THE PANIC.
By Feodor Vasilvitch Placsin.
The czar's army was advancing.
The burning «un made the dust laden
Mr feel like Are. The grass on the
ground was trampled down by thou
sands of feet, and the only protection
and cover were the corn fields, whose
tall withered stalks concealed friend
and enemy alike.
A company of Russian Infantry came
rushing back, and threw themselves !
down among the cornstalks, which
trembled In the air for a few seconds,
then all was quiet.
In disorder, without leaders, they had
fled like a herd of scared sheep. In
spired only by the Instinct of self pres
ervation, the desire to live. And now
they were lying there In groups, silent
and downcast, hardly able to breathe,
listening and trembling at every sound.
Insane from fright, panic stricken.
From the direction from which they
had come, and, as It seemed, directly
from the yellowish green wall of corn
stalks which stood between them and
the enemy, came the sound of rifle
shots, with a noise as of peas thrown
by the handful on a drum. Some
times stronger, sometimes weaker,
sometimes In volleys came the sound,
accompanied on and oft by the roar of
the field artillery.
Hardly had they thrown themselves
down when the bullets began to strike
the ground nil around them, but they
remained motionless, every man clutch
ing his rifle In his hands, careful not
to look at his neighbor, every man
ashamed of his own cowardice. Thus
passed a whole minute—an eternity of
death and destruction It seemed.
A man In the uniform of a captain
tamo running toward the cornfield
which had swallowed up the company.
He had lost his sword and his uni
form was torn and dusty. He was fur
ious. his face distorted with rage. He
had been In command of these people,
lived with them, loved them as chtt
clrcn. He knew everyone of them, his
life, his character, he had led them Into
death, the death which threatened
them from behind those hastily con
structed trenches which were visible In
the horizon, and they had betrayed his
faith in them in this moment.
He rushed Into the corn field breath
less, unable to raise his voice to call
them back, broken down with despair.
They were all there—he knew It,- he
felt It, only a few steps from him,
stricken with fear of death, und he did
not have the strength to call them back
to Inspire them with new courage.
The old scarred veteran officer, stern
und grim though he looked, suddenly
begun to sob, and sank exhausted to
the ground, never once thinking of the
bullets which struck everywhere around
him, almost wishing that one of them
would kill him.
Wnat wus his life worth after this dis
grace? Where were they, the miserable
cowards?
The corn stalks parted slowly, and
among them appeared the grimy face
of the old sergeant.
gulck as llgntnlngthe captain Jumped
to ms feet.
"Thou also—thou also Stephen An
tanoviteh!” he shouted and rushed
toward the old sergeant, who stood
there pale and trembling, afraid to meet
the eye of Ills superior officer.
"Oh, captain, captain," he groaned.
"I do not understand how it hap
pened."
"Thou dost not know?”
The sergeant stood at attention, his
hanu raised In respectful salute.
The list of the officer struck the pale
face of the old sergeant, but he never
stirred, though the tears ran down his
cheeks. He was broken hear ted at the
thought of Ills disgrace.
Bullets whistled through the air all
around them; It was like a hailstorm,
but they stood there, heedless of the
danger of the death which tilled the
wnoie atmosphere.
"We might cull the roll, captain."
"Call the roll of cowards, contempt
ible scoundrels! What good would that
uo f"
"Call them by name, captain. They
will respond."
And with a voice as If he had been
standing on the parade ground the cap
lain began calling the names of his
men.
"Bead! Wounded! Missing!" replied
the sergeant.
But one at a time the men came for
ward and took their accustomed places
lu the ranks, suluting their captain
with downcast eyes, crushed by the
leellng of their shame.
Time and again, a peculiar sound was
heard and a man tell to the ground
dead or wounded, groaning with pain,
but no one noticed or cared. The ranks
closed, tne holes filled.
And he stood before them, as If he
never noticed tne wounded, stern and
forbidding. He was no longer their
beloved captain but a merciless judge.
"Vfhat have you done?"
Tts pale faces turned still paler, but
no answer came, the groaning of the
wounded was the only sound which
broke tne awful silence.
"What have you done? You have
forgotten your oath, disgraced your
Uniform. You cowards, you miserable,
contemptible cowards!"
