, . , . .lttmttittnmmttnmi ! pra
j Saved by a Sparrow jj
-g$tO tfttttttt ttttttttlttttttttttttttttttftttt t
'
BE
ERE ia an SDsolutely true story
little bird. Just a common
sparrow of tbe mountain foot-
felUs, but, posalb'y. no stranger ease
of bird Inatlnct ha ever been chron
icled. On raw, rainy October day, while
tbe B(1oe of aa expres train was
standing at a water tank on a lonely
aid track Id eastern Colorado, tbe en
gin driver was surprised to see a
sparssw fly la tbe cab window and
parch upon tbe throttle at tbe boiler
bead. Tbe little fellow made himself
at heme there and set to making bis
toilet, for his feathers were very wet.
Mot wishing to drive tbe tiny visitor
away, and with a desire to tee bow
long be would remain after the train
began to more, tbe engine driver
reacted carefully for the throttle and
nceeded in putting tbe big machine
In motion without frightening the bird.
After having thoroughly dried him
self tbe sparrow hopped down from
hi strange perch and sat for several
mement In a corner on the engine
driver's cushion, evidently enjoying his
ride, after which, with a chirp, he
flew out of the window and away.
The engine men forgot the Incident
aa they dashed on over the foothills
and through the village. Two days
paased; tbe engine bad returned, and
was again east bound, with the same
engine driver. It drew up for water
at tbe same tank, and the driver was
astonished to receive another visit
from the little bird. Then they named
him Mike, and at the same place Mike
flew In the cab window whenever that
particular engine passed on its east
bound trips. It mattered not whether
the train was on time or late, funny
3.1I
MIKE APPEARED AS t'SCAL, PEKCUED UPON THE TUKOTTLE.
little Mike knew In some way. He
never made a mistake In engines and
never boarded any other.
You must know that trainmen are
a very superstitious lot; nearly as
mach so as tbe men at sea; so It came
about that the engine driver friend
of tbe bird looked upon blm as a mas
cot. He brought little seeds and
cracker crumbs on each trip, and,
strange as It may seem, tbe little fel
low soon became so tame that be
would perch upon tbe man's band and
eat tbe dainties. Here was a sparrow,
wild and free to go where he wished,
yet tame and nappy for a half hour
or more every few days in tbe cab of
a great, throbbing, roaring, screech
ing locomotive, for neither the shrill j
blast of the whistle nor the clank of j
the great bU nor the popping of the;
safety valve caused blm to evince the
lightest fear.
, Tbe season grew late; frost bad come
and autumn bad pat ber last tlnta on
viae and tree and shrub. Mo longer
were beard along tbe stream tbe
mournful cries of the "knee deep."
The wood had grown a till and one
day tbe engine driver carried the seed
and the crumbs In hi vest pocket pact
the tank and on to the end of the run.
fr no Mike came to receive bla din
ner. He was greatly missed, bat the
engine men knew that their friend
must bar taken flight to the aunny
southland for tbe winter, and be was
nut forgotten through all the dreary
trips that were mad across the bleak
country. With the breaking ap of cold
weather Mike's coming was eagerly
watched for.
Would he came again. Bad be for
gotten hi grlme-etained Maod of tbe
engine cab? Could a little bird not
much larger than a man's thamb think
long enough at a time to 0nd hi way
back to the vicinity of that water
frkr
Tbe graea came again; the tree took
nit tbelr summer garb; bar and there
tmild be seen aa occasional bird.
And MDmT
lie cam on day. for aom Urn
ti e engine drlrer bad carried food for
k.s friend In bla pocket, to make sure
that there would be no disappointment.
Ku when wltb a peep, peep, the little
uarrow flew In tbe window of tbe big,
panting machine, wttb aa much con
fidence as If be bad never missed a
trip, b foand his repast randy.
A cold, aobbtng rain wan snaking the
row aeid of ectusjn. Tto atreame
were swollen and the railroad track
wa aoft At tk tank MIk appeared
nana! and nstctod apoa tk tfcratO
a tto enghat; atlnatos paaaed tat a
t-ff ton an hear, aa tow and a half,
, jr;t Cm Wrd ato4 a sn f tearing,
' rliiy ton UUm. mi tto
' - s-cm cm vsma.
he said to the fireman; "never stayed
so long. This means something."
