} Mildred J*> |
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BY THE DVCHESS.
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CHAPTER XIII.—(Continued.)
"Mildred, what do you mean?” ho
exclaimed.
"The day after tomorrow you shall
have tho fifteen thousand pounds,” she
said; "and I—I am engaged to be mar
ried to Lord Lyndon.”
Her mother arose, flushed and tri
umphant. Here Indeed was a match
worthy of her darling. All recollec
tion of the relief to be gained through
the promised money faded in compari
son with this wouderful piece of news.
At last Mildred had made her choice,
and it was a most wise one.
"Oh, Mildred, is it true? How glad
I am!” she began. "I think-”
Hut the girl put up her hands to her
ears and recoiled from her touch.
“Not now—not now!" she exclaimed
alm ost roughly.
How could she endure congratula
tions and good wishes about what
seemed to her the crudest event in all
her life? How submit to question
ings and kindly probings, when she
felt her heart was breaking? Surely
in such a case congratulations were a
mockery.
ane lert them, ana nurrymg to nor
own room, strove hard to quiet the
storm that raged within her; while
they, remaining behind, asked each
other in whispers how it had all hap
pened, and half feared to believe the
welcome news was true.
But Lady Caroline's heart smote her
when she remembered the look in
Mildred’s eyes when they had met hers
—the great unhappy light that had
shone in them, revealing so much that
she would gladly have kept untold.
But the mother's eyes had seen it,
and so she followed Mildred to her
room, only to find the poor child pac
ing up and down, with restless, fever
ish hands and face grown old with
passionate care. She stopped as her
mother entered, sighing heavily. Lady
Caroline stretched out her hands.
“Mildred, tell me what it is,” she
entreated, wistfully, with sorrowful,
longing sympathy in her tone. "Am
I not your mother?”
And Mildred cried, “Oh, mother!”
and, falling on her knees, with arms
round the mother's waist, and eyes
hidden, sobbed a little of her grief
away.
All in vain. The next morning
brought a letter from Lady Eagleton’s
solicitor, containing the news of her
ladyship’s sudden death, and stating
that, on her will being opened, it was
discovered that she had bequeathed to
her "beautiful and well-beloved grand
niece, Mildred Trevanion,” the sum of
thirty-five thousand pounds.
CHAPTER XIV.
Christmas was at hand, and with it
came Denzil Younge.
“I hear you are to be congratulated,”
he said to Mildred, whom he met in the
grounds immediately upon his arrival
—"is it true?”
“Yes, it is quite true,” answered
Miss Trevanion, steadily, disdaining to
put off the evil hour by equivocation
or pretended ignorance.
“Then you are going to marry him
after all?” said Denzil.
"I am engaged to bo married to Lord
Lyndon,” returned Miss Trevanion.
Then, very abruptly, Denzil asked:
"Are you happy?”
“Of course, I am happy,” she an
swered, with a faint accession of color
—“why do you ask me such a strange
question? Do I look unhappy?”
“I think you do,” he said, gently;
“your face seems changed to me; it
does not wear its old expression; and
just now, as I was passing by the vil
lage church, I glanced in for a mo
ment”—she raised her eyes anxiously
—“and saw you. You were kneeling
at the altar rails, and, as I watched—
forgive me, it was but for an instant—
I thought I heard—Mildred, were you
crying?”
An»i SO, ODaervt’u muuicu pciuou
ly, giving no heed to his question, "be
cause one happens to feel a little fret
ted about some trifling matter, and
cries a few silly tears, one is to be con
sidered in the lowest depths of des
pair? It is absurd. 1 will not listen to
such" folly; Lord Lyndon, I am sure,
would not wish me to do so, and—"
“And as he is everything to you now,
•while I and all the rest of the world
count nothing," interrupted Denzil.
bitterly—“is that so? Do you expect
me to believe that? Because, if you
do, I tell you plainly, that I do not be
lieve it, and never shall. He Is un
pulted to you in every way, having not
an idea In common with you. Oh,
■Mildred"—passionately — "why have
you done this thing? Why have you
sacrificed your whole long, sweet life
so miserably? Was there some great
reason for it of which I have never
heard? Could you not have waited?
