Image provided by: University of Nebraska-Lincoln Libraries, Lincoln, NE
About The Loup City northwestern. (Loup City, Neb.) 189?-1917 | View Entire Issue (May 17, 1906)
PAULINE ©irNEWYGBK sSrGKBGE SB4THB0CNE § jtOTnoeey s 'jQuaxjo&r I 'AWAHEDEXP I AA£C#? 1 Z£>.A4TErErc CHAPTER XVI.—Continued. “I cannot come; this miserable pro fessor intends I shall remain,” la ments T v. "Yon ch!” and Dick makes one spring foFlvard, whereupon Professor John is seen to sprawl flat upon the floor, rolling over and over, to get be yond the reach of that iron arm. and the foot that seems to be propelled by springs of steel, all the while chat tering like an excited monkey. Dora, thus relieved, flies to the side of her mistress, and clasps an arm around her In a protecting way though it would appear that the lady’s maid was more in need of protection than her mistress. “We wish you good evening, gentle men. Your little scheme has been nipped in the bud. Take care how you follow me. Ladies, this way, please—pass out ahead, as I wish to watch these fellows as long as possi ble.” The ladies comprehend that it is not love that influences Dick, but another feeling, and they are careful not to come between their protector and those upon whom he keeps hi* eye. Various expletives break upon the air as the little party thus back out of the room; it is not natural for some seven or eight men to find them selves cowed by a single party, and not feel furious. As yet it is the growling of the volcano—when the top of the cone blows off, look out for squalls. Now Dick is in the doorway; the ladies have passed down the hall some distance; he gives one last look around him. waves a hand in mocking farewell to the baffled conspirators, of the Morales mansion, and follows Miss Pauline. Immediately great confusion en sues. Relieved of his presence, Senor Morales and his guests fly this way and that, some jumping from the win dows, with the hope of yet baffling the American by facing him on more equal terms in the garden, other* shouting themselves hoarse with ex citement. It does not unnerve the American a particle to hear this racket; he ha* (CO&&&7TJBS& Therefore they fall back Into the shadows of the garden, densely over grown with bushes as it is, and seek to bafTle the searching eyes that would ferret out their position. All around arise shouts. If it were a par ty of Mexican vanqueros hunting down a wolf that had taken refuge in the motte of timber, there could hardly be more confusion and alarm. Dick Denver has had enough per sonal acquaintance with these Mexi cans to fully understand their nature, and he knows that having once aroused their animosity, nothing can ever make them friends again. They hate as the wolf hates, and are quite as merciless. “Keep as close to me as possible, and speak no more than is absolutely necessary,” he says. The first part of his injunction it is easy enough to accomplish, but when it comes to silence. Dora is unreliable —she could not keep still any length of time, if paid handsomely for it. At first it is fear of their pursuers that causes the animated creature to groan and utter little shivering cries—then a branch jabs her in the eye, eliciting a sort of shriek, and when all else fails. 6he can positively feel a snake run over her foot; and if there is any thing on the face of the earth this same Dora detests, so that the very name almost sends her into convul sions. she declares it is a snake. Dick at first endeavors to hush her outcries, but he might as well try to dam the Mississippi. Even Miss Pau line's words fall to have the desired effect—Dora must bubble over, or swoon. So they make their way along; Dick wishes his companion could be with them, and he finally gives the signal again. Perhaps Bob may have failed to hear it on the first occasion, as he is not the man to allow any obstacle to stand in his way when duty calls. There must be a wall somewhere near them—Dick looks for it constant ly. He can heur their enemies plung ing hither and yon through the bushes, which they beat with great as siduity, as though hunting legitimate game. More than once it looks as though there is bound to be a colli sion, and Dick nerves himself for the ordeal, gritting his teeth and mental ly making up his mind to astonish his foes. Fortune favors them—the wall Is reached, and as yet they have seen So He Tel seen packs of wolves before now; where the water roars the loudest It is always the most shallow; barking dogs seldom bite. They are at the door now, and with a quick sprint Dick has overtaken the two ladies. Together they all pass out of the house, upon the veranda; the steps are just beyond, and then comes the vehicle. At this moment Dick sees a dark form darting forward; he is at the horses, and a knife flashes in his hand. A quick movement, followed by others, and the traces are cut in twain, thus rendering escape by this means impossible. Before he can take a shot at the fel low the other has thrown himself be hind the carriage, and no doubt crawls away in the shadows. This sudden catastrophe leaves them in a bad fix. With ladies to look after, what shall he do? They descend the steps lead ing from the veranda. Perhaps once beyond the gates, they may find some way of getting back to the Hotel Iturbe. With this idea in view, Dick springs to unbar the gate, and swing it open; but he finds that this is a trick every body does