TIME FOUND
C5SSSSSX&&SS&3SSSSSSSt2SS35$S3SSSSSS
tfyr a loved b
t-j her so, am
UA lag so ba
loved tier. H meant to leu,
and it xuuiczit for do
ing so bad code. The nuay
alien bead wai very near, a rew
gaxU had been fro ken, wben tie door
jpi rl and Ella Staunton entered.
frown clouded the brow of Dr.
pbnton, the eminent young physician
Mm everybody declared would make
he fortune In hi profession, and
tovtty Nellie Sat Hie eacspad, glad to
0de her flushed cheek from her tou
ts' Jealoua eyes.
' Mr. Stanton threw herself lacfuidly
to the depth of an eey chair.
"So I hare found you at last, my
fear Balph. I have bees seeking you
IK the laat hour."
He hated this woman, la pite of her
lark, witching beauty. Ills uncle bad
pond that beauty Irresistible, and by
late marriage robbed his nephew of
he quarter of a iuUUtb which be had
light him to expect would one day
to h a.
"What did you want with :ne?" h
ked curtly.
You are cross. I wanted your soci
etynothing more. Is there anything
kranse In that?"
"Mrwt fiattcriiuf of rou. my dear
Hint, I am ture."
It waa M 1-8. Stanton's turn t frown.
"Don't call me that hateful name.
t I d-d marry your uncle, you might
lemember that I am nut yet 20. P.y
the way. Nellie Savllle qui's the teen
lext week."
"Indeed!"
"Ye. Charming girl isn't sbi-? Heal
W, Ralph, if you t-hould see the dNtnal
Sole of a parsonage where that girl's
parents live you would feel grateful
to me for my compassionate generosity
h taking her from It for a little
while. Are you golug to Lady Camp
bell' this afternoon?"
"No. I detest tea and tennis."
"So do I. r.-sld s. I have headache-
W ill you 1 reerib . for nicV"
After thf niaforlty of Mre. Oak-
erook'x guests h id departed for Camp
btii House Ir. Stanton was pacing
he lawn with Kir John Doliby, n .k
bn? cigarette an 1 talktng politics, and
tidoors his relative oecupbd a velvet
ninge and trl.d to reed the last new
fcuveJ.
fie came to Lit at l:t-l, but It was
vi;h a serious face and u opeu tele
gram iu Li hand.
"My sister has met with an accident.
Levison wants me to go at once."
"Oh, Kalpli! Is lt--rjusJTU .will
return here?"
' "I think uot," he relornod, replying
to the latter question. -
"Yon will cnuie to" Melton Willows
t Christ mas, Ralph?"
"I really cannot .promise. Good-by!"
She sat there until the Hound of the
horse's hoofn had died away. Then
b cnoesed the room and looked at
IJm- wtes he had written. One was for
his ' boirt?KH -apoingy and explanation,
T count but the other was for Miss
Ksvtlle. ; A moment's hesitation; then
he tore it open. .
'""bear Miss Seville: Before you see
this you will know the reason of my
udden departure. But 1 cannot wait
eutil our next meeting for the answer
1.1CTATED A GUSHING LETTKB,
to tine question I should have asked
you this morning if Mr. Stanton's
entrance had not prevented mo from
.doing so. I want you to. be my wife,
$cUe: my loved and. honored wife.
.'.Will you? Write yes or no soon to
your loving but impatient Ralph."
A small fire burned in the grate, She
' put t He letter fnto her pocket and burn
ed' the envelope. -
; "Dear Ralph," murmured the lady,
i want you to write to hlso for me,
Nellie. He promised to let me know
how his sister was, but I suppose he
Las not had time. He does not know
your handwriting, I think."
Very on Ella Stanton had dictated
a gushing, affectionate litter, and with
blanching cheeks Nellie had written
It.
"Don't close It now,' Nellie. Throw
it cslde. There Is only one other that
jied be written now," '
"What Is it?". Nellie asked, a trifle
wearily. .... . . .. .. '..
"Why, you know, dear, Mr. Graham
wan:s me to 6) en the Brlxtjn bazzar,
'but I realty "don't 'feel tqual to the
tuk. I must write to decline. But li
always laughs at nerve, and I do w
lia.e HKS'lagucd it."
