The Vanishing Road.
We nro nil trending the vanishing
road of n song la tho nlr, tho vanish
ing rond of tho spring flowers nnd tho
winter snows, tho vnnlshlng roads of
tho winds nnd tho streams, tho vanish
lng rond of beloved faces. But In this
grout conipnny of vnnlshlng things wo
fool that there is n reassuring comrade
ship. Wo feel that wo uro tho units In
ft vnst ever moving army, tho van
guard of which Is in eternity. Tho
wad still stretches ahead of us. For
n llttlo whllo yet wo shall experlenco
all tho zest and bustlo of marching
feet The swift running seasons, like
couriers bound for the front, shall still
find us on tho road, and shower on us
lii passing their blossoms and their
snows. For n while tho murmur of tho
running stream of time shall bo our
fellow wayfarer till, nt Inst, up there
against tho sky line, we, too, turn and
wave our hands, and know for our
selves where tho road wends ns It goes
to meet the stars. And others will
stand ns wo today nnd wntch us ns wo
disappear, and wonder how It seemed
to us to turn that radiant corner nnd
vanish with tho rest along tho van
ishing rond. From "Vanishing Roads,"
by Richard Lo Gallienne.
Siberian Signal Men.
It Ib probable that nowhere save In
Siberia nre convicts omployed In any
service pertnlning to the operation of
rallwnys. In Hint place of exllo thoro
are many "good conduct" men, who
spend their lives In llttlo huts along
tho lino of railway, always u verst
apart, whoso duty It Is to signal with
green lings that Uio road Is clear. At
ulght they signal with n green lamp.
If tho traveler stands between the
railway cars at midnight ho tuny tick
off tho green lights ns tho train spins
along. Away down tho black avenuo
will appear n tiny green speck. As
tho cars proceed this speck will become
larger and larger, and dually tho llguro
of a man holding xif tho lnmp Is dis
tinguishable In tho darkness. And
there nro thousands of these men along
tho line. A signal started today In
Moscow runs for eleven days, until It
Is broken on the banks of Lake Baikal,
beyond Irkutsk. -Minneapolis Journal.
Hard Water.
Do you realize how linrd water Is
when n boat sails through it nt full
speed? Wntcr pnsslng nt fifty miles
an hour Is not the limpid liquid wc nro
accustomed to bntlie In. If you put
your arm overboard from a hydro
plane running llfty miles nn hour nnd
strike n wave crest the probability Is
that you will break your arm or wrist,
because at that speed the water lias
not time to give or even to change
shape, and striking it Is like striking
so much metal.
If n swordsman should enter one of
the great hydrnullc quarries, where a
stream of water under enormous head
Is used to wash down hillsides, and at
tempt to cut into one of those streams
his sword would lly In pieces without
being able to penetrate the water. The
stream is like a bar of iron.
Queer Postage Rates.
Tho city of Christobal, in the canal
zone. Is separated from tho city of
Colon, in the republic of Panama, by
a street only. One side of the street Is
in one city, the other side In the other
city. A boy or girl living In Christobal
can for '2 cents send a letter all the
way to New York, or, farther yet, to
fan Francisco. Or if he wants to send
It a long, long way a two cent stamp
will carry a letter from Christobal to
Alaska or Hawaii or Guam or even
halfway around the world to tho Phil
ippine Islands. Hut suppose that boy
or girl wants to send a letter across
the street to some friend In Colon.
tlow much postago must he use?
Why, 8 cents, of course! It doesn't
seem quite right, does it? St Nicholas.
It Certainly Was.
"And you are afraid of the dark
Tommio?"
"Yes, ma'am."
"Hut there's nothing In tho dark to
hurt you."
"Well, what's pop limping around
for?"
"Oh, ho fell over a chair when lie
came homo late last night."
"Well, that was in the dark, wasn't
it?" Yonkers Statesman.
The Grocor'3 Euphemism.
"Why is it that tho berries at tho
bottom of your boxes arc always so
much smaller than those nt the top?"
asked Mrs. Xowlywed.
"Ah. madam," snkl tho grocer, "yon
don't put It quite correctly. You
Miould nsk why the berries at the top
of the box are so much larger than
tlioso at tho bottom." Judge.
Patching Battleships.
-vfter n battle Jack tars have scv-
t r.il methods of stopping tho incoming
water when a battleship has been hit
below the vator line. For instance. If
a small holo has been made In the ves
set's side au apparatus like nn umbrel
la Is used. This Is thrust through tho
hole point llrst and then drawn back
so that It will open like nn umbrella,
leaving the canvas outside.