Bullets sang ana whistled around
them but this handful of men stood
there motionless, at attention.
"We have forgotten the czar, for
gotten our oaths!"—It came with a
moan from the ranks. “We ure guilty;
thou must pronounce our sentence,
captain!”
The captain heard it and his heart
filled with Joy. He did not notice the I
"thou." His eyes shone, his chest la
bored heavily.
"Children," he said, "also I am guilty
that 1 let this happen. Let us march
into death!"
He put on his old dusty cap, pierced
by bullets, made the sign of the cross
and said;
"Forgive your old captain, brethren!”
"Forgive us, captain!"
"The Little Father forgive us all!"
'Forward mui;eh!” came the cora
n . 'id. The Russian column had been
b,a‘. n and were in full retreat before
th" enemy, who came rushing on.
Then out of a cornfield came a hand
ful of soldiers. Silently they marched
on In close formation, keeping perfect
time as if on parade, though their faces
were stern and set. An old captain in
a uniform torn with bullets marched in
front and not a man fell back, oven the
wounded rising again when they had
fallen. The trumpets sounded the re
treat but the company did not hear.
They had sentenced themselves to
diath and they came on advancing
When they came near the Japanese
lines they charged bayonets and
cheered, a weak cheer It is true, which
was soon drowned by the "Banzai" of
the enemy. But a mighty response
came: the Russian reserves came to
the aid of their heroic comrades, who
were being mowed down by the enemv
a hundred to one.
Toward evening, when the sun went
down behind the Yental mines and the
blood bespattered fields, the Japanese
had been driven back and Kurokl's
flunking movement had failed.
And in the morning, when the order
of the day Was read, a company was
mentioned, which had marched alone
against the attacking enemy, and
though It had been almost wiped out
had made It possible to take those lu
lls furrows which In military lan
guage are called trenches and breast
nud had changed the whole out
2ome of the battl*.
Not Entirely Lo»t.
Johnny—"Was that a good banana?”
Bill—"The Inside of It wasn't good,
but is had a bully skin on It. Three
fellers have already slipped up on It,
and I'm on the watch for more of
'em.”—Boston Transcript.
Six duels have already been fought
as the result of the assault on General
Andre by M. Syveton, In the French
chamber of deputies. No harm was
done, as the affairs were practically
bloodless The duelist who was the
worst hurt was able to ride away from
the field of honor on his bicycle.
Two Lauahs in This Story.
From the London Chronicle.
The American In the corner of the
pon-smoktng first-class carriage Insist
ed on lighting his cigar. The Indignant
Britisher in the other corner protested,
and protested In vain. At the next sta
tion he hailed the guard, with hostile
Intent; but the placid American was too
quick for him. "Guard," he drawled, "I
think you'll find that this gentleman Is
traveling with a third-class ticket on
him.” Investigation proved him to he
right, and the Indignant Britisher was
ejected. A spectator of the little scene
asked the triumphant American how
he knew about that ticket. "Wall,”
explained the Imperturbable stranger,
"It was sticking out of his pocket and I
saw It was the same color as mine."
The Reason Why.
Drummond, WIs., Aug. 21.—(Spe
cial.)—Whole families in Bayfield coun
ty are singing the praises of Dodd's
Kidney Pills and the reason why is
given In experiences such as that of
Mr. T. T. Wold, a well-known citizen
here.
"I had such pains in my back that I
did not know what to do,” says Mr,
Wold, “and as I came across an adver
tisement of Dodd’s Kidney Pills, 1 sent
for a box. That one box relieved me
of all my pains. My wife also used |
them and found them just what she j
needed. I recommend Dodd's Kidney I
Pills as a sure cure for Backache aud
other Kidney Troubles.”
Backache is one of the earliest symp
toms of Kidney Disease. Dodd's Kid
ney Pills cure it promptly and perma
nently and prevent it developing into
Rheumatism, Dropsy, Diabetes or
Bright’s Disease.
His Idee.
Willie—Say, mom, what la a Mormon?
•His Mamma—A man with about ten
or fifteen wives.
Willie—Gee! I’m glad pop ain’t a
Mormon. Just think of having ten or
fifteen mothers to lick you.
Do Your Feet Ache and Burn?
