LOVE IS BEST J*
By Florence HodgKjneon
CHAPTER X.—(Continued.)
The girls went up to the Manor that
<ay to lunch by special invitation.
Helen was still away, but her mother
loved to have Kitty there; and, Alick
being at a safe distance, the General
made much of them. It was he who
proposed to while away the afternoon
by showing the girls over the house.
"You are not old enough for it to
be painful to you, Kitty, and if we
are to turn out in December it may j
be your last chance of seeing the old j
home. You know nothing is changed !
since your uncle’s time. Mr. Lindnn j
let it to me just as it stood, furniture j
and plate, even the family pictures in
cluded.”
Kitty was delighted at the proposal.
"There’s a picture of father taken
when a boy I really want to see, and
another of poor little Lillian as a
baby. Mr. Liadoa must be thankful
she died, or he’d have gained very lit
tle by his marriage.”
They went to the picture gallery
first. Kitty talked gaily, but Beryl
was strangely silent. As she gazed
on tiro portraits of dead-and-gone
Dynevors the strangest feeling of hav
ing seen them all before came to her,
and when she saw the picture of Lil
lian Dynevor, painted during her
father’s absence in Australia as a sur
prise for him, she had the oldest fancy
that once, long ago, she, too, had sat
on r low stool dressed In white, with
a basket of primroses strewn on her
lap.
It must have been fancy, and yet
"We have seen everything now ex- j
cept the old nurseries,” said Mrs. !
Craven. "I never would use them be- ,
cause the last child who had played J
In them died.”
'She fitted up new ones in the other '
wing, which weren’t half so conven- !
lent or airy,” said the General, with
a smile. “So much for superstition.”
The old nurseries had a deserted
air. They had not been used since
Nina Lindon's second marriage, and
the big cupboards were still full of
childish toys. Kitty oppned the door
)f one and took out a large wax doll.
Beryl nearly seized on it with a cry
of delight. It seemed to her she had
known that flaxen-haired baby as long
as she had known anything.
“Poor little Lillian!” said Kitty
gently. "To think that if she had
lived she would have been twenty
two!”
"It is a pretty name; but I wonder
she was not called after her mother.”
"Aunt Nina’s favorite flowers were
lilies,” explained Kitty: 'but mother
"If you mean it and can stick to
• It. I will think over what I can do
to help you. No, you needn’t thank
me; it’s for your sister’s sake, not
yours. She's a girl one cannot but
rasDeec.
They were nearing the Grange as
lie spoke. The moon was looming big
on the horizon as it neared its setting,
and a faint shadowy light rested on
the horse and on the little town be
low, and the quiet gray sea beyond.
The Doctor was walking his horse cau
tiously down the steep descent when
he broke into a low, soft whistle.
“By Jove! there's something wrong
there! I'm certain there's a man
about the place! Hold hard for a min
ute, will you?’’ And he handed the
reins to Neville.
“Let me come, too!” implored Ne
ville.
“No, wait out heTe; and, if I shout,
leave the hors® and come after me.
Tt may have been a policeman march
ing round.”
Neville's ears strained to catch ev
ery sound; but there was nothing to
bo heard, for the Doctor was making
his way noiselessly across the grass
to the drawing room window, from
which, sure enough, a man was cau
tiously descending with a bag in his
hand.
He did not either see or hear the
Doctor, for his back was turned to
wards him, so he was unprepared for
the sudden, cat-like spring that the
Doctor made upon him. With an oath
he dropped his bag and turned furi
ously upon his assailant. They were
unequally matched, for Doctor Drake
was of slight build and small in stat
ure, whilst the man whom he tried to
hold was'broad and proportionately
strong.
The burglar's hand sought his pock
et; but Doctor Drake was too quick
for him. With one hand he kept a
steady grip on the man’s collar, with
the other he sought and found the re
volver that was concealed in his coat
pocket, and threw it far away from
him on the grass, and two rapid shots
in quick succession showed that it had
exploded.
