HOW TO AVOIU LIGHTNING.
toma ValuaMx Ailylio m to What
to pu in Storm.
The other day a gentleman who hap
pened to 1) In the middle of a field,
n struck by lightning. Most peo
ple would have thought his position
about the leant dangerous la a thun
derstorm. The point they have atiked
themselves, therefore, la "What should
we do when caught in a thunder
storm ?"
Campbell Swinton Bays lightning la
most apt to strike projecting objects
for example a tree. On that principle
you ought to keep clear of trees, just
as you would keep clear of a hayrick.
Similarly, if you are in a flat space
take a farmer's field you should make
yourself as little an objective ae pos
sible. If everything about is level you
yourself become the projectiva point
which may attract the lightning.
Therefore, lie down flat on the ground,
or, even better, get into a hole.
"A person who took shelter in a
hole," Campbell Swinton continued,
"would be absolutely safe, I should
think. Even if the lightning were to
Btrike the ground near by, its power
would scatter so much that he would
hardly be likely to come to harm.
Then, if you are in a house while a
thunderstorm is raging, the safest
shelter would be found in the cellar
that is, far away from the objective
parts of the building. For mysoif, 1
am rather skeptical how many folks
would care to crawl into a hole or
plunge into a cellar. You see, the
risk to life and limb in England from
lightning is very smtajll indeed so
small that the average man would
rather run it than disturb himself."
"I suppose the idea which you have
indicated to me explains the damage
that factory chimneys and the chim
neys of dwelling houses occasionally
sustain from lightning?"
"Just so; they are points of attrac
tion. Not only that, but there must be
an additional attraction in the column
of warm air which rises from a chim
ney when a fire is burning beneath it.
I once saw a chimney struck by light
ning, and smoke had been issuing from
it There were various neighboring
chimneys, but, so far as I could make
out, none of them was active. The
incident occurred while I was sitting
in the Wellington club, and the dam
aged chimney belonged to a house on
the other side of Grosrenor crescent."
New Economy.
A Tennessee community, apparently
founded on institues drawn from the
precepts of Ruskin, has just established
a college, to which they gave the name
of that rhapeodist, at New Economy,
the town they have built up in the
last three ears. The community now
numbers 213 and possesses property
valued at $80,000. When it started each
head of a family put in $500, and the
increment represents what they have
earned in the interval beyond their
living exjMjnses.
The settlement lives as a single fam
ily; its standard of value is an hour's
labor; in its home commerce it has
no money and needs none a certificate
that labor has been performed takes
its place. A pound of tea costs eleven
hours' work; seventy hours pay for a
pair of shoes; two and a half for a
pound of crackers, and so on. Every
body works and all men and women
alike receive the same wages. They
have heretofore worked ten hours a
day, but expect soon to reduce it to
eight They have a kindergarten and
adequate education machinery, music,
languages and a limited technology be
ing taught in addition to the regular
branches.
The majority of the communists are
agnostics. There is no church, but
those who like can go to church out
side. Of the great number of similar
communities first and last founded in
this country, few survive. The most
do not outlast a decade, and it would
not be safe to predict a longer term
for this one, though its institution of
a college shows that it so far no mis
givings on that score. New York Tri
bune. Jewels to Matchthe Eyes.
"The very latest of all the latest
crazes with regard to the wearing of
jewelry," said a fashionable jeweler
the other day, "is that the color of
the stone should match the color of
the eyes of the fair wearer.
"The latitude allowed in this is not
great, but the proper following out of
the idea will doubtless lead to the
popularity of many stones which have
hitherto been ignored, not because they
lack beauty, but because they do not
happen to be as expensive as others.
"In accordance with the regulations
laid down, turquoise is to be the pe
culiar property of the women with blue
eyes, while the yellow topaz will have
a vogue among the women with bright
hazel eyes.
"Sapphires belong by right to the
woman 'orbed with violet,' but to the
large number of brown-eyed beauties
rubies are allowed. They will no
doubt help to bring in cats' eyes, and
all shops of this sort are being ran
sacked in order to find peculiarly col
ored stones to harmonize with the eyes
of the up-to-date woman.
"I dare say you wonder to whom
diamonds belong, since their beauty
depends entirely on their lack of color?