";Sfj tt l-Vlendi' I hat thought
fully t-onsWered the subject and must
I'M in the bonor. I am arrievtd be
jond expression to disappoint you;
b,if.' feeling as I do, I cannot act otb.
t ie. However. I ' fed confident
I.-, r you will meet with on worthier
iha that what I cinnot grant he
wi. - tt ly conc de. Only one thing
I H.k-tbat tht b ill in M wt InUr
f. r - with tbe friendly roUtlon which
li.ir a'wity xlnte4 bttwatn nn."
: think It la nuking too of i
HER OUT
little thing, Ella
You will ign It, of
course."
No, dear. Do It for me oidy ini
tials. Hww singular that they should
be alike, is it not Ella Stanton and
Elinor Savllle? There, now, dear, Ju
run u petalra and see if Louise has
mended that Luce 1 tore last night."
A moment more, and Ralph Stan
ton's simple. boiit-t letter lay open be
fore her. Jealousy had quickened her
memory. She knew It by heart
Refolding it, she enclosed it with
that other In su envelope addresried
in Nellie's pretty, graceful caligrapb
to "Ralph Stanton. Ej." and sealed a
carefully.
It was nectary to destroy the mis
sive originally intended for Ralph,
and to indite another one to Mr. Gra
ham If db-covery was to be avoided.
Two years later Ir. Stanton was
Journeying northward. The Loudon
season was over and the famous phy
sician bad lieen on the point of start
ing for hi holiday whn he was
summoned by td.-gram to Sir Chris
topher Knott, a wealthy patient brim
ming over with gout and crochet.
Thinking? It wan dreaming dream
ing of a Mini, petite figure and fluffy
golden hair and gloriously blue eyes.
Yea, Uxiuxh she refui-ed him Le loved
her stl'.L Iler borne was at Grim
alone. Would he see h.-r? What folly!
Doubtless she was uiarrli'd, and, if
not, had she not told him in the cruel
little letter, which was even now In
the brecst pocket of his coat, that It
could n ver be?
"Grlnistoue! Grlnifrtone!" shouted a
porter, snd so his reflections came to
an end. but only to awaken Inio lively
interest. From a second -class carriage
a girl alighteJ a girl in a neat U;tl.
hat and gray dut cloak. Undn-iieath
tliat hat was a piquant little face ai d
a clustering frhigi- of flun"y golden
curls. '
Nellie was atone in Die drawing
room. Suitors Lad wooi-d lu vain. She
was the orthodox clergyman's dauh
t. r, with It dutlM to jierfuin as tb.-y
rose fn sh en -h day. and lu the past
a nameless di-apiKdutment.
Her thought hud turned ou that
visit to OuMiiook two yiirs ago when
the waiting maid brought In a card
' Ir. t-'tajitoii."
"This Is, indeed, a pleasant sur
prise," t-be said with a rosy dusk that
told Us owu story. "I am soiry that
mamuia Is not at b ;me,
"I am staying in the neighborhood
professionally and could ti it Lave
without calling on you. It i the priv-il'-ge
of friendship, and you " ' desirtd
that we conilnue fiieinis."
Nellie looked puzzled.
"I do not tiiideri-tanil you. What Io
you menu?"
"I Leg your pardon for the allusion.
Miss Savllle, but you cannot have for
gotten? The words were In your let
ter a letttT I have kept because you
wrote It, In spite of lis contents."
"Indeed, you are under a mistake
I uevcr wrote to you in my life."
"Ihen you never wrote this or re
ceived this'"
And he pi iced lu her hands the two
unfortunate letters.
When the primroses looked like
stars In the grass and the air was
filled with the ixlor f violets, a wed
ding took place at Grltnstoue church.
And three months later a society Jour
nal announced that Mrs. Stant n,
widow of the late George Stanton.
Ks j.. of Me'.ton Willows. Berks,, bad
lx-Htowed heart and hand upon Count
ll'iren.a. an Imp cunlous Italian noble
man. Waverlcy
Birthday for Each Sen.
With (he 'exception of the Emperor
there are no ' individual birthdays Iu
delightfully Interesting Japan. . The
iiexmle. however, make, up for this
neglect by having a sort of genera
birthday of everybody In common,
which hi celebrated with great re-
iolclnz.
