Harrison press-journal. (Harrison, Nebraska) 1899-1905, August 28, 1902, Image 4

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UNIVERSAL miOTRRKHOOn.
BY Her. J. W. Barrett, Ph. D.
All ye are brethren. Matthew xxiii., b.
It was a profound remark of Schilling
that history as a whole is a successive
revelation of God. And iu this rtveU
tlon both God aud uiau have participated.
God has been seeking to reveul hiuisclf
in his true nature and character, and this
effort has been met and seconded by man
reaching out after him aud responding to
him. It has been a slow process, but it
baa gone steadily on increasing in breadth
and significance as the centuries have
come and gone.
The cry of the human heart throughout
the ages has been after Uod: "Oh. that j
I knew where I might find himr But it
was not till Jesus came that any soul had
any adequate conception of his nature
and character.
The fundamental proposition of the
kingdom that Jesus established is the
universal fatherhood of God. By him all
partition walls hare been broken down,
and all dividing lines removed, so that all
men everywhere may now look up to him
and say, "Our father, who art in heav
en." The co-ordinate proposition Is the uni
versal brotherhood of man. God ia the
Father of all; and "if one is our Father,
even God, then all we are brethren:"
Moat men are ready to concede this fact
in a general way, bat when we come to
make a practical specific application of
it, we discover that it ia scarcely more
than a theory. We say that we believe
it, bot we are hardly ready to practice it.
We are wite ready to recognize as our
brethren i-ose who are living on the same
plane at we are those whose tastes and
habits are in common with ours; and also
quite ready to recognize that those above
us are our brethren, and that they have
certain obligation toward us which we
are very anxious to have them recognize
and fulfill; but we are not sure about
those who are below ns. Many refuse
to recognize these as brethren. They are
oar brethren, however, even though we
do not like to recognize them. The lim
its of human brotherhood reach from the
highest to the lowest, from the richest to
the poorefft, from the most worthy to
the most unworthy. To all of these we
are indebted, for the measure of obliga
tion reaches as far as the limits of broth
erhood: and we need to keep asking our
selves the question: "How much owest
thou?'
First, there is our debt to the past. The
limits of tmr brotherhood reach back to
the very beginning. Every man who has
lhed before us has contributed to what
we have and are. Every sin of the past
is aeen and felt in the present. And what
ia true of the evil is just as true of the
goj3. We stand upon the shoulders of all
th past and enjoy the blessings for
wfcich they have lived and labored and
died.
And we ought to be grateful to them
jfr what they have made it possible for
r- to oVi. This is our debt to them, and
we ran pay it only as we live such lives
as not to lose all this for which these
noble souls have lived and died, and by
making our best contributions to the end
that not only ourselves but the race as
well shall be made perfect.
S Second, there is pur debt to the pres
ent. We are brothers not only to the
- past, but also to the present generation.
The relation of man to man is a mutual
relation. The spirit of Jeans is that if
any man has In his possession anything
that makes his life easier and better, it
is his duty to Impart this to others as far
- as possible, so as to make this world, and
this life, as beautiful and helpful to all
as we can.
The most widely separated peoples are
Jinked together by the ties of brother
hood, and we shall never live our best life
till we have come to recognize this fact
Snd to order our lives in accord with it.
All wrongs shall be righted and al! op
pression cease when men once learn that
they are brethren.
Third, there la oar debt to the future.
Even though we Tecognlze that every
naa who has lived in the past, and that
every one who i living to-day, is onr
brother, and try to fulfill our duties and
obligations toward them all, still we have
not yet reached the limits of human
brotherhood or the measure of our obli
gation. We are brother aa well to all
future generation. If it is true that
every good and every evil of the past 1
seen1 and felt in the present, it 1 equally
trot that every good and evil of the pres
ent will b seen and felt in the future.
God's law ia: "Whatsoever a man sow
eth, that shall he also reap."
