Sis Only
Way** "
/I Fascinating
Romance
Adair.**
CHAPTER VIII—(Continued.)
f m Not the strictest purist on the earth
V could cavil at his writing to her. As
he felt—that Is, from his heart—bo he
wrote to her:
My Own Joyce: I am breaking my
self-imposed resolution to tell you that
I am leaving England for Australia on
the Condor, which sails next week. I
cannot live this life any longer. I>o
you know I come out at night Just to
look at the house that contains you?
There is no Joy for anything, and I
am afraid of breaking down under the
strain. I must work, sweetheart; I
must do something. Life is too hard.
Joyce, I do not wish to see you again.
If I «aw you again I should never
leave you; but I must hear frem you to
know if you are well, dearest. I ought
to say to you that you should try and
forget me, and be happy with some
other man, but I cannot. It is tre
mendous selfishness on my part; but it
would kill me if you were to look at
another man. But It is not for that
y I am writing, but to tel), you I am
leaving. Your own ALAN.
When Joyce received this letter she
sat quite still for a little time. She
felt as if her heart must break when
she thought of Alan. She knew what
his unrest meant; she knew that if it
were possible that he could lay his
head against her shoulder, and feel her
hand upon his brow, all his troubles
would vanish. But this might not be.
Never again could they go through the
agony of another parting, never again
would they look Into each other’s eyes
and see what It was costing them to
walk the path of duty—the only way
. for them. But she—aha must look
upon his face agajn. She would go
down to Southampton, and then she
would try and get a glimpse of his
dear face, so that she could «ee for
herself how he looked.
She told no one of her project. It
was not a wise thing to do, but it was
a thing she must do.
Veronica was resting in her room;
the boy was with her. Now she had
a nurse for him, and she had a pretty
house and all comforts; but she looked
more haggard than in the old days,
when she eked out a miserable exist
ence by teaching. Then there was
something to live for, now she had
nothing.
She heard a tap at the door that
made her tremble. Hutchinson had
been a frequent visitor lately—since
'y she had been prosperous. His visits
always left her poorer and sadder. She
did not mind the money, having a
childish ignorance on the subject; but
she did mind the way he spoke of
Alan. She prepared herself for battle
when she heard his knock. He came
in, looking more bloated and excited
than ever. Lately he had drank very
heavily. Today he was sober enough
hut he looked more angry than he had
done of late.
So that fellow thinks he Is going
to elude me!” he said, as he came Into
the room; "but he makes a mistake!”
Veronica turned pale. She knew he
was speaking of Alan, and that he was
threatening him.
"What do you mean?” she asked
boldly.
“I)o you mean to say that you don’t
know that that precious husband of
yours means to sail in the Condor on
Friday? I dare say he wants to de
sert you, and to go off with that other
woman!”
"Alan would not do that,” said Vero
nica, quickly. "However much he and
«>he suffer, they will do nothing
Hrong.”
”1 dare say he is a saint!” sneered
Hutchinson. “Well, he will have a
chance of going to heaven quickly, for
I’ve sworn to do for him, and this is
my last chance!”
Veronica listened, Hutchinson had
spoken like this before, and It had
come to nothing; still, it was possiDle
that he might be desperate now. He
looked it, and if he meant mischief
to Alan she must warn him. Not a
hair of Alan's dear head should fall
ny rms man a niiiiii. mm, Biie Knew
that she must not let Hutchinson sus
pect that she was on the alert.
"So he sails on Friday?" she said
quietly. "From Southampton, is It not?
He wrote to wish me good-by."
“It will be a longer good-by than he
knows of," said the man. "l^end m«
two pounds. Veronica.”
Veronica hesitated. He might lie
asking for money In order to kill her
husband, but she had often lent him
money tiefore. so she rose slowly and
went to the writing table and took it
cut.
"I suppo-e he has made a settlement
upon you?" he asked, with cunning
leer And poor Veronica, falling Into
the trap, answered.