not know; the gate obstin ately refuses to swing at his dictation, in spite of his strenuous exertions. They are shut in the garden of Mo rales, with nearly a dozen enemies around, seeking to do them evil. Dick now realizes that he is in for it, and that it may be necessary to do something before the $<ame is won. He has not expected sucn a situation as this. How shall they get beyond the garden walls and elude their foes? One thing is certain, he will not de sert those who have been left in his charge. Part of the victory was won when he took them from the power of the scheming Lopez, and he is bound to finish it by landing them in safety at the hotel. “Miss Pauline, you are not afraid?” he cries. “No, no. Let me help you all I can.” comes the cheering answer, while the din around them grows in volume as the servants take up the cries. “Thank Heaven for that! Come, we must endeavor to find an opening back toward the canal. I have an idea there is a door in the wall there. We will defeat these ravenous hounds yet! Only trust me, and keep up a brave heart, Pauline.” His words inspire the two women— there is something in the very voice of the young ranchero, who has seen so much of life in the Southwest and Mexico, to cause a feeling of confi dence in his ability to accomplish all he has promised, and more. Is His Love. nothing of their enemies, though it is evident that they are all around. If the door in the wall can only be found now. they may have cause for rejoicing. It is too late—loud shouts arise— some one has discovered the light dresses of the ladies against the dark er background of the wall, and his cries are bound to bring all the force of the enemy rushing to that spot. At the same moment Dick hears Pauline cry out—Pauline, who has just then preceded him a trifle, and who means to take his place, in a measure. “It is here—the door!” is what she cries, but immediately adds, in a dis appointed voice, “but I cannot open it —I am afraid it is locked!" Could Dick be given another mtn-. ute, he would spring forward and manipulate that door so that it would open. It has to be a sturdy structure that can resist his attack. But it happened that the combined rush is made from all quarters at that mo rn? nt, and his attention must of ne cessity be taken up in this direction. He can just make out the dark fig ures coming upon him—they are like the spokes of a wheel, while he rep resents the hub. Dick is far from blood-thirsty by nature, and while he holds the lives of those on-rushing fools in his hands, he does not care to take them except as a last resort, besides, it is hardly fair, as they are debarred from firing back, on account of the presence of the ladies. So at the last moment he replaces his revolvers, and meets the assail ants with his fists. A better man to take care of them could not well be found. He uses his arms somewhat in the style of the piston-rods of an engine, and with such remarkable success that he speedily creates quite a havoc among his enemies. Then comes one whom he had not seen present, but who must have been lurking in the garden; this powerful frame that op poses him can belong to none other than the bull-fighter, Barcelona. How eagerly he hurls himself upon the American as though all that the past has known, which rankles in his heart, flies to the surface. This is unfortunate, because, while he is thus fully engaged, some of the others may seize upon Miss Westerly and bear her away. If ever Dick Den ver struggled in his life it is now, while the Spanish athlete also exerts himself to the utmost, making this a battle of giants. Dick has worsted this man before, and believes he can again, but it will take time, and there is none to spare at present. While he is engaged in scientifically doing Barcelona up in good shape, the other’s companions will doubtless be making themselves scarce, with the two American girls in their power. Already he hears Dora screaming. "Keep away, you miserable Picca dilly bughunter! I detest you! I’ll have my Bob shake you out of a year's growth! Keep your hands off, all of you, or I’ll scream for help, I will! Bob, oh, where are you?w “Coming, darling—coming as fast as these beastly prickly pears and Spanish bayonets will allow. Coming like a wild horse of the prairie on the stampede. Where’s that wretch of a Fitz—let me fondle him like a grizzly, and his mother won’t know him. Com ing, darling—here!” With the last word, which is ut tered as a ferocious roar. Colonel Bob bursts through the barrier that en deavors to block, his progress, and ap pears upon the scene. Dick hails his coming with the greatest of delight, since it relieves him in a measure, of his worry. The professor does not experience the same feeling; he is a Briton, it is true, but recent experiences have taught him that fighting is hardly to be placed in his line. Hearing the threats which the terrible Sheriff of Secora County bellows forth while bursting his way upon the scene, the professor wisely concludes to leave for parts unknown, nor to stand on the order of his going. Colonel Bob finds work to do, how ever—there are a number of noble Mexicans present who require looking after, and in his present excitable frame of mind he is just in the humor to satisfy all their longings in that direction. The darkness is not so intense now, for the moon is peeping above the horizon. Bob can see his