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HH France Faces IIP
At Montcnnu, n in I n I ii),' town in tho
A'ontor of France, 8,000 miners wcro
'divided Into two camps those who
wnntcd to work, and those who want
ed to prevent tlioin.wrltcflu Parte cone
spondont. For hoiiio time tliolr only
weapons had Ijpoii Htlcks mid HtoncH.
Then a Parte paper of thu Hud Social
ist propaganda offered n novel premi
um to Its renders mid distributers; for
ijvcry fifteen copies of the paper
bought, plus eight francs canli, It of
fered n remodeled Orns or Chama'pot
rifle. The striking mlneM of Moutceau
saw In these rlllcH a m'w ineuiiH to
persuade tliolr weaker brethren. They
began to Bend for them In rjttiiuttty.
Tho workliiR miners Instead of being
Intimidated by these preparations, bo
au ordering rifles for themselves from
tho imrno accommodating Socialistic
paper.
There was any quantity of thcHe
irlflea In Parte, old Gins and ClmHrepot
modols, condemned by the war depart
ment and sold at auction for a fow
francs each to speculators. Those lat
ter had remodeled thorn, suppressing
tho rifle-thread and modifying tho
cartrldgo; but this did not prevent
, their being able to (.end a bullet
through n thick plank at K.0 yards.
Tho Socialist committee of Salnt
Etlcnno another mining center be
gnn buying them at wholesale from
tho speculators. Tho Socialist news
papcr continued to do a roaring trade,
mot only with tho strikers of Moutceau
but with their correspondents in the
center, tho north and the south of
Krance. At Salnt-Ktlenne.
ono-tlmo Protestant pastor, bo
rtjamo a fervent anarchistic ngl
tator, got possession of some
thousands of them. These, with
I lino, anarchist Impartiality, ho sold or
gave away to the non-striking miners
of Montceau. Another lot ho disposed
of at Commcntry, Carmaux and De
casovlllo. Boforo tho government bad
iaken any notice of this extraordinary
-traffic, 7,000 rifles ,bad heon admittedly
bidden away by tbo men of Moutceau
alone; while the clandestine arsenals
of Salnt-Etlenno nnd Carmaux are ru
morod to contain as mauy more. The
true. figures, however, cannot tie known
until tho dawning of tho dark day
'when tho weapons shall bo .used.
'There are agitators who boast that tho
miners of the north are also fully
armed. Que" thing is certain; tho sup
ply of Orgs and Chnssopot rllles has
umb practically Inexhaustible, tho
j p&uvsRr op thc ssttep biflej to -thc qenparmerie"
I fbP , fffA3EI2URE OF ARM2lffl 1
Stt!jbrjtrsy j) AT A 'RAILWAY STATION JW
Revolution f
government having In the pant tlirco
yean) auctioned off 100,000 of thcHe
obisolcto models dating from the
Franco-Prussian war.
Whllo all thin wan going on, whllo
Ihc magistrates (Jugcs d'liiHtructlon) of
Paris were refusing to prosccuto tho
vendcrH on tho ground that tho re
modeled rifles were not technically
"arms or war," and while tho prefect
of the Snono-nnd-LoIro wan tranquilly
neglecting to take notice of tho arm
ing, nine men hail met together In the
private room of a wine shop of Saint
Etlenno. They were Bcxnut and Ev
rard, delegates from tho north and
the Pus-dc-Calnls; Joucavlcl and Cha
brolln, from Cnrmaux nnd d'Alnls, to
represent the south; Mcr:?et nnd Glrur
det, nent by the federation of the
Loire; lluvnt and the Citizen Bulsson
nler, standing for tho center, and Citi
zen Cotte, general Hccrctary. These
nine men as delegates to the National
Federation of Miners, claim to speak
for 160,000 fellow woiklngmen nnd
voters. Hosldo3 clearing off their regu
lar three months' accumulation of rou
tine business, they had to demand
three great things of tho government
and fix a date for that most redoubt
able or all labor demonstrations, a
general strike the long-threatened
strike of tho Federation.