Shake Into your shoes Allen's Foot-Ease,
i powder for the feet. It makes tight or
new shoos f.-cl easy. Cures Corns, Bun
ons, Swollen, Hot and Sweating Feet. At
til Druggists and Shoe Stores, 25c. Sample
tent FREE. Address Allen S. Olmsted, Le
itoy, IS. Y.
Joke on Secretary Wilson.
A joke on Secretary Wilson was
sprung at a cabinet meeting at the
White House the other day. Mr. Wil
son’s department has issued a couple
bf bulletins on Angora goats, one of
which resulted in the following letter
being addressed to the president:
"Mr. President—I regret to call your
attention to the Angora goat depart
ment of the bureau of agriculture. It
has spread broadcast a document com
mending Angoras to the farmers of the
country. Tills contains three spacious
landscapes: ‘Before Goatiiig,' shows a
dense jungle, suggesting an average
New Hampshire pasture; ‘One Year Af
ter Goatlng’ shows the same land pro
ducing a valuable crop of bean poles.
Two Years After Goating' shows a
awn suitable for golf links. The om
ilverous appetite of Angoras is de
scribed in a way that led me to hope
:heymlght even efTect a saving in blast
ing powder, the chief source of ex
pense in farming hereabouts.
"I procured a flock at considerable
host. The result of the first interview
with my dog and the buck caused me
to name the latter Togo. His views on
the subject of race suicide, I th|nk,
would receive your approval. The does,
on the other hand, neglect thetr kids
so shamelessly that I fear they belong
to a female goat club.
"I enclosed the flock with a fence
highly recommended to me by the
American Steel and Wire company. I
now suspect that this company may be
a. trust and should be investigated. The
goats began by thrusting their heads
through the upper part of the fence,
where they hung by their horns. When
tired of this they went through, under
and over the fence.
"I make no complaint that they ate a
valuable rose garden belonging to a
neighbor: but their conduct in my own
vegetable garden entitled me to relief.
When pursued, their rapidity of move
ment might suggest Ideas to the Penn
sylvania railroad company in connec
tion with its Chicago-New York service.
“I leave the matter, Mr. President, to
your sense of justice. A consulate near
good fishing grounds would be appre
ciated.”
WKUNu SOKT.
Perhaps Plain Old Meat, Potatoes and
Bread May Be Against You for a
Time.
A change to the right kind of food
can lift one from a sick bed. A lady
in Welden, 111., says:
• uast spring I became bed-fast with
severe stomach trouble, accompanied
by sick headache. I got worse and
worse until I became so low I could
scarcely retain any food at all, al
though I tried every kind. I had be
come completely discouraged, hud giv
en up all hope and thought I was
doomed to starve to death, till one day
my husband trying to find something I
could retaiu brought home some Grape
Nuts.
“To my surprise the food agreed
with me, digested perfectly and with
out distress. I began to gain strength
at once, my flesh (which had been
flabby) grew firmer, my health improv
ed iu every way and every day, and
Iu a very few weeks l gained 20
pounds in weight. I liked Grape-Nuts
so well that for four months I ate no
other food, and always felt as well
satisfied after eating as if I had sat
down to a flue banquet.
“I had uo return of the miserable
sick stomach nor of the headaches,
that l used to have when 1 ate ottier
food. I am now a well woman, doing
all my own work again, and feel that
life is worth living.
“Grape-Nuts food has been a god
send to my family; it surely saved my
I life and my two little boys have
| thriven on It wonderfully.” Name giv
I en by Posturn Co., Battle Creek, Mich.
There's a reason.
Get the little book. “The Road to
I Wellville,” Iu each pkg.
BA8KET8 FOR SELECT FRUIT.
Several times space has been given in
this department to the advantages of
using the small package in marketing se
lected fruit and especially where the mar
ket is a large city where space for stor
age is limited on the part of tjie consumer.
There are several designs of baskets that
are very popular. Most of them hold one
fifth of a bushel and are made after the
plun of the w<W known grape basket.
Lately a new panern has been Introduced
which is becoming popular with shippers.
