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About The Loup City northwestern. (Loup City, Neb.) 189?-1917 | View Entire Issue (Nov. 30, 1900)
Irv the FowSer’s Srva.re^ ^ ^ By M. B. MAN WELL y$* yi* >♦#>♦# %t# y* y# »♦» >♦» y^ *♦» *♦» y# »♦< y* >♦/ y* >♦» »♦» CHAPTKR III.—(Continued.) f "It'a our oniy chance, certainly!*' | Instantly agreed the last comer. “If we silly-shally over the doing of it mtiel^ longer, we shall die like rats in a hole, as the guard says: "Then we'd better tear these ob stinate fools off the engine and man It ourselves! ’’ suggested a frantic pas senger. “We can rush It through somehow! ’’ “Not so!” was the calm answer. "Our only chance In rushing the dan ger is the speed. Now, if 1 and you, all amateurs, man the engine and bungle the thing, the chance is we should roast before we got quite through tiie flames. "Now, ladies and gentlemen”- ho turned courteously to the passengers surging round -“I must ask you to trust your bodies to me, and your souls —well, according to your several creeds!” With a strangely harsh, empty laugh the stranger ascended the engin turning his dark face to say peremp torlly: "Take your places aboard tin train instantly, every man, woman and child! "Now, my friends, I’ll tackle you!” He faced round to the engine men. So near was the train to the Art, that the heat was iusufferable—the faces of the men were almost skinned. "Warm work, my hearties, this!” the Stranger said, almost cheerfully, as he beat the hot air slowly with wav ing hands, and pressed bis face closer to the scorched visages on the engine. “You get off this engine, mister!” furiously began the driver. “I’ll brain any man who tries to boss-” The wrathful words ended In a sad den algh, and the driver's arms fell softly at his sides as the invader of the engine turned to the stoker, a power fully built man. “You heard what my mate said, didn’t yer?” struck in the man. “You git off, or I'll—I’ll-” There was the same singular collapse, the same lamb-like attitude. Both grimy men stood motionless and meek facing the intruder. "Just so,” observed the last equably. Then, leaning over, his strident voice clanged harshly along the enow shed: "Every soul aboard? Keep all win dows and doors fast for your lives!” "What is it, Gervis? Are we safe yet?” faintly whispered Gladdy. The girl, who had only seemed to shake off her curious attack of insensibility within the last few minutes, was star ing vaguely round the car. She wondered Idly why most of the women were on their knees, and why the little children were clasped so frantically to their mothers. Surely the tiny creatures would be smothered in such embraces. And why was Gervis, her husband, breathing in that curiously labored fashion, as If he had been running bard? Then she became aware, as he laid his cheeks against her own, that his face was wet and cold, clammy per spiration. "Gervis!” she cried, a vague alarm awakening her at last, “speak to me!" “Can't you pray, Gladdy?” whispered Gervis, and the clasp of his arms tight ened round his wife. “Pray, Gervis? What do you mean?" wonderingly said Gladdy. And Gervis drew his brows together. And yet was it not better that she should know, poor little Gladdy in her newly wedded happiness? Outside the cars, now tightly closed, the men on the engine, who were going to fight the flames doggedly, were grimly and rapidly making ready. The heat had become intolerable, and redly glowing sparks were shower ing down the blazing roof. The poril was already so deadly that there was no choice. A dash for dear life must be made! Suddenly a great tongue of flame darted along the roof with a hissing Up sound. The haggard, white faces in the cars could distinguish every tim ber in the shed’s wooden walls in the new glare. The fire was gaining with a deadly sureness. “Quick, men! We are taking our lives in our hands! Here, reach me that bale of waterproofing! We must divide it between us to cover as much of our persons as we can!" It was a sharp, vibrating voice, with a note of command, that has»ly or dered. Then came the hoarse order for which the cowed enginemen were meekly waiting. "Ready? Then go! Top speed!" The long train, with Its large cars, creaked and groaned; the tongues of flame darted upward hissingly; the burning rafters crackled and snapped; the smoke rolled along in heavy clouds that choked all who rode on the ill fated train. “God in His mercy, help