JOlSEJSLS Tho truly modern preacher Discusses every fnd That comes to public notlcei If It lie good or bad. Ilo speaks with graceful accent On "Should Our Hnlr Ilo Dyed" Or tells his congregation "The, Proper Way to Hide." Ho walls "Tho Curso of Checker".' Or "Why Wo Lonvo thn Karn!" Put nono hns UBcd thin topic. "Turn In a Flro Alarm." v Ilo talks on ".Mo.tern Writer." Or "Can Our Votes Ho Uoiight," And sometimes hVs Just lovely On "TiioURhtleancs's of Thought." Some day nn Innovation "Will suddenly be, sprung Homo conscientious preacher Will turn his silver tongue To words of hope-nnil heaven, And Brace Ills voleo will 1111, And we'll Ret more religion And less of vaudeville. Chicago Times-Herald. The Clutch of Circumstances, BY B. C. WALTZ. (Copyright, 1901, by Dally Story Pub. Co. When tho wind swept tho boat ncross tho waters, tossing It to and fro In a mocking and mad glee, Carter Starr had only tho ono thought to save his companion and himself. The boatrlde was a mad escapade on tho part of both a daring doflanco of tho old quarrel bctweon her undo and adopted father, Beldcn Storms and hU own family. But when tho fates throw them together for a fortnight's sojourn at tho sldesldo hotel, tho two saw a humor In tho situation that drovo them Into follies and pranks undreamed of before. Ho knew that sho was pretty and an heiress. Ho know that his own fortunos depended upon tho caprlco of his grandfather. Sho admired hlra with a woman's admiration, because ho was forbidden to her by every tra dition of tho Storms family. Introduced by accident and among strangers, tho two laughed into each other's eyes and defied fortuno and tradition. They met afterwards by those strango accidents that seem ar ranged for such cases, In tho early morning dip In tho sea, In tho noolta of the long porticos, at night during tho pauses of the dance and, on an island party over tho bay, In tho danco Itself bocauso It was safo enough. But this afternoon had been utterly with out precedent Ho had strolled away In his flannels for a smoke and to read while tho hotel peoplo napped after luncheon. And, In tho shade of n great rock, ho had chanced upon Elolso Storms awake, alert, saucy and mag netic. An hour later they went out for a sail over to Idlo Rock. That was the story only they had not counted on what might happen. What did happen made them help less, ,thelr boat disabled In a few mo ments, ,at the mercy of n wild sea. Then was tho dreadful darkness of the tossing waters and a blinding rain. Elolso's red parasol went to and fro toward tho shore like a gay buoy at the first gust. And after It went hor pique cap and his own soft felt, mero links in a chain of evldcnco In after hours. It wa3 hard to say which was tho paler faco In the ilrst realizations of the moment. But Elolso recovered herself with tho courage of her race. "Wo shall bo carried out to sea." He looked at herewith trembling lips "We shall bo carried to sea, "I should haveknown better than to havo brought you." Sho smiled bitterly. "And I should not have come. We aro oven. Can we get through the storm?" He looked out to the Infinite, om nipotent sea. His reckloss moods fell from him. Tho wind blew the girl's brown hair about her shoulders. Ho could not sco her face. He tried to keep a control of tho rudder for a long tlmo but gavo It up as useless. Out, out Into tho darkness and tossing wa ters they wont with tho receding tldo. Finally he crept along close to her and took hor hands. . "You have been very bravo I think I will toll you that tho boat mny break up later. It Is an old ono and leak ing horribly. Hero Is a rope. I will tlo It about you and myself as well as I can and to the mast ami deck pleco. Bclievo me, I will do all I can to savo you." Sho put her hands on his shouldors and looked 'Into his eye's., tV "Forglvo mo." "For what?" They wpro both stern and choleric. "Folly. I knew bettor than to daro Fato so." "So did I. You must forglvo mo A man should bo wise." "And a woman discreet. What would my unclo and aunt say now?". Ho was knotting tho rope about hor. "Wo may never know. Now we cannot bo separated. If ono drowns, tho other will. It is Just, is It not? And It makos chances." "I would not havo It any other way. Who wants to go Into tho Unknown alone?" Ho rose up suddenly. "Elolso, tho worst Is coming. Give mo your hand, no, hold to me. 600!" Sho looked seaward and saw that which niado her shriek and cling to him. Two hours later they lay somewhere on tho sand, still in a terrible darkness and the storm raglnc about ihm That thoy were allvo seemed a miracle. When consciousness returned to him tho sea was washing their bodies. Ho had dragged her higher onto tho sand and discovered that she was not dead. Now her head was pillowed on his Bhouldon and her faco hidden on his breast. "Whoro are we?" "I do not know. Wo must wait for light. It