Nebraska Newspapers

    (St TH C . WCW
"N'
OW, Mary, I have spoken !"
Mr. Peel threw himself back
tn hi chair as If that settled
fee matter once for alL
"I heard you. dear," sweetly respond
td Mrs. I'eel; "and now. listen to me.
I hare accepted Herr Schmidt's offer,
and he will enter the adjoining house
is tenant to-morrow."
"Not if 1 know It, madam ! shouted
Phlnea Jumping from his chair and
bringing hia fiat down on the table.
"Do you think I am going to hare Rbyd
eottage turned into a menagerie, and
my garden lnt a bowling wilderness?
The bouse may remain tenantless for
ever, but Herr Schmidt and his mon
strosities shall not enter there."
"Herr Schmidt, my dear, is merely a
naturalist."
"I know ft!" stormed Pbineaa. "I've
heard at these plaguey naturalists be
fore. Pre no desire to come downstairs
some fine morning to find a ring-tailed
monkey sitting on the window sill, act
ing as referee while the kangaroos and
crocodiles play leap-frog over the flower
beds. No, madam! No naturalists for
"tineas Peel!"
Pretty Mrs. Peel never allowed her
tamper to get the better of her. Sh-
laughed softly at her husband's fears,
and did not alter her determination In
the least.
' ''Has It slipped your memory, Phin
eaa," she asked, "that Rhyd cottage is
a ponton of my property? If 1 choose
to let It to a naturalist even though he
be a foreigner I am perfectly Justified
in doing so."
This was true enough, and Phineas
calmed down.
''Herr Schmidt's collection of "mon
strosities.' aa you call it," went on Mrs.
Peel, "probably contains nothing more
dangerous than a death's head moth in
s txttle. Anyhow, I hare no intention
to d'uiappoint him."
"But 1 "
"You will treat him with the respect
due from one gentlenmn to another,
Phineaa." broke In Mrs. Peel. "And
now, dear, we'll dismiss the subject"
! Phineas Peel was though at times
he doubted it a lucky fellow. He had
carried off a young and handsome wom
an from a host of suitors.
Why Mary Marsden had chosen to be
stow her hiitid and fortune on such a
plain, everyday sort of fellow as the di
minutive Phineas Peel was always a
myVtery to her acquaintances. The
wedding was an accomplished fact be-
fore her relatives had recovered from
the shock caused by the announcement
of her engagements
Mary appeared to be happy enough,
too. Phineas, taken as a whole, was
not a bad sort of fellow. He was jeal
ous, that was true, bnt his wife came
to regard that as an extra proof of his
devotion.
Had the proposed tenant of Rhyd cot
tage been an aged, decrepit, broken
down old man. Phineas would have
stretched out the right hand of fellow
ship. But alas! Herr Schmidt was
young and baudsonie far too hand
some, Phineas thought.
"Very well. Mary," said Phineas, tak
ing his hat from the peg and making
for the door, "you have overruled me ns
usual, and must be prepared for the
consequence. Inlets than a week we
shall have the bouse and garden over
run with every conceivable variety of
reptile from the beastly lizard to the
boa constrictor."
And Phineas stalked indignantly
forth with the merry laughter of bis
wife ringing In his ears.
A motitli or more had passed, and so
far the fears of Phineas proved to be
groundless. IleiT Schmidt's "monstros
ities" bad been kept well within bounds,
a,nd as yet Mr. Peel had not seen so
much as a strange caterpillar in bis
garden, which never looked better.
However, he was not happy. He had
taken an .iver.-.ioti to the new tenant
from tlu !'.r. ami would never lie sat
isfied until he hud got rid of blm.
"Confound the fellow," muttered
Phineas one evening, as he sat on an
upturned bucket behind the pcusticks.
"he's prowling altout on the other side
of the h.xlge again. Hope be won't
catch sight of me, fur Pin atsnit tired
of bis oily tongue and eternal smile.
Hullo! what the deuce Is the meaning
of this?"
Down the garden path tripped Mrs.
i'eel. The naturalist was evidently ex
isting her, and greeted her with a
smile that almost brought tears Into the
eyes of the furlong Phineas,
-'(iuo.'l efeving." he said. "You vos
Joost a Ieetle late!"