Of cou.rso tho pressuro of the wnter
effectually forces tho canvas against
tho ship's side, thus stopping the leak.
But to make It more secure tho handle
of the umbrella, which is formed like
a screw, is fastened by a nut Inside.
In tho ciso of a bigger leak when
the ship has been stovo In below tho
water line a largo mat made of can
vas and oakum is used. This has to
bo fixed into position by means of
ropes. But tho Using is not a very
easy matter, as one ropo has to bo got
right under tho keel to tho other old
m tho ship In order to drag tho mat
(own to Uio holo. Two or three other
opes are also required nt different
ingles to guldo tho mat to Its right
A Worse Place
Than Up In the Air
By JOHN Y. LARNED
Ono evening at n social gathering
1 was Introduced to u young woman
n widow whose expression on meet
ing mo was, to say tho least, surprising.
There wore recognition, astonishment,
pleasure, nil mingled with something
like wonder. It occurred to mo at
once that I must have met ono with
whom I had been connected In tho
past. My assurance Is by no moans
of a low order, nnd 1 determined not
to assume tho defensive.
"Can It be," 1 hnznrded, "Hint 1 have
met n friend of my youth?"
"No."
"I have it Wo wero in Switzerland
together last summer."
"Wo wero not."
"Strange." I said, assuming a thought
ful tono and expression, "that I should
remember a person distinctly and yet
cannot call up tho circumstances"
"I don't believe you remember hav
ing mot mo at nil."
I smiled and confessed Uint 1 did
not.
"Never mind whoro wo mot," sho
said, pouting.
"It wasn't up in tho clouds snlling
In aeroplanes, was It?"
"Worse."
"Upon my word, you speak in rid
dles! Plense explain."
The lady changed tho subject, speak
ing on ordlnnry topics. Curiosity led
mo to retain tho acquaintance I had
formed, and 1 asked permission to call.
Hut my affairs wore in bad shape at
tho time, and, being much worried. I
failed to avail myself of tho permis
sion granted. Matters went from bad
to worse with me. The fact got whis
pered about that I was In llnanclal
dllllculty, and I was pressed on every
side for payment of accounts for which
there were no funds ready. Ono
morning tho mall brought mo a letter
from John Simpson & Co., a linn do
ing the same kind of business that I
did, stating that they had been made
aware that I needed funds to tide ino
over dllllculties nnd that they would
bo happy to advance what I required.
It Is needless to say that such gen
erosity surprised me. I had known
and done business with tho concern,
but had no idea that it took any In
terest In mo. I called on Mr. Simpson,
tho head of tho Ann, nnd offered to
make n showing of my affairs with a
view to proving that a loan of $20,000
for a year would pull me through.
Hut I could furnish no security. I was
informed that I would hear from him
within twenty-four hours, and tho
next morning's mall brought mo a
cheek for tho amount I needed. No
receipt to be signed was Inclosed; noth
ing was said about a showing up of
my accounts; no time was specified for
pnyment Twenty tliousahd dollars
were handed to me just as If they be
longed to me. I called on Mr. Simpson
nt once for nn explanation, but got no
satisfaction.
"You go on doing business," he said.
"You have tho good will of your com
petitors and business men generally.
Don't bother your head about tho
money advanced. Are you sure it Is
n-plcnty?"
I assured him that it was.
Being set up on my feet, my mind
was more nt ease, nnd I resumed my
social connections. Ono morning I
was passing a shop where women's
goods aro sold Just as a lady alighted
from nn auto. I recognized Mrs. Car
mody, the lady who remembered me,
but whom I had failed to remember.
Conscious of my neglect of her per
mission to call upon her, I felt embar
rassed; but, pulling myself together,
I spoke to her, told her that a pressuro
of affairs had prevented my availing
myself of tho honor she had done me.
etc.
I loft her, thinking of tho mystery
concerning her. Ono tiling especially
puzzled me. When I had facetiously
suggested that wo might liavo met up
In tho nlr sho hnd replied, "Worso than
that" What did this mean? I re
solved to got it out of her and to call
upon her at onco for tho purpose.
"Now," I said to her when wo wero
seated teto-n-teto in her drawing
room, "I confess that I cannot remem
ber you at nil, nnd 1 wish you to re
lievo my curiosity by explaining whnt
you meant by saying that wo had mot
in n worse placo than up in tho nlr."
"Cnn't you think of n worso placo
than that?"