may bo an Island it may bo tho shore," Sho laughed bitterly. "It does not niako much difference., I shall never go buck." "Why? O, I know, I know!" "You do not know tho Storms. I am forever disgraced In their eyes. I would rather bo dead. I shall never go back. Get me away somewhere and let mo disappear. I will work, any thing, anything, rather than faco my uncle." Her voico was scornful and dreary enough. Ho smoothed her wlnd roughened hair. "Do not think that I do not know. I cannot see that my own case Is very different, I, too, have offended against tho unwritten laws. I also must bear my punishment." "Which will bo " "My grandfather never forgives." "I know that well." After a long silence during which tho wind seemed somewhat less ter rible, ho said. In a low tono: "But I will niako it up to you." "How can you?" "I can at least save you from tho worst." "Tho worst," she shuddered. "I can make you my wife." "You? And I was to mako such a great marriage.' "So was I, Perhaps this is one. Wo can call It so." Sho wrung her hands. "I cannot go back alone, I cannot. But nothing conld bo worse than tho return. I sw no other way. Cnn you brave it?" Ho smoothed her hair from her fore heads "Wo know tho world nnd wo boo the situation. Wo woro saved together and aro known to havo been oul on tho sea by this. tlmo. I will tnka you back ns my wife. That will bo tho only thing now as I fico." "But marriage mnrrlago Is a sol emn, a sacred tlo." "So It is. Wo will try to do our duty. I think death has purified our souls tonight. So bo comforted and wo will sco what tho light brings ua. it may solvo tho problem of what to do noxt." In tho faint gray dawn ho awoke from a troubled sleep. They wcro on a long sandy beech. Clear across the bay wero the buildings of tho great hotel. Beyond nnd nbovo them was n small village and tho cross of a tiny stono church showed over tho trees. "Tho way is found," ho said, calmly, 'como, wo will go yonder." Tho news of their rcscuo went by telephone to tho great hotel nnd tho wholo house, excited by their disap pearance and survival, waited on the piazzas' nnd at tho wharf for their ro turn on tho coast steamer. Tho peoplo nt tho vlllago had given Uiom soma clothing but they presented .t Etrango appearance as they stepped on shore. At tho gang-plank stood a whltc-hnlrcd old man and a red faced ralddlo-agcd man. They were both stern, and choleric, their great relief finding vent in hot anger. Tho culprits camo together. Cartor Starr held his head high and his Hps wcro as set as hlu grandfather's own. EIoIho was wan and clung to his arm. Thero was a loud huzzahlng of tho passen gers nnd a dash forward to shako hands. "Wait," ho cried, "and I'll glvo you something to halloo for. Miss Storms and myself havo been very near Death and havo como back as wo wcro saved, together. Wo woro married this morn Ing nt St. Stephen's ncroso tho bay." Tho old man's byes at onco met thoso of tho red-faced man's in a look of Intense relief. Ho caught his grand son's arm. "And you did right, yo:t scnmpl" ho; roarod out, "You aro always a gentle man." And Elolso felt hor uncle's wet check against her own. "Tho proper thing." ho sobbed, "the propor thing and, under tho circum stances, tho only thing." FIND WATER IN THE DESERT. I'U'iitlful riorr I Struck In .Mojuvo Desert by Pruning torn. The Mojavo desert, located In tho southeastern portion of tho state, has long boon regarded as dangerous to llfo and valueless for any pifrpose, says tho San Frnncisco Argonaul. True, it was known that tho arid land could bo rendered fruitful by means of irrigation, but thero was no water thero and none could be obtained without a heavy expenditure. The only plan proposed that promised re lief was tho construction of immense reservoirs in tho mountains to retain tho Btorm water for a long distance during tho summer. This meant 11 heavy Initial outlay and neither tho state government nor tho federal gov ernment has as yet expressed n will ingness to Incur It. Life on tho desert when not positively dnngerous, Is crowded with hardships, but hardships havo no deterrent, effect upon tho searchers for gold, and lately tho waste places of tho desert havo beon Invaded by nn army of prospectors for oil. Tho theory upon which, they proceeded was that tho Kern river oil bolt extends through tho Mojavo desert. Whcthor or not thero Is any virtue In this theory, tho facts 00 far developed have not Justified It. No oil has been found, but water In considerable quantities has been struck and at the present tlmo this Is more vnluablo than the oil would have been. Artesian water, If a sufficient quantity can bo found, Is much hotter than the retained nnd ditched storm wntcr would havo been, since thoro Is less expense for hand ling and less loss from evaporation. Three wells have been developed al ready. The third struck tho water nt