t
SIMPLE. SUPPORT FOR PLANT
M AN in-
Ohio Man Arranges Device for Train
Ing Flowers Straight and Holds
Them In Place.
An Ohio mnn hag dcDlcned n useful
IjOWERT
Uttlo nrtlclo In tuo plant support
Bliown herewith. It la nindo of gnl
vanlzed Iron wire and will last na
FRUIT GATHERER IS USEFUL
Most Ingenious Time Saving Contri
vances Prevents Damage to
Apple ns It Falls.
One of tho moat Ingenious of tlmo
saving contrivances la the fruit gath
erer designed by a Kentucky man. It
collects all tho fruit that falls from
a treo and holds It whero .It can bo
quickly picked up and placed In a bas
ket, alBO saving tho apples, pears, or
whatever they .may bo from damage
by falling.
A clrclo of stakes la driven around
tho tree in a radius wldo enough to
include anything that falls from it. A
clrclo of canvaa, with a holo In tho
tnlddlo to recelvo tho trunk of tho
tree, Is fastened uround tho latter and
also fastened to the stakes with tho
outer edgo of tho ring lower than the
Fruit Gatherer.
portion nround the, treo. Around tho
outer edgo, too, Is a wall to keep tho
contents from rolling oft to the
ground.
QUINCE A PROFITABLE CROP
Cultivation on Increase In United
States Where It Has Been Grown
for Many Years.
(By J. E. MANDELM
In habit of growth the quince Is a
low dworfy treo which admits closo
planting In tho orchard. Ten feet
apart each way Is sufficient dlstanco
for most varieties. Planting tho trees
at tho above distance will glvo about
435 trees per acre.
While tho quinco will grow on nl
most any kind of soil, a medium
heavy clay loam, being easy of cultl
vation, Is tho Ideal soil for It. In such
a soil tho quinco readily responds to
cood cultivation, and If given good
are It will continue to produco good
crons of fruit for many years. In
case the soil should bo hard or do
ficient in plant food liberal applica
lion of manuro will bo very helpful
Jn making tho soil a better ono and
keeping tho treo In a vigorous condl
lion.
Tho quinco does not require a great
deal of pruning. About all tho caro
lhat will bo necessary along this lino
-will bo to remove and cut out tho
.surplus shoots and dead branches. An
occasional shortening back of the
longer branches may bo necessary to
Itoep tho treo In its natural form.
Tho best tlmo for pruning probably
3b just boforo tho beginning of tho
.growing season. Any wounds mndo
at that tlmo usually heal promptly.
Tho quinco Is propagated In many
rr&yB. Tho methods most In uso aro
liv buddinc. crafting, cutting and
from seed. Tho method of propaga
ting by cuttings Is the easiest Tho
cuttings should bo mado from tho
'fresh young growth of tho provlous
reason and bo treated as any other
cutting.
The quinco begins to benr early,
usually In two years aftor planting,
Tho slzo of troes and kind to plant do
pond to somo extent upon tho locality
mud tho tasto of tho growor. Two
.year old trees Beem to bo preferred
"by most planters.
Tho quinco Is so easily grown that
the caro roqulrod In raising It 1b moro
than amply repaid by tho value of tho
fruit produced. When tho quinco Is
properly prepared for tho tablo by tho
many methods recommondod It Is
-very delicious fruit.
Tho quinco finds a ready market
iand sells at a good price, all depend
1ng on tho quality. The prico paid
tho past season ranged from two to
throo aild a half cents per pound.
Tho quinco has been grown In varl
ous localities throughout tho United
States since1 tho early days. Its cultl
vation is on tho Increase and In somo
eedtlons wo find it planted on a com
morclal scalo. But owing to tho fact
that tho quinco, including all the
varieties, is unfit for oating uncooked
lias kopt it from taklnt much proml
pence among tho commercial orchard
fruits.
Tho uses to which tho quinco may
he put are many, but Its chief value
is as a preserving irult. Whero tho
quince is grown it is naturally moro
usod. In Franco and somo of tho
othor European countries, large quan
titles of tho quinco aro used yearly
tfor making quinco marmalado and
nvine. Tho marmalaUo Industry, es
ineclally in France, is quite an ox
(tensive one, and the finished product
finds quite a ready oalo.
