SKETCHES OF LIFE.! trV sr-
UWT OF A REPORTER.
does not know exact what hla llttU
port hat coat him; there arc doubt law
lacks of bills yet to ba presented
Writing of tha Ufa of a. reverter. Mr. such Mils mm lit am tnr th. -h.rt.r i
f lehael MacDonagh says In the Octo- I four tender, and $5,400 win for twsn
bar Corn hill: - ty ssilmakera for three months R
I rapraaaotad tha Freeman's Journal aldea thla. sir Thnmai mih tn& ua fm
(Dublin) la tha terrible Orange rtou In hla steam yacht, hla aea home, tat
Bmummi um. uier me introaucuon min, 1U0,000 more In fitting- her out,
Gladstone's first home rule bill, and and another 1100,009 In entertaining hli
Mn recognised one night In the guests during the visit. The most Im-
nanklln road, the center of the Orange pressive feature about this array of
Mstrtct, by a group of rioters. I was costs, is that the yachts upon which so
Badly beaten. They laughed to scorn much has been spent are useless aftet
my protestations that I had as little the races. The Columbia, for Instance,
to do as they bad with the writing of can race no more, for there will prob-
the leading articles, in which thev had ahiv h nn vn-ht i in n.r h mil
been referred to in uncomplimentary for cruising she would be a failure. In
terms. As they could not lay their a year or two her delicate hull will be
nanus on tne editor in LWDlln. t Hey worth only the metal of which It is
nil urcium iu nave u out wiin me. made.
Another reporter waa sent down from Th inan r,nr k rht nwno.i in
Dublin to relieve me during the fort- entertaining also reaches far into six
night I waa confined to my hotel In figures. Commodore Morgan entertain.
Belfast; and tha publication of rude ed at least 100 auesta everv race dav.
remarks In the leading articles went and Howard Gould and John Jacob As-
sn ail tne same. The Orange ruffians, tor entertained even a greater number
the editor wrote. DaraDhraslne- the well I rsiiunn whim in in'. wuiriv
known saying of an Irish landlord, 'are
mistaken if they think they can lntlm- QUAINT FEATURES OF LIFE.
!f.l.r ? n.rl.lrJ.7!,e,'!n "r" Ina Ruts, a Chicago woman,
l .L iH,,? r V .VL appeared in court, charged with spank-
bI, 7P of femA'e" h5 'ns her husband. The man. verV de-
HhS h-n Z f.tL tJA overpowered him. and, taking him over
liat2rsIJtaiJnJl,h'1' her knee- Pnked him. "Yes. I spank
i.,?.? .iSfin. hlm bf" breakfast and before sup-
atin. V III Jt Per each dy." admitted the defendant
sni? -K,-er. .BJL5? mucn tler after I give him a good
"Jn?? "ar? ,n Kth,Prorr y' "Panklng." She was lectured and cau
and, taking up the huge bundle of cer-
iiflC.tlr.Wh,Ch,.,.y flunJ5 " A dispatch from St. Louis reports a
-Itn thimtrk'rrf vh.m; aauerkrkut 'amine in that city. What
JLim ki-. Jk, J k .V uch famlne mea" ntrt understood
e. L "? , ' J Am erkraut is the great popular dish of St.
T.n!. Lf . lln n o" and occupies the place taken by
"if ' th beans in Boston. There were heavy
recovering from his momentary bewll- , ii ,, -rt
dement he flung the certificates back 'r"' VmJSf "ninf f "4?"
at the chairman, though not with so J?""' t.. T
mjk .i n. "... - K . quently the cabbage crop was llgnt.
Mn!iPPT.hLr When the "auerkraut makers came Into
lessly over the colonel In a shower. m.riot hi. r.n n, .h.ir mriai
"Not long ago a young reporter at- ,h. As ,fc ,Mnn
tended a Salvation army meeting pro- t t Jum CabbaKM
fessiona ly. As he was walking up the iold b tnJ toJ J ,t from
hall 'lassie' stopped him anaked t M Now thpy brln(r $l5 to U a ton
him the usual question, 'Are you sav- D th , d ' d h to t al
edr 'Oh, no, I m a reporterf he replied tjat
WhlSChV hfJnnen !nvnthlaV" lis Frances U Wood of Greenwich,
What right had he to any of the lu- Conn haa rel!l(fned her po9Uon as
OriOUanesS Of religion? loanhpr In th. North Streot dlstrint
school on account of the gossip which
arose among the residents of the
WAR STRICTLY
UP-TO-DATE
THIS SCHEME WORKED WELL,
A novel fraud by which a Minnesota neighborhood when It became known
tank waa Induced Innocently to abet that she rode a man's bicycle and wore
the robbing of a Montana bank has divided skirts. The parents of the
perplexed recently one of the detective children feared lest the example of the
aa-encles. Innulries made last week at teacner in tnis garo snoum nave a Daa
a St. Paul hotel as to a possible guest I Influence. There were other complaints
who wore a sik hat, a Prince Albret made, but when the town school otn.
