by WILBUR D MLTBIT
I'd Imto to be a city park.
For I nhould shrink with doubt
"When people cmnn to fenco mu In,
For fear they'd lay mc out.
I'd hate to bo a hoiiso nnd lot
To grief I Bhould be moved
When people came and nald: "It's not
Bo very well Improved."
I'd hate to be n harvest field
Bilch fate would make me bawl:
Unlesji my presence were concealed
They'd thrtsh me every fall.
I'd hate to bo a mountain hlch
Indeed, I'd be appalled .
If people climbed to find out why
I wus go very bald.
I'd hate to be a little brook
This feellnfj Is not shammed,
For mill prospectors mlfjht but look
And then I might bo dammed.
That Man Once More.
The man with the iridescent whiskers-sidles
into the ofllco and Immedi
ately finds his way to the desk, of the
shnckled hireling with the frayed cuffa
and the unafraid bald spot
"I haven't been in for a long tlmo,"
he nays.
"It hasn't seemed long," Is the re
sponse. "I thought of n clover llttlo thing
you might work up In your own way,"
begins the man with the Iridescent
whiskers. "Theso Ideas come to me
every now and then, and I believe in
passing them along. Whenever I can
lighten the task of a friend, I am al
ways glad to do bo."
"Yes? You said you had an idea?"
"Yes. It's a conundrum. You can
fix it up to suit yourself, but the gen
eral stylo of it Is like this: What Is
the difference between a man with
pictures all over him who draws a
largo salary as a freak In a side show,
und a huge billboard covered with
posters about auto horns?"
"It's pretty deep. What's the an-
ewer?"
"One Is tattooed, tho other Is toot
nd."
"What?"
"One Is tattooed the man, you see;
and the other Is toot "
But far over the distant hills the
brcezcQ wero racing in tho pale glow
of the twilight, and on tho mountain
sides tho great trees were murmuring
one to another in tho mysterious lan'
guage of nature, while high In the sky
a single cloud drifted slowly Into the
hush.
Tempora Mutantur.
"John," said tho bride of a year, as
she stopped her husband before tho
window of a jeweler, "before we were
married you used always to bring m3
around to this store, and we would
look at the pretty things and would
talk about which piece of Jewelry
would suit me best. Do you reraem
ber?"
"I do," acknowledged the fond hus
band. "But let us hurry on to the
grocery storo and ueo what la In that
window."
Mildred's Memory.
"Mildred, hero is your gnindpappa to
come to visit us. Now, do you remom
her what I said about how nlco you
must be to him?"
"0, yes, mamma, dear. I remember
that you said I must be as nice no
1 know how to him, because wo have
as much right to a part of his money
as any of tho rest of the kin when
ho dies."
A Refined Torture.
"And do you never havo any cold
waves hero?" asks tho visitor of his
eatnnic majesty.
"Not any," oxplnlns Mophisto, who
has been showing tho newcomer
about tho reaimr out wo nave a
weathor bureau that is always pre-
eicung one.-
ERADICATION OF WEEDS BY
FREQUENT SURFACE STIRRING
Roots of Corn Occupy Entir Space Bo two on Rows When It
Hus Reached Height ot Elrjhteen Inches
Avoid Dflop Cultivation
If anyono will study tho root system
of corn ho will soo that by the tlmo It
Is IS Inches high tho roota fill tho on
tiro flpaco botwoon tho raws nt tho
'point whore they can secure molaturo,
not aboro that point and cot to any
great extent bolow it.
If in tho preparation of tha tood bed
closo capillary connootlon has not
been mado with tho subsoil, or ratlior
tho undorsoll and soil on top, then wo
would say thnt deop cultivation ono
way hoforo tho corn la up would bo
very dosirablo, aaya Wallace's Farmer.
If tho plow gooa down doop, oven if
tho corn row is covered up, cross har
rowing will provont It from intarfor
ing with tho upward movotnont of tho
corn; nnd of tor that cultivation should
bo mado with the one doflnlto idoa not
.of killing woods but of connorvlng
.molsturo by tho dovolopinent of a
mulch of looao dirt.
