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I
RED CLOUD CHIEF
A. C. HOSMEIt, Proprietor.
RED CLOUD.
NEBRASKA
A HUSBAND'S WAIL.
Dear Genevieve, you were so sweet
When Hrst you gave your band to me,
So charming, love: from head to feet
Ycu were a perfect symphony.
The pretty bang upon your brow.
The dainty ribbons that you wore
I shut my eyes and see them now;
Thus memory doth the past restore.
To see a maiden half so fair
One weary miles would have to go;
You were so neat, and ia your hair
. You used to have a Jacqueminot.
I see you tripping down the lane
With pretty slippered feet again:
"You used to come in shine or rain
My wire, you. were my sweetheart the.
The collar that you wore was clean
Fresh from the iron, I should gutss;
You came to me with smiling mien,
A vision rare of loveliness. . -
To-day around the house you go:
Your slippers down at heel appear;
Your hair has not a Jacqueminot
I think it needs a comb, my dear.
Your collar's soiled: the ribbons gone
Which at your throat you used to woar;
You have no smile for me. my own
Your wrapper sadly needs repair.
How different, darling, you appear!
Is mine the fault; Unhappy fate! "
I think you've hooked your flsh, my dear.
And have no further use for bait.
Boston liudact.
AN APRIL FOOL.
A Dramatic Story Good for All
Seasons of the Tear.
In Threa Farts.
Mr. Napoleon Bonaparte Brown, an eccen
tric elderly millionaire, has taken his nephew
Mr. Horace White (whom he knows to bo
hopelessly in love with a Miss Jane Gray,
a bright young American girl, assistant
teacher of Italian in a fashionable young
ladies' seminary in his native city. New
York), and his niece, Miss Winnie White,
to Italy to study art. Tho three are housed
in fine apartments in an old palace, the one
room used as a studio containing easels,
tables, chairs, a sofa, hassock, some un
finished pictures, studies, fragments of
statuary in short all the aesthetic furnish
ings usual to .studios. When the story opens
Miss Winnie and Mr. Horace White are dis
covered sittinc; before their respective easels
in altogether different attitudes.
PAKT L
Winnie (casting a troubled glance towards
her brother) "Horace !"
Horace "Wellf
Winnie "Do you use permanent blue or
Prussian blue with crimson lake when you
want toget the right purple forthisdrapery J"
Horaco "I don't use either. Hang it all,
Winnie, I'm getting desperate!"
"Winnie "Horace White, what are you
talking about? Let me see your picture !"
Horace "O, it isn't the picture but see
it see it do!" (Shows plain white can
vas). Winnie "Well, upon my "
Horace "Winnie White, if you wero a
sister worth having you'd not sit there
;onning' your word, but help your poor,
unhappy brother out of his deep, his miser
able affliction! I wish all the pigments, oil
and turpentine were "
Winnie "There you go! Just because
you don't like to paint "
Horace "I do like to paint; it's a jolly lot
of fun when I'm inspired; but how can a
fellow dead, dead, dead in love hojxUxx love
sit up and paint purple drapery. Ugh !"
Winnie "Horace!"
Horace "What is it!"
Winnie "Did you tell ancle all about it!"
Horace "Didll Well. you'd have thought
so if you'd have seen him" !"
Winnie "What diS he say!"
Horace "He said: 'Young man, if you
dare to think of such a thing you may say
good-bye to your uncle, for I shall disinherit
you. Do your hear me! Disinherit you!
You're a fool an out and out fool and,
Winnie, what U to become of me!"
Winnie "O, you'll live through it boys
always do !"
Horace "But you don't know the half
Winnie "Which half!"
Horace "She's here hero at this very
minute, in Home!"
Winnie "Well, what of that!"
Horace "That's only one-half the better
half!"
Winnie "Is there a worse half, Horaco!
Speak.
Horace "There is and It is that I bade
her follow me; for, Winnie, we are already
married !
Winnie "Horace White! O, Horaco!
My brother!"
Horace "There, there, Winnie, rfon'tnkc
on so! It was a bit sudden, I know; but I
was desperate and also of age and so we
took a walk and were married before we
sailed. She followed as I bade her. and, oh,
Winnie, we depend upon you to help us out
of our great difliculty say you will, Winnie,
say you will!"
Winnie "If I can. Horace. If I but there
conies uncle he'll see we've been crying
let us fly for our lives!" (Both leave the
room hurriedly.)
(Mr. N. B. Brown enters the room, walks
tip to the nearest easel and begins to exam
ine the picture upon it critically.)
