishment pensions havo been
granted as follows: Mrs. P. H. Sheri
dan, $2,500; Mrs. G. II. Thomas, $2,000;
Mrs. G. B. McClellan, $2,000; Mrs.
John C. Fremont, $2,000; Mrs, Grant,
$5,000; Mrs. Hancock, $2,000; 'Mrs.
Crook, $2,000, besides a largo number
of less known persons at $10 and $3(1
n mouth,
Women's Unoqunl Itlelili.
In thirty-seven of theso United
Stntes a married mother has no Iega!
right to her children. In 3lr.teon states
a wlfo has no legal right to her own
earnings outsldo of the home. In eight
states a woman has no right to her V
n Km ..i .. . ,
inuiii; miui marriage, in SQVOn
etates thero is no lnw compelim
man to support his own family.
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