A BEN DAVIS CROSS. |
The Ben Davis apple is generally known j
among growers as the beautiful apple,
without any other good qualities. It Is one
of the poorest apples grown in the matter j
of quality and sells entirely on Its beauty.
Growers have always hoped that some ex-.
per would rlml a cross which would give |
the world some of the beauty of tho Ben
Davis with tin* good qualities of some oth- j
or sorts and attempts have been made j
from time to time with more or less Indif
ferent results until a cross was made be-1
tween the Ben Davis and the McIntosh. ;
While tho new variety, which is .still j
mainefcas, has not been tested sufficiently .
_s. ^
to give It a place of merit, It Is promising.
In tho matter of flavor, a most Important
thing. It la very much bettor than Ben
Davis though not so good as the McIntosh.
In shape the now sort Is larger than the
Ben Davis but most resembles tho McIn
tosh In appearance, a fact to be regretted
and which Indicates that tho best results
■(save not been obtained for we want to
retain the beauty of the Ben Davis with
the Improved quality of tho other parent;
this done, and we will have a variety
which will sell In any market and at a
high price.
USING CHEAP SHRUBS.
For a long time. In this department, we
have urged the setting of ornamental trees
and shrubs, particularly the latter, about
the farm home. A large number of cor- |
respondents have asked for a small list of
shrubs and have invariably requested
that no classes high In price be named.
As a matter of fact the most desirable
oflajtww and varieties are among the mod
erate-ta-prloe so there Is really no excuse
for going without them. Here Is a small
list that will give satisfaction anywhere,
which are Inexpensive, easy to grow and
readily planted In fall or spring: Hydran
gea panlculata grandltlora, Syrlnga, For
syth m, Comus raascula varlegala, Splrca
■pruntfolla, the varieties of Welgella and
the varieties of Althea all of which can be (
bought for 20 to 35 cents, each first class
plants which will not fall to give entire
satisfaction and which will furnish plenty
■ of bloom from spring until late fall as well
> as giving much variety In habit of growth
and foliage markings. Send to any of the j
. pursers'men whose advertisements you i
may tee for a catalogue and set out some j
-of the sorts named this fall. If one Is
An a cold climate It will be a good plan to
jut the plants back considera*ly and give |
ahem protection during the winter by j
mounding up the soil at the base In the ■
late fall.
I THE DECLINE OF MASHES.
Bo long ns bowel trouble is the main
difficulty with which wo contend In tho
handling of chicks from hatching to the j
Haying age Just so long we should seek to
tflnd scam- plan of feeding which will over- i
• come this. It has been demonstrated that !
•much of the trouble in this direction is (
•duo to the old-tlmc plan of feeding soft :
foods, or mashes, us they are generally !
known. In this form the food seems to >
.compact at first and then decay or sour In 1
(the passage to the bowels where It makes 1
■serious trouble. Then poultrymcn learned
do feed only whole grain regulating It ac- |
•cording to the age and size of the chick ;
and gradually carrying It along to the lay- |
dng ago. It was found that by this plan a
.stronger better pullet resulted and now It
la rare that the mash Is fed to any fowls :
but adults and that only In a small de
gree. During the summer when the half
grown chicks are on the range the matter
«f feeding Is extremely Important, because
♦very ounce of food they take should be j
one more lift toward the production of a ;
bird that will go Into winter quarters at 1
live months old strong and vigorous and
ready and able to turn out eggs In quanti
ties without. Impairing Its vigor. Give tho
youngsters a good range, not too exten
sive. plenty of shade and good water and
what grain they need night and morning
and tho pullets In the fall should bo all
that Is desired.
INVESTMENTS POR FARMERS.
In some sections good crops for a num* '
ber of years In secceasion have made the
farmer fairly well off or at least with
<iebts paid and some cash ahead. Schem
ers watch crop reports and are quick to
ascertain when a section is prosperous,
sual they tlnd, unfortunately, many vic
tims among farmers. There Is no better
place for the investment of surplus money
than right on the farm which gave one
the money. First of all improve the home
in which you and yours spend your lives,
and the very lirst improvement here
.should be conveniently arranged rooms
•lthI then improved methods of heating
them. We may not have gas and electric !
lights on all farms but there is no reason
wvhy our homes cannot be heated by fur-t
ruwf*. Then improve the stock of all
kinds; then improve the land and add im
plements which w ill enable you to do more
work with less effort. After that, if there
Is any surplus which is not needed for the
family or the farm, a saving banks ac
count is a safe investment and your cash
Is available at all times. Few farmers are
•there who are so far ahead that they can
iflnd nothing more to Improve on the farm.