Tbe fireman shook bis bead ominous
ly. The train approached a portion of
the road where tbe truck wound for
several miles along a narrow bed on
the side of a canyon, where there were
numerous trestles and small bridges.
Tbe engine driver on tbe right and the
fireman on the left side of the cab
leaned far out of the windows peer
ing ahead as the dizzy height was be
ing passed over. Suddenly Mike flew
to the engine driver's band which rest
ed on tbe throttle, chirped fast and
loud for several seconds and darted
from the engine. Tbe occurrence so
startled tbe engine driver that he ner
vously shut off the steam and applied
the brakes. As be did so the fireman
gave a cry of alarm, and In another
Instant a great mass of rocks and dirt
and trees crashed down the mountain
side and on to the track, carrying with
It a bridge. With a deafening roar the
mass rolled on into the chasm below,
missing the engine by only a few
yards. Had the train not been stopped
where It was the landslide must have
swept It Into the awful depths.
Mike was never seen afterward.
What became of him, of course, no
body knows.
You may call It Instinct chance or
what you wish, but the fact remains
that tbe little sparrow saved the train
with its burden of human freight from
destruction. Chicago Chronicle.
Bol Burdette to Young Men.
Eernember. son, that the world is old
er than you are by several years; that
for thousands of years It has been so
ft. Mr- d
full of smarter and better young men
than yourself that their feet stuck out
of the dormer windows; that when
they died tbe old globe went whirling
on, and not one man In ten millions
went to the funeral. Don't be too sor
ry for your father because he knows
so much less than you do. Remember
tbe reply of Dr. Wayland to the stu
dents of Brown University, who said
It was an easy enough thing to make
proverbs such as Solomon wrote.
"Make a few," tersely replied the old
man. The world has great need of
young men, but Do greater need than
tbe young men have for It. Your
clothes fit better tban your father's fit
blm; tbey cost more money and tbey
are more stylish; your mustache Is
neater; tbe cut of your balr Is better.
But young man. the old gentleman
gets the biggest salary, and bis home
ly, scrambling signature on tbe busi
ness end of a check will drain more
money out of tbe bank In Ave min
ute than you could get out with a
ream of paper and a copper-plate sig
nature in alz months.
Pay oT Turkish Minister.
A Turkish ministerial portfolio Is a
sort of gold-mine to the bolder. It Is
not the Vizier, however, wbo bold
tbe richest claim, though bla salary Is
$66,000 a year, which Is also that of
the War Minister. Tbe "plum" of
Turkish officials la the admiralty,
which Is worth 184,000 a year, and the
preaent holder Is stated to have s mass
ed a fortune of $12,000,000. Tbe Mln
later of Foreign Affair has $44,000.
and finance come next with a thou
sand lower, financial ability being ap
parently esteemed in Inverse ratio to
tbe need for It. Tbe lowest salary Is
tbat of tbe Minister of Mine, though
It la ratber higher than tbat of the
Premier of Great Britain. Tbe sum Is
$27,800.
A Hainan Caadl.
Candidate for Mayor 1 have fouud
something be Ida a candle tbat wit' an
swer " at old riddle. "The longer It
stand the shorter It grows."
Friend-What I It?
Candidate for Mayor A candidate.
The longer be stand for office the
shorter be grows financially .-Baltimore
American.
Japanese Calendar for America.
One of the prettiest calendars of tbe
year bails from Japan. It Is bound
wttb quaint Oriental Jingle In a aroa.l
book which la Illustrated by Japanese
artists and printed on tbe delicate rice
nap-
Ktoetrtoitr and vital AuUom.
Or. !osb says etoetrlclty Is the un
derlying cans of tltal action, but b
to, not as yet mad a fair demonstra
tion of It
Met knag succeeds Ilk tto oOostoldnr
wtots Waawa
IRIE CAVERN IN OKLAHOMA.