Simple Plant Support.
long as tho ownor, so In tho long run
It Is cheaper than sticks and much
moro satisfactory In ovcry way. The
ui'ib"t manual u ui iuu ouijjjui i, v.w
slsts of wires running parallel to each
other except at Intervals, whero thoy
converge and engage each other. There
are other circular pieces of wire with
downwardly projecting prongs which
can be fastened on tho standard at
any of the points where tho sides con
verge, thus forming shoulders In
which to hang tho prongs. Those
rings, It will bo seen, can bo moved
up and down tho standard to accom
modate the growing plant and placed
whero most needed. Many plants that
are strong and healthy when young
turn out badly becauso thoy nro not
x i' tuA At,
tlon. Aside from Its other advantages, I
tho dovlce is much moro
ntt.nM
than tho usual unsightly stick used
for this purpose.
GRAPES OF HIGHEST QUALITY
May Be Secured by Placing Paper
Bags Over Clusters, Preventing
Fruit From Rotting.
In many sections not nil of tho
grapes woro killed by tho heavy froezo
and storm in April, nnd not n fow of
those that woro killed camo out later
with now shoots bearing somo clus
ters of grapes.
If you wish to procuro grapes of tha
highest quality and free from rot, slip
and fasten paper bags ovor the clus
ters. Grover's manila paper bags ar
Bagging Grapes.
tho kind to use. When the grapes an
about half grown cover each ounce
with a paper bag by slitting tho top tc
fit tho stem of the bunch nnd fasten
Ing tho laps down with pins. Grapei
covered with paper bags aro not onlj
of bettor quality, but thoy ripen earli
er, and tho bngs aro a protection
against frost for Into maturing sorts
Tho illustration shows how the opera
tlon is performed.
In selecting trees to plant for shad
this spring don't forgot tho whlt
elm.
Rosea do not roqulro frequent wa
torlng, especially If tho soil is kepi
well hoed.
Tho Jay bird la vary destructive tc
fruit and should be killed on sight
and his gaudy plumage oxposed In
tho top of a treo, as a warning to oth
era of his Ilk.
Mnny growers pay that weeds are at
vnluablo a fertilizer ns clover and cow
pen, if they aro turned undpr every
year.
Tho grower who will sort his ap
pies Into two or moro grades and pnek
well, will got more money for hla
fruit than tho one who throws all
klndB together in n barrel and places
a layer of tho best ones on top.
lied raspberries do well In the
chicken yard, give shade whon most
needed, and tho fruit Is mostly out oi
reach of tho fowls.
Borne oMho lato blooming plants,
such as asters and nasturtiums, may
be lifted and potted before froit and
Kept alive and blooming Indoors fot
several weeks. r
n mm i
SYNOPSIS.
rjiwt-.ni. Yllnfcntnl. Inwvpr. imps 10
Plltgburj? with tlio forod notes In tho
HroriHon case to tnko tile dctioslllon of tlio
rhlef witness for tltn prosecution. John
ailniore. a millionaire. In tho latter
hoUHo the lawyer Is attracted by tlio pic
ture or a mri wnom uniuoro uxi"'n
his urnnddiiUKliter. Alison West, lie sny
lier father Is n rascal and a friend or
tlio forger. StumlltiK In lino to- buy ft
Pullman ticket Ulakeley Is requested uy
a Indy to buy her ono. lie Riven lior low
er eleven and rutiiins lower ten. Ho finds
a man In a drunken stupor In lower ten
nnd retires In lower nine. Ho awakens In
lower soven und finds his ImR nnd cloth
In mlssliiK. The man In lower ten Is
found murdered. It Is learned that tlio
dead man Is Simon Harrington of l'itts-
liuru. The man who uisappenrcii wmi
lllaKcley's clothes Is suspected of the
murder.
t
CHAPTER VI Continued.
. -",
"Then you haven't heard tho rest of
tragedy? "I asked, holding out the
case. "Its frightfully uau iuck ior
mo. but it. makes a cood story. You
see"
At that moment tho conductor nnd
porter censed their colloquy. Tho cou
ductor enmo directly toward mo, tug
glng ns ho camo at .his bristling grny
mustache.