men. and he falls upon them with the power of a thunderbolt. Right and left he plunges, knocking them down as a ball well directed scatters the pins in a bowling alley. The varied outcries are something astonishing, and indicate tremendous excitement on the part of those con cerned. Meanwhile. Dick has not been idle. By his energy he has succeeded in convincing Barcelona that once more he is getting the worst of it all. Dick avoids closing with the bull fighter, since he has no lighted cigar now to jab in the other’s eye. He keeps Tordas at a safe distance and proceeds to hammer him with all the scientific points he has ever learned. (To Be Continued.) j - ^■■ | European ulraurl More important By MR. ROBERT LUCE, Traveler and Scholar. : " 1 Doubtless Shake speare used a maxim already ancient when he said, “Home-keep ing youth have ever homely wits.” In this spirit all wise men from time immemorial have agreed that travel is a benefit to culture. It will not make a gem out of a pebble, but nothing else so quickly cuts the facets of a diamond mind. And rare is the intellect, that cannot be improved by its polishing influences. Desirable and important as it is to know one’s own country, I cannot warmly sympathize with the spirit that prompts ridicule of the American who visits London before visiting Washington. To be sure, lake Lucerne may be enjoyed the more by one who has crossed lake George. There is pleasure in contrasting the falls of the Rhine with those of Niagara, in comparing the Rhine itself with the Hudson or the Penobscot, and our own rivers do not suffer in the comparison. The Yellowstone park shows more of nature that is grotesque and marvelous than any other equal area in the world. Yet if in reality culture is the first consideration, the European tour is more important than any in the states. So much of our litera ture is European in origin or inspiration, so much of art is to be found on the continent, so many of our institutions are of Roman or Ger man or Norman development, in brief, we are still so much like trans planted Europeans, that many of the purposes of travel are only thor oughly accomplished when Europe is its field. Let it not for a moment be thought that I would depreciate the value and pleasure of travel in America. It is worth while to go both to the west and the east, to cross both the Atlantic and the continent. He becomes narrow and provincial who does not know his own land by observation. All I would hazard is an opinion that the logical or der is to see the old w'orld first, the new — * world next, for it is logical to work from U-J?. / £ the fountain head down the stream, to study causes before results. ————— E\JM,ORCHAfflKGARDTN GOD BLESS THE FARM. And may He bless the farmer’s home. Where peace and plenty reign. No happier spot 'neath Heaven's dome Doth this broad, beauteous earth contain, Than where, secure from care and strife, The farmer spends his peaceful life. Unvexed by toil or tricks for gain, He turns the fertile mold; Then scatters 'round the golden grain. And reaps reward an hundred fold. He dwells where grace and beauty charm. For God hath blessed his home and farm. SWINE NOTES. A pig that is stunted in growth may nake a fine breeder, but in all proba bility the poor treatment received by he parent will crop out in the off spring. While feeding the young growing bigs liberally, the sow should be fed ill that she will eat of the food best '.alculated to make her give large juantities of milk. Young pigs should be taught to eat before they are weaned. There should be an arrangement whereby the little bigs may be fed in a trough by them selves. This can be done by having i small opening into an annex to the main pen. While suckling pigs the brood sow should be well fed, in order to main tain a liberal flow of milk. Remember .hat the young pigs are being fed through the sow, and if the mother a half starved the young litter will not thrive. One writer declares that some breed ;rs lay the cause of cholera to the Feeding of green corn, when the blame broperly belongs to filthy premises, dirty water, etc. This is a fact that is hard to get around. When the vigor of the herd has been debilitated oy filth, and green corn is fed to pvercome evil effects, the latter gets the blame if serious losses follow. With the germs of hog cholera scat tered so widely throughout the coun try, farmers can't be too careful about allowing their hogs to stray or of per mitting indiscriminate patronage to boars they may be keeping. Where it can be done, it is much safer not to have the hog lots and pastures fronting on the public highways— roving stray hogs or droves being driven or hauled along the road may infect your stock before you are aware of it. Kill all the buzzards and look out for the run-about dogs. If there is running water in your hog pasture or lot, "keep an eye" up stream or cholera may float down onto you. These precautions mean trouble and expense—but after cholera has once cleaned you entirely out of hogs you will greatly regret having neglected them. It is claimed by some authorities that broom corn seed makes a good food for swine. Its value for such a purpose will depend very largely in the first place upon the degree of the maturity of the seed at the time of cutting, and in the second place on the way in which the food is pre pared and fed. Broom corn seed from brush cut short of