"Yea."
' then (t'a alt right," he said, and
went uut.
Veronica sprang up from her chair ,
the Instant the hall do <r clanged after |
him Mite knew he memt mischief to j
Alan, Rhe klcaed her boy many mans !
tlmrc before gtdng him In charge of
hi* nurs- dha wn* *i* on loth to U
hm out of her aight. hut today eh« ;
almaei felt aa If she would never look
upon him again At the same lime «h.*
felt atrane 1* happy, for It aean*e*l a*
tf at last she wera able to iki some !
thing tor Alan
Alan had taken Ms seat in the Iratn '
wtthour thluklag mu h • f ‘east g t ng
land It h cd ceased In he h ‘We to
kim. he Ucoccghi ha might ha happtar
when he was removed from the temp
tation of seeing Joyce, and when he
might now and again hear from her.
And as he sat In the corner of his car
riage he thought he saw a familiar
figure pass. It was Hutchinson's
clouch. but he did not think much
about It. He pulled his cap over his
eyes, and pretended to go to sleep;
hut although he kept his eyes shut no
sleep came to him. Southampton, It
seemed to him, was soon reached. He
got out of the train and began collect
ing ils belongings. He was turning
to go when suddenly he heard the
sound of a report and then a woman's
cry. In an Instant all was commotion.
A woman had fallen close beside him
—a dark-haired, slight woman. Ho
rushed forward to help her up, quite
unconscious then that the shot that
had been fired whs meant for him. and
that the woman had Intercepted It. He
had a dim Idea, too, that he saw
Hutchinson slipping away somewhere;
but he as well as every one else, was
occupied by the fallen woman.
His were the arms that helped her
up, and his were the eyes that recog
nized Veronica. “My God!” he cried.
And when they said “Do you know
her?" he answered “Yes, and the shot
has killed her was meant for me!"
He carried her to a room near, and
when he laid her down she opened her
eyes and smiled. "I am so happy," she
said, softly. “Alan, I never thought
to feel your arms round me again.”
"Veronica,” he said, remorsefully. *'I
would gladly have given my life If this
had not happened!”
“I know It,” she said, “but think of
me for one Instant, Alan. You see. I
love you. darling. I am dying, so that
It does not matter, and my life made
you unhappy. By dying for you I
make you and her happy. It Is the
only way, Alan—the only way.”
“But, Veronica-” ho urged. Hut
she would not let him speak.
“I don't think I have long, dear. I/*t
me die like this In your arms, my head
upon your shoulder—so. You think
I’m pretty still, don’t you What was
I saying? Oh, that it will not matter,
except for the hoy. Hut I know you
and she will be good to him. I should
have liked to have seen him Just once
again. You know Hutchlnsoft swore
he would be revenged ou you, and so
I followed him; and when he tired at
you I threw myself between. I was
so happy, Alan, dear. The happiest
moment of my life W3s when I felt
that I might die for you.”
"Veronica.” he said, touched to the
heart, “I don't deserve It—Indeed 1
don’t!"
"You see,” she went on, “I made
you so unhappy by living—it Is the
only way.”
And when the doctor came a few mo
ments after Alan could see there was
no hope. The bullet had pierced her
side, and she was bleeding Internally
She fell into a state of semi-conscious
ness; but towards midnight she
opened her eyes suddenly.
“Kiss me, Alan,” she said, "and love
my boy.”
And whilst his lips touched hers her
spirit passed away.
Joyce, waiting at the docks for a
glimpse or the man she loved, saw the
great vessel glide out to sea without
him. Something must have happened
to delay him, she thought! Full of fear
and anxiety, she returned home, won
dering what had declined him; but
the next day she had a telegram with
these words; "Veronica died last night.
I am coming at once.” And then she
knew that something serious had oc
curred.
