October 5; I899.
THE NEBRASKA INDEPENDENT.
1 .
- -
A Iolltlcnl Trick.
"There la a good (lea! of pure moon-
'thine," fa Id a lot il war-horse now out
of harness, "in the faculty of remem
bering name and faces which 1' at
tributed to most successful politicians.
In nlue cases out of ten they have no
:Abuoinjfll powers of that kind, and
their apparent feats of Hiemory are
very edMily explained, 1'ake, for ex
' ample, the case of a political person
age at a public rewptlo. lie la sure
to be surrounded 1y a group of local
leaders who know everybody In town.
Tresently a valuable constituent np
proa'ehes. 'Cc-oucl, whispers one of
the henchmen, 4iere comes Mr. Blank.
He's an ot1ve party worker mil a
great admirer of yours. Ho inet'joa
here last fall." . ,v i ,t ' ; ''
"The personage catches on prompt
ly. ' What does Blank do T he whls
pers back. ! '
'"lie's a produce merchant, replies
fne neinumnn. uy mat tune tue vai
able constituent gets l raiige.
"How are you, my dear Mr. ttlankV
(vjrdaiius the notable eonjially. 'I'm
delighted to see you' ngalu. And bow
the produce business coming ouT
( 'Toor !.ank has spasms of Joy. That
the famous man shtynd remember him
so accurately makes him as proud as a
peacock, and ,20 spectators proceed to
Itcll the story. Ju proof of the colonel's
miraculous meiKal gifts. Thus reputa
lllons oreiaade." New Orleans Times
I)euroertl I th tllahop'e Label.
I "Bishop Huntington once went down
N a town In Connecticut to perform a
Carriage ceremony. He arrived the
iay before the weddlirg, ami he left
it tliC same lime the bridal pair did,
Ykhotigh he. was driven to a different
railway station. As he parsed through
Jhe sluilcci, carrying his traveling bag,
le was aware that Ire was creating a
Jeflsatfvn, but was totally at a loss to
lecount for It. In the car I s found
liat he was st!(l the object of amused
ittentiou. The porter positively snlek
Ved us be passed bis seat, and dually
Jst as the train drew out he came up
ud assisted the churchman to remov?
Is overcoat.
"What Is the nuttier with you, my
an?" asked the bishop. The porter's
ticker broaA-ued Into a laugh..
"Ain't yon tfune lef the lady, sab?"
cl.ticlded.
"Eh?" exclaimed the bishop In sur
Ise. Tlsca his eye fell on the Bide of
A traveling bag which the oiler had
.sttumed round. There glued to it
as a wide strip of white satin rlbboa
which was painted In large letters:
"Married this morning."
Xli5 facetiously minded best man had
IsUiken the bishop's traveling bag
that of the bridegroom, and a
lucklliig black porter worked lute In-
the nigit removing that ribbon.
hlngton Tost.
Whta Coal Glvea Out.
he AtiJToudiKk region abounds with
ins, mint of which can some time
made use of as sources of power for
Tying on Industries, running ra li
ds and furnishing light and beat
Iced, the great problem at jpresent
t at all to flud avallaMettWs of
ter.'iut to devise woans of tns
ting the power with the minltiiin
for long diistisoces. 4
Is I infusible to believe that wi
SV& of existlua luau and tt
tide of practically unlimited pot
jolhg to waste on every hand, tr
lulate Inventive genius, methods'
I not be devised before very long
overcoming this difficulty of trans
ilon. '
betber It Is by the discovery of
new conveyor or by using a sue
on of generating plants or by a
sss of storing the electricity and
eying It by freight or express or
sver, the new power Is bound In
to come Into practically universal
j If the difficulty of transmission Is
r wholly obvious, H may be there
( be some regrouping of Industries
XHnmunltlcs In thytiear vicinity of
rUnt sources. -f Water supply.-'
ia'a Mataslne.' fti
i tjta Dn in
UrtVlmaainaaMai
JrVkt Xaif-iod, Um Mask
i ny sbiMMm or
SaaindlteratiMk
V ? an
Jrium
pal
fa W
sbS nitons
MWd kbiM for
JWUIU)
r : mm mpa.s
! V ' ' . k .