With a desperate effort he freed
himself, hurled the Doctor to the
ground with stunning force, and made
for the gate; but the shots had brought
Neville running to the rescue. The
horse, finding himself abandoned and
frightened by tha quick shots, trotted
off towards home; whilst Neville drew
back to let the man pass, and sprang
upon him with the determination of a
bulldog not to relax his hold until
others came to the rescue.
His lithe arms clung tightly about
the burglar's neck, and he was shout
ing at the top of his voice as he clung
—“Help! help! murder!"
The words reached the Doctor’s ears
as he rose to his feet, dazed but not
disabled by his fall, and he gave an
answering shout.
"Hold on. Howard, I’m here'*’ But
as he uttered the words there was a
thud and a fall and heavy groan, and
up the hill the sound of footsteps run
ning as If life depended on It.
Neville lay a crumpled heap by the
gate; and in the rapidly fading lights
the Doctor saw that the poor fellow
was steeped in blood.
“Give chase—he's done for me!" said
Neville, with clenched teeth. “He’s
made off up the hill!” And scarcely
knowing what he did, the Doctor did
so.
As a boy, he had been famous for
his running, and his training stood
him in good stead now. Even now he
was conscious that he was gaining on
the man whom he pursued. He could
told me once the child was never call
ed Lillian or Lilly. She called her
self ‘Pet’ as soon as she could talk,
and ‘Pet’ she remained up to the time
of their going abroad.”
“And how old was she then?”
‘‘Just three. There were nearly four
years between her and her little half
sister.”
A servant approached with a per
plexed face and addressed the Gen
eral.
“Mr. Lindon wishes to see you,
sir.”
Kitty Dynevor's cheeks were crim
son, her friend's face turned ashen
pale.
"I suppose I must see him,” growled
the General, “and I can’t be rude to
him under his own root; but I wish,
for all that he had stayed away.”
Tho General went downstairs to re
ceive his unwelcome visitor. Kitty
Dynevor, who had not the least desiro
to meet the man she regarded as her
natural enemy, promptly declared she
and Miss Lindon must be going home,
and In a few inutes they were walking
swiftly dowu the avenue.
But the butler had ushered Mr. Lin
don into the library, which com
manded a full view of the carriage
drive. lie was seated by the open
daughter, and she Is away from home.”
Mr. Lindon sat out his full twenty
minutes; but his attention wandered
strangely, and General Craven felt
certain when lie rose to go he was
planning some fresh wrong to the
Dynevors, for his face was full of a
malignant triumph.
“Kate,” the old soldier told his wife
later on, ‘‘I wish with all my heart
now I had 5,000 pounds lying idle, and
I’d lend It to Harold Dynevor with all
the pleasure in life. Lindou’s an evil
man, if ever there was one, and I'd
do something to keep Uplands from
his clutches."
Mr*. Craven smiled. Years younger
than her husband, there was a good
deal of romance left in her still.
"Even though our boy has the good
taste to admire a ‘penniless lass with
a long pedigree,’ I tell you this, James,
I'd rather Aliek married Kitty Dyn
evor without a silver sixpence than
Eustace Lindon's heiress."
window, and he distinctly saw the two
girls pass. He broke off abruptly in
the middle of a sentence to ask:
"Are those your daughters, Geu
eral?”
He knew perfectly that the answer
would be in the negative.
“No," said General Craven shortly.
“One is Miss Dynevor, the other a
young lady engaged in a school near
here. I have only one grown-up
Mr. Liudon went to work carefully.
He knew the Wilraots were toadies
enough to play into his hands and he
promptly put a few cautious questions
to his hostess. Who was the young
lady staying at Uplands? Where was
she governess?
“She is a teacher in a school at
Easthill-on-Sea kept by a friend of
my own, Mrs. Tanner.”
"And what is her name?"
Mrs. Wilmot hesitated.
