KKHHHHHBKHHHHHHHHHHi-HHHttt
AUNT TABITHA'S
BISCUIT BOX.
a-:!-::-::;;;;-;:
AISY: Daisy! It has come ati
Uint t lie present from Aunt
Tabitha. Oh, d liurry down,
dear, for I'm nil impatience." and
Daiy's mother looked ut it as she stood
at the foot of ilic staircase mid contem
plated Hit- box ''iiewTyde'liveredby the
pan-el van, "I knew the dear old soul
would not forget her, and It's no heavy
it iniint be something very handsome."
"oh. mamma, what can It lie V" cried
I'aisy. putting the finishing touches lo
her toilt't as sin1 hastened down stairs.
"I do hoie it is (nu of the new silver
afternoon gland- they are ho chic anil
M.vlish, you know, and no one here
abouts has one except Ijidy Hightoff.
Jler present were jmt In the paper, you
know."
"Call Susan, Daisy; we could not Ret
thin lid oft ourselves," said Mrs. Elder.
Ignoring the fact that when she helped
In her father's gnxery store she wan an
adcjt at opening hexes. It was befit
ting, however, that the arrival of a
marriage present to her daughter from
tlieir one wealthy relative should he ac
companied by all the pomp and cere
mony at her command.
So Susan's help won invoked, and
with the aid of the kitchen ax the box
wag opened, and the article it contain
ed, -wrapped In silk paper, was carried
to the parlor. An unclosed envelope
was attached to It, which contained
Aunt Tabltha's visiting card with this
written on it:
"With best wishes and the hope that
her grund-nleoe wm this for her
sake."
"Dor, mum," said the maid, as she
set It down on the table, "it's heavy.
I do- believe it's Bolid gold."
"It might well be. coming from Aunt
Tabitha, to her name child," snld Mrs.
Elder, smiling to her daughter, who
was unwinding the paper with a dig
Iilty that would have graved the unveil
ing of a public statue.
"A biscuit box:" they exclaimed In
chorus, when the thing stood unveiled.
. It was of rather an ancient type, a
relic of the days when It was consid
ered a virtue in a biscuit box to have
the properties of a mausoleum mas
sive and solemn. It consisted of a
majolica jar about the diameter of a
drain pipe, and quite as elegant, fixed
in n silver-plated stand of a coltln
mount style, and with a lid of similar
Jiictal.
'isn't It hideous?' cried Daisy, on re
covering her breath.
"It's It's not what one would have
expected of Aunt Tabitha," sighed Mrs.
Elder, In a disappointed tone.
Sasau, having heard the Elders txiast
o inii 'ti of the old lady's fabulous
wealth, and thinking she might have
filled the box with sovereigns as a sot
ilT to Its ugliness, lifted the lid and
pecn-d Inside. Its capacious emptiness
jravc Susan a brilliant Idea.
"l.or, mum," she said, "It 'ud make a
beautiful coal scuttle."
This was a n lb-ction on her relative's
gift, however, which Mrs. Elder resent
d. and the girl was thereupon remind
ed of dme household duties that re-j
quired le-r elucw here. j
"I could not show it among my pres
ents, mamma; every one would laugh
at It." said Daisy, petulantly.
"And I've been telling everybody that
It was n solid silver tea service, Aunt
Tabitha was sending you - how provok-'
ing." na!d the mother, peevishly; "I
don't know what to say now."
"Look. mamma," pointing to a trades
man's label on the paper, "this is where
it has been bought. Couldn't we ex
change it for something else?"
"Yes, Daisy, we mightsomething
useful-spoons mid forks, say; that
would save your papa buying them, and
the old wretch need never know."
"And I don't onto, suppose she did;
it would only serve her right the spite
ful old thing, Prize It for her sake, in-!
deed; I would pitch It at her If ghe were
here."
"Do you know, Daisy, what I think
we should give out that she hag sent?"
Wild the mother, suddenly brightening.
"So," replied her daughter, evincing
tiome curiosity.
"A check."
Oh, capital:" cried Daisy. "The very
thing a large amount; a hundred
guineas, shall we say? That's what all
the grand people are doing now. It will
ound quite aristocratic."
