NEBRASKA STATE NEWS OVER THT STATE. Blue Springs has organized a com mercial ciub. The diphtheria scourge at Milford and vicinity is believed to have been completely stamped out. The new steel bridge across the Lo gan at Bancroft now under construc tion is rapidly nearing completion. At the regular meeting of the Fre mont school board. Prof. W. H. Gard ner was re-elected superintendent for next year and his salary fixed at $1, 000. A party of wealthy men of Seward, headed by Dr. Cummins, is talking of establishing a sanitarium for tubercu losis on a high, healthy sit near that city. Ten new trains each way will be put on the Nebraska & Wyoming division of the Chicago & Northwestern line to handle the rush into the Shoshone country next June. The farmers living in the vicinity of Hoag have decided to organize an elevator company and have started a paper to secure funds for the building of an elevator to cost not less than $5,000. The barn belonging to C. W. Cham bers. northwest of Table Rock, was destroyed by fire. The blaze started in the haymow and was discovered by a neighbor. Two cows and a calf were burned. State Treasurer Mortenson will can cel warrants to the amount of $100,000 and thus reduce the debt against the state by that amount. These warrants have been drawing interest since Sep tember 1 1j04. Clarence Tiuoets, a baggageman em ployed uy the Burlington, was run over and killed by an engine in the Burling ton yards at Lincoln. Tibbits was as sisting in transferring baggage at the time of his death. The Mattes Brewing company's plant, at Nebraska City, which was partially destroyed by fire several weeks ago. will be rebuilt. The in surance companies interested in tne loss amounted to $26,300. The coming event of great interest to the farmers of Platte county and vi cinity is the institute, which will be held February 26 and 27. The state management has formulated a very in teresting and diversified program, and many of the practical farmers of the state will be present during the ses sion. The Prairie Mining company passed through a fivefoot vein of coal Wed nesday on their leases east of Falls City, and after sinking one more pros pect hole will start the development of the leases. Leases were filed last week with the register of deds cover ing about 800 acres, and work will start on themat once. State Auditor Searle says wolf scalps have been pouring in and it has been certified in affidavits that the animals were killed in Douglas county. Searle declared that the wolves lived in communities far from human habi tation. It was also intimated that it was hard to tell a gray wolf scalp from the scalp of a shepherd dog. The beet growers meeting in Suth erland was attended by nearly all of the principal growers of Sutherland and contiguous territory. The ques tion of organizing an association of growers was freely discussed and a motion to organize carried. Nearly all of those present attached their signa tures to articles of membership. Milo Draemel of Fremont, is a mem ber of the first class at tne navai school at Annapolis which graduates this week and is the first Fremont boy to complete a course at that institu tion. He has never been in any wav implicated with any of the hazing af fairs which have disgraced the records of so many of his classmates, and has maintained a high rank. For over thirty years the express matter coming to West Point has been delivered free of charge by the ex press company. This accommodation has been taken away from the peo ple, presumably in retaliation for the action of the railroad company, which has deprived the express company of the milk and cream business, which is now hauled as baggage. rur me ursi ume wiinm twenty years a grand jury is called to con vene in Boone county. Heretofore crimes and offenses against the laws have been prosecuted under informa tions filed by the county attorney. At the next term of the district court which convenes February 20. the grand jury will be asked to investi gate several alleged violations of the laws of the state. John Arn of Plattsmouth attempted to clean out a flue by putting a quan tity of powder in the stove. The ex plosion came with much more force than anticipated, blowing open the stove door and the blaze went up the s-aeves of his coat instead of up the flue. His right arm was severely burned and later biood poison followed and for several days his condition was considered serious. The cadets of the state university voted to go to Nebraska City on their annual encampment. The command ant has the final say where the en campment shall be held, and Captain Workizer said the city which offered the best inducements would be select ed. The mortgage record for Nuckolls county for January shows: Eleven farm mortgages filed, amounting to $23,400.31; released, $30,166.24. Nine town mortgages were filed, $7,853.50; nine sat'sfled, $5,154.50. Of chattel mortgages 129 were filed, $37,408.78; 103 satisfied, $33,770.il. Ul'ie tne 11-year-old daughter of Mr. '.nd Mrs. Peter Schacht, residing south of Grand Island, fell from a *.orse while assisting In driving cattle, struck her head on the ground and sustained a fracture of the skull near the base of the brain, ^suiting In death a few hours after. An explosion in the store of Bassen ger & Nelson, at Bancroft, caused by a leak in a gas stove, demolished the windows in the rear of the building, completely wrecking the stove and near-by fixtures. Night Watchman Hausen, who was in the room at the time was severely shaken up. BUSY MONTH FOR MORTENSEN. Handles Almost Two Million Dollars During Month of January. LINCOLN.