L Fleddie and Fleddis By H. 0. (Copyright, 1903, by How cold It was In Bleoker Lanol Tho wind seemed to havo a particular spito against an old, ramshackle throe-story framo building that stood on tho corner, bumping Into it, and sweeping and growling about It until It heaved and groaned, as If crying out against Ha rough playfellow. Tho falling snow piled up against It, and by the dim light one could boo how tho boisterous wind lifted tho snow and flung It against tho old houso, snow balling It, roaring with glee as now and then a window broke In. Up on the third floor tho snow poured In through one of tho broken windows na If curious to sco tho Inside, then formod llttlo piles which wero whirled around the room by a stray gust from the big wind outside, thon piling up against two huddled up figures that lay In tho farther corner, revealing n girl, scantily dressed, a rng of a cot ton shawl wound round her, an cloven year-old girl, but with an oxprcsslvo wisdom and experience In hor faco that made ono shudder, whilo pitying her. Hor eyes wero closed and sho breathed softly. Tho other was a dog. Tho snow kept piling up against tho two until tho dog moved uneasily, and licked his mistress hand with a fer vor that woko her Instantly. Sho pat- tea his head, nnd slowly roso, rovcal ing an immense pair of shoes in which her feet were lost, cut and torn, nnd one latchle8s. Tho snow, losing its support, flew around tho room, thon settled down on tho floor, making a white covering of purity that hid Its dirt. Everyone in Dloekcr Lane knew tho girl nnd her attendant, tho dog. The dog had been rescued by Fleddis from an lmmenso tin pall which ho waB regarding nggresslvoly ono sum mor's day, crouching in tho Bun with despair written in his very tall. Bleeker Lane flrst knew them as "Fleddis an' the dawg," thon as "Fled dlo an' Fleddis," putting tho dog first. He was a terrier of tho 'ordinary slzo, but his lovo for his mistress was so fervent that it was a constant sourco of wonder to the 'Avonoo', as It was derisively called, "why some on It wasn't leaking out'n his skin." "Fled die," she said, "wait 'ero till I comes uuuk, uuu no curiea mmseir in a corner accordingly. Gathering up her wisp of a shawl, sho dragged tho shoes down tho worm-eaten steps, almost being run down by n half drunken man as sho stepped outside. Ho raised his list threateningly. "Oh! Fleddis!" ho hiccoughed, nnd lurched on. Poor lit tle girl! How pitiful sho looked as she passed up the nnrrow alley! As sho camo to tho wider street, a shab by houso, brightly lit up, caught hor attention. It was a children's party going on, but Bho peered through the half-curtained windows with llttlo gasps of admiration and envy, until somo ono opened tho door nnd sho scuttled away. Ab sho went up tho street she begged timidly, and when she Anally got a copper from a passing man it was accompanied with: "Chil dren llko theso begging! Shameful!" Tho snow waB falling lightly, but ns she tramped on It got In her shoes and she could barely walk, hor foot wero bo cold. It was getting dark, and she stopped at n friendly baker's and got a roll for her cent, the kind-hearted woman putting somo cakes in the bag as sho saw bow wistfully hor custom er eyed them. As sho drow near the framo houso sho called homo, a light flared up In tho sky, bursting through a dense bank of smoke and revealing the alley crowded with a Jostling throng.flro linos drawn, and streams of water spattering against tho ram shackle buildings, coating tho street with Ice and freezing on tho flro fight ers below. A sudden pang seized her. Floddio! Tho flro was already circling and colling around tho rotten frame sho had left, and It was doomed. Tho firemen saw this, and trying to protect tho other houses, thought nothing of tho dog. Tho room was brightly lit, and Fleddis saw her pet colled In tho corner. It stlrrod, nnd then Jumped up as tho light beenmo brighter. Round and round It Bniffcd, then ran to the stairs. They wero smoking, but tho dog went down a fow stops, then run ning back fearfully, sprang to the window and hung there, looking down