And so the firm of silversmiths In the
distant town where Aunt Tatilthn re
sided, and from where she had pur
chased the biscuit liox, were communi
cated with, and after some negotiations
itn exchange was effected. They were
irlctly enjoined not to let the exchange
be known to their customer for fear of
her being offended.
The linn In question had congratu
lated themselves on having got rid of a
piece of old stock, nnd the salesman
had a lively recollection of the prim
old lady, with snow-white side curls, to
whom he hail sold It.
"Show me something suitable for a
wedding present," she had said, on en
tering the shop.
A number of article had been mib
mllted for her Inspection, and at length
a biscuit box was giiggested. ';;
"Could I see them'"
"Yes, mem; we have some very pret
ty ones Jut now," said the salesman,
seeming a chance for getting quit of
mi old "shopkeeper." nnd producing
the one that Dually reached Daisy.
"Mete Is n really handsome one Hie
lowest pat tern -real majolica ware
and-- "
x x x x x x x x
"I don't want your newest pattern
new and nasty: Interposed Aunt Tabi
tha. "Show me something like my
selfold and antiquated the oldest
thing you have in the place."
"Weil, mem, this is really the very
tiling you want. When I say 1 1 Is the
newest pattern I mean the style is
quite up to date it never goes out of
fashion, you understand; and it Is
yes, I believe it is the oldest article we
have In tin? shop."
"And the ugliest?" snapped the old
lady.
"Well. I wouldn't say that, but "
"Say that it 1s and I'll take it," she
said; adding, "how do you clean It?"
"Oh. It's easily kept. You unscrew
this nut at the bottom and the tinware
conies out," explained the salesman,
and n bargain having been struck the
article was sent home to Aunt Tabi
tha's and then to the destination al
ready known.
It had not been many days In the sil
versmith's allow case after being ex
changed when the old lady again put
In an appearance at the shop. Her er
rand, she explained, was the same as
before a wedding present.
"You 'haven't any more 'newest style'
biscuit boxes?" she asked, with a smirk,
of the shopman who had served her on
the previous visit.
"Y'es, mem," he oiiswered; "very curi
ously, there happens to be another al
most identical to the one you got It is
not quite the same, as you will perhaps
observe," placing it before her, and not
even blushing; "but you could hardly
tell the difference."
"Are you quite sure it ia not the same
one?" Aunt Tabitha asked pointedly.
"1'erfectly certain," chirped the shop
man. "Then unscrew it and show me again
how you clean it."
The young man went through the
same operation as before; but this time
a foldihl slip of paper fell out from be
tween the ware and the stand and
dropped at the old lady's feet. Pick
ing it up she unfolded it and looked at
it, and then, turning to the shopman,
said:
"Do you know, young man, where
liars go to? That's the same box that
T bought from you about a month ago;
but I stippose'lt's your business." And
with a twinkle in her eye as if she was
enjoying the joke, she paid for the arti
cle and ordered It to he sent home us
before."
Stephen Elder, railway signalman,
was reading In the local newspoMT the
account of the wedding of his niece.
Miss Tnblthu (Daisy) Elder, and his
only daughter, also about to be married,
was looking over his shoulder.
"Ay. Tabby, this will please your
uncle: it's cit'ed 'fashionable marriage.'
John aye wanted to be big; that's how
he went to be a grocer, he couldna bide
the moleskins; an' when lie married the
grocer's daughter an' got the business
he was neither to hand nor bind. And
now he's a F.aille an' a' that, and they
tell me he Invited Aunt Tabitha to the
marriage; and so she sent the present. '
"Her name's on the top of the list of
presents, father; see, 'Miss Tabitha Ma
son, grand aunt, check.' How much
would it be for, do you think?"
"Oh, maybe five pounds, or It mlcht
be ten; but you maun mind Aunt Ta
bltha'a not so rich as John's folk make
her out to be. It's their big way
again."
"She'll not ken about mine, father?"
said the (laughter, demurely.
"Ay, Tabby, she does; I sent her
word. She asked me to write her at
untrin times an' let her ken what's
gaun on, and I sent her word when
your mother dee'd, and I thocht she
would like to ken about your mar
riage." "She'll not think ' setidln me ony
thlng, father; I couldna exiiect It, for
she's never seen me."
