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IVE or six years ago,
when the rain-making ox-
' periments were being
conducted, .first at Wash
ington, afterward in Tex
as, my college- chum and
1 became greatly inter
ested in the subject.
We were then sopho
mores at 13. Elementary
chemistry was our regu
lar course of study that
year, and wc spent most of
the spring term experimenting on our
own account and exploding a vast
number of gas balloons.
We made a great deal of noise, and
maintained that we produced rain.
Showers certainly did follow some of
the explosions.
The spring term closed on June 2G,
and all the boys went home, except
my chum Jarvis and myself, who, in
consequence of spending so much
time experimenting, had been "con
ditioned," and had a week's hard work
to make up in our Greek.
Ilnthcr than have it hanging over
us all summer and into the next year,
we agreed to do it at once and have
done with it. Permission was accorded
to us to go on living in our rooms
nt the hall, and the resident profes
sor in Greek consented to gh)e us an
jfyestm examination.
Hardly anyone except the old jani
tor knew that we had not gone home
as usual; for, naturally, we were not
very proud of being obliged to stay
after term time to make up our
work. We stayed indoors all day,
and burned the midnight oil, be
sides. It was dreadfully hot during the
labt four days ot June, but we toiled
away with Greek grammar and lexi
con, hoping to get home for the
Fourth of July; and we should hnve
done so, but our Greek professor ate
too much cantaloup on the day set
ior the examination, and thought for
48 hours he had appendicitis.
It proved to be no such serious
trouble, but it hindered our plans.
The professor was not able to exam
ine us till the afternoon of the third,
eo we could not possibly get home
ior the Fourth.
Jarvis was furious.
"Confound cantaloup!" he grum
bled. "And confound a professor that
doesn't know better than to eat it!
No use to start now. We couldn't
get home!" he raged on. "I won't
spend the Fourth in a railway car!
Let's stay here and shake the old
town up! Let's send up a balloon at
midnight! We'll make it rain here
to-morrow!"
Rather an incendiary sentiment, the
reader will say, but we had been shut
up with Greek for six long, hot days.
We had access to the laboratory in
Chemistry hall, where we had our
balloons, and generated 'the oxygen
and hydrogen gas for exploding them.
There was a quantity of cotton
cloth, paper and glue, which had not
been used; and that evening we made
n balloon ten feet in diameter, which
we succeeded in charging, outside the
window, with oxygen and hydrogen
from the laboratory retorts, in the
proportion of two to one, that being
the formula by which tho two gases
unite to produce water and a par
ticular ear-splitting explosion.
JWe finished the balloon, and had
line gas generated at a little past
11 o'clock; and then, after charging
large Leyden jar from the static
electrical mnchine, we started out to
astonish the quiet little town, and
usher in the Fourth of July.
We had a large ball of strong ma
jiihi twine and a spool of small cop
per wire, the ends of which were at
tached for a spark at the base of the
balloon.
We led our balloon, like a frisky
colt, along the luue at the rear of
the chemistry building, and out across
the campus to the edge of the pine
woods. Then we let it rise.
The night was very dark and still,
but clouds had risen in the north nnd
west, and there was a frequent glow
of lightning in tnat quarter, although
so distant that the thunder could not
be heard.
"There's a shower coming!" Jarvis
exclaimed, as the balloon began its
ascent. "We shall have to make
haste."
But as yet there was not a breath
of wind stirring; the balloon had
risen and hung directly overhead, and
was pulling hard at its restraining
string.
We knew from past experience that
when the electric spark acted on the
two gases the explosion would be
something tremendous; but we
thought that at a height of 800 or 900
feet, out there by the woods, no
damage would follow.
And perhaps none would have fol
lowed, if all had gone ns we planned,
but Jarvis had a great deal of trou
ble connecting the wires. He was
bothering with them for some min
utes. Then suddenly the first gust of the
oncoming shower struck us.
What followed came quickly. The
balloon swayed over before the wind.
Down it bowed until the cord strung
out far aslant.
"Good gracious!" I cried, holding
hard. "She'll get nway from me, Jarve!
Touch her 'off quick, or she will break
away!"
In the darkness we could not see
just where the balloon was, or what
it was over.
But the next moment wc snw! Jnr
vis had managed at last to connect
the wires and touch off the balloon.