—The report of State Treasurer Mortensen of the condition of the state treasury at the close of business shows that during the month of January there was paid out of all funds the sum of $1,009,153, against receipts amounting to $850,444. But there had been bought last month $260,000 worth of bonds as an invest ment for the permanent school fund, and more warrants have been taken up and canceled than for any month for years. It has been a busy month in the treasurer's office. At this time the permanent school fund contains only $5,640 not invested, while $380, 489 was invested of this fund this month. There was a balance on hand in all the funds the first of the month of $388,830.91; receipts during the month, $850,444.74; paid out, $1,009. 153.81. Following is the report in de tail and the bank statements: —Balances— Funds. Jan. 1. Jan. 31. General .$ 8.447.77 $ 8,554.75 Redemption . 918.47 1.577.57 Permanent school. 13.885.94 5.640.22 Temporary school. 317,969.31 152.714.71 Permanent uni versity . 293.26 4,515.57 Agricultural col lege endowment . 9,320.55 Temporary uni versity . 323.57 366.22 Penitentiary . 645.50 645.50 Kearney Nor. li brary . 1,246.86 867.05 Hospital Insane.. 114.55 135.99 State library . 1.4S5.75 1,167.87 Fniversity cash... 23.257.14 22.483.03 Normal library... _ 2.643.55 2.643.55 Normal endowm't. 1.200.00 1,470.09 Normal interest. . 2,601.26 2.775.92 Orthopedic hosp.. 104.50 104.50 Agricultural and Mechanical Arts 13,362.83 11,912.S3 U. S. Kxperiment Station . 330.65 3.223.79 Totals.$388,830.91 $230,121.84 By cash on hand. .$ 6,653.65 By cash on de posit . 223.468.1 S $230,121.84 COMPLAINTS OF ASSESSMENT. — Assessors Not Attending to Their Duty As Law Requires. LINCOLN.—Many complaints are being made and some are being re ceived by the members of the state board of assessment that the county assessors in various parts of the state are net attending to their duties as the law intended they should. Be cause of these reports the state board of assessment and equalization likely will take severe action in the matter, and possibly will have Secretary Ben nett make a few trips out in the state to assist the county assessors and to see that they do what the law intends for them to do. The reports regarding the assessors are to the effect that instead of su perintending the work of their depu ties as the law specifies, in some in stances are attending to their farm work and other duties, and rarely get to the county seat to see what the deputies are doing. The county as sessors are paid by the year, and are expected to be constantly at the switch and wide awake and to keep thoroughly in touch with the work of their deputies and with the property all over the county. When the bill was before the legis lature this section providing for the county assessor was thoroughly dis cussed, and it was argued that by em ploying him by the year he would be in a position to keep thoroughly in touch with all the county, and thus be able to review intelligently the work of his deputies. In some instances, it is said, the office of the county asses sor is little more than a place for the deputies to deposit their records. The attention of the members of the state board has been called to the matter, and inasmuch as the county assessors work under the direction or the state board a general jacking up is to come shortly. Bryan’s Former Home Sold. Col. C. G. Barns has sold the well known and historic D street residence, the home of W. J. Bryan during the time he was a member of congress and twice candidate for the presi dency, to Frank Jouvenant. present member of the Nebraska legislature trom Boone county. Graders Finish Work. OAKLAND—The Grant Smith com pany, railroad contractors, have fin ished their work here and broke camp. This practically finishes the grading in this vicinity and everything is in readiness for the tracklayers, who are reported as being seven miles south o( Uehling. Horticultural Report Out. The thirty-sixth annual report or the State Horticultural society is out. The report is dated August 1, 1904. The report of the treasurer, which is published therein, shows that war rants were paid to the amount of $2, 849.65, and the total