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SYNOPSIS.
The story opens with Jesse Smith re
lating the story of his birth, early life In
Labrador and of the death of his father.
Jesse becomes a sailor. His mother mar
ries the master of the ship and both are
lost In the wreck of the vessel. Jesse
becomes a cowboy In Texas. He marries
Polly, a singer of questionable morals,
who later Is reported to have committed
rulclde. Jesse becomes a rancher and
moves to British Columbia. Kate Trevor
takes up the narrative. Unhappily mar
ried she contemplates suicide, but changes
ner mind utter meeting Jesse. Jesse res
cues Kate from her drink-maddened hus
band who attempts to kill her. Trevor
loses his life in the rapids. Kate rejects
offers of grand opera managers to return
to the stage and marries Jesse. Their
married life starts out happily. Kate suc
cumbs to the pleadings of a composer to
return to the stage and runs away with
him. She rescues Widow O’Flynn from
ner burning house. Is badly burned her
self and returns home, where Jesse re
ceives her with open am
CHAPTER VI.
Robbery-UndeivArms.
Kate’s Narrative.
We have started a visitor's book It
opens with press catlings of inter
views with Professor Bohns, the fa
mous archaeologist, who came to ex
amine the paleolithic deposits at South
Cave. Next are papers relating to a
pmnmons for assault, brought by the
late Mr. Trevor against J. Smith. But
the gem of our collection is a letter of
lengthy explanation from an eminent
Italian cur, who spent a whole month
at the ranch last winter. Nobody is
more hospitable, or more hungry for
popularity than my dear man, but I
think that special prayers should be
offered for his visitors. He has a
motto now:—"Love me: love my bear,
not my missus.”
My jealous hero has told the story
of an old admirer, once my fellow-6tu
dent, who brought me a dumpy piano
Cor which I so starved, told me the
news, talked shop, and would make
me a prima donna—my life’s ambition
The trap was well baited. Lonely, and
terrified by the dread majesty of win
ter, I craved for the lights, for the
crowds, for my home, for my people,
for my art And there are little things
besides which mean so much to a
woman.
Salvator turned out to be a cur, his
mission despicable, and yet no woman
born can ever be without some little
tenderness for one whose love mis
leads him. And I who sought to read
a lesson to poor Jesse, learned one
for myself. I am no longer free, but
fettered, and proud of the chains,
Love’s chains, worth more to me
thA that lost world.
One morning, it must have been the
twenty-sixth, I think, we had a caller,
destined, I fear to entry in our visi
tor’s book. Jesse had ridden off to
Bee how his ponies thrive on the new
grass, Mrs. O'Flynn was redding up
after breakfast, and finding myself in
the way, I took my water colors down
to Apex Rock, to see if one sketch
would hold winter, spring, summer, as
viewed from the center of wonder
land.
Now our house being in full view
from the apex, and sound traveling
magically in this clear atmosphere, I
heard voices. Mrs. O’Flynn had a
visitor, and I was in such a jealous
hurry to share the gossip, that my
Bketch went over the cliff as I rose
to ruB. A rather handsome man, In
the splendid cow-boy dress, stood by
a chestnut gelding, such a horse aris
tocrat that I made sure he must sport
a coat of arms. Moreover, in a gin
gerly and reluctant way, as though
nnder orders, he was kissing Mrs.
O’Flynn. She beamed, bless her silly
old heart!
Mrs. O’Flynn looks on her truthful
ness as a quality too precious for
every-day use, and so carefully has it
been preserved that in her fifty-fourth
year it shows no sign of wear. Hence,
on reaching the house I was not sur
prised to find that her visitor was a
total stranger.
Judge by signs—chivalry, reticence,
courtesy—Mrs. O'Flynn's guest was
not a cow-1 oy. His florid manners,
exaggerated politeness, and imitation
of our middle-class English speech
Stamped his as a bounder, but not of
the British breed. Later, in moments
of excitemeqt, he spoke New York,
with a twang of music-hall.