There came a sudden blaze and a tre
mendous detonation, as if the whole
town had cracked clean down
through the center of the earth!
The shock bowled us both over, and
we heard a crash of timbers follow
ing the report. The thing had ex
ploded about 30 feet over the barn
and shed of a worthy inhabitant of
B., who lived near the ball grounds,
and kept a lazy horse which he
hired to tho boys at such high prices
that they had nicknamed him "Old
Gripus."
"We've done it now!" gasped Jar
vis, as he scrambled hastily to his
feet. "That's Old GripVs barn!"
But that was not the worst. Shreds
of the burning paper and cloth from
the balloon must have fallen among
hay and straw, for even as we stood
staring in that direction a bright
flame shot up from the building.
The only thing left us now was to
run to the house and shout: "Fire!"
That we did with a vengeance, and
soon roused the fire department; the
new steam engine and two old hand
"tubs" responded.
Through their united efforts, aided
considerably by the shower which
soon began to pour copiously, the old
man's house was saved from the fire,
but the barn and shed und an old
buggy were consumed.
Jarvis nnd I were greatly worried,
and, indoed, were on the verge of
honorable confession of our act; but
now, I am sorry to say, to our relief,
we found that it was the unanimous
opinion of every one, including the
fire department and the owner him
self, that the barn had been struck
by lightning! For everybody in
town had heard what they believed
to be an awful clap of thunder!
Jarvis nudged me in the crowd, nnd
we went home to talk it over. We had
very little spare cash, and disliked ex
ceedingly to go home, own up to
such a prnnk, and try to get $250
each from an unsympathetic father.
"Chum," said Jarvis, with a down
cast look, "this is u pretty low game,
I know, but liadn't we better lot well
enough alone for awhile, at lenst?"
It was a terrible temptation, and 1
have to confess that, after n great
deal of mental ngitation. wo surren
dered to it.
There was $300 insurance on the
barn, but tho loss was estimated
at $300.
We never mentioned the matter to
each other during our two remaining
yenrs in college, for we were far
from rich; yet I knew by the way
Jarvis would look at mo once in
awhile that he was thinking of it,
and trying to discern how I felt.
But we said nothing. Directly
after our graduation Jarvis went out
to Hawaii, and 1 did not see him for
three years; but wo wrote- every
mouth or two.
I knew that we should have to set
tin -fnf 1lO (lltmnfro heffiril wo nnnlil
feel right; still, 1 did not like to open
the subject to Jarvis, for I did not
know exactly how he was situated.
It transpired that he fell, the same
way about it as I did; but the sense
of dishonor wore him out first.
"I Eiy, Jack," he added, as a post
script to his letter last New Year's
day, "Gripe's old barn is pretty heavy
on my conscience. Hadn't we bet'
ter fix that tip? In equity it will bu
a matter of $390, interest and all,
which we owe to the Phoenix com
pany, and $200 to Gripus; $325 each.
Hadn't we better do it?"
We squared up the long-standing
"conscience account" last month;
and thus after six yenrs ended om
effort to make it ruin in B. on tho
night before tho Fourth of July.
Youth's Companion.
The Small Boy's Day
HIS ls-
U any one should ask you,
Or even it no one should
The Day w o Celebrate.
That Is,
'lo-morrow is tho Day,
But we start In
All ot one duy previous
So as to be certain
Of good measure.
Don t worr ,
Or lose any sleep over It
11 no one should ask you
Never tear.
livery one will tlnd It out.
The man who didn't know
. That it was
l The
Fourth
l ot
1 July
i Would have to be blind
In both eves.
Dear in both ears
Aim lame In his Intellect.
To be perfectly sate
It would be well ubso
For him to be
In darkest Atrlca
And to have been
Dead ten veura.
rClasr Tnere ls dunger
UUl (Jl-UIMU Wilt 11I1U 11 UUl.
In fact,
Most ot them know It now
And thoBe who do not
Are rupldly acquiring
The lmotmutlon.
Along about this time of year
It ls one of the
Most obvious 1'ncts
Ever bi ought to the attention
Ot.a great people.
It is easier than falling
Krom a bicycle
To know when It ls
The Independence day.
All one has to do
Is to remove one's head
From between tho pillows,
Take the cotton
Out of one's ears
And listen.
Fourth of July.
Was Invented by the Yankees.
