_ ;■ Rhode* Scholar*. London Chronicle: A contingent of •the Rhodes scholars U already, as ap fuears from the Oxford university cal endar Just Issued, in residence at the university, although the full number jwill not be made up for some time. The German emperor has, In terms of Cecil Rhodes' bequest, certain nominations ko thee# scholarships In his gift, and It ks an Interesting fact that his first two nominees should both be Roman Cath olics. One, Herr von Muller, Is the son Of a Bavarian minister, and has been St school tn Munich: while the other, Who has entered at Magdalen, Is Count feely de Talleyrand Perlgord, great i rand son of the second Due de Talley rand In France, and Herzog von Sa Van In ths kingdom of Prussia. Count Bely, by the way, has a relative living |n thla country, Lady Stanley, born FTalleyrand-Perigord, and widow of Sir (John Stanley of Hooten, last baronet, tnd last of the senior male line of the ouse of Stanley. » -* No Room for Newe. Titbits: Mrs. De Brain—Anything In "the paper today? . Mr. De Brain—The Dally Blowhard has sent two special correspondents to Koaccount islands, while Its contempor aries have sent only one each. "Well?” . "The Dally Blowhard has DO per cent, tnore advertisements this year than last rear.” "Well?" "The Dally Blowhard now has the largest cirulatlon In the world.” "Well?" "The Dally Blowhard published an exclusive account yesterday of the tramp mystery," "The Dally Blowhard has opened a new city office for the receipt of adver tisement* and subscriptions." ■■wJnr "The Daily Blowhard has ordered five new printing presses at an expense of—J’ "Isn't there any news in the paper -Shout what Is going on outside of The tDally Blowhard office?” "No; I suppose that was crowded Sut.” The late Mrs. Harriet Converse used 9 tell a little Incident which took place /hllo she was on one of her numerous •lslts to Seneca reservation in New fork state. For a certain reason she wished to write out the name of an Jn dtnn there. He did not wish to show the white woman chief his ignorance of spelling, and he adroitly avoided the point, when she asked how to spell his no ne, by saying: "It make no matter; put It down •wldout spell.” Good New* from Minnesota. Lakefleld, Minn., Jan. 4.—Mr. Will iam E. Gentry of this place is one of the best known and most highly re spected men in Jackson County. For 45 years he lias suffered with Kidney Trouble and now at 77 years of age he has found a complete cure and Is well. Ills cure is remarkable because of the length of time he had been suffer ing. Cases of 40 years’ standing might be considered Incurable, but tlie reme dy that cured Mr. Gentry seems to know no limit to its curative power. Mr. Gentry snys: “I have suffered with misery In my hack for about 45 years and had nil the troublesome symptoms of Kidney pnd Urinary disease. 1 tried various kinds of remedies, but all io no effect until I tried Dodd’s Kidney Pills. Now 1 have no pain In my back and feel quite well In every way. “I am 77 yenrs of age and I feel better than I have for the lost 10 (years. I attribute It all to Dodd’s Kid ney Pills.”_ ^ The Worth Bros, company, Philadel phia, recently completed Us new plate Jiilll tit CoateBvllle, Pa. It Is said to be -(equipped with all the latest improve nients and has a capacity of producing from 4,600 to 5,000 tons of plate per (week. * If you are thinking of Investing In a farm or of changing your location, (call on us or write and we will have Viur agent see you. MARCUS P. BflEBE, IPSWICH, EDMUNDS CO., S. JX Befitting ■ Waitress. t Philadelphia Press: Polk—She took part In your amateur play, didn’t she? Jolk—O, yes, she took the part of a ■ a-altress. "What sort of costume did she wear?" "A fetching one. of course." m .. "L. ---:nmmrrrjm. | ALEXEIEFF. The Czar’s Mild-Mannered Autocrat of Manchuria. London Mail: A pleasing personality, with nothing in his appearance to strike terror to the world, Is the man who holds the keys of peace and war In the far east today. Admiral Alexeiefif, a man whom the czar has many times been pleased to honor. Is still young enough to look for word to great conquests, yet Just old enough to Impress us as a kindly, middle aged, man. with a patriarchal beard, whose delight Is to dandle a child on his knee. He Is the first Russian viceroy In the far east, the man upon whom Nicholas II. has Imposed the momentous ta;* of building up a new empire. Just what part Alexeiefif has played In the recent moves on the great chessboard of Asia nobody ouslde the czar’s empire knows. He has been In his time governor general of East ern Siberia and governor of Russian Man churia: and he is today commander-ln chlef of the Russian forces In the Pacific. It is an office hardly understood In Eng land, for Alexeiefif has power