It was soon evident thai this was not
Hie flrt rhat Indulged in over the boun
dary hedge. Though Phineas strained
bis ears, he could not catch the drift of
the conversation. lAlte a flash he re
membered that Mary had often of late
taken a stroll In the garden at dusk.
Was this the explanation?
rhiueas had been glaring at the cou
ple from behind the peasticks for ten
tnfhute or so. when he saw his wife
take a rosebud from bis favorite tree
and hand It over the hedge with a
charming smile o the delighted Herr
Schmidt. Then, with plfasnnr "good
Bight'" Mrs. Peel tripped lightly '.'An
tha feOUMb
. TPMAMT tiS
"Tou villain!" hissed Phineas, sav
agely. Jumping from his seat and shak
ing hia fist after the retreating figure
la the next garden, "I'll pay yon for
this."
The rage of Mr. Peel was something
to be remembered. Nothing but blood,
he vowed, would obliterate his wrongs.
But he would smile and smile and mur
der while be smiled. Seizing a pe&stick
he tragically buried It In the heart of
an unoffending cabbage, and played
havoc w hrh a stately row of sunflowers.
Half an hour later Mary saw him
take down an old-fashioned duck gun
from the hook in the hall.
"There's a German vulture in the
neighborhood," he volunteered. Impres
sively, "and I'm going to bag him at the
first opportunity."
However, as nothing short of an
earthquake would have induced the old
gua to gooff In any circumstance and
Phineas had made assurances doubly
sure by dropping In the shot first and
powder afterward the "vulture" In
question was not likely to be seriously
damaged, and Mary contented herself
with expressing a hope that her hus
band would not hurt himself.
On the following evening Phineas
took up his old position In the garden,
with murder in his heart. Herr Schmidt,
however, did not put In an apiiearanee.
After waiting some time, Phineas re
entered the bouse ami reared bis duck
guu up In the hall in a conspicuous po
sition. He bad almost decided to run up to
town and consult bis brother John, the
detective, with a view to having the
movements of Herr Schmidt watched,
when be was startled by the click of
the letter box.
A scrap of paper lay on the mat.
Picking It up, Phineas glanced at It.
turned deadly pale, then hurried Into
the garden. Scribbled In lead pencil
on dirty paper was the following:
"Peel has discovered everything. We
have not a moment to lose and must
clear out to-night. The front door la
unsafe. Will meet yon at the tmek
10:30 sharp."
There was no signature.
"Good gracious!" ejaculated Phineas,
after reading the note for the third
time. "I'd no idea, matters had gone
so far. Oh, yes. Mr. Schmidt," he add
ed grimly, "I'll meet you at 10:30
sharp."
It was about 10:45, and raining heav
ily. Phineas Peel, seated on a well
I overlooking the back of Hhyd cottage,
with his duck gun laid across bis knees,
was beginning to feel uncomfortable.
"The note said 10:30," he muttered.
"It must be after that time now. What's
that?"
Phineas had caught the sound of
heavy feet moving cautiously over the
gravel. He grasped Ms gun and peered
into the gloom, but could distinguish
nothing.
Suddenly he heard voices, evidently
at the front of the house. He was about
to quit his position under the Impres
sion that Herr Schmidt was leaving by
the front door after all, when one of
the back windows was cautiously rais
ed and the lithe form of the naturalist
dropped lightly to the ground.
Creeping along the side of the wall on
which Phineas lay, he presented au ex
cellent mark. Mr. Peel, however, could
not bring himself to shoot a man down
In cold blood. He would give him a
chance.
"Stop, you scoundrel!" be shouted.
The effect of the challenge was
scarcely what, phineas bad anticipated.
Herr Schmidt darted forward and seiz
ed the barrel of the gun.
He was much the stronger of the two.
and Phinc-as was pulled from the wall
in a twinkling. Lying on the broad of
his back on the gravel, in a half-dazed
condition, he saw the tell form of
Schmidt standing over h!u with the
gtin raised,
"Keep your tongue at ill. you fool," In
hissed, "or I'll brain you. Now, quick,
help me over the wall."
Pbincas hesitated, but the threaten
ing attitude of the other Induced him
to rine. However, be had no Intention
of giving In.
Obeying his instructions, he caught
hojil of Schmidt's foot to give him "a
leg up." Before, the naturalist could
grip the top of the wall, however. Phin
eas m his opportunity.