"No."
"Down under the wntcr."
Tho expression on my faco caused a
burst of laughter that was both tan
tnlizlng nnd becoming.
"You nnd I," sho continued, "wero
board tho Titanic together on her
last trip. Wo both went down or
wero sucked down with tho vessel. I
clutched some ono under water. It
was you. When wo came up I was
bereft of my senses. You unstrapped
your life preserver nnd gave it to mo.
I clung to It till I was picked up."
In time I married tho widow, who
was wealthy, and sho turned over to
mo tho management of her alTnlrs.
Ono day whllo looking over some old
papers of hers I camo upon her check
for $20,000 payable to John Simpson.
Then I know who had advanced tho
money that had saved mo from finan
cial failure. I wont to my wife, em
braced her nnd covered her face with
kisses. Sho wished mo to explain my
sudden demonstration of affection, but
I paid her for keeping mo in ignorance
of whero wo had met by withholding
my knowledge of tho chock.
int Degradation or natter.
If wo cxnmlno tho Hfo history of
any substance with sufllcicnt knowl
edge nnd Btilllclcnt enre, saya tho En
gineer, wo shall Hud tlint nnturo pro
vides means nnd forces that llttlo by
llttlo nro turning Uint substance Into
dust. Tho manipulations of man
greatly assist In the process. But na
ture Itself is always active in It nnd
even without man's aid is quite com
petent to achieve tho task. At times
wo strive to hinder the process, us, for
example, when wo apply paint to iron
work In order to prevent It from rust
ing. Hut we can hinder It only for a
time, and oven then we merely check
tho degradation of one substance by
degrading another. Thus wo have con
stantly to renew the paint on our iron
work. Tho former coats disappear
wholly or in part, and the material of
which they were composed has tied
lo dust. Wo may accord iy look
forward to a time when matter will
bo uniformly dlatrlbu M as dust
throughout space, u coriuitlun that, ac
cording to tho nebular hypothesis,
actually did prevail nt ono time, before
Uio universe, us wo know It, wns
formed.
Undo Sam's Big Cheeks.
When the government pays u claim
or debt it is done by n treasury war
rant, signed by tho secretary of the
treasury, in May, 1D04, tie secretary
signed a warrant for $-10,O0O.O0O, which
was delivered to J. P. Morgan & Co.
of New York as disbursing agents of
this government on account of tho
Panama canal purchase. This was the
lurgest warrant ever issued. The
largest sum previously covered by a
single government warrant was for
$7,H0O,(HH). paid to Uussia in 1SGS on
account of tho Alaskan purchase. Tho
next largest sum was $.r,500.000, -paid
In 1S70 to tho British government on
account of the Halifax award under
the treaty of Washington for infringe
ment of fishing rights In Nova Scotlan
waters. In 1S00 this government paid
Spain, through Uio French ambassador,
$20,000,000 for the Philippine Islands,
but this sum was represented by four
warrants of $.".000,000 each. Philadel
phia Press.
Broadway Noon Idyl.
Kvery weekday at noon the chimes
of Grace church, In New York, send
down into the clutter of Broadway the
strains of old familiar hymns. The
other day the chimes had Just llnlshed
Floyd's hymn. They began a new
melody, which In the midst of the
city's roar was not at first distinguish
able. Then the tangle of notes un
wound Itself and Uirough tho noises of
the street sounded tho sweet notes of
"Just as I Am, Without Ono Plea."
Car wheels clanked, car brakes shriek
ed, iron shod horse hoofs smote tho
stones of tho street, motor horns blew
raucously, there wns the sound of a
myriad human feet and of many hu
man voices, and through It all "Just
as I Am, Without Ono Pica."
Pedestrians took up the theme und
hummed It nbsentmlndodly. Old scenes
wei-e brought back, old faiths strength
ened, old blessings remembered.
Christian Ilerald.
First English Book on Sport.
The first book on sport ever printed
in the English language was a rimed
treatise called the "Boko of St Al-
bnnds," its author being a woman,
Dame Juliana Berners. Its second
edition wns printed by Wynkyn do
Wordo In 110(1. A descendant of her
fumlly, Lord Berners, wns the trans
lator of Frolssart's "Chronicles." It
Is true that old manuscripts existed,
such as tho "Venerle do Twecy" of the
time of Edward II., but It was Dame
Juliana who was tho real ancestress
of sporting literature hi England, for
she also composed an essay on hawk
ing and another on "Fishing With an
Angle," the last being of such excel
lence that Izaak Walton himself did
take a hint from its pages.