coat, and gray mutton-chop whiskers, cers slften them down all there was left
revealed the nature of the criminal was the fact that she wore the offen
scheme, says the Pioneer Press. But slve divided skirts In school and out of
the Inquiring detective would not re- school. The town officers decided to
peat names. let the teacher select her own apparel.
A few weeks ago, said tha detective, Then It became a local iHsue in the dig
the very respectable gentleman with trlct and Mlas wood resigned.
the silk hat bought of a country bank An odd error made by the clerk of
not far from St. Paul a draft on New the common picas court of Schuylkill
Tork for 11.600. paying for it In cur- county. Pa., in 1888, was corrected In
rency. He explained that he was going 1 the united states district court of
to a small town In Montana and that I Pltsburg a few days ago. Natural!
he did not care to lake so large a sum tlon papers were Issued to Conrad Fee
with him In cash. Would the cashier I casseko of I-uqufne. In his petition
kindly notify the only bank In that Fecasseko says that he went to Shen-
Montana town that he had sold the andoah to take out his first papers In
New Tork draft to Mr. Hat, and that 1888. When the clerk anked him hi
Mr. Hat would cash the draft at the name he says he said it was "Kon
Kontana town? Certainly the cashier dria," the Greek for "Conrad. The
would write. He did write. And when I clerk did not understand, and again
the owner of the draft appeared a few asked him his name. It Is claimed a
days later at the Montana bank he witty Irishman who was present, to
found not the slightest difficulty In relieve the embarrassment, told the
cashing a forged copy of the draft clerk to put it down "Mike," and so
'Tou re Mr. Hat of Philadelphia. Of I It went. The mistake was not dlscov-
course." said the exchange clerk In ered until when, Conrad alleges,
Montana. "We received a letter from be applied for his second papers. Evei
the bank that sold you the draft Let's since, he says, he has tried to have the
aee? Tall, gray side whiskers, very mistake corrected at a great loss of
subdued manner. Oh, yes! that's all time and money, but people will Insist
right. Description, a matter of form, 1 on calling him "Mike.
your know. Your signature? Exact,
of course." I THE- TRAPPI8TS OF OKA.
Bo, with apologies for taking the usi The story of Trapplst monasteries has
nal precautions, the clerk, upon com-1 been told before, but not by the pen of
paring the sltnatures of Mr. Hat ac-1 a woman. To such they have been
cepted his receipt and gave him all In I forbidden ground. Even the guide
gold, as became a banker of the mln-1 books, which, like a mirage, force one
Ing state, f 1,(00. As the new customer I on, said that women must stop at the
went out he made a particularly good I door. Those who have been there said
Jake about the Montana weather. I that women were received in the parlor
The old gentleman with the sub-1 and perhaps given a dinner, but not al
dued manner had copied the original I lowed to visit any part of the grounds
draft upon a blank that he had some- or buildings. So It was with many mis
how secured from the Minnesota bank.
The letter from the bank would nat
urally have quieted any suspicion In
Montana, for the letter gave, as usual,
the number of the draft and other de
tails, which were fully corroborated In
the forged copy. Inasmuch as the let-
glvings that I took the morning boat
from Lachlne for La Trappe. But even
the outside view of the monastery
seemed worth the trip.