"There's nae say In'; you're named
after her, and not thlnkln' shame o' the
name, an ca'in' yotirsel' 'Daisy.'"
While thus chatting a neighbor hsik
ed lu at the door.
"Oh, you're In noo," she said. "There's
been a box left wl m; the jsirter
brocht It doon when ye were balth oot
Ye mlcht gang ben for It, Steen, as It's
gey ait heavy."
"It'a for you, Tabby," cried her fath
er, returning wlUi the box in his amis;
"and I wouldna wonder but It might
be something frae Aunt Tubby."
"It'll be the waddln cake, Tabby,"
laughed the neighbor.
The girl's clear brown eye glistened
as aha watched her father undo the
cord and pry open the lid.
"I hope It'a not a cake," she said,
"for that has to be eaten; and "f she
sent me anything I would like to have
It as a keepsake."
'There, Tabby, do the rest yoursol',''
said her father, on placing the parcel
on the kitchen table. "My hands are
a wee thing course, an' I might maybe
break It. What's that?"
"It'a a card-Aunt Tabltha's," cried
the girl; "and It says, 'With best
wishes and the hope that her grand
niece will prize this fur her sake. "
The neighbor, aa curious to see what
It was as If It was for herself, fell to
and helped Tabby to unwrap the pa tier.
At last It stood revealed -the same
biscuit box that had unflcrgoiie a sim
ilar ordeal of Inspection a few weeks
before.
"Megstle, It'a grand!" exclaimed the
neighbor, with uplifted hands.
"It's owre frand for uie, Jennie,"
was Tabby's comment aa she stood
with wonder In her beaming eyes.
"What is't for, ava?" questioned the
father, looking round as If he expected
to see windows in It like a lighthouse.
"It's a biscuit box, father. It's not
likely I'll ever use it; but it'a awful kind
of Aunt Tabitha to send It, and I'll keep
it for her sake."
Some months later Daisy's luisband
a commercial traveler related to her a
funny story, told him by a brother com
mercial, about an old lady sending an
ugly old biscuit box, with a check bid
den In it, as a wedding present, and the
box having been exchanged without the
check being discovered, and then re
bought by the same old lady, and sent
out anevvas atrotfrermarrhtgeT-Sft
"And the curious thing Is," he added,
"that it was said to Ik; sent to some one
in our neighborhood."
Daisy bit her lip with vexation. Was
that Indeed the object Aunt Tabitha
had In view in asking her to keep it
for her sake, so that the check would
be eventually discovered? And the bis
cuit box had been sent the second time
to her cousin? She knew Tabby had
got one of the same kind servants are
useful purveyors of news If the mis
tress Is at all Inquisitive but she had
not realized until now that it might
lie the veritable one that she had re
turned. As her husband had known nothing
about t,he return of the present lie
really believing Aunt Tabitha had sent
a chock as announced Daisy kept her
own counsel, and determined on a plan
of campaign. If the check waa still hid
den In the biscuit box, ten chances to
one that Tabby, in her ignorance and
simplicity, would not have discovered
it, and Daisy felt that if she could but
gain temporary possession of It she
might find the hidden missive and ap
propriate it, for was It not Just aa much
hers as Tabby's?
The following afternoon the latter
waa considerably surprised to receive
a vialt from her stylish cousin.
"How do you, Tabby Mrs. Jack, I
should say? And I'm really ashamed
that I've been so long In calling on you
after your marriage, but I've been so
busy, you know; it takes such a time
in-fore one gets such a large house aa
mine really In order. Y'ou have such a
snug little place, Tabby, and what a
nice room. Everything In apple pie
order" And Daisy's swift glance took
In everything In Tabby's parlor, her
eyes finally resting on the biscuit box
placed under a glass shade on the
chiffonier. "Oh, was this from Aunt
Tabitha?" she continued. "I got one
the very same, but as I had ever so
many already I had to get it ex
changed." "Yes," said Tabby, "that was a pres
ent from Aunt Tabitha; wasn't It kind
of her ever to think of me?''