Bracing himself for the effort, he -
Sorted all his strength anil pulled
Schmidt bodily from the wall. He fell
flat on his face, and before he could re
cover himself Phineas jumped on his
buck and seized him around the throat,
cunning a yell that: would have done In
Unite credit to a Sioux Indian.
The next moment. Phineas was drag
ged off from liehind and found himself
In the clinches of a burly member of
the police force.
Four or five others seized Schmidt,
who struggled in vain to free himself.
"What am I arretted for?" gasped
Phineas. "There's your man."
Phineas would no doubt have been
led off with the other prisoner bnt for
the timely arrival on the scene of the
List erson In the world he bad expect
ed to see his brother John!
"Here, what on earth is the meaning
of ail this?" be demanded when, as tha
result of John i'eel Ulti fereC,
found himself free.
John s'ayed behind a minute or two
to explain that Herr Schmidt, the "nat
ural;!.!." and Edward Harper tbe no
torious forger, who h-id defied new
Kcotlau I yard for the pus! six week
were one and the same.
"It was a smart dodge of Harper's."
said John Peel, "and he might hare got
clear away but for that clever wife of
yours, Phineas. Mary :uspected the
man from the first and supplied me
from lime to time with valuable Infor
mation. It is to her entirely that the
credit of the capture Is due. Tell her
I'll call around and thank her myself to
morrow. By-the-bye, the gang of which
he Is the head, gut wind of our Inten
tions, and a man was dispatched with
a wanting. Harper doesn't appear to
have received it."
Then Phineas began to understand
things a little more clearly.
"I suppose this will be It," he re
marked, producing the note and hand
ing it to his brother. "You see. the mes
senger left It at the wrong door, and I
er I thought I might as well see the
fun."
For some little time after Phineas
was of the opinion that he had made a
fool of himself. Istely, however, be
has taken a different view of the mat
ter, and is never tired of relating how
he literally "droped on" Harper, the
forger, alias Schmidt, the naturalist,
next door. Cassell's Saturday Journal.
Opening the Olympic tiamea.
The crown prince, taking hin stand In
the arena, facing the king, then made
a short speech, in which he touched
upon the origin of the enterprise, anil
the obstacles surmounted in bringing It
to fruition. Addmwlug the king, he
asked him to proclaim the opening of
the Olympic games, and the king. r;s
ing, declared them opened. It was a
thrilling moment. Fifteen hundred and
two years liefore the Emperor Tlieodo
siuw had suppn-ssisl the Olympic
games, thinking, no doubt, that in abol
ishing this hateil survival of paganism
he was furthering the cause of progn
and here was a Christian monarch,
amid the applause of an assemblage
composed almost exclusively of Chris
tians, announcing the formal annul
ment of the imperial decree: while a
few feet away stood the archbishop of
Allien.', and Pere Didon. the celebrated
Dominican preacher, w ho. In his Easier
sermon in the Catholic cathedral the
day before, had paid an eloquent trib
ute to itngan iJreeee. When the king
had resumed his seat, the Olympic ode,
written for the occasion by the Greek
composer Samara, was sung by a cho
rus of one hundred and fifty voices.
Once !efore music had leen associated
with the revival of the Olympic games.
Century.
Disposal or (Sewage In Birmingham.
One of the worst features under the
old management was the disposal of
the sewage. By way of remedy two sys
tems have found adoption. Under one
the Health Committee collects the offal
of houses, and either destroys It or
turns It into fertilizers. This Is more
offensive and Iejs guccessful than It
might bo made, but Is apparently a ne
cessity until the pan system has been
abandoned. A sewage farm of nearly
1,300 acres has lecii developed several
miles from the city, some 40(1 feet lower
in elevation. The sewage, first mlxiii
with lime to prevent hhi rapid decom
position and to assist !u the precipita
tion of the solid matter. Is passed
through a seriitf of depositing tanks,
during which process I lie mud is re
moved. The remainder Is dug into the
land, one-third of which Is dealt with
each year, the effluent Ix-ing discliarg d
In a harmless state into the river Tame.
Upon the other two-i birds are grown
early vegetable, and grain and bay
for cows kept for milk and market.
The net annual cost to the city Is about
24,000. Century.
The Chinese Are Keif-Helpful.