pitifully. Compassionate murmurlnga ran through tho crowd, nnd a not was She stopped at a friendly baker's, held below, but the dog would not Jump. A cry of sympathy went up from bolow, and then oh! his mis tress caught her breath as he gave a long howl of pain and terror, looking at hor. The howl rose above the deep undertono of sound, and seemed to plerco her through and tnrougb. As he dropped there was a little rush j about hor, and then from the specta tors arose a cry of horror as a little DA COSTA. Dlly Srtory Pub. Co ) whlto flguro struggled through them and plunged Into tho flro lines. On sho ran, her head filled with ono Idea; sho must savo Floddle. A burly flro man loomed up boforo her nnd stretched out a detaining hand, but sho dodged and puBsed him, and slip ping on tho lcc-covcrcd street he lost his balance and fell. Another plunged at her and held hor foot, but sho left tho Bhoo in his hand and hobbled on. Sho had reached tho door and Jumped through tho flamo. A burst of flamo sprang to meet her, but sho did not feel It. A step broke through, llckod up by tho flro, but sho scrambled to tho Sho plunged into the burning room, groping for her pet. ono above, groping her way up tho smoko-lnden steps. Up, up sho went, flaming nnd reached tho top step. Sho plunged into the burning room, crying for her pet, nnd groping for him till sho felt him in tho corner. Ho licked her hand feebly, then holding him fast, felt her way to tho window, her hair on flro, her dress burning, but sho did not feel tho pain. Up, up to tho win dow, gulfed In by Are, and then roar after roar of horror went up from tho crowd bolow ns they saw hor reach It, holding the dead dog tightly to hor. Tho Aro embraced tho wholo houso now, and It was shaking ominously. What a bright light that was! Sho could soo a long lano of gold reaching far out In tho sky, and Bho was taken up to It, holding her Flcddlo closely to her. Tho Aro hurt no more now. How good sho felt! Tho house leaned, thon toppled, falling amidst a showor of sparks. A long flamo shot up In tho sky, left its parent atom reluctantly, and flow Into tho night. Fleddio and Fleddis wero dead. OHILDREN AT THE CORONATION Bpnce to He Bot An Ills In Weitnilmter Abbey for Them. If tho carl marshal carrlos out his prcsont Intention ono of tho most in teresting places in Westminster ab bey on tho day of tho coronation will bo tho "children's corner," a Bpaco which it is proposed to set nsldo for tho youthful llttlo peers and peorcsscs in their own right, who, though still boys and girls, hnvu a legal right of which they Intend to nvall them selves of being presont when Ed ward VII. Is enthroned on tho "stono of destiny." Thero nro several boya in tho peer ago who,' owing to tho death of their father or somo other relative, hocamo horedltary legislators boforo thoy gavo up tho nursing bottlo, or soon after, and several llttlo peeresses who succeeded to their titles at an imma turo ago. Theso llttlo peers and peer esses, In their coronation robes nnd coronets, It is proposed to corral in ono group, which would mako n pret ty pic turo; hut think of tho possibili ties, says tho Now York Mall and Ex press, should tho llttlo folks got to squabbling nmong themselves! Tho earl marshnl would hotter provldo a "lord high wlelder of tho birch rod" to keep tho children's corner In order during tho long ceremonies. As tho nges of tho boy peers rango all tho way from 9 to 19, tho older ones may bo set as "monitors" over them, tho way they used to do at school. A vast amount of property will bo represented by theso children. Thero Is tho Viscount Combermoro, 15 years old, and possessed of 14,000 acres, with threo great country houses, ono of them being tho cele brated Combcrmero nbboy; tho Daron Carbory, 10 years old, with an estate of valuo in Ireland, nnd Lord Holm pntrlck, with about 7,000 acres to his estate Among tho big boys Is tho carl of Caledon, 17 yenrs old, an Immensely rich youth, with 30,000 acres to his fortune Lord Camoys, a year older, has an estnto of 0,800 acres. lie Meant Well. "I was laid up In tho cnbln of n North Carolina mountalneor