! f
1
A
m
THE INITIATION
OF FLORENCE.
BY UOSIs WILLIS JOHNSON.
TT K15KN wliul Mow Irom the
north, with dreary moaning
jT& through leafless branches.
(T The yellow sunset Imil given
plneo lo steely IIiiK Twilight wiih nt
linml, uud Doniloy mid IiIh hoys turned
their log-teams lioiuownid Into tlio
new-cut road with satisfaction.
"Tin hungry enough In out ii iiiulo,"
Tom remarked, avoiding deep nil.
"111 be Kind when (lie log lire In.
Wonder If dnd gold llreilV lie never
lots cm."
Hon, slower of speech mill inoveiiiout,
t-cnreoly glanced rioni his horse's nock.
"Yes. lie net tired," ho answered, ptes
cnlly. "Ho'm not Iron."
"I wish Itonc enroll loss for society,
mid nioie Tor us hoys!" Tom grumbled,
"Dinner wny abominable! I guess she
don'l know how luicou nnil rold tmllod
potatoes tiiKto from K dinner pall.
Nile's selfish clear through, like nil
girls. Sho thinks she's nil right; may
Iu sho Ik; lint homo Isn't. It's not
whnt II wiih when ma wns hero."
Ills voice renchod rnrlhcr tlmi ho
luiew. Doniloy. on I ho lor.iler. Fitmed
nnil gave it li.'iekwnril. Koinher look.
Sudden silence foil, broken only by the
croaking of chains mid rnMlo of
whoclx. When tlioy spoke tigiiiu It was
about (lie morrow's work. Doniloy
lld mil encourage Idle conversation.
Tom's grievance wns. lo I.Iin. n ronl
one. The religion of old days hud boon
(he religion of comfort, 'hie passing
if its meek disciple wrought lirwll.ihlp
changes. There wns nioro lamplight
in the l.i',lor now, more calling, moro
ineotlu;; of benevolent soeicilcs. Thoe
(Mugs were nil right, but Tom resulted
(lie bacon nnil cold potatoes
Where the rend touched lie Inuo
it (lying figure evaded the lend le.iiu,
nnil stopped, punting, before die hoys,
tilmoxf tmder (heir horses' feel. It
vns thirteen-year-old Florence, the
Ln by.
"O Hen," sho cried, breathlessly, "do
lot mo ride, won't yotiV Tcssle Hlreh
Is nt our limine. They're In the parlor.
Itraeflclng Easter intHc. They arc
mveet iih lllleH. (he songs nro. I'm go
lug to (he .services Sunday, aieh'l yon?
C'nii't I ride, Ben?"
Hon swung her easily to n place be
lilnil him on the homo, uud she clasped
lilni nlHiut (he. walsl. snuggling Iter
cold nose against his hack.
"I wish you'd wear something on
your lioiid," lie remonstrated, "it's a
wonder you.don't die! Have Ihey'sot
Jtnylliliig good lo eiil nt home":"
"Mnekorol'." disdainfully. "Rico, no.
(nines, biscuit mid eoffee. Bicnu
corciipd. Metier hurry everything's
corclilng!"
"Oh, well, they're singing:" Tom
marled. "I soy, Hon. you're your own
w after lo-nwrrow. I'd light out.
I'd hunt up Uncle Hurt. 1 don't Intend
,4o -work on. here. when my lime's' up.
A fellow gets neither monev nn-
thanks.
"'"fSTmnilVrfv,KIoronee flashed.
"Ben Isn't going to fcftitqut: he's go-
inx to n(.ny wim nic! i rwks iiuugn i
aren't burnt." nnxlonslr. "In f.-nnr
tolrthday to-morrow. Hen?"
"I guess It t." He wUhdrcw from
iicr embrace uud slid hastily to die
wound, cloHiuR the big gale behind
Ids wagon. "Hun along to the house
now, Rube. I hnve to feed the horses.
It's too mortal cold Tor you to.be out."