Alan came to her, chastened, grey
haired; but still Alan. And when he
told her the simple, touching story of
poor Veronica’s self-sacrifice and death
they wept together. And Joyce re
solved then and there to be a good and
loving mother to Alan and Veronica's
boy. which vow she nobly kept. In
deed. there was nothing stepmotherly
about Joyce, and she could say truly
that she had had nothing but pity for
poor Veronica, even wnust sne whs
keeping Alan and herself apart,
Alan lost no time In marrying Joyce
again. “They had suffered go much,”
he said, “there was no need to pro
long their suffering.” Now, Indeed,
their life Is the Ideal life of married
people, whose strong love for each
other Is not stronger than their love
of duty, and who did not scruple to
sacriflce everything they loved beet
for what they knew to be right.
And as for Veronica's buy, he U like
Joyce’s own Indeed, If anything, she
spoils him more than her own chil
dren
"III* mother saved your life, dear,” j
she said once, In after days, when
Alan eipcs'utat'-d with her, “and he
Is a dear boy. and h« 1* >ours. so you
see I have three of the moat mellent
reasons for »|M»ittng him '*
Hutchinson was never seen again
'I here was a h te-and-rry after him.
hut he Was never found Whether he
knew that the shot meanl for Alan
had been revetv -d by Veronica no one
could tell He iluif^M'et. and Juytw
and Alan were glad that It should be
<o They had suffered so muck that
they want- d a bill p'-ar* M *at of
a*!, th*-v did n<>t want pevvtgs It was
pitot Veronica who hit pail the debt
m l she had lb a It tie II) suylag that
It t is "lbs Only Wav
Kelt
Th# nsd U>ry author Hucaa,
A TOUCH GERM.
(lema rknhie Vitality Shown l> j I’lafaa
fttarlllt In Tfits.
Dr. M. J. Rosenau, director of the
hygienic laboratory of the United
■Hates marine hospital service, has
seen making experiments to find out
low tough an animal the plague bacil
lus is, says the New York F’ress. He
finds him to be one of the toughest of
the bacillus family. lie says: “It is
the experience of all observers that
the bacillus cannot live long outside
the body when dried at a temperature
of 30 degrees centigrade or over, but at
a temperature lower than this tvtd un
der 20 degrees centigrade it has been
kept alive 00 and 75 days. The Ger
man plague commission found that the
organism always lost Its power of in
fection when dried, within eight dajs,
in India, but after returning to Ger
many could be kept alive after drying
28 days, at 15 degrees to 18 degrees
centigrade. My own experience indi
cates that the organisms, which dried,
will die quickly If the temperature
reaches 27 degrees centigrade, but that
at 23 degrees it may live much longer."
Some bacilli, It is thought, are hardier
than others. Just as some persons are.
The doctor put some bacilli on little
squares of crash and set some of the
pieces of cloth to dry In a dark corner
of the laboratory where the tempera
ture ranged from 20 to 27 degrees cen
tigrade. Other inoculated pieces of
crash he placed in a cool room with a
temperature of about 18 degrees centi
grade. Still other pieces were placed
in a photographic dark room where
the temperature was about 23 degrees
centigrade. The bacilli from the dif
ferent pieces of crash were tried every
once In a while to see how lively they
were. After 13 days the bacilli on the
pieces of crash In the dry dark corner
of the laboratory, where the tempera
ture was high, ceased to grow, and
were pronounced dead. But a bacillus
front the cool chamber was strong
enough, after being there 48 days, to
kill u mouse inoculated with It. The
mouse died in three days. A bacillus
which stayed in the dark room for 48
days killed a mouse in two days. The
same experiments were tried with pine
wood infected with plague bacilli, and
It was found that they did not flourish
as well as when placed on crash. The
bacilli in the laboratory died after four
days, 'hose In the cool chamber after
eight days and those in the dark room
after 11 days.
DO DOGS THINK?
Komi Thinking ringx Obimiil l>y llrrr
Ntelner-ltrunner.