PLOWING UNDER COW PEAS.
Whenever it is possible to make the crop
•of cow pea tops Into hay and feed it to
.stock ami then use the manure on the soil
it i« preferable to the plan of plowing un
der a heavy growth of green tops for there
*ls always danger In plowing under a heavy
crop of green material because It is apt
4u» make the soil sour if done in hot weath
er; it may be tafely done, however, after
the pc&3 mature in the fall and will do the
eoll much good although, as stated, the
better way Is to cure the hay, feed It to
stock and apply the manure to the soil
plowing under only the root growth of the
peso*. After plowing under the cow pea
Tiop« the soil should be given a liberal ap
plication of potash and phosphoric acid,
fluid in the spring an application of twenty
five bus. els to the acre of lime if a crop of
«flM«auuu;‘ in to follow.
NOW FOR ROOT CROPS.
In the latitude of the 42n<l degree If li
lust time now to sow seeds for Swedish
turnips on soil well prepared and the crojj
will give dairymen a valuable feed foi
winter. Oth< r varieties of turnips may b«
sown even later in the month or early In
August according to the climate. Wo like
the plan of sowing .reeds of turnips on so-11
that lias been fairly well enriched for a
number of years for some other crop and
sowing them just far enough apart in rows
;o that the cultivator may be used to ad
vantage and thus reduce the cost of labor.
Do not get the Idea tr.at root crops can bo
probably grown In any noil that happens
to be Idle; they can be grpwn in such soil,
)f course, but the crop will hardly pay for
the trouble. Very rich soil is not desirable
t)ut on the other hand It should l>e rich
enough to grow the roots In good size and
?row them rapidly enough so that the
l&vor will be all that Is possible to obtain
tnd so that they will keep well. On soil
hat Is not to high In price so that It Is
leoded for one or more money crops It pays
:o devote a considerable area to root crops
f he has stock to which they can be fed
ind If they can bo grown at no great ex
pense they ran be profitably fed to swine
*ven when tho low price of pork is con
ildered. Root crops are worthy much
nore attention than they generally receive
n the hands of the average farmer or
lairyman.
RASPBERRY CULTURE PROFIT
ABLE.
All things considered raspberries are
eally more profitably than strawberries
ind, so far as Insect enemies are con
*erned, are about on a par. The demand
or raspberries, both red and black caps,
s far ahead of the supply and the prices
ire hotter In proportion than for etraw
>errles. As a rule under normal condl
ions raspberry plants need bo renewed
lot oftener than every seven or eight
-ears while it is rarely tiie case that a
itruwberry bed will be profitable after the
hlrd year. Raspberry plantations are
nuch more easily cultivated than straw
jerry beds and at a corresponding less ex
>ense. In sections of the east the black
japs have been few and far between not
lecauso the crop was small owing to light
jcarlng but because the number of bearing
)lants was small. The writer will show
lis faith in raspberries, located within bC
niles of a large city, by setting them
iberally another planting season. By no
neans will we abandon our extensive beds
>f strawberries but will simply extend the
ruit industry by setting more raspberries
atlver than more strawberries. Look into
he matter in your section and see what
he opportunities arc.
THE VINELESS POTATO.
If anything was proof that the vlnolesa
>otato proposition had little or no merit,
he fact that the postoffice department
las issued a fraud order against the con
'crn Is pretty good evidence that Uncle
Sam docs not consider it a good thing for
'armers to become mixed up In. Potato
growers are quite familiar with the plan
>f sprouting potatoes under straw but
hose who have tried it know' full well
hat when such potatoes are used for seed
hero is not enough advantage gained to
warrant the great care necessary in ban
ning these sprouted tubers. We want to
iay right here and for the third or fourth
imo that If farmers will bear in mind that
hey are paying out considerable money
\ach year in each state in the union for
he support of experiment stations and
hat every one of these stations make it a
>art of their w'ork to test new sorts, they
iced look only to the directors of such
itntions for Information regarding any
lew class or variety in which they may
3e interested. Any discoverer of a new
»ort is not only willing but anxious to
mve it tested on the grounds of the sev
hose in charge will report concerning the
/alue of the new applicant for public
’avor without fear or favor and that such
•eports may be relied upon. Don’t buy
*are things or wonderful things in the
igrleultural line without first finding out
what the people of the experiment station
n your own state think of them. Do not
nesltate to use your experiment station for
die majority of them will hail with delight
iny Interest taken by the farmers of the
state. Do more than write them, call on
them: you will be well treated and learn
enough to pay you several times over fol
the trip..
