Nebraska Newspapers

    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