Under Ideal condltiono thin la all
that la noedod; but that dirt mulch
must ho maintained. Tho thing that
Interferes with it most is tho rains
that cozno so froQuently during tho
corn cultivating aoason. Tho rain
runs tho looao surfaco soil togethor.
'particularly If It la deficient In vogo-
tablo matter. A cruet Is formed, which
promotea evaporation of tho water
that may bo npedqd for tho corn crop,
and thla must, bo broken up. Deep
cultivation is not rieccaaary to accom
plish this. Frequently tho weodor will
.do the business, or tho harrow, and
.shallow cultivation will always do It
Sometimes the seed bod haa not
I dc en , properly prepared, nowever.
Distribution of
Weeds have not been killed lu the
dow of their youth by tho weeder or
harrow or shallow cultivation. These
weeds become deep rooted. After the
wceda havo become deep rooted tho
weeder will do them no harm, and the
cultivation must be deep enough to
buF the weeds, no mattor what hap
pens to tho com roots.
In short, the whole Idea in cultiva
ting corn 1b, first to prepare a seed
bed, firm at tho bottom, loose at the
tap, and then to maintain that condi
tion, incidentally killing tho weeds. It
I- perfect folly for u man to allow his
cornfield to become weedy or cloddy,
If It can possibly be avoided. These
weeds must be kept down and tho cul
tivation must go deep enough to kill
them; but more than that Is unneces
nary, especially after tho corn la 18
RAISE DAISIES
EVERY MONTH
In Cold Climatcn hy Pluntltur Dif
ferent Varieties Some of Them
May Be Kept nioominsr
All Summer.
In the mild cllmato of California
and some of tho southern states daisies
bloom all tho year round. In Califor
nia theso flowers grow very much
larger than those ot the oast, as do all
tho Pacific coast flowera.
Luther Burbank has developed the
flhafcta daisy to n very largo and beau
tiful flower and this la largely taking
the placo of tho Mnrguerlte or Paris
daisy, which has long been a favorite
with Callfornlans.
In tho colder climates of coureo it
ia impossible to keep dalMcs blooming
lnchoa high and tho root, system cot
ora tho ontlro apuoo between tho rows,
This la about all that can be said upon
tho subject
Farmora do not always havo Idoal
conditions. Tho land may need drain
ago and thoy may not bo able to get
on to it for aomo days. Thon tho
woods got u start Even when tho
natural drainage la porfeot, thoro are
ttmo9 when tho ground la co wot that
tho farmor cannot get on to It and if
ho did hb would do very llttlo good,
possibly harm. Plowing wot ground
puta It in bad physical condition. It
la not worth whllo to harrow corn or
even to cultivate It when tho ground Is
In this condition; for it dooa not kill
tho woods.
Our Instruction about harrowing
corn whon a boy, which was dono
with tho old V-shapod harrow, with
tho front tooth knocked out, was to
get out as early as possible in tho
morning, provided tho day was clear,
and whothor tho day, was cloar or not
to quit half an hour before Bundown,
tho roason bolng that wo would do no
good In killing weeds unless tho sun
was shining,
Tho Important thing Is to keep up
tho cultivation from tho tlmo tho corn
la plantod until It is laid by; and If;
after It la laid by, a heavy rain cornea
and runs tho soil togothcr, then lay It
by onco mora. It is (ho crust that
is formed by a heavy rain upon newly
cultivated ground that wastes the
moisture and decreases tho' yield of
corn.
Corn does not need much, moisture
Corn Roots In Soil.
until it tassels. It will need a great
deal of it thon. Up to the time of
tassellng It haa formed only ono-llfth
of its dry matter. The other four-
fifths is formed botwixt tassellng timo
and maturity; and the reason why you
should keep this mulch of dry dirt
as far aH possiblo on your cornfields Is
simply to save up molsturo for use in
time of need, ,on the snmo principle
thnt you put potatoeB and apples In
the cellar for winter use.
Flesh of Muskrats.