I vww I It I i i W<JU v 1-11 I !L.r> I I VII
There are a number of ideas for the ven
tilation of poultry houses which are very
desirable but most of them are expensive
to put into operation. The main benefit tc
be obtained from ventilation is dryness of
atmosphere which of itself means the cir
culation of pure air. In any plan of ven
tilation the air from out of doors should
be taken in from near the bottom of the
house and follow the ventilator until it
reaches the top or nearly so before It is
allowed to escape Into the rom. We think
tho plan of ventilation indicated in the
illustration la one of the best known. Tho
foundation for a comfortable dry house is ■
laid in the floor which is of concrete kept |
thicker with straw. The shaft is run in \
evil lUip.' ' li IV i 11 Ifs, iiht ill lu.'l- ill llir- I <17111 I
indicated by the arrow' at the bottom left
and escaping Into the room at the point in
the shaft indicated by the upper arrow
which opening is covered with wire net
ting. At the point B an opening is cut into
the shaft through which the foul air
escapes into the shaft and out at the point
! of the ventilator on the outside of the
house. A damper is provided as showm so
that the current of air can be controlled
l iii the event of a windy day. The detailed
I drawing at the bottom of the cut show'
I how this damper is operated. The whoi®
plan is simple, easily put in operation &ad
will be found very effective.
Before Her Father.
He stood before her father when
The day was at its close,
And In It is pocket there and then
He had a withered rose,
A once red rose that she possessed
Ere, yielding to his prayer,
She took it from her gentle breast
And gave it to his care.
He stood before her father who
Was old and gray and grim;
lie longed to speak a word or two.
Hut words deserted him.
Before her fatlx-r, grim and gray,
Her red rose he forgot.
And thrice made up his mind to say
The words he uttered not.
He stood there while her father sat
At ease and paw him ding
With one hand to the soiled strap that
Was not a restful thing;
His feet were sore, his look was sad,
He longed for space to Fit,
But lacked the nerve to ask her dad.
To move along a bit. —Puck.
SOME RACING STORIES.
From the Washington filar.
Tills young man, who works for his
living in an F stret t office, couldn't
get ills desk anything llko cleaned up
till nearly half past 2 last Saturday
afternoon. Then lie broke out of his
office at a canter, making for the New
"York avenue surface line of cars, Ben
ning-bound.
He wasn’t so eager to make the
truck in lime for the first race—3
o'clock—on his own account. But he
hud a $10 note, belonging to a friend,
in ids clothes, to be wagered on Win
chester in the first race.
He was considerably worried, how
ever, when, on boarding the New Y’ork
avenue car at Fourteenth street, he fig
ured that, with the clearest light of
way and the best going, the car would
only Just about make Benning in time
for the first race.
The car hustled along at a pretty
good clip till the bridge over the East
ern branch was reached. Then the
car's fuse or hew-gag, or something or
other, burned out, and it camo to a
standstill. It wus then eight minutes
to 3. The young man with the $10 note
to go on Winchester for a friend broke
out in a cold perspiration. There was
no chance for the car to reach the Ben
nine t«-» in timr» fnr nnw r\f Uq nn u.
sengers to play the first race. Sup
posing Winchester were to win at 20
or 30 to 1 or some such foolish figure!
He was In a sad fume over the situa
tion, when, to the rear of the car, he
heard the notes of a three-strap auto
mobile siren. The young man leaped
out of the stalled car, ran over to the
middle of the road and waved his arms
wildly directly in the path of the ap
proaching buzz-wagon. The machine
slowed up.
"Hey, there, Jim; what the dickens
ails you?" the driver of the car called
out to the young man. "I can’t give
you a lift—wagon’s packed full now."
"Don’t want any lift,” replied the
young man, hurriedly. "Here, take
this,” handing the owner of the auto
mobile a $10 note, “and get it on Win
chester in the first race for me. Money
belongs to a friend of mine, and the
blamed Winchester horse is liable to
cop and cut mo out of a summer vaca
tion if I don't get the bet down somo
way, and-’’
The man in the buzz-wagon under
stood. He took the $10 and was on
his way before the young man in the
road had finished his explanation.
When the young man with the quick
thinking habit got to the entrance the
owner of the automobile was waiting
for him at the turnstile. He had $110
in his hand.
"1 got the bet down," he said, "just
as the mutts wore lined up to break.
