PRESIDED
TSE
S
ACCOMPANYING REPORTS
OF THE CONSERVATION
CONGRESS
URGES NEEDED LEGISLATION
Document In a Measure Is a De
fense of tho Retiring Administration
Duty of the Present Generation to
Its Descendants Pointed Out Obli
gations of Citizenship Urgent Need
for the Development of the Coun
try's Water Power.
Washington. "With the transmission of
tno report of tlio national conservation
commission anil nccomnanylm: miners.
President Hooscvclt also sent n mcssngo
to congress. Tho following Is a com
prehensive synopsis of tho document:
, Tho president declares his entire con
currence with tho statements ntul con
clusions of tho renort and proceeds:
"It Is ono of tho most fundamentally
Important documents ever laid boforo tho
Amorlcan people. It contains tlio first In
ventory of Its natural resources over
made by any nation. In condensed form
It presents a statement of our available
capital In material resources, whlcl) aro
mu means or progress, una calls atten
tion to tho essential conditions upon
which tho perpetuity, safety and wclfuro
of this nation now rest and must ulways
continue to rest.
"The facts set forth In this report con
stitute an Imperative call to action. Tho
situation they dlscloso demands that wc,
President
neglecting for n time. If need be, smaller
nnd less vital questions, shall concentrate
an effective purt of our attention upon
the great material foundations of nu
tlonal existence, progress, and prosperity
"Tho tlrst of all considerations Is tho
permanent welfaro of. our people; and
truo moral welfare, tho highest form of
welfare, can not permanently exist save
on a tlrm and lasting foundation of mate
rial well-being. In this respect our situ
ntlon Is far from satisfactory. After
every posslhlo allowance has been made,
and when every hopeful Indication has
been given Its full weight, tho facts still
give reason for grave concern. It would
be unworthy of our history and our In
telligonce, and disastrous to our future,
to shut our eyes to these fucts or at
tempt to laugh them out of court. The
peoplo should and will rightly demand
thnt tho great fundamental nitrations
shall bo given attention by their rep
resentatives. I do not advise hasty or Ill
considered action on disputed points, but
I do urge, whom tho facts nro known,
whero tho public Interest Is clear, that
neither Indirferenca nnd Inertia, nor ad
verse private Interests, shnll bo allowed
to stand in tho way of tlio public good.
"Tho great basic facts are olready well
known. Wo know that bur population Is
now nddlng about ono-flfth to Its 'numbers
in ten yenrs, nnd that by tho middle ot
tho present century perhaps 150,000,000
Americans, and by Its end very many
millions more, must be fed and clothed
from the products of our soil.
"Wo know now that our rivers can and
r.liould bo made to servo our peoplo ef
fectively In transportation, but that tho
vast expenditures for our waterways
have not resulted In maintaining, much
less In promoting. Inland navigation.
Therefore, let us take Immediate, steps to
ascertain tho reasons nnd to prepare and
adopt a comprehensive plan for Inland
waterway navigation that will result In
giving tho peoplo tho benefits for which
they liavo paid but which they hava not
vet received, wc Know now mui our tor
eats aro fast disappearing, that less than
one-fifth of them nro being conserved
and that no good purposo can bo met by
fnlllng to provide the relatively Binall
sums needed for tho protection, use, nnd
Improvement of ull forests still owned by
i ho covernment. nnd to enact laws to
check tho wasteful destruction of tho for
ests In prls'nto hands,
"Wo know now thnt our mineral re
sources onco exhausted are gone for
ever, nnd thnt tlio needless waste of
thorn costs us hundreds of human lives
and nearly J30O.O0O.0OO a year. Therefore,
it us tindortako without delay tho in
vcstlgatlons necessary boforo our people
will tin In position, turougn state uction
or otherwise, to put an end to this huge
loss and waste, and conservn both our
mineral resources nnd tho lives of the
men who tako them from tho earth.