Every woman has bright eyes though,
and therefore every woman ought to
be allowed to wear diamonds. Thin,
however, is not to be the case.
"The edict has gone forth that they
are to grace the person of the woman
whose eyes are black."
For twenty-five years chicken has
been regularly served for dinner at a
Weston. W. Va., hotel, and traveling
sen call It Chicken House, and min
isters vote it a model inn. Few per
sons, however, are aware of the fact
that a condition In the will which
psssifl the title to the property a
quarter of a century ago required the
heirs to dally serve chicken for dinner
so long as the property wis used for
hotel purposes. Philadelphia Record.
The race war In the schools contin
ues at Upper Alton, III., the colored
children overpowering the lady prin
cipal and Janitor yesterday, taking pos-
WHV FIT OUIT TMK MING.
The Champion BrunK tilaln to
the PuMIl .
Hubert Fltzinimxnn, retired cham
pion middle mid heavy lght pugillnt
of the world, moved by the frequent
and violent CTltiUu;s of hit determi
nation to quit the ring, has prepared
an open letter to the public In which
b.i gives, concisely ami In his best vein
the reasons that have brought about
nl action.
V.'hen I wrote at Carson City on the
17th of March, upon which occasion I
defeated James J. Cor bet t for the
heavyweight championship of the
world, "1 have fought my last fight,"
I had an idea that the public generally
would take it that 1 knew what I was
writing about and meant every word
of it.
Subsequent events, however, have
dispelled that belief, and I see it is
necessary to go into details in justifi
cation of the position I took and which
I still maintain. Cannot a man shape
his own course in life and run things
to suit himself without the population
at large undertaking to force him into
a renewal of an occupation that be
had unqualifiedly and distinctly re
nounced? And why did I renounce it?
For what reason did I cast aside the
five-ounce gloves and leave the lau
ivU for another champion to pick up
and wear them as I have worn them?
Solely, singly, and for my wife only.
That answers all questions that can
be put to me, and no man of honor, or
heart, or conscience can misunderstand
me. I suppose, however, that such a
reason is beyond the comprehension of
some prize fighters, but the thinking
public will thoroughly appreciate the
situation.
Perhaps I had better take your read
ers into my confidence and tell a little
of the history of that last affair at
Carson City, which has not heretofore
seen print in so far as it was in the
nature of a private talk with my wife
and would at that time have been out
of place. But I have since come to the
conclusion that it is well to tell the
story just as it occurred.
On the morning of the eventful day
I got up at 6 o'clock and took my
morning exercise, Mrs. Fitzsimmons
preparing my breakfast of broiled
chicken, coffee and toast, as she had
clone for at least a week preceding
the fight I walked around the yard
in the crisp March air of the Sierra Ne
vada Mountains, and each lap passed
the kitchen window, nodding to my
wife enroute. Once or twice I came
upon her suddenly, and peeping
through the window caught an expres
sion of care and anxiety on her face.
She tried to dismiss it with smiles,
and covered up her real feeling with
an air of lightheadedness, but to me
it was clear that the woman I loved
and who is the mother of my boy was
in trouble. She had passed through
the same conditions many times be
fore and had been to me my most
strengthening external Influence. How
heavy the past sat upon her heart
I had never before observed, but that
day she could not hide it, although she
told me with smiles and assurance
that she knew I would win.
After the meal she drove me along
the country road from my training
quarters to the ring. The day was
perfect, and she put on an air of
buoyancy that was intended to com
fort me. She laughed at the queer old
rigs1 that had gathered around the
arena, nodded pleasantly to those who
cheered as wepassecd, and talked about
the triumphant trip backtoNew York.
She had too much tact and intelli
gence to even suggest any kind of
misfourtune, and to all queries replied
that she had faith in me, and knew
that victory was to come before the
day was over.
I went, with my wife on my arm, im
mediately to my dressing room and
stretched out on my couch with my
wife sitting beside me.
"Bob," she said to me, tucking my
overcoat around my neck to keep me
warm, "how much longer do you in
tend to fight for a living?"
"I guess this will be my last fight,
Rose, if I win," I replied, as I looked at
her anxious face.
"And if you" . She couldn't say
it if her life depended on the word. Be
cause she did not believe such a thing
possible. Although, perhaps, some
thing might happen, and even she
could not dismiss such a possibility.