-iaranted mis for m at Power,
.Jndetelopea Of SVraakea Organ,
uMnoior awih, fe
, f riUt, Ineanlty, Pararyile and the
inawtnn ueeei sooa
k. lr -U a Dlala nark
ire. OnlliHft nf
MU la Dials DarknM.ai.00 a
. a L ' J . --- u
8 for X8,,,J with ear bankable pw
ea Dona v
mer pal4
pure in 80 dajrs r refnad
lareaa
PMERVrmMEDlCAL CO.
JntonAJacksdb Sts CHISAGO, ILL.
I hold ty Jiaiv Dniff uo.; ur. )
d 11. Str., Li.ln, Nebr . ;. h
frtrrrcKOFPROhVi; o3rwn.L ;
C 'bJaW' C""rt LV Cortntf Ne-
SiJKTiS .1A."nnh North,
J.hH V....T. ir.1',,.''". n'" '
H tlilnton Wth. and to a V ...i?.
.tl in uti.l n..,4 . . III?!'
krit pur portina Ui bp tlm 1 't V
iiMit of Ji.vob Xix-th drrramd. ra
nil Tetii-
tin lii an id
inn, ami ino sip'itiiHi iirayijtr
lfuiH li,r,1 ..'.I ".T.
r kite I'io.
i Hannah Nonh 'm "Ji
ul mitiiiiimitwiU t h,.r.i. and I1td.7il 'rati
v not tlien apiwar ami contH, an W ( VAt u
t'robate mid record Hi ramn, and v ti ad.
oinMrationof tho entnle to Mnrmnh So'
i Tliia uotir M all b inlildted for thrw Li,
wiciMTrl in the Nebraska lndenemlmtt.
U3mUl hrailjiB. TT
I Wiliw! my band and eQlolal acat this iVli
I ' 8. T. ClK-BRAH.
GO
PUO
CO
I CTn
Couiiljr Judiie.
'AND LOVE.
i
t
-
True lo liM Wits lublim!
It know it ipaee, it kncvi not ttmSJ
It b t jfiurJiii rom uliove, '
For lowlt life, nd lif Iuv.
Tou, with your dn(jrrl gift of ncora, ,.
1 WonlH ! mu,te trul" lova tJ'iorni
Yrt know wU 're'er yur wlh may rov
' TUt Ivf U IHb. and life it love.
. Tou Saunt new live before my cyet, ,
,1 boU- them wi. h i eeant aurprtse; , , ,
Tou cannot ioil tlie treure truv " '
j Tht love U lite, sod life i love,
', We mortale are oompact o( cringe,
We liave 1 thought of wcodroin ranje
For boy and girl, for nion anA wife ,t
,Vijt life l love, and love it life.
li't to Judge by human skill
' Whit warrant tprrea tni love to kill?
' It eiamli, throuifti all your-m'ti'li'ttt etrife,
lliat lif U Ibvu, and love ti life, j
I match remembrance with your word,
Tn truth may pU-rc? yi lfk a eword,
Tlie truth may be a keen edited kuife,
-! Yot life U kive, and love la life.
Fa' love i like the winding hwt
Fliur'd In enow and blUi linif elert; '
, Tlie ahelter whence yon dure not rnove
Is-love is life, end life U love.
Walter ll.rri,.a Pollock tn Lonifmaa'a Itaa
tiue. . . ,
A WORLD OF TROUBLE.
Why the ApnrtmeiH I!one Manager
lln a t'nite of the Mart.
The mangfrof the apartment house.
A wtU fed., y'dl featwetl, well .-nHerl
man, was standing In the main door
way of his estabiftihment, which, by
tho way, is owned by an oat of towh
capitalist, who is not the m-ost g.neroufi
provider in the world and iiwiwts upon
tho flat being conducted ttpon the most
economical lines. The manasr was not
happy, however fair he may have ap
peared to the, eye, and he heaved a long
drawn Mgh as n friend approached and
greetdj hhn.
"What's vrrong?" inquired the new
comer.
"Oh, we've all got our tronbles!"
was tho VHgne and lugubrious reply.
"You oughtn't to have any."
"But I have, just the same."
"What, for instance?"