"Do you know, Tabby, she's combig
to visit me one of these days, and 1
don't know what I'm to do about the
biscuit box. She doesn't know I chang
ed It. and she'll lie awfully offended if
she doesn't see It set out. Would you
mind letting tin; have a loan of yours?
She would never know."
"Would there tie no chance of her
looking In on me?" suggested Tabby,
numbly. "I'd be so vexed If she did,
and the biscuit box away."
"Oh, no; she's too grand to come here;
but I'd ask you up to have tea with her
at my house, do you see? So If you
don't mind I would Just take It with me
now."
"I would need to ask Tom, my hus
band, tirst," submitted Tabby.
"Goodness gracious, Tabby, enn you
do nothing without asking your hus
band's leave?" scornfully retorted
Daisy. "Hut ph ase yourself. When
will you know?"
"Tom comes home at five."
"Well. I'll look around In the even
ing. I'm so frightened Aunt Tabitha
might turn up at any moment. It will
be so kind of you, Tabby, to let me
have It."
When Tom Jack came home his wife
explained matters, and Tom, a goud
hoarted fellow, said If Tubby wished to
oblige her cousin by all means let her
have a loan of the article.
"Hut it looks a trllle dirty," said
Tom; adding with a laugh, "I wouldn't
like your One cousin to think that we
hadn't a butler to polish up our silver
plate. I'll give It a clean after tuy tea."
Anil so lie set atiout taking It to
pieces, and was in the act of doing so
when Daisy paid her return visit. The
kitchen blind was not drawn down, ftnd
the young couple seated at the lamp ar
rested Daisy's attention. She saw a slip
of paper fall out as Tom unscrewed the
bottom.
"What la this, Toni?" she heard Tab
by exclaim.
"I,et me aee It's like a bank note,
wlfey; no, It's a check," waa Tom's an
swer. "By gum! listen 'Pay to Tabi
tha Eider or bearer tho sum of one hun
dred pounds sterling. Signed Tabitha
Mason.' That's yours, Tabby ! Hoot! old
Aunt Tabitha!"
"The dear old darling!" cooed Tabby.
"The old wretch!" was echoed from
the outside as the battled Daisy turned
on her heel, having no further Interest
or concern In Aunt Tabltha's biscuit
box.-People's Friend.
"White Wings" of Ionilon.
The street sweepers of the borough
of Westminster, London, have been
dressed In so gorgeous a uniform that
Maj. Hell. Trotter of the (irenudler
(itiards recently complained that whim
guardsmen go out they are frequently
taken for dustmen and their feelings
ore consequently hurt. The Mayor of
Westminster, whose official robes out
shine even those of the King, hag prom
ised to add a blue band to the cape of
the sweepers as a distinguishing mark.
As a man gets older, he hate thf
words "quite spry" more than any
other in the English language.
HOW TO FORETELL THE THUNDERSTORM
II E weather man does not keep
all his wisdom a secret, nor all the
tricks of his maps. They are
yours and all the world's for the read-1
Ing. The "weather man" has pointed
out the atmospheric conditions, the fea
tures of the sky and the clouds, and the
time of day which must be taken into
consideration when attempting to fore
cast the approach of a storm, and
which, if rightfully interpreted, are
certain signs. The leading conditions
to be cotiPiith-reri -nTe-l ite- aspect of-the-wesiern
horizon, the presence or ab
sence of the cirrus and cirrus stratus
clouds, the temperature, with sultri
ness and humidity, and the distance
from the turning point in the day's tem
perature. If these different conditions
are correctly understood there should
be no diliiculty, he says, in foretelling
a thunderstorm.
There is one feature of an uncertain
ty, however, about the actual apiiear
ance of a storm correctly predicted, and
this is due to the fact that all thunder
storms are distinctly local features,
having to do with extremely limited
areas, and all of short duration. This
renders It possible for one to see a
storm coining and really on its way,
but to tie disappointed of Its arrival in
one's own locality. Ins energy has been
spent before It has had time to come
sufficiently far. Thunderstorms rarely
cover more than thirty to forty miles
in a stretch, generally no more than
eight miles, while some are much
shorter. A hailstorm, which always
signifies the expenditure of tremendous
force, seldom covers more than one
eighth f a mile. Lea severe storms
are sometimes no longer. In looking
for a storm the western sky is the only
sky point of value. This is because
storms always have been known to
travel from west to east. If you see a
storm due north or due south, it is more
than probable that it will not reach
your locaJlty, but if it la due west or
west of north, or perhaps west of south,
you may look for Its arrival unless it
should happen to expend Its energies on
the way before reaching you.