Interesting Hole Where Bach Freak
of Nature Wouldn't He Suspected.
At a spot eleven miles southeats of
this place In the level prairie upland
Is an opening about forty feet In diam
eter and sixty iu depth, says the Okla
homa State Capitol. By clinging to Its
rocky and precipitous walls a person
may descend to the bottom and there
find tbe openings to two caves, one
leading westward and the other to the
east. For years this cave has been
known as llm-k Prairie cave. It is one
of the most striking uatural curiosities
In, the Chickasaw nation. The cave
are of unknown length and through
one rushes a subterranean stream of
great depth In places and icy coldnee.
Exploring partiee have ventured Into
these labyrinths for hundreds of yards,
but the danger of becoming lost hss
prevented a thorough examination of
tbe underground passages.
Tbe cave leading westward is easiest
of access and contains a number of
spacious chambers. The room is sbout
70 feet square and 50 feet from the
floor to the celling. Tbe floor is ob
structed with huge bowlders. Tbe
darkness and stillness are intense. Pic
nic parties sometimes go there, and.
with a large bowlder for a table, est
their luncheons in the glare of terebes
that east uncanny shadows along the
massive walls.
Timid persona hesitate in venturing
Into the depths of the eastern cave.
The passage stants downward at an
angle that compels tbe explorer to
crawl and slip and slide for nearly 100
feet before reaching a spot where a
person may stand upright and walk
safely. From the darkness echoes
the sound of rushing water, which
later Is found to be a stream which
runs from 8 to 30 feet In width and
from 6 Inches to many feet In depth.
Men have waded In the stream until
the water reached tbelr chins and then
gone in a boat to points where they
were unable to touch bottom with the
longest oars. A farmer carried hii
boat Into the cave several years ago tc
follow the stream to the end. At a
depth estimated to be 200 feet below
the surface of the ground Is a natural
bridge formed by a huge stone that tel.
across the stream. The water plunge
underneath this bridge like a mill race.
A boat can be pulled over the bridge,
however, and launched on the other
side. About 100 feel below the bridge
the stream widens Into a broad, deep
pool, with a high, vaulted roof. Beau
tiful stalagmites and stalactites adorn
this chamber. Two hundred feet below
this pool the passage is difficult. It
Is claimed that this cave bus been ex
plored for a mile.
The stream is believed to find Its out
let at a spring about three miles from
the entrance to the cave. The spring
is of great size and volume and liows
with remarkable swiftness. In the
rainy season the spring liolls and
gushes as if choked with a flood of
water tbat pours from Its mouth. The
stream In Rock Prairie cave rises when
there is a heavy rainfall In the sur
rounding country and the Increased
flow of both springs and stream at
sucb times Is taken as evidence that
they are connected.
ESAU THE CHIMPANZEE.
A pee Mar Gain Kratn Power or A -aociating-
with ifnusn lielaa-e.
Esau. I believe. Is appearing at a
Loudon music hall as a member of the
company, and goes through various
antics by way of showing the high
degree of Intelligence be possesses.
Those of us wbo know soaiethlug of
cliampauxee ways and of tbe bigb
brain type tbe animal exhibit are not
surprised tbat an Individual ape, here
and there, will go far ahead of bis
fellows under domestication.
Only I take leave to remark tbat a
music ball I hardly tba sphere In
which the educational development of
tbe animal can be duly carried out.
To my mind there ia something pa
thetic and calling for pity In the sight
of an ape being made to "perform" for
the amusement of the crowd. Tbe sct
eotlflc aid of the matter would be
represented by tbe further training of
the chlmpans In private and the
careful watching of hta ways. A story
has been circulated that Eaaa I to be
taken to Germany to undergo an ope
ration on hia tongue. In tbe hope, pre
sumably, of loosening that member and
of glvlngblm a chance or speech.
Anything more ridiculous than tbl
idea could hardly have been conceived.