Winchester wins, and I got 10 to 1.”
The F street youth's sudden Impulse
to Jump from the stalled car and stop
the automobile had been worth Just
$100 to him.
As to that same Winchester race,
George Sheridan, a well known follow
er of the game from Chicago, and a
heavy bettor when he thinks he is in
good, had a dry remark to make when
the numbers went up. Sheridan had
"gone to" some other horse in the race
to the tune of $300. When Winchester
finished in the van, “breezing," Sheri
dan, who was standing just behind the
press box. Jammed his hat over his
eyes, thrust his hands into his pockets
and observed grouchily:
"Winchester, hey? And Sheridan
twenty miles away!”
The sad story attaching to almost
every case wherein one man bets an
other man’s money at a race track
had its ten-millionth exemplification in
the race which Fiat won, with as good
as 10 to 1 against him.
A Pennsylvania avenue restaurateur
who went to the track by the steam
cars on that day was held up by a
friend at the station. The friend
couldn't get away from his business to
go to the track that day, it seemed,
but he had a tip on Fiat and wanted tc
get $20 down. Would his friend, the
restaurateur take the $20 and play
Fiat straight for him? The restaurat
eur. remembering some doleful in
cidents in connection with proxy bet
ting and having a keen sense of his own
notorious absentmindedness besides,
tried to duck, but he couldn’t get out
of it. His fl-lend was insistent, and
so the restaurant man took the $20 and
promised to get it down on Fiat in the
last race!
absent-minded restaurateur had clean
forgotten all about that $20 Fiat money
to be put down for his friend. He
didn't, in fact, stay at the track for the
last race at all. He cleaned up about
$70 up to and including the fifth race,
and then he concluded that he'd got
all that ought to be coming to him for
one day, and started to town in an
electric, car. On the way in he began
to figure up his bank roll, checking off
his bets and winnings. He found that
he was $20 ahead of the balance figures,
and he was very gloatful, indeed.
"Well, this,” said he to himself, "is
the first time 1 ever got ahead of a
bookmaker or a bookmaker’s crew. One
of those cashiers must have given me
$20 too much in settling one of my bets.
Fine! I suppose I’ll spend the whole
day tomorrow looking up that cashier
and giving him back the $20 he gave
me by mistake—yes, yes,” and he con
tinued to gloat most cheerfully all the
way back to town in the electric car.
He met the man who had given him
the $20 Fiat money when he got off the
car to change for his restaurant at the
transfer station. The Flat man began
to execute difficult and involved jig
steps as soon as he saw the restaura
teur.
"Yow! I guess I’m the poor horse
picker, ain’t I?” he gurgled to the res
taurateur. "I’m a perfect shine at this
thing of lighting on the long ones, ain't
I? Just telephoned to the track and
found out that little old Fiat copskies
at 10 to 1. Wow! Gimme my $220, old
man—and much obliged to you for get
ting it down.”
The restaurateur had remembered, of
course, long before his gurgly friend
had concluded .Is happy little speed*
And, without a word, he went into his
dungarees and dug up the $220. But
the next time he lets any friend hold
him up at a race track the capital of
the United States will he Aurora-in-the
Ozarks, and that shift, it is generally
understood, is some little distance in
the future.
Equally sad, as the result of his off
handedness. was a young gentleman
from Baltimore, who, one day last
week, brought a couple of young wom
en friends over from the Monumental
city to view the Penning game for an
afternoon. The party viewed the races
from the club house. Came a race In
which one of the young women, look
ing over her program, clapped eye on
the name of a horse dubbed Nutwood.
"Oh. there was a girl at the convent
named Nutwood—Jane Nutwood," tx
| claimed this young woman. “And wluit
an athletic girl she was—she could
| beat all of the girls in the hundred
! yards, e-e-easy! Oh, I'm going to
I have a dollar on Nutwood. What's
j Nutwood's price?” addressing the
! young man.
I "Oh. GO to 1, or something like
that.” carelessly replied the young
| man from Baltimore. "Crab. Only In
| the way. Hasn't got a chance in the
world. Crawfish. Runs backward.
