Harrison press-journal. (Harrison, Nebraska) 1899-1905, September 29, 1904, Image 4

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    HOW IT HAPPENED.
1 got 10 thlnkia' of her, aud a-wuoderu what she done.
That ail ber sisters kep' -girting married one by one,
Assf ear without do chances and the beat girl ot the pack
Aa mU maid with her band, you might say, tied behind her back!
A ad mother, too, afore she died, she u to Ji-s' take on
Wkw Boe of 'em was left, you know, but Evaline and John,
A ad Jee' declare to goodness 'at the young men uiuat be biioe
Tt mot met what a wife they'd git If they'd got Evaline:
I get la thin kin' of her, aa 1 aay, and more and more
I'd think of her dependence, and the burdena 'at ahe bore.
Her parent both a-6ein dend, aud all her aiaters gone
Ana aaarrW off, and her a-lirin' there alone with John
In Bigot aay Js' e-talltn' and a slavln' out her life
For aaa 'at hadn't pride enough to git hlaaelf a wife
one Harried Evaline, and
I get M thinkln' of her and it happened that-away.
Whltromb Riley.
A )
i)
U
n
The Blue Moonstone.
CC0QOOQQQQKXKXKHKKKIQOCCC
SWAS In the midst of preparation!
for leaving Manila for a trip to Ja
pan, ao there was plenty for me to
do; but here I tit half way up the
Btaircaae, wasting precious time talk
ing; to old Ram Rao, the Cingalese
fewel merchant. My bouse, waa actu
ated directly opposite the camp, where
the troops waited for the trauijorta
to take them home, and I was never
tlr4 of watching these vendors of
Sawed sapphires and Slam rubies,
which were apt to drop from their
erode settings at the first wearing,
try lag to induce the soldiers to buy
their wftres for wives and sweetheart
at home. They occasionally paid uie
a visit, and sometimes I picked up a
good pear) or opal for a small price.
Of all tin! mysterious, soft-eyed
people, Ka:n Huo interested me the
uiot. On the way out, via Suez, I
had spent four delightful days at Co
lombo, and the oid man. w ho was very
homesick, used to like to come and
talk to me of the jewel shops of his
native city, ami of the beautiful F.n
gli&h bungalows and tile Cinnamon
Drive, whl.ii had so impressed me.
Remembering the beauties of that
laud of spires and flowers, I did not
wonder that the poor soul fe,i that
Manila was "all the sauie as hell."
Te day he was crouching beside his
Uik, a curious figure with a square
f cheeked cotton wound about his
ether limbs, so that It looked like a
long tight skirt. Like most men in
Manila, he wore a white linen coat,
hut his long hair was drawn up be
hind InU a Psyebe knot, and bis tor-telse-shell
cotub was pushed back un
til it made a crown, the ends toward
. til rant
Just behind me on the steps squat
tat nay worthless little Filipino maid,
Psrtuna. She should bave been at
ho aa wing-machine, where I had left
her with strict Injunctions to finish
fcer work without delay; but I was
ao Interested in listening to Ram Rao
(bat for the moment I did not notice
her.
"Tea, Memsabib," he was saying, "I
go home to my country. You buy only
this one beautiful pin. It is a gift at
even rupees. Three days ago a sol
dier offer me for it fifteen dollar gold,
I aay no, but to-day with seven ru
feea more I buy passage on the steam
er that goes to-morrow to Ceylon."
He held up a breastpin formed of
two tiger claws, fastened together
i. with a clumsy band of gold, set with
garnets. It was extremely ugly.
"Oh, Ram Rao," I protested, "I
don't want the thing."
"Ota, but Memsabib only seven ru
pees, and then I leave this horrible
City. You so good to me, I never for
get, and some day you come to Cey
lon, you find Ram Rao there to show
fou things most wonderful the tour
ist never see, and lie take you where
you buy pearls and ivory elephant!! for
smile."
I was weak, and yielded. I did not
want the atrocious piece of jewelry,
but I was homesick myself, aud sym
pathy alone made me take the pin aud
give Ram Iiuo his -five dollars.
- II is. old eyes sparkled, and with a
gesture of infinite grace he kisd the
hrui of my iStieii skirt, tb'-n turning to
his box took out a little gold ring set
W4tb a small blue moonstone.