over the forces on land and on sea. If he has played his part In the strange developments which have brought Russia face to face with Japan, AlexelefT has contributed hfs share also to the strength of the Russian navy. Time was when the czar’s navy was commanded and officered by Englishmen, when the sea power of Russia was not such a thing as appalled Its enemies. But It Is different now, and Russia’s fleet stands third among the na vies of Europe. With ports 9,000 miles apart, Russia has a naval position which Sir George Clarke declares ‘‘absolutely unique,’’ and Its new sea power is due not a little to the foresight and skill of Its greatest sailor. So lately as 1900 Alexeiefif was side by side wdth the forces of Japan, against which he may soon be engaged In war. He was In charge of the Russian troops In China, and had under him when war be gan more troops than all the other pow ers together, except Japan. The story is told that the Russian band played the French “Marseillaise” as It marched Into Peking, and that it teas only after some minutes of acutest agony that the general was able to stop the army of the autocrat sounding the republican march. But It was the simplest blunder and should not be taken as In the least suggesting lack of discipline. Where Alexeiefif rules, there' the soldier knows that obedience Is the only virtue In the world. If AlexelefT Is not the salve of a strict convention—and we know that his soldiers were seen In China marching under um brellas—he knows how to fit In freedom with efficiency. It was he probably of whom a traveler was thinking when he wrote home that "I have seen high Rus sian officers Joke and laugh with their soldiers as if they had been chums.” Yet the same traveler wrote that on the try ing march to Peking, “where soldiers of all other nationalities collapsed in hun dreds along the road from sunstroke or dysentery, or oppressed by the great heat, I never say a single Russian fall out of the ranks." When the allies left China the czar sent Alexeiefif a sword shining with gold and diamonds and inscribed: "For victories at the seat of war In Pe nMlI 1 OAA *» Since then the emperor has made him lord of Russia’s far eastern empire, with powers almost absolute under the czar himself and a special committee. The admiral has become, as a Russian paper said, the instrument of the will and pur pose of the czar, and that in the terri tories where Russia’s movements cause the greatest uneasiness to the rest of the world. It is said that when he first received his flag Alexeieff had a consuming passion for “Russian bridge,” and was the best player on the Pacific station. But he has no time for bridge today, especially if it is correct that the czar has telegraphed to him that “I give you full power to main tain, if necessary, the prestige of Russia by force of arms.” We shall hear more of Admiral Alexeieff if that is true. The Passing of the Hearth. Chicago Inter Ocean: An elderly woman In Wisconsin, who was a young wife in the young west, is telling in a local news paper a few of the things that the young wife of the older west does not have to do. And in telling of this she recalls vividly her home as It was sixty years ago. There were no wood, coal, or gas ranges in those days, but there was a fireplace, with a wide, deep hearth—and a chimney that would draw, built large enough for the sweep to pass through. The fireplace would take a log four or five feet long and a foot and a half through. This was piled on andirons and as there were no matches In those days one of the greatest anxieties of the care ful housewife was to prevent the fire from going out If it did go out she had to go to one of the neighbors, perhaps a quarter of a mile away, for a shovelful of live coals. One of the signs of neatness In a house keeper in those old days was the way she kept the hearth cleaned, using the broom knd wing, and a few of her many duties were to dip candles, put down pork and beef by the barrel, make sausage for the year, put down lard by the Jar, preserved fruit by the gallon, apple sauce by the quantity, boiled cider by the keg; to p:o vlde dried beef and smoked ham, to srln all the yarn for the men's clothes, to weave it into cloth, and to send it to the flyers to be dyed, fulled, and pressed. The coming of the cooking stove marked the beginning of a new epoch in the lives Df our grandmothers. "Oh,” exclaims this survivor, “the good cheer the fireplace brought to the children I No corn was quite so good as the ears roasted before tbe fire. No potatoes so good as those toasted in the ashes in the winter. No pple equal to frozen apples, boiled; then We would melt maple sugar and sugar oft again on the snow.” And she says lu con clusion: “With the passing of the fireplace has passed the word ’fireside’ and the word ‘hearth.’ It was around the fireside we gathered for family prayer, around the preside we gathered to read, to chat, to Visit. Gone with the fireside and the hearth are most of my dear ones, with whom I knelt every day.” The Mad Mullah. London Chronicle: There Is much gossip In military circles concerning the big advance which, It Is announced. Is shortly to be made against the Mad Mullah. None of his English pursuers have ever come Into contact with the Mullah, or Abdulla Achur, to give him his proper and much more reasonable name. He Is neither mad nor savage, but a man of considerable learning and very sharp wits. A true Somali, he Is tall, vigorous and has regular and not uncomely features. His father was a shepherd and he himself was brought up among the herds. But he soon rose In the world. The first of the four pil grimages which he has made to Mecca was accomplished when he was only 20 years of age—he Is now about 35— and the Sheikh Mahomed Salah, su preme chief of the mysterious confra ternity called the Tarlqa Mahadla, was so much Impressed with him that he ; kept him by his aide, and In these days Abdulla Achur Is the favorite pupil of this powerful religious leader. It Is said that no other mahdl hae ever re called Mahomet In the way that this one has done He excommunicates all who do not subscribe to his pecultar tenets with a freedom that comes of omnipotence only. THIS JOSEPH SEES A LEAH YEAR AHEAD But After I 904 Prophet Ben ner Predicts Seven Fat Ones Will Come. ROOSEVELT TO WIN OUT And After the Government’s Policy Is Settled by This Event Business Will Get Better and Prices Take Upward Turn. "CANALS” OF MARS. Lines on Schiaparelli’s Charts May Bk Dus to Physiological Influences. New Yenk Tribune: Although the planet Mars Is not now well placed for direct scrutiny, some of the questions excited by past observations are still provoking discussion. In the November issue of "Knowledge," a periodical founded by tha late Richard Proctor, two astronomers give reasons for regarding with skepticism most of the talk about "canals.” One of the writers is M. Antonladi, an assistant >f Flammarlon, and the other is E. Wal ter Maunder, at one time president of tha British Astronomical association. While conceding that a limited portion of the linear markings have an objective reality, both of these writers give reasons for thinking that the majority of them, as charted by Schiaparelli and Lowell, are not genuine. For one of the objections now offered the > astronomers are Indebted to an English amateur, Mr. Green. He pointed out some time ago that in drawing the vague boun dary between two areas of slightly differ ent color, gray and orange, there was a tendency to emphasize unduly the con trast and to make the border darker than It should be. Following up this hint, M. Antonladi has examined Schiaparelli's charts, and finds that the distinguished Italian has Intensified the shading in a ^ large number of such places. He Is con- > vinced that fully one-half of the lines • which have been introduced into the most reputable drawings of the Martin geog raphy are the product of physiological in fluences alone. Mr. Maunder brings to bear on the sub ject another class of testimony. Experi ments have been made with a number of selected school children. Charts, which purported to represent the surface of Mars but which contained no “canals,” were hung on a wall to be copied. Almost in variably lines were put into the drawings , which had no precfedent in the originals. Some of these were introduced as borders to faintly colored and Indistinct tracts, thus lending partial confirmation to Mr. Green’s theory. Others were drawn be tween well defined spots. Finally there was a general disposition to connect with straight lines microscopic markings which had been put into the charts with studied Irregularity. This last fact derives addi tional significance when it is learned that »t least two “canals,” usually represented »s absolutely continuous, break up into a eries of dot3 under careful telescopic ob ervatlon. S. W. Kent, who Is on the road for ths, ,'udahy Packing company, is home for he holidays. Among the Sioux City visitors Satur-, day were John eWhite, Gena Jphnson, Hazel Volmer, Patsy Dyer and Will '3rown. The Reliable Partridge Cochini. Those who are Interested In any branch of poultry culture except that of breed ing for the show room are familiar only with a few breeds; If they are after a JSh New York special: Benner’s prophe cies for 1904 have been Issued and the bulls of Wall street are much cast down, while the bears are correspond ingly elated. Mr. Benner thinks that the prices In all lines of industry are going to be much lower during the coming year, but he believes that