"To tell you the truth, her name is
Lindon; but when Mrs. Tanner told
me about her I pointed out it might
not be pleasing to you that a name
sake of yours should fill such an hum
ble position, and the young person
agreed to change the second letter of
her name, and be Miss I>endon to the
world at large.”
"It was very considerate of you,”
said the rich man coldly, “but you
have done me an incalculable injury.
My only child left her home on April
30, and though I have offered a reward
for her recovery, and spent money lav
ishly on the search, I have never
found a trace of her. The girl I saw
in the distance today is my daughter,
Beryl Lindon, and your protegee will
have to dispense with her services,
for of course I shall take her home
with me.”
"Of course,” echoed Mrs. Wilmot
suavely. "And if Mrs. Tanner had
only known the truth she would have
communicated you with before.”
Mr. Lindon saw his advantage.
“For reasons you will understand, I
do not care to seek my daughter at
Uplands. Perhaps, as her employer Is
a protegee of yours, you can write In
her name requesting Miss Lindon to
return to Woodlands at once. I will
meet her there, and no doubt every
thing can be amicably arranged. Nat
urally I do not want my private con
cerns discussed all over Easthill, and
you and your husband will find it to
your advantage to assist me.”
Mrs. Wilmot was only too willing;
but one difficulty lay in her way—
how was she to word her letter? The
imperious commands she would have
laid on her sister's governess could
hardly be addressed to Mr. Lindon’s
heiress. The master of the Manor saw
her hesitation.
"Von need not enter into particu
lars,” he explained, “Just write that
Mrs. Tanner Lindon. mind—returning
to Woodlands tomorrow at 3 o’clock."
He slept soundly that night, for it
seemed to him that within twenty
four hours his rebellious would feel
obliged by Miss Lendon—not daughter
would be safely in his hands. He lit
tle guessed the thrilling events even
then taking place at Uplands, or how.
after many days, his sin had found
him out. Very soon he w-ould have to
admit the truth of the poet’s words:
\ Though the mills of God grind
slowly,
Tet they grind exceeding small.
CHAPTER XI.
While the girls were at the Manor,
and Harold was out on the farm, Mrs.
Dynevor had a visitor. That was
nothing remarkable, for the gentle
mistress of the Uplands was popular
both with rich and poor. The "coun
ty” visited her as frequently as if she
had been a peeress, and her humbler
neighbors liked to come and tell her
their joys and sorrows, sure that if she
could give little help in money her
sympathy was never missing. But this
particular visitor was utterly unex
pected, seeing it was eight years since
Mrs. Dynevor had seen her, and nearly
seven since she had heard of her.
“If you please, ma’am, Mrs. Ran
som would like to see you. She says
you may not remember her married
name, but she was Miss Kitty’s nurse
long ago.”
“It must be Bridget Gordon,” ex
claimed Mrs. Dynevor, in surprise.
“I heard she married very well; but
what in the world can have brought
her back to Easthill? Ask her in,
please, Dorcas.”
The years had evidently passed
prosperously to Mrs. Ransom. She
looked as though life had gone easily
with her. She was a pleasant, kind
faced woman of 40, handsomely though
quietly dressed in black. She had al
ways been a little above her position,
and, as Kitty said, Mrs. Lindow had
treated her more as an humble com
panion than a maid. Kitty did not
know that Bridget had been forced to
leave her aunt, sorely against her
own and her mistress’ wish, and that
she had always disliked Eustace Din
don.
“I am very glad to see you, Brid
get,” said Mrs. Dynevor. “Won’t you
take off your things and spend the af
ternoon with me? 1 should like you
to see my Kitty; she is quite a
woman grown.”
“I should like to see her," said Mrs.
Ransom; “but, ma'am, I’ve really
come to tell you a painful story, and
I’d rather get it over before Miss Kit
ty's return. But first may I ask just
this: In all the years sinee my lady
died, have you ever seen Mr. Lindon
ear his daughter?”
"Never once; but I understand that
Mr. Lindon is now staying at Easthill
j for a few' days.”