It Is not unlike the ten-pound grape bas
ket in form except that the cover is so ar
ranged that at each corner there is an
open space sufficient for ventilation, but
III;
h ^ WV'W
not largo enough so that the fruit can he
abstracted from the basket. This Is a de
cided advantage for ventilation will solve
the problem of shipping well ripened frulc
considerable distances This ventilated
top does not in any way prevent the stack
ng of the baskets with due regard to
sconomy of space, nor can the ventilation
:>e shut off in any way by any method of
itacklng the baskets. The Illustration gives
i good idea of this basket and as there are
ieveral on the market with the same ven
tilating device differently applied they are
pvorth investigating.
CUTTING CORN FOR SILAGE.
The frequent mistake is made of cutting
corn for silage when the ears are too
jreen or, in the milk stage, as they are
generally known when in this condition.
[f one will stop to think they will remem
>er that the greatest feeding value of the
corn Is when It is mature although not
lard and dry. Perhaps as good a rule to
>e guided by as any is to cut the corn for
diage Just before the leaves begin to show
i decided yellow cast. Of course there
mist be some nice calculation In this, but
t Is easily worked out if one will be care
rul and watch the crop. The old idea that
diage must be a mass of fermented corn
s being lost sight of and intelligent feed
'rs recognize the fact that it has its great- I
'st value when the silage is sweet and as
learly green as possible. In this condition
t has a greater value than we realize and
t Is certainly sufficiently great to pay well
'.or all the time and thought necessary to
?tow corn properly as well as to cut It and
store it when in the best condition.
ONCE MORE ALFALFA.
During the next month Is the ideal time
'or sowing alfalfa according to those who
lave made a study of the plant and the
icginncr with this valuable forage plant
vill do well to bear in mind the main es
lentials. First, the sweet soil which can
inly be obtained by liming for one or two
tears before sowing the seed. Then the
icccssity for furnishing alfalfa bacteria
:o the soli on which the plant has never
frown either In the form of Inoculated
soil or by cultures which are now obtain
tble from a number of reliable dealers,
rhen, too, the seed must be well prepared
ind It should be as well prepared as for
wheat. It must be remembered that sow
ng at this time pre-supposes that the soil
.s well supplied with moisture and partic
ularly near the surface In order that a
sood growth may be had during the period
lhat remains for growth of plant before
winter sets In. Do not use a nurse crop,
Cut sow the seed alone and sow thickly,
tslng at least twenty pounds of seed to
the acre; It Is a good plan to sow half the
seed lengthwise of the field and the
sther half across the field. If sowed broad
cast from eight to ten pounds of seed
should be used and It should be lightly
covered with a harrow and then rolled,
rry a small plot If this Is your first ex
periment with the plant.
EDUCATING THE CONSUMER.
Few workers of the soil can afford to
take to themselves the task of educating
the public epecially when large organiza
tions will do so little towards It. At the
St. Louis fair In awarding prizes for fruit
quality was counted only as 15 points out
qf a possible 100, while color was also
counted at 15 and size at 15, so that one
had only to exhibit a well known specimen
of any variety with a high color and gain
50 points in the competition over 15 award
ed for quality. This Is manifestly wrong
for It gives the consumer a wrong im
pression of the fruit and. In many cases,
prevents increased consumption which is a
detriment to the producer for it tempts
him to growing highly colored varieties
regardless of quality and so the consumer
suffers. Years ago when the writer first
became acquainted with the Schaffer’s
raspberry, a variety dirty purple in color,
but of exquisite flavor, he determined that
when he had anything of superior quality
he would find a market for it regardless
of Its appearance. This has been accom
plished In a small way, but with great ef
fort. It was not profitable, of course, but
when my town customers see me with a
basket of odd shaped fruits or vegetables
they cry, "Here’s Pierce with more mon
strosities,” but they are always eager to
sample them and to clean out my product
If the quality Is good. If you have any
thing on the place that is of extra good
quality and a good "looker” offer It to
your customers who have confidence in
you and you’ll be able to sell It at a good
price.
THE DEPARTMENT OF AGRICUL
TURE'S NITRO-CULTURE.