It will be the turning point in the bear movement and will be followed by twenty years of inflation. Benner's prophecies have been so often correct in commercial as well as political matters that they' are taken .seriously in the business world. Samuel Benner Is an Ohio farmer who tills the soil by day and studies the 2tars by night. For many years he was a local oracle only. Be told the farm ers of his neighborhood by star gaz ing whether or not to plant their po tatoes in the dark of the moon, when It would be the best time to shuck corn jto get the best results, and how best ito swap a roan horse for a sorrel when jthe moon was in perigree. By and by the fame of his predictions spread through the whole country round and for twenty years or more they have been published In pamphlet form every year. The first copy of the 1904 vol ume reached Wall street yesterday and was read with deep Interest by the [peculators. Mr. Benner’s predictions for 1904 are as follows: "I predict that prices for pig Iron, railroad stock and many commodities bill be lower in 1904 than In 1903. "I predict that the republican party tvill be successful In the election of November, 1904. Revival After 1904. “I predict that after the year 1904 there will be a revival in trade, better limes and that higher prices will pre vail until the year 1911. “The present down cycle in prices and in general business ends in 1904; and by reason of protective tariff this rountry has not had an old-fashioned period of hard times during the last three years. Nevertheless, there has been a stupendous fall in prices and Shrinkage in values of railroad and in dustrial securities, with a severe de cline in iron. "'Prices for iron, railroad stocks and many industrial securities will con tinue to be depressed until the future policy of this government is settled In the coming election for president. Now, while we have had a disastrous reaction in prices from stocks and in vestment securities, it is to be reason ably expected that a further moderate business reaction Will follow to the close of this low cycle. ’ Therefore the decline in iron and steel, curtailment of orders for rail road materials and manufactured com modities will continue through the year 1904. "The year 1905 will be the beginning of a new up cycle in pig iron and for a long continued prosperity In general business, lasting until the next com mercial revulsion, which will be In 1911. “The coming opportunities to catch business and prices at their lowest lim its of depression will not happen again for twenty years. It is estimated by financial experts that the shrinkage in values In railroad, mining and va rious industrial securities during the last two years amount to $4,000,000,000. It is possible that the loss of this vast amount of money can be recovered and a thousand million dollars more of in flated values added to these securities during the coming years of prosper ity.” __ > 2 At Ttae Post ; ' « Up and ‘ « > TT TTT TITTTTTTI VgTTTTl Capsicum Vaseline Put Up in Collapsible Tubes. A Substitute for and Superior to Mustard or e*» «*’ her t>lister. ami will not blister the most delicate • shin. The pain allaying ami curative qualities of this '•rticie are woudprful. It will stoc the toothache at -V. e. «nd relieve bond Ache and sciatica. W* Ktcommeud it as the best und safest external * > nJer-irritutif knowu. also as an external remedy for i;r*-* in the chest und stomach and all rheumatio, *irulkfiq ami gouty complaints. A trial will prove what we claim for it. and it will be und to lot iuvaluubie in the household. Man? people ■> ‘ It is the l>est of all yoor preparations ” )'n« e 15 cents, at all druggists, or other dealers, or br turfing this amount to ns in postage stamps, we will ^•ud you a t - be by mail. article should l>* aoc pted by the public unless the OttMW* carries our label, as ot herwise it is not genuine. i :iESEBROUGH MANUFACTURING CO 17 State Street, New York City. breed for the carcass market they study the Plymouth Rock and the Wyandotte; If a breed laying white eggs In abundance Is desired then the White Leghorn Is about the only .fowl they know. As a conse quence other breeds which fall but little short of those named In the main re spects ure overlooked. This is the case with the Partridge Cochin which. It Is admitted, If a very different bird today than ten years ago.for those who are in terested In it have, by proper matings, greatly Improved it as a breed. The Il lustration shows a typical hen and she will delight the eyes of those who want a nigh grade table fowl. The Partridge Cochins will not lay as many eggs as the White Leghorns but the eggs are larger md. If well mated, they will keep close to the 150 a year mark. As table fowls they are ns good as any breed