f
TOPICS OE-THE TIMES,
A CHOICE SELECTION OF INTER.
ESTINQ ITEM8.
Continents and Criticism Haned Upon
the IIuppeiiliiK of the Day Histori
cal and Ncrrs Note.
Never Judge a mnxlm by tho man
who repeats it.
Reputation is a bubble that a man
blows and then punctures.
A fool envies another man's luck
and a wise man envies his pluck.
Most men would ni titer get tho short
cud of an argument than keop quiet.
Bcwaro of keyholes. It was Eve's
-dropping that caused Adam's down
fall. Never borrow trouble. lilt your
friend for the cash and let him keop
tho trouble.
The man with an olllco on the top
floor Is no nearer heaven than the man
in tho basement.
It Issn't what the avcrngo man
knows about tho hereafter that fright
ens him; it's what he doesn't know.
Tho war hits, nfter all, its bright
side. So far neither Hudyard Kipling
nor Alfred Austin has written a poem
about It.
Tho .Tapaneso prlvato soldier Is a
quiot, unassuming Httlo fellow who
lives chlolly on rice, and generally
gets there.
A Wisconsin genius wants to mend
the crack In tho Liberty bell. He'd
probably like to whitewash the capltol
at Washington.
A man committed sulcldo this week
bucauso be could not guide his auto
mobile. Most men guiding automobiles
profcr to commit homicide.
Better late titan nevor. You may
havo noticed, however, that tho fellow
who climbs into the band-wagon last
Is nevor allowed to handle tho reins.
If you ilud, In looking through your
pllo of $100 bills, one with a poorly
ca-Qcutcd portrait of Thomas II. Benton
upon it, you may know It is a countor
' folt.
A Now York paper Is offering a
prizo for tho best vacation suggestion.
Wo have heard that it is n good plan
to remain quietly at home and take a
rest.
Enrly to bed and early to rlso makes
a man healthy, wealthy and wise. It
also makes him so Insufferably anxious
to bo talking about It ull tho Unto that
thoro's no living with him.
A French scientist says outomobll
lng cukb consumption. lie may not
be altogether right, but it can bo said
that fow airtomobllo enuthslasts are
likely to die of consumption.
Perhaps tho latest rise in tho price
of beef may bo accounted for by tho
faot that tho catllo are much larger
and fatter than usual this year, entail
ing additional work in butchering.
Andrew Oarncglo has, in tho estima
tion of Professor Goldwln Smith, taken
tho wrong way to dlo poor. There is
but ono Carnegie seeking to dlo poor.
What has tho profoBsor to offer In the
way of suggostlon to tho millions who
want to dlo rich?
Perhaps tho world will Bomo time
admit that patriotism was but a stage
Ui human development. Perhaps hu
manity will grow out of it Into somo-
thlng bettor and broador moro uni
versal. But it is evident that it has
not ycit grown out of it. Fow Btrongor
motives now dominate tho heart of
man. It is an enlargement, a g I or 1(1
cation, of tho love of fathor, of mother,
of homo and fireside, of tho hills and
woods and flowers of one's native land.
Ellon Thomeycroft Fowler, tho
woll-known novollst, protects against
. tho term "old maid" in connoctlon with
unmarried womon. Spinster is tho
word Bho recommends for the class
designated. She says, furthermore, the
class as a class should bo respected
Thoro is no question as to tho latter
statoment, but If Miss Fowler wishes
to bo exact she should allow tho
phraso "old maid," or "bacholor maid,"
to stand. Tho oarllor torin "spinster"
is now wholly out of dato and Inap
propriate. Maids, young or old, are
no longer spinsters.
That Americans contribute In no in
considerable degrco to the materia
prosperity of Buropo is evldeucod by
tho number of tourists from this coun
try that annually cross tho Atlantic
Tho Statistical Abstract of tho United
States for 1003 casts sonio Interesting
light on tills matter. According to tho
Statistical Abstract 108,211 cabin pas
aengera wero carried away from tho
United States porta during 1003'. The
showing is impressive, however1, as
giving a slight idoa of the amount of
money that annually finds its why into
European coffers. While tho expendi
tures arc as varied as the number of
tourists, a conservative estimato places!
the average sum for each at $700. Thlij
being tho caso, It will bo seon that
upward of $100,000,000 Is thus spent
annually by Americans.