"Ah!” Mrs. Ransom looked relieved.
“It’s strange, you may think, for
ms to come after all these years; but
I felt, though I might not do any
good, it would he wrong not to tell
you. I can’t prove my words, because
there’s a missing link or two in the
chain; but I’m as sure as mortal can
he that there was something wrong
about Mrs. l.indon’s will, and that her
husband has no real claim to the
Manor.”
Mrs. Dynevor started. She thought
of the mortgage on Uplands, now held
by Lindon. of her boy’s troubled face
and dark future. If any happy chance
could discover a flaw in Eustace Lin
don’s title to the Manor it would be
new life to her.
(To be continued.)
THE NATION’S EXPANSION.
I. If. I.loal»erger UIicuimh Came hikI
10 fleet on Territorial Growth.
The Central Branch of the Y. M. C.
A. entertained a number of its mem
bers and friends last night at one of its
series of popular talks, says the St.
Louis Globe-Democrat. The speaker
of the evening was Mr. I. H. Lion
berger, who presented the subject,
' Expansion of the United States.” He
held that the history of the growth of
nations demonstrated that the acquisi
tions were the result of “inevitable
tendencies.” This was particularly
true of the growth of Germany and
I'rance, and especially so of England.
The territory was acquired, not be
cause of the behests of the wiser men
of the times, but because of a seeming
impulse of the people that compelled
the population to occupy a new terri
tory, and the nation felt it a duty to
defend its people, wherever they might
be. It had been so in the United
States in the acquisition of the Louis
iana Territory in 1803, Florida in 1819,
Texas in 1845, California in 1848, and
Alaska in 1867. In each instance the
best intellects of the time wut op
posed to annexation, and th« argu
ments presented at the time were
about the same as those that had been
presented in the last few years. But
in opposition to these views the vast
expense of territory had been added.
He held that nations expanded by acci
dent, rather than by logical reasoning
of the statesmen.
Ravages of Frnlt Pests.
The attention of fruit growers In
Mew Zealand is being seriously di
rected to the question of the eradica
tion of fruit pests. But for the sav
ages of the codlin moth and kindred
pests New Zealand has excellent fa
cilities for doing a large export fruit
trade.
Life is made up. not of great sacri
fices or duties, but of little things in
which smiles and kindnesses, and
small obligations, given habitually, are
what win and preserve the heart.—<Sir
Humphrey Davy.
State Capital Observations.
Expressions Emulative for the Good of
Republican Supremacy.
Lincoln, Feb, 11.—And still there Is
;io election of United States senators.
Well, when a whole lot of fellowa de
sire the plums and each has a follow
ing that is proving faithful even unto
death what can one expect?
Hut a great many people are coming
to the conclusion that it is about time
to stop playing horse and get down to
real business. Local pride and per
sonal ambition have had their innings,
nearly everybody of any prominence
has been given complimentary votes,
and the result is an almost inextrica
ble tangle. Public sentiment is fast
crystalizing into a desire to have the
republicans of the legislature cease
trying to pat individuals on the back
and do something for the state in the
way of wise legislation. The leaders
are anxious that the good name of the
party be upheld, and a movement
should begin to elect two republican
United States senators “of unques
tioned loyalty to the party.”
But the Lord only knows when the
members will get down to real work
and end the agony, and hence the fight
goes merrily on.
There is a great deal of curious com
ment going on, but how much of truth
there is in the various statements no
one but those who know can tell.
Home peculiar developments are ex
pected to come when the contest is
ended.
When the senate passed a resolu
tion congratulating Thomas Kearns
of Utah on his election as United Stat
es senator it did so because Mr. Kearns
was a Nebraska man. Senator Camp
bell of Holt is one member of the body
who knew’ Tom Kearns in his young
days.