"This administration hns achieved
sumo things: It has sought, but hns
not been able, to achieve, others; It
has doubtless mado mistakes; but all
It has done or attompted hns been In
in, s ncle. consistent enori 10 so
miro nnd enlarge thu rights and oppor
tunltles of tho men and women of tho
United States. Wo aro trying to con
serve whut Is good In our social sys
tem, and wo are striving toward thin
ond when wo endeavor to do away with
what is bad. Success may bo made too
hard for some If It Is mndo too easy
for others, The rewards of common
Industry and thrift may bo toosmull
If tho rewards for others, and on tho
wholo loss valuable, qualities, aro
made too large, and especially If the
rewards for qualities which aro really,
from tho public standpoint, undesir
able, nro permitted to becomo too
large. Our nlm Is so far us possible
to provldo such conditions, that there
shall bo actuality of opportunity where
there Is equality of energy, fidelity and
S
'if .J
Roosevelt.
Intelligence; when ther Is
rauKou
able equality of opportunity the dis
tribution of rewards will take care
of Itself,
Tho unchecked existence of monop
oly Is Incompatible with equnllty of
opportunity. The reason for tho ex
ercise of government control over great
monopolies Is to equnllze opportunity.
we aro fighting: ngalnst privilege, it
was made unlawful for corporations
to contribute money for election ex
penses In order to abridge the power
of special privilege at the polls. Hall-
road rate control Is an attempt to se
cure nn equality of opportunity for all
men affected by rail transportation;
nnd that means nil of us. Tho great
anthracite coal strike was settled, and
the pressing danger of a coal fnmlno
averted, because wo recognized that
tho control of n public necessity In
volves a duty to tho people, ana that
public Intervention In tho affairs of a
public service corporation Is neither
to bo resented as usurpation nor per
mitted as a privilege by the corpora
tions, but on the contrary to be ac
cepted as a duty and exercised as a
right by tho government In tho In
terest of all tho people. Tho clll-
clcncy of the army and the navy hus
been Increased so that our people may
follow in peaco the great wont or
making this country a better place for
Americans to live In, and our navy
was sent round the world for thosamo
ultimate purpose. All tho acts taken
by tho government during the last
seven years, and all tho policies now
being pursued by tho Government, fit
In ns parts of a consistent whole.
rlie enactment of a pure food law
was a recognition' of tho rnct that tho
public welfaro outweighs the right to
prlvato gain, nnd that no man mny
poison tho people for Ills private profit
Tho employers' liability bill recog
nized the controlling fact that while
tho employer usually has at stake no
more than his profit, tho stake of tho
cmployo Is a living for himself and
his family.
"Wc tire building the Panama canal;
nnd this means that we are engaged
ii the giant engineering feat of all
time. Wo ore striving to add In all
ways to the habltablltty and beauty of
our country. Wo nre striving to hold
In tho public lands tho remaining
supply ot unappropriated coal, for tho
protection and boneflt of nil tho people.
Wo hnvo taken the first steps townrd
tho conservation of our natural re
sources, nnd tho betterment of eoun
try life, nnd tho Improvement of our
waterways. We stund fey the right
of every child to a childhood frco from
grinding toll, nnd to an education; for
tho civic responsibility nnd decency
of every citizen; for prudent foro
sight In public matters, and for fair
ploy In' every relation of our natlonnl
and economic life. In liitornntronnl
matters wo apply a system of dlplo
macy which puts the obligations of
international morality on n level with
those that govern the notions of nn
honc.it gentleman In dealing with his
fellow-men. Within our own border wc
stand for truth nnd honest)' In public
nnd In private life; and wo war stern
ly against wrongdoers of every grade.
All these efforts nro Integral parts
of the same attempt, tho uttcmpt to
enthrone Justice nnd righteousness, to
socuro freedom of opportunity to all
of our citizens, now and hereafter, and
to set tho ultimate Interest of all ot
us above the temporary Interest of
any individual, class, or group.
"The nation. Its government, nnd Its
resources exist, first of all, for th
American citizen, whatever Ills creed,
race, or birthplace, whether ho be rich
or poor, educated or Ignorant, pro
vldcd only thnt he Is n good citizen
recognizing his obligations to the na
tlon for tho rights an opportunities
which ho owes to the nation.
"The obligations, and not the rights
ot citizenship Increase In proportion to
tho Incrcnse of a man s wealth
power. Tlo tlmo Is coming when
man will bo Judged, not by what I
has succeeded in getting for himself
from the common store, but by how
woll ho bus done his duty ns a citizen
and by what the ordinary citizen ha
gained In freedom of opportunity be
cuusc or his service for the common
good. Tho highest value wo know 1
thnt of the Individual citizen, and th
highest Justice Is to give hi in fat
piny In the effort to reallr.o the best
there Is In him.