"If Ibe Mem will wear this," be
Mid. -"she always have the good luck
and bless the memory of Ram H:io."
"Ob, no, Ram," I paid, "keep the
ring; You might sell it for some
tking," Ttila ring I sell never," be said,
grtr'y, and looking not at me but at
Portuna, mumbled a few words in a
(range language.
"Oh, seuora." said the woman, ea
gtlr, "take tbe anlllo It Is of no
Yahse. j He feel bad yon no take
gascbo malo, you no take."
I waa struck, as I bad sometimes
tNa before, by the cu ion kind of
Freemasonry which seems to exist be
tan Oi races of the East. Here
ata stupid, flat nosed Milay
who see-ued to fully under-
Ctm the feelings and evn the lan
' fXSmt Rani Rao. with bis lofty car-
god high-bred. Intellectual face.
I . .1 Kipped the ring on. my Anger, and
I" !J ewparted. heaping blessings on
, fsfeos to me you're looking ob
well this evening." remarked
ld, as we were seated at the
ry 4m? !n boy how can I, In
' " TJ I pmred 'i do need
I tM -)rnwfi Ndl. but I
uim more wetir
VftMl ' my it tir to la-
: ',tvtt anna, i
packed her off tome day
am so glad that I'm not looking like
a fright in It, though."
I bad been asked, as one of ttie
sober matrons of the army set, to give
out favors at the bachelors' cotillion
that evening. Tom drove with me to
the Foteiiclana Hullding, then went
to the club, promising to return- for
me when the dance was over.
There was a larger gathering than
usual that evening. The cotillion club
had Increased in size, and several dis
tinguished people honored us with
their presence. We bad a major-genera!,
an admiral, and a high official
of tlie civil government there that
night
As I seated myself at tbe favor
tats!, little Tom Macon, of the artil
lery, rushed up. "My' Mrs. Crane,
you do look stunning to-nlgbt! You
simply have got to come and dance.
Don't sit here, come and Join our gid
dy circle. I'm awfully sorry I en
gaged my partner so long before
hand:" Tommy was a nice boy, and. If I
had leen married only five years ear
lier, might have been my son, 8uch
outspoken admiration on his part was
rather a surprise.
But, Tommy," I said, "I'll daneV,
of course, if I'm needed, but I have
no partner, besides I came to give out
favors."
'There ate plenty of dowagers here
to do that," be said.
The high official was approaching.
I knew him silently. He was a very
pompous person, and I bad always
found him rattier hard to talk to.
"I bave been tlod by these young
people," he said, with a wave of bis
hand toward a group of cotillion man
agers, "that I am expected to renew
my youth to-night I have not danced
the german for many years. May I
have the pleasure of dancing It with
the belle of the ball?"
"If by that sounding title you mean
myself." I answered, Immensely flat
. tered, "I shall be most happy," and
we took our seats In two empty chairs
in the cotillion circle. Just as the mu
sic began for tbe first figure,
Tbe high official danced abomina
bly, but I did not find him hard to
talk to that evening. He waa not at
all the kind of man I bad supposed
him to be. He was Jocose indeed,
flirtatious, and he. whispered stilted
compliments in my ear all the time we
sat together.
I muKt confers that this time !
rather limited, for I -was constantly
on the floor. This was a surprise. I
had always enjoyed a good dance, and
was rather a favorite chaperon with
the young people; but such attention
as I received this evening had been
unprecedented for years. I was past
my first youth, and there were many
young and pretty girls present; but, I
noted it with astonishment, I was the
belle of the bail.
Before tbe evening was half over I
was laden down with favors. Young
naval ensigns, whom I scarcely knew
by sight, gave nie paper hats and
Japanese toys, and then bore me off
in tbo waltz with an unmistakable air
of triumph. Haughty oflleers In the
division staff, who always wore such
j preoccupied air when I met them
on the kuneta, mat l almost hesi
tated to bow end disturb their weighty
cogitation, came to me with offer
ings of fans and wooden shoes. The
general and tne admiral hovered
alom my chair until the high official
became quite grumpy. When Tom
came In later in the evening, he stood
watching me with a surprise which I
conld not help but feel was unflatter
ing. At the conclusion of the cotillion,
my partner escorted me to tlie dressing-room
door, where be expressed the
wish to "wait upon" me soon (be
never made calls.) He bade me good
by with an almost fatuous smile aa
be pressed nay, squeezed my band.