Tho three demands made on the gov
ernment will show how far organized
labor has gone In France (1) the es
tablishment (by government) of a
minimum salary; (2) old-age pensions
of two francs per day after twenty-live
years of work, without regard to age,
and (3) an eight hour working day.
Tho old-age pensions nro notoriously
undergoing a course of "study" in the
proper governmental circles. A be
ginning wih made In the law of May
."J, 1891, and tho best opinion Is
that the miners will havo to await,
with the other brethren, tho general
granting of this boon until It Is dis
covered wbero thc money Is to como
from. With rcgnrd to tho eight-hour
working day there Is no consensus of
opinion among the minors themselves,
100,000 out of 100,000 of them having
refused, when solicited, to voto upon
It. If tho minimum day's pay could
bo secured tho eight-hour working day
would como In handy, but as there Is
no real hope that tho government
could succeed in dictating tlxed ex
penses to nilno owners, oven should It
bo willing to undertake tho novel tush,
the eight-hour vorklng day remains
one of thc enigmas of tho Industry.
Resides thin, great masses of miners,
especially In tho more prosperous
localltlcsi'iirefcr not to bo bound down
to rigid hours. They vote with thc
federation, or abstain from voting, but
their Interest urges them the other
way. Such was the caso of thc miners
of Moutceau boforo the strlko of 1899,
and such Is the caso of the non-strlk-cra,
called "The Yellows," of today.
Tho government baa at last taken a
firm hand nnd whenever tho Reds storo
an abundance of rifles n raid by gen
darmes (French military police) Is
sure to follow. Several seizures havo
already been reported. In somo cases
Individuals bearing arum are being
notified to deliver them to the govern
ment ofllcors under penalty of death.
The Individuals nro generally comply
ing with tho order but It requires forco
In cases where the revolutionists nnln
taln arsenals.
INTEREST RATES WERE HIGH.
A Hanking Ktnnrlonru In Vlrglnlu After
thti IVnr.
Gov. J. Hogo Tyler of Virginia Is
responsible for this Interesting bank
ing story: "Soon after the war, when
banking rates, or discount rates, were
high, an old fellow In one of tho south
west counties of Virginia, a farmer,
went to tho bank to secure a loan of
$1,000 for five years. Of courso this
made tho 'man behind the grating
open his eyes ami look at him with
wonder and astonishment, and tho
farmer was told that they could not
rnako provision for such a loan as that
unless they had the most satisfactory
collateral that could be obtained. Tho
old fellow asked, 'Collot what?" 'Col
lateral, tho banker answered. 'Well,
what Is that? tho farmer asked. Tho
banker went on to descrlbo tho stocks
nnd bonds and securities that arc
meant by tho term collateral. Tho old
farmer said: 'Well, If I had those
things I wouldn't want nny money.
Thoy nro better than money,' ho said.
'Well,' said tho banker, 'you can't get
tho money unless you succeed In get
ting somo of those collaterals, nnd then
wo might discount your note' Well,
the farmer succeeded In getting somo
collateral and In getting some personal
Indorsements, and also In getting his
own nnmo upon tho paper and bis
wife's as well, nnd obtained raoitgngcs
on everything he had. Ho came nnd
dumped his collateral down on the
banker's desk. Thoy were satisfactory,
nnd tho cnshler made out his note for
him for II .000. and told him to sign
It, which tho farmer did. After signing
tho noto ho pnBsed It over. Then tho
cashier counted him out I287.D2. Tho
old farmer ejaculated, 'Come on.' 'No,
sir,' said tho cashier, 'that Is all you
can get on a note of $1,000 for five
years at our present rate of discount.'
'Dls what?' asked the farmer. 'Dis
count.' snld thc cashier; 'that Is all
you can get.' 'What do you mean?'
said the farmer. 'Why,' said tho cash
ier, 'wo tako off the discount for tho
first four mouths rind tho next four
months, antl o on, and then, nt thc
end of flvo years your note will only
mnko ?287.r2.' 'I am glad that I did
not ask yon to lend mo that money for
ton years,' ejaculated tho farmer, 'or
you would have .hall mo In debt nnd I
would have to pay you something for
asking you to lend It to me.'"
KaiUU'ri Inspiration.