The boat steamed up the Ottawa for
two hours, passing many points hal
lowed by the blood of the French plo-
ler provea m me Montana nana inai neersv Tne boat now reaches Oka. a
Mr. Hat must possess an original draft quaint Indian village, the landing place
for the amount required, the bank for La Trappe. The stage was waiting
would never entertain the thought that at the wharf, for the monastery lies in
a forged copy would be presented by the hills three miles beyond. It was
the holder of that original. Thus the filled with French people chattering at
cashing of the forgery was easy. a hopeless rate. Only one spoke a few
At once the gentle defrauder took the words of English. The prospect wan
next train for Minnesota. He reap- dismal. These people spoke only In
peered before the cashier of the Mln- French; the monks, so I had been In-
nesota bank, and smiled through an formed, did not speak at all. But the
unctuous apology. deity of chance was not to fail me that
"I'm extremely sorry to trouble you day. The last passenger to get Into
again, " said tne umane genuemaa, the stage was a Frenchman who spoke
"but you see I've decided not to make mot excellent English. He knew the
that Montana trip this montn. l nave i monks well, often visited La Trappe
found a little real estate deal up In perhaps he could secure for "madame'
England la going Into battle with a
anlque array of modern war equip
ments, stacnine guns, motor can and
bicycles are not so novel, but wireless
telegraphy Is an up-to-the-minute ac
couterment the British will employ,
while her balloon service has long been
recognised as an integral part of her
military system. L4ke all other first
class powers, England has for some
years past had an army balloon depart
ment a school of instruction In the use
of such "air ships," and a staff of
trained aeronauts to attend to their
manufacture and working.
For obvious reasons, the utmost se
crecy is observed as to the compos!
tlon of the "envelope" (or outer casing
or the balloon), for upon the material
employed therein largely depends the
utility of the air ship of any descrip
tion. In the days when silk "envel
opes" were In use, the adventurous
aeronaut was continually exposed to
difficulty and danger. For Instance, if
the silk were not thickly varnished, it
let the air In with singularly disas
trous results to the occupants of the
car. If, on the other hand. It were
varnished, the casing became so brittle
that It was constantly cracking and
thus causing the unwelcome escape of
or gas.
.THE AERONAUTIC PROBLEM.
Consequently the problem with which
the military aeronaut was confronted
was that of discovering a material that
would combine In one lightness, strength
and inperviousness to the atmosphere.
For a long time the task seemed to
defy human ingenuity. The art of "bel
ligerent aeronautics," however, is not
one that stands for any pronounced
period. As a result, after repeated ex
periments, the balloonist's efforts have
now been crowned with success. The
fabric at present adopted for the man
ufacture of the "envelopes" of war bal
loons at Aldershot consists chiefly of
what Is known as gold-beaters' skin,
which is delicately descriped by an
English journal r i the "lining of the
Internal portions of the anatomy of
cattle." This is soaked in a potash
solution and treated with isinglass and
alum water. The various sections are
then sewn together Into an air-tight
homogeneous mass. The extreme light
ness of the material thus prepared may
be estimated from the fact that Its
2,500 square feet of surrace (the ordi
nary size of a war balloon "envelope")
weighs but 170 pounds. Such a case Is
capable of holding 10,000 cubic feet of
iras, and of raising a dead weight of
700 pou ids.
As a general rule the car in which
the aeronaut Is carried Is made of
wicker, with a band of hickory wood
to bind It In size, the following are
the measurements usually adopted:
Height and width, Z feet 3 inches;
length, 3 feet 6 Inches. It is attached
to a hoop by means of the best
Italian hemp rope available. This hoop
is connected with the cord network
that incloses the whole of the balloon's
"envelope." The "breaking strain" of
this rigging Is something over 500
pounds; nevertheless, It weighs but one
pound to the hundred feet
OUTFIT IS EABORATE.
With so much paraphernalia about
.t the complete outfit of a balloon eec
tlon is necessarily rather elaborate
First of all, there Is the balloon Itself,
with its "envelope," valve, net, car,
hoop, grapnel, spare rope, aeronautical
instruments and ballast. Then there
Is the wagon on which It Is packed, and
to which is attached a drum with
wire rope, for holding the balloon cap
tive when necessary, and a telephone
apparatus for communicating with the
occupants of the car. Finally, there
Is a second series of wagons, contain
lng the cylinders of compressed hydro
gen for Inflating the "envelope.
As to the uses to which a balloon
ran be put in warfare, there are so
many and so varied that they cannot
be more than lightly touched upon
here. Foremost among them, of course
Is that of reconnoltering the enemy
position, photographing his camp and
sending reports (chiefly by means
pigeons) of such observations to head
quarters. Then, despite the fulmlna
tlons of the recent peace congress
against the proposal, it seems extreme
ly likely that they will also be used
for dropping explosives from the cloud
onto the ground occupied by a hosti!
force. Indeed, special shells for tht
purpose are a part of the equipment of
all war balloons. Accordingly, in tne
next great European campaign, when
both sides are similarly prepared, and
war balloon thus meets war balloon
then, Indeed, will "come the tug of
war." Especially thrilling would be a
duel to the death, under these clrcunv
stances, between two rival aeromotlves
It would also be one in which the
danger would be equally shared by
spectators aa well as principals.