Onr debt to the future, like that to the
Mat and present, la twofold; what we
rat and what we have to give. We are
not la the world to get all we can out
of It (or oaraelves. We are not in it even
to ret all w oan out of it for the present
generation. We must take the future
into the account a well. The man who
fives for the present only doe not live
the bast Hfe. The man lives to-day on
what he has to earn to-morrow is not II v
- tag the right kind of a life. He Is using
that which does not belong to him ss yet,
. gad that which may never belong to blm
at alt
And what la true of the Individual la
traa of the generation. Generation, too,
asast learn to live within their means If
they are to live tht best life. U we are
Jiving to-day on what mnst be produced
.a the next generation, ws are doing a
great Injustice to them, and to ourselves
a wall. We are making life easy to oor-
atfre at the expense of somebody else.
II la traa tbat we all have to live mora or
lata for the future. We must make oar
u, n tn-1 lirn eannrh ta Include
en fatar. but we most not Borrow rrom
f" w fatare. We must bo cartfal aot to
UaJ any harden noon them tut will bo
' avy to boar and that k will bo Inpoo-
c "a for too to throw ok.
tJwtratkHM of tuts are son ana wui
ftiffs the lomg-tirao franchise that
r sMatod to Mbne-aorrioo corpora
! .2 Eur citloa are tka4 Of, aad sth-
ers are continuing to be tied up, for year
to come by their councils and board of
public works, who seem to think that
they have a good thing for the present,
or, what is too frequently true, because
these corporations are willing to give
them a few thousand dollars for their
vote, without any thought of the people
who are to bear these, burdens iu the
yearw to coine.
Surely we need to have a new sense of
our duty and obligation. We need to
have onr horizon enlarged, so as to get a
larger and better view of life and life's
relations. We have much more to learn
in the meaning of brotherhood before
that brotherhood will be realized. The
future is looking to us. and we are re
sponsible for it. We have it in our power
to make it pleasant anil helpful to all
those who are to live in it, and we also
have it in our power to make it very
hard for them. May the good God make
us wise to all of this, and may we, like
men, meet the full measure of our obli
gation to the pa-ft, the present and the
future, for all we are brethren.
DEFINES CHRISTIANITY,
By Her. R. W. Rogers.
Moralists never tire of describing the
influence of companions on a person's life.
But if the law of association is important
in the social world we will also find that
it 1b just as fundamental in the religious
life.
Because there is nothing ao intensely
interesting aa the study of the world's
religions, men have always asked the
question, "What is religion?" And what
it it? Some one replies, "It is faith." But
faith is merely that which leads to God.
Another tays it ia righteousness. But
the righteous life is only that which
springs from a life with God.
It is neither of these, but, rather, re
ligion i simply a companionship with
Uod as revealed in nature and truth. And
as the companions of Socrates grew wise,
as the associates of Daniel became cour
ageous, to the companions of God be
come broad-spirited, truly righteous and
noble in character.
There could be no religion if God lived
alone. Neither could there be religions
life if man had no creator. It takes God
and man to make a religion; for the es
sence of religion is companionship like
that of a collie with its master; not a
fellowship like that of a reveller with
Bacchus, but the companionship of a
righteous man with a divine being who
is infinitely upright and sympathetic.
Dogmas and creeds are useful in relig
ion only as helps and instruments that
guide one into the presence of God. But
they must not nsiirp the place of relig
ion, which is a life with God. It is not
strange, then, that the people have differ
ent kinds of religious life. The reason
is that the temperament, education and
caiiings of men lead them into a com
panionship with God that emphasizes
particular attributes of the divine na
ture. There are 140 denominations and most
of these have a religious life because each
of them has some association with God.
But tbat man has the best religion who
Las a Wesley an heart, a Presbyterian
conscience, arid an Episcopalian reserve,
because bis religious life issues out of a
ecrtripanionship with God that appreciates
all parts of the divine nature.
The world is constantly perplexing It
self with the question, "What is Chris
tianity?" And should the interrogative
he put to many Christians some would
declare that it is the system of truth por
trayed in Paul's epistle to the Romans.
But it is more than that Others would
affirm that it is the sermon on the mount.
Christianity is just a companionship with
Christ; and the book of Romans great
as it isis but a letter of introduction
to the Nazarene and the precept "poke'n
on the mount picture a type of the con
duct and life that results from association
with the Christ.
Christianity is the highest type of
friendship between God and man. We
talk about going to heaven when we die,
but the heavenly life, companionship with
the Godlike and Christlike begins here.
aul and I.nther went to heaven Itefore
they died, not after. And so must man
to-day, for religion is a wholesome and
sustaining companionship with God that
begins on earth and continues through
the centuries.