"We have with us this evening," the
master of ceremonies said, "a gentle
man from tho Sandwich Islands, who
kindly consented to sing a song "
"It's name!" demanded several rudo
boys In thc roar seats. Tho chairman
A SEIZURE OF ARMS
AT A 'RAILWAY STATION
was non-plussed, but only for a mo
ment. "Tho gentleman from Hawaii
who has so kindly consented to assist
us this evening," ho went on, with a
contemptuous glance at the rear Beats;
"will sing a selection entitled 'How
r Love My Honolulu!'" Tho gentlo
nian from Hawaii then proceeded to
sing something In Kanaka, nnd nobody
was the wiser. Chicago Tribune.
It's a poor contractor who doesn't
show up with a bill for outrun.
ADVERTISEDJBY JHE CAMERA.
KtiRlUli Jiorrl I'npularlirrl ,j t'lioto
graph of Mr. Ulmlttonn.
"Joseph Henry Shorthouse, manu
facturer of Milphtirlc acid, author of
'John Inglcsant,' 'Countess Eve' 'Sir
Perclval,' etc." In this manner a well
known biographical dictionary sums
up tho novoltst of Illrmlngham, whoso
books nrc known, o .c may almost Bay,
whorover tho English Inngungc Is
spoken. Tho hustling midland city
has retihon -to bo proud of her family
of clover men. To tho world of politics
sho has given Mr. Joseph Chamberlain,
to nrt sho gave tho late Sir E. Hurne
Jones, to the church Archbishop Hen
son, and iihu has put tho llnlshlug
touches to her fame by presenting tho
world with tho author or "John In
glosant." Twenty years ago Mr. Short
houso was unknown except as a manu
facturer of chemicals, a business In
which he had taken an nctlvo Interest
for many yeaiv. Then a story took
form In his brain nnd he produced
"John Inglcsant," u novel which hns
had ono of the most remarkable runs
of popularity on record. But, like
many other famous books, It did not
Jump Into favor at once. It was flrst
published in Illrmlngham, tho edition
being exactly, 100 copies. Of theso
ilfty or sixty 'wore given nway by the
author himself, and what becamo of
Clio remainder history does not state.
People who had secured the free cop
ies said tho book ought to bo pub
lished by somo big London bouse, but
the publishers of tho metropolis
scorned to think dliTcrrntly. Mr.
James Payn, who was reader tor ono
llrm, rejected It, nnd another publish
er followed suit. Then Messrs. Mac
mllluii had tho courage of their convic
tions and printed a small edition. And
now a stiango thing happened. A
photographer had succeeded in per
suading the late Mr. Gladstone to sit
boforo bis camera, and the famniia
htntesmnn took his plnco before that
instrument of torture with a book un
der bis arm. The volume bore the ti
tle of "John Inglesant." printed in
gold letters In the usual way, and the
light happening to glint upon those
twp words made them show clearly In
tho photograph. Thc portrait of the
premier was one of tho most pleasing
ever taken, and was published broad
cast over the land, each copy clearly
showing the tltc of tho book, and
the result was a sudden elnmorous de
mand for the work of tho new novel
ist. Mr. Gladstone himself Is leported
to have said that It was ono of the
few works of fiction that ever suc
ceeded In keeping him out of bed all
night. London Mall.
THE WANDERING SHADE.
TuIo-h it ! Into inv X07I0 or 11
I'lrr-IIiihi-.
I was wandering down n pleasant
street, when suddenly I enmo to n place
where many people wero gathered,
shouting nnd In grent excitement Also
there were several strange engines
with smoke coming from their tops,
and men In black armor nnd helmets
rushing to nnd fro, while other knights
in blue bent back tho multitude. Now
there was smoke coming from an up
stairs window, and I wist that it must
be n tiro. But what Interested mo most
was a long, suakellkc tubo which the
struggling knights toro from ono of
tho vehicles and ran with toward the
fire. "By Hector and Gcc-Whlz!" quoth
I, "but thc spirit movcth mo to see
what strnngo modern contrlvnnco this
Is!" So I went forward, took up the
end of the tube and squinted therein.
