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About Harrison press-journal. (Harrison, Nebraska) 1899-1905 | View Entire Issue (July 31, 1902)
7" ' REBBASM STATE NEWS NOTES. Stat Fair Offices Opened. Lincoln, Neb. (Speclul.) A tempora ry office of the board of managers of the mate fair has been established at the statehouse and will be maintained there until Secretary Furnas opens headquarters In this city. Q. O. Fur ras, superintendent of concessions, and 8. C. Ilassett, member of the board of agriculture, are looking after the pre llmlnary work, or as much of It as is . felng done In this city. The board's headquarters will be opened about Au gust 15. probably in the Llndt.ll hotel. "All we want now to make the state fair a big success Is good weather.1 said "Mr. Basst-tt. ''If We huve good weather we will have lots of people we already have exhibits In prospect that warrant us in saying that the fair will surpass previous efforts. "We are reliably informed that for the first time In several years the farm Implement dealers will be represented by big displays. This will add to the attractiveness of the fair and ought to be appreciated. An effort was made to get all the dealers Into another combi nation to stay out, but several de cllned, arid it now luoks as though most of the firms will be represented. We have given on firm permission to erect a permanent building on the grounds and it Is understood that oth ers will soon ask for the same privl lege." Secretary Furnas Is hard at work at his home in Brownville arranging for the exposition and distributing adver tlslng matter and literature calculated to bring forth many thousands of people. Among the Improvements on the grounds are several new livestock barns, now nearly completed. The fair will open on August 29 and close on September 6. Governor Savage Returns. Lincoln, Neb. (Special.) Governor Savage returned to his duties Saturdy after nearly a month's absence. He came direct from Denver, unaccompa nled. The trip Included brief stops at Se- attle, where the governor and his friends attended the laying of the keel of the battleship Nebraska; Tacoma Los Angeles, Pasadena, the Catlllna islands, Stockton, San Francisco, Salt Lake City and Denver. Governor Savage says the Nebraska will be one of the biggest and most modern battleships In the navy. It will have a displacement of between 14.000 and 15,000 tons, will cost J3.500.000 and will have an armament equal to that of any Bhlp In the navy. The builders, Moran Bros., informed him that It would be an improvement over the Oregon. The citizens of Seattle raised a subscription fund of $100,000 to add to the government's appropria tion for the rhlp, this being done to insure lu construction within their city. Valuation Shows Inoreaae. Lincoln, Neb. (Specla.) The returns show that the total assessed valuation of all the property In the state, In cluding the assessment on railroad and telegraph property as fixed by the state board of equalization Is 1179,977,314.97. This is J3.53S.219 greater than the as sessed valuation last year. Of this entire Increase, over 13,000,000 wai made In Douglas county. Lan tasur county Bhowed a falling off of over J.'OO.OOO. " ' The board of equalization is anxious to complete the work of equalizing the rate of levy among the counties. Short News Briefs. Falls City, Neb.-The Rev. H. Bex of the Catholic church of this city celf braled his silver jubilee. High mans was celebrated by him In the morning In the evening his friends save him a sui prise party. Table Kock, Neb. Edgar Jobe, the youth who was reported to have been carried away by a tramp at Emer son, la., appeared at the residence of his slHter, Mrs. Kdward Wheeler, Sun day, and was recognized with diffi culty. Beatrice, Neb. George M. Berllng hof was selected as the architect to draw the plans for the new Carlegle library. The library board received and considered specimens of work from all the architects In town. Table Hock, Neb.-The funeral of George W. Welder, one of the oldest settlers In this vicinity, was held yes terday, lie leaves a son and a daugh ter, and was 69 years of age. For a number of years he had charge of the "Colonel Cropsey lands." Mrs. Welde died three months ago. Falrbury. As the result of a mys terious accident, E. L. Cllne's It-mcnths-old son was found lying In the street with a fracture of the right thigh and severe bruises about tho head. It Is thought he may have been atru k by a bicycle. A local branch olhe National Soci ety of the Army ot the Philippine? has been organized at Lincoln with the following ofllceis: President. Captain L. Wilson, late First Nebraska, U. S. V.; first vice president, Captain Harry ti. Archer, late First Nebraska, Pettr Morgenson, living near the Missouri river, south of Plattsmnuth, bad a narrow escape during the storm last week. When