0000 0 0 00 0000 o to .
I SERMOSETTES j
Faltb in God. He who would rob
man of his faith in God can be no
teacher of American patriotism. Bish
op Fallows, Episcopal, Chicago, 111.
The Preached Word. For the time
being it is possible to crowd a church
by other methods than that of tbe
preached word. What the people need
and want to hear from the pulpit ia not
so much about capital and labor, but
more of tbe teachings of tbe blessed
Master, who came to teach peace.
Rev. I,. M. Zimmerman, Lutheran, Bal
timore, Md.
Satisfy the World. There Is much
talk to-day about a cotifesslon that will
satisfy the world. This la Impossible,
aa the truth of a good confession la re
veul ed to men by the Holy Ghost Men
may call Christ a (food man, but He la
recognized aa Divine only through the
work of the spirit of God. The world
Is satisfied to look on Jesus Chrirt as a
tnan, but the cburch Is not satisfied ex
cept to know Him as Lord. Iter. V. W.
Sneed, Presbyterian, Pittsburg. Pa.
A Genius for Religion. Tbe writers
of the Bible were all, so far aa we are
Informed, of the Jewish race. This
fact aheils a flood of light on the Bl
ble, Ortaln races hsve a peculiar fit
neaa for certain things the Greek for
art, for Instance, and the Anglo-Hnxon
for civilization. Ho the Jew bad a
genius for religion. Tbe Bible In all Its
rarioua porta la essentially a religious
book. Ood la tbe center of all Its
thoughts. It represents tbe supreme
product of tbat race whose genius wat
religion for agoa Rev. P. Y. utpbos.
Proatytortaa, dor aland, O.
SgMlftyention
A lately completed list of fungi gives
the total now known as 52.157, not less
than i,K3 species and varieties having
been added since August. 1V.I.
Our sense of smell is explained by
Crookes as due to "electrons," or chips
of atoms, such as are given ofT by ra
dium, and which affect the retina as
well as the olfactory nerve. Smell is
X-va dy. io!L.iU..diil !?ed. 'U.ly... A French
writer Mig'es.s that our sensitiveness
to odors will be Increased by some in
strument analogous to the telescope,
and then a new era will open.
The whole operation of winking lasts
about four-tenths of a second. The
downward movement of the eyelid oc
cupies from seventy-five to uiucty-thou-ft.im.lihs
of a second. At the end of the
descent a lid rests for a period which
varied with different persons from fif
teen to seven! een-huudredtbs, aud the
ascending movement took seveuieeu
huudredths. "As quick as winking,"
therefore, means about four-tenths of
a second.
Au engineer of Zurich, L. Thormann,
reports, after a careful examination,
that sufficient electric power could be
developed from the waterfalls of the
Alps to run all the railways of Switzer
land. There would be little or no re
duction of cost, he says, but the time
may come when the change from steam
to electricity may be desirable, because
Switzerland has to import all the coal
she uses. From twenty-one waterfalls,
some of which are already partially
utilized for Industrial purposes, 8b,000
horse-power could be developed, but
only tlu.iXW horse-power would be re
quired to replace the steam power now
used on the railroads.
Although the predictions freely made
a few years ago that the development
of electric fraction would quickly drive
bores from the field of labor have not
been fulfilled, yet the Electrical He
view cites statistics to prove that the
disappearance of the horse Is actually
taking place, although so slowly as not
to attract much attention. In Paris the
number of horses fell off about 0 per
cent lxtween 1!U and V.Y1. In Lou
don the decrease In the same time was
10 per cent In Berlin, Vienna and St.
Petersburg a similar falling off i
shown by the census of horses. In New
York It Is estimated that the number
of horses has decreased 33 per cent In
the last tweuiy years. But although
horses may be relieved of the burden
of bard lalsir. it is not likely tbat man
will ever banish his ancient friend aud
servant wholly from the circle of his
pleasures.