Do dogs think? Yes, replied Herr
Steiner Brunner, the landlord of the
Hotel du Glacier at Meiden, in the
Turtmannthnl. Herr Brunner left his
mountain hotel during the last winter
under the guardianship of a watchman,
whose only companions were a couple
of dogs—a French "griffon" and a little
"spitz." A month ago the watchman
was cutting wool in the neighborhood
of the hotel, when he was suddenly
overwhelmed by an avalanche. The
two dogs were with their master, and
must have seen him thus burled by the
fallen mass of snow. Fnable to get at
him for his release, his two canine
friends, either with or without holding
counsel together, rushed down the
mountain (which stands at the height
of 1,800 meters above the sea level) and
made their way to Herr Bruner’s house
in the valley. There, by snorting
barking and other signs of excitement,
they made the landlord understand
that something extraordinary had oc
curred at the summit. The host, with
three men and two dogs, ascended to
the'Hotel du Glacier, a journey which
occupied them nine hours. When they
arrived at the spot where the accident
had happened, "it was as clearly in
dicated by the conduct of the two dogs
as if they had said in words, ’This is
the place.’ ” The watchman was soon
excavated from his snowy grave, and
quickly recovered himself. As he could
give the exact time at which the ava
lanche had fallen, It was calculated
that the two dogs had made their
downward journey in little more than
an hour, and during a heavy snowfall.
— London News.
A Sparrow's Memory.
Insist year a red-headed sparrow built
her nest in a grape vine behind a
house on Riverside street, and utter
a time used to come to the window
every day and rap on the pane of glass
for food. This rapping began by the
sparrow trying to pick up a crumb
that had fallen inHide the window, and
ever thereafter one crumb was left in
side the pane so that the morning call
of the saucy little creature would be
heralded by a rapping on the glass.
When fall, with Its cold winds, carau
aU the birds went away, and with
them the two sparrow* and their flock
of young. The other morning, while
the woman of the house was busy with
her cares, there tame a tiny tap-tap
at the window, and there was the lit
tle red head of the sparrow. Crumbs
were thrown out. and a little later lh«
woman noticed that the bird had be
gun to build her nest in the obi plate.
I.cwlstou t Me | Join rial
I •#«! Im i Itirki
One of the lltteiestlng piece* of ap. ]
paratus recently shown at the Royal 1
sis let) autre# at I stir ton was a dwelt I
whbh *•»» controlled from a dtstan »
by meins of wireless telegraphy The
signals were transitu led by Herts
wave#, sad there »«» t short vertical
wire a coherer, relay and local bat
tery whh h »orbed th« dm- banism ut j
II • rtorb it % ,tm stale I that * iUt h
u«# of a standard pendulum and thl*
•cpparaimt all the d**ct« in town
would be kept allb * without the use
af wtree Indianapolis Hresa
Innitnts for the Blind at Nebraska Oity
Crippled by Incompetency.
LOOSf METHODS ARE EMPLOYED
In TrmiaiK'tlBj the lluiliirii of the Insti
tute—The Ailiululetretlon Severely Ar*
rulguril end Openly luipeatTiid by
F union Ofllrlale Themeolvei.
NEBIIASK A CITY. Neb., Auk 27.
To the history of mismanagement,
J-ncoinpotency, party spoliation and po
litical preferment in the conduct of
state iiistitutlons under the fusion
administration, the Institute for the
Blind at Nebraska City furnishes an
unenviable chapter. This institution,
like all the rest, has been made an
asylum for those of the fusion party
who by reason of party service have,
in the eyes of the fusion leaders, mer
ited recognition to the extent of hav
ing ther names on the pay roll.