Look Out for Mares' Tails."
The clouds which foretell a storm
are the cirrus clouds, "amers' tails" the
country folk call them hair-like shreds
threaded across the heavens, later gath
ering Into the cirrus stratus, white and
gray cloud sheets, which are the true
rain clouds. The atmosphere is always
heated with a sultry humidity. It is
warm and moist, thick, heavy, muggy.
It sometimes almost feels wet. People
ofen then speak of "feeling" the rain
In the air. There Is rarely any wind
preceding a storm for any length of
time; the air Is exceptionally still. As
the tempest approaches nearer, how
eveT, a soft, thick, "wet" sort of
"whirr," characteristic as a harbinger
of the rainstorm at Its heels, Is felt
stirring abroad. This is most familiar
to all those who have made a study of
weather conditions and as easy of rec
ognition as the awful oracles of the
weather prophet monstrosities on feet.
The time of day when a rain is most
likely to fall is about 3 o'clock In the
afternoon, or again between 2 and "5
o'clock In the morning. These are the
two turning points In the day's tem
perature. At 3 o'clock the maximum
heat usually lias been reached for af
ternoon, while at night the coolness has
thoroughly set in. In case of a succes
sion of thunderstorms they usually oc-
TWAIN WANTED TO BE A PILOT.
8ud Kittling to Cherished Ambition ol
the Noted Humorist.
An Interesting yarn recently spun by
an old St. Louis rlverman seems to be
u solution to the long-mooted question
as to why .Vnrk Twain never followed
out his cherished ambition of becoming
a Mississippi river pilot.
According to the old man Mark Twain
never became a full-IJedged pilot and
never stood a night watch alone. In
other words, while h had a pilot's li
ci use, his mastery of the great river
craft on which he rodo was always llm- .
Itcd by the understanding that an older
and more experienced head was wlthlu
easy call. This was no discredit to the
young pilot. On the occasion In ques
tion, It matters not what the year or
boat, the steamer to which young Clem
ens was attached as cub pilot wag
bound up stream with a heavy cargo of
cottou. At theofflcers' table the first
day out from Nachez, Miss., the talk
turned upon what to do In sudden emer
gencies, and especially In case of fire
on a steamer loaded with cotton. The
matter was discussed to all Its bear
ings, each of those preaent giving his
Ideas upon the subject. Mark Twain,
like most of the others, held to the no
tion that it was the pilot's duty In such
an emergency to emulate the now fa
mous Jim Bludso and "hold her nozzle
to the bank till the last galoot's
ashore." Immediately after dinner
Clemens went, to the pilot house to ,
stand his watch.
Among those at the table was i.ic as
sistant engineer, a young man whoso
experience of life had taught blm to
doubt the ability of human nature to
carry out the projects of its more boaat
fill momenta. He went below at tho
same time that Mark Twain went aloft,
but the two continued to think of the
conversation Just closed. The more the
engineer thought about It the leas credit
he was disposed lo g've to the cub pil
ot's scheme, however nice it might ap
peiii in poetry or the newspapers.
As everyone knows the pilot house
anil engine room of a steamboat are
c tiin c:ed, not only with bells for sig
naling, but wltli n speaking tube,
cur about twenty-four hours apart,
that being apparently the time neces
sary for theifl to accumulate suflicient
moisture to break. So, if a storm series
begins in the afternoon, the remainder
of the series will likely take place in
the afternoon, while if it begins at
night the Moras are likely to continue
to be at night.