The remarkable discovery of Abbott
II. Thayer, the American artist, to
which reference has before been made
in this column, that the gradation of
colors on the bodies of wild animals
tends to make them Invisible, or unno
tieeable, amid their natural surround
ings, has recently been the subject of
renewed discussion. Prof. E. B. Potil
tou of Oxford, England, regards the
discovery as exceedingly w ide In Its ap
plication. Briefly stated, the color law
which Mr. Thayer finds prevailing in
the animal kingdom produces un effwt
exactly contrary to the ordinary shad
ing of objects Illuminated by light from
the sky. Being dark above and Ugh
below, and. moreover, having colors
harmonizing with those f Its natural
environment, the animal, when motion
less, loses the nppearance of solidity,
and blends with the background so per
fectly that often it escapes the eye.
This applies alike to quadrupeds and
birds. Fishes nlso show a similar gra
dation, and the law can be traced In
the insect world.
VICTIM OF A CONSPIRACY.
Wherever He Goes Death Seems to He
Hot on Ills Track.
In the adventures of Carlo Cattapani,
Marquis de Cordova, now living in New
York, there would appear to be ample
material of adven
ture for a dozen
novels. The mar
ils belongs to one
t the oldest of the
titled families of
Italy. Some two
years ago he start
ed to secure certain
papers to be used
In substantiating
his claims to a
mako,uw cokdova large Spanish es
tate. Since then Id every city he has
visited bis life has been one of per
petual terror, and murderous assaults
have been made on blm.
The Spanish estate Is valued at 12.-
500.000 and belonged to another branch
of the marquis' family. Before setting
out on bis quest for the lost papers,
which bad been stolen from tbe Catta
pani home In Italy, be employed French
detectives. These, after a time, sum
moned him to London, believing that
they bad located the papers there. The
marquis was then at Monte Carlo. One
night before be set out for Ijudon be
was fired on. The Incident did not
greatly alnrm blm, as be was then Ig
norant of the conspiracy against his
life.
On reaching London he received an
anonymous letter In Spanish, threat
ening blm with death of be persevere
In bis efforts to secure the estate. Ho
laid tbe matter before the Italian am
bassador, but no clew could 1 found
to tbose who threatened bis life. A lit
tle later, while In Birmingham, he was
assaulted by three men on one of the
streeta of tbe city. He was found,
later, lying on tbe pavement uncon
scious. When be recovered be returned
to London and there received word
from one of bis detectives In New York
to proceed at once to that city. Ap
parently his enemies learned of bis In
tention of sailing for the new world,
for a few nights before bis departure
he was assaulted In his room. Ills as
sailants bound and gagged blm and
then tied hltn securely to the bed, after
which they lighted a Ore in the grate
aud turned on the gas at full pressure.
Meantime they bad ransacked bis pa
pers. Fortunately the Janitor of the
building smelled the gas and traced
Its escape to its source in time to re
lease the marquis.
During April, P.xil, the marquis sailed
for New York and took up his quarters
well uptown. Here, emu day, he re
ceived a letter asking Iiini to meet the
writer at South Ferry and hike his
papers along. The letter went on to
state that if the marquis' claims were
well founded he could have the missing
papers then and there.
On reaching South Ferry lie saw a
carriage in waiting and was invited by
two men to step In and drive with
theln to an ofliee where the matter
could be arranged. This was at K
o'clock on a Monday morning and when
again the marquis was conscious of
anything It was Friday night and ht
found himself lying iu bed in a but,
near what be subsequently found waf
Prospect Park, Brooklyn. When be en
tered the carriage he was apparently
lilt in the head by some weapon, for
he carries a scar as a memento of the
occasion. He believes he was also
drugged.
When he regained consciousness In
the but he heard voices In an adjoining
room and heard the question of his kill
Ing discussed. This thoroughly aroused
him and he made his escape through a
window. Subsequently he tried to find
the hut, but failed. The police were
also unable to solve the mystery.
The marquis has not yet found the
lost papers and apparently is as far
from attaining the Spanish estate
ever.
WATCHING FOR CYCLONES.
Westerners Fear Them as the Island
ers lo Volcanoes.
Recent disturbances by volcanic
eruption In the Island of Martinique
and Guatemala bring out in full meas
ure of sympathy of the residents of tint
cyclone district of the Southwest. The
cyclone Is by far the worst form of
disaster that visits this country, com
ing at unexpected times aud dealing
death and destruction In widespread
manner.