"But I think I'll win, Rose. I ll do
my best for your sake." Her only
answer was a pressure of her hand on
my arm. Just at that moment Dan
Stuart knocked at my door and said:
"Get ready, Bob. It's ten minutes to
twelve. You are expected to be in the
ring at noon."
Mrs. Fitzsimmons got up, kissed me,
and, with a few encouraging word3,
went to the door where a friend was
waiting to escort her to a seat at the
ringside. During tboee few seconds,
between the time she left men and put
her hand on the door knob the whole
situation rushed upon me and I felt
that it was my duty, even If it was
the last act of my life, to win that
fight and quit for good, and for her.
I knew her heart was heavy with
anxiety and that she was going to her
eat with a burden that few women
have had to bear. Then I decided to
send her away at least happy w'th a
promise that I will never break.
"Rose!" I exclaimed, "come here a
moment" She returned quickly and
bent over me again. I took her hand
and squeezed It sincerely. "I want to
tell you that I intend to win, even If
I die for it. This is my last fight. I
give you my word for that. Rose, be
brave; I will win." She kissed me
once more and I did not see her
again until I came into the rln. But
her face was raidant with Joy at my
promise to retire. It was that expres
sion that gave me the strength to win
that fight, and the promise I made my
wire on tne eve of the battle Is sacred
to me, and will be kept until Robert
Fitzsimmons goes out for good.
When the fight was over she came
to me and her eyes filled with tears
of joy. It was ample payment for me,
and I am satisfied. I know, and othei
men know, that there Is something be
yond the approval of the masses, and it
can only be found at home. Perhaps
not many men who have fought their
way to pugilistic fame know what It Is
to have their own hearthstone and a
devoted wife. But I do, and I will
not wreck It nor leave a legacy of lies
to my children. I have mpd my
promise to her, and I will keep It.
ROBERT FITZSIMMONS,
MAIN ANtl NMINfc.
Vl,n lt, ..( m 1 MowId'
Jl.. (iirf enrw "!f let (
It It wsvti't ! Hi'
l if hi If Mali It' tint '
VA hrti Hip 'Hi ! frf" ''ttri
Klflrh l (lnh't M old I
If it a anil'! Ill-It 111'
.Mutil lie I !-- i i" l oldl
Tli life yu Biiil It
pm tin rmiit curled I
Truulilf y i.fvrr ujii.il it
tiiMxi Lori runsttie world!
THE TWO MORTONS.
Dolly is the must maddening, tan
talizing, perverse and charming I
might as well admit it. you'd soon
have found it out young woman of
my acquaintance. I've been in love
with her for five years, and it's a won
der my hair isn't white; sometimes I
think it is turning gray, but when I
spoke to Dolly about it, she said, not
to bother, I was old enough to be gray
any way. Ah! that's where Dolly
hurts, and she knows It, for I am fif
teen years old than she Is, and when
that wilful young woman wishes to be
particularly cruel she treats me with
respect.
One night I was desperate. I had
sent her violets as usual as he Is par
ticularly fond of them, and most of my
money goes that way. Sometimes she
wears them, and often carries them,
but this night they were nowhere to be
seen, and in her hand was one large
red rose. I went to her; appearing to
be sorry to see me was the particular
form of torture which commended it
self to her on this especial night.
"You here!" sb? said, lifting her
eyebrows, in astonishment, and with
out a smile; all put on, of course, be
cause 1 am always where she is.
"Oh, no, I'm not here, I'm some
where else," I said, wittily.
She laughed immoderately.
"You're so funny," she remarked,
choking.
"Yes," said I, severely, "I suppose I
am funny, very funny but where are
my violets?"
"Why, had you any violets?" said
she. "I didn't know how should I
know?"
She said it seriously, but there was
a look in her eyes that I was used to;
I'd have liked to shake her.
"Dolly, you know exactly what I
mean; where are my violets?"
"If you mean the violets you sent
me," she replied, with dignity, "I un
derstood that after they left you they
belonged to me; do you want them
back?" This freezingly.
"Oh, Dolly," I said, reduced once
more to my usual condition of asinin
ity. "I didn't mean it, dear, I don't
want the d 1 beg your pardon, of
course I don't want them; 1 only want
ed you to wear them or carry them,
you know, darling."