PPECAU l IO.
St Paul where I can Invest the money
to better advantage, at least for the
present Now, will you be good enough
to cancel your draft here?" extending
the bona' fide original, "and let me
have the tl,600?"
The Minnesota cashier was as agree
able as had been the Montana clerk
Tha agreeable Philadelphlan received
his second fl,800. He smiled. The
cashier smiled. The Montana clerk
had kept smiling when he thought of
the affable stranger who made so pleas
ant a little loke about the weather,
Everybody continued to smile until the
Montana bank drew upon the Minne
sota bank for $1,600 advanced upon a
draft Then there was but one emller
left the polished, the respectable, the
witty Mr. Hat of Philadelphia.
THE COSTLIEST SPORT.
T the men Immediately Interested
raUrnatlonal yacht raring Is the cost
liest sport In the world. The bill for
the yachts themselves, tor ouuaing, al
terations, and repairs, will smount to
fully t0,0 for each; the expenses of
racing them will cost their respective
owners easily 1250,000 more. Here Is
a cool million Just Tor building and
racing the boats. The sails alone cost
as much as an ordinary sailing yacht
The Columbia's sails are said to have
cost even more, for hers were woven
to order from Egyptian and Sea Island
cotton mled with silk. The expense of
maintaining the crew was, or rather Is,
enormous, for the boats are not yet
out of commission. It Is said that the
skipper of the Columbia receives 12,000
for his services. The salary of the
mats Is IIM a month: the second mate,
4t; the four quartermasters, ftt month
each, and the thirty-two members of
the erew sack ftt. rood for the crew
costs easily tm a month: each tender
noeowsanylng the yachts costs MM
for the few weeks of the season, and
re ana tonnage cost aeoat
far sash yacht BstUaatse
, at the msaireri nave
some special privileges.
The stage wound slowly over the low
hills. It would be hard to find prettier
scenery than that along the Ottawa.
Now the river Is in sight, now hidden
from view, until suddenly La Trappe
appeared before us. The building is In
the form of a square around a central
court It Is made of gray stone, with
several towers, and Is very picturesque
against a background of green hills.
Both the building and the location are
new. This building was erected In 1M0.
The old monastery Is further down the
hill, and Is used for an agricultural
school. The monks are excellent far
mers, as the fields, vineyards and or
chards testify, but not one was to ba
seen at work at that hour. The good
fathers and brothers were taking their
noonday nap. They dine at 11 o'clock,
then sleep from 1140 to 12:30. They
certainly need tha rest, for, while they
retire early at 7 In winter and I In
summer they rise at I In the morn
ing.
The Inscription In Latin over tha door
bespoke a welcome:
"Happy are they who dwell In the
house of the Lord."
The white-robed fathers received us
most cordially and talked freely, tho
for the most part In French. Borne of
the brothers were also present. They
wear the brown robe.
The first Inquiry and a very hospit
able one waa whether we had had
dinner. Of course no one would dlno
elsewhere with a dinner at the convent
In prospect The meal was soon served
for guests are always expected, but
they are with rsre exceptions, man. Ta
them La Trsspe Is freely open aa any
country home couia oe.
The dining room was ugnt and am
and spotlessly clean, with a touch af
the feminine In the muslin curtains at
tha windows. The repast waa bounti
fulroast meat, vegetables, bread and
butter, ana wine not a imy nana af
It, but a waoie tamsierrai reuowsa
by eider, serves aa
GLOBE OF FIRE.
Easton (Md.) Special In Baltimore
Sun: Some people In Royal Oak and
Its nelghborhod last night witnessed a
rare electrical phenomenon a large
globe of fire rolling about in the atmos
phere. Mr. Philip M. Pastorflcld, a
careful observer and accurate In hla
statements, thus describes the phenom
enon:
"I was standing, looking from my
back porch toward the stable, before H
had rained much, when suddenly I
saw on the ground about twenty-five
feet from the stable a balloon-shaped
mass of fire about as large as an or di
nar hogshead. It was like a ballotfn
upside down, with the stem pointing
upward. Almost instantly it exploded
with a tremendous report like a can
non, and sprays of fire flowed from It
In every direction. I am positive It
did not come down from the clouds, as
I could not have helped seeing It If It
had. Strange to say, no damage waa
done by It to anything around. I waa
sure that the amount of fire that flew
from It In all directions would set
something on fire, but on examination
I could not find anything injured. A
cow was standing within fifteen feet
of It, but was unhurt. My children,
three of them, with the hired men, were
in the stable, and were badly frighten
ed, but not hurt. Two stacks of fodder
close to It were not even scorched. The
ground waa not disturbed In the least,
and the whole matter Is very mysterl.
ous to me. I would like some scientific
man to give me an explanation."