Esau has bl own language ready
mad. People wbo expect him to talk
forget that language la a matter of
brain, not of tongue or .muscles only,
writes Dr. Andrew Wllaon In the Lon
don Chronicle. Imitative acta might
be cultivated In the cblmpansee to a
surprising extent If the dog, wltb a
much lower brain, has benefited by bis
long association wltb man. one may
well apeculste on tbe development of
brain power which would he possible
In s chsmpsnsee bad that race had
the advantage of banian companion
ship for many centuries.
Personal Observation.
"Do you tbiuk that rlchea bring bap
plneasr said tbe philosopher.
"Beyond a doubt," answered Sen
ator Sorghum. "1 csn point out a
number of members of the legislature
wbo have been mnde happy by my
money." Washington Star.
One Thin Left.
And liquid sir." said tbe girl be
hind the counter on Lexington street,
"bas been proved sfter all to be of no
us."
"Tl sad. ain't ttr agreed the girt
In the bin waist, "bat hot air la atlll
effective, dr."-Baltlmor News.
When a man thinks to kaowa K aU.
to I seldom abl to get bla aalgbtora
to ladoraa bis tboaght.
OLD 1
t FAVORITFS
r I I '! I l-r-M--8'4'
Little Orphant Annie.
Little Orphant Annie's come to our house
to stay,
An' wash the cups an' saucers up, au'
brush the crumbs sway, -An'
shoo the chickens off the porch, au'
duvt the hearth au' sweep,
Au' make the fire, an' bake the bread, so'
rum her board au' keep;
An' all us other children, when the sup-
H-r tiling is duue.
We net around the kitchen fire au' hss
t lie niustest fim
A'llK'nin' to tbe witcu tslr 'at Annie
tells about,
Aa' the gobble-uns 'st gits you
Ef you
Dou't
Watch
Out!
Ooct they was a little boy wouldu't say
hia prayers,
Ad' when he went to bed at uiglit, away
upstairs.
His Mammy heered him holler, an' his
Daddy heered him bawl,
Au' when they turnt the kivvers down,
he wasn't there at all!
An' they seeked him it) the rsfter room,
an' cubbyhole au' press.
An' seeked him up the cbiinbly-flue, an'
ever'wherea, I guess;
But all they ever found was thist bis
pants au' roundabout,
An' tbe gobble-uns 'II git you
Ef you
Don't
Watch
Out!
An' one time s little girl "ud alius laugh
an' grin,
An' make fun of ever'one au' all her
blood an' kiu;
An' ouct, when tbey was "company,"
an' oie folks was there.
She mocked 'em an' shocked 'em, an'
tumt to run an' hide,
They was two great big Black Things
a-standin' by her side,
Au' they snatehed her through tbe ceiliif
'fore she ktiowed what she's about.
An' the gobble-uns '11 git you
Ef you
Don't
Watch
Out:
An' little Orphant Annie says, when the
blaze ia blue,
An' tbe lump wick splutters, an' the wind
gOCS woo-oo!
An' yon hear the crickets quit, an' the
moon i.s gray.
An' the lightnin' bite's in dew is all
fpiencbed away,
You lietter mind yer parents, an' yer
teacher, fond an' dear,
,An' clmrinh them 'at loves you, an dry
the orphant' tear,
j.Vn' be'p the pore an' needy ones 'at clus
ters all about, j
Er tbe gobble-uns 'I! sit you
Ef you
Don't
Watch
Out!
James Whilcomb Biley.
One Iax Nearer Home.
O'er the hills tbe sun is setting.
And the eve is drawing on;
Slowly drops the gentle twilisiit.
For another day is gone.
Gone for aye its race is oer.
Soon the darker shades will couie;
Still, 'tis sweet to know at even,
We are one day nearer home.
i
"One day nearer," sings the seaiusu,
Aa he glides tbe waters o'er,
While tbe light is softly dying.
On his distant native shore.
Thus the Christian on life's wceau.
As his light boat cuts the fuaui.
In tbe evening cries with rapture,
"1 am one day Bearer liwiue."
Worn snd weary, oft tiit pilgrisa
Hails tbe sKting of the sua;
For tbe goal is one day nearer.
And hia journey nearly done.
Thus we feel when, o'er life's desert.
Heart and sandai sore we ruaiu,
As the twilight gathers o'er us,
We sre ooe day nearer kuaie.