"Kearns lived seven miles north of
O’Neill,” said Mr. Campbell. “I knew
him when he was a young man. At
that time he was living with his par
ents on a farm. He was an active
young fellow, much devoted to athlet
ies and sports of youth and not so
much given to steady farming. In fact
I do not believe ho liked life on a
farm. His brother was sheriff of the
county and was killed by cowboys
while trying to quell a disturbance.
Young Kearns left home, rather sud
denly. It might be said that he ran
away. He told his father he was go
ing, but he did not wish liis mother
to know of his leaving and slio was not
Informed. He went direct to the
Black Hills where he worked for
wages as a miner. From there he went
to Park City, Utah, and worked there
until he got possession of a mine of
his own. Ilis holdings in one mine are
now valued at $4,000,000 and his share
in another Is valued at $2,000,000. He
recently built a fllne residence, but
much of his investments are placed
outside of Utah, a great deal of it be
ing in property in Chicago. When
Kearns left Nebraska he had less than
twenty dollars in his pocket and all
his wealth has been made by hard
work and shrewd investments.”
It is said that Mr. Kearns was for
merly a silver republican, having
joined that political faitli when it was
at its height in the mining states. He
walked out of the silver camp with
Teller of Colorado and later attended
the republican national convention as
a delegate and lias taken a prominent
part in republican politics. His par
ents died after he left home, but his
sister. Mrs. M. A. Testman, si ill lives
The legislative committees appoint
ed to visit all the state institutions for
the purpose of inspection visited the
asylum for chronic insane at Hastings
last week and were carefully escorted
through the Institution by Superinten
dent Kern and Steward Haverly. The
investigating committee made a thor
ough examination of everything and
expressed surprise at finding thei n
stitution in such excellent condition.
They found that all wards were filled
to the limit, and on learning of the an
nual increase of inmates in the asy
lum they all expressed themselves to
tho effect that it is absolutely neces
sary that a new wing be added to this
institution at the earliest possible
date. Several of the members said
that the Hastings asylum was the
cleanest, most orderly and best dis
ciplined state instituted they had ever
visited. The investigating committee
consisted of the members of the ways
and means committee of the senate,
the committee on public lands and
'buildings of the house and the com
mittee on insane asylums of the house.
Some people say that if members cl
|he legislature were elected for two
terms by the second term they would
learn the ropes and accomplish more
than under the present system. As it
is the majority of the members spend
almost the entire session finding out
what they should have known at the
start. It is true that second termers
are generally more successful than
others. They know when to start and
how to keep the measures they are in
terested in moving. They do not waste
time trying thirty things when they
can handle but two. It is argued on the
other hand, that two termers of the
dangerous class would off-set the good
of two termers of the type anxious to
accomplish legislation lor the benefit
of the state. A man skilled in working
through bills of the dangerous charac
ter is capable of doing as much injury
as one skilled in doing good work.
The donation of a sum of money by
the First Nebriska regiment, the bal
ance of the regimental fund remain
i ing after the regiment returned from
the campaign in the Philippines, has
been acknowledged by Mrs. Stotsen
buig, wife of the brave colonel who
fell while leading the regiment. The
amount was something over $200. Mrs.
Stotsenburg expressed her gratitude
for the boys' gilt and closed her letter
with a hearty blessing for the brave
comrades of her husband.
Many an old toper who has never
been in Cork has seen a great many
drawings of it.
The investigation has proceeded very
swiftly to ascertain how many mem
bers have passes. The members of
the senate committee say they are
waiting for the house committee. The
members of the house committee say
they can do nothing till the senate
committee meets with them. The
chairman of the senate committee says
he is waiting for the chairman of the
house committee to confer with him
regarding procedure before he will call
the senate committee together and the
chairman of the house committee says
that the house committee will meet
“tomorrow” if it can be gotten to
gether. The chairman of the house
committee says some of the members
are in favor of delaying the report
which is in effect equivalent to letting
the investigation run itself into the
ground.
To an unprejudiced observer it ap
pears that the fusiouists in the house
have slightly the best organization.
They have less to think of than tha
republicans and they have been de
voting their time to pushing bills.