receipts were $5, 257.95. Buys Idaho Bonds. The state board of educational lands and funds authorized State Treasurer Mortensen to buy $160,500 worth of Idaho state bonds. The bonds will nm twenty years, and will pay the state 3% per cent interest for the first five years and afterwards 4 per cent. The board will meet Febru ary 13, at which time the bonds will be delivered. The board has already bought Idaho bonds to the amount of $250,000 this year, and during the month the state treasurer will have $250,000 more money to invest. Are Against Ball Games. GRAND ISLAND—The board of edu cation has taken steps either to re model considerably the rules of the football and basketball games as in dulged on by the high school students or eliminate the game altogether. Sev eral recent accidents have led to the conviction that the game should be shorn of its alleged barbarity or be “cut out’.” It was denounced by sev eral members of the board as more savage and brutal that prize fighting, against which there is a law in this state. | Some of the Presents Sent Miss Roosevelt (XJBOBOta FOXUMVt l rsmarrEDsyria \ am DjirciATMjr.... / ■)IANOM) LOCKET. ONE QfTNEWT xjyr jV4£CZ3’ i ap.-jaerar CHAPTER VII.—Continued. Soon he again thrusts half his wiry body out of the window, and can be heard talking to the Jehu, to whom he probably gives orders, for it will hard ly do them to stop directly in front of the madhouse, unless some desperate plan has been agreed upon. “We are there,” announces M. Fran cois. The vehicle halts, and as the door is opened the three men hasten to find a landing upon the pavement. “You wiill remain here—all night if we do not come—pay will be sure.” and the secret agent of the prefect shows his silver badge to the aston ished Jehu, who bows and declares his willingness to stay until Gabriel blows his trump if necessary, know ing full well that his number is in the possession of the agent, and that his license will be revoked, or even further punishment meted out to him if he dares disobey. “This way, messieurs," comes the voice of the secret agent ahead, and gladly they foHow. Evidently M. Francois has been ar ranging his plan of action while en route—at any rate he loses no time in reflection now, but proceeds to busi ness. “Messieurs, mark that gloomy square building just ahead—it is M. Girard’s Retreat for the Demented— a second Bastile in looks. Here, next door, we have the vacant building of which our young friend Jules Favre made mention. We enter, messieurs —we ascend to the roof, from which we can open communications with those we have come to save.” They grasp the plan of this shrewd friend whom the prefect has sent to their assistance—it is simple enough in its way, and they can hardly make a mistake. Once they enter the empty house, ♦heir leader produces a small lantern, Jiich he lights, and thus all can see to ascend the stairs. In this way the .-oof is finally gained, a scuttle being the last obstacle that has to be over come. There is enough light for them to see the wall of the building rising up beyond, also the window with its wooden bars, at which the street Arab (.COfKPJGffT.jasa. iy SOBTCSlUBj Disappointment as keen as a knife grasps his heart. What does this mean. Did the note that the lad brought deceive them? Ah! there is the story of the secret agent—surely there must be truth back of it all. Then they have changed the room of the two prisoners—that must be it. He lights another match—it is a Heav en-born inspiration, for upon the ta ble he discovers something that escaped his eyes during the first illu mination. It is a piece of paper, held under a specimen of stone, a number of which can be seen upon a little shelf on the wall. In an instant Dick bends over it— his eyes are glued to the paper that tells the story: “Kind Friends: We are in trouble —decoyed to this place to see one of the curiosities of all Paris. We have been notified that in half an hour, when the matin bell in the convent hard by rings, we-” Just then Dick’s match burns his fingers, and he drops the remnant. Another is quickly held in his grasp, and its light flares up. He reads on: “-rings, we will be transferred to another room below—possibly so that we may get the full benefit of the awful sounds that come to us but faint ly here. We are brave—we do not fear, but at the same time we pray Heaven to rescue us. The motive 1 can only guess as yet, but believe it must concern the signing of a paper giving Senor Manuel Lopez full con trol of the El Dorado Mine, which I will never, never do. “PAULINE WESTERLY.” Again the match goes out. but Dick does not care now. He knows where the door lies, and is immediately at it, shakes it vigorously as an imprisoned lion might the door of his cage. It is quite useless, for a heavy bar or bolt secures it outside. He returns to the window; since one plan has failed he will try another. Down the ladder he goes