Nearer home! Yes, one day nearer
To our father's basse an high
To the greed fields sod the fuuotsioa
Of the lands beyond the say.
For tbe he reus grow brighter o'er as,
And the lamp hang In the dome,
A ad i i - tent are pitched still closer,
for Vre ooe day nearer bone.
Rev. BeoJ. II. Hunt
IDENTITY OF DICKENS' 8QUEERS,
Oaest Renewed bj Heprlat of Old "Aa"
In London Time.
Tbe quest for tbe Identity of Mr.
Wackford Squeera bas been revived by
the reprint by tbe Time of aa adver
tisement from Its issue of Jan. 7, 1H,
says the London Chronicle. A Mr.
Simpson, of Woden Croft, near Barnard
Castle, thereby announced bla attend
ance st tbe Saracen's Head, Hnowbllt,
to receive "young gentleo'eo," and a
contemporary Jumps to the conclusion
tbat thla person was tbe prototype of
the Infamous Kqueers. As s matter of
fact. Dickens bad only too many orig
inals for his pitiful story, and sn extra
ordinary parallel to the tale told In
"Nicholas Nlckelby" may be fouud In
tbe biography of James Abemetby, tbe
father of marine engineering. This
work was published by bis son In 18V7,
and reviewed in tbe Chronicle of Dec.
2K, or tbat year, tbe facts as to tbe mis
erable school life being reproduced from
the late engineer's diary, tbl portion of
which was written In 1834, or about
four years before tbe novel made Ita
appearance In monthly parts.
Tbe reviewer thus tells the story, snd
drawa ta parallel: "Tbe school to
which Jsmes and bis brother Oeorge
wire seat was kept by a ruffian nsmed
Smith, at Cotberstone, near Barnard
Castle, In North Yorkshire, and there Is
iine blng quite remarkable In the fads
that (bars was a Mrs. Smith, wbo ap
pears to aare been tto eenaterpart of
Mr Sqoeers; that tto amagvataU
for placing the boys wore made while
Smith was sdvertlslng bit attendance
at a well known coaching house In Lon
don; and tbat the amount to be paid
for the two lads was 20 a year each,
the exact sum in consideration of which
Mr. Snawley made over bis two
wretched little stepsons to the oily
Squeers. Tbe description of the
awful den at Cotberstone, with Its
wolf-eyed "pupils" starving on putrid
meat, and clad In workhouse clothing,
with wooden clogs; the tyranny and 111
usi'ge, tbe utter absence of moral con
trolall this Is pathetic-In the. ex
treme." The brothers, after spending
two years In this bopelens misery, were
rescued owing to tbe casual visit of an
uncle. It Is Interesting to recall tbat
James, wbo was taken as pupil by bis
father, who wss then resident engineer
st the London dock works, and bad as
a ni'w companion Bidder, th Calculat
ing Hoy, became president of the Insti
tution of civil engineers in 1S81.
GREATNESS OF INVENTIONS.
True Measure Their Service to Socletj
In influence on Civilization.
Tbe greutuuss of inventions Is meas
ured not by their ingenuity nor by the
fortunes they make for their origin
ators or others, for that Is a small mat
ter, but by the service which they ren
der to society and by their Influence
on civilization. I bad Intended, there
fore, to Interpret briefly some of the
great Inventions, to show bow the most
destructive weapons of war are life
saver and peace-preservers; how tba
telephone will affect morals und elevate
the standard of benor; bow the arc 1'ght
serve as good police; how the elevator
Is affecting social problems by piling
one city on top of another; how the
ocean cables, the telegraph and wire
less telegraphy are creating new world
conditions which are producing a new
world-life. Mid bow the bicycle and the
automobile, by securing for us better
rouds, will not only Increase the wealth,
but also Improve the Intellectual and
moral life of the country, but the limits
of thin article forbid.
If Inventions are to be measured by
their effects, by far the greatest lit the
history of the world was the Invention
of the Ktiam engine. Iu lTtilt. the same
year in which the Duke of V Huston
and Napoleon lionapnrte were born,
James W'utt piitcntrd his steam engine,
which was destined to exert more influ
ence in shaping th world's future than
both of these great captains put to
gether. Prom the beginning, man Un
hail to struggle wltb nature for his life.