"Well I'm worried sick because I
haven't got an. elevator boy."'
"Thera shouldn 't bo any difficulty in
removing thut trouble, I sliould say.
"There is. I've tried 40 and can't
get one to p:.-:.'' ' r .
"Yon must be very hard to pleasn. "
"It isn't that," siyhed the manager.
"I'm all rhfct, but it's this .way : The
old man hwiKts on having the elevator
boy wear a nniform. and fco furnishes
it. Uniforms cost money, aad when tlie
last boy retired h3 lcfta brand new
nniform, and the old man won't got
another. That's the rub, I can find
plenty of boys of sufficient intelligence,
ample experience, industrious h-abits,
good moral character and fine address,
but I'll be darned if I can get one that
the nniform will fit, and there you have
it Now what t'.io dickens am I to dot
Ain't that enough trouble for any ona
man?" Washington Star. ,.
A Palatal Discovery.
"It was abont the witching hour,
said the suburbanite. "I had left the
station some distance behind me and
was on my way up the road toward
home. J had got comfortably cool by
that time, and the charming influence
of the staflit night possessed me and
made me feel at peace with all the
world. Nor did the fact that I and my
new suit had made a hit with the
iends I had been visiting detract from
e fullness of my self 'satisfaction.
I' All went well until I came to a
rt.Vt crossing my road. At the corner
WS,S street lamp, which from some
cflUklwii not lit. and from this lamp
flnttubtl what seemed to be a handker
chief. UToa know I am a little bit near
"I rallied over to take it, bat it was
touched' to the wind and waved jnst
beyond grasp. I reached over far
ther, lesaVg full against the lamp
post This ttne I was successful, and
I found that ne supposed handkerchief
was a piece If paper on which was
written in boknd dashing letters the
legend 'Fresh' faint PLiladelpkis
Innnire. .. '1
The tttx Reki
Long ago he hsdijken the resolntioa
always to be yerf ecfV honest wilh hit
cMMr' : :! .Hi ''"r,;'!'
; MMyoa,h aeco.igly observed,
"I an beating yoaniCth this trunk
trap .not for. jottr ewilyood. bat be
es om I am hot under thtNollarl Nov tt
4oef aot . by any means hut me mors
than it hurts you V' ' ' ' 1V --' " , j
' la the face of such a lumTpua exam
ple it woukl be strange if a Xf did not
grow ap to be an honest naalt 1 ! ' 1
i It was perhaps possible toovedo thii
thing aad rendur a boy so hoaft that
he would be unable to earn hi
ving
in any of the learned professi
bnt
that difficulty, if it existed at all
theoretical rather than practical i
troit JonrnaL 1 -
With Pleaaare. .
McSwattcrs 1 always love to
heaJ
that girl uezt door play "The Stat
Spangled Banner."
Mrs. MeSwathers I thought you said
you couldn't stand ter piano playing
. McSwatters Well, when she plays
"The Star Kpar.gled Banner" It's a
slgu she's got through. Syracuse
Uerald. , -
How II llappcard.
Jones What a funny looking house
Uiat Is acrowi the street
i Smith Isn't" it an oddity, thought
I understand the owner Instructed ths
contractor to fx.-low all htis sng
gested.by his wife. Ohfo" State Jour
val. -
f , v '
Men quite incapable of writing thens-
relv n f(sls in the old way do it
very
t)gra;
with the , help of a sten-
rtroit Journal
.; , K
people wlio will
.cause their, habit is
t Evening Wis-
ril knj
never
t0 HJ)k V
onsin. A
The Vroit and the Jwdice.
"I had been living alongside of Sil
ver lake for 15 years," said tins judge,
"before I concluded to go Ashing. I
suppose I hud seen five carloads of
tish taken out of the lake during those
years, and so ; I anticipated a great
catch when I got around to It, One
day I gut out hook and line and set
off In my boat. It was right after diu
tier, and 1 let the boat go d-rifting. The
hook was baited with a frog for bass,
and I distinctly remember of giving
frog and bonk a whirl and a cast. Then
of course I waited for a bite."
I "And you got oueV" queried the man
rritht the new patent reel.