Brown "Capital! Capital I I'll make art
ists of the young people yet! Beautifully
done tender shadows exquisite reflect
lights in that drapery ah. my little Winnio's
a talented girl a talented girl! If her
brother hud only a quarter of her fondness
for art but, there! The boy's a genius
without a doubt ! A capital thing for them
that I could fetch them to Italy to study art
Italy, the Cradle of the Beautiful! It is
my delight to watch the unfolding of thoir
different styles one all tenderness, the
yther all boldness ! Let's see what the dear
boy has done this morning! (He picks up
canvas from where it has fallen.) Great
Heott ! Not a tint on this Roman twill ! It's
tliat Jane Gray Jane Gray that's oxactly
who itLs! Jane Grav and she has come
over to perfeet her Italian- may the imps
take her! Now, I never saw the young
woman, and I never will see the young
TOinai-but I've had Jane Gray dinned into
my ears until I'm sick of the ouud of the
name! O, she's a designing creaturo a
shrewd, crafty, diplomatic little wretch.
angling after the only male heir to the
great Brown estates. I'll settle her and
she'll find that criming over here to 'perfect
her Italian' won't go down with me! What's
that!"
(Winnie enters and greets her uncle affec
tionately.) Winnie "Your own Winnifred good
morning. Uncle Nappy. And have you seen
my work, and are you pleased!"
Brown (frowning) "O, I'm delighted.m
Winnie "What is it, Uncle Boney yon
look angry!"
Brown "Angry ! Well, can't I look angry
KI am ansr y i That brother of yours
YTinnio "I let it was Horace! Uncle
Party listen to me let's send him away to
Naples to Milan o Monte Carlo
Brown "Winnifred White, are you in
sane!" Winnie "I thoucht only of offering a
counter attraction."
Brown "By Jove! Not a bad idea! I'll
give him a pocket-full of gold and let him
go he won't be back very soon, ha! ha!"
Winnie "So that settled. By the way.
Uncle Poley, I forgot to tell you of the beau
tiful model I cngagel. You'll be in raptures
when you see her such glorious big brown
eyes with fringes an inch and a quarter long!
And soft, dark hair, as lustrous as silk, and
such a mouth ! The old lavandaia the wash
womantold me about her and she will fetch
her to-morrow morning but, 'sb! There
comes Horace I leave you to pronounce his
doom !" . (Passing out as Horace enters, she
whispers to her brother:) "Accept all your
uncle's propositions and trust in me!"
(Exit.)
Brown (setting up the bare canvas before
Horace) "Well, sir; I am ready to con
gratulate you upon your astonishing prog
ressupon the astounding headway you
have made! A little pale in tone, perhaps;
but so is your Jane Gray. Jane Gray
pooh! If I could lock her up in a tower and
then behead her whenever I felt in the mood,
oh, vrml'in'il! Don't scowl at me, young
man ! I shall tempt you with gold, and if
that doesn't serve I'll disinherit you, mark
that, sir! Horace (goes over to table and
writes a check), there's enough to mako
Monto Carlo a paradise for an hour or two,
at least; take it and clear out!"
Horace "Monte Carlo!"
Brown "Yes, Monte Carlo. Go and gam
ble "
Horace "ITnrle V. B I can not stav
(aside) Winnie said I was to accept ever
proposition he made and trust in her!
(Aloud) Uncle N. B., I iriH.'"
Brown4'! supposed you would. Have
Jenks paok up for you and wait a moment
here, Horace; I wish to see you again be
fore you go."
Horace "Very well, sir. (Exit Brown.)
What can my Uncle N. B. mean ! What can
Winnie mean! What can it all mean .'" (En
ter Winnie.)
Winnie "It means that you are going to
Monte Carlo yes! WelL sir, the Monte
Carlo to which vou arc going lies less than
one small quarter of a mile away!"
Horace "CAe vtHele diret"
Winnie "Just what I say. Listen! Looks
all about the room then whispers. Do yon
know the road that leads across the Tiber
over the Bridge of St. Angelo close by St.
Peters, where, only a stone's throw away.
dwells one who is perfecting her Italian!
Aha I knew my brilliant scheme would
please you and bless you, my children 1"
Horace "O, Winnie, you're a brick a
regular kiln! But though it's awful nice
at present how will it avail "
Winnie "Why, by the time your money
is gone your wife will have won the heart of
Uncle Boney. see!"
Horace "N no, not exactly."
Winnie "Well, it's all arranged between
us; and I shall hire her as a model she will
come every day and pose for me a real
Italian type she is, you know, and Uncle
Leon, will, of course "
Horace "O, Winnie, Winnie, if ever I
smashed your doll's head in early youth, it
was simply because I. your only fraternal
relative, did not then appreciate what it was
to have a sister!"