Even in eo lonely a place it is cu
rious to remember that such a person
should appeal to me. Still in ills
common way. the man had beauty, car
ried his clothes well, moved with
grace. So much the artist in ine saw
and liked, but I think no woman could
have seen those tragic eyes without
being influenced.
“Ah! Mrs. Smith, I believe?’’ He
stood uncovered. “May I venture to
isk if your husband is at home? I
thick 1 had the pleasuah of knowing
him years ago down in Texas.”
“He’ll be back by noon.”
“Thank you, madam. Fact is, we
were very much surprised to see your
chimney smoke. We thought this ex
quisite place was quite unoccupied.
Indeed!”
"Who's 'we’?*’
"Oh. we’re the outfit riding for Gen
eral Schmidt. We’ve come in search
of the spring feed. We were informed
that Ponder’s place was unoccupied,
open to all. Am I mistaken in sup
posing that this is Ponder’s place?”
"It is.”
“Er—may I venture to ask if your
husband holds squatter’s rights, or
has the homestead and pre-emption?”
"You may ask my husband.”
“Thank you, madam. Our foreman
instructed me to say that if the place
proved to be occupied, I was to ask
terms for pasturage. We’ve only two
hundred head.”
“Mx. Smith will consider the mat
ter.”
"We're camped in a little cave at
the south end of the bench, deuced
comfortable.”
Of course I know I’m a fool, and
expect to be treated as such. But
this man claimed to have camped at
the South Cave without passing this
house, which was impossible.
“Camped at South Cave?" said I.
"In that event I need not detain you.
Mr. Smith no doubt will call on you
after dinner. Good morning, sir.”
But this was not to his mind, and
I gathered vaguely that my husband
was not really wanted at the Bay Y
camp. I even suspected that this vis
itor would rather deal with me than
see my husband. It required more
than a hint to secure his departure.
Jesse returned at noon. He re
ceived the story of our caller with
the noises of one displeased. “That
visitor, Kate,” he summed up, “would
make a first-class stranger. Knew me,
you say, in Texas?”
Hearing from her kitchen Mrs.
O'Flynn’s sharp grunt of dissent, I
closed the door.
"You’ve left the key-hole open,” said
Jesse, rising from the table, “come
for a walk.”
“Now, Kate, dear,” Jesse sat down
beside me on the Apex Rock, “this
morn you got your first lesson in rob
bers. How would yov like a visit to
old Cap Taylor at Hundred Mile?”
My voice may have quivered just
a little. “Danger?” I asked.
“I dunno as there’s actual danger,
but if I jest knowed you was safe, I’d
be free to act prompt.”
“Tell me everything, Jesse.”
“Up at the north end of the bench,
there’s maybe two hundred head of
strange cattle. One pedigree short
horn bull is worth all of twenty-five
hundred dollars, and there’s a Here
ford stud I’d take oft my hat to any
wheres. There’s Aberdeens or Angus
—I get them poll breeds mixed—and a
bunch of Jerseys grazing apart, purty
as deer. Anyways, that herd’s worth
maybe two hundred thousand dollars,
every hoof of ’em stolen, and if you
raked all them millionaire ranches in
California I doubt you’d get that
value.”
“No stock owner needs that amount
of stud cattle. We don’t raise such
in the north, so they’ve been drifted
in here from the States. They’re
gaunt with famine and driving, and it
beats me to think how many more’s
been left dead crossing the Black Pine
country. The Bar Y brands has been
faked. The parties herding ’em w-alts
till I’m away, and tries to make a
deal with you for pasturage. The
gent with the sad eyes is sent dressed
up to fool a woman.
”-5Jow, Kate,” his great strong arm
closed round me like a vise. “The
hull country knows you’re clear grit,
so there’s no shame in leaving. For
my sake, dear—”
“Do you think I’d leave you in dan
ger?”