I Lob. Wasting her money. Forget It.”
| But the girl who’d had a schoolmate
named Nutwood Insisted, and then the
other girl caught the hunch fever, and
(hey both Insisted upon the young man
I getting a dollar apiece down for them
| an Nutwood.
| "Oh, It’s post time now%” said the
young man. ’’Tell you what I’ll do. I'll
lay you against Nutwood myself. Soft
two bucks for me. Stealing it. I’ll give
you each 50 to 1 against Nutwood. That
satisfy you?”
| Well, they'd rather got It down with
a regular bookmaker, they said—it
would seem more reckless—but —
| "You’re on. both of you—GO to 1 each ;
: an Nutwood,” and they Insisted upon
taking their $1 bills out of their pock- ;
! tbooks and giving them to him, while
| ne smiled enjoyably and talked airily j
ibout how soft the money looked to I
I him.
When Nutwood won from Monte
: Carlo by a nose he paid out his $100
. like a little man. but he looked ex
tremely thoughtful and preoccupied
j for the remainder of the afternoon.
WASH DOGS, MIND BABIES.
Women Hire Plumber for Strange Pur- j
po3e at High Wage.
From the Detroit Free Press.
Washing dogs and "minding" babies
at GO cents an hour—these are the high
ly delightful occupations that two
plumbers were engaged In last week.
I A plumber who employs the two men,
and whose word Is as good as hi3 bond,
Is authority for the facts.
"Please send a plumber up to my
house right away,” said a woman over
the 'phone.
"What do you think she wanted?”
said the workman when he returned
half an hour later. "She wanted me to
wash her do™.”
"Go back and wash him." said his
employer, and he did. It took him all
the afternoon to scrub the canine. The
woman cheerfully paid $3.
A woman—not the same woman—In
an excited tone of voice, asked that a
plumber be sent to her house for three 1
hours.
When the man arrived the woman,
who Is well known in society, brought
out a box of her husband's best cigars,
the latest magazines—and a baby. Af
ter minding the infant three hours,
while the mother was out shopping,
he collected $1.80, filled his pockets with
i good cigars and returned to the shop.
How Harry Was to Biame.
From the Chicago Daily News.
‘ Anyhow,” said the girl In the new
»pring hat with the trelliswork of roses j
on It, "It was Harry’s own fault. Ho is !
>lways trying to do things that are funny, !
and expects us to go into ecstacies of j
! mirth over them. How were we to know i
j :his wasn’t one of them? It was my turn i
I :o entertain the club," and it was to he a
j costume party.
I "1 decided to have a Dutch luncheon,
; mil every ono was to come dressed as a
j Hollander. Nearly all of them came early
| out Harry, and we were all laughing at
;ach other, when I heard some one on the
front porch. When I opened the door I
I learly died of laughing. I knew at onco
| it was Harry, for I recognized his eyes.
: Ho must have gone to an awful lot of
^ work getting up his costume, 1 thought,
J for he had on big blue trousers and a
! checked shirt with pearl buttons, and un
i 3er his cap was a wig of straight yellow
1 pair, and he wore a big yellow mustache.
I "He hung back and acted as though ho
was ashamed of himself—and, really, I
ildn’t blame him, for you know how proud
i Harry usually Is of his appearance. I
i grabbed him and dragged him In, and
j shrieked for every one to come and look,
i They just went crazy over him, told him
he was splendid and asked where he got
the costume, while they were turning him
around till he must have been dizzy.
“He played the part pretty well, too,
actually stammering some Dutch at us
and sending us off Into fresh spasms. Wo
all laughed so no one could have told what
he was saying If any one had wanted to.
Then he bucked up against the wall and
got mad and threw his arms around and
knocked over a lamp. When he didn't stop
| acting after that, or seem sorry, we all
stopped laughing and began to feel a little
I Indignant. It seemed to be carrying the
joke too far.
"Goodness knows what would have hap
! pened next, for he was breathing hard and
glaring at us, when there was a fresh J
■ commotion In the hall, and who should
, walk In but Harry himself, In ordinary
1 clothes, with nothing but a big Dutch cap
IU uiaguise mm.
1 “I looked at him, and then I looked at
the man I had dragged in, and I thought
1 must be losing my mind,
j “ ‘Who are you, anyway?’ I demanded
' of the man against the wall.
! “He took a long breath and swallowed
hard and looked as though he would like j
to oat some one In revenge.
| “ ‘I haf try to tell you,' he said. ‘I am
1 the brudder of Lena, und I come to see j
her.’
I “Lena is our new maid. T led the man j
nut into the kitchen, where Lena was. |
Then I hurried back to scold Harry. We j
all took It out on him, and he got real pro- I
yoked about it—though I am sure he might i
I lave seen he was the one to blame, and
; aught to have been willing to apologize
!or it.”
Uncle Rastus’ Defense.