us! We're off!" The train was cutting its way through the sheet of flame that had walled it In. CHAPTER IV. It was over—this daring venture— and over safely! Outside in the open, in the clear cold Mr of the starless night, the long train Grew up under the softly falling flakea of feathery snow. Half-paralyzed men and fainting women In the cars knew tney were safe, and there was a brief hush, while sobbing thanksgivings broke from lips that seldom pra/. Tien here was a . rash to examine the cart, which had, : providentially, not caught Are. no iur as wo Know, we are an saved,” woo the thankful chorus that went round, as the passengers stood about on the snow stamping their feet. “How on earth did we get our her-', mate?” was the hoarse whisper from one of the blackened, smoked figures wrapped In waterproof on the en gine. “I don’t know!" was the answer. “I thought we was bound to roast in the fire, but here we are! Heats all!” “That’s so; but we're safe; that's good enough for me, anyhow!" “The sooner you people get aboard the cars again the better," It was a courteous, almost concilia tory voice, but it was the same that a short time before had given the word if command that saved the trainful of | human beings. Instantly the speaker i was surrounded and a torrent of 1 thanks assailed his ears. “Pray, don’t overwhelm me!” He , ralsc-d his long, lean hands dcprecat ingly. “What have I done? Merely •sugge fed a way out of the difficulty.” But his modesty was overruled. The overwrought passengers found an out let for th^lr agitation in demanding the name of their preserver, in order, they said, “to add it to our prayers, und teach it to our little ones.” “My name is Paul Ansdell,” politely said the stranger. Then lie added hur riedly, as if to choke off any further questions: “I am a scientist by pro fession, and am at present traveling for material regarding a subject sug gested by the society to which I have the honor to belong. 1 hope I have j explained to your satisfaction, ladles ! and gentlemen.” Under the courteous tones there was a distinct element of mockery, which served to chill the warm gratitude of the passengers. In twos and three3 they dispersed, some to gef aboard the train Into the shelter and comfort and warmth; others to stand in the snow I and watch with awe the roaring flames i now mercifully behind them. “The weather tonight is so dry-cold, ■ even for the time o’ year, that the fire has got a firm hold. The whole shed’s doomed,” said the guard. “It’s bin a wonderful deliverance from an awful death, gentlemen. We've need to thank God oil our knees." The man looked round on the groups huddled together on the snow, which the roaring fire lighted up around them. And, indeed, the delivered passen gers were, each in his or her own way, thanking God. Here a young mother, her soft arms round a little child, knelt in the snow murmuring. Near her a clergyman was, with lips rapidly moving, thank ing God for his safety. Here, again, an iron gray-haired man stood bowed for a few seconds to of fer up his thanks for the frail invalid wife, the love of his youth, whom he had just lifted baek into the car. It was Indeed a solemn sight, the little thanksgiving service out on the snowy plains, upon which the grim mountains frowned down through the small, dry flakes of failing snow. “Now it strikes me we should do well to be getting ahead. The night is upon us, and I ran tell you it will take us all we can to stand the coids of midnight and early morning.'’ It was the voice of Paul Ansdell that broke the spell. He was standing with arms folded on the rear platform of the cars, looking down with half-shut eyes upon the reverently bowed heads of his fellow travelers. No meaning for him had this communing with the Divino Creator, who had stretched out a helping hand in the grave peril. Had any cry broken from ills lips to ascend on high it would have been the exceeding bitter one of the Psalmist: “Ix>rd, why castest Thou off my soul? Why hidest Thou Thy face from me?"’ But It was many a year since this man had abandoned prayer. He was not an unbeliever in one sense, for no man knew better than Paul Ansdell that there exists an over-ruling Power, who moves and shapes humanity at His will. Otherwise it would have been the worse for his fellow men, seeing that Paul Ansdell held certain ill-gotten secrets that would have en dowed himself with an Illimitable do minion over the lives and the fortunes of others. But as it was he gnashed his teeth over the checkmates that blocked his wicked way and protected his victims. So far the man had faith in his larger and bolder flights. The two aims he lived for were to win a colossal fortune, and to preserve his life as long as possible. To die, to crumble into dust, was to him a hideous prospect, and he had no other —his creed forbade all such. To save himself more than his companions he had put forth his utmost strength of will. He had succeeded strangely, even marvelously. Paul Ansdell smiled contentedly as lie leaned, strangely exhausted for a man who had simply lifted his voice, not his hands, to the rescue. He was con gratulating himself that his will pow er was increasing enormously. Then he heard a hurried voice at his ear. “Mr. Ansdell, I’ve brought my wife ; to thank you for your splendid bravery i in saving the wnole lot of us,” Hervis Templeton was saying earnestly, and his hand was pressing the shoulder of Paul, who wheeled sharply around, to glance for one swift second at the lit tie shrinking figure behind Oervl* 1 Then his ey<« turned away to the flame-reddened snow. “Come. Gladdy. this Is the hero of the hour. Haven't you a word to give him?’’ Gladdy must have heard her hus band's urgent whisper, and yet she spoke not a syllable. Silently and wist fully the girlish bride was gating u# Into the dark fsrp of Paul Ansdetl. It was ns though her soul was dumbly questioning that of the man who had saved her life. “Dear, say something"’ In the low ered voice of Gervia there was a per emptory note. He was annoyed at his wife's extraordinary awkwardness n? inucu hs nr wus puzzicu, nut con 1*1 the man think of her? The thought crossed his mind as he took (Daddy's (old, email fingers In his to encour age her. Il\tt Paul's attention as well as Paul’s eyes were being given to the outside world. “I fear we're going to have a night of it. perhaps another chapter of ac cidents who knows? for the snow will lie tremendously deep «t certain curve* 1 know of ahead," he said. And, under rover of his words, Oladrly drew her hand from that of her hus band. and slipped back into the draw ing-room car. She was the only one of the passengers who had failed to offer thanks to the rescuer of the train. The cars were moving off on their Journey once again, and the men were chatting to one another. • • » "Not so bad for the first move In the game!” The triumphant words whimperingly from the lips of Paul Ansdell as he sat alone in the smoking compartment, leaning back in his chair, his dark, baleful eyes watching the smoke wreaths lazily rising over his head, CHAPTER V. Paul Ansdell warn right In his sur mises. The scientist, as a rule, was right somehow. The fine, feathery snow resolved itself into a perfect blizzard a few hours later, and the train, after plunging through deep drifts, cutting its way gallantly, was brought to a standstill. Fortunately they were close to a prairie station when the stoppage took place. "We must make the best ot It,” cheerfully agreed the passengers. "There's plenty to eat and drink aboard the train, thank goodness, and we Can get out and stretch our legs without any danger of being lost in the snow, for it’s hard as iron.” “Will you come out and take a turn with me?” pleasantly asked Paul Ans dell, coming over to Gervis Templeton, who wms staring disconsolately out of the window. Gladriy had chosen to remain in her berth for breakfast, and showed as yet no inclination to leave it. “I should like it above all things!" the young Englishman eagerly said. And presently the two men, wrapped tip to the eyes, were tramping over the shining, snow’y expanse beyond the lit tle station. “Are you going to make any stay at Montreal?” asked Paul carelessly. “Not over a few days, to see the place," was the answer. “I am taking my wife to England to spend Christ mas In the old home, so our time la limited. Otherwise there's nothing I should like better than to winter In the Dominion. It’s a glorious land, and Qladdy, my wife, would have rev eled in the Ice carnival and all the other delights of a Montreal winter. But it can't be helpted. My people are eager to see and know her. We have not been long married, you see," he added, a little lamely. “I know,” curtly said Paul Ansdell, “I was In ’Frisco when your wedding took place; and I knew old Hiram Fairweather, your wife’s father--per sonally, I mean. A sharp, astute old chap, that. Made his pile, eh?” (To be continued.) SOME ARE ODD. <it>oKrR|)lil(,al Naiix'N Out In Arkansas. A commercial traveler recently re turned from a trip through Arkansas was speaking the other day of the nomenclature of the towns and coun ties of that state. “As a township name,” said he, “nothing seems so popular as a name ending in ‘creek.’ There are Bee -h, Mill, Barren, Dutch, Ixmg, Big, Peter. Clear, Pierre, Flat, Crooked, Sugar and Day creeks scat tered through thp state as townships. There are Eagle and War Eagle town ships, and one is named after Grover Cleveland. Yell Is both a township and county name, but the people are not particularly noisy in those places, in spite of the name. Many names are reminders of the old French oc cupation, such as Petit Jean, Terre Noir, Fayette, Lagruc, De Bastrop and St. Francis, names of townships. Sugar loaf seems to be a popular name for towns in Arkansas, why, I do not know; and one community calls itself by the intensely prosaic name of Railroad. Colonel Bowie, he of the celebrated knife, has his name per petuated by a township name, and so has Daniel Boone and Bryan. The population of Arkansas is now nine ty times what it was when the first census was taken of It, In 1820, but the Increase has been slow in the last decade compared with previous ones. The population has Increased In tha last ten years only 16V4 per cent, whne in the ten years before the In crease was over 40V& per cent.” Prrc-tou* Woods Wasted. Rosewood and mahogany are so plentiful in Mexico that some of tha copper mines there are timbered with rosewood, while mahogany is used as fuel for the engines. WARM TIME COMING This Winter’s Session of the Leg islature Promises to Be Hot. STNATORIAI ASPIRANTS IN IINCOIN AMiirnorf Tlmf I rgUlntur* Ia Nafrl? Kf ptiblh'ttti < nu at a Ili iM Mftl Interi wt In Aeiialnrlnl I*«!lll«al ItOAAlp nf llr»rrj CViiirnrlrr. There Is going to bo u very pretty tight In the legislature, which inerts next January, for the two senatorial togas which will lie at the disposal of that law making body. Lincoln is now the niece® of promi nent candidates, who regard the sup port of Lancaster county very warm ly, and to get it they must be very agreeable to Thompson, an It is con ceded that he will tie In It to some ex tent. It Is quite too early to tell the direction of the wind, but the candi dates consider it necessary to get into the fight without delay. There have been auy number of booms launched. 9 9 Ex-Governor Lorenzo Crounse wns in the city last week making arrange ments for his headquarters during the legislature. Mr. Crounse has admitted to his friends that he will be a candidate for the senatorship. It is believed by them that he will muster strength enough to make him one of the foremost in the fight. His visit to Lincoln at this time is taken by some as indicative of a desire to confer with Mr. Thompson over the outlook. The candidacy of Mr. Crounse lias been regarded rather favorably of late by Mr. Thompson's managers. The visit coming right in the wake of the close of the count in Douglas county is supposed to be of significance. Governor Crounse is a veteran uud he has many friends among the members of the G. A. It. « * The North Platte country has so many promising candidates for the senate that It must keep a South Platte candidate busy thinking up a winning combination. By common consent Mr. Rosew'ater lias been elim inated from the race at the end, but nobody can yet say that Crounse, or Meiklejohn, or Kinkaid, or Currie or Cady will not be in it when the decis ive roll call is made. The South Platte has fewer candidates, but the possi bilities of counter combinations are great nevertheless. Thompson of Lan caster is talked about now more than any other single candidate, but Hain er, Hinshaw and perhaps Martin of Richardson will he on hand with some strength when the legislature is con vened The vote will be so close that any man with half a dozen votes can block an election if his men will re main with him long enough. A nice little contest lias arisen over the position of adjutant general of the Nebraska national guard. This office is worth about $1,500 a year. It has always been filled by an old soldier, and the old soldiers use the argument that It should be given to a veteran as long as an old soldier is capable of i J?ork' G. Gage, who held the office under