I would llko to talk to you In tho
car." no saia to mo, wuu a cunuua
Klanco nt tho young lady.
"Can't It wait?" I objected, "wo
aro on our way to a cup of coffeo and
a sllco of bncon. Be merciful as you
aro powerful."
'Tm afraid tho break fast will havo
to wan. no ruiniuu. i wuu i. iy
you long." Thero wna a noto of au
thority In his volco which I resented;
but, aftor all, tho circumstances wore
unusual.
"Wo'll' havo to defer that cup of
coftoo for a whllo," I said to tho girl;
"but don't despair; thoro'a breakfast
somowhero."
As wo entered tho car, eho Btood
aside, but I felt rathor than saw that
sho followed us. I was surprised to
see a half dozen men gathered around
tho berth in which I had wakoned,
number Bovon. It had not yet boon
mndo up.
As wo passed along tho aisle, I was
conscious of a now expression on tho
faces of tho passengors. Tho tall wom
an who had fainted was soarchlng my
fn wl,h narrowed eves, whllo tho
stout woman of tho kindly heart
avoided my gaze,- and protended to
look out of tho window.
As wo pushed our way through tho
group. I fancied that it closed around
mo ominously. The conductor said
nothing, but led tho way without core
mony to tho aldo of tho berth.
"What's tho matter?" I inquired. 1
was nuzzled, but not apprchorislvo.
"Havo you some of my things? I'd bo
thankful oven for my shoes; theso are
confoundedly tight."
Nobody spoko, and I foil Bllont, too.
For ono of tho pillows had been turned
over, and tho under sido of tho Svhito
caso was Btronked with brownish
stains. I think It was a porcoptlblo
time beforo I realized that tho stains
woro blood, and that tha faces around
were filled with suspicion and dis
trust.
"Why, it that looks llko blood," I
said vacuously. Thoro was an inces
Bant pounding in my cars, and tho
conductor's volco camo from far off.
"It Is blood," ho assorted grimly.
I looked around with a dizzy at
tempt at nonchalance. "Even If It la,"
I remonstrated, "surely you don't sup
poso for a moment that I know nny
thing about It!"
Tho amatour detective elbowed his
way In. Ho'had a scrap of transpar
ont paper in hla hand, and n pencil.
"I would llko permission to traco
tho stains," ho begnn eagerly. "Also"
to me "if you will kindly Jab your
linger with a pin neodlo anything
"If you don't keep out of this," tho
conductor said savagely, "I will do
somo jabbing mysolf. As for you
sir" ho turned to mo. I was ah
solutoly Innocent, but I know that 1
presented a typical picture of guilt; I
wna covered with cold sweat, and tho
pounding In my eara kopt up dizzily
"As for you, sir "
The irrcpresBlblo amntour dctoctlvo
mndo a quick pounce at tho pillow nnd
pushed back tho cover. Ileforo our In
croduloua eyoa ho drew out a narrow
steel dirk which had been burled to
tho smnll crosa that Borved as a head.
Thoro wttB a chorus of volcos
around, a quick surging forward of
tho crowd. So that was what had
scratched my hand I I burled the
wound Sn my coat pocket.
"Woll," I said, trying to spenk natur
ally, "doesn't that prove what I have
been telling you? Tho man who com
mitted tho murdor bolonged to thla
berth, nnd mndo an exchange in somo
way after tho crlmo. How do you
know ho didn't chnngo tho taga so I
would corao back to this berth?" Thla
was an inspiration; I was pleased
with it "That's what he did, ho
changed tho tags," I rolteratod.
Thero waa a murmur of assent
around. Tho doctor, who waa atnnd-
Ing besldo mo, put his hand on my
arm. "If this gentleman committed
this crlmo, and I for one feel sure ho
did not, then who is tho fellow who
got away? And, w.hy did hp go?"
"We have only one man's word for
that," the conductor snarled. "I've trav
LIUUSXRATIONS by TrT. O.
coPYTt-ioMr ijy coBfg - Merrill com pany
no ono over changed bertha with mo."
Somebody on tho edgo of tho group
asserted Unit horenf ler ho would travel
by daylight. I glanced up nnd caught
tho cyo of tho girl in blue.
"They nro nil mad," she said. Her
tono waa low, hut I heard her distinct
ly. "Don't tAko thorn seriously enough
to defend yoursolf."