When the summer days bring waves
of bent across the stretches of hot sod,
then the residents of the prairie West
begin to cast their eyes to the wind
ward. They are watching (lie forma
tion of the clouds, and be who could
not distinguish a cyclone bank from
any oi'uer is indeed a tenderfoot. Then
the cry of warning Is carried across the
plains and the members of every fam
ily make for their cyclone cellars.
These cellars differ In various com
munities. The popular cyclone cellar
on the plains of western Kansas, where j
cyclones a few years ago were almost
a dally occurrence, are ordinary sod
bouses, built low and strong.
In the Russian communities of Kan
sas these cyclone houses serve as the
family residence the year around. They
are about seven feet high, and built ex
ceptionally strong. The roofs are slant
ing, and the houses are set to the wind,
that Is, the ends are faced toward the
east and west.
In Oklahoma every farmhouse
backed up by a cave, a hole dug Into
the ground, and covered by on earthen
roof. Some farmers have gone so far
la protecting themselves against cy
clones that they have a small cannon
loaded with salt and buckshot, which
Is tired Into tbe whirling clouds as they
Approach. This has been known to
turn the course of a storm. It Is a
common event to dismiss school on the
plains of Oklahoma when a bank of
clouds begins to arise In the southwest.
These wind and rain storms are becom
ing more uncommon every day, anil It
Is believed that the pluntlng of trees
and the settlement of tbe barren sod
has bad much to do with It Before
Oklahoma was thoroughly well settled
dozens of cyclones were reported every
day In the hot months. The writer
was In the Newklrk one day In the
early period of that town's existence,
and saw seven cyclones form In the
afternoon. All of them followed the
course of the Arkansas River, and
"struck" In the Osage Indian reserva
tion, far to the westward.
The Drag Htore at Fault.
An Individual, who from his clothes
and the dinner pail which be carried
appeared to be a laboring man, recently
walked into a drug store on Eleventh
avenue and requested to be given a
marriage license.
"You'll have to go to tbe city ball to
get that," said the druggist
"I don't see why. Isn't my money
good here? I'm In a hurry, too."
"We don't handle that kind of li
cense," answered the drug store man.
"Well, I was told I could get one
here sure, and that d n Jutlce won't
marry me without a license," angrily
snapped the fellow a he walked out.
The druggist said that people often
come Iu with requests which would
make a stoue tnan smile, "and If you
do laugh they get mad." be concluded.
Milwaukee Sentinel.
The chief difference between a girl
and a married woman I that In ono
case It Is a father and in the other a
husband, who does the grumbling
Hlmnt bat bills.
Very few people hide their talent
under a bushel; most of them drag It
out and try to sell It nt Ave times its
value.
When a woman has a One uouse,
bow the other women Impose on ber!
QUEER JOBS FOE BOYS
TASKS THAT MESSENGER LADS
ARE ASKED TO UNDERTAKE.
Encaged to Air Babies or Dog. Assist
Inebriated Individuals, Accompany
Nervous Shoppera, Keep Torn in Bar
ber Bhop, and Ho Other Odd Unties.
"They're finding new stunts for the
messenger boys right along." remarked
the manager of a local district messen
ger oltice the other day. "Airing babies
and dogs, taking care of Jagged individ
uals, accotiipaiiyiiig out-of -town -women
ou shopping expeditions, aud jobs of
that sort are now old stories for the
kids. Hut every once In a while some
thing new for them to do turns Up.
"A couple of Saturday evenings ago
a business man well known along F
street dropped in and handed me one
that I'd never beard of before iu con
nection with the messenger business.
" "I w ant to get shaved over at
Blank's,' he said, mentioning a well
patronized barber shop, 'in about three
quarters of an hour. The place Is al
ways Jammed up wirh fellows waiting
for their over-Sunday shaven on Sat
urday evenings, and I've had some
wearisome waits there. I wish you'd
hike a kid over there for me to nail a
place In the 'next' row for me. He can
let on that he's due for a haircut, and
I'll drop around about the time he's
called to the chair.'
"I sent a ltoy over to the shop, and
it went through all right The young
ster peeled his coat and kept a wary
eye out that he wasn't skipped in his
turn. A couple of minutes before the
boy wus due to be summoned to a chair
as the 'next' tbe business man who
had rigged up the little scheme dropped
in, and wheu the lad wag called by the
barber the man Just slipped Into the
tchalr and the boy donned his coat with
a grin, bis task accomplished. The
business man told me afterward that
'two or three of the waiting men In the
shop started to register kicks over the
transaction until It was explained to
them, when they calmed down and
laughed over the Idea.