It is considerably easier to foretell
accurately the arrival of a thunder
storm than to explain it after it lias
come. Wiser than any man now known
would-bf-he- who could follow uuUc-.
standingly the magical metamorphosis
of the charming summer landscape,
with its lake like glass and air as mo
tionless as marble, from the time the
first misty sultriness arises as the
threatening breezes begin to stir; as the
sky darkens frowningly the winds
break boisterously from their fetters,
the cloud streams pour out in cataracts,
and the fires of heaven Illuminate the
tempestuous, night with their terrible
play. And finally, as the elements
again calm themselves, the suu breaks
out and revivified nature becomes
doubly lovely. j
First fsign of Storm.
The first clew to the mystery of a
storm comes from water. If a glass of
water Is stood on a window sill on a
hot day it gradually evaporates. The
hot, dry air sucks it up. Similarly the'
hot, dry air above a large body of wa
ter sucks up its water, transforming it
Into a fine vapor, which imparts a mis
tiness to the atmosphere. The distant
atmosphere now gradually screens It
seff In a veil of vapor, which becomes
thicker and thicker. This leads to the
next phenomenon in a thunder storm.
Every one knows that when steam
comes In contact with cold objects it
condenses, Anally forming tiny drops
and resuming its original form of wa
ter. In the same way on a warm sum
mer afternoon the upper layers of the
atmosphere are cooler than those im
mediately above the earth. Hence the
higher vapors rising as they come in
contact with the cool air condense,
thickening into the form of clouds,
which are nothing else than condensed
steam. The particles of water forming
the clouds are so minute and light that
they float in the air. The movements of
the vapor as It rises and the action of
the cooler upper strata of air upon it
generates currents of air, the wind.
This ot first is just strong enough to
ripple the surface of the water and stir
the foliage of the trees. In the mean
time, another element is at work. Ev
ery one presupposes an accumulation
of electricity at a thunder storm. Elec
tricity is present in the atmosphere all
the time, but, as has been observed, it
is always more powerful when any
strong perpendicular currents of air are
in action, such as cyclones, tornadoes,
volcanic eruptions, waterspouts, thun
der storms. Electrical manifestations
are always accompanied by the down
pour of water. This means that the
condensation of vapor is closely con
nected with electricity. Why is it not
an instance of electricity generated by
friction? Hub two pieces of paper vig
orously against 'each other and elec
tricity Is generated. Open the safety
valve of a steam engine giving out va
por and electriirlty is produced by the
friction of the steam and valve. In a
thunder storm electricity may thus be
generated by the friction of individual
particles of water which have been
driven about by the wind.
The two kinds of electricity, positive
through which the important function
aries who operate above and below can
discuss the weather and politics in their
spare moment. The mouth of the tube
at the upper end Is hut little larger
than the human mouth, but in the en
gine room It has shape of a funnel as
big as' a half-bushel measure. Wnilo
i.ie assistant engineer was pondering
the emergency question ho was also
wiping off a portion of the machinery
with a bunch of cotton waste, and as
lie readied the mouth of the speaking
tube It was the work of but a moment
MAltK TWAIN.
to touch u match to the intlamtnable
material in his hand and thrust It far
into the tube.
N'o one saw the act, but everybody on
bonrd heard from It lu about a minute.
Mark Twain, alone in the pilot house
and still pondering the dire things he
hud heard of burning steamboats, es
pecially when they happened to be
loaded with cotton, was horrified to see
smoke pouring from his end of the
speaking tube.
There was but one thought In his
mind. The boat wos on lire. Dropping
the wheel, which spun around and
around as it left his hand, be grasped
the rope by which the big bell was
and negative, always try to unite. The1
ascending portions of the air and the
clouds generally are charged with neg
ative electricity, while the surface of
the earth over which they swim are
charged with positive electricity. Each
seeks to unite with the other. The ma-
Jority of the particles are not strong;
enough in electricity to span the space1
of air lying between, aud can do so
only under high tension. As the fric
tion increases, electricity accumulates
on the brims of the clouds and the pro
jeotkuis of 4 he -earth's -surface, .trees,
houses and mountains. The currents
of air become sturdier. They bend the
boughs of the trees, scourge the waves,
lash the ships. The last feeble sun rays
breaks through the massy clouds, cast
ing an unusual, threatening, and un
canny light over the scene. The clouds
gather more and more thickly, trans-
forming themselves from the light
cumulus clouds to rain clouds. The
struggle of the negative and positive
poles of electricity become more sav
age. If a metal ball is charged witli
electricity only the surface becomes
magnetic. The Interior is not electri
fied, similarly the microscopic drops of
water forming the clouds are electrical
only on their surface. Through the ever
greater condensation they come nearer
and nearer, and finally many together,
form one large raindrop. This larger
raindrop contains all the electricity of
the many smaller drops, but as its sur
face is more limited than their com
bined surfaces its electricity is of great
er power.