,"I can't suy tliat. I did," replied tho
Judge. "No. 1 bnve never been able tti
satisfy myself that 1 did,"
"Uuf what did you do?"'
"Just floated around for five hours.
1 thiiAi I v. as busy most of the time
preparing a case to come oil tlie nest
week, but had a bans taken hold of
that frog I must have felt It."
"Iliit didn't you pull in your line at
all?" -
"I don't think so. If 1 did, it escap
ed my memory. Should 1 have doue
so?"
"Why, of course." . .
'Tor what reason?" '
"To-see If the frog was on the hook
all right."
, "Oh! There was no reason then,"
smiled tlie Judge. "It seems that as
soon as 1 cast him overboard be swam
lack and climbed luto the Iroat, and
nt tne end of live hours he came hop
ping over to me, ns If to ask If I hadn't
bad all the fun I wanted. I decided
that I had, and I unhooked him with
apologies and rowed home." Chicago
News.
Flounced the 1)1 V of Fare.
' Stories of the generosity of "Judge
Poland of Vermont are constantly com
ing to light Cue of the prettiest Is
about nn old farmer, whom the judge
Invited to dine with him on day at
the hotel In Lyndon. Vt.
The old mnn'5 shabby garments and
uncouth mnnners Kd not prevent his
host from being heartily glad to see
blin, and he was ushered luto tlie din
ing room with nil the deference that
could have been shown the judge's
most dlstriigulslred frlcrd.
It was the farmer's first experience
at a hotel, and when the waiter laid
the -menu card befcre him be' asked
quickly. "What's that?"
"The bill of tare, sir." replied the
waiter.
"Take It away!" said the old man,
with a look of triumph on his brown
face. "Judge Poland Isn't tlie sort
that Invites folks and then lets 'em pay
their own bills. I've known him, boy
and niau," young feller! Perhaps you
didn't know I'm a-vls'ting Judge Po
land today."
The waiter bowed with the aspect of
a graven Image, but the' judge and his
guestf smiled at each other in mutual
friendliness and pleasure, and then the
Judge proceeded to order for two.
Youth's Companion.
The MUalonarr'a Little Joke.
A native Maori chieftain, the de
scendant of cannihal kings. Is now
completing his medical education In
Chicago. Cannibalism ended In his
tribe, he says, when Brshop Selwyn
converted his grandfather, but he tells
some stories of It which have a dis
tinctly humorous flavor. For Instance:
It Is said that once a chief captured a
missionary who was anything but a
toothsome morsel, as he was old and
thin and looked as If his ficsh would be
tough. The missionary warned the
chief that he would not mae a good
dinner and. pulling up his trousers,
cut a slice off the calf of his leg and
offered It to the chief. '
The chief tasted It said he didn't
like It and passed It to a subchief. The
sub tasted It made a wry face and
passed It on. Tlie next man ,whp took
a bite of It spat tt out The missionary
was released..' After he had gone it
was discovered that be were a cork leg.
.., ,,(.. .
The Pads ef ae-tbore.
Hew novelists write will always b4
of Interest to readers.) Each seems to
have some" favorite place for attacking
the muse. Roe wrote "Near1 to Na
lure's Heart," Uay ,!'At the Seaside"
aad Besant,"AH' In a Garden. Fair."
Verne , ' " wrote , "Twenty Thousand
Leagues Under the Sea." Dryden "In
Bunny Lands' and'Auerbacb "On the
negntsr v-n ;"(- ";
( While Gibbon wrote "For Lack of
Gold" and Payne la Peril and Priva
tion," Black wrote "In Silk Attire"
aad Haven 'Out of Debt, Out of Dan-
' Horatio Alger wrote "Slow and
Sure," Williams "On and Off" and Pike
"Every1 Day." " r - "' - " ! " "i i
Most enrious of alt were Bellamy,
who wrote "Looking Backward." and
Parker, who wrote ."Upside Down."
Puck: .
From Haad to Moath.
'I'll sever speo-k to him again!" ex
!'ired the yomg woman In the pale
lie Jacket. "He called me bis queen
il asked If he might kiss my band.
hi ycu. and ami after that be kiss-
on the lips without asking."
lBuppore." sasl the young woman
n tie yuaw buskins, "he followed
llonhe line of hast resistance."