The Honorable Malcolm Rice Patterson,
1 Df Tennessee, tells a story about an old
icgro who had been arrested for stealing
i pig down in his state. After all wit
tesses had been heard and it was conelu
»ive that the old darky was guilty, the
udge, who knew him well, turned to him
1 md said, “Why did you steal that pig,
| Uncle Rastus?”
j “Bekase mah pooh fambly was stahvin’,
i ro’ honor,” replied the prisoner.
I “Family starving, eh? But they tell me
I ^ou own five dogs. How is that, Uncle
I Vastus?" ar-4ted the judge,
j Uncle Rastus scratched his head and
i ooked at the floor as though in deep
j bought; then, raising ills head and look- ,
I ng squarely at the judge, he replied: I
j ‘Dat’s er fack, yo’ honor; but I reckon yo* j
ill wudn’t 'spect mah fambly ter eat i
i iem dawgs.”
j Sentence was suspended.
He Had Tt's Wish.
The late Carl Schurz had no considera
’ tlon for hypocrites or pretenders. Upon
literary pretenders he was particularly ee
i verc.
At a dinner in New York one night a
millionaire who had written a volume of
' poems sneered ai politics.
. “I wouldn't give a picayune,” he raid, ’
; “for a senatorship or a cabinet office. To
! t>e even president wouldn’t tempt me. I,
for my part would rather be known any
' day as a third-rate ix:et than a first-rate j
stateman."
“Well, aren’t you?” shouted Mr. Schurz. 1
STORY OF “THE SOWER
WHO WENT OUT TO SOW”
In the standard sleeper of a train
bound for the coast, a minister and a
priest were ''talking shop.” If they had
any differences concerning the most ap
proved methods of salvation they con
cealed them and, apparently, both were
willing to grant that all who mortified
the flesh and kept hot on the trail of
the saints would finally be saved.
Every seat in the coach was held by
people who were evidently on good
terms with all that is worth having in
this most bright and beautiful world. !
The school girls who looked interest- j
ing to the men very discreetly hovered |
near the wing of the Catholic father
when the train stopped long enough at
a station for a platform promenade.
The Protestant minister was the easy
mark of a woman who had just lost
her husband and really wanted to know
If they would meet again in heaven.
The traveling men were non-committal,
but they seemed to have some doubts.
A grandmother made the little girl
with her read the bible so much that
she must have been nearly through |
with it; anyhow, she laid it down and
began to cry. Then grandma hustled
her into the vestibule.
The man who had read all the papers
and magazines he could get on the train
took the little girl’s bible and turned
the leaves as if he had never before
seen the book. He was familiar when
younger with passages in it. He knew
the many things said in praise of the
book of books, but as he read the old
verses he knew in childhood days he
decided that he had found more in them
than he could find now that he was a
matured man who had seen about all
there was to see and therefore knew
about all there was to know of life.
He had always liked to read the
parables of our Lord. Often he had
thought of the ones about the talents,
the sheep and the goats, and the
"sower who went out to sow.” He said
to himself, I am that one. But when
it came to the teaching that it was
right to give those who did one hour s
work as much pay as those who worked
all day, he couldn’t stand for that. And
yet the master who had contracted to
pay those who worked all the time
only a penny, cienny xit: xiavA
to pay the same price to others who
came later if it pleased him to do so.
How many times, he reflected, he had
seen the last made first—how often he
had seen the many called and the few
chosen. “The stone which the builders
rejected is become the head of the
corner.” He had his own opinion about
what was coming to the prodigal son.
He rather liked to think that he would
be brave enough to fall where he stood
rather than weaken; yet he knew that
the way to make wrong right is to
bravely ask for the Great Teacher to
please excuse bad spellin' and writin .
And when the foolish virgins—they
were foolish to be without oil. People
nowadays buy what they need and at
the same time contribute their mite to
higher education.
He knew the parable of the home di
vided against itself which could not
stand, and the house built on the sand
should have been built on the rock, of
course. Pie approved of the Good Sa
maritan and wondered how the others
who passed by could have done so. And
then he glanced at the story of the
young man who was told to sell all he
had and follow the Master—and as he
read he got the faintest grasp of the
sorrow and loneliness of Him who bade
His weary followers to sleep on and
take their r^st.
The passenger opposite—not long out
of college—said to him; “Guess the two
old church crows have got their work
done—anyway they’ve quit talking re
ligion. None for me. Dave Harum’s
the stuff. Do the other fellow as he
does you and do him first—if not the
words it’s the policy all right.”