"I'll go wllli you," she olunteorcil,
stoutly. "Let me-l'll help. You
nven't going to light out. Hen, are
you?"
"Bother!" Hen roughly brushed her
aside. "You're (he awfttllest Mil when
you got a notion! Hun on to the house;
I menu wjia; I miy."
When Hon used that tone Florence
sensed importunities. She l tuned dis
contentedly toward (he lighted sottare
of the kitchen window. She wanted
to be with Ben. He wns her Kiel -Hen.
the taciturn. In lurnucy It wns his
Hhoulder she loved best. In days of
measles and croup he wns her savior.
Now, its then, he was the one being
Hllogelher lovely, without spot or Idem,
ish.
Ben made his horses comfortable.
then went to the house, which looked
Inviting nrtor the biting outer air.
Togs were ablaze on the hearth, nnd
tho tnhle wns daintily spicad. He
seated himself, and Florence look pos
ossloii of Ids knee.
"We're golug to have preserved
lionrs," she whispered. cucnuraKlugly.
"I'd oat a lot If I weie you!"
At the Initio her Irrcprcsslhllty broke
out nfresh.
"Do you know to-morrow Is Hen's
lilrthdny?" she demanded.
Mr. Doniloy paused a moment, fork
In hand. Hone smiled ncros at her
lirnther.
"Twenty-one!" she exclaimed. "Hen
voter! I'll give n dinner in honor of
the event. Consider yourselves Invit
ed, all of you!"
As Doniloy left the room that even
ing ho turned grutlly to his elder son.
"'We won't work tomorrow," he said.
"I'm going to mill. You can knock
it rou ml."
It wns a lengthy speech for Mm,
and a gracious one. Hen Tell the com.
Iillmont. "All right," lie said. In nl-
most his father's way. "I'm not
orry."
Tom wns not so reticent The prom
ise, of a day's rest and an old-time din-
ier warmed his blood.
"Help Hone clean up," he whispered
o Florence, as he lighted his stub of
candle nt the log. "I'm golug to ask
fcomo fellows home- to dinner. Have
something decent to eat."
With tho first light' Florence shivered
into her clothes. It was Saturday and
Wen's birthday. There wns much to
do which must be done well.
So well wns It done thai by 0 o'clock
the house reflected a wonderful iuater.
mm!
Hone wns nl (he mirror when Flor
ence came Milling In.
"Flo." the older sister called pleas
antly, "If you'll do something for mo
I'll give you u dime! There's plenty
of braid nnil butler, milk and choose,
uud I here are throe pumpkin pics,
l-'alher'll be mil late, and no telling
when the boy will got In. When they
come, sot out their dinner, and you
bIiiiII have the dime."
Slow dismay I'surpod I he bustling
choorfulnos of the child's face. "Where
are you going?" "he deninmled.
"To the church. Tessle and I "
"Hut Hen?" I'loronce interrupted,
breathlessly. "It's Hen's lilrtlula.v!
And you said "
"( hush!" Rone gae her hair a
vicious twist, and Jalibed In a hull pin.
"Hon won't lie In before night. I'll got
It) nt a good dinner to-morrow; perhaps
I'll Invito the minister over. I have to
go to-day: I'm on the (lower committee.
You'll do alj. right. If you are lone
some hnve Ida Burton come over."
"I don't want Ida Hnrloii. and you're
ton jnenn to live!" Florence choked.
"You nic! I'm not going lo your old
church again -see if I do! You told
Hen "
"Now, that will do!" Hollo Inserted
the last pin. and look a critical survey
of heoelf. "I'm not Hen's slave, nor
yours. You'll do what I say. With
Hover bore there's nothing lo be afraid
of."
"I'm afraid of nothing but mean
ness!" Florence stormed. Hut words,
fulled. Site turned and lied,- banging
the door in a way to make the toilet
articles Jump In astonishment.
