jj AT THE O P E
DO you iM-lifve 111 ghosts, second
wiiflit. the reappt-annn-e of spir
it in the flesh, Glyn'f anked
Jimmy lit-IIew, as we sat smoking edit
evening In his quarter.
1 laughed. "What! John James Chris
topher Benjamin ItliJusV I iuotHl.
'That sort of thing, eh? Certainly not.
I do tielieve, though, In disordered
nerves ami liver, (lie cure for which I
a lilue pill ami a blue riblwin. Why do
you ask?"
"Bec-ause," said he, a solemn as a
Judge, "ou two separate occasion I've
wen with my own eye a person 1 knew
to have iM'en dead Hlid hurled fur
year."
Jimmy wan going to he married the
following week, which accounted for a
certain amount of glumncs on hiH part.
Hut to take such a tit of the jumps the
night before our races, toi was a little
too much.
"Who was It, man or woman?" I
asked.
"Woman," h' answered naturally. "It
was a queer business. I've never men
tioned It to auy human lielng, but I'd
rather like to tell you. Glyu, If you
don't mind listening."
"Fire away."
"I met her at Simla," he tie-gnn slow
ly. "1 was doing A. I. C. to Featherly
then. One of the best looking women
you ever saw; magnificent eyesbut see
for yourself," taking from a dispatch
Imx leslrit? him a leather case, which
he opened and handed to me. "Hand
some? face, eh? And exactly like her."
I nodded. "A beautiful devil, as bad
as they make "em," was my mental ver
dict. "It was the usual Kipling business."
be was thinking aloud, in short, dis
jointed sentences. "She began It. 1
fancy, out of sheer deviltry there was
some one else-a nice young girl she
couldn't lw-ar to see another woman."
A pause. "Don't you think, though,
that I blame her; I was Just aa ready
1o lie made a fool of as she was to make
a fool of me. It was an Infatuation
regular case of possession- while It
lasted. We were Inseparable at Simla.
Later they were at our station - good
place for snipe no! far from headquarters-she
came in to the I ml Is I took
to snipe shooting. And so. for the best
part of eighteen months it went on, un
tilwell! that sort of marine was
bound to wear Itself out. I began to
recover my sense she grew keener
a I cooled off made scenes whatever
It had tieen at the beginning, it was the
real thing with her then. Finally came
the climax. She wasn't violent. She
only said that, a I no longer cared for
her, we had better part. What was to
be done? Of course I perjured myself
freely to no purpose. Hhe wished me
good by.
" 'Although we may never meet
again,' she said -I can hear her speak
ing now 'you are mine, only mine. I
shall never give you up. Remember
that. Never attempt to put another
woman In my place, for If you do, I
warn you, I shall come back, no mat
ter where I may be, even from the
grave, to claim my rights.'
The next morning she was found
defld In her bed. An overdose of chloral
she took It for neuralgla-acclriental-ly,
so they said. I'd give five years of
my life even now to be able to think so."
He shivered. "It's an awful tiling to
feci a woman' death nt one's door. I
try to think she wasn't responsible."
"Couldn't have been," I Interrupted,
decidedly.
He sighed. "Perhaps not. Anyhow,
It gave me a shock. I was on the high
road to I). T. or a lunatic asylum, when
Featherly got sent to Burundi and took
me with him. The spell of active ser
vice made another man of me. I start
ed for home at the end of It pretty well
myself again. It waa then she came to
ine," Ills voice sank almost to a whis
per. "I wa on deck one evening, talk
ing to a girl -we'd leeii dancing when
I looked around. There she stood by
my side, the moon shining full on her
face. I Jumped back; the steamer
gave a lurch, and overboard I went.
They ricked me up, but I had
h narrow shave of brain fever, and, a
you'll remember, reached home a
wreck."
I nodded. We had all noticed the
extraordinary change In poor Jimmy
when he rejoined. He went away full
of life and spirit, the beat of company.
He came back morbid, morose, without
a word to say to hi old pals, and It
was ages liefore he became his cheery
self again. Hut Jimmy hadn't finished.
"The next time was three; years later
at Itathcoolan," he was saying, "when
I had dismissed the whole business
H a hallucination. We were out shott
ing. I had just scrambled over a fence
and waa holding out my hand to help
Miss Kourke, when I felt a touch on my
arm, distinctly. There the waa again.