and be cause of their large size they fill a de mand which few other breeds can fill. It would be a good plan for those who have i. good market for carcasses to Investi gate the merits of the Partridge Cochins for they are Inexpensive to feed and bear confinement as well or better than other af the laige breeds. Pickling Hams and Shoulders. More or less fresh meat is prepared on the farm each winter and In many sections the first of the year Is the time for getting together the store for the second half af winter. The smoked hams and bacon tre good and should be made a part of the stock for the winter, but a variety Is obtained by picking a portion of the sup- j ply. The following recipe has been used on our farm for many years with entire j latlBfaction and may be relied upon. On the basis of 100 pounds of meat use eight pounds of salt, two and one-half quarts af New Orleans molasses, one ounce of taltpelre, two ounces cf soda and enough i toft water to cover the meat In the barrel. Mix a portion of the salt with a little St :he molasses (five pounds of sugar may bo ased In place of the molasses if desired) ind rub each piece of meat thoroughly. 3prlnkle the bottom of the barrel with salt tnd pack In the meat as closely as pos- j llble. Put what salt and sugar or mo- | lasses there may be left, after rubbing the meat as directed, In the water, and, after Jlssolvlng the soda and saltpetre In hot water add It to the water and, when the sntlre mixture Is cold, pour It over the 1 meat. Cover over with a board that will 3t the barrel and weigh It down so that ill of the meat will be under the brine. Killing Lice on Cattle. It Is astonishing to know how many cattle in the country that are barn fed luring the winter are troubled with lice, i and It Is Just as astonishing to realize that farmers will not apply the ounce of prevention Instead of asking for the pound af euro. Two winters ago the writer, lec- [ Ijirlng before farmers’ Institutes, was iSkod how to remedy this trouble, a dozen ar more times, and In each and every case \t was found that the poultry were per mitted to roost In the barns or at least had the run of the barns during the day. There Is no question but that the lice from the poultry got on to the cows. It Is not •lalmed, by any means, that all of the lice that afflict cattle are hen lice, but simply that In eight cases out of ten they are. In any case the following remedy will be found effective. Huy one of the sheep lips on the market containing carbolic acid; they are generally sold under the name of carbolic sheep dip, and take one part of It to fifty parts of warm water, stirring until dissolved, then wash the cattle with this mixture, using a large sponge. After washing blanket the ani mal until the hair is dry. One or two ap plications of this mixture will destroy the Uce. Then look well to the cracks of the bam and whitewash the boards thorough ly, or, better still, spray the walls with a strong solution of carbolic acid. Next, re form nnd keep the fowls out of the barn. Beginning for Early Chicks. As long as It Is generally conceded that It Is the early hatched pullet that Is the profitable egg producer every provision should be made to obtain a good early hatched bird and now Is the time to be gin. The selections for mating should be made at once from among the birds that are designed for this purpose and they should be mated by the middle of Janu ary so that the eggs can be used for hatching In February. This is early to be sure, but If one Is provided with proper quarters there Is no trouble In raising the chicks hatched thus early provided they are turned out on the range as early In the spring as Is safe. The best results will be had by taking the mated stock away entirely from the rest of the flock; indeed, this is largely essential unless one has automatic nest boxes so that the eggs of the several hens can be Identified. Be fore the writer owned Incubators chicks were hatched In February in an old shed which was made warm and cosy with plenty of old newspapers (I could not af ford lumber or sheathing paper) tacked over cracks after they had been stuffed | with strips of paper. A rough partition kept the direct draft of air from the chicks when the door was opened and a board a foot high set on edge with a strip of meshed wire above kept them in the small enclosure Try it for the results will be not only Interesting but profitable. Flowers for tne Window. While a nuinbei of cheap flowering plants can be successfully raised in the window of the farm home even by the novice, the following suggestions are for the benefit of those who can afford but little or whose experience in (lower grow ing makes them fearful of success. Buy a [ sweet potato In the market, making sure | that it is so'