,Slie scorched him: she frosted him; she
starved him; she smote him ttilh dis
ase: she overawed and terrorized biiu;
h'-r winds buffeted him; her waters
drowned him. iiefore her lightnings,
ber floods, her cataracts, her aval
anche, her tempestuous seas, he was
powerless. Against the uieastireli ss
forcew. of nature he could oppose only
his puny arm. On that arm he must
rely to wrest from her his food, fuel,
raiment, and shelter. Such was tbe un
equal contest for long thousands of
years. Hut to-day nature is uuin's ser
vant; her mighty forces do his bid ling,
and run bis errands. Dr. Josiab Strong
In Success.
Two Way.
ThiTe is a good w1 al of comfort to bi
found with the people who arc, as the
phrase goes, "like our folks." The Con
gregutloualist furnishes an instance In
point, relative to the old aud new way
of giving out church notices:
The old-fashlomd clergyman had
been in tbe habit of making the an
nouncements in bis most punctilious
manner. Eucb one was cuuehed la
some sucb language as this:
"If it be Iu accordance with the will of
Divine Providence, there will be a meet
ing Iu thla house tbls evening; the sub
ject will be, 'scripture Promise,' aud
there will be a short address by tbe pas
tor, no unforeseen sccldeut prevent
ing." When bis successor arrived every one
supposed tbat tbe old order of things
would probably continue unbroken; but
tbe congregation iu voluntarily drew a
breath of relief when tbe pastor re
marked, ha a pleasant, conversational
tone:
"I hsven't yet decided what ber or not
It's advisable to coutluu tbe evening
meetings during tbe coming mouth.
Tany rate, we'll bold one to-ulgbt; and
let's all try to be there."
The Amateur Actor.
"A few of us are going to Lave pri
vate theatricals," the aspirant aald to
an old actor tbe other day, "aud I aw
cast to pose as tbe dying gladiator.
Would you tuliid giving me s few
wrinkles T'
"Ob, no. You sre the dying gladi
ator, eh? Well, to begin wltb, what
are you dying for?"
"I I don't understand."
"But you must understand. I want
to know whether you are dying for a
glass of beer or being csrrled off by
galloping consumption. It will make
a beap of difference In tbe pose."
Recording to later Information, tbe
youbg man was wildly searching a vol
ume of Shakespeare to see what tbe
gladiator died for.
Woman IKwior at Inquest.
For tbe first time In tbe history of
Wolverhampton a woman doctor re
cently gave evidence at an Inquest. Al
tbe request of tbe coroner the post'
mortem, which was on a woman's body
was made by two women doctors.
The Una Thing NcedfnL
"Don't be despondent, Henry; there
are plenty of good things In tbls life
besides money."
"t know It, Martha, but you can't
hare tbrm without money. "New
York Son.
Man art ton mucb loclltiad to accept
a pretty weasan at tor fast vain.
y?cence
In tbe dry soil of Egypt Prof. O.
Elliot Smith Cuds the brains of most
uou-mumltled bodies or trie cemetei.c.
have been naturally preserved even
from predynastlc times. Tbe convolu
tions may be mapped, and an account
Is soon to be given of tbe brain stnic
ture of Egyptians of different periods.
A file specially designed for work
ing ou gun metal Is being used In
Pn.ni.il machine sbotis. ltbasshallow
diagonal channels, at Intervals of half
nn Inch, the teeth being ou the raised
portions between the channels. It la
claimed that these files, clogging much
less rapidly than others. Increase tue
work done by about fifty per cent
No white pigments have been found
In feathers, aud the whiteness of white
feathers Is ascribed to total reflection
of light from their exposed surfaces.
Some have supposed the reflection to
be from air spaces, or bubbles, iu the
feather stnictue. but H. M. Strong, of
Ilaverford College, says that the white
effect Is powdered glass, upon the
small slz.! of the structural elements.