the cloudburst came Op, he and his wife and two children fled to the stoim cellar. After the worst of the storm had passed, they noticed that water was rapidly filling the cava and tried to get out, but the door was fastened from without. Mr. Morgenson secured spade and dug through the cave Just a few minutes before It filled with water. The door fc4 been Jammed shut TWO LULLABIES. The paint was cracked on the doll baby's face nd the rumpled hair would not curl. But with motherly kindness she saw only grace The dear little mite of a girl; She had no shoes for the bare, broken feet, Hut tho Kockaby I-ady came near When the little child-woman, so sleepily sweet. Sang: "Lullaby, lullaby, dear!" There were pitiful scars on the little boy's face, But she found a beauty somewhere, And the woman's heart broke when she saw the dim place Where they laid him to sleep with prayer; Eut still there's song in tho hush of the nlKht. For the angels came down very near And .wUh- tinners of rts-t m the -child- wo man's SlKht Sing: "Lullaby, lullaby, dear!' Smart Set. His One Homance. BY HON. W. H. (BUCK) HINKICHSEN. (Copyright. 1901, by Authors' Syndicate.) T WAS 10 o'clock in the morning when Mr. Henry Wentworth alighted from the train at Malvern sta tlon. He beheld a dreary prospect, for, aside from station, water tank, and section house, there was no building in sight- The prairie was open in every direc tion, with no sign of a road and only an occasional small cloud of smoke that indicated the location of some settler's cabin in the distance. The station master looked at him In some surprise, for passengers seldom stopped at Malvern. Finally Mr. Wentworth, turning to him, said: "How can I get to Greenwood?" The agent rubbed his face reflective ly. "I don't know, I'm sure, he re plied, "unless but wait a moment" and he disappeared around the corner of the station. He returned almost in stantly, saying: "I guess Miss Wallace will take you over. "Miss Wallace?" said the stranger. Inquiringly. "Yes, you see," said' the agent, "since the building of the Forest branch peo ple seldom stop off here, and what town we had moved down to the junction 20 miles west. You should have gone on there and taken the branch, which would have taken you to Greenwood by noon. No one lives here now but the railroad men, and there is no one to take you over. Miss Wallace brought her brother over to take the Denver train this morning, and she is now at the section house watering her horse." "Will you call her, please? The agent stared. "Hadn't we better go see her she might not come if we called her. Mr. Wentworth, slightly surprised said: "Very well," and followed the agent around the station to the section house. He saw a pretty young lady, trimly clad in a neat costume and wearing a very broad straw hat. She was watch ing a horse refresh himself from a pall of water, which stood on the ground before him. "Miss Wallace," said the agent, "this gentleman wants to go to Greenwood. Can you take him over? The young woman gave the stranger a quick look and replied, carelessly: "1 suppose so, if he is ready to start at once. "I am quite ready," replied Mr. Went worth. "Any baggage?" she asked. "A small box and a valise." "All right, I'll drive around to the platform for them and you," and she proceeded to give further attention to the horse. In a few moments the man found himself seated by her side in a light wagon, while they drove at a fair pace southward. Mr. Wentworth was a bachelor of 45, whose life had been psent in his law of fice In Chicago. He had put off marriage till he should become rich, but by that time his habits had become so fixed that he did not care to change them. Besides he had been so pursued by mothers with eligible daughters, and In no little degree by the daughters themselves, that he had grown to re garu all women as husband hunters, and bad gradually settled into the habit of avoiding all that were marriageable. He was good tempered, liberal and companionable, but, like most men In his situation, was neIllHh and slightly pgotistlcal. He was well preserved and regarded himself as still a young man, whom any woman would be delighted to honor or bo honored as the case might be. Miss Wallace handled her horse care lessly, but confidently, and this Mr. Wentworth noticed. She said nothing, but drove along as though she were alone. "How far Is It to Greenwood?" asked Mr. Wentworth, after a silence of ten minutes. Nine miles a little over an hour's drive," she replied. "Do you make this trip often? "No, not now." "What is the population of Green wood ?" "Three thousand." "Indeed. I had not thought it so large." "You have not seen the last census perhaps," she remarked, drily. He looked pusrzlcti but said nothing. Here was evidently a woman who did not regard him in the light of a pros pective husband. Suddenly she pulled up the horsn sharply, and, handing him the lines, sprang to the ground, whip In hand. Mr. Wentworth was surprised to see her striking the grass vigorously until ho saw the particular object of her attack a large rattlesnake. The blows of the whip soon destroyed the reptile, and she stepped Into the wagon, exhibiting In triumph the string of rattles which proclaimed Its ago and size. Now Mr. Wentworth feared and dis liked snakes and he looked with some fear and admiration on the young wom an who had attacked and killed one of the poisonous species. 