JhIcA.Triiuae,
Wafth Ilia While to flatter.
Art ft. Vic Your portrait of Snag
fins, the multimillionaire there, has
i fine tei viuue, but It doesn't look the
4sst like am
Fn shlonah Port ra It Painter H u Rh 1
How could er get $2,500 for It If It
did ?-Boston fs lie nwrlpt.
A
Orthodox Mol ttimedans are forhld
led to wal.e ole any "graven Im
age." ConaequtyljS' their chessmen
have no reseinblaS ttto human figures.
If a rric-a sows thWnd. be is HaWe
to catch a cyclone t.S his self binder
f-ome day. York (NebATlme,
Chlcagro'a Qoeer Indlaa
An Englishman of rank and money
visited Chicago receutly and with him
came his private secretary, a young,
fresh faced, jllly fellow just out of
Oxford university. " The secretary
brought lettero of Introduction to a
Chicago man from a well known Lon
don actor and an equally prominent
man of hitters. ; The Englishman came
direct to Chicago, inakiug no stop In
New York. The secretary called upc-n
the Chicago man to whom he had let
ters and who dkl a little entertaining.
Inviting three city frkjids to meet the
private secretary at luncheon at a not
ed restaurant, ; ' ,
It was after the cigars were lighted
that the conversation timed upon
things American. The Chlcagoans
knew that the Britons were credited
with believing that they could shoot
buffaloes under the shade pt the Audi
torium and tmoot grizzlies along the
Shokle, but they were not quite pre
pared for what was to come. The lit
tle luncheon party had been waited
upon by a coul black negro with crhtp
hair curled tight to bis head. The sec
retary throughout the repast had eyed
the attendant with Interest. When the
waiter iinally bad left the room, the
English guest turned to his host and
said:
"Jlr.-Nelson. It seems to me that 1
rend somewhere thr. the American In
dians had straight hair. The hair of
tho one who waited on us curls like
astrakian." Chicago Tribune.
Married With a Dump.
The marriage customs of the Negulos
are peculiar. The young man who
Seeks a bride first obtains the favor of
her parents and then pursues . her,
catching her lu his arms. She breaks
loose and runs and does not yield until
he has caught her several times. Final
ly he leads her in triumph to her home.
Here her father drags the youth up a
ladder to her floor of their hut The
mother drags up the maiden. They
are then ma da to kneo!, and the fa
ther pours over them a cocoaput Bb-oll-ful
of water. He then bumps their
heads together, and the ceremony Is
completed. They spend their honey
moou in tlie depths of the mountain's
and for five days and nights are lost
to Right, after which they come back
to everyday life, i .
There is 'another marriage custom
which is worth describing. Instead of
the youth naJ maiden being dragged,
up the hut ladder they are made to
clliab two sapling that grow near
each other. Th'cn an elder of the group
grasps the saplings and draws thera
together until the heads of the young
couple toiifli, with a kiss or a bump,
according to the force used. This
makes them man and wife. Forum.
i Taklnat Umbrage.
- A few Idlers (no very unusual thing)
were lounging in front of the shop of
the bailie of the burgh, among whom
the laird espied the village Aesculapius,
who was his political oracle, and thus
addressed him:
' "How's a' wi' ye the day, doctor?
Ony political npws?"
"Nothing very particular," replied
the doctor;' "only It. Is said that the
Dutch have taken umbrage at" Here
the doctor got a touch on bis shoul
der from his shop boy, who acquaint
ed him that a valuable patient was
waiting for blm, and be broke off
abruptly from his political laird.
"Ta'en Umbrage!" exclaimed the
laird. "Mercy upon ' us! Hae they
ta'en Umbrage? Bailie, ken ye If It's
a wa'ed town or no?"
"A wa'ed town!" said the bailie;
"nae sic thing. It's a sugar Island
and ane o' the sweetest o' them. The
article's up already, but ye shall hae
a stane weight hame wl' ye at the auld
price." Cornhlll.
An ExpeaelTe Knife.
An old mas went into a cigar store
where pocbetknlves are on sole. He
had a fancy for one of the knives, bat
thought the price. 75 cents, too high.