“It is the wrong policy even from
the most selfish point,” came the sober
answer from the reader of parables.
“What you sow you reap. You get
back just what you give. I don’t mean
that the other fellow always appreci
ates your fairness, but I mean that
you feel better yourself for being
straight, and ingratitude or dishon
esty in others is no sort of excuse for
paying them the same coin. When
you act meanly you feel meanly. Hon
est men must retire counterfeit money
from circulation and never pass it
along.”
“Well, I treat folks just as they
treat me,” said the callow one. "This
returning good for evil is all right for
church folks, but I'm a sinner, I guess”
—and he looked wicked enough to
smoke a cigaret and drink ice water.
"I don’t want to do the work of the
two disciples in this car, but I’ve lived
long enough to know the truth. I’ve
tried all ways and all plans. The only
way to live is to just go straight ahead
every day, in every place, and do your
best, making all allowances possible—
giving all a square deal. At best you
will fail of your purpose enough to
make you miserable at times; but it is
the only way—it is the sum and sub
stance of right living. It keeps one
serene and happy part of the time, at
least. No return is asked or expected,
but return is made oftener than it is
withheld.”
even the people who preach it practice
Harum’s belief most,” said the young
one. “Who in this car—right here—is
thinking of helping the other fellow?
They are all figuring on doing him if
they can, instead of doing for him.
There may be children and women on
this train who are hungry and discour
aged and sick, but the shepherds and
their following are not hunting the
sheep.”
“The failure of anyone to be con
siderate does not excuse any lack of
consideration," said the man. "All of
us like our ease and comfort, but not
one of us would fail to extend help
where it is needed if we heard the call.
Too often the needy misjudge and mis
understand, and when we would like
to help them, resent It—keep us off.
I am mighty grateful to the many, who
have helped me, and I’d like to help
others."
"Gracious,” said the collegian, “you
are too good.” The young fellow |
whistled a topical song. The man sat [
silent, and a little later went forward ;
through the cars.
“There was a sower who went out I
to sow ” ho murmured. He recalled
having seen a sick girl in the chair !
car and yet a certain big, strong man
he knew had a lower berth in the !
sleeper. He had about made up his
mind to offer his lower to a finely
dressed, fussy woman whom he had
heard begging the conductor for a i
lower when told that there was only
an upper left, but as he thought of the
sick girl in the chair car he wished
that the fussy woman in the sleeper
could get neither upper nor lower and :
be compelled to sit in the chair car as
the sic): girl did. He had not seen the I
girl since the noon stop the day be
fore, so he went to her car, and when i
lie reached her there was u vacant
seat by her and he sat down in it.
“[ beg your pardon,” he said, “but
isn't this Miss Smith?” The girl smiled '
the wan smile of the whito-plagued and j
answered: "No, this is Miss Jones.” !
“I think I saw you talking with a i
friend of mine at Las Vegas." I
"Oh. that, was Mr. Dawson, the civil
--- ■ --- - - -..4
engineer, working on the new cut-oft.
He was very kind to me.”
The man from the sleeper didn’t
know Dawson, but he pretended that
he did.
“Dawson Is a good fellow,” he risked
saying, because she said he was kind.
"Before he left the train he tried to
get me a berth, hut he couldn’t, and I
am not very well, and I am so tired
and sleepy-”
"Why, I have a berth,” said the man,
“and if Dawson had told me you want
ed one you could have had mine. You
must take it tonight. 1 have had a
good rest and it would really do me
good to come back here and take your
seat and rough it a bit. This car and
this chair are lots better than the rich
est people could buy twenty years ago.”
And soon the sick girl was back in
the standard with a well tipped porter
waiting on her at the direction of some
well bred women who tried to make
her comfortable.
As the night came on the man got
tired of his seat in the chair car and
went into the smoker where he talked
with a cattle man about the country
they were passing through. In one of
the forward seats a woman and a girl
were trying to sleep, taking tu^jis in
caring for an epileptic youth, who
would wake now and then and strike
them. They were weary and stained
with travel and as miserable as they
possibly could be. When the cattle man
got off. the man from the sleeper sat
down by the irresponsible boy and In
duced the tired r jmen to sleep while
he became their burden bearer. Once
the hoy waked and slapped his new
seatmate. For a second the imbecile
was in clanger of having his head
knocked off, for the muscular man he •
had caught off his guard had probably
never been struck in that manner be
fore in hts life. But he conquered his
desire to strike back and held the poor
fellow until he was quiet in sleep again.