My love, my darling, is there nothing
I can do for you?”
“There Is nothing I would have
done,” she answered, half angrily.
“Why will you persist in thinking I
have doue something worthy of repent
ance? I am happy. Do you hear me?
—perfectly happy. I have accepted my
position willingly and of my own free
choice, and 1 do not wish it altered or
undone in any single way. I have
quite made up my mind; and although
you once told me you considered me
unworthy to he the wife of any honest
man, stiil I am vain enough to believe
that at all events I can make this most
liouest man fairly contented."
“I was mad when I said that, re
joined Denzil, slowly. “Many a time
since have I recollected my words and
felt how brutal they must have sound
ed. But surely you will forgive me
now—at this moment when 1 am learn
ing for the first time how miserable
and bare and cold a place this world
is. Let me bid good-by to all my hope
with the certainty that at least you
bear me no lll-wil."
He held out his hand as ho spoke
and took hers. Mildred’s voice failed
her, but she managed to whisper
faintly:
“Give me your forgiveness also.’’
“If you think it necessary,” he said,
"you have it; but I can remember no
wrong you ever did me.”
They were standing with hands
clasped and eyes reading each other’s
hearts. Denzil drew his breath quick
ly.
“Good-by,” he murmured, despair
ingly, and, turning away, abruptly,
passed rapidly out of her sight.
When all the people at King's Ab
bott met to dine Denzil was among
them, and very welcome he found him
self. Charlie alone of all the family
was absent; but even he had written
word to say he would be with them for
a day or two in the course of the fol
lowing week.
We ought to get up a party and go
to the lake tomorrow," suggested Ed
die, during a pause in the conversation.
Lyndon, who was also dining with
them, and who generally agreed with
everybody, said he thought it wua a
“capital plan,” and appealed to Miss
Trevanion, who sat beside him. She
thought she had lost her skates or mis
placed them, or something; but Fran
ces Sylverton overruled all such oppo
sition by declaring that she had sever
al pairs to lend, and that a day on the
ice would be delicious.
“But perhaps it will be hardly safe
enough this week,” she added, some
what anxiously. “Shall we wait until
Tuesday next?”
“Charlie said he would be down on
Monday night," put in Eddie, inno
cently, apropos of nothing, and with
out lifting his eyes from the cream
on which he was seemingly intent;
whereupon Miss Sylverton blushed
furiously, and declined any further in
vestigation of the subject.
Finally, however—chiefly through
the instrumentality of Mildred—the
expedition was arranged to take place
on the Tuesday following, so that
Frances, in her inmost heart, was sat
isfied.
In process of time the day arrived—
as also did Charlie the night before,
very much to the satisfaction of every
body concerned in the excursion—and,
after a considerable amount of harm
less and utterly unavoidable squab
bling, the party—which had become
rather a large one, in consequence of
numerous invitations issued later on
—divided into twos and threes, as cir
cumstances or inclinations dictated—
Lady Caroline, Mrs. Deverill, and one
other married lady occupying the first
open carriage; while Charlie, Miss Syl
verton, Jane Deverill, and Captain
Harvey took possession of the second.
Mabel, seeing Denzil looking slightly
dejected, with her usual sweetness had
entreated him in the prettiest manner
to drive her in the dog cart; and Ed
die, who, at this period was hopelessly
and finally in love—for about the fif
teenth time—with an extremely pretty,
but decidedly idiotic little girl, stay
ing with the Deverills, had managed
to vanish in some mysterious way, in
company with others, similarity heart
bound; while Mildred, whom nobody
seemed to want, and with whom none
of the opposite sex in these days at
tempted to interfere, fell to Lord Lyn
don's lot.