It is a matter of common notoriety
that J. E, Harris, the present super
intendent, acquired tills position
through a deal mado on the floor of
the convention, whereby be was to
step aside as Candidate for lieutenant
governor and give way to Lieutenant
Governor Gilbert, a free silver repub
lican. His eligibility and fitness en
tered Into the deal only as a second
ary consideration, notwithstanding
that the position carries with It a
great deal of responsibility. But Har
ris was in the way of a tripartite e.r
rangenii-nt and to remove the ob
struction, the head of Superlntendeiu
Jones went into the basket and Harris
was given bis position, which among
other thingi, carries with t! a salary
of $1,800 a year and hoard and lodging.
UNFITTED FOB SU'EKiNTENb
ENT.
At one period in his life Superintend
ent Harris was young and agile. That
was many years ago. Senility In its
Irresistible pilgiimage has reclaimed
him from the paths of youth and has
bent his once tall and robust rorm to
Its will. The elasticity of step lias
disappeared, ami the visitation of
time is indicated by a head white from
the frosts of many winters. Irre
spective of his mental qualifications,
age and physical decrepitude com
bined to incapacitate him for duties
Incident to the superlntendenry of
such an lnstlttulon. Nor can It be
denied that age militates against Mr.
Harris. The fact is that he does not
teach at all, though the custom, as
well as the rule, has always oeen Tor
the superintendent to teacn one or
more of the branches.
When asked why he did not teach
Superintendent Harris frankly stated
that he was too old. He also staled
that before assuming the position he
informed Governor I’oynter that he
would not teach, yet despite this he
wa- appointed.
dissipation of funds.
Few business houses In Nebraska
could conduct their affairs along the
same line of this institute without In
the end going into bankruptcy. In the
first place, only about eighty blind
children are in the institution all told.
Strange and startling as it may seem,
it is nevertheless true, as attested by
vouchers on file in the auditor's office,
that the number of people on the pay
roll is equal to more than CO per cent
of the number of inmates. The June'
vouchars show fifteen teachers and
thirty-two other employes (see vouch
ers B45994 and B45997). This does not.
Include the superintendent and his
wife, nor the steward and his
wife, all of whom are on the pay roll,
making in all a salary list of fifty-one
pet pie. The story of this raid on the
treasury is fully recited by the nu
merous vouchers on file in the aud
itor's office and the consequent deple
tion of the funds. The wife of the
superintendent has had her name on
the pay roll only a short time, and
the fact that it is there can be re
garded only in the light of a testimon
ial to fusion persistency, which knows
no adversity in the attainment of pe
cuniary trimuph.
The school has upwards of fifteen
teachers on the pay roll, at from $50
to $65 per month each. So far as the
pay roll is concerned, it reflects a most
prodigal spirit on the part of the ad
ministration, and strongly Indicates
that the primary object of fusion
dominancy Is to gather In the loaves
and fishes. Apply the per capita ex
pense of education In this Institution
to all other institutions of learning
in the state, making due allowance for
the character of the instruction, and
the state in a few short years would be
debt-ridden from one end to the other.
DIVIDING THR LOAVES AND
FISH KS.
The manner In whli-h Superintend
ent IlarrlH was appointed has been
told. With alight modification the
story might lie applied to nearly nil
the employes of the Institution, In
nearly every appointment can be seen
iracts of political spoliation. The
lamage done us a result of this
leaches a limit that Is Incalculable.
Nor Is It to be presumed that there
have not been frequent changes with
out consequent demoralisation. In
proof of this assertion all that needs
be cited Is excerpts from the official
report. In the biennial report of the
Institution under date of December 14,
isax (see page 3441, \|rs Caroline Me*
Tsggert evidences her lark of knowl
edge of her duties by openly stating
In her report that My experience In
the work It too limited to enabla me
to say with any great degree of cer
tainty what pupils may accomplish ”
W It Woods, another teacher, un
consciously throws the searchlight on
the ephemerae y of thn ten urn of
office In the same report by railing
nHenttou to the fact that sn » er|.
esc# of three months In leaching Kitg
Hah In a school for the blind. In sd
dllton to a year s • xperienm in teach
Ing other anii)«cts Is entire * luo brief
to myhs lay coa> lu»isns of much
value "
And this Is the history <f stain ig,
stitHtlons under furiouism
Them Is su> h a mad a> ram bln for
•p 'in an I so h IHtln regard for the
public weal that scarcely is one ap
pointee Inducted Into office than he Is
put out to make room for another.