Tho tasks this nation has to d
are great tusks. They can only
done nt all by our citizens noting to
getber. nnd they can be done best
all by the direct nnd simple appllca
lion of homely common sense. Th
application of common sense tocommn
problems for the common good, under
the guidance of the principles upon
which this republic was based, and by
virtue or which It exists, spells per
petuity for the nation, civil and Indus
trial liberty for Its citizens, nnd
freedom ot opportunity In the pursuit
of happiness for the plain Aaierlcau,
for whom this nation was founded, by
whom It was preserved, and through
whom nlone It can bo perpetuated.
Upon this platform larger than any
party differences, higher than cluss
prejudice, broader than any question
of profit nnd loss there Is room for
every American who realizes that the
common good .stands first,"
Accompanying the message are ex
planations and recommendation of
work to bo done for tho futuro good of
the country. The president says: "It Is
especially Important thnt tho develop
ment of water power should bo guard
ed with the utmost euro both by the
national government nod by the states
In order to protect the people against
tho upgrowth of monopoly nnd to In
sure to them n fair shnro In tho bene
fits which will follow the development
of this great asset which belongs to
tho people and should bo controlled by
them.
"I urge that provision bo made for
both protection und more rapid devel
opment of tho national forests. Other
wise, either the Increasing use of these
forests by tho people must bo -checked
or their protection against lire must
bo dangerously woakeucd. If we
compare the actual fire damage onslm-
llnr nreas on private and national for
est lands during tho past year, the
government tire patrol saved conusor
clul timber worth as much ns tho
totnl cost of carina" for nil national
forests nt tho present rate for about
ton years,
J especially commend to congress
tho fncts presented by tho commis
sion ns to the relation between for
ests nnd stream flow In Its bearing
upon wie iiiiiioruiiu.o 01 me forest
lands In national ownership. With
out nn understanding of this Ultimata
relation tho conservation of both these
natural resources must largely fall.
"Tho tlmo has fully arrived for rec
ognizing In the law tho responsibility
to tno community, tno state, and the
nation which rests upon tlio prlvnte
ownership ot private lands. Tho own
erslilp ot forest land Is a public trust.
Tho man who would handle his forest
as to cause erosion and to Injuro
stream now must un not only cducuted,
uui ne mum uc uouiroiiou.
in conclusion tno president urges
upon congress the desirability of
maintaining n national commission on
tho conservation or the resources of
tho country. He adds: "I would also
advise that nn appropriation of nt
leiiBt jso.uuo be made to cover tho ex
penses of tho national conservation
commission for necessary rent, assist
ance nnd traveling expenses. This Is
a very small sum. I know of no
other wny In which the appropriation
of so small o. sum would result In so
largo a nenetlt to the whole nation."
JrSh lliiiMll PALACEOT AGRICULTURE
VEGETABLES GROWN AT COLDFVOT
rtORTH OF ARCTIC CIRCLE
VEGETABLES GROWN AT LORlfiO
When Alaska yours ago conceived
the Idea of nn exposition In order Hint
It might moro perfectly rovenl to tho
world in general nnd tho United States
lit particular the wonderful resources
and development of that fur northern
territory sho realized the Impractica
bility of holding such exposition upon
her own soil. It 'was then that Seattle,
Wash., stopped forward with the cor
dial invitation to make that city tho
sccno of such a grent fair. Tho Invita
tion was accepted, plans have grown
and developed and now tho Alaska-.
ukon-Pnclllc exhibition Is desperately
busy erecting tho splendid buildings
und preparing tho places where tho ox
tcnslvo exhibits tire to bo placed. Tho
cordial attitude of tho Canadian gov
eminent nnd tho fact that South
American republics will ho splendidly
represented make (he International
success of the fair certain. The wny
tho far northwest peoplo do things to
n finish is woll illustrated in the work
on tho exhibition grounds. Everything
connected with this Pacific world's fair
will he ready ahead of time. Tho llrst
visitor on tho ground will boo tho com
pleted buildings something never bo
foro accomplished In nny pretentious
national fair.