The Chlnete wo: ked patiently
For many centuries
And invented the firecracker.
Together they make
A great combination.
Also a noise
Which resembles the shot
That was heuid round the
world,
Only it's louder.
'wfltl Fourth of July
, was comparatively narmiesa.
Had about live cents
To spend.
That would buy 100 crackers.
After they were touched oft
He was through.
Possibly he got up In the morn
ing And Phot off the old musket,
' nut he was not allowed
To waste ammunition
During the day.
No one was hurt
Unless he nte too mucn.
Now It ls different.
The small boy
Who Is not allowed
To hnvo two Toy pistols,
One In each hand.
A firecracker between each toa
And a bunch of cannon crack
ers To throw Into street cars
Thinks heir abused
And that his lather
Is not patilotlc.
Many yenrs havo passed
Since we licked the British
But. say, we did such a Job
Of It that we are
Obliged to get together
Once every year and
Veil!
Our forefathers foughtj
Bled nnd died
That we might shoot fire
crackers Once a year
Provided we had the money
Or credit
To get them.
They licked tho British
So thoroughly
That the latter
Never Interfere
With our Innocent sports.
And we are nt liberty
To shoot off our thumbs.
Kars or toeH
To express our feelings.
Then turn the Small Boy loose.
Give him full swing,
And matcheH,
As well as guns.
Bet him enjoy himself
While we
Take to the woods.
Chicago Dally News.
sife
A Unique
I Celebration
8 By if. H. LANCASTER.
pmmiJMHQ S LANCE crossed the Inwn
jHjT he vns hailed by a chorus
A-, 9 of anxious voices: "Come
ueip us, jance. j-iuusu
come."
He shrugged his rnthcr
heavy shoulders, and came
slowly toward the group
under the cedars. "What's
up?" ho asked, lazily
throwing himself upon a
seat a littlo apart from
the rest, and leaning for-
ward to bend the grass down with
his stiff-brimmed straw hat. He did
not look nt anyone as he put tho
question, but the young Creole re
plied: "It's Cedoni."
"I hnve nothing to do with it,"
corrected Ccdonj, whoso vivacity and
fun had vanished when Lnneo ap
proached. "All, but you said it must be some
thing different this year."
"Oil, it's your Fourth of July cel
ebration, is it? The same old cry.
You nre tired of barbecues and re
gattas and fish fries and sunstrokes.
You expect moMo help you with such
n conundrum?" Lance spoke with
good-natured impatience, but ho did
not look up. "Why not ignore the
Fourth? Not have any celebration nt
all? That would be quite a novelty
for this hot-bed of patriotism." His
Inst words were drowned in a clamor
of indignant protests.
"We are going to read the Declara
tion," insisted the Creole, who was
the orator of the town, "but how, nnd
where?"
Lnnce dropped his lint into the
grass and stared at it. Ho was think
ing of a curious dream he hud had
the night before, and spoke aloud ab
sently: "Hy torchlight, upon the wa
ter." Such being the words lie hnd
seen in his dream upon the intigienl
leaf at the fountain of Castalia. The
party of young folks received them
with joyous acclamation.
"Go on. Lance, you havo made a
grand beginning. Now, when?"
Lance lifted his head and looked nt
Cedoni: "At midnight, when the
clock strikes 12."
"The oracle has spoken," cried tho
young Creole. "Why look so mysti
fied, my friends? We will hnve a
floundering party on tho night of
July the third. At midnight we col
lect around the torches rend the
HE WAS THINKING OF A CURIOUS DREAM
HE HAD HAD.
Declaration, make speeches, sing
songs in short, celebrate tJie glori
ous Fourth. There will be no smell
of burning meat, no din of ec-iuion, no
sunstroke. Only dewy coolness of
early morn, dancing lights on gleam
ing waters, poetry, music "
"Yes," interrupted u praetfeal mem
ber, "and after we are through with
all that, we can take our flounders
on shore and have a fish fry."
"Yes, indeed! And then we could
dance on the beach to the music of
a fife."
"In our wet clothes. Tlmt would
be n fioundering party, sure enough."
"Nonbensei We would have tents."
"Oh, oh! We might as well havo
lemonade and peanuts."
"No! We'll use the bath houses"
"Hut where will the flag oome in?"
"Let's print the invitations on
Hags."