But she saw that she had the best of
me, so carried things with a high hand.
"The rose was sent me by a friend,"
she hesitated, "and I suppose I have
a right to wear what I please; but sit
down, don't stand so long, you'll be
tired!"
This was an illusion to my age, and
it maddened me.
"You are exceedingly rude!" I said,
turning away and leaving her.
It waa the most severe speech I had
ever made to Dolly, and I suffered at
the thought of It. For four days I
didn't go near her or send her violets
once. It was an awful four days.
Finally I wrote to her, fully con
scious that it was a very silly letter,
wherein I told her I was merely angry
at myself for not knowing she cared
for red roses, and I sent three dozen.
The letter I received was one charac
teristic of Dolly.
A few days after I had been such a
cad to Dolly I called upon her, and
heaven favoring me, I found her alone. ;
"Dolly, dearest," I began, "I am so
sorry "
"Don't," she said, "that incident is
closed. There are so many nicer
things to talk about; Jane Hunt, for
instance."
I shivered; I was about to be pun
ished. "Is she nicer?" said I.
"What do you really think of her?"
said Dolly, with rather an anxious
look, I thought; of course I was mis
taken. "Oh, she's a very good girl, very
good!" with a desperate desire to make
Dolly jealous if I could, which I
could not.
"Is she?" Dolly tossed her head.
'Well, Mr. Morton, do you want to
know what I think she looks like?"
The "Mr. Morton" was ominous; I
shivered again.
"I think she looks like a cook!" she
declared triumphantly, while I, in
wardly agreeing, protested,
"Splendid wife she's made!" said I,
not meaning to rouse Dolly.
But suddenly she turned and said the
most terrible thing to me that she'd
ever said since I'd known her.
"Then you'd better marry her!"
This from Dolly.
"Oh " I began, but she was gone,
and there was nothing for me to do,
but to pick up my hat and go, which I
did, calling myself a beast and a brute
as I went
That night leaving the theatre we
happened to meet a moment 8he waa
radiant and scornful,
"Dolly," I said, resolving not to no
tice the contretemps of the afternoon,
"who are you going to dance the co
tillion with at the Terrys' to-morrow
night?"
'With Mr. Morton," she answered
sweetly.
"What a dear you are I was afraid
you'd promised somebody else."
And then she laughed.
"With the pleasant, agreeable Mr.
Morton," she continued, "who never
sayi the wrong thing."
Aad then I knew she meant the eth- i
er esei i s arraia i said had
her mocking l"ih fllowfvl me In the
durkCMi. and echoed In my dresnm
that bight. I wished I'd never seen
her arid took it La k Immediately.
I debated a long time within my
self whether or not 1 should go to the
Terry's, but as usual ended by k'iIuk.
I could dance stag and take Ifc'liy out,
and lovely idea perhaps Hhe would
take me out! Then as I thought of
the way I had left her the night be
fore, this beautiful hope faded. What
would she want with a brute like me?
I never saw her look better than that
nlKht of the Terrv's dance; she waa
In white, which bent became her, and
she seemed to me like an angel. And
that beastly Morton looked pretty well
too. I had to admit to myself that he
was rather a well appearing chap.
Mrs. Floyd Hopkins, who aspires to
be something of a belle herself, stood
for a moment and followed the di
rection of my glance.
"Mibs Dalrymple is looking particu
larly well this evening,' said she, a very
gracious speech. Indeed, for her.
"Very!" I replied, having sense
enough left not to discuss Dolly with
a woman.
"But what an awful flirt," she went
on; this left me gasping.
"And engaged, I understand, to Mr.
Morton all the time."
"Who said it?" I asked hoarsely.
Dolly engaged and to that cad
with my name.
"Oh, everybody says so," and then
she looked at me with such an un
pleasant smile. "That's your name
too, isn't it?"
"Yes, I believe it is," I said brilliant
ly, moving away from her.
Dolly engaged! I couldn't grasp the
full significance of It; the thought left
me dazed and bewildered. This very
night would decide it I would go to
her and ask her if there was any truth
in it. Just then she came toward me
as if she was going to take me out, but
something In my face must have stop
ped her.
"What Is the matter?" she said,
turning a little white.
"Dolly,' I said, sternly, "will you
give me the first two dances after sup
per?" "Of course if you want them; but
won't you dance now?"