"I am glad you think I didn't do It,"
I observed meekly, over tho crowd.
"Nothing elso la of any Importance."
The conductor hnd pulled out hla
note-book again. "Your name, plonse,"
ho snld grullly.
"Lawrence Hlnkoloy, Washington."
"Your occupation?"
"Attorney. A member of tho firm
of ninkcloy & McKnlght."
"Mr. Hlukoloy, you Bay you hnvo
occupied tho wrong berth nnd havo
been robbed. Do you know anything
of tho man who did It?"
"Only from what ho loft behind," I
answered. "Theso clothes "
"They fit you," ho said with quick
suspicion. "Isn't that rather n colncl
denco? You nro a largo man."
"Good heavons," I rotorted, Btung to
fury, "do I look llko a mnn who would
wear this kind of n necktlo? Do you
aupposo I carry purplo nnd grefen
barred Bilk handkerchiefs? Would any
mnn In his sonscB wenr n pair of
shoes a full slzo too small?"
Tho conductor was inclined to
hedgo. "You will havo to grant that
I am in a peculiar position," ho snld.
"I havo only your word na to tho ox
change of bertha, and you understand
I am merely doing my duty. Aro thero
any clows in tho pockots?"
For tho second tlmo I omptlod them
of their contents, which ho noted. "Is
that all?" ho finished. "Thero was
nothing oIbo?"
"Nothing."
"Thnt'B not all. sir," broko In tho
porter, Btopplng forward. "Thero was
a small blaok satchel."
"That'B bo," I exclaimed. "I forgot
tho bag. I don't oven know whore it
1b."
Tho easily swayed crowd looked bub
plclous again. I'vo grown so accus
tomed to reading tho faces of a Jury,
seeing thom swing from doubt to be
lief, nnd back again to doubt, that I
Instinctively watch expressions. I aaw
that my forgetfulnoss had dono mo
harm that suspicion was roused
acaln.
Tho bng was found n couple of scats
away, under somebody's rnlncoat an
other dubious circumstance. Wna 1
hiding It? It was brought to tho borth
and placed besldo tho conductor, who
opened it at onco.
It contnluod tho usual traveling im
pedlmenta chnngo of linen, collnrs,
handkerchiefs, a bronze-green scarf,
nnd a safety razor. But tho attention
of tho crowd riveted Itself on a flnt,
Russia leather wallet, around which
n heavy gum band waa wrapped, nnd
which boro In gilt letters tho namo
"Simon Harrington."
CHAPTER VII.
A Fine Gold Chain.
Tho conductor hold It out to mo, hlo
faco sternly nccualng.
"Is this nnother coincidence?" ho
naked. "Did the man who left you
hla clothes nnd tho bnrrod silk hand
kerchief and tho tight shoes loavo you
tho Bpoll of tho nuirdor?"
Tho men standing nround hnd
drawn off a little, nnd I saw tho ab
solute futility of any remonstrance.
JIavo you over seen a fly, who, In
theso hygienic dayB, finding no cob-
a sez 1
HART
webs to entangle him, is cnught in a
Bhoct of fly papor, finds hlnibolf moro
nnd moro mired, and la finally quiet
with tho sticky stillness of despair?
Woll, I was tho fly. I had Been too
much of circumstantial evldenco to
havo any bollof that tho establishing
of my ldontlty would weigh much
ngnlnst the other incriminating do
tails. It mennt Imprisonment and
trial, probably,' with nil the notoriety
nnd loss of practloo thoy would on
tall. A man thinks quickly at n tlmo
llko thnt. All tho probablo conse
quences of tho finding of thnt pockot
book flashed through my mind as I ex
tended my hand to tnko it Thon I
drew my nrm back.
"I don't wnnt it." I snld. "Look in-
aldo. Mnybo tho othor man took tho
monoy nnd loft tho wallet,"
Tho conductor opened It, nnd ngain
thoro was a curious surging forward
of tho crowd. To ray intonso dlsnp-
polntment tho monoy wnB still there,
I Btood blankly miserable whllo it
was counted out flvo $100 bills, six
twenties nnd somo fives and ones that
brought tho total to $C50.