quickly, to meet his comrades at the foot. “Well?” says the Frenchman. “What luck, old fellow?” demands Colonel Bob. “The room is empty and the door barred.” At this the others express their dis appointment by a succession of grunts, but the acute Gaul has read more in the voice of the messenger. "You are not hopeless—you have at least made one discovery,” he ejacu lates, whereupon Dick only too glad ^5®s£222r S7 held converse with the prisoners of M. Girard. Dick is for rushing forward, but the leader detains him. “Pardon,” he whispers, “we must bring up the ladder that leads to the scuttle—something is needed to reach the window—we must tear off the bars and help the ladies down, you re member?” . So the short ladder is drawn up, carefully carried across the interven ing roof, and placed where it will pass up beside the barred window. Hardly waiting until M. Francois an nounces the ladder firm, Dick mounts. His face is now close to the window— all is dark within, and of course he can see nothing. "Miss Pauline!” He utters the name in a whisper be tween the wooden bars, but no reply comes—then he raises his voice a lit tle and repeats it, with no better re sult than before. A third time he calls, and again only a mocking echo is hurled back. Then a hideous-fear assails him that some evil has befallen those whom he came to save—his hand is on one of the bars—he impetuously exerts the strength of his muscular arm—few things could withstand the mighty power thus brought into play, and the bar comes away in his grasp. He pushes it through into the room, hears it fall to the floor, and then, securing himself afresh, once more clutches a bar—a second tremendous tug follows, that wins the day. ^ “Bravo!” comes a whisper from be low, where the Frenchman watches his every movement. “Good boy, Dick!” is, heard from Bob, perhaps in a voice that is rather incautious. , Dick does not wait for this encour agement—he has made an opening, swings one leg up over the window sill with the ease of an acrobat, and disappears from the gaze of those who watch below. When he finds himself in the room, Dick once more calls that name, al ready so precious to him, but the re sult is the same—a dead silence Is his only answer. He has matches, and without hesi tation takes one out to strike it. No sooner does the flame blaze up than his eyes make a circuit of the small apartment. What does he see?—a couple of chairs, a small table, a bed—that is all! ly relates all about the finding of the letter, and what it contains—he has the words very pat, while the missive itself lies in a pocket next his heart, perhaps some day to be framed and hung up in remembrance of what be fell them in gay, wicked Paris. Just as he expects, the prefect’s agent is ready to grapple with the new difficulty—he never allows such a thing to daunt him. “You tried the door?" he asks, sud denly. “And found it secure—it would take a sledge-hammer to burst it open." “Which would arouse the whole in stitution—we must adopt other tac tics. Suppose we descend to terra firma, since that breeze is fresh, and a slip on ttys sloping roof would be apt to be followed by unpleasant con sequences," with a shrug of his shoul ders, which indicates a good deal more than his words do. The ladder is once more brought j back to its legitimate use. and soon they find themselves again upon the street, close by the entrance of the grim building. The Frenchman turns to Colonel j Bob. “Pardon; I believe you can act a part.’’ “Eh?” gasps the astonished sheriff. “You have the grit, the courage, the tact to play the crazy man.” "Thanks, my noble duke, for your flattery,” answers Bob, in freezing contempt. “Ah! you do not comprehend—you fail to grasp the idea. I mean that' you are gifted—you can play a part— you can, I am sure, even deceive the great doctor, M. Girard.” “I begin to see light—speak on. ’ says Bob. “You remember I told the driver in a joke we were taking you to the Re treat. We will make it a solemn truth —we will gain admittance to this cas tle under that pretense, and then—l leave the case in your hands, mon sieur,” with a low bow in the direc tion of Dick. “I admire your plan—it is better than battering down the front door— that is, unless Bob objects to acting the part of a man who has lost his ! senses, and imagines himself a Caes ar.” “Not I—you will be proud of me yet,” declares the Sheriff of Secora County, Inflating his lungs and strut ting like a turkey-cock. “There is only one danger—if Mr. Girard knows the whole story, your appearance will arouse his suspicions immediately, for he will recognize you as friends of his prisoners. We can only try. You shall be M. Astorbilt, the American millionaire, and this your cousin Robert, whose mind we will say—pardon, monsieur, you are not the first—has become unhinged through his passion for M'lle Hor tense, the latest star on the theatrical horizon.” A groan from Bob. “Do