"Spitfire!" Hen commented, pinning
on her hat. "She's dreadful! I don't
know what Is to hecoiii" of her! 1
iiiusl hurry. I wonder If Mr. Morgie
will be there to help us';"
When the storm was over Florence
en me buck to the descried kitchen.
It wits nearly ten by Hie fat Dutch
clock In the corner. The keltic slm
mored very Invitingly, and an expect
ant air pervaded the place. Florence's
face wore a look of determination.
"Hen is. going to have his birthday
dinner," she announced to the clock.
"You needn't look blank nnil cross
your hands. I'm going to cook It my
self!" K was very cold. There wns nothing
to save the Haste:- promiM' from the
MWord of the frost. Florence's pels, the
barn-ynrd fowls, huddled together In
sunny corners, looking frowsy and
wind-blown. She went out among
thorn, pan In hand, her cars tingling.
She was a .Indus: she nieani to betray.
They knew no fear of her. She
.picked up a young cochin, who merely
ilonehed round In an effort lo secure
tJie corn In her hand.
V Oh, you poor thing, she whimpered.
fA'edliig him. "I have to have you for
lien. II won't hurt but a minute. 1
Know the ae Is sharp-oil!"
rShe leaned against the fence, while
and sick, and die chicken Mopped.
wiioh an was sun. sin
still, she ventured to
noop. The derd was done. Shudder-
J.fiug violently, flu- snatched up her
vlcllm and tied, leaving his heartless
brethren lighting over die pan.
One unconsciously Imbibes informa
tion. How to remove the feathers did
not trouble her now that she had
solved the problem of his head. She
rose with the strength of conviction
she knew she could cook.!
I low nice it must be lo be Itonc
lo have passed beyond dish-washing!
It occurred to her to be Hone, and she
donned a discarded wrapper and apod
her sister's ways. Her enthusiasm
grew. She prepared vegetables and
watched the pot. from which rich
odors began to rise. Then she turned
her attention to the fruH-collnr.
Hone was very parlleuhir about her
frult. It was (here "for hhow" Tom
asserled, in spoonful moments. There
wore vandal hands upou It now. Two
of the choicest Jars and a mold of Jelly
went to do honor to Hen's majority.
Hon, meanwhile, wns walking soberly
homeward, Ills heart was heavy with
the discouragement which fulls easily
upon the young. How many times had
he plowed these fields? How ninny
(lines gathered die harvests for oth
ers? Tom hail given voice to a though!
loug dormant in his mind. Why linger
In the rut. why go on as father and
grandfather had done before him?
There was youth's natural longing
for change, coupled with silent, soar
lug ambition. Who know to what
heights lie might urn climb? There
were none lo caie for him hero, none
save little Floteuee.
"O mother!" he whispered vtlth it
sudden sob. "Mother!"
Behind lilni a merry "Hallo!" from
lusty lungs made Mm turn quickly.
Tom ami three of id young friends
wore coming up from town. One of
uiein, was ine young minister upon
whom Tom assorted -Hone wits east
ing geiule glances.
"Walt, Hen:" Tom called, "doing
home? So are we. The boys and Mr.
Morgie are here to do Justice to Hone's
cooking. Fly up, nnil let's hoar you
crow!"
Hen colored under the tnn of nnst
summers its he nwkwnrdly greeted his
friends. A sinking of the heart told
him how little reliance he plnced upon
upon his sister's promise. Whnt If un
tidy hearth and empty cupboard
awaited thorn?
He wns sullcnlr nncrv nt Tom's
rashness. The moment gave him n
Hash of self.revelation. He was sensi
tive to the opinion of others; he was
proud.
"If home is ns Hone usually kcips
It," he thought, "I'll leave It forever!"
Outwardly ho was shy and quiet.
"I'm glnd to see you, boys," he unid.
"I'm not ready to crow yet not (til
nflcr dinner. Cold Hauler, Mr. Morgie.
Do you think this simp has killed the
fruit?"