'Are yoti not afraid to drive across the prairies alone?" he remarked as they continued their Journey. ' "Oh, no; look them," and she point ed to a light gun resting In a couple of hooks arranged for Its reception on the dashboard of the wagon. He hnd not noticed It. "You can shoot, then?" he remarked. "Certainly." Ho gave her his card. She told blm bar father's name and that be owned sr. 1 '.! I a farm at the edge of Greenwood where they lived. He Informed her that In the course of business be had also acquired a farm from a man named Holden and that it was also near Greenwood. His visit was for the purpose of examining this farm. "Oh, the old Holden farm! That JoinB father's place." She looked Interested for the first time. "It is a good piece of land, but the Improvements are poor." "I hope to better them." "You are not going to live there?" "No. but I want to put the farm In such shape that I can get a good ten ant for It." "You had better come and stop with us." she said as they approached the straggling town. "The hotel is not very good and we have plenty of room. Father will be glad to havo you." He looked surprised at this young lady who gave the invitation so freely. "Oh, It's all right," she said, smiling, "this is not Chicago." So he accepted and received a hearty welcome from Mr. and Mrs. Wallace. That afternoon Lucy Wallace drove him over his farm of six hundred acres or more, and with great tact and busi ness ability which he could not but ad mire, she pointed out its advantages and defects, and on her recommenda tion he called on the principal contrac tor of the town, and made arrange ments for the erection of a new house and barn with other suitable buildings. The contractor, Tom Clifford, quite a young man, seemed to defer greatly to Lucy's Judgment, and her plans for a house were readily accepted by Mr. Wentworth. For ten days, Mr. Wentworth re mained a guest of the Wallaces, dur ing which time Lucy was his chief ad viser. He found her well educated, mod est and lady-like, and in spite of her independent ways, he soon saw that she would grace any society. "You have made my visit a very pleasant one," he told her when he took his leave. "Then you will come again soon, I hope?" "You may be sure of that," he re plied. He returned to Chicago, but he was not happy. He missed Lucy's com pany. After amonth's mental struggle he gave up the fight against inclination and resolved to marry her. "I love the girl,' he said to himself. "And when I go back to inspect the improvements, I shall propose before I leave there." In the meantime the work on his farm was going forward. Lucy rode over every day to see how the work was getting along. Tom Clifford, the con tractor, was always there when she called. Each received an occasional let ter from Mr. Wentworth. "Do you know, Tom," said she one day. "I believe I made an impression on Mr. Wentworth." "Of course you did." "But I mean " Tom looked troubled. "Yes, I believe I ought to have told him of our engagement" "But he must be nearly fifty years old, at least." "That is true, Tom, but he thinks himself a young man still." "I am sorry for him, dear, If he has fallen In love with you." "So am I, and I had better let him know In some way at once." The building would be ready in a month and Mr. Wentworth wrote that he would be there at that time to re ceive them. Lucy replied to his letter and asked him to come a week earlier so as to be present at her wedding. "Tom Clifford, your contractor, is the unfortunate man," she wrote. "Of course you sus pected our engagement. Now do come to the wedding we all want you so much." When Mr. Wentworth read this letter he felt like the earth had fallen from beneath him. This was a new side to the question. It had not occurred to him that Lucy might be engaged. He had believed it only necessary to pro pose and be accepted. He left his office for that day and went to his bachelor home. He read the letter many times. He waB humiliated and angry, hut final ly a better feeling ruled him. He wrote a pleasant reply with proper congratu lations, promising to be present at the wedding. The day he was expected to arrive at Greenwood. Lucy received through the express office a large envelope con taining some papers. The first of these was a letter from