Governor Crotinse and Winslow H. Barger of Hebron who was formerly assistant adjutant general of the G. A. R., are both ap pllcants. It Is reported that Col. .1. H McClay late of the Third Nebraska would not object to the place. These are all old soldiers. Or. the other hand the new’ crop of soldiers asks recognition on the plea that the young soldiers only are up o date in practical military matters, the entiro military system having un dergonc a revolution since the days of the rebellion. Captain P. James Cos grove of Lincoln is an applicant. Cap tain Cosgrove served in the First No braska in the Philippines. He went to the Philippines as a democrat, but on returning homo refused to run for of fice on the democratic county ticket and spent the rest of his time working for the success of the republican tick et. Major Williams of Geneva also of the First Nebraska who was dis charged on account of sickness in tended to apply for the place, but he Is said to have asserted that he would do so only in case Captain Cosgrove did not want the position. Major Wil liams is quoted as saying that ho would support Captain Cosgrove In his candidacy for the appointment. Captain Hollingsworth of Beatrice an other officer of the First Nebraska, is said to have held similar views, if Captain Cosgrove wants the place none of the First regiment officers are J*ke,y aPPly. The comrades of the G. A. R. and tlic young men of the na tional guard promise to take a deep interest in the matter. The three secretaries of the board of transportation receive $2,000 each per year, and those who have watched the operations of the board for the past four years understand that no work whatever is required of the sec retaries. Rarely is but one of the sec retaries ever found in the office. The man wrho works is G. L. Law’s, Two of them have been known to abr-eni tnemselves for weeks and months at a time. This would appear to be a tempting bait for rime-hunters, but no one is willing to accept a promise of one of the places because the val idity of the hoard Is now a question before the supreme court. The validity of the act creating the board of transportation hus been pend ing in tne supreme court for many weeks. A decision was looked for be fore the election, hut none came and now a determination of the case Is ex pected at the next sitting of the court, or at least before the first of the year. Judge Munger of the federal court first declared the act unconstitutional, his opinion being based on former deci sions of the Nebraska supreme court. Attorney General Smyth and the hoard of transportation was not satisfied and I they asked the Nchrnska supreme ' court to rule on the question of con stitutionality. As the question had already hern raised In suits against the railroads to collect penalties, the court asked for special argument Mud the case was submitted A rumor, arising fiorn the prediction of an Interested party Is that the court may sustain the law In the main, hut declare Inialid all penalty clauses In the act as well as In the maximum rate art which la; ter act now Ilea dor mant. This rumor has grown to such proportions since the election that some of the applicants believe the en tire law may he wiped out. The fuslonlsts threatened to repeal the law. hut when they came into pow er ten years ago they failed to do an and at every subsequent populist leg islature the question of repeal was passed over In silence. Many pop ulist lenders made no secret of a de sire to keep t| a (aw on the hooks ns long as tlmlr party held the oltleea and got I he salary. For the first time In the history of the law. Its constitu tionality has beet brought before the slate court by the raltioad attorneys. 9 9 A monthly report of thp state treas urer. filed tnis morning tn the auditor'* office, again discloses the fact that the stute Is receiving no benefit from an enormous portion of the educational trust funds, which the treasurer Is re quired by law to Invest for the benefit of state educational Institution*. In 'the early days of the campaign, when the uninvested portion of these funds amounted to over 1200.000, the state treasurer announced through the fu slon newspapers that within four months he would have practically all this money invested In the name of the state. The monthly balance sheet* show that, notwithstanding the treas urer's declaration, the amount of school money "on hand'' did not de