Tho llttlo man with tho note-book
insisted on tnklng tho numbers of tho
notes, to tho conductor's nnnoynnco.
It wna Immaterial to mo: Small thlngo
had lost their powor to Irrltato. I was
seeing mysolf In tho prlsopcr's. box,
going through nil tho norvo-racking
routine of a trial for murdor tho chnl-
longing of tho Jury, tho endless croaa-
oxamlnnttona, tho alternate hopo and
fear. I bollovo I said boforo that I
hnd no norvefl. but for a fow minutes
thut morning I was as near na a man
nvnr rnmna tn hvaterln.
I folded my nrms nnd gnvo mysolf
iv tnnntnl nlinun. 1 neotneu 10 uo n o
pnnfni- nf n film ,lrn,l ovin. oxnroRHliitr I
nmif nlinrln nf millf nllfl fllntrilRt. tlllt
'
T UI..I nn n fllnr.il Tltnn Qnlllf. 111111
1 lltdl lUk IU lltUVIll UWU
created a diversion.
Tho amateur detective wna buBy
again with tho sealskin, bag. invest!-
gating tho mako of the Bafety rdzor
and tho manufacturer's namo onTtho
bronze-green tlo. Now, howovor, ho
paused and frowned, na though somo
IZt M.or t.n,i i,r,n inanf
pot theory hnd beon upset.
Then from a cornor of tho bng ho
r.VL" :7.": ."X.
uon Bomo uiruo uiuuuu ui uu ku.u
chain, ono ond of which was black'
-"", "," ,tn. i.inr.,it
uuuu uim DiuiiiKu
The conductor hold out his hand for
It, but the llttlo man was not ready
10 glVO It up. o lurneu io iuu.
You say no watcn was 1011 lyoiu
Was thoro a pleco of chain llko that?
"No chain nt nil," I snld aulklly. "No
Jowolry of any kind, .except pla n gold
buttons in tho snirt 1 am wearing.
"Whoro aro your glasses?" ho
throw nt mo suddenly; ItiBtlnetlTOlr
my hand wont to my pyos. My glassoa
had beon gono nil morning1nnd I had
not oven noticed tholr nbsdnco. Tho
llttlo man smiled cynically and hold
OUt tho Chain,
"I muat BBk you to oxamlno this,"
1 insisted. "Isn't it a pnrt of tho flno
ho
gold chain you wenr ovor your car?"
I didn't want to touch tho thing:
Tho stain nt tho ond mado mo shud
dor. But with a baker's dozon of sua
uor. uut wuu
plcloua oyQs-wel , we'll Bay 14-thero
woro no ono-oyed men I took tho
fonnmAiii In llm I na rf m r fl i mwa ftTlil
looked at It holplossly.
very 11110 gnuum nro juuuii uuiw,
I llliuiiiKUU iu tiny rui un i nuuw,
....... 1 ' i... t
' . m.- ii.i., t
.1
never saw tho bag until una morning
nfter daylight."
m
"Ho ndmtts thnt ho had tho bag,"
somebody snld behind me. "How did
you guess thnt ho woro glasses, any
how?" to tho amateur sleuth.
That gcntlcmnn cleared his throat.
"Thero wcro two reasons," ho Bald,
"for suspecting it. When you seo n
man with tho linen of his faco droop
ing, a healthy Individual with a pon
slvo eye suBpect nstlgnmtlsm. Be
sides, this gcntlcmnn has a pro
nounced lino across tho brldgo of hla
noso nnd a mnrk on his enr from tho
chain.''
After this romnrknblo exhibition of
the theoretical na combined with tho
practical, ho snnk Into a sont njbar by,
nnd still holding tho chain, ont with
closed eves nnd nursed llns. It wna
ovldent to all tho car that tho solution
0f ho myBtory wna n question of.mo-
menta. Onco ho bont forward ongorly
ami nutting tho chain on tho window-
Hiu( proceeded to go over it with n
pocket magnifying glass, only to
shake his head In disappointment All
tho peoplo nround shook their bonds,
too, nlthough they had not tho slight-
est Idea what It wns nbout.