Russell Sage has dealt a telling and
timely blow to tho lamentable habit oil
taking vacations. Ills convincing ar-(
gument will doubtless put tho matter
to many people In a new light There
Is no doubt that a great many good
business opportunltlce slip by a per-
son when ho Is off on his vacation. A
quick break in the stock markot a
ntotnontary slump In real estate tho
underwr'tlng of some now concern at!
tomptlng prices all those goldcat
chances may escape tho man who is,
hid away In some far-off forest or1
mountain retreat. Tito man at homo
is tho man who "gets In" and mokes
a neat little turn with tho tldo. In
Mr. Sage's opinion tho Ashing on Wall
streot Is bettor than on Lake Green
wood, and higher priced gamo is
bagged in the stock exchango than in
the forost of Anion. It may be all
right for sotno people to tuno their
"merry note unto tho sweot bird's
throat," but for Mr. Sago tho volco of
the auctioneer calling down choice bits
of property about town Is much more
enlivening.
Said President Roosevelt, in his ad
dress at Gettysburg: "Tho men who
went Into the army had to submit to
discipline', had to submit to restraint,
as the price of winning. So wo can
preserve our liberty only by exercis
ing tho 'virtues of honesty, self-restraint
and fair dealing. We can make
and keM this country worthy of tho
men who gave their lives to save it
only on condition that tho average man
among us does his duty bravely, loyal
ly and with common sonso In what
ever position life allots him." There Is
a lesson for us average men In tho
President's words which many of us
need to take to heart and ponder enro
fully. For, lit the failure of us aver-
ago men to see our duty and do it
bravely, loyally and with common
sense Is the source and tho strength
of the social and political evils from
which wo average men suffer most.
For example, why is tho government
of our cities so wasteful, inolllclcnt
and corrupt? Why Is It that wo aver
age, men do not get what we pay for'
thoro? Largely, if not wholly, bo
cause so many of us averago men, who
would not think of swindling or steali
ng from our neighbors individually,
aro Indifferent, are tolorant, are oven
amused, oftetn applaud, and sometimes
share In the plunder, when wo and our
neighbors are swindled and stolon from
collectively. When one of us Individual
1 1. 1l.ll.Ct .1 (llltnl lln txnUl.. .--ill !
'J IMIJ.T V.UIJJUL lltl JI1M1MIH Ull JJOlUIlg
the carpet ho buys. But when somo;
hundreds of us collectively buy a'
bridge or a street pavement, few of
us tako tho slightest Interest In Boo
ing to It that eaeh-of us gots what wo
all buy. Yet, when all of us uro
robbed In that way each la robbed.
And so It goes nil around. Ilowovor.
personally honest wo svorauo men may
Do, wo often lack that colloctlvo hon
esty through which alono is honest
government possible However per
sonally self-restrained we may bo. wo.
often lack that collective solf-restralnt
through which alono Is ofllolont govern-
ment possible. Tho greatest noed of
civilized society to-day is that its
avontgo mon ahull awakon to an abid
ing souse of thoir responsbllity for
each other and to each othor, and slnll
exercise that responsibility with com
mon sense.
ITALY IS ADVANCING FAST.
Klnc Victor Krauiunucl'ii Subjects Ar
Aluklnc Iiupid Progress.
"If you want to hoar of a country
that Is making gigantic strides aloinr
all lines of progress lot mo clto you
to Italy," said L. Lorla, of Coponhagon.
"My businoss of conducting tourist
parties through Southern Europo has
caused mo to visit Italy often In tho
pust ton yoars and I havo boen amazed
ot the enormous changes that this de
cade has wrought in that kingdom.