maturity will cer tainly not make good food for swine. When cut at the proper stage and finely ground and fed along with some protein food, good results may be ob tained from feeding it The small breeds of swine do not •seem to be growing in favor. In some respects this is unfortunate. While they do not attain the weights of the middle or large breeds they fill a place in the economy of pork production. They produce a class of light pork which matures at an early age. There is considerable demand for such pork by a certain class of buyers. We are not of the number who think that we get too many pure breeds of swine. Of all pests, the English sparrow 'takes the cake.” They drive off svery other bird which would build .n a box or near by trees and bushes. We are favorable to the shotgun meth td of eradication, and will push this war of extermination vigorously, for we must protect our martins, bluebirds and wrens, or they will be driven from the country by these foreign nabobs. You will note that the progressive, up-to-date farmer makes his farm a oroducer of finished articles, consumes ill that he has grown and turns off the product finished in the way of hogs, sheep, horses, cattle, fruits, etc. Look well after the farm tools, and especially the steel tools. They should have a coating of either axle grease, or a mixture made of one part rosin and three parts lard. Much of our millet is seriously in jured for feeding purposes by being allowed to become too ripe before har vesting. Don’t keep that colt tied in the bam. There is nothing more strengthening lor growing colts than exercise. We believe in deep plowing in the garden. Work in plenty of manure, ind do this work in the fall. Only a few varieties should be planted in a commercial orchard. NO OVEBSXJFPLY OF EGGS. The supplying of eggs is an indus :ry Jhat we may be assured will never grow less than it is at the present :ime. Farmers and professional men lave been increasing their flocks and ’owls and yet the price of eggs has oeen going up from year to year. The cold storage houses used to carry ome stock till late winter, but it is ;eported now that they are sold out every winter before the season is half gone. Let us push the production of eggs. THE CODLING MOTH. The codling moth makes apples wormy, and often destroys from 25 to 75 per cent, of the apple crop where nothing is done to prevent it. A little moth deposits eggs on the young apples soon after the blossoms have fallen, and from these worms hatch out which gnaw their way into the apple through the calyx. These worms spend 20 to 110 days burrowing in the apple and then leave the fruit for the crevices arid rough bark of the trunks of the apple trees to spin their cocoons, some by crawling down the limbs, others by dropping to the ground and then find ing their way to the trunks. From these cocoons moths develop in a few days, which lay eggs for a second brood of worms which are often more destruc tive than the first. Spray with paris green or arsenate of lead immediately after blossoms have fallen, and repeat ten days later. Band trees in June and examine them about every ten days, de stroying all worms and chrysalides. If you have neglected it until now there is still time to set trees if proper care is used in handling them. They should be dug with as much roots as possible, and set immediately after dig ging. If any leaves have formed they should be stripped off. Among shads trees the American elm will bear trans planting perhaps better than any other, and it is one of the most graceful of trees. Shrubs that propagate by suck ers may be safely transplanted late in the spring. Among these are the lilac, snowball, Japan quince, the flowering almond and currant, and roses in end less variety. _ HOW TREES ARE DWARFED. The dwarf trees of Japan have been a never ending source of wonder to Europeans ever since the opening of the hermit kingdom to inspection by the rest of the world. A single piDe, perfect in foliage, has recently been sold for $1,200. It is six feet high and alleged to be 850 years old. It has long been supposed that the process by which Japanese gardeners succeed in dwarfing forest trees was a long and costly one. It is now said that it is a simple process and that anyone can do the trick. The follow ing directions are given for produc ing a miniature oak tree. Take an orange and scoop out the pulp. Fill the interior with a rich mold and plant an acorn in the center of it, leaving tj>e hole in the rind for it to sprout through. Put it in a sun ny place and water it frequently. Soon after the first shoots have ap peared the roots begin to break through the orange skin. Take a sharp knife and shave these off care fully and keep them shaved. The tree will grow about five or six inches high and then stop. In a year it will be a perfect miniature oak. When the roots cease to grow the orange skin should be varnished over and imbed ded in a flower pot. SWEET CORN IN SUCCESSION. Everyone having sufficient garden space to grow table corn wishes an un broken succession throughout the sea son of this particularly agreeable es culent. This may be approximated by repeated plantings of favorite varieties at 10 to 14-day intervals, but this trouble may be much lessened by planting at the same time a selection of early ar.d mid-season kinds known to succeed in the neighborhood. When these have made a growth of