Parasol Monoplanes.
The "parasol piano" is really a bi
plane with tho lower pair of wings re
moved, the engine, pilot and observer
all sitting under tho upper plane and
thus giving rise to Uie nickname of
"parasol." This typo of monoplane is
chiefly used for directing tho lire of
the guns. In nn ordinary monoplane
It is difllcult for tho observer to seo
below him. Pearson's Weekly.
Fighting Fishes of Siam.
Tho Siamese devote great euro to tho
cultivation of their famous fighting
fishes, known as plakat. Tho interest
In tho fights, on which the spectators
stake largo sums of money, Is so great
that tho license to hold them brings a
largo nnnuul revenue to tho king of
Slam. Westminster Gazette.
Exousnblo.
"Miss Short says slio's only thirty,
and I'd swear she's flvo nnd thirty If
she's n day."
"Well, you see, I've heard sho wns n
rather backward child, dear, and didn't
learn to count till sho was flvo." Ex
change. Expanding,
Tho Old Friend I understand that
your practlco Is getting bigger. The
Young Doctor That's true. My pa
tient lias gained nearly two pounds In
the last mouth.
Contempt of Court,
Defendant (In u loud voice) Justice!
Justice! I demand Justlco! Judge
Silence! Tho defendant will pleaao ro
member that he Is In n courtroom.
Ponn Stnto Froth.
Itemed? your deflclondcfl and your
merits will take enro at ttenweiTW.
Bulwer,
Strong Even In Death.
A yew treo nlmost destitute of
branches or bark grows abundantly In
tho Caucasus to n height of from fifty
to sixty feet nnd a diameter of a little
over two feet It grows slowly, but
Its tlmlHT Is almost Indestructible ex
cept by fire. It Is considered superior
in durability, appearance and tough
ness to mahogany, which It otherwise
somewhat resembles. In some larse
forets of this tree it Is very difllcult
to distinguish the live trees from the
dead ones, the latter ln-lng very numer
ous and said to stand for 100 years aft
er death without exhibiting decay.
Baso Deception.
Family Physician 1 uni afraid, Mrs.
Gayblrd, your husband cannot last
much longer. Tho trouble with your
husband, madam, Is that he has over
drawn his account at the bunk of vl
tnlity. Mrs. Gnyblrd-I felt sure he
was deceiving ino about something.
Doctor. I give you my word, I never
know he had any account there. To
peka Journal.
John Hay on Stanton.
in "The Life nnd Letters of; John
IJay" 1 this plnlntlvo noto to Nlcolny:
"My denr Nleo Don't. In a sudden
spasm of good nature, send any more
people with letter to me requesting
favors from Stanton. 1 would rather
make the tour of a smallpox hospital "
The Obliging Proprietor.
"W'qn't you please give tno nn or
der?" pleaded the persistent drummer
"Certainly." replied the crusty pro
prietor. "(Jet out!"
Was Willing.
Smith -7ou nnd Jones don't seem to
he n friendly as you were. Does he
owe you money? Itrmvn No. not ex
actly. but he wanted to.
Tho Gossobcrry.
Goose1 iprry bushes were or Initially
called orseberry bushes, from the
plants li.i vlnvr prickles slmthir to those
of the gorse shrub.
To Jly Customers.
Tho burning of my barn places mo
In a condition whoro I badly need nil
money duo me, nnd I trust that those
Indebted to mo will fully rcallzo my
unfortunate position and promptly pay
tho amount due. In tho past I have
favored you by giving you credit; will
you not now favor mo by paying mo
promptly tho money you owo mo.
JULIUS MOGENSEN.
tJeautUul Fis"H.
Japanese gardens are almost like
part of the house. The people live In
gardens far more than most Ameri
cans do. In almost every garden is
found a pond with goldfish In It The
golden carp Is a kind of goldfish
which was brought from China to Ja
pan, and the species named ranchu Is
greatly admired. It has a tall made
of three or four fanlike fins that oi-on
and close. When floating about in the
water and looked at from above it ap
pears like one of the old Japanese gold
coins called tho koban. It is supposed
to look like a lion, when one gazes
straight into its face. The Japan Mag
azine tells us of these fish and says
that the Japanese are fond of ghlng
fancy names to their favorites, such as
"dancing butterdy" and "double eher
ry blossom." Sometimes the llsh take
their names from appearance and
sometimes from habits.
Austria's Historic Crown.