It Is said that muskrata are eaten
to a considerable extent in thla coun
try, and particularly relished by cer
tain colored residents of Maryland
Delawaro and other southern states
The flesh Is perfectly wholesome, but
has rather a strong taste.
every month, but by planting different
varieties some of them may bo kept
Dioommg nearly the entire summer,
The daisy Is really not a domesticated
fiowef as a groat many low growing
largo liowor plnnta aro called.
In fact, tho Ox-I2yed daisy, which la
plontlful all through New England nnd
some of tho uorthern states, Is called
white weed.
The Chrysanthemum and wild nstors
are called daisies and really belong to
tho same family.
While it would not bo possiblo per-
haps to havo a daisy hedgo In bloom
all tho yenr, still by planting tho vari
ous species of daisies, chrysanthemums
and asters seme bloom could bo had
from April to November In all excopt
tho extreme northern states.
Work of the Crow.
It is claimed that the average cro
destroyed 700,000 insects r. year.
TTITITlVlTIViVlTi''''TriTlTi'HTi
This Courting Business
V
By JEANNE OLIVE LOIZEAUX
Copyright, igio, by Auociiled Literary Preti
It was n
mlnuto or two past tho
noon hour, but Caroline mado a last
entry in tho daybook. Mnudo and
Laura wero nlready patting tholr
hair Into shape, surreptitiously pow
dering their faces and nervously
making ready to go to lunch. They
were both under twenty, of tho Huf
fy, big-oyed, quick-fading typo.
Caroline was older pcrhapB twenty-
five calm, Btcntly-oycd, with smooth
hair and n tailored business look,
though her snlary was llttlo maro
than theirs. Slio closed her book,
and as tho door shut on tho boss sho
ooked Bteadlly at their rather fagged
faces tho heat and tho work wero
telling on them. Sho hcrsolf wjib
bright-eyed and cheeked, ready ,for
anything.
"Tho heat Ia fierce," complained
Mnudo crossly. "It makes every
body mean. I fool like n scrntchy
cat, and tho boss Is llko n bear. I'm
euro only respect for hlmsolf uot
for mo kopt him from swearing
when I couldn't rend my notes thU
morning."
Laura nodded and pinned on her
cxtravngant headgear.
"Did you got to sleep last night at
all? I didn't until morning it ia
really too warm to dance and Harry
mado mo mad taking mo home I
wouldn't wasto tlmo on him, only ho
glvos a girl nuch a good time and I
got to go somewhere."
Caroline broke In impatiently.
"What alls you two girls Is not
heat it's this courting business. Tho
kind that nover lands you anywhoro,
and tires you all out for your work.
You'vo no business to danco nil night
and bo practically asleep tho next
day. The boss Is supposedly paying
for your waking hourB not your
sleeping ones. Honestly, you can't
afford not to bo studying a bit on
your work. I'm not ono to howl, but
in this dull Benson, and so many good
stenographers wanting summer work,
It wouldn't tnko much for you to get
yourselves discharged. I don't sup
poso you'll adoro mo for telling you
this, but It's bo."
Tho girls tried to look scornful, but
tho older girl had been a friend In
time of need sho had gotten them
both into her office, and had oven paid
for their lunches their first weok,
They wero a trifle Bulky. But thoy
could not deny that sho was prattler
than thoy, If n llttlo older, and much
their superior in tho offlco and
ovorywherc.
"Wo'vo got to havo some fun," con'
tended Laura.
Tho three started together for tho
door,. and tho older girl replied:
"I know that, and I want you to
havo It, but you'vo got the wrong idea
of fun. Dancing's all right onco In
n while, and in tho right plnce. But
theso danco halls, nnd with such
sport ns Harry Hall. That's only
foollmrdlnesB, kids. You'll ho sorry
You may bo all right, but people nro
going to Jutlgo you by. tho company
you keep. To bo flat," sho finished
OB thoy got out of tho elevator and
went along tho street, "wduld you
want to ninrry any of tho men you
danced with Inst night?"