Some time since, In this department,
mention was made of cultures which
were being sent out by the department of
agriculture at Washington and our read
ers were advised to send for some. Later,
It was advised, after a statement from
Washington, that the department was
sending the cultures to only a few special
ists and in the same artlclo wo warned our
readers against the probability of unre
liable people offering these cultures. Lat
er we made public the fact they were be
ing offered by unscrupulous people and
suggested that In the event of being in
doubt as to who were the honest dealers,
the state experiment station be communi
cated with. The readers of newspapers
are familiar with the recent exposures of
various k.nds In the agricultural depart
ment's work and the charge that one man
sus connected financially with a concern
oanufaclurlug nitro-culture. One of th»
investigators now says that the assistant
secretary of agriculture authorizes the
statement that he is making an investiga
tion Into the matter of the value of nitro
cultures and advising the public to await
the results of this investigation before de
pending too much on nltro-culture from
commercial firms. This is probably good
advice, although it will work harm to the
men who are supplying the honest article,
j If the department of agriculture will give
the results of Its investigation wide pub
licity and specify by name and address
those who are supplying the spurious ar
ticle and those the reliable then the ex
pose will not have beeh in vain and farm
ers will be placed in possession, at a small
cost, of something of great benefit to tnem
In growing certain crops.
THE VALUE OF TRAP NESTS.
While there are many things used on the
farm in the way of conveniences which
may be made by any handy man after a
description we do not consider the trap
nest one of them. It is not within the
province of this department to call atten
tion to any commodity by name which is
made by only one or two concerns for the
advertising department of the paper is
open to such people. Trap nests are man
ufactured by many concerns, can be found
on sale by dealers in agricultural and
poultry supplies and plans for home man
ufacture may also be bought, hence the
subject may be fairly discussed here. By
use of the trap nest one is able to ascer
tain beyond a doubt which fowls art lay
ing with profit to their owner and which
not. It requires some time to look after
these nests to be sure, but it is time well
spent and after having them one season
one will be surprised to find how many
of his fowls belong in the carcass market
rather than at home in the egg factory.
It may be fairly said that the trap nest Is
quite as valuable to the poultryman as is
the weighing machine and the Babcock
test to the dairyman.
PLANTING LOW HEADED TREES
There is always more or less controversy
going on over the vaflue of the low headed
tree over that which is headed high, but
when one narrows the thing down to a
logical conclusion it may be readily seen
that there can be no possible advantage
in the growth of trunk to the tree or to
the fruit while there are many advantages
in the tree headed low.- Probably nursery
men are responsible for the tall tree by
reason of the fact that they must grow
the tree planters demand which are those
usually three and four years old. Natur
ally, at the prices trees are sold, they
cannot afford to head back the trees in
the nursery row, -hence when they are
ready to put on the market they have
grown to a considerable height. The rem
edy is to plant year old trees so that the
heading back process can be introduced
at the time the tree is set and continued
until the head is formed and to the height
desired. All the trunk needed is that which
shall bo sufficient to sustain the top. The
low headed tree is a joy to the fruit picker
and orchardtsts are more and more lean
ing fn this direction so that after a time
the only trees over a year old which will
be sold will be those planted on town lots.
Orchardlsts will save money by the year
tree and can raise the tree as they please.
INCREASING FARM VALUES.
As the editor of this department is
aware the writer is a little bit cranky on
thp subject of improving the farm home
grounds and the country streets by the
use of trees along the road and trees,
shrubs, and plants on the home grounds.
It has always seemed strange that farmers
could not fully realize the importance of
this line of improvement along monetary
lines if he cannot see the sentimental part
if it. Just witness the settling of a town
anywhere in this country. First the roads
are laid out and almost invariably trees
are set along the road side. Then the <n
dividual lot owners start in at grading,
then seeding, and then the planting of
shrubs, trees and flowering plants. In
five years one sees a beautiful lot of trees
and plants where was only a mass of
fields. Less than fifteen years ago the
writer was offered a strip of ground on
which corn was growing for $800 an acre.
True, this was within four miles of a
thriving summer resort but the price
seemed very high and the offer was de
clined. Soon a town was started, streets
laid out, trees planted and all the other
things done which go to make a town and
today lots 60x150 sell readily at $2,500.
Roughly figured this is at the rate of
$12,000 an acre. Don’t I wish I'd bought
that three-acre plat at $800 an acre. This
qjample is an exception but there Is not
a farming community in the country
where the valuation cannot be greatly in
creased by the simple making of good
roads and the setting of shade trees and
caring for them and such valuation still
greater enhanced if individual farm own
ers will beautify their own home grounds.