This keeps the institutions In con
stant restlessness and turmoil, keeps
them In the hands of inexperienced ln
dviduils. with the result that those
for whom these institutions are main
tained derive little or no benefit. Since
the fuslonlsts acquired control, two
different superintendents have been
appointed at Nebraska City and nu
merous changes have been made In the
list of teachers. In each Instance, or
nearly so, the change has been made
for political reasons.
Under such conditions Is It any
wonder that the teachers do not feel
fully qualified to give an opinion on
the best methods in teaching the blind,
or that the institution itself should
In Its achievements fall far short of
meeting contemplated statutory re
quirements?
FARMING OUT PATRONAGE.
The man with a '‘pull" Is very much
In evidence at Nebraska City. It was
a ‘‘pull” that placed Frank Marneli
on the pay roll aH steward at $800 per
year, along with his wife at $180 per
year. Marneli is so fortunate as to
have a brother In the newspaper busi
ness. He publishes a fusion daily at
Nebraska Oity. This Is why he was
deemed lilted for steward. Nor does
the Marneli family stop at that. The
Nebraska City News boasts of too po
tent a leverage in the affairs of the
fusion party to lie placated or pacified
by a stewardship. It not only boasts
but It commands, and It therefore re
ceives more substantial recognition
than Is ordinarily accorded fusion pub
lications, Filed away in the archives
of the. auditor's office are vouchers
bearing testimony to the frequent ex
peditions of the publisher of the News
across the plains from Nebraska City
to the treasury at Lincoln. Most of
the money is for Job work, work given
the News, it is reported, at its own
figures and without competition.
Within (he last year the News has
managed to gather in about $i!00 of
the state's money without much exer
tion and at very If tie cost to Itself.
(.See vouchors 1131302. 1*35570. 1135899.
1137601, 1141401, 1143388 and B4020!..)
Others besides the News people are
keeping In close and sympathetic touch
with the treasury. It Is a noticeable
fact that the hooks contain the firm
name of Cardwell 2 Loldtgh, though
the same Mr. Cardwell is the presi
dent of tlio Board of Truste.es of the
Institution, Though Cardwell &
Leidlgh aro in the hardware business
the firm's name Is found as creditor
In the "living expense" account :l the
Institute.
It Is a strange anomaly that, which
places, the employe In a position to
“order and direct" hla employer. It
would also be strangely anomalous
were (lie system prevalent over the
land for an oinclal to he his own
auditor or account examiner. But
here Is an example of It:
"This voucher is hereby approved
by the Board of Trustees this 4th
day of May, 1900, and the Auditor of
Public Accounts is hereby ordered and
directed to draw his warrant for the
sum of $25.35 In full payment and
satisfaction of the same, and this
claim is found to he correct and ap
proved in all things.
"J. J. CARDWELL,
“President Hoard of Trustees.’’
The voucher above referred to was
for the firm, of which Cardwell Is a
member, for goods sold to the state
(See voucher B45431.) This firm’s
name appears on the books In severs’
instances, as having sold goods to the
institute. In addition to this it is
currently reported that some of those
contractors who have from time to
time secured contracts for building
and repairing have been for some un
accountable reason partial to this firm
in placing their orders for material
During the last year the amount of
building and repair work has reached
over $5,000, but, as all the vouchers
are made in omnibufi form and in the
name of the contractor, there is noth
Ing of record to show just who or what
firm cnme in for the plunder.
LAX BUSINESS METHODS.