Alaska's work on this proposition
will bo tremendous in showing tho
enormous possibilities of this virgin
country. Tako tho following from nn
information bureau's pamphlets:
Alaska will exhibit ? 1,000,000 In vlr
gin gold, dust, nuggets and brick at
tho Alaska-Yukon-Paclflc exhibition.
Tho greatest salmon fisheries In tho
world nre on Puget sound.
Tho value of the gold output of
Alaska since tho northern country wns
purchased by tho United States Is 15
times tho amount of tho purchase
price.
A copper nugget weighing Ihreo
tons will bo exhibited by Alaska.
.'ho fishing and fur industries have
produced 25 times ns much ns was ori
ginally paid to Russia for the northern
country.
More than 1,000,000 plants nro now
growing In tho nursery gardens ot the
Alaska-Yukon-Puciflc exhibition.
Tho first exhibit to bo received on
tho grounds is 3,000 boxes of red tip
ples, which will form a part of thu Ore
gon stuto exhibit.
Fox farming for skins Is the latest
industry to bo developed In Alaska.
There are us many churches In Alas
ka, according to population, ns in any
section of tho United States,
All of the countries bordorlng on the
Pacific ocean aro now actively engaged
In preparing oxhlblts, and (ho reports
that have been received by the man
agement are highly satisfactory. Kino
sites have been held for the use of
Japan and China, and the Oriental dis
play will bo ono of tho big features of
tho mOD world's fair. Tho Jnpaneso
government hus shown a very friendly
Interest, and assurances hnvo heon re
ceived by tho Seattle-Japanese associa
tion from high olllclnls of tho govern
ment that Japan will be well repre
sented. Tho association recently sent a re
quest to tho government of Japan that
some of the ships of tho Japanese
navy bo stationed in Seal tie hurbor
during tho exhibition period. Assur
ances have been received that this
will bo done, and It is oxpectod that
at. least two of the battleships will bo
ordered to Seattlo early In June lo
anchor In tho hnrbor with tho Pacific
fleet of tho United States navy, which
will bo stationed at Seattlo during the
entire tlmo of tho fain,
This is tho llrst world's fair lo bo
held for tho purpose of exploiting tho
countries of tho Puclllc ocean, and
every country whose shores aro
washed by tho Pacific ocean Is a part
ner In tho great ontorprlso, Tho tour
around tho world or tho Atlantic fleet
of the United Stales navy has attract
ed attention to tho Puciflc from overy
country on the globe, nnd It Is tho pur
poso of tho manngement (o show tho
conditions, natural resources and com
mercial importance of overy country
bordering on tho Pacific.
Probably tho most unique farm In
tho world Is locatud on Hound Island,
Alaska, whero Harry Prhje, a woll-
known Alaskan, Is engaged In the cul
tivation of foxes. Mr. Pride has eatab
Ilshed his fox farm on sclontiilc linos
mid breeds only the variety of fox that
produces the most vnluablo fur. Most
of the stock on his farm now is of tho
sliver tii and silver gray varieties.
'A fox skin depends largely upon Its
shade nnd coloring," says Mr. Prhlo.
"and by scientific breeding I expect lo
produce only tho very boat furs. An
ordinary fox-skin Is frequently worth
no more than CO cents, while tho sllvei
gray variety frequently soils for $1300
to $S00 par skin, nnd has been known
to bring 113 high as $1,000.
"The fox Is a very Intelligent nnlmal,
and Is easily tamed. They can bo oven
taught to perform, but tills tukes con
siderable Unto and putlenco. Somo of
the unltnnls on Hound Island havo be
come so tame that they will eat out
of a pinto held in tho hand.
"It Is very rarely that liunterB and
trappers have evor taken any largo
number of foxes nllvc, and I propose to
havo a lino exhibit from my farm at
tho Alaska-Yukon-Paclllc exposition. 1
bollovo It will bo the llrst exhibit of
live foxes of tho silver tip and silver
gray species ever shown.
"As my experiments advance 1 am
more than ever convinced Unit fox
breeding will becomo ono ot the most
vnluablo industries of tho north. Tim
animals breed very rapidly and with
proper caro n fox farm should pay
largo rotnrna."