There art1 two of" these general boll
da vs. one for each sex. The male
birthday, which Is known as the "eel
ebratlon of the hoys," occirrs on the
third day of the third month and the
the girls celijbrate the fifth day of the
fifth month. These days are generally
put aside and boy and girls respect
Ively receive present, according . to
their station. - .
The birthday of the Jviuperpr. or
Ten-o, as he Is more properly styled
Is also a general holiday for the Jap
anese everywhere. The houses are all
decorated with flags, and In" the even
ing the streets are ga'y wifh ihe light
of innumerable colored lantern. Iu
the morning the hlghet''authoritie go
to the palace and offer their t-ongratu
latlonp In person and the lower drgr'
offer them vicariously to their supe
riors. All the Japanese .woutd,, some
how or other. conra.tulaJe their inon
arcb on having added another year to.
hi age, '
Beetle Cm .
gome large beetle are as good as'clr
eular saw. They seize a branch or
twig wltlt their deeply -toothed Jaw
and whirl round and round - until the
twlf 1 awed.off. 'Tbey have beun
known to aw .a- twlf aa thick,-a
walking tlck In this manner.
A Chaaae-
Bar hdfer now I ttrangcly put;
It tilts sod Tter in mad delight
She wfiM. "Is my hat on itnUght?
ror If It Is It Isn't rlgktr
-.Wasnlngton Star.
BUTTONS CROW ON BUSHES.
Nlla fariUk Mmmr of Tknt Krdfat
Artlcl for Wearln Apparel.
No, the Ivory buttons you wear do
not represent the death of an elephant
In the wild of Africa; your peari but
tons were probably never nearer than
you look them to the sbeii of bi
valve uollualc, a ad the probabilities
are that n rubber tree w ever tap
ped to produce the bard rubber but
ton that adorn your overcoat, say
I'opular Mechanic. Down in Central
America there 1 a fruit-producing
palm that ha quite metamorphosed
the button business snd formed the
ucleus for one of the moat Important
Industrie In the United Slates. The
seed of this fruit contain a milk that
i sweet to the taste and relished by
the native. The milk when allowed
to remain In the nut long enough be
comes Indurated and turn into a ub
stauce as brittle and hard a the Ivory
lant ' Most - of the button now
used In America, whether termed
vory, pearl, rubber, born or bone.
come from this Ivory plant Thu the
probabilities are that your buttons arc
made from a vegetable milk and they
grow on bushes.
The Ivory plant Is one of the mar
vels of the age and Is rewarding the
grower with vast fortunes. Tlie nut
re brought to the United States by
the ship load and hauled across the
continent to the big button factories,
rom which they Issue forth Su every
conceivable design, color, grade and
classification of button.
The ivory plant has recently been
discovered In California, but the nut
It produces In its wild state Is of in
ferior quality and will not make good
buttons. It Is believed, though, that
with the proper cultivation the fruit
would be as valuable as the Central
American. If so, the growing of but-
ons lu America would Is-come an In
dustry of iuijiortance second only to
the growing of corn, wheat and cot-
ion, for everybody wears buttons.
The best ivory nut for commercial
purpose Is found on the banks or
the' River Magdalena, In the United
States of Colombia, where by some It
s called the Tugua palm.- The 'fruit
forms a globular Lead about twice th
ijize of a man's Lend and weighs from
twenty to twenty-eight pounds. The
Lead Is a kind .f cluster of bulbs and
n all contains from fifty to sixty
seeds. Tbe seed-i are allowed to dry
nd ore linrvesti-d several tiiiK-s a year
y. the natives.
The Apparel Gaz'-lte, the great deal
ers' authority on everything that peo-
!e wear, siiys: "The ivory nut Is
used almost solely in the manufac-
ure Of buttons, though some factories
also make poker chips from them. The
nut, however, lias supersedid the ar-
luiic mud, rubber snd bone buttons In
vogue formerly. It admits or witter
and more v.-iried treatment for this
purpose tbau any other known sub
stance and Is easily worked. The
United Suites consumes more than
one-half of the world's product of
Ivory nuts and nine tenths of the vege
table Ivory Is manufactured Into but
tons. "YVheu the nut reaches the button
factory It Is cut into three sla!s. In
the process of cutting out the button
Is partially shaped. Afterward the
thread Lob's are drilled 'and counter
sunk. The button Is then sent to the
polisher, who uses the shaving and
powder made in drilling to polish
them lu their white state. Afterward
they are sent to the 'designer, who
traces on the buttons iu indelible dye
the designs needed to make them
match the various weaves, coloring
and textures of fabric. After receiv
ing these outlines. If the buttons are
to remain smooth and receive another
coat of coloring, they are put Into
dyes. If they are to be stamped wl'h
a segregated pattern they are put Into
pressing machine fitted with die
of the pattern desired.