Winnie "There, dear boy, don't take it so
to heart! I broke your kites and lost your
skate-straps fully as often as you murdered
my sawdust idols let's kiss and make up!"
PART n.
TWO WEEKS LATER.
(Mr. N. B. Brown is discovered looking
out of the window. He suddenly starts and
comes hastily forward.)
Brown (calling) "Winnie ! Winnie ! She's
coming the model's coming! Where i
that girl! She knows I can't speak Italian
worthafkldlestring, and yet she leaves me
to meet her alone! That model is the love
liest being I ever saw in my life such eyes!
(Opens his own widely.) Such teeth ! (Grins
broadly.) Such lips! (Pouts.) If I wasn't
such an old-setled-inlife sort o' person I'd
gooduess knows what I voutdn't do ! A sort
o' sadness in the eyes touches me has she
a sorrow! What can it be! I'll get Winnie
to find out, and if money can relieve her,
she shall be relieved. Old fool! Yes, I
know it; but I don't go crazy often! Some
folks would say I was crazy to send the boy
off to Monte Carlo but there was method
in my' madness, yes, sir; method! Gone a
whole fortnight and not a word from the
scamp in all this time. Must be win
ning, or I'd heard, fast enough. Jane Gray's
not troubling him much nowadays, I'll be
bound. Why. this lovely Italian's worth
forty Jane Grays! If he made her a niece
of mine I'd give 'cm my villa on the Hudson
and a thousand shares in the X. Y. Z. Cen
tral for a wedding present! By Jove!
Another idea! I'll telegraph him to come
home at once and I'll match her against
the Gray every time!'
(Mf. Brown sits down to fill out a tele
graph blank. As he writes, Jane Gray,
dressed as an Italian peasant girl steals softly
up behind him, peeps over his shoulder and
nodsasmilingapprobation of what sho reads.
Suddenly she breathes softly in his car.)
Jane "It win ijiorno, .Siyiior."'
' Brown (starting to his feet) "O, Ow
good morning, dear, good morning!"
Jane "Fa UllixiiiM tempo, xirjnore!"
Brown "Bles my soul, you don't say so!
I wish Winnie would come sit down, seen
ereener, sit down (motioning and speaking
very loudly) sit down!"
Jane "Ah rinon t" ho ipitaf"
Brown "Don't mention it! Seenereener?
Jane ".Si Signoret"'
Brown "Do you not speak a little just a
very littlo English!"
Jane "A h, si. xignorea leedle-a!"'
Browa (delighted) "A leedle-a' why,
that's splendid, magnificent!"
Jane "Etta me cjlmi, gentilezze."
(Winnie enters.)
Brown "Well, my dear; I don't know
anything about 'Ella' or -gentle Lizzie. "
Winnie (advancing) She says you are
too kind, Uncle Nappy. Duon giorno, Gio
vtnnina come, Uncle Party, move away,
please: I want my model to get into place
quickly. Prendn una redlt, Giovanmna!"
Brown "Seems to me you're in an awful
hurry to make the poor thing sit with her
chin up in the air can't you let her rest a
bit before you begin!"
Winnie "Not an instant. Stin quUto,
tignorina."
Jane "Hon pronto."
Brown "What does she say!"
Winnie "That she is ready. Uncle Polly:
itn'fshc a darling! Did you ever see such
beautiful cyes like liquid seas of golden
brown."
Brown "Did you ever hear of olid seas.
But they are lovely, and it's a gloriously
good thing the child can't understand a
word you say; I'd be afraid to say such
things to her very face!"
Winnie "O, she don't mind it See how
unconscious she looks !"
Brown "And how sad!"
Winnie "She does look sad. Sho told me
a little about her sorrow when yoa went off
to la galleria "
Brown "Speak English!"
Winnie "Very well, sir; the picture gal
lery. And now, ardate via I mean, go
away, please, and I'll try to find out the
rest of it. Possibly we may be able to help
her the poor girl!"
Brown "Toe poor girl! All right, Win
nie; I'm off to telegraph Horace to come
home; and, do you know, small woman, I've
a notion of turning match-maker I, your
uncle, Napoleon Bonaparte Brown!"
Winnie "Uncle Boney, aren't you
ashamed of yourself! And there's Jane
Gray "
Brown "Confound Jane Gray! I beg
your pardon, seenereener, did I frighten
you! Hang it all; tell her I'm a brute a
blarstod idiot any thing you choose I'm
off!"
Mr. Brown leaves the room hurriedly,
whereupon the two young ladies arise from
their places beside the easel and begin an
animated conversation.