"Well, old lady, you've done pretty
well," said Tom as be edged Into tbe
victoria with me and my favors. "The
children will think that Santa Clans
Is abroad In tbe land. There's enough
stuff bere to trim a good-sliced Christ
mas tree."
"I really had a delightful time." I
aald. "Why, Tom, I felt quite as I
used to aa a girl at our dancea at
; home. Do you remember that sum
! nier cotillion, wbere we first met?"
"Remember! I should think ao!
That was nearly twenty year ago. I,
a callow second lieutenant, fresh from
West Point and yon alender tittle
girl In a pink frock! Yon were aw
fully pretty Aen. but " and here
, mf husband went on to aay something
j foolish, which waa quit umiI for
I him; for, happy as we were, with m
those things were mure ofteu under
stood than mentioned.
Aa I was preparing tor my needed
repose that ntgtit, I took off my rings
as usual to lock tbem away In my
Jewel-case, and dropped one, which
rolled off Into some dark corner. I
looked for it for a moment, but beiri
very sleepy and seeing that only tbe
Uttlo moonstone ring was missing, I
postponed tb search until morning. I
tbaa, Informed Porruna of the loss.
She told ma later that, after looking
thoroughly, she bod been unable to
flud the ring. I was almost sura tLat
It had roiled underneath tho wash
stand, but wben we moved that piece
of furniture and It was not there. I
dismissed the thing from my mind, as
the article was really vf no intrinsic
value,
Tfaat evening as my cerrUge stop
ped by the bandstand on the Lansta,
sad as I exchanged greetings with my
friends, I saw many of my partners
of the previous evening. A few of
thetn stopped for a word or two, but
many of them passed on with merely
a bow. I waa rather amused to aes
that staff officer who had nearly abed
tears the evening before, when a pre
vlou engagement had prevented my
accepting from him a tin trumpet be
decked with ribbon, pass me by with
a stony Mare. He never saw me at
all. Indeed. I could not but remark
that the fervor of my admirers of the
night before bad waned perceptibly.
Upon reaching borne that evening. I
found an unplessaut t'pinle la prog
ress. As we drove through the front
door. Into the stable, wblcb occupies
tbe ground floor of most Manila
bouses, a lif ge group of servants,
children, and chickens wtood wau-hiugi
a fight between Domingo, the stable-'
boy, and Juan, the cook's' assistant
As IXimingo was belaboring bis soj
tn goal st about the head with a brass
csndi.-stick, the consej;iencfei turrl-
ened to become serious, but the eo
cbero, descending from his box. lay
atiout him witij his wbp until finally
the comlwtauts separated.
I shopped to inquire into the causes
of the affray. When a Filipino is an
gry he bi very Incoherent, aud the
mixture of Spanish and Tagaiog which
the two cu'prits poured forth was
quite unlnte llgible to me. l-'rom the
coliero I gathered that somebody bad
promised to marry Uieiu both, and.
tliat each was determined to murder
the other in consequence. After1
threatening them both with the cala
boose 0s"). I ascended tbe stairs, and
there received I'ortuna perched on the
newel post, ber bare feet tucked up
under ber red skirt, ber balr freshly
aiuiolnted with cocoa nut oil, and her
eyes dancing with an unholy Joy, I
could not help feeling that she was at
the bottom of the whole affair.
Two days before I left for Japan,
Portuna came to me and said thst she
wag unable to go with us. be In
formed me that nothing but tbe fsct
that she was to be a matrluionia
would have induced her to leave the
children and myself,
"Whom are you going to marry,
Portuna?" I asked, wondering wheth
er Juan or Domingo were to carry off
the prize. '
"A man muy rlco, senora," ahe de
clared, proudly. "He give me beauti
ful Jewels and One casa. You see
him often on the Luneta Simon 8e
ba'rtinno." I gave a start of surprise. Rebas
tlano was one of the most influential
Filipinos In Manila. I simply could
not believe that ugly, undersized I'or
tuna could have captured his fancy.