Mr. Wentworth. Af ter several lines devoted to wishes for her happiness, It said: "I am sorry I cannot be present at your marriage. I start for Europe tomorrow on impor tant business and may be gone a year. Inclosed, I send you a bridal gift. Please accept It without demur." The Inclosure was a deed to Lucy Wallace for the Greenwood farm. TO CHANGE NEGRO'S COLOR. Fake Preparation Finds Ready Sale in the South. There are advertised In the South nostrums which It Is pretended will turn the complexion white. That shade Is guaranteed only to mulattoes, but the advertisers of the drugs pro fess that even the darkest skin may be made from four to five shades lighter. whatever degree of charnge that may show. With this preparation are thrown In mixtures to make the hair straight. The combination is put in a box, and at the price of $1 finds many purchas ers. The profits of this enterprise are so great that several rival firms make large sums out of It every year. Htrong acids applied to tho skin will, of course, take off the outer skin. This may tend to lighten the color of a com plexion to some small degree. The ef fect will not be permanent and the application of tho liquids must he fre quent. The same sort of prepartlon used to be sold to remove sunburn. It took off the tan, hut it took the skin with It, and after a while tho effect of this diluted acid on the skin was found to be so Injurious that it went out of uso altogether. Swindling Chinese Dead. A curious Industry In China Is the manufacture of mock money for offer ings to the dead. The pieces are only half the size of real coins, but the dead are supposed not to know the differ ence. The dummy coins are made out of tin, hammered to the thinness of paper and stamped out to the site required. Dr. L. C. Warner, of New York, Is named as the new president of Oberlln college. He has already (riven wore than 1200.000 to the Institution. Interesting Tale in Autobiogra phy of General Lew Wallace. New York letter: General Lew Wal lace has surpassed all his efforts as a fiction writer in the true story which he will tell in his forthcoming and long-awaited autobiography the tle of his own personal encounter with one of the most dreaded depseradoes this country has ever known. The story is one of Gen. iew Wal lace's exciting experiences while gov ernor of the territory of New Mexico, when he was brought face to face in the middle of the desert, at dead of nighjt and -under -- extraordinary- attendant circumstance?., with "Billy the Kid," who of all the many picturesque out laws whose careers are part of the Wild West's history, stands out a distinct and solitary personality. Instances are on record of strange as signations made between defiers of the law and its representatives, where the latter sought to gain some legitimate end by holding the perilous interview but romance in its wildest flights never Imagined any episode more absolutely in recital than this record of stern reality. The story, too, brings into sharpest contrast the West of the past and the west of today. Imagine such an occur rence happening at the present time! It was twenty-five years ago. Billy the Kid was in 1879 the personification of all that meant terror to the people of New Mexico his name was the watchword of a desperate and devoted following. Hoping to find out something that would inure to the benefit of the law. Gen. Wallace exposed himself to infinite peiil in risking his meeting with the outlaw. But Billy the Kid was himself far from secure in agreeing to meet the governor; he stood in peril of his life by making the appointment and keep ing it. Between the two principals, of course, the strictest honor and good faith was observed. The meeting was held, near mid night, in a lonely cabin on the desert near Santa Fe. General Wallace was on the spot first, and sat waiting for the outlaw with no other companion than the solitary owner of the cabin. When Billy the Kid arrived he stood at the door, covering, with a revolver and a Winchester, the two men Inside. He first asked "if the governor was one of the two?" as he had an appointment with him at that precise hour. He looked like a boy, this notorious West ern terror, slim and soft-voiced, yet he stood there the living embodiment of resistance to law and order. The general offered his hand, but the outlaw did not take it until he- had uttered the formal statement that he had been promised the official protec tion. When this was reassured to him, he and the governor took seats facing each other at a small rough table. The two came to terms before they parted and the result of the interview was very valuable from the governor's point of view. Here is General Wallace's ex planation, in his own words, of the pur pose of the midnight meeting: : "Shortly before I had become gover nor of New Mexico, Chapman, a young