I never saw Dolly so meek before.
"No," I answered almost roughly,
"not now." She left me with a
strange look in her sweet face.
It seemed centuries until supper; I
tried to think of what I should say to
her, but my mind was in such a cha
otic state that I decided to depend on
the inspiration of the moment.
At last supper was over and I found
her, tucked her arm In mine, and
marching off to a quiet nook, put her
in the only seat, and stood accusingly
before her.
"Dolly," I began, "look at me!"
This she did, a little timidly, I
thought, and I almost forgot what I
was going to say in the joy of looking
at her.
"My darling," I went on, "I have
loved you so long, so well, and hoped
that In the course of years you might
come to care " she dropped her
eyes; just then I remembered that hor
rible gosBip, "but to-night. Dolly, I
heard something that turned my heart
to stone."
"What was it?" she asked.
"That you were engaged to "
"Who?" breathlessly.
"Morton," I grasped, "that wretched
caddish- "
"Slop!" she said, with dignity.
"Tell me, you shall." I grasped her
wrists, "Is it so?"
If it had been any woman In the
world but Dolly I should have said she
was embarrassed. She actually
blushed.
"No," she said, slowly, "It Is not so,
but " her hands went up and cov
ered her face. My heavens! suppose
she should cry.
"But what?" I insisted cruelly;
"you're not engaged to him, but you're
In love with him?"
She took her hands away and her
face was very red; if it had not been
such a serious moment I should have
said she had been laughing.
"Mr. Morton has never aaked me
to be his wife If he does I shall
I was beside myself.
"And if he does?' 'I hissed.
"I shall say yes," very softly.
A terrible silence ensued; the earth
was sinking beneath my feet.
"You love Mr. Morton?' I said
sharply.
And then the very queerest thing in
the world happened; Dolly's face whit
ened a little, as she rose and put out
her hand.
"Yes, you old goose," she said, "1
love this Mr. Morton!"
It didn't take me long to gather Dol
ly Into my arms. The next five min
utes are not to apepar in this narra
tive. "Dolly," said I blissfully, "did you
ever know Buch a stupid old fool at
I am?"
"Never In all my life," said the
sweetest of girls, her voice coming
from the vicinity of my coat collar.
"And do you suppose that woman
meant me when she told me that gos
sip, my darling?"
"Of course she did," said the voice.
"And I'm glad she said It I don't be
lieve you'd ever have asked me, other
wise!" My answer would not look well on
paper.
"Do you know, Dick, that you never
have asked me before?"
And when I came to think of It, I
never had. The Peterson Magazine.
He "When you were abroad. MIm
Parvenue, how did you like the Mat
ter horn?" ,
She "I I don't believe I heard It"
Harper's Baser.
VALCOUR AINE'S SEVRES SET
TEN THOUSAND PIECES, NO
TWO ALIKE
Owned bj a l.olilaUn I'lMller Who
Horn Now Itelongt to Cien. Mlle-l,0(M)
finriti I- rriiiiil1jr Kntertined Iherw
llurliif Aull-lirlluin ij.
In a collection of historic relics of
Louisiana are two pieces of china that
once lielonged to the wealthiest man of
that State, Valcour Ainj, his income
amonntirig to $."1.000, 0uo a year.
The story of this man's life reads
like fiction.
Although he has been dead for about
forty years, his hospitality and promi
nence have survived him.
He frequently Invited 1,000 of the
most prominent people of New Orleans
at a time to visit him, especially the
young men and the young ladies.
Valcour Alne's plantation was about
fifty miles up the Mississippi River
from New Orleans. The place is now
ow ned by Gen. Miles. The garden con
sisted of fifty acres, and had heating
pipes four feet in diameter running
two feet under the ground all over It.
By this means he could give you in the
dead of winter fruits from every clime
taken fresh from the trees, and flow
ers in profusion. The walk from the
mansion to the river was Inlaid with
imported Grecian marble, and to-day
the gate columns, with Ionic caps ol
the purest marble, can be seen still
standing.