Winnie "There, he's gone! Jane, he's
your very own uncle, now. and you've capt
ured him beautifully! Why, he rave over
you; and all there's left to do is to make a
clean breast ef it what do you say to a
bona fide American April fool in Italy?
What fun!"
Jane "O, Winnie, dear, Pmw fearful!"
Winnie "Of what! Hasn't Uncle Nappy
gone to telegraph Horace to come home
from Monte Carlo just on your account i"
Jane "Yes, I know, dear; but Horace
(Enter Horace, who overhears Jane.)
Winnie "Giorannina, ite ' oeo!"
Horace "Of course she's a goose but
what about Horace, my charming peasant!"
Jane "Horace!"
Winnie "Horace !"
Horace "Yes; it is Horaco. Girls, this
game must end. Where has Uncle N. B. be
taken himself ! I saw him leave the house,
and so, like the sneak I have lately become
I ventured in."
Jane "Gone to telegraph you to come
home ha! ha!"
Winnie "And fall a victim to Giovannina
hee! hee!"
Horaco taO, I'm victim enough, I assure
you!"
Winnie "Now, Jane, darling, come into
my room and let's have a good old-fashioned
gossip Uncle Party will not return very
soon come! Excuse us, Horace, and go
away that s a dear; Uncle Boney mustn't
find you here and in two days you may
arrive from Monte Carlo muyou go!"
Horace uGrazie, Vawertiro, tnio earo a
retto! (Bows and kisses his hand to Winnie,
embraces his wife, and, at their departure,
takes up his hat and cane preparatory to
leaving the house.) My lovely little .wife
I'm a coward not to have acknowledged her
before; but Uncle N. B. would have been
Uncle N. G. if I'd have come out flat with
the facts. Now, the dear old man is in love
with her himself and may all the lucky
stars in my own particular heaven shine out
in one blaze of dazzling glory!"
PART III.
(Same, two days later. Mr. N. B. Brown
is seated at table reading paper.)
Brown (tossing paperasideand consulting
watch) "The morning train leaves at "
(Enter Horace briskly).
Horaco "How do you do, Uncle N. B? I'm
glad to see you looking so well !"
Brown "Bless my soul, Horace, back
again! I sent you a telegram "
Horace ''Which accounts for my sudden
appearance, sir. Well, here I am, and here
at the same time is All Fool's Day quite
appropriate, eh!"
Brown "That depends. Sit down sit
down, youngster; been enjoying yourself!"
Horace "That's what I should call it, sir!"
Brown "Lose much, Horace!"
Horace "No, sir. I have uw"
Brown "Bless me! I hope yon an lucky
on the win, my boy, for I've a finer prize
here for you than you could find at Monte
Carlo!"
Horace "Is it something you'd like to
take home to America with you, sir!"
Brown "Ha! ha! ha! ha! ha! ha! If you
win, ha! ha! as yon gues, ha! ha! you're
pretty safe to capture the prize !"
Horaco "Well, I shall try my best, sir,
and hope to be lucky for your sake!"
Brown "And 7 hope for your im. But,
there ask me no questions. I see you have
a thousand ready; just come into the lunch
room and have a bite and sup."
Horace "Queta coca mi da granplaeere."
Brown "I don't know what you mean,
but you're all right; talks like a native;
bless the boy !" ( Brown pats Horace on the
back, as both leave the room.)
(Jennie and Winnie enter and take seats
near one of the easels.)
Winnie "Now pose, Jennie, and look
dreadfully melancholy. Don't venture to
look toward Horace, or you will spoil it all."
Jane "It's gaingtobe almost the death
of me I feel it I know it !"
Winnie "Courage, sweet sister-in-law I
hear them coming! Hold up your chin and
il olo difetta chegft troto e ehe tembrane troppo
piccolo "
(Enter Brown and Horace.)
Brown (smiling and rubbing his hands)
"Ha! ha! Here we are, Winnie. Got my
telegram and came right down. Obedient
boy! Kiss your sister, Horace, and let mo
introduce you to the model seenereener,
this is my nephew, Mr. Horace White;
Horace, the seenereener!"
(Horace and Jane bow solemnly to one an
other. Winnie laughs behind her palette.)
Brown (drawing Horace to one side)
"Horace, my boy,, on the quiet, now, did yoa
ever see such eyes!"
Horaco "Arr."'
Brown "Or such a mouth!"
Horaco "Xo, sir!"
Brown "Orsuch a perfectchin, or throat,
or seashellof ears, or hands, or feet or "
Horace "Never in all my life, uncle
"N. B., never!"