a depth of 185 feet, which Is much moro shallow than would bo required for nn oil well. All of them are said to bo "gushers," and tho latest flows 215 mlner'B Inches. If tho water belt should prove to bo permunont nnd ox tonslvo a niBh to this region and something very Hko a land boom may bo looked for. The Knlner's Cliiireli-IItilldlng 1'ncl. Tho kaiser of Germany has many hobbles; tho kulsertn only one, tho building of churches, Bays tho New York Times. Ah, however, Hho Is con stantly Indulging her taste for ee cleslastici. construction, tho matter Is, financially at least, of some Importance to thoso who pay for her piety. Thero is, theroforo, a certain good-nntured dissatisfaction with her oxtrnvaganca is this lino. Taxpayers comfort them selves with tho thought thnt sho might spend their money In less praise worthy objects. Tho feeling on tho subject was recently given expression to In a comical manner nt tho unveil ing of ono of tho groups of tho statue's with which tho emporor has decorated the alley in tho Thlergarton In Berlin, known bb tho "Slogeralleo." At tho close of t'ho ceremony camo tho na tional hymn, "Hell Dir im Slegor krnnz," whereat overy ono, of course, uncovered. Among tho number was a totally bald man, seolng whom ono of tho street urchins present called out: "Hey, there's another vacant spot for the kalserln to build a church on!" AMETIICAJV wilt j BRIDGE IJSf BVWAH, A steamship recently arrived nt New York with a llttlo group of men browned to a copper color by exposure to tho tropical sun. As thoy reached tho dock n number of people waiting to meet them gave each a hearty hand shake nnd extended congratulations. In tho 'engineering world this group will bo long remembered ns tho men who put up tho greatest railroad bridge in tho world in a country nono of them hnd over seen, nmld trials nnd troubles which might bo expected to dlscourago anyono but a Yankeo engi neer. Two or throo years ngo tho survey ors of n railroad lino In Burmnh camo BUILDING A 200-FOOT COLUMN. POINT. to a hole In tho ground which was so deep thnt it seemed as If a balloon would bo tho only way to cross It. This was tho Goktolk gorge. To go around It would requlro twenty or thirty miles more of trnck, and the question aroso whether it could bo spanned by a bridge. Tho general o.fllclnls of tho company thought It could If tho right men could bo found to undertake tho work. Several American firms wero Invited to put In bids, and ono of them, tho Pennsylvania Steel company, se cured tho Job. It was a caso of hurry from start to llnlsh, for tho work must bo done within a year from tho tlmo tho contract was lot Tho Btool for tho towers, girders and other work had to bo turned out of tho works, shipped to New York, loaded on board vessels, carried to Rangoon, loaded on cars and then transported 450 miles t6 this holo In tho ground. Special machinery had to be built to put tho brldgo to gether nnd to raise tho different pieces and hold them in position. ' In nil, about 5,000 tons of metal nlono wcro required for tho work, tho brldgo It self taking 4,852 tons alone. From ono sldo of tho Valley to tho other was nearly half a mllo, For two thirds of this dlstanco tho railroad track had to bo laid at heights ranging from 100 to 250 feet nbovo tho ground, THE GIANT TRAVELER Then came a drop of 320 feet to the top of n bridge nature had thrown across one of tho mountain rivera of Southern Asia. Upon this natural bridge, Just wide enough to form a safe support, heavy steel towers were riveted to gether to such a height that tho men working upon them at tlio top lookod llko Insects to the observer from liu low. PALMS FOR ARID PLAINS. Troon 1'roni lliu lln May Holm Hie Wan In I.hiiU I'rohleiu. The department of agriculture Heems to entertain tho belief that the dato palm may solve tho problem of what to do with tho arid and alkali lands of Arizona, California and other westorn states. Experiments ha,v, cen maiiu In tho past by the department, and ex periment stations, but ronowed Inter est is being taken by tho section of plant introduction of tho department f Agriculture, nnd ProfesBor P, G. As soon ns tho cablegram camo from tho Burmnh railway company accept ing tho Amcrlcnn bid a special forco of workmen wan selected to turn out the material us rapidly ns possible, nnd tho brldgo department worked dny and night. The work, particularly In Itn Initial stnges, was performed amidst various perils. In tho depths of tho gorge, matted with underbrush and scattered with hugo rocks, lurked tho deadly snnkes of India. Homo of tho coolies wero bitten nnd died. Poisonous vego tntlon also affected tho men, nnd va pors arising from tho depths of tho ra vlno bred low fovcr in American bones. Thero wcro bensta of prey, too, but al though thoy wcro seen and heard prowling about tho camp at night tho bridge bulldera suffered nothing