A gentleman of scientific attalnmenti
says: "1 have known only two or three
Instances of a similar appearance, yet
It Is a phenomenon that does happen at
rare Intervals, and one that no one nan
been able to explain satisfactorily by
any of the known laws of electrical rhe
nomena."
w Reyman, a New York rycllst, who
itarted out from Got hum two and one
half years ago to make a trip around
the world on his wheel, has arrived al
Han Francisco on the United Ststes
transport Warden, having worked hlr
pasass-e from Nagasaki as a dishwash
er. His money gave out at Moscow,
and his wheel having broken down h
had to "too It" across Hlberta and
Mancharia.
The colonel walked out into the gar
den wheie the warm, mol.. inell of
the earth announced the aovent o.
spring, and watched Uncle Dick Porter
clearing1 away the winter's litter, pre
paratory to an early spadin?.
A plump, speckled hen scratched
around In close proximity to the darky,
who, all unconscious of the Colonel's
presence, glanced once or twice at the
fowl, and several times drove It away
with an earnestness that was almost
fierce.
"Go 'way!" he said. "Ah done got
'llglon now, yo' heah me? Git yo' be
bln me, Satan!" and then as the pullet
squawked and flew awkwardly away in
answer to the throwing of a pebble.
he raised his eyes piously and ejacu
lated: "Praise de Lamb I Ah done
got anothah victory!"
The Colonel, who understood the dar
ky nature as well as he did horses,
could keep still no longer, but burst
Into a laugh. Uncle Dick looked up
quickly.
"Ah'm done glad you see mah vic
tory, Mawse Kunnel,' he said. "Ah
sholy is saved. When a cullud man
can 'slst a sassy pullet like dla hyab
he aln' gwlne have no trubble ter reach
dem puhly gates. Da's so, Kunnel, it
sholy am. An' yo' don need put no
lock on yo' chicken house now, fob
Ah done got 'llglon."
The Colonel, who never dreamed of
locking his henhouse, counting the
"lifting" of a nice fat Plymouth Rock
now and then as a natural prerogative
of the African race and an unmentloned
part of the wages, put on his most
judicial aspect.
"Why, have you been stealing my
chickens. Uncle Dick?" he asked.
Uncle Dick scratched his head for a
moment in perplexity.
It's dls hyah way, Mawse Kunnel.
Dey ain't no cullud puhson ever steal.
Mebby dey llf a half a dollah and a
yelleh-leged Domlnickah ef dey hain'
got de savin' grace o' de Lamb in dey
souls, but dey doan steal. Dey jes'
kaln help It. It's jes' laic ole Mose
White, what done got scotched by de
debbll. Oie Mose he done walkin' thro'
de woods one day an' he meet de deb
bll face to face, an' de debbll he say:
'Mohnln' liose, Ah'm mighty glad to
see yo' look In' so well dig mohnln.' an'
he hole out he han' foh Mose to shake.
But Mose he look down an' be see de
debit's tall buhnin' a ole In de groun'
an' he put he hands behln' him.
'Yo' gwan away, Mistah Debbll,'
he say. 'Ah doan want no truck wld yo.'
"Den de debbll he put he han' In he
pocket an' he draw out a dollah.
" 'Doan yo' be 'f raid o' me, Mose,' he
say, 'Ah'm gwlne be you' friend". Hy
ah's a dollah Ah done foun' er while
ergo, an' Ah done say, "Ah'm gwlne
gib dls hyah to Mose White, 'case he
need it" An hyah it Is.'
"Mose he want dls hyah dollah mlgh-,
ty bad, 'case he think he might buy a
voodoo bag dat keep de debbil away,
but he see It gettln' red roun' de ridges
an' he feahd to tech It'
" 'Yo' gwan away, Mlsto Debbll,' he
say. 'Ah aln' neveh done yo' no hahm.'
"Den de debbil he scratched he hald
an' think a minute, an' den he reach
In be coat tall pocket an' hand out a
watehmelyon an' he say:
" 'Hyah's a fine watehmelyon Ah done
fotch along foh yo' Mose,' an' den he
bus' It open on he knee an' de red hyaht
done stick up lookln' cool an' sweet an'
crumbly like, an' Mose's mouth done
watah so bad he kyaln't hahdly hole
heself. But he look down at de debbil's
hoof, whah dtejfs little gTeen fyah
flickertn' aroun' an' he done holler.