I believe she pushed me away, Any
how, 1 slipped up, my gun went flying
Into the ditch, caught In a bramble,
went off, and lodged a charge of shot In
my thigh but you remember? you
were there at the time. And now what
do you think of It? If It were fancy It
waa deuced strange that one's nerves
should play one the same trick twice,
without the' slightest warning, ebr
"Not at all," I declared. "The Rath
coetaa accident, at all event, waa tba
moat natural thing In the world. Ton
wan making strong running with Wis
Hurk (aha waa a pretty girl, and bar
people, who were most anxious for a
match, looked on It, I know, as a set
tled thingt; you'd got the other woman'
threat In your mind; with your usual
blood -curdling e-are-leKt,nes it's a mar
vel to me you've not shot yourself a
hundred times over there you stood on
a slippery bank, with your gun at full
cock. A twig touched you. you started
and tripped up. Then with your weak
head. In the go of fever that followed,
you concocted out of your fancy a coe-k-and
bull story, and ended by Is-lieviu
it. And I vc not the slightest doubt
very much the same thing happened on
board ship."
'i' .v shook his head. "I tell myself
all that, and for a time I managed to
delude myself into lel!eving It. Still,
In my heart of hearts I know that she
did come back, as she said she would
In fact, after ItHthcoolan, In spite of
my people and the mime, and all that"
Jimmy, let me explain, was heir to tin
Cutcrliam title and (States " I math
til" my mind not to marry; only fate
last year. In the shape- of Kate St. John.
decreed that I should change It. So
far, this time, all has gone well; yet I
can't help thinking something will hap
pen before next week."
Rot: I retorted brutally. "You're
like a hysterical school girl with your
insane fancies. All you've got to do is
to shove that photograph of Sirs
Whiit's-hcr-Namo ami everything con
nected with her Into the tire, go to bed
and to sh-cp, and don't give her another
thought."
What sort of a night's rest Jimmy had
I do not know, but he completely shI1-
ed mini? for me. Not that I put anv
faith In his story. It was easy to un
derstand tho hold an unscrupulous
woman would acquire over an Impres
slouable, soft-hearted chap like poor
Jimmy, who, in Ills remorse, had taken
In sober, serious earnest the empty rav
ings of an angry woman maddened by
Jealousy. (Jlven such a delusion, a
promising (llrlatiou Interrupted by an
accident, a bout of llgllt-heariedness,
and there you have the apparition.
What a force It nil seemed. And yet
the frame of mind which produced the
apparition was a very serious thing. It
was heart-breaking that so good a fel
low, with everything to make him hap
py, should allow Ills life to be spoiled
by a mere bogey. Beside, a mnn who
sees spooks In every corner had no bus
iness to be riding races. Altogether, 1
spent a thoroughly anxious, uncom
fortable night.
Things Improved In the morning. 1
remember with relief that Jimmy's
nerve for riding so far had uever failed
him; that tho Holderton course present
ed no very serious obstacle- to any
horse or rider of ave rage capacity; and
that Jimmy's jockeyslilp, as well a hi
mounts, were far beyond the average.
Resides, 1 was much too busy on my
own account to give way to morbid fan
cies. Increasing weight prevented my
taking any active part In the day's do
ings. Still, 1 had a coujile of horse
running, and what with looking after
them, giving my subaltern, who was
riding for me, order-to which the
booby paid no attention talking to va
rious old pals who luid run down to
see the fun, and feeding the horde of
native who descended like a iwarm
of locust on the lunch and tea tent
for we sent Invitations to every semi
who called u'xin us my time was pret
ty well taken up. Jimmy, too, was not
doing so Iwrily, either. He only came
In secemd for the Hunt cup, owing to
a loose horse crossing his mare, Molly
Malone, and upsetting her at the water
so that she refused, jumped badly, and
lost a lot of ground. Still, he won tho
Regimental cup In a canter and started
favorite for the last race on the card
a challenge cup. I waa In the paddock
when, as the saddling bell rang, he
came up with Miss St. John, who had
come over for the day, and who, It ap
peared, wanted to walk down to a
Jump. I offered myself a escort. Off
we started and reached the ope-n ditch
round the corner, at the bottom' of the
slope. Just as the horse came thunder
ing down to It. Good Lord, what a
pace! And that ass Saunders, con
found him! In front making the run
ning, after my repeated warning to
spare old Timothy down hill!