"It will unquestionably be tho most
beautiful exposition over hold in tho
world, and tho remarkable progruss
you have ma'do so far ahead of tho
opening ditto unitizes me," said Charles
Dana Gibson, the creator of tho "Gib
son air!," after a trip ovor tho grounds
whero the west Is building tho AInskn-Yukon-Pacific
exposition, which will bo
held In' Seattle from June 1 lo Octo
ber 10, 11)09.
"I have made no particular hobby
of expositions," continued Mr. Gibson,
"but I havo boon to nil those held in
recent years, and front what you havo
already hero, combined with tho lavish
manner In which nature has done her
share for you, 1 think I am safe in say
ing that this will bo tho most attrac
tive one ovor held. I had no Intention
when 1 left Now York of coming to this
country again for sotno years, but I
will be buck hero next Juno (o see
your fair. 1 wouldn't miss tho com
pleted picture for anything."
Curiosity of Men.
"Hefore 1 got this Job," said tho
drug clerk, "I shared with the reat of
tho human race tho belief that wom
an's curiosity Is to man's curiosity as
100 Is to one. Now I havo revorsed
tho ratio. Tho behavior of tho Boxes
when telephoning Iiob convinced me
of my lornior injustice, very often n
man accompanied by a woman stops
hero to telephone, or maybe It Is the
woman who wishes to tnlk over tho
wire. If It Is the man who talks, tho
woman, apparently unconcerned as to
what he has to say, sits quietly at tho
far end of the store and lets him-tnlk
as long as he pleases; but If the wom
an talks, the man hangs around, the
booth, holding tho door half open and
popping his head Insldo tho booth
every fow seconds. Now, I cnll that u
complete refutation of popular opinion.
You can explain the situation any way
you llko. I don't know anything about
the cause of tho phenomenon; It Is
tho phenomenon Itself that Interests
me."
New Meanings from Girls.
Girls lu a fashlonablo aamlnnry not
a hundred miles from Fifth uvenuc,
In examination papers, recently turn
ed out a now hatch of delightful defi
nitions. It In ovldent from their an-
swurs that sovoral of thoni, while they
may not ho trained thinkers, havo
moro or less logical processes of
thought. One doflnod "red tupo" aa
"tho inability of any ono holding n
political position to do anything neces
sary without Bpecial orders," showing
sho had read her "Little Dorrltt" to
advantage, to Bay nothing of "liloak
House." Another girl, asked "Why
uocs u ship lloat Iho right way up?"
replied, "Bocauso If it did not tho
people lu It would tumble out." Ono
Ingenious girl suggested "foxlct" us u
noun for n young fox, which cortnlnly
Is more iipucldc than puppies. And a
young porson, evidently determined
not to lot licroelf bo humbugged, said
"11. Sc." meant "Had science." Now
York Press.
Trees of the City of Paris.
Thore are 85,810 trees lu Paris, and
ot ch tree has Its number, ago, history
and condition recorded In tho books
at tho Hotol do Vlllo. Tho appropria
tion for this department Is -150,000
francs n yonr. The work could not be
done for any such sum had It not boun
so thoroughly done In tho beginning In
tho rolgn of Napoleon III. Technical
World Magazlnu.
1 1
H
' ' B
8
fl
I
R
I
The Lost
By JAMES FRANCIS DWYER
hHr
(Copyright, by Shortstory Tub. Co.)
Somebody has defined crimo as "tho
tnonientnry victory of nn hercdltnry
craving ovor common sense." In tho
caBO of tho two Glldllans, Iho same
craving manifested Itself In each man
at the snmo momonl. This was po
cullnr. Tho deslro enmo upon each of
tho brothers to possess two blood
horses belonging to a neighbor, nnd
coinnioii seiiBo was routed lu tho
strugglo to suppress the craving.
Tho Gllfltlnus got tho horses, and,
Incidentally, tho sheriff got the Gil
llllnns. A stem Judge conducted tho
Judicial Inquiry, and, unablo to sou
that tho brothers wore victims of a.
craving, handed down from a horse-
loving ancestor, ho sent them to Hn
lota penitentiary for seven yenrs.