When fairly started the skaters made
as picturesque a group as any eye
could wish to rest on, the girls, in
their soft, luxurious furs and brilliant
satin petticoats, striking out oddly on
the glassy surface of the lake. Frances
and Mildred were accomplished skat
ers, Mabel was not quite so good; still
the latter could hold her own and cer
tainly beside the Deverill girls—who
were generally clumsy—looked every
thing that could be desired.
“You will help me, Mr. Younge,“ she
had whispered to Denzil, as he assisted
her down from the dog-cart.
So when he had fastened her skates
and pronounced her “fit," she started
bravely enough on the slippery prome
nade. At one end there rose a post
marked “Dangerous,” of which as
usual those whom it should have warn
ed remained profoundly ignorant. Den
zil alone had observed it; others, if
they observed, attached little import
ance to it.
Miss Trevanion and Frances Sylver
ton, with merry, gay laughter that
rang through the crisp air, were trying
to outdo each other in grace and agil
ity, Frances decidedly having the best
of it, she being one of those girls who
do anything they set their heart* on
“better than anybody else.”
As Denzil turned from watching
them, he perceived Lord Lyndon, at a
distance, leisurely, but surely, making
for the forbidden spot; and, as he saw
this, an almost savage desire to see
this man, who had robbed him of his
all, humiliated before the eyes of his
betrothed, took possession of him.
A minute later, however, and—hav
ing deposited Mabel on the bank—he
was skating hurriedly toward his un
suspecting lordship.
"Lyndon!” he shouted, when still
some way from him, and shortly after
ward laid his hand upon his arm.
"Hullo!” exclaimed Lyndoa, trying I
to keep his balance, and succeeding !
with much difficulty. ‘‘What Is tho
matter? You have nearly thrown m«!
Anything wrong, eh?”
"Don’t you see where you are go
ing?” cried Denzil, angrily and ungra
ciously, being considerably out of
breath and temper. "Have you no
eyes? Unless you want to be drowned,
or, at all events, wet to the skin, you
will get away from this place. Can't
you see it marked ‘Dangerous’?”
“Never saw it until this very mo
ment, I give you my honor,” said Lyn
don, solemnly gazing at the warning
as though lost in amazement at his
own want of observation. "I should
have gone straight on, and in another
moment-I am awfully obliged to
you, Younge—indeed, more grateful
than I can tell you.”
Mildred had been looking on, and,
having witnessed the whole scene, had
understood it thoroughly—had seen
her future lord and master gliding to
his doom, and had half started up to
call out or warn him in some way of
his danger, when Denzil’s figure, flash
ing before her eyes, showed her that
he, too, had recognized Lyndon’s peril,
and was on his way to tell him of it.
As Denzil returned from his mission
and cast his eyes upon her, she appear
ed unconscious of everythilng but tho
dainty little pair of skates she was in
the act of unfastening. He stopped.
"Can I help you?” he asked; and
she answered promptly, without lifting
her eyes:
No, thank you. I am quite accus
tomed to do this sort of thing for my
self”—whereupon she drew off the
skates, in confirmation of her words,
and Denzil went on to Mabel.
Au hour crept by, and then Lady
Caroline, feeling that she had suffered
enough for her friends for that one
day, declared her intention of return
ing without further delay, and forth
with departed, carrying with her Ma
bel, who was anxious to reach home
before the post-hour arrived.
The eldest Miss Deverill was afflicted
with nervousness, aud, having bean
driven to the lake by “Sonny" Sum
merton—who was in a bad temper,
and knew as much about driving as
the “man in the moon"—had endured
such agonies on the journey as deter
mined her, whatever came of it, to
drive back in different company. So,
going up to her cousin, Lord Lyndon,
who was au undoubted “whip," she
entreated him as follows:
“Promise me,” she said, “that you
will drive me home.”
“My dear Margaret,” said Lyndon,
“do not ask me to do that. You know I
have Mildred under my care.”