If tho present rate of development
keeps up, as I boliovo it will, it will
not be many years ore Italy will leavo
Franco In tho roar. Ono of the best
proofs of this is that ten years ago
tho French money I carried to Italy
was at a good premium; to-day only
the gold of Franco is as good as that
of hor sister stato, and when It comes
to changing paper monoy from Paris
it is reckoned below par. Tito French
sliver Isn't wanted at all.
"In every sort of way tho Italians
aro showing thomsolves clovorer, moro
progressive and enterprising than any
others of the Latin race. They aro
adopting all tho industrial habits of
the Germans, aro building factories
everywhere, and tho peoplo aro busy Jn
over' town. Tho hotols of recent con
struction aro modern and luxurious.
The French, on the othor hand, aro
standing still. They ridicule the idea
that they can learn anything of any
othor nation. Wmppod In the com
placency of solf-adulatlon, they do not
realize now fast tney are dropplnc bo
hind tho procession. Thoir sublime
egotism Is one of tho surost evidences
of- tho dogensracy or tha country."
Washington Post
Portable Hoiihch for Hokh.
A stockman who has tried them,
lays of movable hoghouses: "I have
ased portable hoghouses one year, and
like thorn first-rate, because they are
?aslly cleaned when you wish to
:lean them Just move your pen; also,
;hey are cheap. They are healthy, be
muse you can Ueep them free from dis
ease by frequent movlngs. They are a
front saver of bedding only a small
piantlty being required, providing, or
'ourse, that your pen Is upon dry
ground, that is, ground where water
movam.i: uoo HOUSE
will not stand excepting In a very wet
time.
As to mode of construction, mine are
built as follows: They are 7 feet long,
l feet wide. -10 inches high in front, 30
Inches high in rear. Weatherboarded
(tvlth hard pine boards, 10 inches wide;
might to be tongued and grooved, al
though mine are not. The roof is of
10-inch hard pine boards, 7 feet long.
Each pen has a door 30 Incites high by
2 feet wide, with hinges and hasp
latch; those binges and hasp latclt are
b inches; use wrought nails to put tltein
on. Tlte rooi ot my pen, wnere men;
. i. ii -
are cracks, is battened with half-round
poplar pieces, or it can have tho cracks
covered with shingles. I can fasten
door open or shut, as iTleslre.
rite frame is made of beech 2x4's.
First, make throe posts for the front 38
inches high, then three for rear, 28
Inches high, then 2 for sides, 33 inches
itlgh; then four pieces 7 feet long
three of those to support the roof and
bne to put along the front of the pen
jit the bottom to strengthen the frame.
Now, take boards previously sawed the
right length and construct two sides
which are opposite to each other, then
lonstruct remaining sides, then put on
roof; use 8-penn nails for weather
boards, and small spikes to put frame
together.
These pens cannot be beaten for
flnnliness. healthfulness, saving of bed
ding, and cheapness, yuioy cost auout
S3 each.
Strawberry Culture.
The method of strawberry culture
shown In the illustration has been sue
I'ossfttl and profitable. Tight iron-
bound barrels are
used with all but
four of the hoops
removed. Holes are
bored through the
staves at proper
distances as
shown, plants are
set In those holes
and the b a r r e 1 s
llllcd with soil to
tho top. The aver
STItAWIIEItltV HED
age yield of berries Is over one-half
bushel per barrel. The greatest advant
ages claimed for this method are that
jio mulch or cultivation Is necessary,
Unit the berries are always clean and
free from sand, and are far more read
ily picked than when grown in the
Usual way. A tlio is placed In the
Renter of the barrel as It Is tilled with
Ml. This permits an even distribution
of water from top to bottom, an abun
dance of which should be supplied at
all times.
Foreliitf a Second Crop of Berrien.
A Vermont farmer reports success In
producing a second crop of straw
berries last year by cutting off all the
loaves and stems close to tho ground
after fruiting tho first crop and ap
plying a dressing of nltrato of soda.
They blossomed again in September
and produced a crop smaller in amount
than the first one, but very profitablo
Tho plan, howover, could not be ex
pected to work well except In cool, wet
seasons'.
rn amc
UhIiik the Disc Harrows.