with a sprained nnklo," says a travolor, "and though ho would willingly havo pro vided mo with tho best, tho faro con sisted of pones, fried squirrel nnd corn coffeo every meal. On tho fifth day I must havo let slip somo sign that things wero growing monotonous, for ho looked over at mo and said: "Stranger, I reckoned to mako a change in tnls yero fodder, but It didn't come about." "Oh, tho foddor Is all right," I ro piled. "But I don't skassly think It Is, and I was gwlne to make a change. Sorry to say I couldn't do it, but tho dratted woodchuck got clean away!" will EMBARRASSED THE CLERGYMAN Minister' Makeshift All IUrM Until thn Mftlil Appeared. A distinguished Episcopal clergy man was onco called on to ofllclato at a fashionable summer rosort church, and, finding only a short surplice and no cassock in tho vestry, was very much disturbed at tho thought of hav ing to nppenr in n vesture that to the frivolous would look llko n whlto shirt and trousers. But a happy inspiration camo to him. Why not wear ono of his wlfo's black petticoats? Tho por tion that would bIiow below tho sur plice would look exactly llko tho regu lation cassock, and no ono would over bo tho wiser. So ho hurriedly sent ono of tho ushers with an explanatory noto to his wlfo In tho hotel, and in tho nick of time tho petticoat arrived. Tho makeshift turnod out to bo n per fect success, and no ono nt a dlstanco could tell that ho was not wearing n cassock. After tho closo of tho scr vlco ho decided to go out to tho body of tho church without taking off his robes, In order to greet Eomo friends. And ho was soon tho center of n group of fashionablo women, when n green Irish maid from tho hotel camo up, and in n loud volco Bald to him: "Yer Rlveronco, tho missus Bint mo nfther her petticoat that yo do bo wearln', an' I wuz to wait till ye take It off." Now York Tribune MADE LIVING BY CRAOKING WHIPS Curloui Trad Discovered by the I'olloe ot France. The Paris police havo recently been Informed by ono of tho fraternity of whip-erackers thnt such a calling ex ists and claims recognition nsv ono of tho "professions" by tho exercise of which men earn their livelihood In Franco. Whip-crackers, it appears, aro men who possess strong wrists and aro willing to crack whips all day long, If required, on receipt of n sultablo fco. At tho commencement of tho shooting season, when tho proprietors of neigh boring demesnes aro not good friends, tho ono who beara ill-will to the other engages a whip cracker1, whoso duty it la to crack a whip so as to frighten away all tho birds at tho approach of tho disliked sportsman and his friends. Tho whlpcrackers nro also found useful by farmers nflllctcd with dis eased cattle which they cannot sell. Hnvlng engaged a whlpcrackor, they turn out the sick beasts on tho most frequented highway thoy can And. Tho cracker follows with his whip, osten sibly to guldo tho cattle, really to drlvo them under the wheels of a car riage, n motor car or a tram. This ho does by cracking his whip nt tho critical moment so ns to frighten the beasts and drlvo them to destruction. Her Level Head. "Of course," ho said In an offhand way, "It goes without saying that a beautiful girl llko you must have had many offers of marriage." Sho blushed prettily, and her eyes seemed to say "Of course," but Bho did not answer otherwise. "And, of course," ho went on, "I wouldn't think of asking who any of tho men wero or nnythlng about them, but I am Interested In knowing how they do It." Then sho roused herself. "Look hero," Bho said. "Aro you trying to get hints how to proposo to mo or to somo other girl?" Thus It was that she pinned him down, ns It wero, nnd brought him to tho point Napoleon Honaparte'i Wenllli. Napoleon Bonaparto's will, among thoso of great men, affords tho near est parallel to thnt of Cecil Rhodes In tho fortune It bequeathed. Ho was surely tho richest exile slnco tho world begnn. From his lonely home at St. Helena he bequeathed to his relatives and friends $40,000,000. Ho had boen rich, in gold as In power, beyond tho dreams of avarice, and thero must havo passed through his hands