STORY OF A GOLD PIECE
Kouni in the Moniuch of Cod
and
llaimct by a Sinn In Ktnui.
Some-few weeks ago A, K. Levy, of
529 Uroadwuy, New York City, went
fishing down at the Fishing Banks. Ills
luck was not exceptionally good, but
when he reached borne and the catch
had been cleaned he found that be had
broken the record. In tbe stomch of
a cod was found a $10 gold piece, with
two dlumonds set on one side and the
Initials "I. C. E." on the other, Mr.
Levy was so amazed that be sent the
story to the papers, and it w copied
throughout the country. This he
thought would le the end of It, Slid
the matter, (dipped from his mind, and
was forgotten. But Tuesday of this
week be received "a letter from Patrick
C. Evans, residing In Kansas, wbo
claims the $10 piece as ; bis own, and
Mr. Levy will surrender it to him, Mr.
Kvaus in hla let.r tells the following
story:
"I some day agoasw Jo s EL Louis
paper an Item about your catching n
codfish which when you opened It gave
up a $10 gold- pioce, on one aide of
which .was, a coupliof-dlaaronJ snd
on thp other the letter 'V. Q..JA' ?he
Vin is wi prppirjv Mr. I vy. Jhe cln
Is valuable to.nw,.for the fol.owlng na
son: I 'was fool enough shout Ave
years ago to go Inlo s 'wildcat' gold
mining heme In QA rsdo. I paid the
pfpeT lo the tube of $1,0 before
found out whnt I wss op ngalnsL Tb
only thing I got out of the enterprise
was this same $10 piece, which I bor
rowed from the president of tbe eon
pny s nan named Harris, Colby at
Lesdvllle, Col., having only a check In
my pocket at the time snd being sty
of ready money. As It happened, I 44
not change It and the next day th
mine busted np. Ro I aald 1 would keep
the coin aa a warning to ma net to
be played aa a osckar by any
men whv owned gold mine. Frauk II.
Weill, a Jeweler, of Denver, Col., put
two diamonds In the piece, and also
put my ln.tial on tbe date :de, charg
ing me $30 for the Job. nd I gue the
tranasctlon Is slid on hi book If yon
wish to verify my statement.
"I wore the rain some year, and It
mi le good whenever I wa tempted to
go Into some scheme that promised a
bunch of money for next to nothing
Invested. I wa In New York' on May
4, and remained over for some time
with friends. We went bUckflsh'.ng
n tbe lower Lay, and I wa baullng
n fish, when somehow or other the
chain to which tbe coin wa fastened
got caught In tbe rigging of our sloop,
which Just then roll 4. tbe chain nap
ped, and sway went the coin. Yon can
trove the truth of tbi If you wl'd write
me, wben I will write and sevjd you
'he addresses of wltnew of the acci
dent I will also give you referem-e
of good men here and In New York,
who will vouch for my business and
moral character. I am Interested In
the suit Industry of this town, and
hive also mining and ranch Intercuts
HIS NERVE WON.
How Tome Man Fuccdd In Gala
lag Papa' CoatPHt
As the young man entered, tbe old
man looked up and scowled.
"Well," said the old man. shortly.
"Your daughter " began the-young
man, but the old man tut htm off ab
ruptly. "I've noticed that you've been hang
ing around here a good dejL" be taid.
"I suppose that you've come to tell
nie that you love ber aud want to mar
ry herr
''No," replied the you:ig man, calmly,
I've come to tell you that she love
me ami wants to marry me."
"What?" roared the old man.
"She ays ui hers if,'.' persisted the
young man.
"I never h-ard of such an exhibition
of egotistical impertinence," said the
i LI mau.