Storm in All Its Fury.
The raindrops, too large and heavy to
hover in the air, fall to earth. As the
clouds merge, raindrops form more and
more rapidly and the rain falls more
violently and copiously. The storm j
now fully developed, and unburdens
Itself with fury. Brilliant flashes of
light produced by powerful electric
sparks illuminate the darkness, and the
thunder growls in the sky. The tension
between the surface of the earth and
that of the clouds has become stronger.
The tracts of air which at first were too
vast to be traversed by electricity are
now the pathway of lightning, not
only between earth and clouds, but also
between cloud and cloud, negative and
positive poles meeting whenever strong
enough to cross the necessary space.
The lightning comes In three forms.
Zigzag lightning with its crooked,
branch-like forks, is produced when
electricity amassed in small proportion
al points opposite each other' wishes to
meet. The electricity seeks to spring
across by the shortest route in a
straight line, but is hindered by the re
sisting masses or air and clouds. Hence
it goes as best it can, leaping to those
spots charged with electricity, vrfeereby
it assumes its characteristic aspect
Lightning Flashes 17,000 Yard4.
Flashes a thousand yards long are
not rare, while those 10,000 and 17,000
yards in length have been seen. Tho
vast force of these long flashes may bo
guessed at when it is known that a
streak a yard and a half long is the
largest that our stoutest apparatus per
mits our eyes to inspect Besides the
familiar destruction of the bolt in
houses, trees, beast, and man, it has
been known to charge iron fences with
magnetism. A single flash, as a sci
entific man has calculated, if utilized
with customary Illuminating appara
tus, would yield enough power to light
a city for a month. t .
-r
sounded and began pulling like a sex
ton, at the same time raising his voice
in a cry of "Fire! Fire! The boat's
afire!" Here the officers of the boat
and the passengers are said to have
found him, after hurriedly ascertaining
that the alarm was false, still vaior
ously determined to "save the ship."
The boat, relieved of the rudder's guid
ance, bad In the meanwhile, swung
around in the current and dashed full
siieed on a sand bar, from Which it re
quired half a day to drag her. And
Mark Twain, having lost his nerve, left
the river.
The Golden Fleece. j
The King of Spain has conferred the
order of the (iolden Fleece on the
Prince of Wales. The boy King is de
facto one of the grand masters of an
order which was instituted, at Bruges,
by Philip, Duke of Burgundy, who was
styled "the Good," as far back aa Feb
ruary JO, 142!). Tho other grand mas
ter of the order Is, of course, the Em
peror of Austria. The Fleece went to
the Hapsburgs "by arrangement," af
ter the death of Charles of Burgundy,
the "fighting Temeraire," In 1477, by
the marriage of Mary of Burgundy
with the Archduke Maxmlllan, after
wards Emperor of Germany. So it got
to Spain. When the line of the Span
ish Hapsburgs had become extinct
Austria claimed the sole grand muster-,
ship, and diplomacy had to Intervene,
In the result, the grand mastership be
came a dual affair. To wear the iiolden
Fleece of Austria you must be a sover
eign, n prince of a reigning liotise, or
a most Illustrious noble. Presumably,
you must also profess the old religion.
Dn the latter point Spain Is less exact
ing. Kamier In Alabama.
The total number of famm in Ala
lia tint Is given at 223,220, of which 12!),.
!.'!" are operated by white farmers and
IM.OWt by colored farmers.
An' old bachelor, when he feels blue
ond discouraged, always regrets that
he has no wife to wblne to,
A man la usually doing the very best
be Qnn, or else tb very wont he cui