Tho two did not answer,
"You'ro pretty and young, nnd thoy
nro having a good tlmo with you
You'ro giving them your freshness
and Just being seen with thorn queers
you with better men. How about
Bob, Mnudlo?"
Maude's dark eyes filled with sud
den tears. Sho had not seen him
for a month. Ho was a boy from
homo, good, clean, with n promising
business start. Sho knew that he
hnd almost declared his lovo for her,
Then, without warning, ho had
ceaEotl to como near her. Caroline
steered them past their usual place
of eating to a quiet dairy lunchroom.
"I'm going to boss you for a few
weeks," sho laughed brightly. "Tho
lunch Is on mo today if you let mo
order. Dancing nil night, nnd sodas
nnd cako for lunch, nnd dinner little
better, won't do." Sho got a llttlo
side tablo and skillfully ordered eomo
cold meat, a salad, a good sweet and
milk. It wns good. She guided th
talk to Impor8onnl matters, glnd to
see tho sulklness pnss from Laura's
faco und the sadness from Maudo'K.
Whllo they wero eating Bob Hardy
camo In. Ho would have passed them
with a wistful but firm llttlo nod
but Caroline's oyo hold him. Sh
beckoned to him. Ho came gladly
enough, for ho had always liked he
and nau uecn sorry wnen ftiauilo es
cuped from her care. Ho stood bo
side them.
"Aro you busy all tho tlmo?" she
asked. "Decnuso If you aro not
want you to como for a llttlo picnic
with us and somo others Thursday
after offlco hours. You can bring
somo fruit and como to my ofllco
at five."
Tho slim, fair young follow, after
a moment s Bilent hunt for an ex
cuse, decided to accept. Ho would
havo preferred keeping awny from
Maudlo. Ho could not forget how
nweet she used to be, und hated
rememncr inni ner pretty nair was
padded Into grotosqueness, her hat
a monstrosity and that sho would
let a Hnrry Hnll tnko her to a chonp
danco. Hut ho promised to come
It wns queer, but neither of th
girls had opened her mouth to te
Caroline thnt Thursdny wns tho night
of u:r.tl;cr dance, and they had e
pocted to go In their own phrnao.
If sho know It Cnrollno did not be
tray tho fnct Sho went on plnnnlng.
In tho nfternoon tho girls braced up
to their work and went homo prom
ising to go to bed nt eight, and be on
timo at tho offlco next morning.
Tho next evening Cnrollno Invited
herself to go homo with them nnd
help them fix somo things to wear
to tho picnic next day. Quito casually
sho hnd asked Mr. Iloborts, head
clerk In their office, to bo of tlio
party. Ho had seemed glnd to go,
and took a quick glance at Laura.
He had alwnys wanted to know If
thcro wan a renl girl ' bonenth tho
llttlo person who camo to tho ofllco
in party finery. Thcro wnB some
thing sweet and genuine nbout her
despite It.
In tho little stuffy room tho kindly
Cnrollno 'coaxed nnd praised nnd en
ded the girls until they had let her
open tholr trunks. Sho found n llttlo
light summer dress for onch, simple,
and Inld nwny as not stylish enough.
With her quick wits and quick
needle, n bit of Inco r ribbon, sho
began altering a llttlo tb the admira
tion of tho others. Sho tried on ono
dress, and then tho other. Tho two
could not deny tho good effect
"You'ro a darling, Caro," said
Laura. "We would not havo' thought
this old Junk could bo fixed up, and
wo wouldn't havo worn It for any
body but you! Wo'ro your slaves for
this occasion. What olso do you
want?"
Tho next afternoon nt half-past
four, three cool, clean, dainty girlB
with baskets waited at tho offlco for
three tired, hot mon whoso eyes
rested gladly upon them. Thoy took
a car to somo picnic grounds llttlo
frequented, and found a grassy spaco
beneath somo great trees. It was after
bIx when they reached thore, and
the hungry llttlo company began to
get supper. Carollno had told ench
what to bring, and did tho planning
herself.