a prl vato fortuno such as mortal man has rarely dreamed of. His exnctlonB sot down at nearly 1375,000,000, which Ib, after all, but six times multiplying tho gift ho secured for himself from the Austrian treasury after Austerlltz. Ho died forty times a millionaire. Roads Made of Gold, The people ot tho two counties south of Lacrosse, Wis., especially near Prairie du Chlen, havo been for yenra using gold-bearing qunrtz for road making and houso building, thinking It wns common stono. Tho finding of a heavy, paying vein of gold on n fnrm of Mrs. N. S. Dousman set them right. By following up tho vein It was traced for many miles nround, touching, In some places, quarries where rock hns been taken for years. Lightning striking In the samo place during successive storms led MIbh Violet Dousman to think that metal In somo form existed there. Her In vestigations led to tho discovery of the gold. Far the Itlch Only. Uncle and Aunt Melcher went to town to buy a new clock. "Now," said tho dealer, "hero is something very attractive In tho way of clocks. When tho hour begins, a bird comes out of tho top nnd sings 'Cuckoo! For instance, I turn this hand to 3 o'clock, nnd the bird comes out nnd Blngs 'Cuckoo!' threo times." "Don't that beat all?" cried Undo Melcher, enthusiastically. "Mother, let's have one." "No, no!" said his wife hastily. "That sort of a clock might do for folks that havo got lots of time, but It'd take me half the forenoon evtry day to take care of that bird." YputhB Companion. I 01 Public interest I t s ewvvwvvv4v'wvvvve FACSIMILES ARE IN DEMAND. Few Duplicate Copies of the Declara tion of Independence. Sovcrnl communications hnvo ro contly renched tho Record asking It tho original copy of tho Declaration of Independence was In oxlstonco, nnd If duplicate copies could bo had. It 1b a rnther curious fact that whilo fac similes of tho Declaration wero com mon enough several years ngo, nnd wero largely used for advertising pur poses, thoy aro now very senrco so flcarco thnt a Philadelphia collector only last week paid $10 for ono bear ing tho advertisement of n western railroad. Tho original document, pro Borved In glass, Is still to bo seen In tho possession of tho Department of Statu In Washington, hut It has bo como so faded aR to bo nearly Illegible by reason of which n photographic re production would bo valueless. James D, McBrlde had plates mndo nnd se cured n copyright on them In 1874, but thoso plates wore later destroyed by flro, and nono Is now In oxlstonco. Consequently tho copies thnt havo been preserved nro constantly Increas ing In value. Philadelphia Record. OLD-TIME ACTRESS IN WANT. Miss Ada Gray, of "East Lynno" Fame, Destitute and III. Miss Ada Gray, who was found des titute and III In u smnll cottago on City Island, New York, has boen prac tically disabled by disease for Bovornl years, In fnct, over slnco her retire ment from tho stage. Flftoen or twen ty yenrs ago MIbs Gray was ono of tho most popular actresses In America. Sho won fnmo by hor flno cmotlonnl work In "East Lynno," tho only ploco In which sho achieved nny consider ablo success. Sho married Charles TIngny, well known In New York ns nn nctor and wrltor. At prosont Miss Gray is occupying a room In Fordham Hospital. Sho will bo taken euro of by tho Actors' Fund. Limits Fees of Physicians. By n legal decision tho Paris courtB have Just settled that $2 Is an or dinary feo for tho visit of n doctor In Paris. A man nnd his wlfo called In n woman doctor, whoso bill wns afterward mado out at u rato of $4 for tho first visit and $2 for tho oth ers. A lawsuit followed and tho court gavo Judgment In favor of tho pa tients, saying that $2 Is the custom ary fco in Paris for pcoplo In medium station of life. TO VISIT CENTRAL, AFRICA. Mrs. ColcleuQh Has Undertaken a Haz ardous Expedition. Mrs. Emma Shaw Colclough, n wldo ly known clubwoman and wrltor, has Balled on n trip nt which most women would shrink In terror at tho mcro thought of it. She Is bound on nn ex ploring tour nlono Into tho heart of Central Africa, to regions whero no womnn has over been before Mrs. Colcleugh Ib nn