“My dear Henry,” returned Miss
Deverill, desperately, “you must drive
me, or you will have my death to an
swer for. I will not trust myself again
to that hare-brained boy, who sulked
the entire way here, and knows noth
ing whatever of driving. Indeed, my
nerves are at present in such a state
that I can go home with nobody but
you; besides, anybody can see that the
horse is positively dangerous.”
Lyndon glanced toward the animal
in question, and saw that it was un
questionably skittish, displaying an
evident desire to bolt, and seeming to
take particular delight in taxing the
patience of the small groom who stood
on tiptoe to hold him, after which he
looked once more at his cousin’s dolor
ous countenance and relented.
“Well, somebody must take care of
Mildred,’ he said, with hesitation, “and
—where is Mildred?”
“She went toward the wool about
half an hour ago—somebody ought to
find her and say that we are on the
move.” responded Harvey, from be
neath a horse, where he was hastily
arranging a twisted strap.
"Eddie, go and find her,” said his
lordship, distractedly.
(To be continued.)
TRAVELERS’ DOG BAGS.
Theatrical Teoplo 1'arry Pet Dog* from
Place to rince.
A novel tiling in travelers’ equipment
1b the dog bag. It is produced by a
trunk and bag maker who make3 a
specialty of things for theatrical peo
ple, and it is used chiefly by theatrical
people for the convenient carrying of
pet dogs from place to place in their
constant traveling when on the road.
The pets carried about the country by
theatrical people, mainly women, In
clude dogs of various kinds and sizes.
It may he that the dog owners are oil
the road eight or ten months in a year
and constantly moving as they are,
some means of getting the dogs about
easily is especially desirable. The dog
bag is made In the form of what is
called in the trade a cabin bag. It has
a box-shaped body with vertical sides
and ends and with the top sloping.
Obviously the cabin bag was the most
desirable for this use, because with its
straight sides it afforded the most
room inside, and so gave the greatest
comfort to the dog. Made up as a dog
bag one end of the bag is taken out
entirely, and in place is set a wire
screen. Sometimes both ends for
greater ventilation are thus equipped.
Over the grating is a leather curtain,
which may be opened or closed.—Chi
cago Journal.
Studying Criminal Records.
H. B. Irving, second son of Sir Henry
Irving, is busy on a unique work, in
which he has analyzed the cynicism,
refined cruelty and sheer brutality
shown by such criminals as I^acenaire,
Troppmann, Prado and Ravachol. Mr.
Irving has selected those criminals
whoso individualities and misdeeds re
move them from the category of ordi
nary malefactors. It may be inter
esting to know that long before Mr.
Irving became an actor he was inter
ested in the study of crime. His rooms
j at Oxford were piled high with criml
[ nal records.
OPPOSE REVISION.
f A RIF tT QUESTION MUST NOT
BE REOPENED.
The Italirnrk I'rsjrim for Dealing with
the Iron un<l Steel Combine Would Ite
•ult In Wrecking Mnny Concerns Not
Connected tvith the Dig Trust.
—
‘‘I was much interested in the clear j
and emphatic interview with Mr.
Payne, chairman of the Ways and
Means Committee of Congress, pub
lished in the ‘Mail and Express,' con
cerning Representative Babcock’s
proposition to revise the Dlngloy Tar
iff law," said Charles A. Moore. "As
president of tho American Protective
Tariff League, I was naturally some
what surprised when Mr. Babcock an
nounced last February his idea that
manufactured products of steel should
be placed upon the free list. Soon aft- ;
er Mr. Babcock presented that bill in
the house ho was a guest at the annual 1
dinner here in New York of The Pro
tective Tariff League. But he did not
discuss his bill at that time, either in
ills after-dinner speech or in private
conversation.
“It is reassuring to learn, from such
an authority as the chairman of the
Ways and Means Committee, that Mr.
Babcock’s revival of the topic of Tar
iff revision meets with no sympathy
from his Republican colleagues, at
least along the line that he proposes.”
“Bo you agree with Chairman Payne
that Mr. Babcock cannot excite an
agitation at this time for a revision
of the Tariff?”