After a parley with the proprietor be
concluded to wager 75 cents against
the knife and play a game of poker,
He lost the money and then that much
again, lie continued, to lose until be
lost 1 121. all the money he had. ' but
the proprietor made him a present of
the knife.-' ' i ." J" ' '" ' ' ,
1 In the afternoon he returned, saying
be was dissatisfied with the knife,' Ha
bad paid $121 for It but would witt
ingly exchange It for a $1 artlqle. The
dealer kindly; made the exchange, and
the man went his way rejoicing. Il-e
had no money to trouble him. but be
had a knife, and, after all. a knife hi a
good tbtng to have. Arizona Repub
lican. - ;! .,',j ! !!'(!. -i. :
Blxalflraat BUrna.
It has been Insinuated that the Apple-ton-O'Bryanne
wedding la off. If you
want to .know, go 'past the Appleton
house. Tlie sound cf a half rioxcu sew
ing machines can be heard there from
daybreak till late at night. When a
marriage Is given up for geod, the sew
ing machine Is Idle, except when patch
es must be put on tlie old man's un
derclothes. Atchison Globe.
The Dr -anlat'a Work.
There is a druggist In one of the sub
urban districts win advertises:
"The doctor prescribes; we execute."
Such advertising cannot fail to ap
peal to those who' desire to be execut
ed. Boston Journal.
He Needrd Ke flrlp.
"Help, help!" cried the man who was
being relieved of his valuables.
"Calm yourself, my friend," said the
easy go4ng footpad. "I can take care
f this job without any assistance."
Ohio Stnte Journal. -
j. Settling Dowa.
'Tm anxious to get n.-arrled and set
tie down," said the fagged bachelor,
."so tlrflt I can pick out one good club
and stick to ft."-Pb!ladelphla North
American.
THE FEAR OF SOLITUDE.
I wake at dawn and, risen from my bed.
Gazed at the new born day icrene and luaie.
Silver and gold and pearl were overhead '
Like aome aea ihcll new garnered from the ware.
And iuch fuint music from the morning iped
As mourners' singing bf a distant grave.
Far out at aea a beating vessel bora '
Wrrtwurd with scarce discoverable speed,
Creeping athwart a distant Island snore
That traced an outline falr.-.ly flligreed
With creviced mountain whose low aummita watt
A cloudy chariot yoked with fleecy ateed.
At foot a little bay lay cradled deep
Whereon the Idle flsliinjr fleet was drawn.
No ripple hurt the waters' quiet sleop . ,
Thai lay as peaceful as a garden lawn;
The ligtithoiise at the harbor mouth did peep
A Bashing eye of red upon the dawn. ;:
No voice 1 heard nor any certain sound.
Save when the hungry seagull cried awhile;
All was so liunlied and londy that I found
A namvless fear in all this silent isle,
As though the very aea might rise and bound '.
And overwhelm me. Lo, his treacherous smile!
"' ' .... , -
Some men there be who glory In such case,
A mountain top. immutable a throne.
I am not such. uikI I am face to fare
With this fierce question now Immediate grown.
Am I afraid of Ood, who am so base
I dare not vexlure In such place alonef .
Henry Bell in Spectator.
t-H-H-:-4--H-4-H-:--!-HK-H--l-W-f
, T
The Hornet
J
Of trj ea.
BY HARRY E. ANDREWS.
A Tblef Waa Stopped In the Nick
of Time by Stlugaree. .
4-W-W--I-l"l"H"!"l-l"l-l"l"II"H-H-
"It's a coyote!"
"No coyote made that mark It's a
greaser!" And. lowering his lantern,
Fritz Krautz pointed to the broad
print made by a bare foot In tbe sand.
"I guess you're right." said Will, the
younger brother, while Middy, tbe set
ter, who had been barking furiously,
added. "I'm sure of It!" with a sniff
and a wag and an eye flash.
The boys had been called out of bed
by Middy's noisy alarm and the loud
commotion among the fowls in the cor
ral. They owned a chicken ranch in
southern California, near the buy of
San Diego.