Intrepid travolor, who has seen many parts of tho world and henco is qulto without fear In her present undertaking. Sho Is n tall, slim, energetic looking woman, tho picture of health and endurance Sho Is a clover wrltor as woil ns a good talker and hor letters from Cuba dur ing tho months that followod tho Spanish wnr gavo Homo of tho best and truest pictures of conditions thoro turnod out by nny correspondent. Wants Odd Name Changed. Ervln Pfuhl, a cltlzon of West Pitts ton, Pa,, has Aled a petition In court asking that his namo bo chnnged to Folmcr. Tho petitioner says ho do sires tho change hccnuso tho namo ho now bears readily lends Its aid to tho manufacture of various silly attempts at punning, such as "fool" and "full," and besides It Ib not easily pronounc ed, all of which Is very annoying. D rnmincnl .Slnlnimon a wiiiiiivii vi ViJiiivll MAY COME TO WASHINGTON. Sir F. C. Lascelles Mentioned aa Prob able British Ambassador. Sir Frank' Cavendish Lascelles. who, It Ib Bnld, may succeed Lord Pauncofoto as British nmbnssndor to tho United States, Is nt present head of tho British cmbnssy to Berlin nnd a favorlto with tho knlscr. Ho Is CI years old, nnd for moro thnn forty years hns been n momber of tho diplo matic service. Tho principal posts ho hns filled nro thoso of minister to Ron mania mid Persia and nmhnssador to Russia nnd Germnny. Ho hns occu pied his present position nlnco 1895. Want Depew Jokes. Pronilnont men rocolvo all Borts of things by mall, but, n letter found In Senator Depow's mall Inst week will match tho most of them. It Ib from a amnll town In southern Indiana. "Dear Mr. Dopow," It Bald, "wo aro getting up a negro minstrel show for tho purposo of buying a sett of colour od dishes for our church. Wo nro tj havo four end men, nnd ono tntorlo you know who 1 menn (1 can't Bpoll It), who Bits In tho middle Wo need a lot of now and decent Jokes, bo as not to shock. Thoro aro lots of old women In our chuch. Won't you Bit down nnd wrlto ub about fifty cood now Jokes; somo things that cavo novor been used bororo? Mnlco thorn flpllttors,' ns this thow is tor n now Bott of dUhes for tno church. Plenso grind them out ub soon na possible and sond them to mo. Wo will put on tho program, 'All thoso original Jokca wero mado up by Chauncey Dopow. That will pay you for tho work." WILL KEEP HIS OLD CABINET. Premier of Ontario Finds All His Min isters Re-Elected. Goorgo W. Ross, promlor of Ontnrlo, whoso liberal government wnB re turned to powor In tho rocont olcctlon, will bo surrounded by Ills old cnblnot during tho now term. All tho minis tors wero ro-electcd. Tho liberal victory Is regarded aB n vindication. Tho liberals havo been In powor for thirty years and tho con servatives declared tho government was corrupt and ono of their olcctlon erica waB: "It Is tlmo for a change." Tho liberals wore led by Promlor Robh and tho conservative leader was James P. Whltnoy. Fine Clothes His Hoodoo. Among tho possessions of Sonator Dietrich of Nebraska aro a silk hat and a frock suit. Tho othor day ho put tho outfit away, ho thinks, for good. Tho Bcnator, who usually dross ob much llko a fanner, first woro tho regalia named on tho day ho was In augurated govornor of Nebraska. It rained and snowed that day. Ho woro thorn a second tlmo when Prcsldont McKInloy was Bworn In n second tlmo. It rained heavily. On tho day tho Rochnmbcnu statuo was unvollod ho onco moro tempted fnto nnd got tho full benefit of n Bhowor thnt Intor ruptod tho exorcises. Tho following Sunday ho ngaln arrayed himself, only to bo caught In n heavy thunderstorm. Now ho hns laid awny his suit and hat, convinced that they act as a hoo doo. Emperor William's Joke. Chancellor von Bulow of Germany, who Ib a great favorlto with Emperor William, expressed to tho latter on Billow's appointment to ofllco fears ns to his wlfo'B objection to tho tlmo It would tnko to elenn tho chnncollor'B palace William Interrupted him with tho romnrk that ho would contrlbuto Ills part to tho cleaning. Count von Bulow took this to menn that tho oniporor would havo tho palnco clean ed for him, However, Wllllnm morely saw nn