1'he crown doir i'd by the monarch
of Austria, which was made originally
for Stephen of Hungary some eight
centuries ngo. has been stolen, lost or
pawned.
Due one occasion It was pilfered by
a queen who lied across the frozen
DaiiuU' with It, and there, being In
need of ready cash, she pawned It for
2,Siio ducats. When It was Anally
traced and recovered It was placed In
a fortress in Hungary and guarded
night and day.
At the time of tho revolution It was
burled In a forest to prevent Its being
annexed by tho Austrlans, nnd It re-
mulned under the soli for nearly a hun
dred yenrs. Tho crown Is adorned
with flfty-threo line sapphires, fifty
good sized rubles, ono emerald and IHIS
hvirls The gems are sunken In a uins-t
of pure gold, and the crown weighs al
together about fourteen pounds. Ex
change To tho Public
Having mado sottlomont with tho ln
suranco company, I will start to ro
movo tho old barn. I will do business
In tho front part of tho old barn until
1 get tho now ono erected. Will
hnvo all kinds of feed, Hour, potntooa,
wheat oats corn anything In tho feed
lino at pricos that will make you sit up
nnd notice. Call or phono mo, as I need
your business.
JULIUS MOGENSEN.
Furs Wanted
Bring In your furs to us. Wo will
pay you tho highest price. Don't ship
them until you soo us.
NORTH PLATTE JUNK HOUSE.
THE LOTUS
"ROOMS"
Steam Ileal, llunning Hot and
Cold Water in all the rooms.
Prices Reasonable.
Corner 6th and Locust St.
MRS. C. F. JOHNSTON, Prop.
Have You a Piano
in Your Home?
A home is not complete without a Piano. It gives
the girls and boys pleasure, and keeps them at
home and fits them for a better life- Don't say you can
not afford lo buy a Piano, but come in and talk with
us, and we will make it so easy you can not afford to
be without one.
We handle the best makes, Knabe, A. B. Chase,
McPhail, Price & Teeple, Smith & Barnes, Kimball,
R. S. Howard, and several others.
Gaston Music Co.,
511 Dewey St.
KEITH THEATRE,
MONDAY, DECEMBER
PRESENTS
The KnTesHstibfle
UquesiEoinabBy th IVSosft
SuccessfuS Comedy Em tfhe Worfd
Same Massive Production and Perfect Cast with Kitty O'Con
nor its Peg. Scat sale Saturday 10 a. in. Prices Orches
tra $1.00, SI .50; Halcony 50c, 75c ami $1.00.
-Tf--Hltltlll It.MMIiWI MMWIIIIIIIIW'M
C.F.TEMPLE.
REAL ESTATE, LOANS AraD INSURANCE
Dnriia c -s rfJn t aat: nun niM
millll. tuntM Wl f.TTTftffBI1lr
For Sale.
Good ge.nllo family milch cow. 504
south Willow. Phono Black 710. lUtf
.7. . KKDFII.LD.
PHYSICIAN & SUKGEON
Successor to
IIYSICIAN & SURGEONS HOSPITAL
Drs. Redflold & Rodllold
Olhco Phono G42 Rob. Phono 076
in j j i
Bought and highest murkat
pricai paid
PHONES
ReiidtnoeJRod G3G Ofllee 459
C. H. WALTERS.
IT
hois ai
L. L. WALKER, Mgr.
13fli
hartley manners
Get a Policy on Your Home
and get It uilhout delay, ho that you
m ill feel easier in your mind In enso
an accidental flro should break out
and burn your belongings. .Wo Issue
policies on all Kinds of property, and
I ho premiums arc vory low In most
Instances. A Flro Insuraiico Policy Is
your best protection, and a good nssct
should you deslro to sell your home.
Favor us with u call and wo will offer
j on a good proposition.
Wilt IIIHM Mill! MIIIIM Mm IMIIIIIII IWI I WI.M II I IIJI
l1f-MrlnrTryrMWM 1 '' li.nl mil 1 lil.ria,rTwmrt-ijnnnftr
I Am Paying More for
HIDES
than anyone else. Before you
sell conic and see me.
We are paying $10 Per ton
for DryJBoncs.
North Platte Junk House
Lock's Old Barn.
Hospital Phono Black 033.
Houso Phono Black G33.
Y. T. PJlITCIIAlll),
Graduate Vctprlnnrlaii
Bight years a Government Veterinar
ian. Hospital 218 Bouth Locust St.,
ono-half block southwest of tho
Court Housb.
naKltion, 'Pearson's.