He was good looking, too; there was
a stralu of the best Spanish blood in
his veins; he had been well educated,
and was high in the ranks of the Fed
eral jtnrty. It was as much of a mis
alliance for blm to marry I'ortuna as
for the scion of an aristocratic New
York family to seek in marriage a
Bowery factory-girl of the most hum
ble antecedents. The more I thought
of It, tbe most unlikely it seemed; and
when she Informed me that she bad
been brought up in bis bouse as tbe
daughter of bis cochero, the news was
more incomprehensible than ever,
knowing as I did tbe class distinctions
of these people.
For the next two months the chil
dren and I reveled in the beauties of
Japan. By October we returned to
the head of the family, who was bard
at work in Manila.
I was greeted with the pleasing
news that orders were on the way for
us to go home. So I determined tc
enjoy as fully as possible the last
weeks of our sojourn In the East
When we were bidden, then, by one
of the various political parties to a
great banquet, I decided to go, a It
was to be nearly the tost of my Fili
pino enLertalnmeuts.
All the American civil officials and
many oflleers of the army and navy
were there. I felt quite lost among
so many personages of rank. I was
taken out to the repast by a nice In
fantry major, and we sat far down
below tbe notables.
Some distance from where I sat, I
saw my late cotillion partner talking
to a Filipino woman; on looking more
c.osely 1 perceived that be was en
gaged In an animated conversation
with could it be Yes, It certainly
was Portuna! Portuna, quite as un
beautiful aa ever, but gorgeously ar
rayed; her eauitsa stiff with embroid
ery, a spray of diamond roses foui
Inches long In ber balr, and about her
neck a string of pearls for which I
would have given ten years of my ex
istence. 8be seemed to find the re
marks of tlie high official Interesting;
Indeed, she laughed In coquettish
manner; and as for him, be did not
teem to find the banquet the perfunc
tory bore these affairs nsoally are to
asm of his kind lit really appeared to
I oajoyUag klouoJf.
When The luuquet n over. Poc
;uns came up aud grwled uis with
ffusion. he was not proud. Kbe
ked a Unit the children with tears
in br eyes, and promised to come sad
them. She iutrodui"d her hu
and, who regarded her with adoring
je. I found blm to l very in'eill
jent. and w talked together of the
traffic queakm aud of the future of
tbe Malay ra.-e while we were rttting
ut a dauce it at out several that
tveulngi.
The high official rushed up to us.
.Not having seen him fr two months.
I supposed that be had come to pay
Lis rpeU. He bsrely nodded to
uie.
"Oh, bow do you do. Mrs. er
f rane." Then, "Where is that attrac
Ive little wife of yours, Bebaetiano?
I want to see if she will dance the
Kigodon with me."
With that he darted off, aud I soon
saw him standing, with Portuna as a
partner.
The next time I saw Portuns wss
on tbe trsnsport Sheridan. We left
for home on very short notice, and In
some way she beard of It, and appear
ed Just before the vessel sailed, bear
ing gifts of plan and jusi sod Ceutoii
linen for me aod the children. She
was the very same Portuna, but the
evident affection she bad for me bad
awakened quite a warm feeling for
her in my heart, so I submitted to ber
embrace, while tbe children clung to
her with tears.
The last gong bad soiiuiled, and
wben half way dowu the gangway
I'ortuna turned and waved her band.
The sun fell uim ber costly rings,
and among tbe diamonds and pearls,
I noticed upon her little finger the
glint of a blue moonstone.
Ieanl!ig over the side of the ship,
Tom and I suw ber enter a comfort
able little private launch, and steam
off In state.
"What a promotion for Portuna," I
remarked. "How do you suppose it
ever happrted?"
"It Is rather remarkable," said my
better-half, as he lazily flicked the
tabes from a Germinal cigar, "but
then you know, for a Filipino, I'or
tuna Is really a very pretty woman."
San Francisco Argonaut.
HISTORY MUST BE REVISED.
If All that Read Unfavorably Should
lie tMrkke-o Out.
'.Since l'xJ.'i, when the great and gen
eral court declared Roger Williams to
be unlit for fellowship and banlslvd
tilui from tbe state, there have been
even different petitions to bave tbo
edict revoked. All have received tlie
indorsement of religious as well as ijo
lltlcal leaders, jet there has never
een a sufficiently vfgoi jus expression
f public sentiment to bring U about.