"How fast the-y are going," prattled
my companion. "Oh, Major (Jlyn, Isn't
It very dangerous?"
Well, It might be dangerous for Tim
othy' groggy foreleg; or for Vllller,
who landed on his horse's nee'k at every
fence; or for Atmtruther, tiding that
throe-cornered mare of hi, who tried
to run out half a dozen time; but
Ilmiiiy, lolloping along on that old
stat-r Brutus, who could have gone
round half the steeplechase course In
the e'ountry blindfolded, was as safe as
If he were sitting In bis armchair. I
told ber so, which seemed to reassure
her, and having watched them out of
sight, she began to look about her and
criticise the bystanders.
"Oh, Major Glyn," she suddenly cried,
"what an extraordinary woman! Such
aget-upl Quite In the style of the year
one. Io look at ber there, In front of
you. Who can she be? Do you know?"
1 waa not Interested In the Identity
of any weird female; for they ware Juat
reappearing over the brow of the hill,
and I waa vainly scanning tba horlaon
wMh my glass In search of Timothy.
However, I looked. By the opposite
x lug. rather apart from the little group
of n'Mitator. a woman was standing -a
striking figure In a black and red
go u, with a red sunshade.
"Never set eyes on ber," I began,
when she shifted ber sunshade and
moved forward a pace or two. I caught
sight of her face. It was the original
of the photograph.
"Here they i-onie!" gleefully cried
the Utile fiance-. "Jim' leading. Oh,"
with a sudden change of tone, "what Is
Wliat. Indeed? I shall uever forget
the ghastly e-hauge that suddenly eame
over Jimmy's face; the helpless way he
reeled in the saddle; his instinctive vio
lent dutch at the reiur. Hid he pull
Rrutus out of his stride, or did that
strange panic communicate Itself to the
old horse? Who could say? It was ail
over in a moment; a swerve, a rush, a
grinding, sickening thud, as Rrutus.
without rising an inch, gallope-d
straight Into the ditch.
I'oor Jimmy fell ou hi head, while
Miss St. John, with a shrie-k, fainted
dead away. I rushed forward. There
be lay, his neck broken, -his dead face
still stamped with a frozen look eif hor
ror. And that she devil? Where was
she? 1 had seen her two minute be
fore; the fence was right out in the
open, yet not a vestige of the ri-el and
black figure was visible. She had done
her fiendish work, claimed her rights
and vanished. Sporting and Dramatic
News.
FELT HONORED.
Became He Hud Met a HIBger Mao
lliun Uncle Rmn.
An hour after midnight the other
night a patrolman found a man .seated
on the steps of the postotitce with his
elbows on Ills knees and his head in his
hand, says tin- Detroit free Press, and
giving him a shako the officer said:
"Come,, old man, this is no lodging
house'!"
"No, sir." re-plied the man, as ho
roused up. "this Is the potitotfice. I
knew It when I wit down here. It Is
seldom I mistake a postofficc for a lodg
ing house. Did you suppose I waa la
liorlng under the Impression that I had
turned Into a e-heap room on the fourth
floor back ami left orders to bo called
at 7 o'e-lock in the morning?"
"You'll have to move on," repllml tho
officer.
"Isn't this a Government building?"
"Yes, sir."
"Owned and run by the Government
of tiie 1'nlteri States?"
"Yes, sir."
"And has I'nclit Sam ordered me to
move en ?"
"No, sir, but I have, and you don't
want to linger over an hour."
"My dear sir," said the night hawk,
a he lx)ke-d up, "arc you a bigger man
than Uncle Sam?"
"I am, sir!" replied the officer, as he
dallied with is club.
"Then I lsw to circumstance's and
will move em. Could you spare me a
photograph ?"
"No, sir."
"Will you give me your autograph?"
"No, sir."
"Then let me gaze at you for half a
minute to Indelibly Impress your fea
tures upon the tablet of my memory.
That will do, and I thank you. 1 have
met a bigger nan than t'ne-le fSam, and
I shall be able to describe him to tin)
children gathered at my knee. Officer,
tap me over the head with your club."
"There It Is!" said the olfli-er, as he
fetched him one en his battereel old hat.
'"luanks thanks awfully! I have not
only e-en a bigger man than l.'ncle
Sam, but (?) I ! zz boom! ffj fii"
Gossip.