The peri-etitage of foreigners In our
hospitals, asylum and penal institu
tions is overwhelming. But the Chin
ese make little call tiion us for philan
thropy, and that only fur medical help.
Little by little the people are coming
to see the siiieriority of our medical
treatment, and in rase of severe sick
ness they will soinctlmi turn to our
hospitals for help. But they ask no oth
er aid from us. If a Chinaman needs
any monetary assistance, his country
men help him" without burdening our
public philanthropic. It is not uncom
mon for the niea of one clan, or friends
from different clans, to band together
to establish a loan fund, every man
giving so much toward it week by week.
This is loaned to needy men, withour
security or Interest; and when repaid
It Is loaned again, and thus many a
man Is carried through a sickness or
set up In business, and outsiders are
none the wiser. Century.
The Resort Courteous.
Ixird Russell's visit to America re
minds the London Chronicle of an an
cient story. It says that during Lord
Kussell's previous tour in this country
with Ixrd Coleridge, he came in con
tact with many memliers of the bar.
Including Mr. Kvarts. It was while
walking with Mr. Evans one day along
the banks of a stream that his atten
tion wbs called to a point at which
Washington, according to tradition,
had thrown a dollar right across. Ths
water was wide, atii lxrd Kusaell
looked doubtful.
"You know a dollar went further In
those days than It goes now," tha
American lawyer blandly Insinuated.
"Ah," said Lord Russell, quite equal
to the occasion, "and It may have been
easy enough to W'aanlntrton; it l well
known that be threw a sovereign acroaa
the Atlantic."
Rvery man makes t failure of hia kr
"Irs.
f HE LINE RIDER.
0rr th ne-n. 'uestb the milk white
moon,
leisurely ridir; tliruugb the wonder
nii.ht.
Went Sanderson, line rider, full of
dream
Of young Dolores. arvt-etest of lru
niai-is.
(Something lie hidden is the cojut
grsM.l
Only a Biouth ago th! canyon walls.
Moon-white, beheld I hadowy traia wiod
down
Contrabandist, laden with mescal;
Pel their chief, exultant, almont home.
(Something lies sullen in the coyote
j grass.)
Apacbe rumors had preceded theni,
Herding white settlers homeward. Sau
j demon.
Frontier wise, watched the Pinny Mexi
cans, Saw them nntroubled; couched, and got
I hi prey.
(Something lies vengeful in the coyote
I grass.)
! Musing, hia firm mouth smiling now and
! then
I With reminiscent tenderness, he rode.
I'nheeding how that Pejie had fled un
I scathed,
! I'otil his home, norting and trembling.
I shied
(A sudden spring from out the coyote
grass!)
Oh, brown Dolores! musing 'neuth the
moon
Tnat floods the homely old adobe walls.
Ask IVpp. when he comes to yon to-night.
Whose horse he rides? What makes his
dagger dark?
(Something lii silent in the coyote grans!)
I Land of Sunshine.
THE ACTOR'S DOUBLE.
! We were talking about spirit mani
festations nt the Thirty-nine Club, and
retailing the usual second or third-hand
accounts of deceased ladies and gen
tlemen showing themselves to their sor
rowing relatives.
"It is strange the tricks which our
brains will sometimes play us," said
Dr. Macpherson. "I remember once
seeing a ghost myself, and I can tell
you that the sensation Is a very curious
one. It was a gd many years ago. lu
rny examination days, and 1 had la-en
sitting up until the early hours cram
ming' Kverjissly In the house had
long since gone to lied, where I ought
to have l'cn myself, so I was rather
surprised when I glanced up from my
liook to see sometwxly sitting at the ta
ble where 1 myself had Iwen a few mo
ments before writing. I felt quite star
tled for an instant, until I recognized
the Intruder. He was a little hazy, but
I could see plainly enough w ho it was."
"A dead relative?" asked Major Den
nett, who was a firm believer In good,
old-fashioned ghosts.
Macpherson answered In bis peculiar
ly quiet way: "Xo, It was myself. The
experience of swing one's own ghost U
not altogether unusual, 1 believe."