Their invalid father had come with
h'a family from the eastern states a
few years before and started this little
Industry. He did not live to see It nay
dividends, but he told his bys that It
they would "stay with It" It would
support them and their mother, and
"always remember'," said be, "that tbe
Lord helps those who help them
selves." The young fellows mastered tbe hen
problem. They bred . those famous
"mortgage lifters," white leghorns.
The boys' broilers were the first in the
market, their layers had scientific care
and did business when others didn't,
and their Income from their enterprise
was growing every year. .
"He's got nothing," said Will at last,
with an expression of relief.
"Good dog. Middy! Good fellow !" ex
claimed Prlta fondly, patting the set
ter. "We can go to bed all right with
you on guard." s
But before going In, they could not
help giving another look at the roost
where perched drowsily their pair of
pet cockerels, tbe pride of tbe coops
and the hope of tbe young ranchers.
"Do you think they are winners.
Will?" asked Fritz, as he cast a lan
tern glow over tbe plump... contented
birds. ,
"I'm sure of It," said Will. "There
Isn't a pair In the country that can be
gin with them. Everybody says so."
Tbe county fair was near at hand,
and these young roosters were candi
dates for the special prize of $30 of
fered by an enthusiastic fancier for the
best pair of white leghorn cockerels.
"Mucho bee-utlfull" cried old Este
ban, tbe Mexican egg buyer, when be
came around a few weeks later. "They
win sure. Ay, la blaneura! Only one
pair come near them. They Manuel's,
cross tbe bay, but not so white, ho!!' '
They were beauties,' every one could
see that Yes, they were rare and al
most perfect specimens of their strain
and fully deserved, old Esteban's eu
logy. - v i... .rxvf -i
One afternoon ' the . boys had gone
back on tbe desert to hunt; cottontail
rabbits, which their mother knew bow
to fry so temptingly, and tbey were re
turning with full bags. Middy trotting
along a few rods In ad vane. . "
As they neared their borne in the lit
tle settlement by the sea, where only a
few . cottages stood,- and ' those far
apart ' Middy came rushing back as
fast as be could gallop, barking like
mad and beside himself with excite
ment '"'t .(' : '
They soon ascertained what had ex
cited tbe dog. There was a great hue
and cry In tbe poultry yards, and one
of the pens bad been broken.
"That thieving greaser again, and In
broad daylight this timer "
They hurriedly took a census of their
stock.
"None missing here," said Fritx.
"No. they count op all right" replied
Will, "and there are both the prize
cockerels over yonder."
Fritz paused a moment and turned
pale.
"But what's the matterwith tbemT"
be exclaimed, and both boys anxiously
rushed to tbe birds. i
"They're not our cockerels," cried
Will "See those yellow feathers!"
"And the white In their faces!" said
Fritz. "I see through the trick. That
greaser has swapped wtth list"
"He's taken to the beach. 8ee Mid
dy! He knows. You go down by the
old road and I'll take the steps. We'll
catch him yet!"
The little colony sat on a bluff rising
elmost perpendicularly from the beach.
There were two paths to the sea, one
by an easily Inclined road which
wound around the cliffs, and the other
by a long, steep "flight of steps that
scaled tbe face of the bluff.
Frits and Mlcttly anxiously scanned
tbe heights and! beat about the little
eucalyptus grove before scrambling
down the steps, but discovered nothing
to encourage them. Will, who had
made the long detour of the winding
road, arrived at the foot of the stairs
almost as soon as they did, hot and
breathless, but with no trace of tht
fugitive to report
"I wonder what that craft Is about?"
asked Fritz, pointing to a flsherboat,
lying to, a short distance down the
coast". . ' "' ''. '
They hurried down the beach and at
the same time the little craft hoisted
a rag of sair-and made toward them.
She was almost opposite when Middy,
who had been jumping, around like a
crazy dog gave out a loud yell and
started back as If he bad been shot.
The boys wheeled around and stared.
."Look!" they shouted simultaneously,
and started after the dog. ' .
A bare legged and swarthy Mexican
had emerged from one of the large hol
lows worn by the sea In the bluff and
was running down across the sand
straight for the surf. Tbey could see
tuat he had a large sack In his band.
Meanwhile a fresh breeze had struck
the dory anu it was making good llead
way in his direction.