How frequently Is the honesty and
Integrity of man disposed of by a smile
or a shrug! How many good and gen
erous actions have been shrunk Into
oblivion by a distrustful look or stamp
eel with the Imputation of proceeding
frem bad motives, by a mysterious and
seasonable whisper. Look Into compa
nies of thoso whose gentle natures
should disarm them, we shall find no
be-tter account How often does the
re-putallon of a helpless cre-ature bleed
by a report which the party who Is
at the pains to propagate 11 beholds
with much pity and fellow feeling
that he Is heartily sorry for lt-hopes
In God It is not true however, as Arch
bishop Tlllotson wittily observes upon
It, Is reserived In tho meantime to give
the report her pass, that at least it may
have fair play to take It fortune in the
world te be believed or not, according
to the charity of those Into whose hands
It shall happen to fall. Addison.
Of Fabulous Com.
Ivory mats are exceedingly rare; It
I salt! by those who know that only
three exist In the whole world. The '
largest of these measures eight feet .
by four ft et, and, though marie In a :
small bill State in the north or India,
has an almost (ireek rieslgn for lis
border. It was only used on state oe--caslous,
when the rajnh sat on It to
sign impeirtant document. The origi
nal cost of the mat Is fabulous, for six
thousand, four hundred pounds of ivory
were used lu its manufacture. Tho
flm?st strip of Ivory must have been
taken off the tusks, a the mat I flexi
ble as a woven stuff, and beautifully
fine.
Acme of Politeness.
Tho acme of polltenesa was reached
by a mining superintendent who, ac
cording to Tlt-Blts, posted a placard
reading: "Please do not tumble down
the shaft"
A Large Sponge.
The largest sponge aver sent to mar
ket waa from the Mediterranean, it
waa ten feet In circumference and
three In diameter.
"Soch funnv names oat West," said she
"Yet 'twould bars been much mors
oniejne
If they had bnlldsd Wounded Koea
Upon the banks of Cripple Crsekr
Caletio Record.
Y
NOTES ON EDUCATION.
MATTERS OF INTEREST TO PU
PIL AND TEACHER.
runUbmcJla Must He Ce t-ln Note
on County Huper viaton Spelling
Metboda-Tbe L'aea of Object Lcmudi
Annual tetate Convention.
tin Puniahnient.
Puiihwents Must lie Certain It is
the certainty of punishment that pre
vents offense g. The certainty ef even
light punishments is more effective
liiau tin- se verity of those applied ir
regularly. This, ton, is the law of Na
ture. Offenses against our physical
system are ulways attended with Itod
ily pain and discomfort, while- thou
against our moral nature are followe-d
by remorse of conscience.
I'liiitslimeiits Should Coiri-sHiud to
the Magnitude of the Offense. Here,
again, both the moral and the physical
laws set the example, and the teacher
or the parent whoMiriniinisters punish
ment will find either to In a safe guide.
Slight offenses eleniaud slight punish
ment, while the graver offenses de
mand greater severity. It is better,
howeve-r, in all cases, to try the lighter
penalties first, and at all times avoid,
if possible, great severity. With most
children the thought of punishment is
often metre effee-iive tliau the punish
ment itself.
The I'liyslcal Condition of the Child
Should Modify t lit Seve-rity of Punish
ment. The teacher who would punish
a frail, dedicate child -with the same
punishment that he would administer
to one who Is rugged and of sound
physical constitution Is little better
than a brute. Ou this same principle?
also the delicate, sensitive nature of
girls should protect them not only
against e-orporal punishment, but also
against nil other forma that are like-ly
to make them feel that they have been
degraded.
Punishment Should Re Modified Ac
cording to tiie Kind of the Offense.
For all violations of law governing our
physical nature we suffer pain, ill
health, or physical discomfort. Viola
tions of laws governing our moral na
ture bring upon u a dlffere-nt class of
punishment and cause ub to suffer In
different manlier. Here, again, we
have an example teaching us that each
class of offenses should have Its own
kind of punishment. At one period in
I he history of education corporal pun
ishment of some kind was the cure-all
for every sort of offense; at another,
the dunce-cap was the favorite Imple
ment of punishment; at another, deten
tion after school; at another, standing
in the corner; ami so on. The teacher
made no discrimination as to the kind
'jf offense committed, but punished all
alike, with but little variation in the dt
gree of punishment and none In the
kind.