from tholr doprodntlons except tho loss of somo llvo stock. The Incessant rains turned tho ground Into liquid mud, nnd tho mnsona laying tho stono founda tions for the towers wero hold back ton weeks. At last these wero com pleted, and thou tho "trnveljor" wan put In position. This was n mechanical glnnt, the Inrgcst by far over used In brldgo con structlon. It lifted nnd loworod tho WOIUCMEN ON THE tons of steel nnd held thorn In Its grip while tho men fastened them Into place. Although lu tho photographs of tho work the traveler looks to bo only 20 or .'10 feet In length and to weU;h perhaps four or Hvo tons, It extended from Its support on tho end of tho rail road track a dlstanco of 1C5 feet over tho gorge and contained ninety tons of metal alone. Tho beams or trusses Fnlrchlld, agricultural explorer for tho department, now traveling lu Afrlcr., hns procured a number of anchors, or offshoots, from tho delta of tho Nile, which ho has shipped to tho depart ment and which will be distributed In tho southwestern pnrt of this coun try. In tho United States the dato Is an article of luxury, but in its nutlvo country It In n most Important food, many regions In Arabia nnd IthV Sa hara bolng uninhabitable, but" for tho dato palm. Tho United States annu ally Imports nearly $ 1,000,0(00 worth of data; butvjt li poMjb'lf, the de- which formed Its lower portion wcro 219 foct In length, and from Its top to tho railroad track was 40 feet. To keep this Immense weight from toppling over, n counter-weight of tfoventy-flvo tons was loaded upon tho rear portion, which waa mounted on Nvhooled trucks so thnt It could bo rolled along ns tho brldgo was erected. Tho llttlo band of thlrty-flvo Ameri cans put tho mammoth bridge together from olght months nftor tho work was commenced, Tho brldgo Is so strongly built that It will support a train of loaded freight cars reaching Us cntlro length, In addition to four locomotlvca weighing fifty-four tons each. Owing to Itn great height, It must bo strongly braced to withstand tho forco of tho galea which sweep down tho vnlley nt a velocity of sixty or seventy miles an hour. Tho engineers had to calculate upon thoso and other dellcato points, but teste mndo after completion show thnt they calculated to 11 nicety. 1 tt was expected In building tho bridge to hnvo tho aid of compressed air in bor ing holes through tho stool and fasten ing tho rivets, but whon tho COO na-i Uvea who wero employed as lnborcrtf henrd tho hissing nnd notrd tho effect of tho unseen force, thoy believed It to bo something supernatural nnd not ono of thorn could bo Induced to touch tho compressed air tools. Ah a result, nil. of tho holts and rivets, nearly two hun dred thousand, wero fastened In tho old-fashioned wny by hand hamtuorB. ' This dolnyed tho work about ono mouth. Tho work was dono under tho super vision of J, C. Turk of Now York, jib engineer for tho Pennsylvania Steel oompuny, under tho genornl direction of Mr. J. V. W. Heyndors, .genornl su perintendent of tho brldgo department, who prepnrcd tho drawings for tho structure. Tho hrldgq cost $700,000, or $310 a foot. Of tho llttlo baud of Americans who went half way around tho world to do this work, every man camo back allvo and hearty, but with the memory of ono of tho most trying tasks over completed by Yankeo pluck and Ingenuity. Idling Ntnnr of Mouth Sen. The visitor to tho Falkland Islands sees a number of what appear to bo weathor-benten, moHs-coveied bowldera Of vnrlouH sizes scattered hero and thoro. On nttomptlng to turn ono over ho is surprlsod to And that It lu an chored tovthn ground by roots of great strjiigth. These aro not bowlders, they aro trees! No other placo In tho world can hIiow auch a peculiarity of "forest" growth. Tho Falkland Islands aro exposed to a Btrong polar wind, which renders It Impossible for trees to grow lu tho propor form; nature has consequently adapted herself to tho prevailing conditions nnd produced thin strange form of plant llfo. Thcso "living stones," ns thoy nro cnlled, nro qulto devoid of "grain" and It (s next HIGHEST PIEK. 10 lmpoHslblo to cut them up and utilize them for fuel,- Now York Proas. A Thickly rouiiliitvil l'arUh. Islington is tho moat thickly popu lated parish In England, having 11? persons to tho ncre. Bolton comes next, Blue blond is 0110 of tho things that 'runs In the family?" pnrtment lmlloves, to rnlso all tho dates needed In this country. Tho dnto palm, although grown profitably only In nrid and Homl-arld regions, is not in tho propor sonso of tho word n des ert plnnt. It requires a fairly abun dant, and, above nil, a constant supply of wator at thn roots, nnd nt tho Bamo tlmo It dollghtB in a perfectly dry and .very hot climate. 'IMe dato palm la 'nblo to stand much more cold, than nn ornngq troo, but not so much as a pencil treo. . A use'leM'llfe iWta'llfing d&atfc. ( r vr