I he last petition bfore the legislature
represented all shades of religion!
feeling. It was signed by descendant
f those who had been instrumental In
driving Itoger Wllllama to Rhode 11
ind nearly 300 years ago. But tradi
tion Is powerful, almost sacred, and
what has gone on the statute books
itays. The failure to repeal any law
that has long been usclesa Is an exam
ale of the same kind.
In view of such facts, It Is some
what surprising that there is going on
now another movement to have the
name of the apostle cleared. In spirit
the people of this State respect the
memory of Roger Williams as deeply
ind as sincerely as the citizens of
Rhode Island or of any other New
England commonwealth. The persou
who are determined to bave the ban
removed appear to 'be endowed with
much of tbe unquenchable enthusiasm
sf WUUaaut LSaisdf. which caabkd
Mm to conquer III spite of all obs acbM
sud persecution. The leaders of the
new movement are now circulating a
petition at all tbe watering places In
New F-ngland, and after signature
iiave been obtained here it will be s-nt
lo St. Louis for the approval of all the
New Englanders who visit the World s
Fair, and thence to different sections
in the West wbere puritan sentlmnt
Is strong. It Is hoped to bave tha
names of l.WO men and women of
prominence In this Htate alone, and
aiany more names from Massachusetts
ind New England people In other parti
of the country.
However, tlie edict against William
vas not peculiar io tbe H-nes. Other
fearless thinkers In politics nm th"ol
'gy were banished. If we are golnj
inlo tlie matter of eraMng from our of
ficlal records everything that reads un
favorably now, our whole history will
tiped to be remodeled, revised and ex
purgated. The temperament of purl
tan times was cold, stem and brleky.
Why try to make It appear to lw what
,t was not? Boston Advertiser.
CMnrso Banal.
When a rich and Important China
nan dies bis funeral is conducted with
much pomp aud splendor. His friends
aud relations, Instead of sending
wreatbs, send Innumerable banners.
These are made ot white silk wltb In
scriptions beautifully worked in black
velvet, and express tbe sender's good
wishes to the deceased blmse.f or to
lbs members of bis family for many
generations. On the day of the fun
eral these banners are carried by hired
men. who are dressed all alike for the
occasion. ' After tlie funeral, which
lasts several hours at the cemetery, Is
over the banners are brought buck,
ind eventually grace the rooms of the
late Chinaman's bouse. Tbe more ban
ners there are the greater Is consider
ed tbe honor paid to bis memory, and
bis family afterward take a great pride
In showing them to tbelr friends and
icqualntanees.
A woman's Idea ot making a room
look cosy Is to arrange the chairs that
rou can't move In tht dark without
(tiling avar thtm.
P. a DEPARTMENT IS BUSY.
M.i; CkmiH Models Nsaies rf
ad t KMiliar OBit.
The Postotfice lteparttuent bf l"B
playing havoc wltb the Oil familiar
names of offices throughout tbe eoun
try. It has been obliged lo dinconti .iu
the mall erv!-e at New York. To be
sure, it Is not the New York of ibe
;reat White Alley whose poUl fa' i.I
ties have been cut off, jut s town of
somewhat smaller siie, lu the Ht of
Iowa. It has also been the unhappl
ne.s of die people of Ibx k Branch. lu
the same commonwealth, to loa tbetr
postoffke. aud the records have bee"
transferred to Correctionville. Omln-ius
name: I-et us hope tbe records are
straight.
In Michlgsn the d-psrtweut b
amended the name Sauit de Ste. Marie
Into Sault Salute Marie, and It has
ektsbllshed tbe offlcta of Racy aud
Recue. In Minnesota that noble of
fice known for years a Proctorknott
has been shorn of Its final syllable, and
the famous orator Is known only by
bis Christian name upoD the mailing
lists now. Pkog is a new name lu Min
nesota, and a gO"d one. In Mississippi
t'butikeys Matlon has been trans
formed into Chunky. In Oregon Ned
has been stricken from tbe list, and
in Pennsylvania Arcadia has been es
tablished.
In the Philippines Masbate has bw-.i
d!s-ontlnued. Kquallty has Wen estab
lished In South Carolina and a lie
Hunker Hill has arisen in Tennessee.
Iioevllle has also sprouted In Tennes
see, and there the much-sought John
may have his borne.