Brown "I knew you'd say so I knew it!
none know her but to love her. Where's
your miserable, wretched Jane Gray now!"
Horace "Eh ah that is a question I
should not care to answer Just now."
Brown I should think not, indeed! Off
with the old love, eh, my boy!"
(Winnie advanced to her uncle's sido.)
Winnie "O. Uncle Boney, I asked her
about her sorrow and she told me all. Hor
ace, go and air your prettiest Italian to
yonder poor girl, while I tell the sad story
to Uncle Party."
(Winnie leads her uncle to a sofa and mo
tions him to sit beside her. Horaco sinks
upon a footstool at the feet of his wife and
begins to whisper earnestly to Jane, who
leans lovingly towards him.)
Brown "Told you all about it, did she,
Winnie! Lovely creature! Somehow my
heart vearns -
Winnie "All that I am hoping for Is that
it will never cease to yearn ! Yes, sho told
me all all about it. It seems there was a
little love affair between herself and a young
fellow a bright, handsome bo.tijrwho is kept
completely under the thumb ofa very
eccentric old millionaire"
Brown '"The old curmudgeon !"
Horace "And who threatens all sorts of
dire vengeances if the boy shall marry this
(waves her hand dramatically toward Jane)
sweet, sweet creature I"
Brown "Why, the old reprobate look,
Winnie, they are in love already; she has
actually placed one pretty unconscious hand
upon the young rascal's shoulder bravo!
bravo ! Go on, child. By the way, what are
the names of these people!"
Winnie "The girl's name! La Signorina
Giovanmna Bigio. I thoaghtyou knew."
Brown "To be sure! To be sural And
the boy's!
Winnie "7Z SignomOrazb Bianco"
Brown "Eel Seener Orraxy Blanker."
Well, and the old miser's!"
. Winnie-"Ah!Ahl 11 Signor Bruno?
Brown Humph! Urwna Sruno is he a
dog that he must do this thing!"
Winnie "I should say that he was a sort
of a dog in tho manger, shouldn't you. Uncle
Poley! Well, in spite of this rich man's op
position these two kept faithful to their
vows of love."
Brown "Quite the proper thing. I honor
em for it."
Winnie "The old gentleman, hearing of
this, tried to part them."
Brown "The old scoundrel!"
Winnie "He bribed the poor boy with
gold sent him away, and tried his best to
break tho heart of that (waving hand again
towards Jane) entrancingly beautiful vis
ion! Wasn't he a fiend incarnate, Uncla
Leon, a terrible tyrant, a malicious mon
ster!" Brown "That don't spell it, Winnie, that
don't begin to spell it ! But look at 'em now,
girl the young scapegrace actually has one
arm around her bless my soul!"
Winnie (sternly to Jane and Horace)
liBedate, Jlglinon can presto!" (Horaco and
Jane move a little apart.)
Horace "Catagtu!" (Winnio and Jane
laugh.)
Brown "What is that, Winnie!"
Winnie "He said 'chestnuts,' Uncle
Bonev, but don't mind him he's in the toils
and "
Brown "Proceed with your interesting
narrative, my niece, and let the young peo
ple alone."
Winnie "There isn't much more to tell.
The poor boy was to be dragged away from
that (waves hand again) perfectly enchant
ing being's presence, and was told that years
would elapse before he could return. On
the impulse of the moment and flic horse
cars the young couple went to the office of
a justice of the peace and were married.'"
Brown (bouncing from his position on the
sofa and beginning to pace the floor, at
which all the others arise) "So she's an
other'sanother'sand there's no hope no
lightest grain of hope for us!"
Winnie "Uncle Poley, what, ander the
existing, harrowing circumstances, would
you advise them to do!"
Brown "Do! Do! There's nothing left
to do but go to the old demon and beg his
forgiveness "
(Horace and Jane, having advanced dur
ing Mr. Brown's last speech, now kneel be
side the old gentleman, each seizing one of
his hands and sneaking together.)
Horace i "Which we do, Uncle Napoleon
Jane j Bonaparte Brown!"
(Mr. Brown stares wildly from one to the
other, turning his head from Jane to Horace
and back again with each word he utters.)
Brown "Uncle Napoleon Bonaparte
Brown! What does this mean!"
Horace (in mock pathos ("It means that
I am tho poor boy, Orazio Bianco Anglicized,
Horace White!"
Jane "And that I am Giovannia Bigia
translated, Jane Gray!"