The plan is worth the careful considera
tion of any community.
THE SWITCHING TAIL.
One of the troubles of the milker is the
frequency with which the cow switches
her tail into one’s face or knock one’s hat
off. There are a number of simple devices
to overcome this and one of the best of
them is made by arranging a length of
wire about three feet back of the animal
stretching it from one post to another.
Before fastening the one end take a lath
and after boring a hole In it run the wire
through it. On the other end of the lath
ni
w
fasten an eight-inch piece of barrel hoop,
fastening the lower end to the lath with
nails and holding the upper end In place
with the string. Before milking take the
cow's tail and draw the hairy bunch
through the loop. She will he unable to
move h. and'after, a few trials will give
It up and stand still. The Illustration
plainly shows how this device is con
structed and applied.
A
Uncle Joe’s Story.
New York World: "Some of these re
publicans are pretty fierce for tariff re
vision," said Representative Jacob
Beidler of Ohio to Speaker Cannon to
day.
"Reminds me of a lady out In my
town who met a little boy on the street
one day,” said the speaker. "The boy
was leading an ornery looking pup. The
lady stopped and looked at the pup.
“ ‘Is he fierce?’ she asked.
“ ’He’s the blankety-blankest fiercest
pup you ever seen,' said the boy.
“ ‘O,’ said the lady, ’I didn’t want a
fierce dog.’
“ ’Well,’ replied the boy, ‘he ain’t so
blankety - blanked blank-blank-blank
fierce.' ”
LOST 72 POUNDa
Was Fast Drifting Into the Fatal
Stages of Kidney Sickness.
Dr. Melvin M. Page, Page Optica)
Co., Erie, Pa., writes: “Taking too
many iced drinks In New York In 1893
sent me Home witfl
a terrible atack ol
kidney trouble. 1
had acute conger
, tion, sharp pain ir
' the back, beadachei
and attacks of dla
ziness. My eyes
gave out, and with
the languor and
sleeplessness of the
m uiscase upun uie a
Wasted from 194 to 122 pounds. At
the time I started using Doan’s Kid
ney Pills an abscess was forming on
my right kidney. The trouble was
quickly checked, however, and the
treatment cured me, so that I have
been well since 1896 and weigh 188
pounds.”
Foster-Milburn Co., Buffalo, N. Y.
For sale by all druggists. Price 50
cents per box.
Flattering.
Chicago Tribune: Maud—Got a new
young man, have you? I'd like to know
how he looks.
Mabel—You would? Weil, here's his
photograph.
Maud—Oh, that's his photograph, is It?
(Inspects it.) Still, I’d like to know how
he looks.
HERE'S A WAY TO SAVE DOCTOR
BILLS.
Physicians Give Free Advice by Which
Parents May Profit.
It’s a matter of general interest just
how how one’s physical condition can be
got into shape to best receive the benefits
of the summer season. Especially is this
true of the children. They have become
run down by a winter of unnatural man
ner of living because of ill-considered
food and mucti time spent indoors.
Spring comes with its sunshine, its fresh
vegetables and all else invigorating, but
the children are in no condition to re
ceive nature’s remedies.
Many parents call in the family physi
cian. Many other parents take advan
tage of what the physician told them
when he was first called in consultation,
All good family physicians say: “Give
the children Castoria.” Healthy parents
know this remedy of old, for they took
it themselves as children. It was more
than thirty years ago that Castoria made
a place for itself in the household. It
bore the signature of Charles H. Fletch
er then, as it does to-day. The signa
ture is its guarantee, which is accepted
in thousands of homes where there are
children.
Much is printed nowadays about big
families. Dr. William I. McCann of
Omaha, Neb., is the father of one of
these much-read-about families. Here is
what he says:
“As the father of thirteen children I
certainly know something about your
great medicine, and aside from my own
family experience I have, in my years
of practice, found Castoria a popular and
efficient remedy In almost every home.”
Charles H. Fletcher has received hun
dreds of letters from prominent physi
cians who have the same esteem for Cas
toria that Dr. McCann has. Not only
do these physicians say they use Castoria
iu their own families, but they prescriba
it for their clients. First of all it is a
vegetable preparation which assimilates
the food and regulates the stomach and
bowels. After eating comes sleeping, and
Castoria looks out for that, too. It al
lavs feverishness and prevents loss of
sleep, and this absolutely without the use
of opium, morphine or other baneful nar
cotic.