The omnibus system of making out
vouchers has become notorious under
the present administration. That it
opens an avenue to the commission
of fraud few will gainsay. It is a
common occurrence to find vouchers
for large amounts made out in the
very indefinite terms of "for labor
and material,’’ without specifying how
much of either. These terms are em
ployed as frequently in rendering bills
where there is no contract as where
there is. In the last year a barn
costing about $450 was built without
advertising for bids, and that the state
paid dearly for the luxury is quite
apparent. A running track and bowl
ing alley was built In the gymnasium
at a cost of $000, and the voucher
reads: “For material, $500; labor,
$400.” There is nothing in the vouch
er to show specifically how much ma
terial or how much labor the state
received.
As a rule, the methods employed in
the conduct of the institute, ure equal
ly as vulnerable The manner in
which Mils are made out affords an
opportunity for a vast amount 0/
fraud. It la ante to aay that there
Is scarcely an article In the grocery
line, but what there are several grade*
of it. In many Instances, especially In
canned and bottled goods, there is not
only a difference In quality but a dif
ference In quantity. The bills ren
dered the Institute In no way recog
nize* this very Important distinction.
If a blit be rendered for bottled goods,
such as catsup or table sauces. It sim
ply gives the number of botles, never
mentions the brand, which In the groc
ery line Is a svnonvm of quality, and
seldom gives the size of the bottle or
quautlty. Tbla course may be pur
sued without an object, but It can be
seen at once that It affords an oppor
(unity for frnud. both In letting ran
tracts to favorites and In charging
! for goods never delivered No one
| seem* to question the honesty of Hu
oerlntendenf Harris or of Steward
Marnell What complaint Is male U
made igatn t t! - Itoird of rrustees
and the governor for pin. Ing and
maintaining people tn »i< • to ing'tage
the affair* of a state Institution who
have Ifttle or no conception of their
duty or of ordinary bustneso metnola.
\ h.\l> MIXTI IlK
Huperlntendent Harris undertakes
| to manage the ekwil an I the ' farm"
> st the saute time with the re. alt that
neither Is properly managed The
•'faint' Is s ten a* re pie. • »f gruo n I,
and Is little more Ulan s pley yard.
yet Superintendent Harris manages
to make it a luxury and an expensive
one to the taxpayers. With only three
horses, a half dozen hogs and four
f«wg to look after there are several
"farm laborers" at the Institute whose
duty It Is to pare for the stock (?)
and attend the “crops.” Quarters
could be secured for all the stock on
the “farm" at the best hotel In the
state for less money than Is expended
for their keeping at the Institute. As
a patron of husbandry, so far as profits
to the state are concerned, Mr. Harris
Is anything but a brilliant success.
And there are leaks In the Inst'tu
tlon as well as In the “farm.” Irre
spective of the largo pay roll, there are
leaks that In the long run make a
noticeable increase In the cost of main
taining the school.
One of these leaks Is the department
of chemistry. Another is In the teach
ing of zoology, botany, biology and
mlnerology. Considerable money has
been consumed by the department of
chemistry, though few familiar with
that branch of study—who would rec
ognize at oneo the necessity of right—
would think of placing chemistry in
the curriculum of the blind. Review
ing this very problem, Prof, McTsg
gart of the department of science and
mathematics of the Institute. In his
biennial report to the superintendent
(In 1898, page 329) says:
"In the study of chemistry, biology
and mlnerology the nicest discrimina
tions and most accurate measurements
must he made, Involving the use of
Instruments requiring sight. No ade
quate knowledge of zoology or botany
can he had without the use of tha dis
secting knife and microscope. In
chemistry, analytical and quantatlve
determinations require the most defi
nite and complicated processes which
cannot, be carried on by persons who
have lost their sight. This statement
Is so nearly self evident that It hardly
ncedB to be made.”