Alas! .Even as I did so, 1 heard ono
of the black knights shout: "Let 'er
go!" There was something doing. Yes,
verily. Thcro was thc swlshy rush of
n waterspout, and when I came to my
self I found I had faded away and that
I was suffering from water on my
ghostly brain. By my halldom! Me
thinks tho devil htmsolf would not bo
safe In tho world at this date. For
alack! Things havo made a long hike
since tho days of Arthur ami hla Bound
Table.
Too I'lrri'viltc
E. T. Abbott, the civil engineer nnd
contractor, tells a good story about a
German sawmill proprietor of his ac
quaintance. Tho sawmill man used
rofuso from the milt for fuel. Tho
machinery was pretty much back num
ber, and ono day tho agent for n firm
camo to tho plant, nnd, after looking
It over, told the German that he would
put In now and Improved machinery
for about $4,00Q, which would reduce
tho amount of fuel used one-half. Whllo
tho fuel cost nothing, It required four
men to provide it, and tho German
was assured that two mon could do tho
work after tho new machinery was In
stalled. It looked like a good propo
sition, and tho sawmill man gave tho
agent tho order. A few months after
the machinery was' installed the agent
called again. The German gave blm
a gloomy stare. "What's the matter?
Don't the mnchlnery do all I claimed
for It?" asked the agent. "Yes, aber
1 overlook somedlngs." "What was
that?" "Vile It dakes only two men
to handlo do fuel, It dnkcrf do udder
two men to haul away vat vo didn't
use pefore, nnd a tenm pesldcs." Du
luth News Tribune.
out nt Ke.
Mrs. Gull (angrily) I heard what
you said to that Miss Scamow. Mr.
(lull Heard' what? 'MrB. Gull Heard
you say Just aa plain us day, "Meet
mo at the pier, dearest." Mr. Gull
Ob, rats! You just ran Into ono ol
those wireless mesaages from thnt
stenmer. Judge.
Last year G00.000.000 feet of lumbei
wore exported from tho Pacific roast,
and 300,000,000 feet sent cast by inIL
FOR BOYS AND GIRLS.
SOME GOOD STORIES FOR OUR
JUNIOR READERS.
A llrur Tnknt I'oiacmIoii or Hotnr In
n IVIttl l'nrt of California iintl 1'erjt
Out of III Window -How II MiiiIp
III i:iniM-,
MVK I.ITTI.1: .HISTIIKK.
Wo nro, little sisters five
Tlint in any cllmato thrive.
Everywhere at home are we,
On the land on on the sea.
Whercnoo'er Is human speech
Thero our little voices rencb.
Every moment, night nnd morn
Wo are dying, wo are born.
Well you know us, little man;
Gueaa our names now If you can
For you never speak 11 word
That ono of us Is not henrd.
And our gentle voices meet
In each sentence you repent.
A, E. 1, and 0' and U.
Little sister vowels true!
Woodson St. George.
m:itr.s a iikak stony.
William Hamilton lives In a wild
part of California, and has a honey
beo innch. Ono day. when he was ab
sent his wife went out to the potato
Held to do a llttlo hoeing, and when
she came back to tho house sho found
a big bear walking about the kitchen.
She didn't stand still and tcream, as a
woman In this part of the country
would have done, but ran to the wood
pile for tho axe. and then back to at
tack Mr. Bruin. She mot him coming
out, but ho darted back at sight of her,
and finding hltmrelf cornered knocked
the nxe out or her hand with 0110 blow
of lils paw. Being thus disarmed, the
woman rushed out of the kitchen,
slamming thc door after her, nnd
started off for help. Meanwhile, Mrs.
David, u neighbor, who lived In an op
posite direction, was on her way to
the Hamilton farm. When she 1 cached
tho house sho was frightened half out
of her senses at seeing 11 bear look
ing out of a half open window, and
she turned and ran all the way home,
where she told her slxtecn-ycnr-old
son thnt there was a big bear In the
Hamilton house, and that he had un
doubtedly eaten up Mrs. Hamilton, for
that, good woman was nowhere In
sight. So the boy picked up his g'un
and ho started for the scene of the
tragedy. Having reached tho plnco
they looked all about, but 110 bear was
to bo seen. Thc boy saw that the cel
lar door was open, and concluded that
the beast might have gono down there,
he began cautiously to descend the
steps. Ho had not gone very fnr down
when ho heard a snort and a growl,
and saw the bear coming toward him
out of tin darkness. Then he didn't
feel nearly ho brave as ho thought ho
was, and dropping Ills gun, be rushed
up tho stcpa Into the kitchen, nnd out
Into the ynrd, shutting the kitchen
door behind him.