" 'Yo' gwan way an luff me erlone,
yo' Mlsto Debbil. Ah doan' wan' none
o' yo' ole watehmelyon.'
"Wei, de debbll he neveh lose he
patience; he jes' think, an' blmeby he
reach back an' haul out a piece o
baked possum smokln' hot, wld de pos
sum grease drippln' off on de ground',
an' he doan say a wohd; he jes' hole It
out whah de shine o' dls hyah grease
glint Into Mose's eyes an' Mose he
done double up wld de watah drippln'
out de cohnaha ob he mouf an' be
wrastle wld de speerlt an' he yell out:
'Foh de lan's sake, good Mlsto Deb
bil, please go 'way. Ah aln' gwlne hab
none o" yo' ole possum no how.'
Den de debbll he done grin an' h
rech back an' haul out a nice, fat young
pullet, an' it done roasted brown all
oveh wld de yellow meat showln. thro"
an' de gravy drippln' down, an' whah
It split open undehneath the sage stuffin
am' buatin' out, an' de debbll hole it
out whah de hot steam done git up
ntll Mose's nose an' Mose's eyes pop
out an' he tongue hang down wld de
watah drippln' off de aln' an' he breft
come hard, an all ot once de tempta
tion ob de debbll ovehcome him an' he
sink he teef Into dls hyah tendeh meat
an' de debbll scotch Mm, an' he nebber
come back no mo'. An' Ah done b'leeve,
afteh all, Mawse Kunnel," he contin
ued, with glistening eyes and moist
lips, "dat yo' betteh lock up dls hyah
henhouse, afteh all. Becase dey aln'
no tellln', Mawse Kunnel, when de
grace ob de Lamb gwlne 'sert a cullud
puhson an' luff 'lm backslide under dt
temptations ob de debbll."
THE VOLCANIC BATH.
In Parts of California tha Peopla
Taka Pluna-se In loo-Cold Mud.
Volcano baths are the proper thing
nowadays In certain parts of Califor
nia and Mexico. Down In Mendocino
county, California, such baths havs
become most frequent
The volcano bath is not a water bath,
says the San Francisco Bulletin, nor is
it a fire bath or a lava bath, as might
be supposed. It Is a mud bath, and no
ordinary mud bath at that Ice-cold
mud of a bluish tint and the consist
ency of freshly mixed mortar is the ele
ment into which the bathers plunge,
splashing and spluttering. The way
they manage is unique. A sapling is
felled from the forest near the volcano
craters, stripped of its limbs, carried
to the crater and placed across it, so
that each end of the pole rests on firm
ground. Fancy yourself sliding out
on one of these saplings stretched over
off Into the middle of a gurgling, bub'
bling. Ice-cold mass of mud and swing
ing yourself there, suspended by your
hands, until fatigued! Then, with just
life enough left to crawl back along the
log you reach unyielding ground again.
Once plunged Into one of the craters
of mud with all ties to the sapling sev
ered, a person would be lost forever,
being swallowed up in the murky
depths in an Instant, for vastly quicker
in action and surer of Its victim than
quicksand is the mud of Mendocino
county's mysterious volcanoes.
Cleanliness has nothing to do with it
It is not for that that people face the
dangers of the volcano bath. The mud
which Is belched forth from the earth's
interior Is supposed to contain Impor
tant medicinal properties.
There are about twenty-five of these
singular mud-belching volcanoes In
Mendocino county, and they are among
California's many wonders. They are
situated high on a mountain side, seven
miles from Cahto. At this time of year
they are unusually active. Their gur
gling roar may be heard for a distance
of several miles when they are most
violent. The mud frequently shoots
evr the rim of the crater, flows down
the mountain side like a lava stream
and enters one of the Eel river's trib
utaries called Mud creek. It fills the
craters, which are about five feet aboev
the earth's surface and bounded with a
circular base or miniature crater from
four to seven feet in diameter at the
base and two or three feet at the top.
Prospecting parties have hewn down
saplings fifty feet in length and pushed
them Into the mouth of a crater. Some
of these have disappeared altogether.
Others remain near the surface, play
things of the muddy element, which
tossses them about like fishermen's
bobbins In a rough sea. A significant
coincidence Is the fact that when the
ocean, twenty miles away, is unusually
heavy and rough the volcanoes become
Intensely active, belching forth not only
their burden of Ice-cold mud, but vol
umes of warm vapor. In some mysteri
ous way the ocean seems to control
their action.