This was unfortunate. Tho younger
Gllflllan wnu consumptive, and Ln
lota's "Llttlo I loll" wns not an ideal
health resort, Throo months after
sontence tho boy was sent to tho Jail
hospital, and became firmly Imbued
with the fooling that ho would not re
cover his health. The sentence had
smashotl up tho last ounce of vitality
that wits holding tho fort against tho
dlsonse, and tho prisoner was sinking
rupldly.
Now, prisoners In Jail hospital ro
coivo no tobacco, ' Whether tho prison
medico hellovos that tho brand sup
piled to tho numbered Inmates is a
compound that can only bo Bafely con
Rumcd by the physically strong Is not
known, but tho weekly supply allowed
to a prisoner on tho "worka" Ih Im
mediately cut off If ho Is taken to tho
hospital. Tho dearth of tobacco af
fected tho consumptive Gilllllau. Ho
craved a "chow," and in distress ho
acquainted the brother of his craving
by what Is In Jail parlance known as
a "stiff." With it pin tho sick mun
Bcrntchod his wants on tho looso leaf
of u hymn book, and lu duo tlmo tho
pitiful note, after passing through tho
hands of u dozen prisoners, reached
Button
Ripped a
from
His Striped
Jacket.
tho hcolthy brother, who was learning
to mnnufneturo boots lu tho prison
workshop.
Tho older Gllfllltiu had deep pools
of sentiment boncath a rough ex
terior. Furthermore) ho took no hood
of consequence. Ho pictured tho alck
brother, waiting tobaccoless In tho
dreary hospital, and ho took u chanco
to supply him. Tho chance was 'n
risky one. Whllo passing tho barrod
hospital yard ho dexterously Jorkod
u small cubo of tobacco to tho white-
faced brothor, who happonod to bo
walking up and down Insltlo, and ho
breathed a tremendous sigh of rollof
when ho became certain that tho
wardor in charge of tho Bqund had not
noticed tho action. Tho older Glllillun
was not afraid of nny punishment that
might fall upon himself; he was afarltl
lest the morsel of tobacco would ho
taken away from the sick youth who
craved the delicacy.
Hut Noinesis wuh galloping on tho
heels of tho two Glllllhuis. Warder
Hulstrode, looking down from his
porch on the south towor, saw tho
movement, and ilulstrodo was a con
sclcntlous oflleor. Five mlnutos after,
the younger brother was stripped of
tho miserable gift, and tho giver wns
dragged boforo tho chief wnrdor and
sontenced to sovon days' dark coll for
a breach of prison discipline. In Jail
charity la a vlrtuo that lu promptly
Bmothcrod when tho powers that bo
becomo aware of Its existence.
It was tho older Gllflllnn's first Intro
ductlon to tho dark cell. Whou ho
was pushed Into tho wlntlowloss chain
her, tho horrible, intonso, Huffoctttlng
darkness closed in upon him llko
smothering pall. Dllnd and stupefied
ho groped his way around tho bare
walls, tho horror piercing him through
and through llko an Icy sword, After
wards ho flung himself on tho stouo
floor and lay llko a man stunned by a
terrific blow,
Some hours Inter ho thought of the
button. A medical student, who had
onco undorgono a torm of imprison
meat at Enlotu, had promulgated u
Button
TTTI
theory by which the montal agony pro
duced by dark coll treatment could
bo considerably relieved. Ho advised
all prlsonor friends who might visit
"Tho Dogholo" to tons a button Into
tho nlr, and whllo away the tlmo by
tvurchltig for it on hunds nnd knoes
stood tho value of llttlo things, and
ho recognized the fact that n con
tinuous hunt for n missing button
would drag tho mind away from the
black abyss of Insanity.
Glinilnn, groping blindly in tho
darkness, roinemborcd tho advice. Ho
rippetl n button from his striped
Jacket and toasod It Into tho thick air.
Listening intently ho heard it fall In
n far-away comer of tho coll, and
on hands and knoes ho started to
search for It.
Tho sport fascinated him. When he.
discovered tho iiietnl dlBc ho spun it
up and ugaln started In pursuit. Tho
leaden hours rolled by slowly, but tho
game continued. Gllllllan blessed the
button. Ho began to feel a lovo for It.