crease. **. * The only appointments that Mr. Dietrich has agreed upon la the *"lec tion of Dr. J. L. Greene of University Place for superintendent of the Lin coln hospital for the Insane, and John T. Mallalieu as superintendent of the Kearney reform school. Dr. Greene served as assistant physician at Nor folk and also at the Lincoln hospital for the Insane. He is considered a specialist of high rank In diseases of the brain. Mr. Mallalieu was at the head of the reform school for many years and all the people of Kearney where he lives are pleased to hear that he will again take the position. He was successful as manager of the In stitution and the Inmates. Dr. Collin, Dr. Case beer and J. N. Campbell will be thrown out by these appointments. •s m. Insurance men are Interested in the choice of an Insurance deputy in the auditor's office. Charles A. Whyman of Lincoln is numbered among the applicants, but some of the Insurance men say he was nlso an applicant for insurance commissioner when Gov ernor Poynter had the selection of such an officer. •t It Republicans throughout Nebraska are ratifying the result of the late election by enthusiastic demonstra tions. They never had so much to ratify before. i* ir The official canvass of votes for the Fifty-fourth representative district has been made and the vote shows a splendid republican gain. It is as fol lows: Counties— Evans. Reed. (rep.) (fus.) Lincoln .1254 1127 McPherson. 65 48 Keith . 192 243 Perkins. 165 224 Deuel . 885 241 Cheyenne . 614 424 Kimball . 121 49 Banner . 155 82 Scott’s Bluff . 371 258 Totals .3272 2696 Evans’ majority, 576. X X Congressman Burkett left last week on a business trip to the western part of the state. He will return in a few deys after which he will remain in Lincoln till November 30, when he will leave for Washington. Mrs. Bur kett will join him soon after the holi day festivities are over. blltrlbullon of the Monat. The Field says the American elk, or moose, reaches as fur south as 40 de grees north latitude, and inhabits all the forests from the Atlantic to tho Pacific. The animal is found from Kenway and Alaska to Kotzebue sound; also along tho Mackenzie riv er, and near the sources of the Elk river in the Rocky mountains is es pecially common. Although In the case of an animal inhabiting wide stretches of country, it is premature to speak of its extinction, yet “tho case of the American bison should teach us how soon a numerously rep resented species may be wiped off from the face of the earth if once left to the tender mercies of so-called ‘sports men’ seized with a mania for ‘big bags. Tl»» Dural Ion of Human 1,1 f*. It is estimated the average duration of human life Is about thirty-three years. A quarter of the people die during the seventh year, and half be fore their seventeenth. Of every thou sand persons, one only reaches a hun dred years; six in a hundred get to sixty-five, and one in five hundred to eighty. It is further estimated that throughout the world fifty millions die annually, one hundred and thirty eight thousand a day, nearly six thou sand an hour, ninety a minute, or three every two seconds. Late to lied and Kitrly to Klee. Queen Wllhelmina goes to bed at 11 and gets up early. Her first toilet is a quick oue, for it is merely a prepara tion for a good, brisk walk in the park. On these excursions she wears a rough woolen “mante” made like those of the Friesland peasants. When she comes In from her exercise she has a cup of chocolate in her room and then makes an elaborato toilet.—Chicago Tribune. 8PORTINO IN ALASKA. Many Bind* of (lama ara la Haifa* of KKInrllon, Itelndeer hav# made themselves thoroughly at home In Alanka that marvelous country whose richness In animal life and agricultural possibil ities Is not yet halt suepeetsd by th* majority of Americana, Tha pilgrim fathers of the family were Imported from l<apland In ths early atagra of the Klondike crass to be worked an I eaten by the starving miners. They luckily escaped being eaten, and were later reinforced by 700 reindeer dov Imported by the government from Hl berla. From the mixed herd of 1,000 head, or a little more, they have mol Tipiipfl to s.uoo, and under rnnc gams protection they promise to play an lm portnnt part In the future of Alaska and aoit greatly to Ita wealth. The 2S Laplanders who came over with the first consignment are on their way home with about |700 each, aaved out of their earnings