"During the races at Benulng a race
track man, wearing a lot of Jewelry,
put a new one over. When be got up
to the desk he leaned over confldntial
iy and said to me:
" 'I want you to send a kid down to
So-and So'g pawnshop with this ring,'
removing a line three-stone diamond
ring from his left hand. "I want two
hundred on It and have the boy hurry.'
"I sent one of the larger boys on the!
errand, and he returned promptly with
the and the ticket. The racing man
had olwerved me smile a bit over his
scheme, and he smiled along with me.
"Well, it does look a bit finical,
doesn't itr said he. 'Hut the racing
bunch are traveling around the streets
to see what they can sie all the time.
and if any of them happened to spy me
going into or coming out of a pawn
shop the word would get around that
yours truly was on the crags, which
wouldn't suit my game a little bit
s'?"
'Not long ago I bad another novelty
here. A department olilclal that I know
well walked In with a shoebox under
his arm.
' 'Say,' said he to me, 'have you got
any kid around this plant with No. S
feetr
' 'All sizes,' said I.
' 'Good thing,' said the man, opening
the box and pulling a fine pair of pat
ent leather shoes out of It. 'I w ant you
to pick out a boy with No. 8 feet and
have blm Jog around town for a day
In these Infernal contraptions. I bought
the shoes yesterday. They slipped on
all right wheu I bought them, but I al
most died In 'em at the theater last
night They sort o' drew around the
Instep. If you've got u youngster that
can stretch 'em for me I'll pay right lor
the merchandise, although I'd hate to
have to take a chance on paying the
kid's relatives for his life in case he
failed to survive the ordeal.'
"I banded the shoes over to a tidy lad
provided with feet that fltu-d them
snugly ew.ugh, and tbe Iwy wore ihern
around for the day without any dis
comfort. Tbe man came In for them
that same evening, and the next even
ing be dropfKsl In to say that the shoe
fitted him immensely, and that he
hadn't been bothered a little bit by the
drawing instep after wearing them
all of that day,
"A very much flustrated man came
prancing In here before 9 o'clock on
Tuesday morning last" continued, the
manager, according to the Washington
Star, "and leaning over the desk, -and
addressing me In a vol of suppressed
wrath, mingled with emotion, be said:
" 'I want you to assign a messenger
boy to meet me at the main exit of the
War Iepartment at precisely 4:02 this
afternoon. lick out a boy with strong
lungs, one that can boiler so tbat he
can be beard four miles. If you've got
one like that In stock. Instruct blm to
walk up to me, when be see me emerg
ing from tbe War Department, aud get
a powerful, unbreakable clutch on my
coat tails. Then he Is to bowl with all
his might "Forty feet of garden bosel
forty feet of garden bosel" and keep
right on hollering the same all the way
from the War Department to the store
where I've been due to buy that con
founded hose for the last ten days. I've
forgotten It every time, and now I'll Ite
lenied If my wlfe'll speak to ine at the
table on account of It.
" 'I wouldn't take a chance on going
borne to-night without that miserable
forty feet of garden hose for any mon
ey, and that's why I want you to pick
out the most persevering, rambunc
tious, leather lunged son of a gun of a
boy tbat you've got on your pay-roll to
bawl "garden hose'' at me sixty times
a minute from tbe Instant I break m
of the War iH-partment building until
I walk out of tbat store with tbe Kr
deu hose under my arm. If the boy Is
arrested for disturbing the pec "U
Au tine fttlil aiadlv: I'll be eterniO-
ly hornswoggled If Fd let a little thing
like that fea.e me when it cornea io
having my home broken up. "
EXCITABLE PARIS.
Not Satisfied with the Humdrum Lif
of the Republic
vWbat Is the cause of tbe separation
of Paris from the re-t of the country?
We believe the -aue to be 'hat Paris
Is ts.red. The republic may be all that
Its ii.lmir, rs coiitt-nd. but to her It ap
pears to have another and less charm
ing quality. It is humdrum. Partly
from her history, partly from being the
rendezvous of all that is ambitious,
vain, and esurient In France, and part
ly from the "genius" which gradually
molds the pi-ople of every great city.