Punishments Are Related to Offenses
n Effects to Causes. Here, again, nat
ural laws give us the example. Not
only are violations of hygienic laws fol
lowed Invariably by physical discom
fort or Ill-health, but the Infringement
of each law brings lis own kind of
punishment as the effect of violating
Mint particular law. T'ndiie exposure'
auses cold, catarrh, pneumonia, and
Imllar diseases. Excessive eating
:-auses Indigestion and dyspepsia. I'u-
iltie nervous excitement or mental ap
plication results In nervous pros! ra
tion and possibly Insanity. Thus, loo,
each school offense has Its proper pen
alty, and the child should be made to
fe-cl that the penalty is visited upon
him a the natural result of his own
misconduct, and not ns the arbitrary
exercise of power vesteel In the teae-her
ns the head of the school. The Justice
of punishments inflicted as the natural
effect of the Infringement of some
school regulation .will lie recognized bye-very
pupil, who, if the punishments
are made certain, as they are in nature,
cnunot but feel that when an offense Is
committed Its appropriate penalty or
punishment must follow as the result
of a violation of law.
County Hupc rviHlon,
The public generally has felt the one
great deficiency in our public school
system, though It has not been let I to
realize the reuieely.
In 1S!X Commissioner Hancock sahl
"Ohio can never have a school system
e-ommensuratu with her greatness as a
State until she has placed her schools
umler intelligent supervision." So we
think of Missouri, all other scliemete
for tiie improvement of her schools will
prove but temporary.
This Is eminently a day of organiza
tions, ami all orgatiialloiis wllhout sys
tematic iicllon and concern rat Ion of
powers Is a failure.
He- who would loud lu such matters
must go through an educational proc
ess us well as both teachers and par
ents. When. the teachers of our country
Kcliools can see unri fet-l that supervis
ion Is their suce-ess they will then go
to work. Just as the principal of the
village?, town or ward school, or super
intendent of city schools Is the chief
source of Influence 111 determining the
spirit and aim of hi teachers and pu
pils, so would the superintendent of
county school be the lending spirit.
I a county superintendent a necessi
ty? Then 1 am led to ask Is an efficient
State superintendent a nee-esslty? I-t
not theory but facts argue this great
cause?.
This demand for county supervision
Is seen and fell dally In the appeals
made by school director of the coun
ty se-hools to the County Commission
ers to help settle difficulties that are
constantly arising in I he districts,
which otherwise would not be were
there a superintendent.
In bis efforts to advauce the schoeil
Interests of bis county the Commis
sioner should create a strong sentiment
amonr the pregraaalve teachers for su-
pervlslon. Through these be would be
able to reach the more thoughtful pat
rons of each district or cvuir-iuuity.
Ti e economical feature-s and advan
tage of supervision should be present
ed to parents often and with euipha
bis, tic njoney side of the ejuestlon as
well bp i he educational side, because
both uiese exist. It an lie readily
shown that much of the time and mou-e-y
used, and the boys and girls discour
aged in going over the same work of
previous teachers, Is a dead lis to tire
district. Hence let us cease to present
i ry, but let the real conditions be
seen.
And we are to be congratulated and
encouraged as teachers and County
Commissioners from the fact that more
thought Is given to our common sclnsils
and education generally tli.-in ever be
fore, more people are trying to get an
education than ever lie-fore. The public
1 looking more to teae-her for guid
ance than in tiie past. Missouri School
Journal.
Htute TeHt-li'-ri' Cenventions.
Tiie annual holiday conventions of
the various State teachers' associa
tions, which were recently held in their
respective State capitals, me illustra
tive of the growing tendency of the ed
ucational forces of the country to se
cure through orgaulzatit a and com
radeship a certain harmony of method
and unity of purpose.