In Texas Hawb-y has been trans
formed Into HI ssing and an Arp lias
appeared, double a modest trilmtc
to the humorous gentleman of that
pseudonym. Virginia has a new I'ot,
a Pilot and a School, but has lost a
Cool Well and a IHI.
Correspondents who have bltheito
addressed fop-leu letters to p.eulali,
I.landyssil. must now use larger en
velopes and write it Iteiilah. Newcasrle
F.nilyn. Carmarthenshire I.lkewli
I.lwyndafydd, New Quay, Cardigan
shire. Why 1ms Vet Un.
Hants, been roniplleiib-d Into West
Mm, F.ast I.Ik, Hants? And why
lias Tygerfontelii. Cape Colony, been
"erased from the IUt':" l'oe the
change of Victoria Wet It'Xtd lo
Hutchinson Indicate a disloyal ten
dency in the colony?
The IVtolTiee Iiepttrtment Is alwuy
busy chanifins name", estubli'-b!:i,
discontinuing, moving offices, refold
ing their spelling and generally keep
ing them In order. Ft lljfbt summer
reading try the 'Tulted Rates Otliclal
Postal fiu'de," whose yellow covers
'appropriately bint at Its Interesting
contents. New York Sun.
!-
f
T A JAPANESE HERO.
i
-S--5-4-
All Japan has been ringing with the
fame of Takeo Hlrose, the first great
naval hero of the Japanese-Russian
war, who was killed lu Admiral Togo's
second attempt to block up I'ort Ar
thur. Hlrose was leader of the vol
unteers who set out to sink their ships
and, if necessary, themselves, In the
mouth of the harbor. He was killed
by a projectile from a Russian quick
firing gun while seeking to save the
life of bis friend and subordinate, Pet
ty Officer Suglno. The New York
World tells of other deeds of courage
performed by Hlrose.
He first proved bis bravery In the
war with China. After that war I.Ieut.
Hlrose, who stiojie RwKinB and Frciicb
well, was Kent ns naval attache to the
Japanese legation at St. Petersburg.
He came Into prominence there through
an incident which occurred at a ban
quet. A Russian officer declared that
the Japanese, so small of stature, could
not, as individuals, bold their own in
any war. Hlrose smilingly defied any
three Russians to- overcome blm at
wrestling. Roars of laughter greeted
the challenge, for lu those days Japa
nese Jiu-jitsu was not described in
every newspaper.
At Ittstj for the fun of it, the Rus
sian officer et,t for three large and
sturdy soldiers. The little Japanese
threw the Russian, otic nfter another.
Hlrose remained in Bt. Petersburg
three years. The daughter of a litis
sian naval officer fell In love w.'Ui the
gallant young Japanese. Her father,
who greatly admired Hlrose, let it be
kifhvn to him that be would not be
unwelcome as the young girl's suitor.
Hlrose, who also cared for the girl,
struggled with bis affection for three
days.
Then be wrote to ber father, and
pointed to the inevitable war between
Russia and Japan. He said: "Wben
my country calls me to duty I hall
have to turn to account all the valua
ble professional bints received from
your kind lips and so help to do mortal
hurt to your country's navy. Thus III
must patriotic duty make me repay
all your killings. With this In my mind
and In my heart, bow can I presume
to sue for your daughter's hand, know
Ing that after the outbreak of tbe most
Ilkeiy of wars tbe hand of fate might
destroy the the happiness of your
ibiugh.er In the most ruthless of w.y,
should I bave been so happy as lo have
won her band."
Hlrose In his poetic temperament as
well as In bis dauntless spirit truly
represented tbe old warrior class of
Japan, the Samurai.
Ktrenalh In Numbers.
Hliigleton I understand your wife
comes of a very old family.
Wcdderly Well, It Isn't SO old, but
It Is awfully numerous.
Oreat goidness! Tbe oWfashlonad
album la making lu rsappaaraoc.
Pretence
Co tii es wish.!!" electricity, wlU
out soap. Is the ld'-s of a Hungarian
Tbe stream of ectrif water It
claimed to retuove sll spots and dirt
and the three hundred garments bet
by tbe machine are washed In less
tbu fifteen minute.