Paris thirsts fur an clement of the dra
matic in politics which the republic Is
unable to supply. Its rulers have n
fancy for grand coups; they are not
seeking war. but protective alliances;
they are the center of no splendors;
and they give no subjects for excited
talk. Thcv prefer, in fact, that govern
ment should not be scenic, while Paris
prefers that It should be. She is. there
fore, dull; and Paris, w hen she Is dull.
Is discontented, ami ready to accuse
any government, no matter what, and
stM-k relief In a change of governors, no
mutter whom. If only they win give
her lively times. So far as cau be per
ceived, she rather despises nil the
pretenders. She has uo candidate for
the dictatorship. If she wishes for
war In the abstract, It Is not for any
particular war. All she knows dearly
Is that she wants something to be done
which will make the world stare, and
give to herself the feeling she most
eDjoys-that of being fully alive.
The respectable republic which tbe
provincials approve, because It gives
them order and Justice, slow but fair
ly steady Improvemt nts. and plenty of
local expenditure on mads and useful
buildings, does not and cannot give
her this, and therefore Paris frets, and
anathematizes the government, for
which all the while she bus ho prac
ticable alternative to offer. She will
continue to fret, we fear, until events
In some way grow exciting, and her
fretfulness will always be a cause of
anxiety to her rulers They know it.
however, and they keep a strong con
trol on her movements, and while
France supports them they will move
forward In a fairly determined way.
France has probably never bad a better
government than the present, or one
more solicitous to secure her perma
nent well-being, find It Is highly to her
credit that the majority of Frenchmen
have perceived this, and have voted
what Is at least a consent that It shall
continue to go on. I-ondou Spectator.
A GREAT-SMOKER
President Mckinley Alwojrs Fond of
a Good Clunr.
"President Roosevelt doesn't smoke,
at least not In his otHce during busi
ness hours," said an attache at the
White House. "In fact, I have never
seen him smoking anywhere, and I
understand that be does not Indulge In
tobacco In any form. Yes, President
McKInley was au Inveterate cigar
smoker tind was rarely without a cigar
In his mouth during his working hours
in bis ollice. I remember that he was
sensitive to newspaper suggestions
that be was smoking too much. -For
Instance, some of the yellow Journals
occasionally published a story that he
was threatened with cancer because of
his constant smoking. He didn't like
this.
"At another time I reiuv-inhcr that a
newspaper man wrote a story describ
ing President McKInley at work nt his
desk. In the story was something
about the blue wreaths of smoke curl
ing upward toward the ceiling. Mr.
McKInley cnlbil this young man in his
office and requested that he say noth
ing in the future ubout his use of
cigars, as It would surely lead to
stories of disease from excessive smok
ing Mr. McKInley, during his long
service In Congress, smoked a good
deal, aud the habit grew with blm
after be entered the White House. He
found pleasure In a good cigar, und
when talking or thinking he bad a
lighted cigar bandy. He had a special
brand of cigars that be bought aud
paid for despite the fact that admiring
friends throughout the country sent
him hundreds of boxes of the best ci
gars ever put up. After we had ac
quired Cuba aud the Philippines, box
after box of the finest cigars made In
these countries) used to reach the Pres
ident from army officers aud friends.
Very few men ever remember to have
seen President McKInley at tbe lnJid
of tbe Cabinet table unless he bail a
lighted cigar In his mouth or one lying
on tbe table nearby,"
Telephoning Through the ICarth.
Among the most Interesting experi
ments In telephoning without wires are
those of Monsieur Ducretet, a French
scientist He places an ordinary tele
phonic transmitter In direct communi
cation wltb the ground, and. at a con
siderable distance away, on tbe other
side of some building with thick walls
and cellars, be has a receiver connected
by one wire to tbe earth and by another
wire to a small metallic sphere let
down through an opening to the floor
of thu catacombs beneath Paris. When
words are spoken into tbe transmitter
they are beard In the receiver with
much greater clearness than In an ordi
nary telephone. Monsleuli Ducretet Is
continuing hi experiments at Increas
ed distances.
A pessimist la a man who believes
that every chestnut baa worm la It.