"Now. I do not think your experience
was half so remarkable as one of
mine," said GUliert Dane, the well
known actor and manager of the How
ard Theater, who happened to be there
that night Thine is not a memtier of
the Thirty-nine, but had come with
Macpherson. Most of the brain special
ist's friends are In the profession, a fact
which Is. perhaps, due to the year
which he himself s'K'nt on the stage as
a young man.
"My slory In-gilt prosaically." said
the actor, w hen we begged to hear It.
"I lost the latchkey with which I let
mys-lf ii:lo ihe tinkler, and took some
body else's to ihe locksmith's to have a
duplicate made. I agreed to call for it
the following morning as I was going
up to town for rehearsal. I was living
at Putney then, and we were actively
preparing a play which deserved a let
ter fate than It receivedif thought and
preparation go for anything, for I came
near making myself III over it. I was
: feeling out of sorts on the morning that
I called for the latchkey, and when the
locksmith swore positively that he had
given me the thing already that less
than ten minutes previously I had come
for the key, paid for It. and taken It
away with me I will confess that I lowt
my temper, and stormed at the fellow,
but I could not get htm to budge a line
from his story. He seemed to have an
Idea that I was playing a practical Joke,
and the only result of my talking was
that I nearly lost my train at Waterloo,
It was moving when I reached the plat
form, and I bad to run for the only com
partment of which the door was open,
near the end of the train.
"The compartment contained two
other passengers, bill If I glanced at
them at all I noticed nothing except
that each was pretty well hidden !
bind a dally paper. I had fortunately
Itought my own paper is-fore calling at
the locksmith's, and I speedily follow
ed their example. So far the story Is
, painfully commonplace. Now comes
the truly remarkable experience which
has stamped the doings of that day In
delibly on my memory."
The actor paused to sirike a match
and relight his cheroot, which he had
Allowed to go out, and we all watched
him In silence, wondering what was
coming. Macpherson only had the air
of a man who had heard the story be
fore. "I had become rather Interested In
my paper," Dane went on, when the
cigar was alight again, "and did not
notice my companions talking until one
of them started telling an anecdote.
Then It gradually dawned upon me
that the story he waa telling wa one
that 1 considered my own particular
proerty, and when I listened It struck
me that the story waa being told, not
only In my exact words, but also la my
own voice.
"Tbe atorjr and tha voice atari led me,
but it la difficult to describe my feetlDgn
wtien I put down my paper to gl.ince
ti tbe narrator.''
"It was Jirsefr asked Major i.eii
nett excitedly an Ihe actor paused, ami
Daue nodded
'Yt. gentlemen. I saw seated at Ihe
other end of Ihe compartment, by the
window, i.pHlie his companion, a tig
er that was an exa! facsimile of the
reflection, w hl h I see la my glass every
day when I have dressed for the part
of a respectable citizen. It was my
self, complete In every detail of face
and attire."
"An optical delusion, I supi-oseY" I
suggesied. and the actor shook his
head.
"No; that was the first Idea that oc
curred to me that I had been working
snd worrying too much over the new
play, and my lrain bail played me a
trick. The unconcerned way in which
the third man glanced at me encour
aged me in the Isiief, fur the likeness,
unless I was Imagining it, was enough
to attrat Instant attention. I won
dered whether there was actually a
man sitting and talking where I had
si-en and heard my fai-simlle: for the
third man, an ordinary, every-day In
dividual, had not spoken a word to bim,
and might from bis expression have
been listening to his anecdote or simply
thinking. I was relieved w hen he laugh
ed st the point when my 'double,' as I
began to call his companion, came to
the Joke of tbe story, but when he open
ed bis mouth It was only to increase
the mystery of the affair, for It showed
me that my double possessed my name,
as well as my voice, my dress, my face,
my figure.
"I began to wonder then not whether
the man at the window was a reality,
but whether I was really myself, and
It certainly would not have surprised
me If I had Ksiked in a mirror and found
it reflect Iwick a fats that was unfamil
iar to me. It Is strange how quickly a
single phenomenon will sometimes
change all one's fixed opinions on a sub
ject of the supernatural. I felt I must
seak to the man if only to prove
whether I was awake or dn-aniing. and
I seized the op'sirtunity of IntriKlining
myself by bearing 'my double' called by
my name.
" 'Excuse me,' I said, addressing him.
but I heard your friend Just now call
you "Mr. Dane." I wonder whether we
are related nt all, for that happena to
be my tiauie, and we seem to bear a
striking similarity to one another.'