It is only through interdependence of
the various riepurtmt nts of the educa
tional system, one upon the other,
working together for the attainment of
a ill-Unite end, that the work of our
public schools can be marie to turn out
the highest type of a symmetrically de
veloped manhood and womanhood, til
ted to respond to the best Ideals of citi
zenship. There shoulri be uniformity
of methods of Instruction as well as
uniformity in text-books. There should
bp a wise correlation of Ideas in every
part of the educational plan from the
kindergarten to the university, and it is
only through these unmial gatherings
that 1 1n solidarity anil uniformity of
the common school system nil) be main
tained. If p'opt r care Is exercised on the
part of the program committees to
keep ilelili- rations from descending to
mere pedagogical controversy and to
sparring for mlvanlage in mere osten
tatious exploitation of dry erudition
these gatherings ought to be produe--tive
of permanent ami substantial ben
efit. To relieve them of the criticism
of being too professional It would lit?
well to select two or three laymen lu
each town who are known to be Inter
ested in educational matters and se
cure their attendance at the unnunl
meetings, giving them a voice in t lit
proceedings. In this way the teachers
may lie prevented from drifting in nar
row pedagogical channels too fnr from
the common people. -
Among the objects to be attained by
the annual conventions of teachers are:
The stimulation of professional pride,
the discovery of abuses unri the sugges
tion or remedies for their e-orrection,
the exchange of Ideas that come from
personal experience In the schoolroom,
the benefit of contact with Ihe minds
of the brightest; educators, the cultiva
tion of the esprit de corps, which helps
to make the educational army a com
pact, aggressive and effective force in
attaining tin highest ends flint are pos
sible unrier our free school system.
Chicago Times-Hern hi.
I'ses of Object Lrnmnx.
The first and most Important thing
Is to teach the children to observe, com
pare, and contrast; the second Is to Im
part Information; and the third is to re
inforce the other two by making the re
sults of then) tiie basis for instruction
In language, drawing, number, model
ing, and other handiwork. There are,
however, other important list's of good
object teaching, it makes the lives of
children more happy and Interesting by
opening up an easily accessible and
attractive Held for the exercise of the
brain, hand and eye; It gives the chil
dren tin opportunity of learning !be
simplest natural facts; and directs their
attention to external objects, making
them less bookish. It further develops
a love of nature and an Interest lu liv
ing things, and corrects the tendency
Which exists In many children to de
structlveness and thoughtless unkind
ut-ss to animals,' and shows the Ignor
ance and cruelty of such conduct The
value of the services which many ani
mals render to man should be dwelt
upon, anil the Importance of kindly
treating them should lie pointed out.
l,y these means, ami In other ways,
good object-teaching limy lay the foun
tlallon for the right direction of the
activity iiutl Intelligence of the chil
dren throughout the whole hcIhmiI.- Ed
ucational Review.
line of Maine's Widows.
There is now living 111 1 la it In ml.
Maine, at the ripe old age of 7fi years,
one of Maine's notable widows. Tills
is Mrs. Ellen Phillips, relict of George,
n brother or Wendell Phillip. Her
husband was a graduate from Harvard
College, a member of tho famous class
of 'Z among his chissniatele' and In
timate friends being Dr. O. W. Holmes
and .lames F reel nan Clarke. Mrs. Phil
lips lias in her house several antique
relics of great interest and historical
value, among them being a marble top
table ami drawer which belonged to
John Rrown, of Harper's Ferry fame,
nnri a copper ewer and sideboard,
once the property of John Phillip, the
first mayor of the city of Koston. She
tell many an Interesting reminiscence
of Wendell Phillips, Willi whom she
whs Intimately acipialnteil.
Cheese a a Wedding Gift.
Swiss brides In several of the moun
tain canton receive u mot prosaic
wedding gift a Gruyerc cheese. Thli!
cheese is made by the bride's girl
friends, and la placed In the new house
under a glass case. It Is never eaten,
but the record of each Important family
event Is marked ttu the rind.
ANOTHER SNAKE STORY.
A Point In lllapnte Which la Awaiting-
rettlement
A rather sunburnt but gistd looking
farmer made his way up to the snake
editor's desk in the Washington Star
oflie-e and btisxi there waiting to be
beard. The snake eelitor looke4 up in
to his kindly face with lta far-away
gaze and smiled a welcome In spite of
himself.
"(jood morning," he said, as pleasant
ly as if his visitor had money.
"How are you?" responded the vis
itor. "I'm from Montgomery County."
"is that so?" greeted the editor.
"Ye-s. that's so," said the visitor, pull
ing up a e-hair and gazing far away.
"What I come in for," he went on,
iiiurmurously, "was to ask you a ques
tion. You are the snake editor, they
told me downstairs."
"That's right. What can I do tor
you ':"
"I don't know. P'raps you can an
swer my ejuestion and p'raps you
e-a n't."
"What is It?"