five or six inches it is time to put in additional breadths of main-crop and late varieties. For the latest of all, if one is willing to take the chances of frost, such kinds as Mam moth Evergreen or the delicious Eight rowed kind above mentioned may be started, not later than July 20 in this latitude (Iowa). Dates are usually un certain guides in corn culture, as sea sons vary widely, but it seems safe to defer succession plantings, if a wise choice of varieties is made, until the preceding sowing comes up and makes a few inches of growth. OVERDOING THE DAIRY BUSI NESS. Every once in awhile someone asks if the dairy business is not likely to be overdone. We answer now as we have always answered, no. The popu lation is increasing, and in addition to that the people are being educated more and more to desire good dairy products. The danger lies all in the other direction—in underdoing the business. The dairy industry needs organizing on a more businesslike basis. But to overdo it is not possible. It takes several years to breed and de velop a dairy cow. It takes intelli gence to feed her so that she will give a reasonable amount of milk. After this is done it is difficult to find any one to milk her. The business of pro ducing milk is not one that appeals to most men, as it is too confining. Some day we may arrive at a happy ar rangement where the cows will auto matically milk themselves, but we are as yet a good way from that goal. FLAK THE WORK. We have had much to say in the past about planning the farm work. Still the theme is one that justifies repeating over and ever again the importance of systematic planning. It is true that everything cannot be run about the farm with the preci sion of a clock, but rotation and culti vation of crops and the business end should be thought out and followed, with, of course, some allowance for necessary changes. Have a time for doing things and some spare time for emergencies that come up. Accounts on the farm do not necessarily mean | an elaborate system of bookkeeping. : It should be so simple yet so com plete that a person can look the books over and almost at Balance tell where he is at PLANTING TREES. The soil in which trees are to be planted should be given as thorough preparation as for any other crop. It should be plowed to a depth of at least eight inches and firmed down by repeated harrowings. Where the trees are to be planted for shade the holes should be dug large nd deep, three feet each way is not too large, and filled in with surface soil to the depth at which the trees are to be set. This work should be done as long as pos sible before the time for planting the trees, and if now, the soil that is filled into the holes should be saturated with water before setting the trees. Trees that do not have good roots should not be set where they will be exposed to the direct force of the wind. When transplanting set the roots at about the same depth as that at which they grew- naturally, and press the soil firmly about the roots. This is a very important point and frequently neg lected. Trees should be pruned when set. The broken and crushed roots should be cut back to sound wood; they usually are cut short enough in dig ging. The tops should be cut back so as to properly balance them with the roots; one-year-old trees may be cut back to the ground, two-year-old trees should have about half of last year's growth removed, and older trees should be pruned quite severely. No set of rules can be followed in all cases, and individual judgment must determine what is to be done with each tree. In planting for a grove, the trees may be set three or four feet apart in rows seven or eight feet apart, or in check rows of five feet apart each way. The first method will admit of cultivation for a longer time than the second and thinning will not be necessary for a longei time. Trees one year old are suitable for group planting and may be set in furrows plowed for the purpose after the soil has been put in good condition. In every case the trees should be set thicker than they are expected to stand when grown. It is easy to remove a tvee. Trees set in isolated positions are especially ex posed to the hot sun, and attacks of borers. In such places, the trunks of trees that are taken from the native forests should be protected during the summer by standing a board on the southwest side of the trees. PLANTING EVERGEEENS. Evergreen differ from deciduous trees in the fact that there is no time of year when they are not evaporating a considerable amount of water through their foliage. But this evap oration is greater at some times than at others, the largest amount being from the new growth in early spring and summer. As a consequence of this evaporation there is unusual call upon the roots for moisture. If the soil is warm and moist new roots put out rapidly. At the beginning of the new growth, or a little before, is, therefore, the best time to plant ever greens. We notice that some leading nurserymen advise planting ever greens late in summer or early fall. Their argument is that the soil is then warmer and in better condition to stimulate growth than it is earlier. We do not doubt that with care ever greens may be successfully planted in August or September, but there is then considerable new growth of leaves w’hich must be checked by transplant ing. It would seem to be much like planting