It was broad daylight before the
mother and daughter awoke, for they
were worn out. At the breakfast stop
the mail got them fooa, and when he
left them his charge of the night was
looking out the window without at
tracting attention of passengers or
troubling those with him.
the trainmen nodded to him and the
conductor said: “Well, you’ve done
those folks a good turn.” Several times
during the night the trainmen had come
into the car and had i\n the man con
trol the violent boy, and they knew he
had done his part becomingly.
When the man reached the sleeper
the porter called him "colonel’’ and told
him the sick girl had offered the lower
to the stout lady, who refused it. But
she did a lot to make the girl comfort
able. “They told me to thank you, and
everybody !n this car is saying nice
things about you,” said the porter. The
minister beamed on him. The priest
gave him a silent blessing. The para
ble about the leaven which leavened
the whole lump came to his mind. The
collegian said, “You’re game.” The
school girls gave him smiles. Grand
mother sent the little girl to him to
say: “I want you to hake my bible
and keep it.” And she looked so happy
to be rid of it that he took it.
All the while he was trying to recall
the lines:
How far that little candle casts its beams
So shines a good deed in a naughty world.
The man didn’t feel proud of himself,
but he felt good because he had done
some good, and then he knew that in--,
asmuch as those about him understood
and appreciated his efforts, that they
would gladly do as much or more than
he had done, when the opportunity
came to them.
As the porter told him. the stout
woman had taken good care of the sick
girl—she happened to be going to the
same town—and they were off the train
before he returned to tne sleeper, but
he did not expect or desire grateful
words from the girl. She was more
than half in the other world with the
fatal malady that looks hopefully to
sun-up in vain for help. He felt fine
to have made things pleasant for her.
The sick boy and his mother and sis
ter were comfortable and would soon
be home. All in all, things had gone
well.
"This is a pretty good world, after
ill," said the man. He had been to the
coast a dozen times and this was his
best trip. He picked up the little girl’s
bible and found the words: “A sower
went forth to sow * * * whosoever
hath, to him shall be given."
Ewing Herbert.
$25,000 for Her Kindness.
From the New York World.
Peter ICronheim of South Africa, Aus
tralia and Montana is now a millionaire,
t>ut twenty years ago he was regarded as
i spendthrift with no friend left but his
cousin, Mrs. Kay Wclfe, whc r.ow lives at
1G East One Hundred and Thirty-first
street. He had been left a fortune by his
rather, a Brooklyn tanner, but had dissi
pated it in less than three years. Curi
Dusly enough, a tanning process of his own
liscovery had been instrumental in accu
mulating the fortune, but when he came
into his money he spent it with a free
hand and then dropped out of sight.
From time to time his cousin used to
hear from him—now from the west, now
from South Africa or Australia. In every
•ase his letters contained an appeal for
money, which she never neglected to send.
But having little she could not send much.
His last communication was from Jo
hannesburg, and instead of an appeal it
contained a gift of a handsome pearl neck
ace. That wfas eight years ago. The
etter said he was a pearl broker in South
Africa and was at last meeting with
’moderate success.”
East Sunday a roughly dressed man
:al!ed at the Wolfe home. The servant
was afraid to admit him and called Mrs.
Wolfe, who at once recognized her cou
sin. He refused to come in, but merely
isked if she was willing to help him again,
is he was in severe straits. She replied
[hat she was, and he left saying that he
might be back again.
He came again Tuesday, roughly clad
is before, and announced that instead of
aeing penniless he was a millionaire. He
:ossed his cousin an envelope, saying:
“I’ve kept track of what you’ve done for
me all these years, and it comes to about
his. Don't open the envelope. "Wait till 1
jet out.”
He left at once after inquiring about a
brother last heard of in Washington.
When he had gone the envelope was
jpened and found to contain twenty-five
1,000 bills. The Wolfe family didn’t go
:o bed at all. Instead they sat up with
he money until morning, when they
fiaced it in a safe deposit vault with the
>eari necklace.
Kronhe'm’s interests are extensive. Be
sides valuable ranches and city lots in
Montana he owns gold mines in South
Africa, adjoining the famous Queen Char
otte, and sheep ranges in Australia. He
s unmarried and is very anxious to find
fis brother, whom he believes to be in or
tear Washington. He told Mrs. Wolfe
hat, if he did not succeed in finding him
:e would return to Australia.
Dirt Cheap.
Briggs—It seems as if everything nec
sssary had gone up in price—except
tum&n life; that’s cheaper than ever,
Griggs—But that isn't a necessity.