For several years a record has beet
kept of tlie wear of locomotive) wbseii
en tbe I mulsh state railways. T ,
single drivers are fouud lo run bettei
than four coupled, the bitter betei
than six-coupled, aud In all cases
wear is iii.rens.-d by films! nsas mi
road.
Kitiuct pigmy eb-pbsiiU aud hippo
taml have beeu found lu several larg
Islands of the Mediterranean, raualas
lately d!-orered. seeming to be tbsat
of ao elephant bard'y three feet high
Dwarfing of the animals appears
have come from a restriction of th
area over wbl-h they could range
A remsrkable luminous tnet.r trsV
wen at Madrid has been reported bj
J. A. Fercx. It continued visible frois
alut 1" p m- until midnight, tin
shape gtadual.y changing from an si
most closed curve with a loop In It ta
an cnUirged loop with a very faint da
ta. hed portion of the primary curra
A i's-al study of rural depopulatioi
near Paris ba U-n made by Dr. A
F. Filcqtie. He tlnd that tbe cause
Include sanitaty Ignornuce leading ts
high infant mortality, migration ot
young people to towns, effects of coa
Rcriptioii, and ali-boitsm. His sug
gestnl remedy- one that promises sao
cess In Hi'giuiii Is improved primary
and technical education, with special
efforts to cultivate a love of fanf
life.
Profe.r Horchers of AIx-ls Chap
elle U said to have Invented a procesi
of obtaining the metal a!clum by ths
aid of electrolysis at a very low cost,
so that It may play an Important part
as an Industrial metal. Calcium U
harder than lend and lighter than atu
milium. Its specific gravity 1 onij
1 T.S. It mu le hammered Into th4
b-af form, and possesses many char
actcrifciic wblcb may render it valts
aide lu tlie arts, altlwmg'i It oxidises
rapidly. , .
It Is itpoit-il 111 IVtermanii'a Mlt
tlieiluDgen that Ijike Siilrwa, dlseor
ered by Lr. Uvitigstone In 1H.1.H, south,
cast of Ike Nyas? lu Cf-Dtr! Afrl
ca, has entirely Uiapiired, with tt)
exception of a few s;unll pond In la
bed. In Livingstone's day the lskl
was alsint thirty mile long ai.d from
ten to fifteen tlilies widi;, At, least 11
was thus shown on the map. Lekl
Ngaml, also discovered by Living
stone, lias since disappeared. Tb
cause of the changes appears to lie a
gradual drying up of bodies of walei
In Central Africa. It Is not a procesi
of silting up of tbe bottom, like thai
wblcb has recently affected the shore
Hive of tlie fsea of Asof.
Old age Is nn Infectious diseasa
which, we may expect soon to bo treat
ed by a preventive sernai, prolonglai
life. Such was the view expressed U
the late Paris lecture of Dr. Meuchal
koff. Senility, be explained, I pro
duced by certain, physiological state
which cam the "macrophages,"
wblcb are a beneficent specie of tut
crobes, to increase too rapidly, wliea
they become Injurious. These panisllei
flourish In tlie large Intestine, which li
possessed by mammals, but Is almoul
omipieteiy lacking in bird. Tbe re
sult was Illustrated lu the iKictor'i
own dog and parrot, the former beini
decrepid at 18, while Die latter waj
hale and lively at 70. While the s
ruin Is Ixdiig awaited, we are Advlse4
to eat curdled milk.
GLADSTONE Of JAPAN.
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1 i'. .
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n
.vjr. w&k
r 7-a- - ' -. nsr BT'"yi'"'
if
COVXt OKIX V.
Count Okuma, a member of las
House of Peers and a leading finan
cier, bas Imeri called by bis adiiilrera
"tbe grand old man of Japan," and
there are many points of reseuiblanca
between him mid (iladstoue.
An Opilmlsi.
"Do you think that the standard af
popular taste ia higher than It used to
be?"
"Certainly," answered Mr. Btorav
Ington Buines. "You must remeinbe
that people of Ibe previous genera
tlons had no opportunity of seeing mjf
Interpretations," Washington Star.
It Haiipsas Krvjuriitlr.
Mrs. Fenders It's alwurd for Henrj
to think of marrying that Mis Belcher
Why, she's thred or four years olden
than be.
Uncle George Ob, thafs all rlgbt
It won't be long before ke'a three et
four years older tku fba.-Boetef
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