The disc as a form of soli cultivator
Is becoming constantly more popular;
but It must be used right to be of-,
fectlve. An expert with the disc har
row says:
I want to say an encouraging word
for the disc harrow. Not all soils are
adapted for Its use exceedingly stony
land Is Ill-fitted for Its use, nor perhaps
the heavy, sticky clays. But upon
loamy soils that are loose and upon.
which sod quickly forms after seeding
them Is no tool to compare to the heavy
disc. It seems a waste of money to
buy the small light machines. Farm
ers often say, "My team Is light, I can
not draw those big 120-Inch discs,
weighted." All right, then you won't
do much buslnevss. These small teams
always mean poor cultivation upon
these heavy sods there must be given
the draft of three or four horses of
good weight not less than 1,200
pounds. Upon the machine besides the
driver may be added an extra load of
stone to put the discs down at loastj
live Inches, and If the sod Is not torn,
up go deeper. The Held may look un
even when flnishedrbul a spring tooth;
or smoothing harrow will do the lovol-i
lng and the soil will have been thor
oughly mixed and the cultivation If
prolonged for two weeks will approxi
mate the old-fashioned summer fallow.
And If carried along periodically for"
four to six weeks It will reduce the
stubborn quack grass. Cheap disc
sharpeners are upon the market costing
not more than $2.ri) to J?.", that will do
the work effectually. These sharp discs
will do more work with less weight
and somewhat reduced draft.
An Anti-Choker,
The accompanying diagram explains
Itself and shows a simple method of
relieving the plow of any kind of a
choke. It can be constructed out of.
wood or Iron and adjusted to any kind
of a plow. If a reversible or hillside
plow is used you must have one om
each side of the beiam. One lolt io go
through beam is really all that Is re
quired, as the rest can be found in any
barnyard, or It can be made of poles
cut iii the woods. In plowing under
strawy manure or any othor kind of
humus food, this Is the most success
ful arrangements we have ever seen.
Exchange.
Science and Corn Silk.
Corn silk has received considerable
attention front our corn scientists. It
Is a somewhat unusual manifestation
of nature, the cavity to be fertilized by
the pollen sending out this long, silky
messenger to guide the pollen grain to
its goal. Tho growth and develop
ment of the silk bears an Important re
lationship to the crop of corn that la
to be harvested. The silk at the butt
of the ear appears first and is the long
est, as it must grow the whole length
of the cob to got to the light at ull.
Yet it does this and is waving in the
air catching the pollen before the tip
silks have appeared. The butt cavities
or ovaries are therefore the first to bd
fertilized. It is generally bolloved that
the shorter the ear the more likely It
Is to be covered with kernels, as the
longer the ear the later will the tip
silks be In getting out to the light
where they can be of service. For this
reason tlte tips of long ears are fre
quently found with no kernels on
thoni. The silks did not got out till
after th'o stalks had ceased shedding
pollen. If an ear of corn that is send
ing out silk be covered with a long
paper funnel, tho silk will joittinue to
grow in length till It lias attained a
length of 20 inches or moro. At the
Iowa station an oar of corn treated In
this way seemed to despair of getting
pollon and sent out two now ears near
its base; and these two new ears de
veloped a good muss of silk. The fall
ing of the, pollen on the silk is followed
by the grains being convoyed to tho
ovaries, after the completion of which
work the silk dies.
Corfu Are Poor Walkers.
The cow is naturally a poor walkei
Generally she walks only when she
must. She never walks or runs for ex
erclso. Sometimes she frolics, but only
for a fow moments. Tho dairy cow'a
business is eating, dozing and chewing
hor cud. Any cow that is compelled
to travel over tho parched and short
cropped pasture day and night In
search of the straggling, crisp and
browned blades of grass cannot be ex
pected to return oven a small profit
ANTl-OKOKEIl DEVICE.
Practical Pointer.
"I think," said tlte manufacturer, "it
rould be a good Idea to advortiso this
pw brand of soap as being absolutely
uro."