“Yes, I agree with Mr. Payne and ,
with other Republican members of that
committee and with several Senators
who are in the Finance Committee
with whom I have consulted,” replied
Mr. Moore. “I have also received the
opinions of many manufacturers, busi
ness men and of those acquainted with
the feeling of workingmen, and I am
convinced that theic can be no re
opening of the general Tariff question,
either this summer or when the next
Congress convenes. Any student of
trade conditions and of their relations
to customs duties and the national
revenue will admit that there might bo
made some changes in the Tariff
schedules that would be of advantage
to both producer and consumer. No
system of Tariff schedules was ever
constructed that would not bear
amendment from time to time.
“It is that recognized fact that
causes the periodic discussion of tha
wisdom of creating a permanent Tar
iff commission. But the genius of our
institutions is against even the sem
blance of government by commissions;
and, moreover, a Tariff commission
could do nothing more than make rec
ommendations, upon which the Cou
gress could act, under the Constitu
tion, as it pleased. The usefulness,
therefore, of a commission to consider
questions affecting Federal revenue is
doubtful. But, aside from that, the
changes that might be made to advant
age in the present Tariff law are both
too few in number and too unimport
ant to warrant a reopening of the
subject. Agitation of the Tariff ques
tion is inevitably disturbing to trade,
causing uncertainty and halting new
enterprises. It should occur, there
fore, at as widely separated intervals
as possible.”
“Mr. Babcock asserts that his prop
osition is to strike at the so-called
steel trust, and that it is, therefore, a
politic step for the Republican party to
take.”
“I do not agree with Air. Hancock
in that idea,” replied Mr. AToore. “Ho
is chairman of the Republican Con
gresisonal Campaign Committee, and
I am afraid that his intimate knowl
edge of local party and factional con
ditions in many Congressional dis
tricts has distorted Ills perspective, so
to speak, of the general question. I
would say that neither his bill nor any
other legislation can destroy the Unit
ed States Steel Corporation without
first destroying every smaller and in
dividual concern engaged in the same
business. These smaller makers of
steel products have their specialties in
manufacturing. Some of them prob
ably will sell their output to other con
cerns that have been amalgamated in
the steel trust. Others will continue
to retain their own customers, at
home and abroad. Rut if steel goods
were placed on the free list, these in
dividual manufacturers would be
forced to the wall, because the steel
trusts of Great Britain, France and
Germany, if our tariff barrier were re
moved, would dump their surplus
product upon our market at prices that
the smaller manufacturers could not
meet. Only the big corporation could
survive; and that combination of men,
who are kings in the several branches
of their business, being united, could
compete successfully, I believe, at home
or abroad, in any part of the world,
with any foreign trust—provided for
eign governments do not erect prohib
itive tariff barriers against us.
“In other words, the proposition of
Mr. Babcock would in the end play
into the hands of the so-called Amer
ican Steel Trust, which he thinks
would be a good political play to at
tack.”
"But Mr. Babcock asserts that pro
tected American manufacturers sell
their goods abroad more cheaply than
at home.”
“That is an old and worn-out Demo
cratic argument,” said Air. Mocre. ‘ It
Is an argument that has the specious
allurement of a half-truth. It ap
peals to many minds when first heard
because It carries the Implication that
a Protective Tariff operates to the ad
vantage of the foreign consumer and
discriminates against the home buyer.
But we have to consider In twwr eonnee
tion that. In the first place, the asser
tion Is true only In a few eases; sec
ond, that It applies to foreign manu
facturers as well as our own, and,
third, and most important, that it U
labor that receives the benefit of Pro
tection.
For example, suppose that a manu
facturer finds that by employing •
thousand additional men he can re
duro the total cost of his product by
10 per cent. If he docs that he will
make more goods than the home mar*
ket can absorb, even at a reduced price.
So that it will pay him, and afford ad
ditional employment to labor, if he
sells his surplus product to a foreign
market at a greater reduction than at
home, or even at cost of production.