"'My double' t timed find surveyed
me through his single eyeglass It) ex
actly the same manner as that with
which I should have surveyed a stran
ger who addressed me In the train.
"'I really do not know whether we
are related." he said. In the voice I use
when I wish to be slightly patronizing,
i am Gilbert Dane of the Howard The
ater." ami be actually handed me one
Of my own cards.
'There was something In the sulstan
tlal nature of the familiar bit of paste
board that bronght back a little of my
common sense and relieved me from
the slate of stupefaction Into which the
phenomenon had driven me.
" 'tkime, this is a very clever trick." I
said with a smile, which I am afraid
was rather feeble. 'You have certainly
succeeded In startling me. Now I should
like your own card, so that I may know
whom to congratulate on a very clever
performance.""
"And what did the mystery do?" I In
quired w flh interest when the actor j
paused.
"He did exactly what I should have
done if a stranger addressed me In the
same manner. He liccame angry snd
asked me what 1 meant and whom I
called myself.
"Well. untH to-day I have lieen In
the habit of calling myself Gilbert
Dane of the Howard Theater I was
beginning, keeping as cool ns I could,
when 'my double' Interrupted me lu a
tone which I still wogljUzed perfectly
as my own.
" 'Well! you had better not do so any
more." lie said, sharply, 'or you will
find yourself lu the hands of the police,
I see that you have been imitating my
dress, loo. which I cannot help, but the
use of my name is another thing."
"We had Just reached Vauxhall. our
first stopping place, as he sske, and a
ticket collector who knows me by tight
came to the door. My double caught
his eye first.
"1 wish you would bit this gentle
man who I am," he said, and the man
answered promptly:
"Certainly, Kir; you are Mr. Dan,
t' e actor."
"lie looked startled when I asked
htm the Mime question.
" 'I should call you a very good Imita
tion. he said when he had recovered
from his surprise.
"This Wiis becoming decidedly um-om-fortabte.
and I Isgun to wonder how I
could prove to anybody that 1 was not
a good Imitation of myself. The ticket
collector' ready acceptance of my don
ble aa the reut 'Mr. Dane' allowed me
how helpless I should lie In au appeal
to anyone who did not know me well.
Hut I felt. that It would not do for two
OUbert Danes to remain ut large. The
qm-stloti which one was to surrender
the title must be settled nt once. It
struck me that the easiest way lo do ll
would be to go together lo the theater
and, submit the questions to the com
pany assembled for the rehearsal. I
suggested this course to my facsimile,
ami he surprised me by accepting It
readily.
"'1 warn you that 1 shall detain you
when It Is settled and send for the po
lice," he said In my haughtiest vjice.
"'It was what 1 was Intending to do
with him."
"And did yon both go back?" some
body asked.
Tbe actor paused lo light another
cheroot.
Iane nodded.
"Yes, together. The third man left us
at Waterloo," be aald. "You may not
Itelleve It, bnt I felt rather uneasy a 1
approached the stage door, and the fact
that I had no latchkey to open It for
myself seemed fl calamity. "My double
eilmly prr.ii!. i . i his a j l .,r ie1 me
j Into my own theater w'l'i II- s'r f
proprietor. Then be c'iw-1 the fl'r
I behind him, and. changing his voice
'and tnaiiner. suddenly tuned quietly:
I 'And now. Mr. Dane, I will ptwile yea
I no more, but asilogize for giving yeu
so much trouble, which I hois you will
think repaid by the enjoyment of a
J unique M-iix.it ion. The fact is that I am
, ve.-v anxious to go on the stage nnder
your auspices, and I thought that thia
would Is the best way to obtain an in
troduction to yon, and at the same time
show yon a sicclmen of my acting In
the part of your understudy. You will
admit at least that I understand the
art of making tip. Now are you going
lo give me an engagement or to send
for the Kdlee."
"And you gave him the engagement,
I supKjc?" I asked.
"Yes; I have always regretted that he
threw It up before the year waa at,
and returned to bis former profewlon,
that of a medical man."
"It was he, of course, that called for
the latchkey In the morning?"
"Yes; he had been In the shop when
I ordered it, and Ihe fact finally deter
mined blm to carry nut the affair which
be had l'en pondering for some time."