With one accord they assert that the
minority lias been treated with great
respect and the bills passed have not
been passed through party spirit at all.
As many measures by fusionists have
born considered as bills introduced by
republicans. The republicans have set
the fusionists an example in this in
the nature of coals of tire on fusion
heads. At the last session the fusion
ists controlled, they everlastingly
pounded the minority into the ground.
When a bill was introduced by a re
publican and it was of merit, it was
killed because it was a republican bill.
This intense partisan spirit, leading to
bitterly partisan acts, caused the
downfall of the fusion party as much
as any one thing.
Representative Sprecher Is often
taken for a preacher. Ho appears in
the legislative halls In a black suit of
the cut favored by men of the cloth
and he even lias the peculiar ecstatic
expression at times that is supposed to
lie particularly fitting to clerical gen
tlemen. Were it not. for the big white
hat that be wears which is anything
but preacher-like, he might be mis
taken on the streets for the chaplain
of the house instead of one of its most
energetic members. Mr. Sprecher lias
taken upon himself quite a burden of
legislation. He is working upon a bill
embodying the board of control ld"a
for state institutions without necessi
tating an amendment to the constitu
tion.
Ed Royce of Broken Bow returned
to Lincoln the past week from Wash
ington where he spent several days as
one of the presidential electors from
Nebraska. The vote of the electors was
entrusted to Mr. Barton of Tecumseh
ns messenger, but the entire body ac
companied him. While in Washing
ton they met President McKinley and
were shown every honor as represen
tatives of a state that had swung into
the republican column. Mr. Royce is
now secretary of the state banking
board.
Congressman Mercer writes from
Washington that an intense interest is
felt at the capital in the outcome of
the contest in Nebraska. The balloting
is watched every day for changes. The
Nebraska contingent in the capital is,
however, settled in the belief that no
senator will be elected for several
weeks. Mr. Mercer is pressing his
work forward with all possible speed
so that he can return to the scene of
battle when it appears likely that the
deadlock will be broken.
State Treasurer Stuefer has gon*
about his business during the past
month without making any noise, but
during that time he invested $45,532 of
the permanent school fund in state
warrants. He paid a premium of one
per cent part of the time and one-half
of one per cent the remainder and
got about all the warrants in sight.
As soon as the legislature passes a
bill transferring the dead sinking fund
to the general fund he will issue a call
for $100,000 forth of state warrants.
C. E. Watson of Omaha has taken
charge of the office of labor commis
sioner. His appointment as deputy
commissioner came from Governor
Dietrich who is designated in the law
as the commissioner. Mr. Watson has
appointed IJliss Carrie Walthers of this
city as stenographer, but his assistant
has not been selected. S. J. Kent, the
retiring deputy, contemplates taking
up labor organization work.
Commandant Cole has taken posses
sion of the soldiers and sailors’ home
at Grand Island and the majority of
the members of the home are natural
ly welcoming the change, they being
more harmonious, politically, with the
newly appointed officers. Adjutant
Bowen and Physician Randall are nlso
here and have assutaed their positions.
The city of Lincoln failed to secure
favor in the house of replcsentatlves
as the site for an additional state nor
mal school, but this fact does not de
tee other towns from making an effort.
South Sioux City is one of the latest
to make the attempt. A petition is
now being circulated among property
owners of that place. It will be pre
sented by Representative Murray.
The state of Nebraska from every
quarter demands revenue legislation
at this session of the legislature. One
third of the session has passed anil
ihe special committee appointed to
draft a revenue bill or recommend
features needed has not yet had a
meeting.
One of the members of the legisla
ture 3trolleu Into a barber shop the
latter part of last week. His barber
knew that he attended the entertain
ment given the members the night
previous, and after a glanne at his fea
tures, remarked: “You look as 'J
you war* an Elk.”
WOULD SIGNAL MARS
TESLA SAYS TH.2 PLANET HAS
INHABITANTS.