He sighed. “I knew it. I cayn’t
help it, and, Kate, it’s the truth, I’d
rather see you dead than scared.
There's Madam Grizzly, and Senora
Cougar, there’s Lady Elk, and even
Mrs. Polecat, brave as lions. I’d hate
to have my mate the only one to run
like a scalded cat.”
"The program, Jesse?”
“Do you remember, Kate, how we
lost five dollars finding out that Dale
and me is signalers?"
“And Captain Taylor gave ns the
signals to raise the district: one fire
for feasts, two for help, three for
war!”
“That’s it, little woman. By dusk
I'll be on top of the cliffs, and make
my fires back from the rim-rock,
where them robbers won't see the
glare.
CHAPTER VII.
The Round-Up.
Jesse’s Narrative.
While I made signal fires on the
top of the cliff, Mr. Robber came to
find out from my wife why for I
hadn’t called to leave my card at the
South Cave. He’s picturesque, says
she, hair like a raven’s wing, eyes
steel-blue, scarf indigo striped with
orange, shirt black silk, woolly shaps
out of a Wild West show, gold and
silver fixings, Cheyenne saddle, car
bine of some foreign breed, or maybe
a Krag, manners fit for a king, age
thirty-four, height six feet two inches,
chest only thirty-eight, and such a sad
smile—all of this will be useful to
the police.
He tried all he knew to get out of
being photographed, which I wisht I’d
been there, for it must have been
plumb comic, but we all submits when
Kate gets after us. That reminds me
that if he can't capture the camera
and plate, we’re apt to be burnt out
by accident
She led him on and made him talk.
If his boss knew how much Kate has
down in her note-book, this guy with
the sad eyes would get kicked all
round the pasture. When I axed if
the rpbber made love to her, my wife
just laughed, and turned away, telling
me not to be a fool; but the blush
came around her neck.
I dunno. Perhaps it’s my liver, so
I’m taking the only medicine I have,
which it tastes like liniment Is it
liver, or am I getting to dislike this
person ?
n.
So happens, while I was writing,
Billy O’Flynn comes along with the
pack outfit on his way to Sky-line. He
wanted to know why I made them fires,
so I explained I was making a clearing
up thar for Kate’s spring chrysanthe
mums. (She spelt that word, which
had me bogged down to the hocks.)
It may be liver, or my squeam in
flamed, but my mind ain’t easy, and
the Sky-line folk may think I’m only
joshing with them fires.
I can’t leave Kate to ride for help,
I can’t shift her, I can’t send Billy to
Yxwg—
Kate's Face Was Dead White With
Rage.
the constable without breaking my
contract with the Sky-line, and I don’t
divulge nothin’ to William O’Flynn,
Esquire, who talks to the moon rather
than waste conversation.
If I make a letter for Dale, and slip
it into the pouch, Billy won’t know, or
gossip if he happene to meet in with
stray robbers. I’ll get him up and
off by midnight to the Sky-line, in
time for the supper pies, and the boys
will be surging down to the ferry be
fore midnight. Now I must make up
some lies to hasten Billy’3 timid foot
steps along the path of duty.
III.
Billy hastened away at midnight to
tell Dale that pigeon's milk is selling
at eighty-four and three-fourths. He
believes that if he can get that secret
intelligence to Iron in good time, he’s
to share the profits. Fact is, that
Iron’s late wife made him the laugh
ing-stock of the plains over some joke
she put up' on him connected with
pigeon’s milk, so that Billy's share of
the profits will be delivered on the
toe of Dale's boot. He's breaking rec
ords to make the Sky-line quick.
Nothing happened this morning, ex
cept Bull Durham, calling himself
Brooke. He, the gent with the sad
eyes, who came to make love to my
•MIGHT NOT SAMPLE BY TASTE
Darky Willing Enough to Listen to
Praises of His Cider, But Was Not
Giving It Away.