Tho pounding in my onrs began
again. Tho group around mo aoomod
to bo suddenly motionless in tho very
net of moving, as if a hypnotist had
called "Rigid!" Tho girl In bluo wan
looking nt mo, and nbovo tho din I
thought sho Bald sho must spenk to
me something vital. Tho pounding
grow louder nnd merged Into a Bcroam.
With n grinding and Bpllntorlng tho
car roBo undor my foot. Thon it foil
away into darkness.
CHAPTER VIII.
.. .
I Ml OCCOnQ OCCUUII.
. ... . . .
o J vor ooen pickcu up u
01 you.r ""oo-meniiMi-aay mo, wn,rw
"" a lornauo 01 o .
f ' fuo
horrible that yon laugh ovon
b'b.
ts hopelessness? McKnlght rmys
t,lot ,a hyatorla, and thnt no man
,, Amu il
'" ; .
llko a tank drama. Just as tho rovolv-
,t. t., int
w " " " V m I hw.
Btovo longtlis, tho Bocond villain blows
.. 11 mm nn
. . n.,Ma nn fhn
- n ta, "' " 11,, f net of his
. . . . . -fcn chains.
,,,1, t wno nafnlv
. nmn , .... .frn ,,,. i.rn.v.
ntr airnntrn ,,plnUn tlmt .. ,n DnDer
kot8 from t, 1)hnrtnrioyi nnd that
,,, f hnnvnn T rnmnrnhnr atan-
., .ai if nnd
th , bnok tQ bod nnd howlng
ou thQ nb8urd,ty and tho madn0aB of
. . . . . , ... x laUKi,od
I , .., " ii, tn rriri
i; by Umt Um0( nnd x know by
,, ., ii tut nnawnra liptwnnn
Umt 1 WQuld UavfJ to
. . llt nt mv
Jluw iivi uuv x
And yot, nil tho night that followed,
filled as it was with tho ahrloklng do-
mona of pain, I snw her na I had Boon
h0P InBt ,n tUo qucor bat With green
' dootor thIfl ard.
.. . t. nni,i u
I ' "
. . ,, annn pftW nt ,,...
n0
i . . ..n i
I don't know nnything about tno
wreck of Soptombor 9 laBt. You who
nwnllnurfiil rlin ilntftlln Willi VOIir COUOO
-.-... - . -
and dlgostcd tho horrors with your
chop, probably know a groat deal moro
than I do. I romombor very distinctly
that tho Jumping nnd throbbing In my
nrm brought mo bnck to a world that
at, first was nothing but sky, n heap of
clouds that I thought hazily woro tho
morlnguo on n bluo charlotte rusao.
Aa tho sonso of hearing was slowly
nddod to vision, I heard a woman near
me sobbing that sho had lost her hat
pin, nnd sho couldn't keop her hnton.
I think I dropped back Into uncon
sciousness again, for tho noxt thing
I romombor was of my bluo patch of
sky clouded with smoko, of a strango,
roaring nnd crackling, of a rain of
fiery sparka In my faco and of some
body beating nt mo with feoblo hands.
I opened my eyoa nnd cloaed thom
again: Tho girl In bluo waa bonding
ovor mo. With that Imporvlousnosa
to big things and keenness to Braall
that Is tho first offoct of shock, I tried
to be facotlous, whon n spark Btung
my cheek.
"You will havo to rouao youraolfl"
tho girl waB ropcatlng dosporatoly.
"You've beon In flro twlco already."
A pleco of striped ticking Ilonted slow1
ly over my bond. As tho wind caught
it its charring edges leaped Into Hamo.
"Looks llko n klto, doesn't It?" I
romarkod cheerfully. And then, aa
my arm gave an excruciating throb
"Jove, how my nrm. hnrta!"
v Thy girl bent ovor nnd spoke slow
ly, distinctly, na ono might speak to a
deaf person or a child.
"Listen, Mr. Blakoloy," Bhe Bald,
earnestly. "You must rouso yourself.
Thoro hnfl beon a terrible nccldont.
Tho second soctlon ran into ua. Th
wreok is burning now, nnd if wo do'"
move, wo will catch fire. Do you
hear?"
(TO BE CONTINUED.)
Prelude to Immortal Life.
A graoeful and honorable old age la
led soma lu theso cars mysolf, and
"I Don't Want IV I Sal.
I tho childhood of Immortality. Pidx