Winnio "And you. dear Uncle Nappy,
sweet Uncle Poley, darling Uncle Leon,
charming Uncle Boney, blessed Uncle Party,
are tho cruel old tyrant 71 Signore Bruno
Americanized, Brown! You would never
consent to look upon the face of Jane Gray,
and I knew one sight of her would cause
your hard old heart to relent for, as you
yourself have said, 'None knew her but to
love her!' So we compelled you to see her
and admire her and you are wildly in lovo
with her, aren't you! Children, arise-jtnd
greet your uncle !"
Brown "I give in it's all up with me,
children! Kiss me. Jane; embrace me,
Winnie; your hand, Horace I see it all
now; and I'm nothing, after all, but a simple
Old April Fool!" Eva Best, in Iktroit Free
Pros.
m m
ONE CENTURY AGO.
The Average "Tries Paia for Laad at That
Tlaia.
Life in the United States was in those
daj-s almost altogether rural. Towns
Lof 8,000 or more inhabitants then con
tained but a fraction over three per
cent of the population of the country,
where now they contain mora than
twenty-two percent. Philadelphia, in
deed, had nearly 41,000 inhabitants.
New York 33.00, Boston 18,000.
Charleston 16.000, Baltimore 14.000;
but these were all. Coxe was of opinion
that nine-tenths of the people bf the
United States were engaged in agri
cultural occupations.
Dr. Thomas Cooper, the famous En
glish economist, during his residence
in America, prepared an interesting
little book entitled "Some Information
Respecting America.'
On the subject of price. Dr. Cooper
says: "A hundred and fifty acres ol
land with a tolerable hou.se and barn
upon it, and sufficient land cleared for
a person immediately to begin as a
farmer, may be purchased in many
parts at 4 currency an acre," that is,
lie says, not quite fifty shillings sterling.
Rich but unimproved land, he thought,
could be had for thirty shillings cur
rency an acre. Of course, much more
depended then than now on the near
ness of a market, transportation being
very costly. We may quote from Wan
sey's Journal an example of the cheap
est, amusing from the classical names
with which the Deputy Secretary ol
State had then been sprinkling Central
New York.
"Monday I attended a sale of some
military lands (by auction at the Ton
tine Coffee House) situated in the north
part of New York State. Twenty-five
acres in the Township of Cato were
sold at two shillings and eight pence
currency per acre. (Is. 6d. sterling;)
500 in Poiupev. at five shillings and one
penny. (2s. lOd. sterling:) 900 in Tully
and Hannibal, at three shillings and
eight pence. (2. Id.;) 1,400 in Hector
and Dryden. at three shillings and
eight pence, (2s. Id)."
In these cases the average price was,
it will be seen, a little over fifty cents
anjicre. On the other hand, the Duke
de Ia Rochefoucauld-Liancourt gives
one instance, at Marlborough, Mass.,
of farming lands worth $500 an acre.
La Rochefoucauld very often gives
prices of lands he sees. It appears "that
these averaged $25 or $30 an acre in
thickly-settled New England, less in
Pi'iiinvlvaiiia. and from to 12 in
Virr:iii:u Iu the latter State land
seemed to be going down in value. But
elsewhere its price was rising, and an
extraordinary amount of land specu-.
lation went on, mainly occasioned by
the great sales of lands effected by tho
States in order to pay theirdebts. Thus
the Duke tells of land near Lancaster.
Penn.. bought for t25. for which $100
was refused five 3 ears later, and ol
1,000 acres near Canandaigua, N. Y
bought three years before at a shilling,
of which more than half had since been
sold off at prices ranging frora$l to $3,
while some had even brought $26 an
ere. & Y. Tribune.
FARM AND FIRESIDE.
If yon want bloom, use small pots;
if you desire luxuriant foliage, use
large ones.
All who aspire to gardening honors
should at some time get in the way of
raising mauy of their own seeds.
The reason the hen that steals her
nest always hatches well is that she is
not too fat, and every egg has the same
same vitality.
In pruning roses cutting back
closely produces, as a rule, flower
blooms of finer quality, while from
those not so closety pruned will be ob
tained a larger quantity of smaller
flowers. American Garden.
The geranium is a healthy plant,
and one that is invaluable for garden
purposes. By a little care and caution
one may have geraniums bloom the
year through. The soil should be light
and rich.
Bj" tying a small corn-cob to one
lejr, allowing it to dangle at a distance
of about six inches, a Maine poultry
fancier is said to succeed in keeping
her chickens at home. "The fowl can
scratch and get about with ease, but
will not attempt to fly over palings or
squeeze through a crack.'
A prosperous farmer remarks that
when he raises a crop he has to ship it
to market to obtain a sain for it; but
when he raises a horse the buyer comes
to him and buys his product A little
norse sense of this character will open
the eyes of hundreds of farmers in this
State, and not before it is needed either.