Ho started off In ono direction and
his mother in another, t and presently
tho boy met thc Hnmlltons and n
friend of theirs who had a rifle. Thoy
approached the house cautiously, but
saw no signs or the bear, nor could
they find him in any of the room:.
They concluded, therefore, thnt he hud
squeezed through the partly open win
dow nnd made oft. But on going out
side they happened to look up, and
there was Mr. Bruin's head poking
out of the to) of tho chimney. He
drew It in right nway, but they soon
made him scramble out by lighting a
bundle of straw on tho hearth. The
man with tho rifle was on watch, but
his shot missed, nnd the bear got nway
to tho brush with a whole skin.
Philadelphia Times.
A GHKNAIHKK OF I'KANUK
No French soldier Is more honorably
remembered than Latour d'Auvcrgne,
who belonged to u rcgimont at grena
diers in tho army ot Hie great Napol
eon. His defense of tho pass, single
handed, against an army of Austrlaus,
has made his uame nlmost as memor
able as that of Horatlus, tho brave
Roman who kept the bridge. It was
during tho war with Austria in 179C,
and Latour d'Auvcrgne wa3 a stnlwurt
young soldlor of thirty years. During
a scout ho learned thnt a detachment
of the enemy was pushing forward
with the Intention of securing a moun
tain pass, to prevent an Important
movement that tho French army was
then on tho march to accomplish. The
Austrlaus wero but a fow hours dis
tant, and Latour had no time to seek
tho main army for assistance. Ho
know that tho pass was defended by
a force of only thirty mon, who were
stationed In nn old stono mill that
commanded tho route through thc
mountains, and he mado up his mind
to hasten on and warn them, nnd take
part In tho defonse. When ho reached
tho mill, however, ho found It desert
ed. Thc soldiers, having heard of tho
advance ot the Austrlans, had fled,
leaving the pass unguarded. Latour
understood military affairs well
enough to realize the Importance of
holding tho post, and he decided to de
fend himself If he could. Thoro were
plonty of arras nnd ammunition in the
mill, and he at once sot about getting
ready for tho expected attack of the
AuBtrluna, In a short time they ap
peared and demanded tho surrender ot
the place. Latour refused and the
struggle began. There were thirty
rauBkcta In tho mill, und these ho kept
loading and discharging, ' giving tho
Austrlans tho Impression that quite a
'forco was defending It. They kept up
a close Are on It, however, and several
times attempted to carry It by storm.
The Bharp defenso, however, forced
them each time to retire with grent
loss. Finally, when his gunpowder
was nearly exhausted, nnd ho himself
waB worn out by thc protrnetcd strug
gle, Latour ralarfd u ling of truce. In
stantly the firing ceased, nnd, a moment
nfter'a window In the mill was opened
and 11 grenadier showed himself. "Wo
desire," ho mild, addressing tho Aus
trian command! r, "tho privilege of
ovncuutlug our quarters, wRh ull the
honors of wnr; with arms und bag
gage, and colors Hying."
"Your demands nre granted," replied ,
the gallant Austrian, who Immediately,
drew up his men In two Hues to re- t
celve the devoted garrison. Then out
walked Latour d'Auvergne, nlone.
"Well," snld the Austrian command
er, "where U the garrison?"
"Here, sir, ius you sec," iiiiBwcred
the Frenchman, raising his hand in
salute.
"But where Is It?" asked tho Aus
trian, visibly nffectcd.
"Here!" repeated the grenadier.
"Whntr You alone defended the
mill?"
"I wus there alone; 1 was tho only
gnrrlson," rejoined the soldier with a
quiet smile.