as reindeer driver* ntul mall carriers. Hut Alaaka needed no Importallona to add to Ita faacl natlona. Odd? Of courew every body knows about that, but everybody doesn't know that gold la one of the leaat Interesting things about the country. Take strawberries, Alaska ha* near Hlg Stone a strawberry bed seven miles long and two miles wide. Fourteen square miles of strawberries! And they are beauties. Nothing liner Is grown In thla country outside a hothouse. Raspberries and blackber ries, too, reach a high pitch of culti vation In Alaska, which la popular ly aupposed to grow nothing more nourishing than glaciers. Oats spilled by mules aa they feed grow wild high er than a man’s head, and would yield, It Is estimated, 200 bushels to the acre, big as a man’s hat. Alaskan tomatoes are described as big aa a man’s hat. All manner of fruit and vegetables belonging to tem perate climes thrive amazingly. All this, of course, Is south of Bering sea, In a region where, thanks to a warm ocean current, the temperature sel dom reaches zero, even In the long winter nights. As for game, big and little, It Is of unmatched richness, but bids fair to be extinguished. Deer exist no longer, and the moose and the sea otter are hovering on the verge of annihilation. Nevertheless, an Alaskan traveler, C. F. Periolat, has Just returned homo with a collection of the largest moose heads In the world. But the sportsman Is less of a menace t.o the fauna of Alaska than the trader. The skin of a single sea otter will now sell In Ixmdon for as much as ?l,200.—New York World. CONTESTS IN LONDON. Ilow tho Rant Under* Ainuae Theintelree In Winter. East-enders are already preparing their programmes for spending the long, cold winter nights, and if life, as lived in "Whitechapel, Shoreditch.Shep ney and on the river side, is frequently hard, 'Arry and 'Arrlet manage to get a lot of fun out of It. The east end season Is Just beginning, and the air Is full of challenges from all sorts and conditions of champions. Billiards are "no class" out Bow way; but a skittle match is a great event and draws a full house. Egg-eating, too, Is becom ing a show card, though It ha* not yet displaced the beefsteak pudding con tests In popularity, says the London Express. Then shove ha’penny, mus sel opening, oyster opening and had dock splitting all take the floor In turn and a struggle between two real cham pions at these "sports" proves a mag net They take as much interest in the issue as many people do in the Derby. But it Is music that does most delight the soul of ’Arry and his donah and they walk miles to be present at any sort of musical contest. Nothing comes amiss and as long as the pro gramme is carried out they are satis fled. A canary singing match Is still worth pounds in custom to a publican, while "whistlers" are sure of good pat* ronage. The supporters and admlrero of Bill and Tom will spend money freely to hear their champions taking part in a mouth organ contest, and it is wonderful the melody that two “ex perts” can bring out of a comb. Au ordinary piano or violin Isn’t in it. Educate the Women. In a sermon recently delivered at Rome by Bishop Spalding of Peoria, 111., a Roman Catholic cccleslast, he said: Since it is our duty to educate, It is our duty to give the best education, and first of all to give the best educa tion to woman; for she, as mother, is the aboriginal God-appointed educator. What hope is there of genuine prog ress, In religious life especially, If we leave her uneducated? Where woman is ignorant, man is coarse and sensual, where her religion Is but a superstition he is sceptical and Irreverent. If we are to have a race of enlightened, no ble and brave men, we must give to woman the best education It is possi ble for her to receive. She has tho same right as a man to become all that she may be, to know whatever may he known, to do whatever is fair and just and good. In souls there is no sex. If we leave half the race In lg no^nee, how shall we hope to lift the other half Into tho light of truth and love? I’utato Starch of Our Couutry. Nearly 16,000 tons of potato starch are turned out annually in this coun try. The potatoes used for starch are the small and Injured ones of the crop. Sixty bushel of them yield a barrel of Ktarch. ' When a woman Is out calllag on people that she thinks are fashionable, : It always makes her mad to hear her ’ husband talk about “veal pot-pie."