"We shall lose him!" said WI1L
"ne's goiug to swim for It."
"After him! Go for him, Middy!"
yelled Frit:., "
Tlie dog needed no urging, but ,
bounded down the beach and took to
the water after the man with the bag.
The tide was out, but the fellow was
already in the surf and the boat was
rounding to, Just outside the breakers.
"No use," said "Will. "He has too
good a start." (
Just then a shrill cry of pain came
from the surf, followed by another still
louder. .
The fugitive had halted.. He stag
gered In the deep water that -was now
above his waist and turned and limped
toward the shore, howling grievously
as he riowly retraced his steps.
"What Is it?" asketl Will in amaze
ment. '
: "I know It's a stlngnree," exclaimed
FritZ "The thief has a hot Itarb In
bis heel and It's cramped his leg. We
have got him!"
With a cry of rage the fellow lifted
the bag above his head and flung It
as far as he could into the sea.
But the setter was too good a bird
dog to wait for any command to swim
for it and bring It ashore, and it was
snfe In bis mouth before It could sink.
Hurrying to meet him. the boys
found their precious cockerels in .the
sack, frightened half to death and
their white plumes dripping, but not
beyond recovery of animation or fam
ily pride.
As for the thief, the boys cut the
barb out of Manuel's ankle, dressed
the wound, gave him back his substi
tuted birds and sent him borne vow
ing solemnly to keep at an honest dis
tance from other folks' chicken coops, .
with the burning smart of his injury
to remind him of a virtuous resolution
for many days to come, for tbe barb of
the "stlngaree" Is steeped in poison. .
It Is the wasp of the sea. the sting
ray, and the warm surf of tbe Pacific
beaches Is its favorite abode. It Is a
round, flat fish, varying in diameter
from a few Inches to a foot, with A.
barb an Inch or two long reposing In a
neat groove on the top of .Its tail.
The sting ray employs this weapon
only for defense or retaliation. When
a bather steps on tbe fish the barb files
up as If the Indignant sting ray had
touched a spring and lodges In the un
lucky heel or ankle.
Of course the Krantz brothers' cock
erels took the $50 prize, as no rivals
approached their merits and magnifi
cence. : This victory added to the fame of the
young breeders, and eggs for hatching
frem their pens, now command a pre
mium, adding much to their, revenue
and many to the comforts of their lit
tle home on tbe bluffs. Boston Globe.
Be Flgbte the Crows.
The king bird, ; a most active and
pugnacious bird, may be found In
fields and along the roadsides. He Is
commonly perched on a post or low
hough on the lookout for Insects. HI
sudden dart into the air or down to the
ground, followed by a return to tit
post of observation, Is extremely char
acteristic. Sometimes one may eves
hear the click of the bill Which an
nounces tbe fate of the unhappy Insect
He Is with us from May until Septem
ber. '. "' - -:
. .The king bird owes bis name' to the,
fact that he Is the one small bird woo
ventures " to attack ' the "marauding
crow, and that he always comes off
victorious. Rising above his foe, be
drops upon his back, attacking blm
with beak and claws until the unlucky
Intruder makes oil In ludicrous con
sternation.' Tbe nest Is usually placed
at a moderate height on the horizontal
bough of a tree In the orchard or by
the wayside. Eggs are laid early la
June. The note is a sharp twitter, often
somewhat resembling that of the swal
low. Denver Republican.
. A Brave Little Heroine.
Among the stork's told by certain
aged physlc'ins at a reunion of medl
ral men of the times when surgical op
erations were conducted without an
aesthetics none was more touching
than the following:
A little girl not more than 8 years
old. was Injured In such a way that It
was necessary to amputate one of her
leg. She proved to be of wonderful
pluck, and Instead of binding her, as
wa customary fa such cases, she was
given her most cherished doll to hol.L
Pressing It In her arms, she submitted
to the amputation without s single rry.
When It was done, the physician In
charge, seeking to brig'iten matters up
with a plea t ut r.v, said, "And now, my
dear, we will amputate your doll's leg."
Then the lit lie trlrl burst Into tears.
"No. no."' tihe gasped between her
sobs. "Ynu shall not! It would hurl
her too much!"' I
, JL" -i
K