And Furthermore A»*ert» That He Can
ffee Them — Famou* Klertrlclan amt
NrlentUt Ihrlarer That He Knew*
How to Attract Thetr Attention.
Nlckola Tesla, the famous electri
cian and scientist, positivelystatesthat
he has discovered a means of signal
ing to the planet Mars. “As sure as
there is a divine being," he says, “I
have found a way of talking to the
people of that planet. I made the dis
covery a year and a half ago. Al
though I am ready to talk with the
people of Mars. 1 shall not tell how
soon the talking shall begin. All will
be told later.”
Tesla is a firm believer that the
planet Mars is Inhabited and says that
Shere should be no doubt on that sub
ject. In fact, he speaks with all the
positiveness of one who already has
held Intelligent conversation with the
Martians.
Tesla is an interesting man in more
ways than one. lie Is of striking phy
sique. very tall and slender. His bony
head, the complexion denoting the for
NICKOLA TESLA.
nml hiu hvl^ht ununninrr ovo;
attract instant attention. He speaks
more than half a dozen languages with
fluency, although pronouncing witli a
slight foreign accent, and his quick
speech attracts and pleases the ear.
Born of humble parents in a Ser
vian village about 35 years ago, Tesla
has climbed the ladder of fame solely
through hard work and ability. His
father was a clergyman of the Greek
church. His mother was a woman
with a distinct gift, for Invention. It
was from her that Nickola believes he
received his inventive turn. While a
boy he attended the polytechnic school
at Gratsf, where he acquired his first
fascination for mathematics and the
study of electricity. While still quite
young he obtained a position as as
sistant in the government telegraph
engineering department at Buda-Pesth.
Later he wont to Paris, where his
hard work and studies continued.
Later ha ciossed the Atlantic and ob
tained employment iu one of Thomas
A. Edison’s laboratories. His assid
uousness quickly attracted the atten
tion of Edison, and he received much
valuable aid. I^ater his studies were
directed along different lines from
those of Edison and the two separated.
THE HEAD OF THE HOUSE.
Woman Declared to Bs In a llecUton
of a Federal Court.
The ancient and venerable question
first rained in Adam's day, and dis
cussed with more or less vigor by that
gentleman’s descendants ever Blnce, as
to who is the head of the house, the
man or the woman, has been settled, it
may be hoped finally, by Judge Pur
nell of the United States circuit court.
The point came up in a case fn Vir
ginia. where a woman, a storekeeper,
endeavored to take advantage of the
bankruptcy law. but had her petition
denied by a lower court on the ground
that she was married and living with
her liuaband, she was not the head of
the house. Judge Purnell reversed
this decision and rendered an opinion
to the effect that a married woman liv
ing with or apart from her husband is
the head of the household in the legal
sense of the term. As this decision is
rendered in a federal court. It applies,
of course, to the whole country, and
all American women from Puget
Sound to Calais may rejoice that their
status has been fixed beyond further
dispute. Husbands and other mascu
line usurpers may now step down and
out.
Foreigner*' Kigbts S.i China.
At present, by treaty right, foreign
ers are entitled to live and trade in a
few cities of China, generally those
along the coast and on the big rivers,
but it hi the intention to revise those
treaties so that foreigners can come
and buy and sell anywhere throughout
the empire, engage in all kinds of
business and enjoy all the commercial
rights that are usually enjoyed by for
eigners In civilized countries, to apply
to China the same rules and laws that
govern foreign residents in England,
Germany or Prance.
Turning a l*e«t to (Sunil Account.
The rabbits are the greatest pest or
New South Wales. At one period over
100,000,000 acres were infested witn
them and 25,280,000 were destroyed in
one year and their skins paid for by
the government. It is estimated that
altogether about 18,000 miles of rab
bit proof wire netting fences have al
ready been erected, and many hun
dreds of miles more are now in course
of erection. Latterly an export trade
in frozen rabbits and in rabbit skin
has sprung up, and it is expected tbst
by and by It will reach great propor
tions.