Going back to 1835, It is found that
Dr. Antomarchl, Napoleon's last phy
sician, was the guest of the mansion,
and a short time afterward he accept
ed the position of Surgeon-General to
the President of Mexico and lost his
life. Before Dr. Antomarchl left for
Mexico, Valcour Aine ofTered him $10,
000 per year to become his family phy
sician. This offer was rejected by the
doctor, as it Is understood, so that he
could go to Mexico for the purpose of
raising an army to again revolution
ize France. Marshal Henri G. Ber
trand and young Ney, son of the Mar
shal, came over to New Orleans as as
sistants and organizers of the new
revolution of the French army. This
fact is not generally known.- Ve.lcoui
Aine had agreed to advance $1,000,000
to assist the project.
On the arrival of Marshal Bertrand
and young Ney they Immediately pro
ceeded up the river to the mansion oi
Valcour Aine. They were received
royally, and the evening on which they
were about to return to lay new plans
having learned of the failure of Dr
Antomarchl, they decided to return tf
France and there report to their revo
lutlonary contemporaries.
Tea was served at 10 o'clock at
night In a set of enamelled and blue
gold Sevres ware. The cups and sau
cers must have cost not less than $20
each. After tea was over and Just tie
fore the down steamer arrived the
whole (service was brought out on the
balcony in trays by the servants and
ordered to be thrown, each piece, down
upon the marble walks as a memento
of shattered hopes of the new revolu
tion that was to come, and Valcour
Aine himself, being remonstrated with
by the Marshal, said: "I do this in
order that, when you return to France,
you may tell your committee that I,
Valvour Aine, entertained you as roy
ally as any Prince of Europe could
have done. Take with you back to
France one piece of it in its shattered
condition aB a memento of what Is
broken in hopes but not lost."
Frequently In this mansion recep
tions were given that far surpassed
anything of to-day
The most romantic stories are toid
about the 10,000 pieces of porcelain
that were painted by the best painters
of the Sevres works. All had the ap
pearance of being alike to the eye.
Each garland of flowers around each
piece and on the edge the initials "F.
A.," those of Mrs. Aine, would to all
appearances look as though they were
uniform. But when closely examined
no two plates were ever found to cor
respond. Valcour Aine, the millionaire plant
er, had five daughters and they all be
came wive of prominent men In New
Orleans. Valcour Aine was in the
habit of coming to New Orleans usu
ally In November, and there he would
order his banker on each visit to pass
to the credit of his daughters $25,000
each, in order that they might have
pin money for the winter season. New
York Sun.
A country justice had been elected
but a few days, when a young lawyer
ruHhed In and demanded a capias. Now,
that Justice did not know a capias
from a police cell, but he disliked to
admit his Ignorance. So he said,
"Now, see here, my friend. You are
a young lawyer, and, I fear, lack ex
perience. I would advise you not to
be too hasty. Don't be In a hurry.
Walt twenty-four hours and then, If
you think best, come to me, and I will
give you a capias."
The young lawyer agreed and went
away. The Justice spent the remain
der of the day getting acquainted with
the writ called capias. When the
limb of the law appeared the next
morning, the court felt himself quali
fied to issue capiases by the bushel.
Before he could speak, the young
lawyer said,
"Mr, Justice, you were right I was
too hasty. I have that matter fixed up
all right and do not need a capias. I
have come to thank you for the good
advice, and have also brought you the
two dollars fee you would have re
ceived for the capias, as I don't want
you to lose by your good deed.1'
He weirt away believing the justice
to be a paragon of good sense and le
gal lore.
A SMIII.dl r ' "HI K
Mflt tiam7.n.l Mit t" Serv
Many Val'irthlp Om
Ml this talk al-mt Mi.i:?Ki;i K re--nils
wniie of the tlilru- I ""
when I w.im in Hie ncrvl.e." annc-uined
retired crook catcher the other day.
"New ways of beating the government
ire being devised right aU't.g end
many of the tricks I discovered are
old now. There used to be more trou
ble with the diamond smugglers than
there appears to be at present. I have
found the sparklers in women's back
hair, hat ornaments, hollowed shoe
heels and sewed up in various articles
of wear; In dog collars, in horses'
hoofs. In fruits and vegetables, In
trunks with false bottoms, in pipes and
rigars, In canes, on the necks of car
rier pigeons and even buried in men's
flesh after the manner of the Kaffir
diamond thieves.