Ho called to It when It hid from him
In tho cracks between tho cold Blonos,
and ho cried hysterically over It when
ho discovered It after a long sonrch.
It seemed alive. It became a com
panion to him In thnr'hnniblo, black
vault Into which not ono single ray ot
light came to plcreco tho darkness.
It was on tho evening of the sixth day
that Nemesis clinched with Gllllllan.
Tho prisoner had, up to1 that moment,
thrown tho button up n thousand
times und found It lu each occnslou by
laboriously searching on hands and
knees. Hut on tho ovcnlug of tho
sixth day a peculiar Incident hap
pened. iho prlsonor throw tho button up
Into tho blacknesH, but It did not como
down ngaln.
Gllllllan waited with aching cars to
hoar the tinkle of the metal on the
stone, but he heard no sound. Thu
button didn't fall, nnd tho sllcnco that
filled the coll as ho stood listening,
hurt him. Ho clenched his tooth to
strangle n scrcnm of terror thnt fear
pushed to his lips. What wnB wrong?
The prisoner's trembling knees gavo
wny under him nnd ho Bank to tho
floor. His hands moved out Into tho
durkness und commenced tofool tho
stono Mooring, but ovory norvo wns
taut.
On overy other occasion when ho
had tossed up the button ho had hoard
It fall distinctly, but ho was cortnln
that thoro was not tho slIghcBt Bound
ufler tho Inst toss, Still, ho would
soarcli.
Tho hot 'hands crept oyer tho Btoues
cagorly.v feverishly. Tho lingers
worked madly, but tho baro floor
mocked their search. Thoro was no
button. Again nnd ngaln nnd again
tho prlsonor searched. Through tho.
cold hours of tho night ho crawled
backwards and forwards till each Join
ing botweon those tombstones of Hope
seemed familiar to his blind lingers.
Hut thoro wns nothing on tho floor.
Tho button had not fnllon aftor ho
had Jorked It into tho blackness.
Gllflllnu trlod to think. Why had It
not returned? ho nsked himself,
What had happoned to It? Thoro was
nothing above him but bnro walls, and
yet! Where was Jt? Again and
again ho whispered tho question of tho
thick black pall that seomcd to hcavo
around him. Ho UBkcd It in n louder
tone. Ho screamed It. Then some
thing llko a laugh camo from ono
corner of thnt braln-deatroylng pit of
horror, and Gllllllan was panic
stricken.
Imagination, contrary to tho opinion
of sclontiilc exports, Hub in tho stom
ach, und the brcud and water diet that
Gllllllan had been rocolvlng wns not
Biifllciontly weighty to keep It down.
I ho prisoner began to seo thlngB, Tho
thick waves of curso-lncruBtod dark
ness wolled up from tho corners and
...nnlUn.....! 1.1 T 4j -
nuiuiiiuiuu nun. iiiviBiuiu nunus
grasped his throat and strnnglcd him.
Ho klckod nt tho door leading into tho
dark corridor oponlng Into tho main
wing, but Wardor Tomllnson, of tho
night watch, was slightly denf. aud
did not hear him. Ho raced around
tho coll with Terror grasping, gibber
ing Terror at his heeU, and tho
Btono vnult echoed to his wild screams
of agony.
When Wardor Dunworth opened tho
door on tho morning of tho seventh
day to acquaint Gllflllan ot tho fact
that his torm in durk cell wub ovor,
tho hands of Terror hud completed
their work. Tho prisoner's face was
buttered beyond recognition whero
ho had dashed against tho wnllB In his
mad race, and ho shrieked wildly
when tho wardor nttcmpted to drag
him Into tho light.
Elovon yours afterwards, when an
onllghtoncd prison controller did away
with tho dark colls, tho masons, tear
lug down tho blacjc vault at Enlotu,
found a Juckot button securely
fuBtoncd In a thick cobweb noar tho
colling of tho coll. Hut In tho crim
inal wnrd of Enlotu liiBtino uBylura a
prlsonor still Bponds IiIb days ami
nights hunting for that button.
Marriage Licenses.
Marriage licenses uro required In ail
Btates and territories oxcopt Alaska,
Now Jorsoy (If residents, otherwise re
quired), New Mexico und South Carolina.