"Then, again, foreign combinations
of capital, which are real trusts—and
there are no trusts, in the legal sense,
in the United States, although there
are hundreds abroad, even in Free
Trade England are constantly sending
their surplus product to this country
at prices ruinous to competition. They
do this by the device of billing their
goods, not to American importers, but
to their own agencies in this coun
try. This is an abuse upon which I
could dilate at length. Hut every man
ufacturer, every wholesale and retail
merchant, understands how the Pro
tective intent of our tariff is thus
evaded.
it seems to me, concmaea Mr.
Moore, "that any survey of our re
cent commercial history must convince
any candid mind that the country will
not consent to enter into any such re
vision of the tariff as Mr. Babcock
suggests. Only twenty-five years ago
the United States was fourth in the
list of exporting nations. Today the
United States holds first place. In
that time the United States hs*s in
creased its exports 192 per cent. Our
tariff has made us the most prosper
ous nation on earth. Labor com
mands here the highest wages. It is
labor that would suffer most from a
radical change In our policy of a sane
ly Protective Tariff."—New York Mall
and Express.
—
THREE FLOURISHING PLANTS.
MUCH ADO ABOUT LITTLE.
As the Pioneer Press pointed out
some time ago,the excitement over the
Russian tariff was much ado about lit
tle. Illinois manuafcturers and other
associations sent grave and reverend
deputations to Washington to protest
against the countervailing sugar duty
which they argued would shut out of
the Russi in market some $30,j00,000
of exports yearly. Secretary Gage in
formed them in the first place he could
not unmake the law requiring a coun
tervailing duty, and that he had no
option In the matter. In the second
place, he told the deputations, what
they could have learned in any gov
ernment report, that the annual ex
ports of our products to Russia did
! not amount to $30,0()0,000, but to
$10,000,000 only. When they told him
that they were particularly troubled
about the trade in agricultural ma
chinery they were told, what they
could have learned in any reliable
newspaper, that agricultural imple
ments and machinery were exempt un
der the Russian retaliatory order. It
! now appears that not only our agricul
tural machinery is exempt, but almost
j all our iron and steel, which is the
! most important item on our list of ex
ports to Russia, will not be affected
by the order. These two classes of
exports are a large part of the total
sent to all Russian ports. And when
it is considered that some other arti
cle's are also exempt, it appears that
the intense excitement of the country
was as premature as it was useless.
—St. Paul Pioneer Press.
Hitter Ktiemy of tl»« Truit*.
‘‘Those outrageous trusts ought to
be wiped out of existence if it takes
every gun and every gallows In the
j land to do it.*’
"What’s your special grievance
against them?”
"Why, the scoundrels refused to buy
up our plant!"—Cleveland Plain
Dealer.
Saved from Injurious Competition.
In consequence of the injurious com
petition of American and other indus
tries the wages of finished iron work
ers in the north of England have been
" reduced seven and one-half per cent.
Protection saxes the workmen of
America from Injurious competition of
other countries.— Hornellsvillu (N. Y.)
j Times.
SELF-IGNITING FIRES.
Crooked Tane of Started CeTlplcl«l
Collar Into a B axe.
Fires that start themselves are much
more common than people generally
suppose. There Is a mysterious prop
erty in dust which, under certain con
ditions, produces violent explosions.
There have been instance* in postof
flces where the dust from the mail
hags, suspended in the air of a closed
room, has exploded with terrific force,
the explosion being followed by flames.