'Then you misunderstand me," ex
plained the young man. "My assertion
is dictated by policy and not by impcr
tiiun e. You sec. It's Jut thl way:
Wh.it I want is nothing to you; now,
Is it?"
"Why if not exactly."
"I might want a thousand dollars,
but tliat wouldn't matter to you.
woiil! It?"
"Certainly not "
"Y,u're under no obligation to dup
ly me with what I wnnt, fire you?"
"liar iy."
'TL'tu wt.at a foolish prosltlon it
wind J ! for me to come to you and
hay, 'Mr rarkmson, l nave hen very
favorably inipreeip with your house
ini furniture,' it i think I'd 1 ke your
laughter,' or anything !? In that line.
ut when your daughter wants any-
tlili g it s d.ffcrei.t. Now, Isu't it difTtT
ent?" "It ciTtaiuly Is different." admitted
the old man, cautlouMy.
"Precisely," said the young man.
'She and I figured that all ,out very
carefully last night. You , I have
no particular prospects, and we could
sith see that there wasn't one chance
n a bund ed that you would give her
me. Then she suggested that you
d never yet rcfuwd anything that
she wanted, no matter what the cost
might be, ar"d that pi-rhsis It would tie
a good plan to ehatige the usual ord-r
somewhat We sort of felt that it
wouldn't be right to ask you to do any
thing for me, but It' different In hi r
ease, as I remarked before. So I'm
here merely as her agent, to say that
she wants me, and that she want nie
very much, and to ask you to please
see that she gets me. She never has
wunted anything so much as she wants
me. and I am so favorably disused to
ward her, that. If you csre to make the
nveyttnent, I shall be quite willing to
Lave the terms entire! v to you and
r."
Naturally, she got him. No wide
awake man is going to ovcrlo k
hi nee to get such a fine sample of
nerve In the family.
Miraculons Vault in Dublin.
llie most interesting place of p
grimage in Dublin is St. Michau's
Church, where the organ Is still to be
seen upon which Handel I ald to
have composed bis "Messiah." In tbe
graveyard is the last resting place of
Robert Emmet, and -the vault of SL
Mlchan provides, a more grewsome
thrill than the. morgue. The sexton
lift an lro.n door and vVscend a few
rude steps carrying a light without
which the place would be pitch dark.
Yon follow and Una yourself in a oar
row passage, from which cell-like re
cesses belonging to different families
branch off. Whether It Is owing to
tie extreme dryness of tlie'surfound-
iigs or to some mysterious property
if tbe place, the process of decay ha
tcen arrested, and the feuture of per-
ons dead for two centuries may be
-ecognlzed rom authentic portrait.
Here lie. the brother Hhearcs, who
were eieciited for 'their share In the
1'hlted Irish conspiracy, side by side
vltnoht with the Earl of Leilrlm, who
vas murdered about thirty years ago.
' be ErrrTs ancestor for hundreds of
tn bock' rest In the" same vaulL
,'eiimp the strangest thing about the
ault 1 the fact Ihat apart from the
velrd sensation, there is nothing of
e.nslve In the surroundings. London
Tattler.
Lear from History.
.Some one has characterised tbe ad
ertlaing columns of a daily new spa
er a a "leaf from the history of men
rid nations." Illustrative In a way Is
te following from a Pretoria paper;
"To let Ei-Presldent Krngers late
sldence; a few nicely famished bed
-torn, with board, etc."
(Jod will not giro yon power until
on hava aome pnrooe to hitch It
I I I I I I
i
FAVORITES
IIHIIItlllltllHUI !
Lord Ullln's Daaabtar.
A chieftain to tb Hirhlaad booed.
Cries, "Boatman, do not Urrjl
And I'll giv the adver porta
To row us o'er th ferry.
Now. who ds re. would cros Loehgyl.
This dark and atortny water?"
O, I'm th chief of Ulva' lsl.
And this Lord Llliu dau"-
"And font before her father's nam
Thr dsn we'v fled together.
For should he find us in th glen.
My blood would tiu th bestlier.
"Hi horsemen Lard behind at rid!
KlinnM ther our steDS discover.
Tbea who will cheer my bonny bride
When they have slain ber lover f
OuUiuk the bardy IliittiUni wifhl.