Few of ths negroes In the southern
states are inclined to be thrifty and
saving, though many of them are dis
posed to industry and live in consid
erable comfort Some, however, have
acquired the saving habit and are not
only not wasteful, but are iu the local
Idiom extremely “nigh."
A case in point is ad old man. once
the slave of the Randolphs of Virginia,
who has become the owner of one of
their plantations, and is quite rich. He
converts Into cash everything that is
not necessary for the maintenance of
the household and gets profit from
many things that few negroes ever
think of selling. Incidentally he makes
cider of all the unsalable apples on
his place and sells it, and though he ie
very fond of the beverage himself, he
jaever drinks with any of his neigh
bors, unless they pay for the cider.
• A young man of the neighborhood,
who had been away for several yean,
.
coming back home, remembered the
famous cider and dropped in to see
Uncle Wash. After some general talk
he casually observed, "I suppose, Uncle
" ash, you still make that good cider,
you used to make in old times?”
“Oh, yes,” replied Wash, “I still
makes my apples mos’ly into cider.”
Then he called to Aunt Dinah, his
wife, “Dinah, fetch out a go’d of dat
bes’ cider."
The visitor naturally expected that
he was to sample the drink. But not |
so. The old man took the gourd and
drained every drop. Then he handed
the empty vessel to the visitor.
"Ef you don' b’lieve dat am good
cider,” he said, smacking his lips, “you
jes smell dat go’d.”—New York Eve
ning Post
Powerful Searchlights.
The new electric searchlight projec
tors made by the Allgemeine establish
ment of Berlin are among the most
powerful yet to be produced, and their
candle-power, which is too high for
measurement, can only be reckoned in
kindreds of n ilions. What is striking
is the new method of regulating the
arc. The large carbons are now moved
back and forth by small electric mo
tors and suitable gears, current being
applied to the motors by a set of re
lays which work according to the cur
rent taken by the arc, thus securing
an automatic adjustment of the arc
length In the best way. The base of
the projector contains other motors
for all the searchlight movements, and
a distant lever control is so designed
that turning the lever in all directions
makes the projector also follow these
same directions for pointing the beam.
These searchlights will carry several
miles and still give light enough to
read by.
Wanted One of Her Own. ,
Dorothy loved her baby sister dear
ly, and takes it quite hard that she
is not allowed to play nurse oftener
The other day, being asked what mam
ma should bring her back from a
visit to the city, she made a gentle
request: "Please, mamma, a great big
doll dressed like a veal baby. I want
one of my own to play with, since you
won’t let me have any fnn with
yours."
wife. He paid me one hundred dol
lars for pasturage. Then I axed him
to stay to dinner, and Kate says she
never seen me so talkative. Bull
found out which weeks the Cariboo
stage carries specie, and how many
thousand dollars a month in amalgam
comes down from the Sky-line camp.
He even dragged out of me that old
Surly Brown, the miser, has fifteen
thousand dollars burled under the
dirt floor of his cabin—which reminds
me that if Brown’s home becomes the
scene of a mining stampede. I’ll have
to keep shy of his rifle. Yes, Bull
showed a great gift of faith, and got
both his photo and the negative to
show there was no ill feeling. I’m
pastoral, harmless, simple, raised for
a pet.
Leaving Kate hid in a ruined shack,
half-way to the ferry, I was down by
eleven p. m. to the bank of the river,
hailing old man Brown. So soon as
he’d brung me acrost, I sent him to
ride for all he was worth and collect
our constable, which cost me eighteen
dollars and a horse. The money is
severe, but I’ll get even on horse
trades.
From midnight to one a. m. I put
in the time cussing Dale; from then
till two a. m. I felt that nobody loved
me; from two a. m. to half past, I
was scheming to take the robbers
single-handed. At two thirty-five Dale
rolled up with nine men from Sky-line,
mounted on Billy’s ponies, besides
O’Flynn, and Ransome, Pollock, who
may be good for a burnt offering but
isn’t much use alive.