"We could have little flags fastened
to our spear staffs."
"Oh, there'll be flags to burn."
' And by dint of interjection, ex
clamation and explanation, the crude
Idea was developed, and Invitations re
solved upon to n unique celebration
of the Glorious Fourth; one 'that was
to be patriotic in the extieme, and
yet avoid heat und sunstroke, dazzle
und dust.
Through it nil Lnnee sat staring at
his hat in the grass, and thinking in
his iober, sturdy way. Of course,
it wim only because he hud been
1 (jpj ?;fiSjJPf
rending "Den Hur" that ho drcaml
of tho priest nnd tho fountain and
the magical leaf. Hut tho answoi
to his question: "How and where
would happiness come to him?" had
been: "Hy torchlight, on tho water."
Why should those words, of all oth
crs, have appeared upon the drip,
ping leaf? Ho grew mirvous when
Cedoni was urged to join the party,
and when she consented he got up
and walked awny, feeling weak and
unnerved through the whole of his
big, brawny frame.
"I'll do it," he muttered, "if T live
until the Fourth. At any rate," ho
added, after a pause, "I'll bo done
with this sickening uncertainty." Hy
which it mny bo inferred that Lance
was not in a very hopeful mood.
Ho was in a ntill less hopeful mood
when he joined tho flounderers upon
the momentous night. Cedoni was
WHIBMBiM
W&WmmMrM mm
IHil
ESBsBPyaBSSlB
AND SO THEY CELEIIRATOD THE FOURTH
flirting with the orator, who carrlce
her basket, nnd threatened to grow
sentimental. It was a largo party
and a gay one; tho long line o
torches, the flushing waters and
laughing voices, shouts of triumph,
ejaculations of dismay. Over all tin
eternal &turs brqodlng peacefully
above the trivial toils of man.
Lance splashed along with dogger
determination, spearing flounders, aiu
saying nothing. He would say some
thing presently while the speechc
were being made. After they wen."
ashore the oracle would be void. Hf
saw no hope of a word with Cedoa
until the orator should bo called t
attend his public duties. Even their
she would probably bo invited lnsld
the circle of light. Hut he would hc
that h' did not go. Like all quiet
men, when a deed was once deter
mined upon, Lance expected to carry
it through. He had not an idea wlia
he would say only that Cedon.'
should stay and listen. So it hap
pened that when the grand stand a
bay of shallow water was readied,
and the torcli bearers began to cir
cle around the speakers, Cedoni felt
u strong hand upon her arm,
"You wish something?" Her tone
was distant, as it hnd been ever sinco
he reproached her for that bit of idle
gossip.
"I wanted to speak to you," Lnneo
replied, quietly.
"Wejl?"
"After the speeches begin."
"You must excuse me. J am to
sing tho opening song."
"I can't excuse you."
"You must!" But he held her arm
firmly and silently, while tho circle
closed nnd the song began.
"Do you consider this courteous?"
she asked, indignantly.
"I wanted to speak to you," ho re
peated, quietly.
"Weill speak for" The notes of
"America" swelled out and drowned
her words. Hundreds of voices sing
ing under tho stnrs, and tho music
floated far away over tho silent wa
ter. It was soul-iiiBpiring, yes, waw
inoro than that. Lance leaned over
Cedoni.
"I love you, dear." His strong
voice was a little husky. Did she
hear? She stood by him until tho
orator's tones rang out, and then she
moved.
"Wait," nc said. "Did you henr?"
"Yes," she answered, steadily.
When the second speaker came for
ward, Lance spoke again, quietly. He
was not pleading, only stating a fact-
"This suspense is killing me."
Cedoni's spear fell into the water
with a splasli. Siie caught tho big,
unsteady hand ir. both her own, and
kissed it.
Far away was cheering, and torch
light and song, but hero upon a log
half-sunk in tho sand sat two lovers
talking of well, a dream, a fountain
nnd a lenf, And so they celebrated
the Fourth. Was the mnnner unique?
Minneapolis Housekeeper.
Ilffore flie Foartlh.
Little Willie has ten fingers
On hi hands to-day.
Ah, what apprehension llnntra
When wo should bo gay.
For a question grim, uncanny,
Fills the soul with sonow; l
Can he hold up Just as many
When we're through tin morrowT
Washington Star.
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