with me as you please—I am entirely in the hands of my friends,” he says, with a resignation that is beautiful to contemplate. CHAPTER VIII. The Cell in the Closed Corridor. No one hesitates—indeed, the agent of police gives no time for meditation —he means business. No doubt he is armed with some authority, vested in him by the prefect, which gives him the power and the liberty of search ing the house of M. Girard. At any rate, he does not appear to have any fear regarding the consequences, and shows about as much animation as the two comrades. The driver has his orders now, and brings the trio directly in front of the door belonging to M. Girard's resi deuce. Rap, rap, goes the ponderous knock er, the sound reverberating through the corridors within and arousing some of the inmates, who begin to shout, some of them to swear, because they have been disturbed in their sleep A minute elapses, and then a wicket in the door opens, through which pro trudes a head—one almost expects to see the cowled head of a monk; but instead, a shock of hair surmounting a red face pushes into view, while the owner, in a thick voice, demands what they will have at such an hour. (To be continued. ROSES THRIVE ON MEAT DIET. Gardener of Rome Tells Secret of Cultivation. “I have yet to see a rose equal to those grown in Rome,” said the ama teur horticulturist. ‘‘They bloom in the greatest abundance all through the winter, and they are as large and rich and velvety as our American beauties, living out of doors, clamber ing like ivy or honeysuckle over the crumbling marble walls of ruined tem ples, gleaming in crimson and green masses upon ancient columns, giving to the grimmest apd saddest of medi eval palazzos an air of gayety and youth. “One day on the Via Sistina, as I passed the garden that had once been the garden of Lucullus, 1 saw an old man tending the superb roses that grow there. He was pouring on their roots a dark, rich-looking fluid. “ ‘Why are the Roman roses so beautiful and abundant?’ I said to the old man. “ ‘Because they eat meat,’ he an swered. “ ‘Eat meat? Nonsense,’ said I. “ ‘Well, they drink meat—meat ex tract, which is the same thing,’ said the old man. ‘We Roman gardeners have for centuries watered our roses thrice a week with a strong decoction of fresh beef—a rich grade of beef tea. They are meat eaters. That is why the roses of Rome are as hardy and prolific as weeds, and at the same time as richly, delicately beautiful and as sweetly perfumed as flowers grown under glass.’ ” DRESS REFORM IDEAS IN 1332. Four "Don’ts” Proposed as a Start In the Right Direction. A coterie of ladies at Amsterdam edit a periodical paper called the “Eu phrosyne.” It was this paper which first proposed the creation of a nation al costume for the female lieges of the Dutch sovereign; and its example has been followed by a coterie of gentle men, who now publish a "journal for the promotion of a national costume, for the gentlemen, and the encourage ment of national industry.” If American editors would but en gage in this cause with the zeal of the worthy mynheers, we should confi dently expect success in this mai ter of a national costume. Now we can only hope. However, we will propose a few rules in our department of regulating female costume, as a sample of our taste. These will be prohibitory mere ly. Every person knows the necessity of eradicating or exposing false no tions before enforcing right ideas. 1. No lady shall wear more than seven distinct colors in her dress at the same time—that being enough to form a rainbow. 2. No lady shall wear colored or clouded stockings with a white dress. 3. No married lady shall appear in a pink bonnet. (We should like to ex tend this prohibition to all ladies over 14.) 4 No lady, who hopes to be mar ried, shall wear the hem of her gown above her ankles.—Ladies’ Magazine 1832. New Kind of Pin Money The woman confided to her com panion and to the elderly clerk that the piece of jewelry she was buying was to be paid for out of the gold pieces her husband had received for attending directors’ meetings and which he had turned over to her. The clerk remarked that he had a num ber of women customers who made purchases at this time of the y ear in the same way. “One lady who has been a customer of ours for years,” he went on, “al ways spends this director’s money in one way. Year after year she comes in about this time and buys a piece of table silver. Then she has it marked ‘Director Silver.’ I presume she means to have it kept in her family as a reminder of what an important fig ure in the commercial world her hus band was in his day.—New York Press. Good to His Folks. Why don t you have the snow cleaned off your sidewalk?” asked the neighbor. i# “Because.” answered Mr. Lobrow. “I think a lot or my family, and would not deprive it of any pleaseure. You have no idea how it amuses the chil dren to see peoj** dhp and fall down."