attorney at Lincoln, had been mur dered. Half a dozen men were arrest ed, accused of the crime. Among them was Jesse James. While it was more than probable that one or more of the men charged with the murder were guilty, it was impossible to prove tho. allegation, for the witnesses, filled with terror, fled the country. When I reach ed New Mexico It was declared on every hand that 'Billy the Kid' had been a witness to the murder. Could he be made to testify? "That was a question on the Up of every tongue. "I had been sent to the Southwest to pacify the territory; here was an op portunity I could not afford to pass by. I herefore I arranged the meeting by note deposited with one of the outlaw's friends, and at midnight was ready to receive the desperado should he appear. He was there on time punctual to the second. "When 'Billy the Kid' stepped to the chair opposite mine, I lost no time in stating my proposition. " 'Testify,' I said, 'before the grand jury and the trial court and convict, the murderer of Chapman and I will let you go scot-free with a pardon in your pocket for all your own misdeeds. " 'Billy' heard mo In silence; he thought several minutes without reply. " '(lovcrnor,' he said, 'If I were to do what you ask they would kill me.' " 'We can prevent that,' said I. "Then I unfolded my plan. Billy' was to be seized while he was asleep. To all appearances, his capture was to be genuine. To this he agreed, pick ing the men who were to effect his capture. He was afraid of hostile bulr lets and would run no risk. Another stipulation was to the effect that dur ing his confinement ho should he kept In Irons. 'Billy the Kid' was afraid al so of the loss of his reputation as a desperate man." As arranged, therefore, next inorn Ing the famous outlaw was arrested WOMEN DRINK AND SWEAR. Eastern Editress Deplores Tendency of the Present Generation. Hull. Mass., dispatch: Miss Floretta VIning, editress of a syndicate of South Shore newspapers, printed a nedltorlal deploring the increase in the habit of drinking and swearing on the part of young women. To a reporter Miss vlti lng said her editorial was not based upon theory, but upon observation. Miss Vlnlng's editorial says in pari; "I am simply paralyzed by wnat I know about the great use of intoxicat ing liquors by young wo'uen. I sow a few days ago two young women, not yet 18, come into a well-known hotel cafe and order whisky cocktails. They took a light lunch, and before they fin ished had two bottles of beer each. Young women of good families, accom panied by young men, would spend their Sundays at Hull. "I must proclaim against what, sur rounds me at the hotel where I live in winter. Young men bring young women to dinner and lunch. That meal will coat from $18 to $20, and these young men are hardly over 21 years old. Where they get the money to pay for It Is beyond my comprehension. "Recently at a house party a young society woman whom every one in Bos and lodged In the Jail of Lincoln coun ty. In prison, by the governor's per mission, the desperado gave some won derful demonstrations of his attain ments as a dead shot. The general ask ed whether there was not a trick in the wonderful marksmanship. "Well, general," replied the desper ado, "there is a trick to it. When I was a boy I noticed that a man In pointing to anything he wished ob served, used his index finger. With long use, unconsciously, the man had learned to point with it with unerring aim. When I lift my revolver, I say to myself, 'Point with your finger.' I stretch the finger along the barrel and, unconsciously, it makes the aim cer tain. There is no failure; 1 pull the trigger and the bullet goes true to its mark." Billy was asked tnat he be subjected to all the regular routine of prison dis cipline. Here he found opportunity for springing further surprises on the pris on authorities. After breakfast one day he stood still, and, as if done by a con juror, the handcuffs fell from his wrists. Then, before the guards could recover themselves, "the Kid" walked out the prison gate, and without even hurrying himself in doing it. Some one had left a horse, saddled, standing at a door in the street. He mounted it, and rode away. General Wallace, after a close inves tigation, became convinced that the es cape was a miracle of hypnotism the guards were in no league whatever with the prisoner; he had in some mysteri ous way held them spell bound with the mere force of his personality. Some weeks later "Billy the Kid" was again a prisoner in the same jail. This time he was in the hands of Sher iff Garrett of Lincoln county, who, it was said, was, of all men in the Terri tory, the only one not afraid of "Billy." General Wallace soon received a note from the captive, who for some reason, had now lost his amazing self-confidence. The note said that "Billy" had some papers the general