Of course, having raised the coun
try, I’d got to make good, producing
a business proposition and robbers to
follow. Iron has no sense of humor
anyhow, and can't see jokes unless the
prices is wrote plain on their tickets.
He’s come to this earth after dollars.
If a batch of robbers Is liable to cost
him fifty dollars a day, and only
fetches fifty-one dollars a day on the
contract, his mine is better money, so
he rolls his tall and takes away his
men. That’s Iron Dale seven days in
the week.
He’s right smart, too, at holding a
business meeting, so when I’d ate
cranberry pie, which is a sort of com
pliment from the mine, and the boys
has some of Brown’s tea as a donation
from me, the convention sits down
solemn to talk robbers.
Moved and seconded that hold-ups
ain’t encouraged in her majesty’s do
minions, and we hands these robbers
to the constable as his lawful meat,
but we got to get ’em first.
Resolved that there’s money in it.
The owners of them cattle had ought
to be grateful and show their grati
tude, ’cause otherwise the stock is
apt to scatter. Proposed that we hit
the trail right away, with Iron Dale
for leader. Carried, with symptoms
of toothache disabling one of his men
Dale told off O’Fl^W and Brans
combe to stampede the cattle just at
glint of dawn, sending ’em past the
cave, and shooting and yelling as if
there was no hereafter. That should
interest the robbers, and bring them
out of the cave which overlooks our
pasture. Looking down at a sharp
angle, they weren’t likely to hit our
riders, whereas our posse, posted in
good cover with’ a steady aim could
attend to the robbers with prompt
ness and despatch.
Crossing the ferry our main outfit
left Billy and Branscombe to start
drifting the cattle southward, while
we rode on to take up our positions
around the care. In the ruined shack,
half-way to our home, Kate was to
have a candle, screened so that it
could only be seen from our trail. We
passed ray fence, we crossed the half
mile creek, we gathered speed along
the open pasture, and then Kate’s yell
went through me like a "knife. The
robbers must have had a man on night
herd, and found her by that light!
Dale’s hand grabbed my rein, and
with a growl he halted our whole
outfit. “Steady.” says he, “you fool!”
Then in a whisper, as his men came
crowding in: “Dismount! Ransome,
hold horses! Sam, take three men
afoot round the rear of that cabin. I
take the reet to close in the front.
Siwash, and Nitchie Scott, find ene
my’s horses and drift them away out
of reach. No man to whisper, no man
to make a sound, until I lift my hand
at that cabin window. After that, kill
any man who tries to escape. Get a
move on!”
So, with me at his tail, he crept
along from cover to cover, waving
hand signals to throw his squad into
place. The enemy’s five horses at the
door were led off by Billy's Siwash
arriero. and Nitchie Scott, so gently
that the robbers thought they were
grazing. By that time Dale and me
was at the window gap on the north
side of the shack, but the candle was
in our way, we couldn’t see through
its glow',, and it wasn't till we got
round to the door hole that we’d a
view of what was going on inside.
My wife stood in the nor’west, right,
far corner". A man with a gray chin
whisker and a mournful smile, with
his gun muzzle in her right ear, was
shoving her head against the wall.
Bull was talking as usual, explaining
how his tact was better'd Whiskers'
gun at persuading females. Ginger
was trying to assuage Bull. The
greaser was keeping a kind of look
out, although he couldn’t see from th*
lighted room into the dark vyhere he
was. Ginger clapped his paws over
Bull’s mouth before the proceedings
went on.
“Now,’’ says Whiskers sadly, “are
you goin’ to scream any more?”
Kate’s face was dead white with
rage. "You cur,” said she, “I Bcreamed
because my—you’se hurting me, you
brute! Leave off if you want to hear
one word from me. Leave ofT! That’s
better. No, I won’t scream again.”
The gun sight was tearing her ear
as she screwed her head around, look
ing him full in the eyes. “If you do
me any harm.” she said, "my hus
band’s friends won’t let you off with
death. They’ll burn you. Stand back,
you coward!”