"And how came you to undertake
so bold nn attempt?" '
"Tho honor of France was In peril,
sir. r could do no differently," an
swered the heroic grenadier. ,
Tho haughty Austrian bowed In ad
miration. "You are the bravest of thu brave."
he said; nnd he ordored tho thirty
muskets to" be sent after blm to the
French urniy. und wrote a letter com
plimenting his heroism.
Napoleon offered Latour the com
mand of a regiment, but this ho re
fused, preferring to servo In tho vanks.
"I cannot leave my comrades," h 4?
said, "and any one of thorn would havo
done the Bame as 1."
But ever nftcr that lie was known
as tho "First Grenadier of France."
Fred Myron Colby In Philadelphia
Time..
THOMPSON'S IHI.ANO TOADS.
There are not many toads on thlH
Island, probably because they cannot
breed where there nre not many pools
of fresh water, and that Is tho way It
Is here. About two nnd a half months
ago, Mr. Bradley, thinking It would
be a good thing to have somo toads
down here, nskr.d Mr. Hart, the doputy
superintendent of the Concord reform
atory, to send us some. Mr. Hart got
fifty toads and put them In u box
about 2 feet long, 1 feet wide and
0 Inches deep, halt full or moist loam,
with u wire screening stretched ovor
the top. They came one night and
wcro taken up to tho boys' flower gar
dens, whero thirty were let out. Every
boy was anxious to get one for his
garden. Thero wcro not enough to
go around, nnd so Mr. Bradloy let
tho toads choose which boy should
own them. He drew 11 lurgo elrcln
around the. box and had the boys linn 4
up to it. He then let thc toads out one
by one. As soon as one hopped out
to tho circle, tho boy In front of whom
it wan could have It. As soon as a boy
got ono ho put It In his garden. Tho
noxt morning when they wcro looked
for only four wero to bo found; but
It wan soon discovered whero thoy
went. They bury themselves In the
earth and come out to feed or whon it
Is going to rain. The remaining twen
ty wore let lose In thc flower beds on
tho lawns, loiter on another box of
seventy toads camo from Mr. W. G. '
Fancher, superintendent or tho Stan
wood school at Topsfleld, Mass. These 4
wcro put Into tho different vegetable
gardens on tho farm. These animals
wero got down here because they are
very useful in killing and preventing
the increase ot noxious Insects -and
worms. George G. Noren in Thomp
bou's Island Beacon, printed by the
boys of the farm cchool in Boston
harbor.
xm: MYNTKitioim voici:.
It was a warm summer night and
tho hour was midnight. Tho scone
wus MndlBon Square Park, Now York.
Tho policemen on tho four sides of
the rectangle wcro cottlnir dull wlUi
sleepiness. So ono of thorn said after
ward tlio man who tells tho storv.
Suddenly into tho stillness of tho night
11 snrni cry projected ltsolf:
"HelpJ Help! Murder! Murder!"
The crp appeared to como from with
in tho square. And simultaneously tho
two policemen nearest nt hand rushed
Into tho park, tho leather prongs on
their night sticks tit plnco for strik
ing. "They're killing me! Help! Help!"
spurred thorn on.
Tho policemen made a systematic
search of tho green area, ending Anally
In tho center,
"Well, whero Is It?" asked one. '
"GIvo It up. I thought 'twn.3 here,"
wn8 tho reply.
"Keep away! Keep away! Don't
como near me!" cried the shrill voice.
Slowly and warily tho policemen
made their wny to a bench a little to
the south of thu center, which Boemed
to bo tho spot whonco tho volco came.
And thoro thoy stood for a moment,
wondering what It meant. Then from
tho branches of tho maple overhead
a wheedling volco said: "Polly wonts
a cracker." Tho mystery was polvod.
It was somebody's parrot, escaped
from its cago, which had played this
Joko on two of New York's cleverest
policemen. Tho bird remalnod In tho
park for a duy or so, resisting all ef
forts to bo captured, und thon disap
peared, having perhaps found Us wny
back to Its cage.
Liking.
"I like your norvo'l" gnspcd.tho beau
tlful girl, struggling against tho Inovl
table, "And I like your cheek!
chuckled tho young man as ho con 4
tinned the oscillatory oxcrc'scs. Phil
auelpala Record. ' t
U, ;..&
i f