Sho had one man getvwntcr, an-
other muko a fire. Then sho pro
duccd coffee In a tin pall, a steak
and a frying pan and potato b boiled
and ready to fry. ,Mnudo, In her ole
mont, remembered her early training
in her mother's kitchen, nnd foil to
work. Hor sleeves wero turned back
to tho shoulder showing her pretty
arms. Her soft, thick hair, untu
tored, unrattcd, was drawn softly to
tho back of her round llttlo head.
Tho Are brought tho red to her cheek.
She cooked tho steak to a turn, and
with far greater zest than sho mado
pothooks In tho office. And Laura
set the table. Sho could not cook,
hut In her slniplo whlto dress, with
her curling hair piled on tho top of
her graceful head, her dresB turned
up about her slender figure, tho arti
ficiality fell from her. She forgot to
simper nnd pose. She felt hersolf
genuino und charming nnd was so.
Tho llttlo supper was n Joy both
as food and, as to comradeship. Tho
third man, an old frlond of Caro
line's, John Foster, a sort of quiet
mainstay, a big, manly chap, seomed
quietly to domlnato tho group. Tho
younger glrla had not known him.
After supper the men had permission
to smoke, and as they sat and tho
girls sang, Foster movod over to
Caroline's side.
As twilight began to fnll n llttlo
sllenco camo upon tho group. Tho
girls rose, nnd tho mon followed.
Then without wnrnlng John Foster
took Caroline by tho hnnd, nnd she
looked up at htm with a smile and
nodded.
"We Cnrollno nnd I nro going to
bo married next week, people," ho
said. "Won't that be great? Wo'ro
going to havo a homo out on Sixth,
and wo want you to come nnd soo us.
Will you nil of you? And Carollno
hns It planned to nBk you girls to
room In our house. Will you?"
Maudo nnd Lnurn rushed over to
kiss tho bride to bo, declaring that
they would, of course. But tho other
men said nothing then.
On the wny homo Bob hnd Maudo
off to hlmsolf, and gtt off the, car
with hor hoforo tho right destination.
Ho wanted to talk with her. She was
very quiet and meek and sweet Go
ing around tho corner of tho crowded
street tho music from tho dance hall
camo to her oars. Site shlvorcd nnd
drew closer to her boyhood friend.
She wns thinking of Hnrry Hnll.
Bob put hlB hand to hers.
"Maudlo," ho said, "hoforo I toll
yoiv 1 lovo you and ask you to
marry me I must nsk you to forgive
mo. I thought tho city hnd spoiled
you nnd thnt you liked'; Sho
would not let him finish.
"You shnn't nsk me to forgive what
I doeerved, Bobble. I love you, too."
Laura was walking demurely homo
besido tho head clerk. Sho some
how folt very protected, very Bwcot
and unsoilcd. Something in his
manner to her told her thnt Borne
dny ho would oven In her thought
sho did not qnlto finish.
Thoy pnssed n wenry-faced mlddlo
aged woman, who looked nt them
with n llttlo smile. And sho mur
mured In pnsslng, "Ah, this courting
business!" But' It wns a wistful
murmur,
-Woman's presont hobby seems to be
a hobble.
ITS GLORIES ARE NOW DEAD
Samarkand, In Russian Turkistan, Oneq
tho World's Most Splendid City,
Now a Ruin.
Bokhnrn, Asia. At ono tlmo Samar
kand In Russian Turkestan was as
much tho source of power and Influ
ence in tho affairs of tho world as
London Is today; Ita architecture wns
as much admired as that of Paris or
Vienna; Its scholarship was ns famous
ns that of Athens" and Its ccclosiastlcal
promlnenco ns great ns that ot Rome.
Ita universities wero sought by stu
dents from evory corner of tho enrth,
llko thoso of Germany nro today, and
pilgrims cam6 from every pnrt of tho
Mohammedan world to worship nt Its
shrine.
Tho empire of Tamerlane, of which
Samarkand wns tho cnpltal.'ftl tho end
of the fourteenth contury extended
The Rlglstan of Samarkand.
from the Volga nnd tho Danubo rivers
to tho Ganges nnd from tho Indian
ocenn to tho polar sea. Tho tribute ot
a thousand tribes and tho homage ot
soveh-nnd'-twetity conquorod nations
wero laid at his feel hero. But all this
glory has departed and for flvo centu
ries Samarkand has been dying.