He flinched back just a little, and I
saw his hand drawing slowly clear of
her head.
"Get your horses,” she cried out
sharp, “you’ve barely time to escape!”
Then I fired, the bullet throwing
that hand back, so that it contracted
on the gun. His revolver shot went
through the rear wall. The hand was
spoiled.
“Now, hands up, all of you!” Dale
yelled. "Hands up! Drop your guns!”
One of the robbers was raising his
gun to fire, so I had to kill him. The
rest surrendered.
“Kate,” said I, sort of quiet, and she
came to me.
CHAPTER VIII.
The Stampede.
Jeste’s Xarrative.
Which these robbers we got in the
cave is a disappointment. This old
man what leads them with a plume on
his face, ought to have more deport
ment, for screwing a gun in Kate’s
ear ain't no sort of manners. Even
after J’d shot his hand to chips, he
grabbed Ransome’s gun with his left
and tried to make me lie down.
There’s some folks jest don't know
when you give them a hint
And Bull, with the sad eyes, claims
on me his ancient friendship. While
we lashed his thumbs behind him, he
told us he’d been educated at Oxford
and Cambridge.
“What!” Kate flashed out, “after
leaving Eton and Harrow?"
"Yes, and I’ve enough education to
guess this ain’t no way to treat Amer
ican citizens. You’ll hear of this,” he
shouted, “from Uncle Sam!”
“Thar,” says Dale, "I knew there’d
be rewards for you, dead or alive.
How much? Two thousand dollars a
head?”
Then old Whiskers ordered Bull to
shut his head. He’s a curious, slow,
mournful voice, like a cat with the
toothache.
"I demand—"
"Shut up.”
So Bull shut up w'hile we lashed him,
likewise young Ginger and the greaser.
Seeing the feliow I’d killed might want
an inquest, we laid him straight in the
ruined dhack, and then marched our
prisoners off to South Cave, where
they’ll wait until we get our constable
to arrest them.
II.
Jsow on the second day after we cap
tures these ladrones, along toward sup
per, the depositions of the various par
ties is as follows, viz.:
Up to the ruined shack two mile
north of my home, lies the remains
of one robber expecting an inquest
Two miles south, right where the up
per cliff cuts off the end of our pasture
there’s our cave full of captured ban
dits, to wit: Whiskers, Bull Durham,
Ginger, and the dago. Down on the
bench In front of the cave is our
guard-camp with Iron Dale in com
mand, and Kate with the boys having
supper. Right home at the ranch
i house is me finishing my chores, and
' the widow spoiling hash for my sup
I per, because she hates me worse nor
snakes for being a Protestant. Away
off beyond the horizon is old man
Brown cussing blue streaks ’cause he
can’t find much constable.
Such being the combinations at sup
per-time, along- comes the widow’s or
phan, young Billy O’Flvnn, who
handles my pack contract with the
Sky-line. He’s supposed to be on duty
at the guard-camp, and his riding back
to the home ranch completely disar
ranges the landscape. I’m busy, hun
gry, and expected to take charge of
the night guard at the cave, but some
how this Billy attracts my attention by
acting a whole lot suspicious. Instead
of bringing me some message from
Dale, he rides straight to the lean-to
kitchen, steps off his pony, and whis
pers for his mother. I sneaks through
the house to the kitchen in time to
see this widow with a slip of paper,
brown paper what we used to wrap up
the prisoners’ lunch. At sight of me
she gets modest, shoving it into the
stove, but I becomes prominent and
grabs it. "Shure,” she explains, “an'
it’s only a schlip av paper!”
(TO BE CONTINUED.)
Busy Days.
“Why have you been evading me?”
inquired the city official angrily of a
man whom he met in the street.
“Evading you!" replied the other
man. warmly. "Why, confound it. I’ve
been calling at your office every day
this week.”