When she saw the golden hair upon
the shoulder of her husband's coat she
was at first inclined to grow sick at
heart.
For her own hair was as black as the
raven's wing,
But her rare good sense did not for
sake her. '
Almost at once she recalled, with a
thrill of relief, that the cook's hair was
golden, and that a plate of soup hsd
been spilled In her husband's neck at
dinner.
"Oh, what a good husband he Is," she
mused, radiant.
Of coarse, this fable Isn't true. It la
designed simply to show women how
thoroughly their happiness Is a mattsi
within their own control.
A Wouian Solp at Auction.
An unfortunate old woman, poor, her
usefulness gone, her friends driven
from her by her peculiarities incident
to old age, has just been sold at auc
tion to the lowest bidder by the over
seer of the poor of Lackawanna town
ship, Pike county, according to the
Milford (Pa.) correspondent of the Syr
acuse Post-Standard.
Despite her age, however, her mind
is active, and she startled the auc
tioneers by bidding In herself.
The woman who waa put on the block
is Mrs. Elmlra Quick. She is 77 years
old, and has resided nearly the whole
of her life In Lackawaxen township.
Her sale at auction was In pursuance
of a custom which has long prevailed
In that township.
It has been customary for the various
poormasters to sell the poor of the
township each year to the lowest bid
der in preference to being annoyed
with the case themselves, and about
the beginning of the year a large sign
with the glaring headline of "A Woman
for Sale," can be seen posted about
the township, for It seldom befalls a
man to become dependent upon the
district.
The successful bidders, in addition to
receiving a small allowance each week
from the poor authorities for the main
tenance of the indigent, manage to get
much work done about the house by
the unfortunate.
Mrs. Quick, It is asserted, has long
been subjected to such drudgery, and
her mind has long been at work to de
vise some scheme whereby she might
thwart the plans of the poor-master
and bidders at her annual sale, and at
last she has been successful.
When the bidders assembled at War
ren K. Rutan's hotel, at Rowland sta
tion, the overseer of the poor, Mr.
Rosencrance, a former Pike county
commissioner, and Warren Rutan, who
also acted as auctioneer, took the floor
and announced that a "woman was to
be sold the lowest bidder for keep for
tne year.
The room was crowded and many
outside clamored for admission to the
little hostelry.
The bidding started at 14 a week and
was very spirited.
The auctioneers were about to knock
down the woman to a backwoodsman
for $1.60 a week when Mrs. Quick, who
had been a silent listener to the pro
ceedings, arose from her chair and
quietly said:
"I will bid 15 a month. I will have no
trouble to maintain myself on that
amount."
This turn in the proceedings was
wholly unanticipated, and created gen
eral surprise. How was the aged wo
man to live on If cents a day?
No one seemed willing to go below
Mrs. Quick's bid, and the auctioneers
saw no alternative but to aell the wo
man to herself, and the papers were
accordingly drawn up.
Mrs. Quick is a widow and has three
sons and a daughter, but none seems
willing to care or provide for her, and
she drifts sbout as a pauper on the
township.
The annual sale of the poor each year
at public auction has no sanction in
law In Pennsylvania, and It is only la
Laehawaaen township that the practice
Is adhered ta.
HOMCOCMNG.
1 1
A spirit of melancholy bad settled
down over the divinities at the saaeV
house down In the alley. Conditions tat
general favored such a mood. Ginger
Kelley had come to out of a disagree
able lethargy of longer than the usual
duration, and was pouring balsam over
his wounds at the bar. "Bughouse'
Pete was painting his hull black and
getting ready for action. Gloom had
settled with the soot over every coun- .
tenance.
"I dunno," said the outlaw, "how It'a
to be done, but I've got to go home
and butt in. We signed a treaty UV
peace last Chewsday at home, and I
agreed to came back regular and. get
my laundry, but now It's all off again.
The lmpresiaon of my last meeting with
my wife will go with me to the grave. I
trudged up Nannygoat Hill wldout aa
idee in the world as to how I could
bow myself in. Then Just In the nick
uv time I wuz struck wld a Inspiration.
I snlks Into a penitential air and un
packs a few boxes of Mexican an' gits
ready. I unlocks the parlor door, goes
in and sets down. My wife comes la
and I don't say a word, but looks for
lorn at de carpet an' sighs."