"Don't do it, dad," protested hla son, '
rho hud recently graduuted from a, '
chool where advertising is taught
rhlle you wait. "Make it 08 per cent
ml tho women will snap It up Cor a
wrgaln."
Not a Safe Wet.
"Yes, my boy," said the parson dur
ng a call, as he laid his hand on tho
amlly Bible, "evory word in thin boolc
a true."
"Well, I know tho words aro true,"
ojolned the wise youugstor, "but I
vouldn't advise you to bet on the flg
ires sister has been monkeying with on
he family rocord page."
Had Been Misinformed.
"They tell mo," asld the English
ourist, "that you havo female train
obbers in this bloomln' country."
"Somo ono has been stringing you,"
piled tho native American. "All tho
deeping ear porters aro moo."
Natural Deduction.
She So you danced with Misa Do
Stopper at the ball last night?
Ho Yea. Did she toll you?
She Oh, no; but I saw hor going
nto a chiropodist's this morning.
Makiuir a Long Story Short.
Husband You have .an exceptional
y good dinner to-night, ray dear.
Wife I'm so glad you liko it I got
t up expressly to pleaso you.
Husband Hum! How much shall X
nake out tho chock for?
Between Friends.
Fred The girl I ant engaged to 14
rery poor; In fact, she hasn't anything
it ull.
Joo That's tough. And she will
lave still less after she marries you.
As Classllled.
Gentleman (In library) Where can I
Ind tho book entitled "Man, the Euler
f tlte World," please?
Lady Attendant You will probably
Ind It Just ncross the hall In tho fiction
lepartment, sir.
As Defined.
Little Willie Say, pa, what la a con.
idence man?
Pa A confidence man, my son, is a
nan who separates others from thobi
nouey and their confidence slmulta
leously.
Lost Opportunity.
Jiutjoues I mot a ghost last night
ind it spoke to me.
Sunsinith What did it say?
Jimjones Haven't the least idea.
I'm not familiar with the deud Ian
guages. Wedlock's misters.
Migglea Thoro are times when it la
idvisable to listen to a fool's advice.
Mrs. Mlggles Well, go ahead, my
Jear; I'm listening.
Frankness.
"Am I the first girl you ever wanted
marry?"
"I'll be frank with you. You are not
but you're tlte first girl I ever asked,
A.m I the first man you ever accepted?"
"I'll bo equally frank with you. You
are but you are not tho first man I
would havo accepted If any of the oth
ers had asked me." Chicago Tribune.
Kecoifulzcd the Description.
Butters Was that your wifa I saw
you with In the car?
Chester Last evening? Yes.
Butters And who was that queer,
dumpy woman in tho next seat? You
seemed to know her.
Chester The queer, dump woman
was Mrs. Chester; tho other lady, the
food -looking ono, was a friend of my
tvlfe. Boston Transcript.
Something Terrible.
"Isn't it ridiculous of these scien
tists to say kissing is dangerous?"
fcorufully remarked tho pretty young
man.
"Why, of course, it's dangerous," re
Oiled tho old bachelor.
"Nonsense! What disease could it
possibly lead to If "
"Matrimony." Philadelphia Press.
The Way of u Woman.
He I see you've finished the last
,'hupter.
Site Long ago. Pin almost In tho
middle of the book. Puck.
Conversation Illjr and Little.
Henry Was the conversation good
at your wifo's dinner?
George I guess so. Tho women all
talked small talk and the men all talk
ed big talk. Cincinnati Commercial
Prlbuno. A llrokeu Enuuenicnt,
They were uttering tho tender non
senso that succeeds tho great ques
tion. "And," said tho girl, bravely,
'If poverty comes we will face It to
gether." "Alt, dearest," he replied,
Who mero sight of your faco would
scare the wolf away." And ever sine
he has wondered why she returned th
ring." Tit-Bits.
Wliut Ho Took.
Nora Ol towld that installment moa
thot ho naden't call so often.
Mistress Did ha take the hint?
Nora No, mum; he took th' planny,
Olassow Evening Times.