opportunity for a Joko and no thero arrived at tho Bulow household a fiw daya arterward a largo purccl addressed to the countess and con taining 100 poutids of soap. 1 People and Events NEGRO RACE 10 DYING OFF. Ero Many Years the Africans Will Have Disappeared From Cuba. Thoro Is ovory Indication that tho negro question will scttlo itself In Cubn. In n roport on tho vital Btntls tics of Hnvnna nnd Gunnnbacns MaJ Oorga8, n physician ns well aB n boI tiler, says that during tho month of January In thoso cltlen tho nntlvo whites Bhowed nn oxccbs of 188 blrtlm over deaths, that Is, tho figures wero 457 and 2G9. whoreaa tho nntlvo ne groes showed an excess of 58 deaths over birth thnt Is to say, tho figures were 128 nnd 70. Tho figures for tho year 1901 aro even moro significant. During tho twelvo months tho nntlvo whites gained 1,740 nnd tho nntlvo ne groes lost 513, making a totnl gain for tho unlives of 1,227 Inhabitants. Tho deaths of foreigners brought tho difference down to oxnetly ono, al though It must bo remembered Uint tho niimhor of foreigners dying Indi cates that tho city Is gaining rapidly In population by Immigration. If this keeps up for n rcasonnhlo length of tlmo thero will soon bo no ncgrooa left In Cuba. INSPECTS GERMAN ARSENALS. Rear-Admiral O'Nell Han Special Invi tation frorn Emporor William. Roar-Admtral ChnrloB O'Nell, who, upon tho personal Invitation of Em peror Wllllnm, will visit, with n apo dal escort, nil tho shipbuilding yards nnd nraonalB of Germnny, Ib now In Berlin na n delegate to tho interna tional shipbuilding convention. Ho la ono of tho most distinguished ofllcors of Iho navy, nnd since 1897 has been chief ot tho naval bureau of ordnance Tho ndmlral entered tho navy In 18C1 ob mastor'B mnto on tho Cumberland, nnd wns presont nt tho capturo of Forts Iluttcras and Clark in August of that yi-ar. Ho fought in tho famous ongngomont with tho Morrlmao in 1803 nnd on that occasion rescued Lieut. Morris from drowning. Ho was pro moted to tho rank of roar admiral in April, 1901. . -ST Coyotes Eat a Traveler. A dispatch from Montoroy, Mexico, snyB that D. Campboll Davtos, a young man woll known In many cltlcB of Mexico, was eaton by coyotes near Pnlln Station, on tho Intornatlonnl Railroad, between Torrcon nnd Mon toroy. Word was received horo yes terday that n ranch workman found tho remains of tho Bkoloton of tho young man scattered among tho brush not far from Palla. BUb of clothing and somo papers identified tho scat tered bones ns thoso of Davles. Davles waB tho son of a rich Eng llshmun, and camo to Moxlco Boveral yours ago. Ho dealt in mining sup plies. SAILS TO HELP BICYCLISTS. South African Mnn the Inventor of Useful Contrivance. As nil othor motors havo boon ap plied to tho blcyclo, It would havo boon very fltrango If tho nail had boon omitted tho Hall, tho oldest of mo tors, tho Invention of which an Egyp tian tradition ascribes to IbIb, who, weary of tho Blow progress of hor row era, Hnntched off hor veil and nllowod tho wind to distend it. S. G. Smith, ot Bloomfontoln, dovisod a yacht blcyclo, with a lntoon tmll which, with a favor able wind, would sometimos go for hours without tho aid of poduls, and theso vehicles woro qulto fushlonublo among South African sportsmen bo foro tho Boor war broko out. Twenty-five yeara ago n very similar mnchlno was devised and ossayod In Franco. Humorous havo boon tho at; tempts to liso sails on wheolcd ve hicles, Tho earliest contrlvauco ot tho sort, probably, wnB tho "flying conch" devised by Don Jobo Roscnsa, n Spanish ofllcor of nrtlllury, In 1892. This wns n boat, with musts and sails, mounted on threo whcols. It also had cranks, so thnt It could bo driven by hand. It was therefore a motor-trl-cycle with n compound motor. Bound to Havo Their Due. A Swiss lndy from Chnux-do-Fnnds recently went to llvo with hor son at Mortonii, across tho French frontier, whore she died. When tho coffin cov ered with artificial wrcnths, was brought Into Switzerland, a custom house ofllclal claimed duty on tho wreaths, nnd after a deal ot contro versy tho sum of two franca was de manded nnd paid. ' Ml II