"But he must have haunted you like
a shadow ts-forehand." put In Major
Dennett, "to learn all your gestures and
that. 1 should hardly think the result
was worth the trouble."
Macpherson. who had lieen sitting
quietly In the background, surpriw-d as
by replying for his friend.
"Excuse me. Major," he said, in his
usual quiet way. "bnt you make a mis
take there. Any man would have been
glad to give 100 down for Ihe engage
ment w hich Dane offered me straight
away. It cost me less than 10 for
cIotlies.andalKiut a month of study;and
my time was not worth !0 a mh
then, or I should not have thought of
giving up medicine and taking to the
slnge."-Tld-Bits.
An Apple Problem.
Once UKin a time there were rwo
old men who sat In the market early
every morning and sold npph-s. Each
one had thirty apples, and one of Ihe
old men sold two for a cent, and the
other old man sold three for a cent. In
that way the first old man got fifteen
cents for his basket of apples, white the
s-cond old man ns-elved ten cents; so
that together they made twenty-five
cents each day. Hut one day the aid
apple-man who sold three for a cent
was loo sick to go to (he market, and
h asked his nelghlsir to take his ap
ples mid sell them for blm. Tbla the
other old man very kindly oonsentt'd
to do, and when he got to the market
with the two baskets of apples, he said
to himself. "I will put all the apph-e
Into one basket, for 11 will beeasler
than picking them out of two basket.
So he put the sixty apples Into one
basket, and he said to himself, '"Now,
If I sell tAvo applies for one cent, and my
old friend sells three for one cent, that
Is the same thing as selling five apple
for two cents. Then-fore I will sell
five for two cents," when he had sold
the sixty apples he found he had only
twenty-four cents, which was right;
because theta- are twelve fives In sixty,
and twice twelve are twenty-four.
But If the other old man had been
there, ami each had sold bis apple sep
arately, they would have receh-ed
twenty-five cents. Now, how Is that
explained V St. Nit-bolus.
Joan or An: Before the Judges.
The questions addressed lo Joan. tud
her answers day by day, have been
transmuted In the records of Hie coru
To nnd them l to understand the biH
ta! ferocity with which she was tr
turisl. until, turning on her ab user, she
cried, "You call yourself my Judge; In
careful what you do. for 1 am Inrteisl
sent by the 1-ord, and you place your
self In great danger."
Toanswerw almost sublime ucceedid
answers tilled with naive Ingenuity.
Questions were plied, traitorously con
ceived, concerning Hie visions which
hud come to her, and the celestial votei-a
which site heard, and which throughout
her mission had counseled nd guided
her. But on this point she was firmly
silent. II was as though it were a se
cret which she was foi bid leu to betray.
She consented to take an oath to speak
nothing but the truth, but concerning
her visions she made a reservation.
"You could cut my head off ls-fore 1
would speak." she iroii-sted. At night.
In the larkm-sn of her dungeon, RL
CiilhiT'iieiind St. Margaret appeared lo
her, and elcsti;;l voices comforted her.
She avowi'd thai she bad seen them
"with the eyes of her Isity
lilid when they leave me." she added,
"1 Wish th.'tt they would t.il.e me wllh
them." - (Vtiturv.
A Mpeotral Boat man.
1 here Is a shivery, slink lei
clll
among the people, who live alom
the
Hudson river which Is lo the nfect that
that stream Is Ihe everlasting boatlug
waters of a si-ter who is personified
as Hamhout Van Dam. Away
back
In colonial times Hamhout and
his
friends were drinking until late
at
night. Iinally this man Uanilmut mart.
ed for home, some distance up the river
In his Isiat, swearing thai he would row
the distance if it took n "ti-inth of Hun
days." Itamhout never reached home
and the superstitious people say
that
ne uas iM-eu conricuineil to row
till
Judgment day.
From I.mi.i's Kitd to John O'Oront'a.
T. Edge has Just broken (he English
1.000-mile lilcyeh- road record, by trsv.
cling from Iji nd's End lo John O'dront'f,
and back lo Forfar In four days, )iid
hours and nineteen n!nuli. This l
fourteen hours better than the previous
record.
Inventor or tbe Block ftystem Head,
Mr, John Warwick, the Inventor and
patentee5 of the block system of rail,
road signals in England, died recently
near Derby,