"But the man who did the slickest
buslne8s, without ever being suspected,
told me about it afterwards. He waa
a retired detective who had nerved
with great credit. Shortly before re
signing he claimed to have received a
beautiful diamond ring with three very
large stones, from a New Yorker for
whom he had been able to save a good
deal of money. It was certainly a
magnificent ring and the matter waa
duly exploited in the papers. He pro
fessed to be doing a private business,
that took him across the river frequent
ly, and he would often use the ferry
three or four times a day. He always
wore the dazzling ring and I looked at
it every day for months. Yet that fel
low was making big money smuggling
diamonds.
"How? Why, he had a paste ring
made exactly like the genuine one. He
would wear the paste one over, leave
It to be set with diamonds, wear them
back, have them replaced with paste,
and thus carry on the game right be
fore our admiring eyes. We never
suspected the rascal."
Marie A. Millie, in St. Nicholas, tells
a number of "Stories of Elephants,"
Mrs. Millie says:
At one time my Husband was at a
station in Bengal. His work kept him
out nearly all day, and, being ill, I
used to lie for hours in a long garden
chair on the veranda, too weak to read,
or enjoy any more exciting amusement
than my eyes supplied to me.
We had three elephants for our tents
and baggage; and one dear creature
used to feed from my hands every
day, and seemed as gentle as any pet
dog or cat.
One of our government chaprasls was
particularly devoted to her, and in
variably shared his meal of fruit or
flour-cakes with his dumb friend. On
1 particularly hot day, the chaprasl, to
my surprise, placed his tiny child of six
months at the elephant's feet, warning
her expressively that the infant was in
her charge, and was to be cared for till
his return. I myself was an eyewlt
nes of her wonderful sagacity. Uirge
banana-trees and fig-trees grew urouud
and, to my surprise, the elephant
broke off one of the former's spreading
leaves, held It like a fan In her trunk,
and from time to time gracefully wav
ed it over the slumbering child, wheth
er to temper the heat of the atmos
phere or to keep off flies, 1 am unable
to say. The gentle way In which Khe
moved her feet over the child, and
across to each side, astounded me. I
sent for a white loaf and some oranges,
and calling her by name (she was nev
er chained), tried in vain to tempt her
to my side on the low veranda. Noth
ing would induce her to leave her
rharge. The warm air and monoton
ous wave of the swinging fan over
powered me with drowsiness, to whlcn
I yielded; and, after a sleep of some
duration, I was awakened by quiet,
subdued snorts beside me, To my (sur
prise, I found that the chaprasl had
just returned to his offspring, and the
elephant stood near the veranda be
side me, patiently waiting and gently
asking for the tempting dainties bo
bravely withstood for over two hours.
The dog Is mentioned thirty-three
times in the Bible.
Yet another strange occupation for
women. At many of the Iyondon thea
tres women prompters are taking the
place of men. It 1b found their voice
carry better.
A Scotsman has constructed a bicy
cle which he can take apart and carry
into a train after having folded n with
in the space occupied by three timbrel
Iub, and tie it up in a shawl strap.
It Is rather unhealthy busiiiw-s to be
President of Mexico. Mexico has had
lifty-live rulers since 1S21. Four of
these were executed, one poisoned, four
murdered, and seven killed f, battle.
The Bishop of London, in a recent
address on "Heading," said, "Ail hu
man knowledge has been gained by the
impertinence and pig-headeiUii-i-H of a
small number of people who were al
ways seeking 'Why?'"
There In a species of parrot In Caro
lina that Hieep by hanging themselves
up inside hollow trees which are open
at the lop. When feeding, thee birdti
make a peculiar noise, which is naJd to
be an Imitation of the Bpeec b of an un
known or defunct race of men.
Major McCIaughry, superintendent of
the State Penitentiary at Jollet, m,
who started a school In the prison for
the benefit of convict women some time
ago, Is delighted at the success of the
Innovation. Women, It Is said, who
have been a terror to society n Chica
go are likely to be regenerated by the
late-pencil and the spelling book.
"A gypsy!" she echoed, hysterically,
'a real, genuine Hungarian gypsy?"
"Even so," he answered, mysterious
ly, "a Tzigane."
For some moments the helres waa
too deeply moved for words. Then
her beautiful face resplendent with
awakening love, she slipped Into his
embrace.
"You silly boy," she murmured,
' why didn't you tel me that before?"