"1 11 go, my chier l m resaj;
It is not for your silver bright.
But for your wiusome Uny.
"And by my word! the bonny bird
in danger shall not tarry;
So though the waves sre raging white.
I'll row yoo o'er the ferry.
I
By Uiis the storm grew loud apsce.
Tb water wraith was shriekiug;
Aud la the scowl of heaven each far
Grew dark as they were speakiug.
But still as wilder blew the wind,
And as the night grew drearer.
Ailowo the glen rode armed men,
Their trampling sounded neare?.
O, haste thee,' haxtel" the lady fries,
"Tliough tempests round u gather;
I'll meet the raging of th skies,
But not aa angry father. .
The boat lis left a stormy land,
A atoruiv sea before her,
When, 0! too strong for huniso haDd.
The tempeft gathered o er her.
And still they rowed amidst tbe roar
Of waters fast prevailing;
Lord I.ilin reached that falsi shore;
His wrath was (hanged to wailing.
For sore disuinyed, through storm au
klifl'le.
His child he did discover;
One Lively Land ! stretched for aid,
And one wuk roniii lo-r lover.
Come hack! come Lu'k!" lie cried ll
grief,
"Actoss this stormy water;
Ard I'll forsiv mir JliirMiuid rhief,
My daughter! (), my daughter.'
Twas vain; the loud waves landed tin
uliorp,
Upturn or sld preventing
The waters wild went o'er his child.
And Le was left lamenting.
Thoin.il Campbell.
Aglnt Idlenen and Michlf.
How il.ith the little hnny bea
Improve each hliiuiiii; Lour,
And gather honey nil the day
From every opening flower!
llow skillfully idie builds her cell!
How neat xhe spreads tier wax!
And liilioni nurd to store it well
With the aweet fixid sho makes.
Id work of labor or of skill.
I would be busy, too;
For Satan finds some mischief atill
For idle Lands to do.
Iu books; or work, or healthful play,
It my fintt yearsbe pssaed,
That 1 may give for every day
Some good account at last.
Isaac Watts. ,
The Heat Chestnuts.
That an apparently Ignorant and cei
Uiln'y Ill-dressed fruit vendor may b
endowed with a keen sense of humor
Is evident from a story told by Augus
tus Van Wyck of a man hear his rcsl
dence from whom he tried to purchase
some chestnuts.
"Have you uny nice, fresh chewtnuti
this morning?" asked the ex-Judge ol
the son of sunny Italy.
"No 'M erica u nutties. got Etallac
chHs'niittM," siiswered the man, in al
most unintelligible Kngilsb.
"But I want tbe regular old Amcrl
can chestnuts, not the foreign varie
ty," said Judge Van Wyck. '
At this a broad smile spread bvei
the face of the foreigner, In delightful
anticipation of tbe witticism he wai
about to perpetrate.
Ah, Monster," he answered;-with s
bow, "you -mus go for eat kin'
Meester Sbauncey Ieepew."
The Octopua.
The following pen-portrait pf thh
strange creature lias In'en given by
recent writer "Sometimes you wll
see one crawling over tbe congewol
changing from na pool- to another li
search of prey; It greeny-gray eyes re
gard you with defiant malevolence
Strike It heavily with a stick or thru1
It open with a spear, and In an Inslau
It color, which a moment before wa
either a dark mottled brown or a mlu
gted reddish black, change to a ghnst
ty, horrible mnrbled gray; tlie horrk
tentacle writhe and cilric to th
weapon or spread out and adhere t
the surrounding points of rock; a blacl
Inky fluid Is ejwted from the soft
pulpy, and shiny body, and then, aftei
raining blow after blow upon It,
lies unable to crawl away, but tl
twls'.lng and turning and showing It
red snd white sucker a thing of bor
ror Indeed, the emtiodlment of all tha
Is hateful, wicked, and malignant It
nature."