A woman who has always used a
broom-handle or straight stick of any
kind, can have no uotion of the con
venience of ono forked at the end; one
prong catches a fold of cloth and holds
it as the stick is turned, so there is
slight danger of its slipping off. a? so
often happens with the plain stick. A
hole should be bored in one end by
which to hang it up.
Telegram Padding: Boil a quart
of milk in a saucepan, adding a pinch
of salt and two tablespoonfuls of but
ter. Beat four eggs and mix to a
smooth batter with four table spoon
fuls of flour and a little cold milk; add
this to the boiling milk and stir rapidly
till it thickens up. Eat with powdered
sugar and cream or a fine maple syrup.
There is a big cid er mill in North
western Pennsylvania, and the farmers
around there cart away the pomace as
fast as it is made to feed to their milch
cows. One man begau at once feeding
a peck of pomace, night and morning,
to each cow, and noticed an immediate
increase in the flow of milk. The
cows kept increasing in. milk and flesh
as the ration of pom ace was increased,
which finally reached a bushel and a
half per day.
In making any soup observe: 1st.
A soup should never boil; let it only
simmer. 2d, A soup should never be
greasy. Make the stock a day ia ad
vance and remove the fat if necessary.
3d, A soup should be judiciously sea
soned. Salt, cayenne, celery seed,
sweet herbs all are good. 4th. A
soup should be covered while cooking,
served hot and eaten with "a quiet
mind" that final grace which makes
every dish palatable. Good Cheer.
m
PLUMS IN PLENTY.
Varieties That Cam Not Wall B Sarpaased
la PradacUvaaaN.
Plum culture has not been a success
with every grower in recent years,
principally on account of the terrible
work of the curculio, a most clumsy
fellow generally, yet only too active
when bent on the perpetuation of its
own race This insect has effectually
prevented over-production of plums,
and also deprived the majority of home
growers of their home supply. With
our present knowledge, and a number
of varieties of plums which are prac
tically curculio-proof to select from,
we see no reason why the amateur
should give up iu despair, or let the
curculio have all its own way. Many
of our native sorts will produce full
crops in spite of all insects, and so will
the newly-introduced Japan plums, of
which Ogon, Botan and Kelsey's have
been tested quite extensively and found
of great merit. We have seen Ogon
trees loaded down with ripe fruit,
every specimen of which bore . the
scarcely visible traces of from three to
five of the ominous crescent marks
proving to our satisfaction that the
fruit is ablo to outgrow the curculio
sting and to take care of itself. The
samo was our experience with the De
Soto plum, one of tho natives from
Minnesota. These two varieties can
not very well be surpassed in produc
tiveness. The Ogon is a round plum (the Cali
fornia growers, who describe it as oval
or egg-shaped, must have a different
variety), of good size, a bright golden
yellow, fine, sweet, but rather dry
flesh; excellent for canning; ripens here
toward the end of July; tree a vigorous
grower; and apparently hardy.
De Soto is an American plum, of
medium size, bright red color and good
quality. Its productiveness is simply
wonderful. . Treo entirely hardy. As
a blossom and pollen producer it is not
surpassed by any sort with which we
are acquainted, and this feature we
consider of greatest value, jrees of
this sort should be planted scatteringly
among other varieties in every plum
orchard; and it will then "hoar and
make bear" in abundance. The home
grower who wants to make sure of an
annual and abundant supply, should
plant several trees together, selecting
almost any of the best standard sorts,
with at least one Ogon and one De
Soto in the middle of the cluster of
trees; or he may graft cions of various
sorts, alwavs including Ogon and De
Soto, into limbs of one or more larger,
hardy plum trees a native sort alwaya
oref erred. Orcliard and Qarikn.
SIBERIA.
Its gewets Ravaated GaerM
Weadcrfat Jouraey. .
MOST interesting contri
bution to secret history
will be the illustrated pa
pers on "Siberia and tho
Exile System," by Georga
Kennan. which are to begin
in the May Century maga
zine. They will embody the
results of what is be
lieved to be the first suc
cessful attempt by a com
petent investigator to mako
a thorough study of the
Russian exile system. Be
fore undertaking his ardu
ous journey of 15,000 miles,
ia the interest of The Centu
ry. Mr. Kennan. author of
Tent Lift in Siberia, etc., had spent four
r;
rears in nussia ana csioeria, was tnorougn
v conversant with the peonloand the Ian-
image, and had reached tho conclusion that
tho Russian Government had been misrep-
ruseuieu, ana iuui mu exuu system ui oiotj
ria was not so terrible as was supposed.