Medical journals are reluctant to dis
cuss proprietary medicines. Hall’s Jour
nal of Health, however, says: Our duty
is to expose danger and record the
means for advancing health. The day
for poisoning innocent children through
greed or ignorance ought to end. To our
knowledge Castoria is a remedy which
produces composure and health by regu
lating the system, not by stupefying it,
and our readers are entitled to the in
formation.”_
Destroying Roaches.
Phosphorus paste, spread upon soft
bread, and put near their haunts, is a
most satisfactory thing for destroying
roaches. Mix the phosphorus with lard
or drippings, spread, and put the bread
around the last thing at night, removing
the remainder the first thing in the morn
ing, as the phosphorus is a dangerous poi
son. Another “cure” is chocolate and
borax, half and half, mixed together in a
mortar so that every particle of choco
late has borax adhering to it. The roaches
are very fond of chocolate, and borax is a
poison to them. This material should be
sifted dry into the crevices where the
roaches congregate. A short campaign,
combined with thorough cleanliness, open
plumbing, and a frequent routing out of
dark closets, should completely eradicate
these loathly creatures from a country
home in this latitude. In a city house
there is always the danger of immigrant
Insects from less cleanly neighbors.
bunt l-IAnuo, ownc
Itching, Burning Palms and Painful
Finger Ende-Complete Cure by Cuti
cura.
One Night Treatment: Soak the
hands or feet on retiring, in a strong,
hot, creamy lather of Cuticura Soap.
■Dry, and anoint freely with Cuticura
Ointment, the great skin cure and pur
est of emollients. Wear, during the
night, old, loose kid gloves, or band
age lightly in old, soft cotton or linen.
For red, rough and chapped hands,
dry, fissured, itching, feverish palms,
with brittle, shapeless nails and pain
ful finger ends, this treatment is sim
ply wonderful, a single treatment af
fording the most grateful relief, and
pointing to a speedy, permanent and
economical cure. In no other ailment
have Cuticura Soap and Cuticura Oint
ment been more effective.
The increase of population in the
United States within the last fifty years
exceeds by 14,000,000 that of the present
population of France.
IN THE FOG.
By Franz Von Couring.
(Copyright. 1.<J6, by W. R. Hearst.)
It was on one of my first trips from New
York to Naples on board one of the great
North German Lloyd liners, and before
we had been many day# out, I had met a
few sympathetic people, with whom I
■pent most of my time while going across
Two of these were American ladies, of
whom especially one before long told me
everything about herself, though I had
never tried to win her confidence. She
felt In need of a friend on board the big
steamer traveling alone, and so she told
me that she had been engaged for five
years to a countryman whom she was now
on her way to meet and marry at Naples.
Her intended husband was a scientist and
had formerly been too poor to think of
marriage, but now he had received a posi
tion In the famous aquarium which en
abled him to support a family, If not In •
luxury, at least comfortably. For five long
years she had not seen him—had only wL
heard from him through letters which
came with unerring punctuality every
week—and now she was so happy that she
could harly realize that the whole thing
was not a dream.
She was far from beautiful, pale and
thin, with an expression which told ot
many sufferings; but when she spoke of
“him” her face became so radiantly happy
that one could not help considering her
pretty; and In my thoughts I often con
gratulated the man who was to be the
husband of such an affectionate and lov
ing wife.
The other American girl was very much
different. Serious, intelligent, well read
and evidently unusually energetic. She
was a socialist and had devoted much of
her time to the improving of the condi
tions of the poor of Chicago. She was the
author of several books on the social ques
tion which had brought her not a little
fame, and was a delightfully conversation
alist.
These two American ladtes, one of the
ship’s surgeons, a Frenchman who was re
turning to France after having made his
fortune In the States and myself eooc
formed a little exclusive clique which waj
watched with jealousy by the other pas
sengers. Our seats were close together a I
the table; on deck we moved our easy
chairs together in a little nook at the end
of the promenade deck, and the evenings
we generally spent la the salon playing
cards or chatting.