A. man exhibits great presence ol
mlM If be Isn't absent-minded wbeo
the contribution box cornea ate way
t
ometlmea baak cashier saves ui
is
IRIUS Of ItAOCtt Of
cttMAiowirs aattut
i n-r m-Totlnr three tnootb In OO
letentbiu pen st Psn Frsnclseo snd
t Montresl. C nada, because of offl
;ll red Upe. Mr. Loo Utt, of China,
has been formally admitted to this
tountry snd has rejoined her husband
n New York Ciry. one w w ia
rharge of s mission ginaergarwn m
Chinatown. Bh is a ChrUUan, aa la
her husband. She was only admitted
URS. UX) LIX.
to the United States after an imperial
certificate designuting her as a teacher
had been sent from Peking.
OUR ALPHABET FOR JAPAN.
(toman Script I Hereafter to Ba l-aad
in the M .kad .' l'omain.
Japan s.vms to ! alMitit to take one
of tlie most remarkable and not least
mjHirtaiit of all her steps toward har
monizing herself with the lilgbest civil
ization of Kurope and America. That
is nothing h-ss than the adoption of
Komau script - out' owu Kngllsh alpha
betpari passu with, if uot as a sub
stitute for. ber own ancient system of
Ideograph-. For the last dozen year
a knowledge of Homan script has been
Increasing In Japan among the most
highly educated. Hut now it Is pro
loBed by tbe most liilluentlal educa
tional organization in the empire to
make the teaching or our alphabet and
of our mode of word formation com
pulsory and tiulversal in the public
schools. It seems probable tliat the
government will adopt the proposal.
In which case, of course, all private
school will have to do tbe same, with
the result th.it ail the children of Ja
pan wili presently Is- learning, uot
iiecesi-ijii' i the LnglNli language, but
at least to write i.nd reiul their own
language In l".iigil.h fashion.
That will u great thing for Amer
icans and Lurope.uis who want to
learn the .lapatn language. It will
make that lutiguiige little harder to
learn than French or German and will
enable people to team it iu the same
way that they learn the Kuropean
tongues. At present the great stum
bling block In tbe way of mastering
Japanese is the iiece!ty of learning
a multitude of different Ideographs.
Once Japanese words are expressed In
letters like our own the task of learn
ing will become Immeasurably easier.
It will then Kino lie much easier for
the Japanese to leiiru our language,
for of course, our alphabetically form
ed words seem as strange to them a
their Ideographs do to us. Moreover,
it wll) cuiise a change amounting al
most to transformation in the Japa
nese mind, or iu the linguistic func
tions of that mind. The Japanese will
for the first time regard word not as
indivisible Integer of speech, but as
composite things formed of letters.
Perhaps we can purtly realize the
magnitude of that change by ourselves
trying to regnrd words as not formed
of letters, but as Indivisible units.
Nor is that alt. Dual systems of
languages are abominations. Where
fore It Is to be expected that, having
adopted alpbalM-tical script by the aide
of Ideograpby, tbe Japanese will soon
substituto the former for the latter
altogether. It will be greatly to their
advantage so to do, und also to our ad
vantage to have them do It Hut It
will udu; tlie less lie an extraordinary
tiling For the mother tongue. In all
It details, is one of the thing te
which men cling most tenaciously.
We need, to convince ourselves of that,
to recall only tlie language controver
sies In Canada, In lioheuiia. In South
Africa, In Malta aud elsewhere, not
mentioning the recent clamor about
the teaching of German In New York
public schools. We may also recall
Bismarck's Inexorable opposition te
the Introduction of Roman script Into
Germany In place of the far less legi
ble German character. That the Jap
anese should voluntarily make this
revolutionary change In their national
script indicates their possession of an
exceptionally high ambition to place
themselves abreast of the best civili
zation of the world snd all this emer
gence from Bavngo seclusion within
the memory of men uot yet grown old!
-New York Tribune.
ltitepch iigralilo Part.
"My brother bought an automobile
here last week," said an angry man te
the salesman who stepped forward te
greet htm, "and be say you told him
If anything broke you would supply a
new part."
-Certainly," said tbe clerk. "What
doe be want?"
"lid want two deltoid munclea, a
couple of kneepans, one elbow and
about half a yard of cuticle," said tbe
man, "and he wants 'em right away."
i nan in i i h aap-
Only One Ploe fbr Him.
Darklelgh Brown-Br-r-, but It's cold,
I'm Juat dying to get to tome place
where It'll bo really warm.
Lei ter Green-Well, I coat think of
any quicker way te get
?ork laa.