“That’s just it. What were you look
ing for me in my office for?”
HATS ONLY 500 YEARS OLD!
Custom of Covering the Head, Except
in Battle, It of Comparatively
Recent Origin.
Once in a while we do seem to come
across something which ancient people
did not possess. Hats apparently figure
among this number.
For hats we are told, did not become
a well-established custom until some
500 years ago. In the year 1449, when
Charles II. entered Rouen after is re
capture by the French from the Eng
lish, the people there had never before
set eyes on a hat Their amazement,
therefore, can be pictured as they
gazed upon their king riding past them
in pomp and on his head a gorgeous
hat lined with vari-colored silk and
gaily bedecked with huge plumeB.
Of course, every one followed his ex
ample. Hats began to make their ap
pearance in shop windows and women
and men alike labored over the con
structing of elaborate headpieces,
each one attempting to surpass his
neighbor, if possible. But they were
expensive and it was a long time be
fore they could be worn except by &e
prosperous classes.
In the course of time, however, they
became a more commonplace thing and
people of all classes were able to af
ford them.
Pleasures of Imagination.
“I thought you said you were going
fishing.”
“Yes,” replied the man who spends
ten hours a day at a desk; “I have
made some experiments in that line
and I think I can derive great pleasure
from a fishing trip, it I can strike the
right place in the right kind of weath
er. I’m going to lure the wary prize
from the shadows of the fern-bordered
pool. I'm going to listen to the bird
songs that drift with the shimmering
sunshine through the leafy arches and
then forget all my cares as a flash of
silvery animation trembles at the
hook. I'm going to find a place where
anxiety and discomfort cannot in
trude.”
“Yes, but when are you going?”
“Oh, I’m not really going fishing at
all—what’s the use of spoiling a pleas
ant dream?”
PRACTICAL SUGGESTIONS FOR FARM WORK
Champion Clydesdale Stallion.
(By M. COVERDELL.)
If the American farmer would make
more use of the fanning mill, his live
stock would get more real susten
nance from pure grain, our grass and
grain crops would be of a purer
grade, and our fields would not be
seeded down to weeds every year by
the weed seeds passing through the
animals and being deposited in their
manure; then hauled out and scat
tered in this rich, seed bed over the
fields.
If the farmer’s cows sleep on a
frozen or snowry bed at night, and are
given a single roughage ration
throughout the winter—what will the
cream harvest be?
Don’t be too liberal with feed where
a whole herd of stock is fed together,
as some of them will mince over and
waste it, while others will eat enough
to overload their digestive systems,
which also may be regarded as a
waste, as well as a danger to their
good health and proper growth.
Sifting snow makes it mighty easy
for dampness to creep into the nest
ing in the hog-houses, and this, to
gether with the chill of wintry weath
er, is sure to wield a most deteriorat
ing influence on the good health and
profit-producing qualities of the herd.
Don’t hitch the colt to a vehicle
the first time he is in harness. If he
wants to cut any antics, let it be
while he is hitched to a small log, a
sled, or something he cannot damage
and at the same time imperil some
one’s life and limb.
Don’t forget to make a note of all
the trees that have died and been
removed from the orchard, so that
the same varieties may be ordered
with which to fill up these places.
If our farmers would but visit the
schools more, and thus see what prog
ress the boys and girls are making,
and help co-operate with them and
their teacher, we might reasonably
expect some beneficial reforms in our
present school system.
A cheap, effective and lasting horse
blanket may be made by joining to
gether three large, close-woven sacks
In which oil-meat or some fine bought
en feed-stuff has been shipped, lining
it with a cheap grade of canton flan
nel to add warmth.