Knowing that Mr. Kennan held these
views, tho Russian Government gave him.
every facility for a thorough
INSPECTION OF MINES AND PRISONS
of Siberia the most thorough that had
ever been made by a traveler. Armed with
letters from the Russian Minister of the
Interior and other high officials, Mr. Ken
nan went everywhere, inspecting mines and
prisons, convict barges and hospitals, and
traveling with chained exiles along the
great Siberian road. He made the intimate
personal acquaintance of more than three
hundred exiled ''liberals' and Nihilists,
many of whom wrote out their histories for
his use. The actual facts, as revealed by
this searching investigation, were far re
moved from Mr. Kennan's preconceived
ideas, as this thrilling narrative of fifteen
months' privation and adventure will show.
As is already known, the publication ol
Mr. Kennan's preliminary papers has re
sulted in his beiBf placed
OS THB BLACK LIST
by the Russian Government, and copies ef
'lh Century containing them have tho ob
jectionable article torn out by the custom
officials before being allowed to enter the
Czar's dominions.
"I expected, of course, says Mr. Ken
nan, in a recent interview, "to be putoa
the Russian black list. The stable-door ia
locked, but the horse has been stolen and
I've got him."
BOARDIKO A CONVICT BABOTS.
Mr. G. A. Fnwt. artist and photographer,
accompanied Mr. Kennan, ana the results of
his work will form a wonderfully interesting
series of pictures of Russian sjd Siberian
life and scenery.
The articles begin in the May Century,
which is a great issue ia many other re
spects, containing also an interesting illus
trated article on ranch life; first chapters
of "The Liar," a novelette by Henry James;
the excitingnarrative, "A Locomotive Chase
in Georgia;" a suggestive paper on "The
Chances of Being Hit in Battle;" an essay
on Milton by Matthew Arnold: "A Love
Story Reversed," by Edward Bellamy, etc.,
etc. Our local bookseller will have the num
ber after the first of May.
FEEDING THE DEAD.
Kaw York Calaamaa Tmj Tribal to Thai
Departed Kalatlvaa.
The Chinese fed their dead recently.
The Evergreens Cemetery and Wood-
lawn and other burying places were
alive with laundrymen. The wind
interfered greatly with their joss stick
burning, and they set up umbrellas
over the graves to keep off the strong
southwester, so that they could send
off properly their hosts of paper serv
ants and hundreds of yards of prayers.
On golden-hued paper were the money
prayers, and the black paper prayers
were for cooking utensils.
To prevent the spirits of their de
parted relatives from constantly com
ing home to see them, the Chinese have
an understanding with the dying that
once they leave their mortal coil they
shall "stay out," and that all, the nec
essaries of life in the other world shall
be faithfully transmitted to them twico
a year, once at the opening of spring
and once at the beginning of winter.
It has been discovered that the way to
transmit servants, songs, plays, books
and money is to manufacture them in
paper and burn them. But actual
eatables are carried to the graves.
Wagon loads of roasted pigs, chickens,
ducks, Chinese and American sweet
meats and fruits went to the cemeteries
yesterday. The food was piled before
each grave, amid burning red carrot
shaped candles and joss sticks. The
Chinese prostrated themselves before
their dead, begging them to rise up
and enjoy themselves. Chinese wines
were then thrown liberally upon each
grave. Many graves receired boxes
of five-cent cigars, while others got
only packages of cigarettes. It took
about two hours to get the essence of
the eatables conveyed to the essences
who were awaiting it, and then the
devotees gathered up th "accidents'
and carried them home again to feed
their own material bodies. But tho
cigars and cigarettes were burned on
the graves. Home-made heathen spec
tators tried to snatch them off the fire,
but the devotee heathens stopped
them. N. Y. Sun.
Casper Was Learning.
A white man who owed a small
amount to a negro fish dealer and who
had been repeatedly dunned, went into
the negro's ill-smelling place of busi
ness, and handing over the amount of
the indebtedness, remarked :
"Here's your money, Casper. I sup
pose by this time you have learned one
thing."
"Whut's dat, sah?"
"You have learned that when I owe
you any thing it is of no use to bother
me about it"
"Yas, sah, l's Tarned dat, an I tell
you. l's l'arned ernudder thing."
What's that?"
"1 has l'arned, sah. neber ter let yoa
tab ernudder piece o' fish tell yon put
de money right down yere on de slab.
Ob, l's er mighty ban' ter l'arn. I tell
you, I'm 1 arnin so fas dat after
Vile folks'll p'int at me an say, Dara
de eddycatedeist pussoa indic town,'
m-Arkanta Vrwmltr.
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