" 'Well, what's de matter wid yous'T
says she. I don't answer, but rips out
anudder sigh. She stand and Ioks at
me wid her arms at her side. Den I
breaks de Ice. 'Mary,' says L 'here's
one al unworthy us a good woman ilka
yousself and de cumfu table home yaa
keeps so clean an' tidy. I'm gain' to da
dogs; dere'a nuttin' to It'
" Why don't youa go to bed?' aba
says, moderatln'.
"'No,' says I. 'I ain't worthy uy a
civilized bed. I'll jes' lay down here 00.
the floor an' sleep, or lay out on tha
steps.'
"Well, by George! she stod for it and
put me to bed, uv course. I sneaks
out de nex' mornln', when I ketch bar
off watch an' hain't been back since.
"Las' night I wuz comin' down by da
White Elephant an' I meets One-eyed
Williams, who has ben wadin' troo
de rye for upwards uv two weeks, an'
he carries a bundle dat looks like wash
under his arm.
'"Where yous goin'?' says I. ' '
" 'Goln' home,' says he, wid tears ia -his
whiskers. An' den he exnlalna
about not havln' seen his wife and
family for so long, an' how he wua
takln' her a little present In order ta
round himself up wld her. At first I
didn't know what to purchase, but at
las' I gits me lamp on the proper ar
ticle to fetch her,' an' he puts the bun
dle under his arm in a fatherly way.
" 'Morn' 14 pounds uv choice sausage,'
says he. 'Now what do you think ut
that?' "
DOMESTIC PLEASANTRIES.
Detroit Free Press: "You will not
forget me, won't you, dear?" she plead,
ed by way of softening the harshness
of her refusal. "Sure thing!" said he,
"you know I'd do anything to please'
you." j
Boston Transcript: Coddle Well, I
suppose R's time to get up. Mrs. Cod-i
die Why, has the alarm clock gone
off? Coddle I don't know; but tha
baby has gone to sleep at last
Indianapolis Journal: "Undone Mo
by a woman!" said Mr. Lushforth.
weeplngly. Mr. Lushforth, at that pry.
etiological moment, was gaxlng dream.
Ily at the shoes of his feet that the
wife of his bosom had kindly unlaced.
Chicago Tribune: "Millie, dear, what
Is your papa's objection to me?" "Ha
says you don't seem to have any defi
nite object or purpose in life, Harry."
"Yet he knows I've been coming to
see you for five straight years!"
Detroit Journal: "I understand they
fell out the next day after they were
married." "Yes, the newspapers gave
a column to their wedding, and they
disputed as to whether It was because
of the prominence of his family or
of hers."
Chicago News: Her Father And I
s'pose you expect. If I consent to lot
you have my daughter, that I will set
you up la business and make you richT
Mr. Bappieigh No, I really haven't any
sucn extravagant expectations as that
I'm willing to take her Just for my
board and clothes. ' ,
Washington Star: "A, woman," re
marked the man who assumes superior
airs, "haa no sense of humor." "WeH," '
answered his wife, "when you consider
how often she Is requested to laugh
over serious matters like houaeoleaa
lng and Easter bonnets, I don't think
you ought to blame her." - '
Chicago Tribune: "h have called, Mr.
Bllllwlnk, to tell you I love your daugh
ter. Miss Fanny, and I want to marry
her." "Well, It will not take me long to
answer you, Mr. Harkalong. Tou can't,
have her." "Your refusal pains ma
deeply. By the way, Mr. Bllllwlnk,
are you carrying all tha life insurance
you want?"
PRATTLE OF THE YOUNGSTERS
Tommy I'm going to ba a lawyer
when I grow up. Uncle I thought you
were going to be a minister. Tommy
So I was, but there's more fair play
In law. Ministers is always Jumping oo
Satan, and he don't get a chance to talk '
back.
"Pa, Is Admiral Dewey a full ad
miral?" 'Tea, my son." "He's a aalt
water admiral, isn't her "Certainly.''
"And you are sure he's a full admiral V
"Of course he Is." "Well, how can ha
keep full on salt water?"
A little boy of 4 years haa a way Of
referring with great deference to hla
sister, not yet 6. She waa learning a
verse for Sunday school, tho last Una
of which was: "Drive tha shades af ash
away." "Mary," he said, earaaatty,
"what la 'sin awayr " "I aoa't know,
Johnnie," aha answered, yaat aa aan
ousry. "Bat mamma puta aaossaaaaa''
Into cake: let' ajs and aaft her Hcst
Us way' -"
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