One evening, when we were ploughing
our way through a heavy fog and the roar
of the whistle made the whole ship trem
ble every minute, the Frenchman, who
had until then been very silent, began to
speak of ghosts, spiritism and clairvoy
ance. The suurgeon felt in duty bound to
declare that he only believed in science
and denied the existence of spirits of any
kind. Much to my surprise, ho was hotly
contradicted by the socialist lady, while
the other lady and myself did not take any
part in the discussion.
“I am willing to let you decide for your
self,” the socialist lady said. “Maybe you
will believe me when I tell you all about
your own thoughts, your plans and your
past.”
‘■And what about your future?”
"The future neither I nor any other hu
man being can say anything about.”
"Ob, then, I do not seo much in it,”
laughed the Frenchman. "I know my own
past; It Is only tho future which Interests
me.”
“But I can tell you not only your past,
but also what any of your relatives are
doing at this moment.”
"No, thank you; I do not care a conti
nental for my relatives.”
Miss May Somers, the bride, looked up
and eagerly said: “If you do not mind,
Mitfs Burton, I should like to know what
my fiance at Naple has been doing today,
or Is doing now. Then I will ask him if it
is correct when we arrive?”
“With pleasure,” replied Miss Burton,
and seized her right hand, whose lines she
began to scan carefully. Suddenly she
turned very pale and became greatly agi
tated, though Miss Somers, who was bash
fully looking down, did not notice it. We ’-w
looked at one another in surprise, but soon
the color came back to her face, and in a
most natural and unconstrained tone she
told the bride-to-be a few commonplace
things, which she evidently invented on
the spot.
Miss Somers was rather disappolpted,
but said nothing, and soon after retired.
When she had left us we sat for a few
moments in deep silence, which was
broken only by the hoarse roars of the
whistle. All of us felt a suspicion, a fore
warning of something, but nobody dared
ask Miss Burton what she had read in
Miss Somers’ palm.
Finally I took courage and asked:
“Please tell me. Miss Burton, what dark
secret you kept away from Miss Somers?”
“Oh, something terrible — something
which filled my heart with the greatest
sorrow and pity.”
“Is he dead?” asked the Frenchman.
“No I Much worse than that!"
"What, then?”
"At 5 o’clock this afternoon he wrote a
letter to her, in which he breaks the en
gagement because ho loves another—an
Italian girl—and immediately after he de
posited the money for her return ticket
with the American consul at Naples. She
will get the letter the moment we arrive.”
The earnest way in which she said these
words made a strong Impression upon us,
but with an effort the surgeon tried to
make light of it, and said with a smile:
"You are not as smart as I thought, Miss
Burton. We shall easily be able to find
out whether you are right.”
“You doubt? Well, we shall see when
we get to Naples. Good night,” and with
out another word she left us.
Four days later, when the pilot came on
board, the first officer distributed the mail
among the passengers. Miss Somers was
standing leaning over the side of the ship
so as to be sure to catch sight of her lover
as soon as he came near the dock.
“Now we shall see whether you were
right, Miss Burton,” whispered the sur
geon.
“Yes, we shall see,” she replied, almost
lnaudibly.
Suddenly we heard the officer call out:
“Miss Somers! Miss Somers! A letter
for Miss Somers!”
The young lady ran toward him, while
we eagerly watched her every movement
She looked at the envelope with a smile
and tore it open. We began to breathe
freer.
A piercing cry, and we saw her faint and
drop as if dead.
Everything which.Miss Burton had fore
told came true.
Miss Somers never returned to America.
She is still In an insane asylum at Naples.
/
erudite rroressor. _
Washington Star; "Professor Skiggs ^
has a wonderful mind.”
"Yes,” answered Miss Cayenne,
“when you think how hard one of his
lectures is to listen to, you shudder tc.
think of the cerebral strain It must
have taken t« evolve It.”
Looking Ahead.
First Banker—I don’t see why you keep
that cashier?
Second Banker—What’s the matter with
him?
First Banker—He’s extremely careless:
Second Banker—That’s one reason why
I keep him. He’s liable to overlook a lot
of stuff in case he skips out.
In Germany a great deal of damage
has been reported lately from the large
moths which infest dairies and live on
butter and milk.
Sliding seats were first used in rowln*
races In 1873.