In the face of this, however, a de
partment of chemistry Is maintained,
though only to the extent of purchas
ing the neeessary Instruments and ma
terial. None of the expense Is re
moved. though the teaching of this
and kindred sciences has practically
been abandoned. Only recently an
order for $50 worth of material for
this department was given, though It
Is apparent, for the foregoing reason,
that it Is a dear waste of money.
DANGER OF SICKNESS.
Nothing goes farther In evidencing
decrepitude and Inactivity on the part
of the management than the general
appearance of the Institute. The walls
and floors at the close of school this
summer were very filthy, and It Is a
remarkable stroke of fortune that sick
ness has not, wrought sad havoc among
the Inmates. According to reports, the
buildings have, hyglenieally speaking
never been kept propprly regula'ed
since the ftislonls's have had charge.
In bad condition ns they are now,
according to Superintendent Harris,
things were much worse when he was
appointed and took charge one year
ago. Speaking of the condition of
things at. that time Superintendent
Harris said:
It was a moat terrible sight. The
buildings wore fairly alive with bed
bugs. After we came here my wife
and I worked for alx months before
we finally got rid of the bed-bugs.
The bugs were In every room, In the
beds and paper on the walls, and oven
the rooms occupied by the superintend
ent and hls family were alive with
them. It was the worst sight I over
beheld.”
This Is what one fusion official says
of the management of another fusion
official. Assuming that Superintend
ent Harris found the building in the
condition stated ha has made some Im
provements, yet there is wide room for
further Improvements along the line
of cleanliness, and If additional steps
In that direction are not taken disease
and pestilence may result at any time.
It Is no doubt true that Superintend
ent Harris has waged a successful
warfare against the apterous trespas
sers which he found Inhabiting th®
bedding and furniture of the Institute
when he took charge, but there is yet
an ample opportunity afforded him
for dlstlnguishment in other direc
tions. On the whole, there Is room for
many beneficial changes at this insti
tute, both in tho way of stopping
raids on the treasury and Improving
the faculty. Under fusion control
grades in this Institution exist only
in theory and not In practice, and the
pupil graduates much In the way a
stone rolls down hill—picking out its
own way without any well defined
route or limitation as to time. Prop
erly managed, the Institute can b®
maintained at much less expense and
to much greater advantage So long,
however, as positions In this and other
institutions are given out in liquida
tion of political debts the theory of
reform, so conspicuously pictured by
the fusion leaders, becomes at once a
ludicrous Incongruity. When Superin
tendent Harris was asked why be did
not grade the school he said:
“I would like to, but you know our
term of office is so indefinite that one
hardly knows what to do. If I felt
secure tn my position for any material
length of time I would do so."
This 1® the whole story In a few
words. Under fusloniem frequent
change® have demoralized the ibatl*
tutiona, and time which should he de
voted to the good of the instiutlon
is spent In contriving plans to Keep
the official head beyond reach of th®
guillotine.
Ths Tr«|> ••Worked.*
For Mima time Isaac Mulford. a fsr*
mar living n«ar llrldgeton, N. J , has
been missing chickens. 10 h« ut i man
trap without letting the family know.
Ills ton, A If rail, stayed out lata IDs
other evening, ami. whlla slipping up
to tha hotiaa. was caught In the trap,
fearing a dressing down from hi*
father far staying out so lata tha
young man atayatl there all night.
Ills martyrdom was In vain for th*
first parson to see him neat morning
waa his father.
Mopetsl •« !• N>««llt
Wttham. the Ueoigla hanhers and
his party of cashiers and pretty girls,
tuft N'ew I orS for the south the last
of the weak There have been na
m*rrlag*e as the result «u *h« trip, at
though tt la nnde'atood that etalrl
kiosy was one of the «bj«* •« of the
junket there Is the eonsulatlee ml
knowing tb.il seven ewgngessenia have
bean made hu never, end doubt lose
the wedding* will Ink# pie e in Uevr
gta In due time.