would not care to have exposed. But General Wallace understood the outlaw's game. He thus refers to the incident: "I knew what he meant." He refer red to the note he received from me and in response to which he appeared at the hut on the mesa. He was threat ening to publish it if I refused to see him. I thwarted his purpose by giv ing a copy of the letter and a narrative of the circumstances connected with It to the paper published in the town. It was duly printed and upon its ap pearance a copy was sent to 'Billy' in his cell. He had nothing further to say." When finally convicted and sen tenced to death, "Billy the Kid," like Macbeth, was not afraid, for he - de clared that none of womanborn could harm him. In the condemned cell they guarded him vigilantly with a detail of nine men, night and day. But his chance was to come. It was the day before that on which he was to die, and the desperado was at dinner. The absent-minded guard stooped towards the ground for an in stant. It was a fatal act for him, for the quick-eyed prisoner dashed his heavily-manacled hands upon the head of the unsuspecting guard, took the man's revolver, with which he terror ized the other guards as they ran up, and broke his way out of the prison. The outlaw had duplicated his daring feat But this second time he had es caped from a different sort of captor Sheriff Garrett was not the one to be easily cheated of his quarry. General Wallace relates how the sheriff followed the desperado to the mountains, track ing him down in a half-ruined fort. Garrett lay in wait near the gate of the fort until nightfall, and at a late hour he saw "Billy the Kid" at last come out into the yard. The regular residents of the fort were Billy's sweetheart and her father. The sheriff entered, confronting the old man, whom he at once held up at the re volver s point; then he concealed him self behind the head of the bed. In an instant Billy re-entered, and instinc tively realizing the presence of an en emy, demanded of the startled old man: "Who is here?" Upon this the sheriff, in pointing his revolver, fully revealed himself. The outlaw instantly fired at him, but the sheriff was quite as quick simultaneous shots were heard, and one of the shooters dropped. It was not the sheriff, however, for in that single moment of his marvelous career "Billy the Kid" had forgotten to shoot Ftraight. The sheriff bent unhurt above the form of his fallen foe, through whose heart a brace of bullets from Garrett's pistol had passed In swift succession. The terror of the Teritory had turned In his checks. Thus, at 21, passed tho man who had crowded into a few short years of early youth enough crime to make full rec ords for a dozen desperadoes of the deepest dye. He had murdered a man for each year he had lived. - GEORGE MORRIS. ton knows brought a quart bottle of whisky, and she and a man drank it before lunch was announced. "Swearing now is common among women. Morals are too lose even among married women. I know men who have to take up the dally paper to know where their wives are." 'J ho German high-speed experiments in electric traction, about whose stop page there seemed to be some mystery, were, It now appears, suspended tempo rarily because the roadbed was not strong enough to bear such high velo cities. Says Engineering (London, April 25) : "At high speeds great trou ble was hnd with the tracks. The rails weighed only C7 1-2 pounds per ynrd and were spiked, for tho most part, to wooden crosstles. although a few Iron ties were used. So long as the speed did not. exceed 100 kilometers per hour no evil effects were noticed, but when the speed went to 140 kilometers (87 miles) per hour, tho carriages began to roll a little, owing to the lightness of the permanent way. Tho experiments show that 85-pound rails would' be heavy enough for speeds up to 100 miles an hour. The tosts were fin ally stopped on account of the yielding of tho track, both horizontally and ver. tlcally. Heavier rails are to be put down and the roadbed Improved in nftrmlt t h a nnnlntnotit in nf loin fc. full speed for which they wore designed; INTORHATIOJT 07 ALL BOMS. Sme of It is Interesting; and Some Im portant to Know. A man of 70 baa eaten In bis lifetime about fifty-eight and one-half tons of food. The great armadillo has ninety-two teeth more than any other animal pos sesses. Widows in Great Britain outnumber widowers by almost exactly two to one. The sun's flames spring at times to a distance of 350,000 miles from its sur face. In 1, OOtt parts ot1 ordinary atmos pheric air the moisture varies from four to 16 parts. The Nile is the only river in the world that flows for 1,500 miles from the Atbara to the sea without one tribu tary. The average man is at his weakest, from a muscular point of view, when he rises in the morning. His strength is greater after the midday