'. All tho Imposing structures thnt
once gave Samarkand its reputation as
tho finest city in Asia havo either dis
appeared or nro in an advancod stage
of decay and dilapidation. Thoy have
been almost entirely stripped ot tha
adornments that made them famous,
nnd tho earthquakes that occur every
few years diminish tho numbor ot tur
quoise and azuro domes and tho dimen
sions of tho ennmolod walls, and in
crease tho heaps ot dobrla which now
cover tho ground. No effort has been
mado by tho government or tho priests
or tho people to restore or oven to nr
rest tho ravages ot tlmo or to protect
or preserve tho architectural monu
ments that havo atood hero for ages
agalnBt. tho vandals, tho earthquakes
and other destructive agencies that
havo mado Samarkand a wreck ot Ha
former magnificence.
You would think thoro would bo suf
ficient prldo, piety nnd patrlotiam in
tho Mohammedan world to perpetuate
monuments nnd institutions chiefly ec
clesiastic in their origin nnd purposo,
but tho snmo conditions appear in
every country whero Islnm prevails,
except In Constantinople Cairo nnd
ono or two other cities.
Islam Is a dying religion. It hns
reached a hopeless Btugo of decay, if
tho appoaranco of its moBquce and mr
dresscs, its shrines, tho mai8oleumB ol
Its snlntB, Ita ccmotorlos anuNjthor pub
lic Institutions mny bo accepted as evi
dence. I havo novor scon a now
mosquo In any Mohummodan country;
I do not know ot ono that hnB been
built within tho last century, and few
bnvo been repaired. Everywhere tho
Indifference Is tho same; overywhero
Ihe snmo degrco ot dilapidation may
bo found, oven In tho most fnnnticnl
eltlOB llko Bokhara and Damascus.
Tho Persians used to call Samar
kand tho center of tho unlvorso, tho
hub, llko BoBton. It was tho Athens ot
hnn for learning and cuturo, but a
Habylon for extravaganco nnd vice,
riiq luxury and Immorality of Its
rulers and its citizens waB tho cause,
jf Its decay. Kb population at ttio,
tcnith of its glory was a million; now
t has scarcely 175,000 Inhabitants.
. l
Wnt Alaskan Indians Smoke.
Scattlo, Wash. How would you en
joy a pipeful of wood shavings ontur
ntcd with a strong solution of poppor,
as an after dlnnor smoke? This la
tho strange substituto used for tobac
co by Indians along tho Alaskn coast.
Their mouths aro often mado raw by
tho prnctlBo, and tho eyesight of many
Is affected by tho Btrong fumes.
It 1b no uncommon practlso among
farmcra to smoke tho loaves of tho to
mato and potato plants. Whllo both
these plants contain a narcotic poison,
the smoking of leaves In moderation
In harmless, Excessive use, though,
produces a hoayy. stupor, from which
tho smoker awakes with a terrific
headacho and a fooling of utter ex
haustion. Insanity and sulcldo havo
often been caused by tho Immoderate
use of these two weodr Rhubarb,
bect'and even gardon sago loaves aro
all smoked by farmers, but aro per
haps the lonst harmful of substitutes
for tobacco.
Do They Own Cincinnati?
Cincinnati. Not long ago tho lineal
descendants of Goorgo Washington
cnuecd the probato of his will to bq
oponcd, 107 years after his death;
Their object In doing so was to provo,
If they could, that thoy wore entitled
to tho greator part ot tho land on
which tho city of Clnclnnutl Is built.
Tholr claim restB upon nn allcgod
grant of this lnnd by congress to
Washington ns a pnrtlal rownrd for
his services In tho Rovolutlonnry war.
Thoy profess to havo tho original
documenta in which tho land was
ceded and which woro overlooked at
tho timo of tho general's death, partly
becauso of tho fart that at thnt tlmo
tho land had no particular valuo.