Keep dow’n the too rank growth of
the grape vines by fertilizing them
With common wood-ashes. They fur
nish the necessary muriate of potash
for developing the highest quality of
fruit, with little danger of rot occur
ring. The application of poultry
droppings, along with the ashes, will
supply sufficient fertilizer of an en
riching nature
Get the calf to eating the milder
grains and boughten feed-stuffs as
early as possible. It will not only
mean saving of milk, w'hich may be
fed to something else on the farm,
but the little fellow will grow more
rapidly by getting him accustomed to
eating such rations as oats, shorts,
bran. etc. These, with a very small
quantity of skim-milk and the grass
he secures, cannot fail to promote a |
healthy development of bone and
muscle, the prime requisites to a
profitable calf.
Grain and cold water are two ar
ticles that Dever should be given the
horses immediately after hard work
. i
I or a warm drive. First let their cir
culation get back to normal, thus
avoiding the sudden shock of taking
water into their heated systems or
grain into their disturbed digestive
organs.
There are just two extremes to be
avoided when providing ventilation for
stock or poultry in close quarters
during the winter months. The first
and most common is insufficient air,
the other is too much.
We mush not get the idea that it is
necessary to close every opening in
a building in order to keep the stock
warm and in good health. Provide
an aperture by which the fresh air
may enter each building, and one that
will allow the foul air to pass out as
it is breathed and poison-laden;-then
regulate the size of the openings as
the weather changes.
In ordinary weather, the size of ven
tilating holes will need to be practi
cally the same, but in case of a storm,
extremely severe cold or windy w;eath
\ er. there w-ill be need of much less
ventilation, lest the beneficial effect
of fresh air be more than counterbal
anced by the chilling influence of the
passage of air. which is either too
strong or too cold.
HINTS IN CARE OF
POULTRY AND PIGEONS
Feeding Problem Is Greatly Sim
plified if Hens of Same Size
Are Kept Together.
Never feed oats to pigeons, young or
t old.
Orange boxes make good nests foi
pigeons.
If you want big squabs, breed from
big hens.
The, homer is considered the best
bird for squab profit.
Study the wants of each customer,
and plan to meet them.
Pigeons must have clean bathing
water at least three times a week.
When pigeons are a day old they
are called “peepers,” and when three
weeks old “squealers.”
A tablespoonful of baking-soda
placed in the water two or three times
a week will prevent bowel trouble.
Few men understand the possibil
ities of two dozen hens when work
ed up to the limit of their capacity.
If your breeder produces small,
mushy squabs be sure there is some
thing wrong. Clean out the lot and
start anew.
Keep a close watch for the most
thrifty and earliest maturing pullets
and mark them for your next year's
breeding pens.
Give the turkey hen a feed of grain
at night. If fed heavily in the morn
ing. she will not range so far with
the youngsters as if she starts out to
find her own breakfast.
The feeding problem is greatly sim
plified if females of about the same
age are kept together. What is an
ideal ration for old hens may be en
tirely wrong for pullets. Separate
them so as to obtain approximate re
sults while feeding.
MULES ON DELIVERY WAGONS IN COUNTRY
A matched mute team. The general-purpose mule is often observed
wherever heavy hauling is being done and is also being used more and more
on delivery wagons on the country routes. Under every condition he is
found equal to the occasion.
Worms in Pigs.
The Veterinary college at Ames, la.,
has announced the following formula
for the eradication of worms in pigs:
“Santonin, one grain per 30 to 80
pound shoats; areca nut. one-half
grain per pound live weight; four
grains antonin is the maximum dose
for a large hog. Keep the hogs off
feed for 24 hours. Mix enough of the
medicine in a thin slop for 20 hogs.
Feed in a clean trough. Repeat treats
ment in 30 days, as eggs of worms in
the intestines will not be affected by
this treatment, and a new crop of
worms will result.”
Curing Goose Feathers.
Goose feathers are often treated in
th:'3 manner: After being spread in
some clean, dry, airy place they should
be turned over with a fork every few
days until thoroughly dried. If placed
in bags and well steamed, they are
more valuable, as the steam has a
tendency to purify them, removing
much of the oily odor they naturally
have.—E. V. B.