meal. Thoroughly draining a piece of land raises its average temperature about three degrees, thus being equivalent to transporting it 150 miles southward. The largest serpent ever measured was a Mexican anacondo, found to be 37 feet in length. It was measured by Dr. Gardner. Water is the only substance which expands with both heat and cold. It is heaviest at a temperature seven degrees above freezing point. "Cleave" is the best instance of an English word with two opposite mean ings. "Nervous," "let," and "propugn" are other instances. Guatemala has the highest death rate of any country in the world. Its rate is 41 per 1,000. In New Zealand only 11 people in 1.000 die in a year. In England December is the month when there are most deaths. January is the fatal month for France, and March the most deadly in Germany. An exhibition is to be held this com ing summer at Roanoke Island, off the North Carolina coast, where the first English people landed in America in 1584. Dr. Hayes measured an iceberg in Melville Bay which was nearly a mile long, and 315 feet above water. It was estimated to weigh 2,000,000,000 tons. The 1,980 miles between Skagway and St. Michaels, Alaska, are covered in winter by dog teams in four and a half days. There are 600 dogs, and they work in relays of 25 miles. Five hundred and eighty-six species of edible plants have been classified. Twenty-one of these yield sugar. The Royal dock at Portsmouth, with, an area of 293 acres, is the largest in England. The sun is one and a half times as heavy as its bulk of water, and would outweigh 326,000 of our planet. It takes 3,600,000 grains of oats to sow an acre; 2,800,000 of barley, and only 1,000,000 of wheat. Blue Peter, the flag shown on ship3 about to sail, is derived from the French word "partir," to leave. The systematic use of capital letters in writing and printing was not com mon until about the 1430. London eats 15,000,000 fowls a year. The Azores Island have no beast of prey native to them. OUR NATION'S ADVANCE. No movement now visibly in progress among us is so significant, none so fraught with such momentous issues, as the triumphant advance of the Ameri cans in the first place among the lead ing nations of the world, says the Re view of Reviews. The 19th century was the century of the British Empire; the 20th is the century of the American republic. The headship of the English-speaking world passed with the century from the older to the younger branch. When the last coronation took place the headship of John Bull was uncontested and tin testable. Next year will witness the coronation of the first British sovereign woh has ascended the throne since the primacy of the English-speaking race passed from its hereditary to its elec tive head. The full import of this shifting of the center of international gravity is as yet but dimly appreciated by the citi zens of the republic; it is resented rather than recognized by the subjects of the king. We stand, therefore, at the threshold' of a new era, which is pregnant with immense possibilities for weal and woe, not merely for those who speak the English language, but for all the children of men. For there is no island in the farthest seas too remote to feel the effect of the change of relative position between Britain and the United States. Among all nations, peoples, kindreds and tongues the slow ascent of the Stars and Stripes over the Union Jack is recognized as a portent to some of deliverance and hope, to other to decadence and doom. She Wrote to the Princess. A pretty little anecdote is going the lady, the widow of an officer, had for lady, tho widow of an ofilcer, ad for many years appealed to the Italian gov ernment for a recognition of her hus band's service, but had never received an answer. A bright idea came to her. She wrote to "Her Royal Highness the Princess Ylanda." When the letter was handed to the king he read It without a smile, and then bade his chamberlain take It to the princess and read it to her. The chamberlain went to the lady and gravely read the letter aloud to her, and then returned to the king. "Well," said tho king, "what did the princess say?" "Nothing, your majesty!" "Very well. Silence gives consent Sen that the lndy s potltlon be attended to" New York 1 imes "Tho Welling (Kan.) Mall Is publish ing the amounts IlstPd by various per sons for taxation," observes the Kan sas City Journal. "The president of the loading bank of the town pays taxes on $80 worth of personal property. The harbor who runs a Rhop In the base ment of the bank pays taxes on $120 worth of personal property. Down with the barbersl Tbey are getting too rich." A. A. Pope of Cleveland will rebuild the Interior of Adelbert college at an expense to himself of about $100,000. Mr. Pope's gift Is In remembranco ot bis friendship for Amass Stone, who endowed the Institution.