"You're the man that lyiudoun Coun
ty's ls-i-n posting on her snake crop,
ain't you?"
"Yes."
"1 thought so. Well, we've got snakes
in Montgomery County as well as they
have in Ijoudoun."
"Do you want to get up a competitive
exhibition?"
")h. no," be said, gently, as a ring
elove's cis). "I only want to tell how
we are fixed on snakes Just now In
Montgomery and submit a question.
You see, it's this way: We catclied a
snake on our place yesterday er ruth
er, we partly did, for he ain't all
catclied yet, and "
"Hold on," exlaimed the eelitor;
"how can that be?"
"It's Just the way we are doing It In
Montgomery," said the visitor, calmly.
"We found him coming out of a hole In.
tin- rocks nud there was eighteen feet
of him. The rest of him was p'ictiu'
underground towards Loudoun and,
Judging from where we stopped him
coming out, the other end of him will
likely reach clean across the river over
into Loudoun. If he's all In Mont
gomery it's all right and we'll pull him
out, but If the biggest half of him Is
over In Loudoun and he's a Loudoun
County snake, by gum, we propose to
shove him buck and let them Loudoun
ers take care of their own. The ques
tion I want you to settle Is, which
county ought to have the creelit of the
snake?"
The visitor's far-away look changed
into one of pained perplexity and the
snake editor asked for further time.
A Fortune In a Cigar.
John Sanderson, a wealthy merchant
of Newville, S. C, died not long ago,
lenving his entire estate to his wife.
Philip Shoemaker, a nephew, was cut
off without, n cent, which bitterly dis
appointed him, as he had confidently
expected to be richly remembered. His
share of the estate was a cirgar only
tills and nothing more.
Finally the will was probated and
the nephew was formally presented
with the cigar named In the will,
which he accepted ns a matter of form.
It was unusually largo and very fat.
During the proceedings he lighted the
e-igar, as he said, to get something out
of tiie old man. After it had burned
about half n minute an object fell from
'tin end of the cigar and rolled under a
table. It was fished out, and to ev
eryone's astonishment, proved to be a
splendid diamond ring.
Shoemaker hastily investigated the
rest of tiie not over-fragrant Havana
nnri found that the Inside of the cigar
was literally packed tight with loeise;
precious stones. The whole collection
when summed up was found to be
worl h fully $10,000.
A Truly Miscellaneous Cargo
The schooner J. B. Coyle cleared yes
terday for Port Spain, Trinidad, off the
coast of Vene-zuela, with a miscellan
eous cargo. This Is one of several
similar cargoe-s recently sent from here
to the same place. An Inspection of the
character of it is very interesting, show
ing what articles are meist In demand
by the Trinidad pexiple.
There are 500 terns of lee on the
schemer, ments, ham, oysters, sausage,
lobsters, fresli fish, poultry, game, fifty
live sheep, butter, e-hense, apples, celery,
cabbage and other vegetables; tar,
pitch, oakum, pork, iars, grapes, 644
bales of hay, 7(1,157 feet of lumber and
225 kegs of lager beer. The value of
all this merchandise Is $0,020. When
she geta to Trinidad the captain can
stock a good-sized general store. Port
land (Me.) Press.
Kattlesnake Not a Plaything.
A young fellow one day fell a-teas-Ing
a rattlesnake with a cart-whip. By-
Btiri-by tiie serpent got really angry, and
mnrie for Its tormentor, who foolishly
kept on provoking It. Irritated at last
beyond endurance, the creature forced
him to fly; but the faster he ran tho
quicker the snake wriggled after him,
and he saw that at a fence only a lit
tle way ahead he should meet his doom,
for he could not climb it in time. So he
turned upon his pursuer, and was for
tunately able to throw the lash around
it and stop Its progress. He plnyed
with it no longer, but slew it with
punctuality ami dispatch.
Turnip Sprouts.
It is stated Mint the Swede turnip
placed In comparatively warm cellars
in tiie fall of the year will send oat
sprouts, which, whecn cooked, are
equal to the best asparagus; and In
some parts of the Old World, It Is be
coming a regular part of good garden
ing to put awny a few turnips for sup
plying the article during the winter
season.
He When you are asked to aing and
don't wish to, yon always have such a
convenient cold. Where do you gat
them? Hhe Ob, they're kept "on
draught" all over town. Harlem Lift