These have a large number of surfaces
so placed for any position of the eye
that there Is a maximum reflection to
the eye. and almost no absorption by
the unplgmeiited feather substance
To get the eggs of a new species of
mosquito Inhabiting a South Carolina
swamp. Dr. W. C. Coker. of the L"nl- '
verslty of North Carolina, had to bor
row the aid of a horse. The horse was
driven into the low ground haunted by
the mosquitoes, and when lie came out
the Insects were found drilling through
bis skin. They were carefully re
moved, put in a tin bucket, fed dally
with blood from the linn il. and after
about five days, to the doctor's great
delight, they laid their eggs In the
water. It was to procure and study
these eggs that be had taken all bis
trouble. In sucb homely ways science
sometimes makes Its advances.
Astonishing effects as a tonic aud
blood-former are claimed by Dr. Nau
gler. of Paris, for balloon ascensions.
He states that mm nlr trip of two hours
gives a marked Increase Iu the red
corpuscles of Hie blood, this Increase
continuing to be noticeable for at least
ten days afterward, and that live as
censions within six or seven weeks
Impart more benefit to nu anaemic per
son than three months In the moun
tains. The gomi results begin almost
Immediately, prolonged stay Iu the
upper air being of no advantage and
possibly harmful. He urges that the
city should give poor people the bene
fits of a change of climate by provid
ing n larg'f balloon capable of taking
fifty patients daily on nu aerial out
ing. A remarkable example of the power
of mimicry possessed by some persons,
but altogether lacklng in others, was
furnished by the late Professor
Uolierts-Austen. of England. Ills
lrieud. Prof. T. Thorpe, recalls
many Interesting Instances of Hoberts
Auatcu's singular gift, which was pur
posely exercised only occasionally for
the entertainment of his scientific con
freres at a club meeting. Hat what
lends special luterest to tbeVase waa
the fact that Roberts-Austen frequent
ly exercised his jniwer without being
aware of It. "I have heard blm. to my
terror." says Professor Thorpe. "In the
course of a con versa! Ion gradually
copy the tones aud inflections of a
man's voice, and have seen blm re
produce bis manner to bis very face."
Id sucb cases there was no conscious
ness of what was bslug done In tbe
tulud of the mimic, or en the part of
the person Imitated, snd Professor
Thorpe believe the origin of the un
intended mimicry was sympathy alone.
Cold Water Absorbs Poison.
Iu connection with the subject ttt
water there is one peculiar property ef
tbat liquid with which everyone
ihould be made acquainted, and that ia
II capacity for absorbing Imuuritlea
which lucreasea proportionally the
eoiuer it gets, ueuce water that baa
stood In an Insufficiently veutllatsd
sleeping cbamtxT all nlcbt la
uupleasant, but positively Injurious to
anus, since it readily absorb tbe pel
ouous gases given off by resDlratlos.
md ectlon of tbe skin. An ordinary
imcuer ui water, uuuer such conditions,
it a temperature of sixty degrees wilt
he fouud to bare absorbed during tto
aight from a pint to a pint and a naif
jf carbonic acid gas, and an lucre
f ammonia. Ice water la an objection
ible drink at all times, but If It Is In
dulged In. tbe reasei containing It
mould never be left uncovered In steep
ing or sitting rooms, because at frees
Ing point Ita capacity for absorbing
tbrse deleterious substances Is uearly
ljubled.
Tbe Beating of the Heart.
A person wbo bas lived seventy
year bss bsd psssed through bla
besrt about (170,020 tons of blood, tbe
whole of tbe blood In tbe body pass
ing through tbe heart In about thirty
i wo beats. The heart beats on an sver
ige seventy times a minute, or 3U,.
rirj.OW) times In tUe course of a year,
o tbat tbe heart of au ordinary roan!
HO years of sge. bss beaten 3.000.000,
ioo limes. Tbe heart beats ten strokes
minute less when one la lying down "
'ban wben one It to ao upright post
loo. ir a fool possesses tact and assar
i nee bs will distance lbs wis guy wba
(Mssrssss neither.
Tto ana who laughs but fall to
the joks dm.