Dust explosions and fire are of frequent
occurrence in drug stores and flour
mills. The origin of many fires in
tailor shops may be traced to the so
called dry cleaning of clothes. A rag
that has been dipped in any one of
the fluids commonly used by cleaners
is thrown In a corner and when the
shop is cleaned up and closed, thus
confining the air, the rag will fre
quently of itself generate fire. Not
long ago there passed along Kastem
avenue, in this city, a load of hay,
which suddenly became enveloped in
flame. The driver was about to horse
whip a boy whom he saw near by
smoking a cigarette. People who had
been watching the load of hay driven
along were certain that the boy was
no time within 25 reet or the hay. The
fire was clearly shown to have been,
caused by the tire of the wheel rub
bing against an iron on the side of
the wagon, thus producing sparks. In
all manufacturing establishments a
frequent cause of fire is the rubbing of
leather belting against the edges of
the opening through which it passes
form place to place. One of the most
stubborn fires that ever occurred in
New York city was started by a plate
glass window focusing the lays of the
winter sun upon a celluloid collar,
which burst into a blaze. Metal goods
had been shown in the window before,
and therefore the peculiar formation
of this particular pane of glass never
had been discovered. It was on Sun
day, and almost before the fire was
noticed half the block was in flames.
Defective electric wiring has many
sins to answer for in these days. Elec
tricians who are supposed to he com
petent will cross wire3 and vlolats
every principle of common sense, to
say nothing of electrical science. Some
of them lead strands of wire through
wooden boxes, which, ill the event of
fire, become roaring flues. Many of
our most destructive fires have been
due to carelessness in electric wiring.
Chicago News.
PURIFICATION OF WATER.
Nlko'.u Tolu Believe* It Can Be Done
by an Electrical Eraccv*.
Nikola Tesla, who is here arranging
for the manufacture of apparatus for
his wireless telegraph system, has in
teresting ideas about many things. Un
doubtedly he is a brilliant electrician,
capable of much useful achievement.
He is highly imaginative,as all original
Investigators are of necessity, to~ there
could be no creation without the crea
tive mind. It does not follow that his
imaginings are all vain, not by any
means, though it is natural that his
fancy might take unwarranted flights
to Mars or other objects in remote
space. Mr. Tesla is especially interest
ed in an electrical process for purify
ing water, says the Pittsburg Dispatch.
The project is feasible—at least from a
scientific point of view—and It is to be
hoped he will be able to make it prac
ticable in both the mechanical and eco
nomical senses. If the thing can be
done on a largo scale as cheaply as
water can be filtered it will prove a
boon to all mankind. In respect to the
water supply of Pittsburg, however,
Mr. Tesla's idea is not of immediate
import. He is engrossed in perfecting
the wireless telegraph—an undertaking
that will tax his resources, material
and mental, for some time. Pittsburg
must be content with filtration for the
present. It will be glad to get rid of 98
per cent of impurities after a long ex
perience in taking its water unrefined,
though the people will live in the hope
that some day Mr. Tesla will take
away the other 2 per cent of microbe.!
and give them water pure and vivified.
Nature's Storehouse the Mountain*.
The mountain dweller lives apart
from the world. The present is the
past when it reaches him. L?or centu
ries the Highlander has had hi^ plaid
and kilt; the peasant of Norway and
the mountaineer of the German and
Austrian Alps each a habit of his
own, and every Swiss canton a dis
tinctive dress. Mountains preserve the
Gaelic tongue in which the scholar
may read the refuge of Celt from
Saxon, and in turn Saxon from the
Norman French, Just as they keep
alive remnants like the Rhaeto-Roman.
the Basque and a number of Caucasian
dialects. The Carpathians protected
Christianity against the Moors, and in
Java the Brahmin faith took refuge
on the sides of the volcano Guniing
Lawa and there outlived the baa of
Buddha.—Scribner’s Magazine.
ITence Tommy Atkins.
I^et it not be forgotten, however, that
the “exquisite humor” displayed in tho
name Tommy Atkins belongs rather to
the war office than to the public. That
institution used to issue little pocket
manuals, in which each soldier’s name,
age, date of enlistment, length of ser
vice, etc., were entered, and the meth
od of filling in the form was explained
by the use of a hypothetical name, not
the John Doe of the legal profession,
but—Thomas Atkins. The books were
first so called, and then the soldiers.—
The Academy.
Not Many Voter* In MI*«U*tppL
Mississippi has a total population of
over 1,500,000 and yet the total vote of
the state last November was under
60,000.