deciduous trees in midsum mer. It may be done, but there must be more chances of failure than if the experiment be tried in late spring be fore any new growth has been made. CORN FOR SOILING. The most common soiling crop is corn. It has taken us a good many years to learn how to sow it to get the best result from it. When we first began to grow it, we used to sow it so thick that it grew up almost like grass. We be gan to cut it when it got two feet high, at which time it was very succulent. As we had more experience with it, how ever, we came to the conclusion that the cows did best if corn was larger and more mature, so we began drilling it in drills about two feet apart. By sowing quite thickly we prevented the appear ance of ears, but got a good development of stalk. We try to get the stalk as large as possible, but do not pass the limit where the cows will eat all of it. The two extremes must be avoided, for if the stalk is too coarse and near ma turity the cows will leave much of it, and what is left is of no value for bed ding or anything else. DEPTH OF PLOWING. We may make the general rule that the proper depth of plowing land is proportionate to the percentage of humus in the soil. We may deepen a soil as we add humus to it. All the soil needs organic material in it, and it is a mistake to bring up a lot of subsoil for which we have no supply of vegetable matter to put it into good condition. If we are dealing with a soil full of humus, the plow may go deep. But like all rules, there are ex-, eeptions. If the plowing is shortly be fore seeding time, and if the crop to be grown needs a firm soil, it is usual ly best to plow shallow, so that har- ■ row and drag may fine and firm as deep as plowed. This may not be so good for the soil, but it is essential to success with the crop we wish to grow. Generally speaking, fall plowing for a spring crop may be made deeper than spring plowing. One of the great problems with the corn farmers ought to be: How can I increase the yield of my next year’s corn crop? By the use of better seed you may add five bushels per acre to your year’s yield. KIDNEY TROUBLES Increasing Among Women, But Sufferers Need Not Despair THE BEST ADVICE IS TREE Of all the diseases known, with which the female organism is afflicted, kidney disease is the most fatal, and statistics show that this disease is on the increase among women. ^f^jMr\i^n^naSay!yer Unless early and correct treatment is applied the patient seldom survives when once the disease is fastened upon her. We believe Lydia E. Pinkham's Vegetable Compound is the most effi cient treatment for chronic kidney troubles of women, and is the only med icine especially prepared for this purpose. When a woman is troubled with pain or weight in loins, backache, frequent, painful or scalding urination, swelling of limbs or feet, swelling under the eyes, an uneasy, tired feeling in the region of the kidneys or notices a sediment in the urine, she should lose no time in commencing treatment with Lydia E. Pinkham's Vegetable Compound, as it may be the means of saving her life. For proof, read what Lydia E. Pink ham's Vegetable Compound did for Mrs. Sawyer. “ I cannot express the terrible suffering I had to endure. A derangement of the female organs developed nervous prostration and a serious kidney trouble. The doctor attended me for a year, but I kept getting worse, until I was unable to do anything, and I made up my mind I could not live. I finally decided to try Lydia E. Pinkham’s Vegetable Com pound as a last resort, and I am to-day a well woman. I cannot praise it too highly, and I tell every suffering woman about my case.” —Mrs. Emma Sawyer, Conyers, Ga. Mrs. Pinkham gives free advice to women ; address in confidence, Lynn, Mass. Kemp’s Balsam Will stop any cough that can be stopped by any medicine and cure conghs that cannot be cured by any other medicine. It Is always the best cough cure. Yon cannot alford to take chances on any other kind. KEMP’S BALSAM cores coughs, colds, bronchitis, grip, asthma and consump tion In first stages. 1 STRAY STATISTICS. The average amount of sickness In human life is ten days per annum. Only one couple in over 11,000 live to celebrate their diamond wedding. British South Africa has a popula tion of 1,133,756 white people and 3, 308,355 negroes. While Europe has 107 people to the square mile, Asia has but 58, Africa 11, and Australasia one and one-half. During the lifetime of a healthy hen she will lay from 300 to 500 eggs. Her best laying capacity is durng her sec ond year. In France, out of every 1,000 Inhab itants 123 are more than 60 years o’.d, as against 73 in England and 79 In Germany. It Is stated that there are about 225,000 miles of cable In all at the bot tom of the sea. Each mile costs about (1,000 to lay. Reversing It. The meek and lowly tramp mean dered up to the old farm gate and asked for a raw turnip with which ta appease his hunger. But the horny-handed son of toil was onto his job, and all the hobo got was a turndown.—Chicago Daily News. A Catch. "How did you and your wife first meet?” "We didn’t meet,” replied the meek little man; “She overtook me.”— Judge. All in the Beach. The way to reach, or to attain to anything, Is to bend oneself toward it with all one's might; and we approxi mate it Just in proportion to the in tensity and the persistence of our ef fort to attain it—Success Magazine. —^—————