Florence hnd Just completed the
preparations foj- her banquet uud was
proudly surveying i ostitis when there
came a groat stamping ami laughing
in tlie hall. The boys -and the
incaohcr! Sho peeped and lelrcateil, a
dcmuro, maidenly figure with dancing
eyes.
Tom stared. "Whore's Hone?" he
demanded. "Not gone, has she? Well!
What have you for dinner. Babe?"
Somewhat disconcerted, he led his
guests Into the parlor. Hen stood
where he had paucd. He was looking
at the table, Invitingly draped in snowy
while, graced by Ids mother's pretty,
ohl-rashloiicd china and silver. Some
thing uustemlieil the hand he extended,
"Did you fix II for mo, Babe?" hu
asked, and Florence nodded confu'd
ly, bunging her head.
"1 did the best 1 could," she faltered.
"I didn't think about company, but
Just of you."
"Thank you, Babe. Lot's think ot
each other from now on; shall we? I'll
do my part by you and father; I'll
stand by you. Come, give mo a kiss
for my iilrlliday!"
The now cook looked up Into her
brother's face. She saw there some
thing whk'li made her shiver raptur
ously, lien wns pleased with her; Hon
was happy! With a glad little gurgle
alio, weiil to his embrace, pressing rosy
lips in his. .j '?;."
"One for mother." sho whispered.
"Oh, how proud she'd be If she could
see you, a really, truly man, old enough
to vote!"
Bon's birthday dinner was n gront
sitccos. Young people are meriy over
little thing, uud after her first con
fusion Florence entered Into tho hilar
ity of the occasion, not, however, for
gettlnu' her dlgutly as mistress of tho
board. There were toasts proposed
and unsworn!, Jests nnil fi loudly re
pnrtcc. In the midst of it nil the door opened
suddenly, ami Hone stood upon the
threshold.
Hnjoyment sparkled In Tom's eyes.
"O Hene!" he called. 'Come In, Hone!'
Heller Into than never! Yon nsked
us or some of us to Hen's birthday
dinner, you know, nnil here we are!
So glad you've come! Will you have
it Ihmh there Isn't nuylhlng else left?"
The girl made a gesture or dissent,
turning away hoi- crimsoned face.
With an unintelligible murmur of
greeting and apology she withdrew,
carrying wllli her a confused Impres
sion of happy young faces on each of
which was it look which uiudu hor
tliigle sensitively.
She hnd a bad half-hour alone with
herself, the Miurnls of mirth coming up
from below. Hvery sound wns a stub,
making her wince and writhe. For she
was not. as she declared herself to lie.
a monument of selfishness. She was
but a thoughtless, pleasiirclovlng girl,
who had not yet arrived at her moth
er's moral stature.
The promise of the day before, which
hnd been given so light ly, had been
brushed aside for a task more pleasura
ble. Now it came to her that a prom
ise, though made In Jest. Is sacred.
Hen. had trusted her. acted upon her
word. She did not know how results
had boon accomplished, how lie had
been spared from humiliation, but she
bad failed him.
Then she thought of his quiet, nil
youthful ways, and her heart burned.
Whnt :i good brother he was, toiling
manfully at his father's side, year In,
year out. to provide home comforts!
She put tier race down on her anus
ami wept n little, then turned to a bet
tor penitence, the sorrow for wrong
which expresses Itself In deeds.
It required some morn! courage lo go
down to her brothers' guests, and by
her cheerful, girlish presence brighten
their social hour: but this she did, nnd
Ben was forgiving. Tom. for once,
mngiuiulmous. Nothing wns douo to
vemlud her she had failed In the home
tho place where failures are hardest
to bear.
And be It said, from that day. al
though Florence's initiation wns suc
cessful, sho wns not forced to accept
life's lessons all at once, but look re
nialulug degrees at her leisure. For
wl(h Bene as (he home angel, the old
life of love aud comfort was re-estab
lished. Youth's Companion.
An KxpcnsWn MiMp.
Many people mnke It a rule to retnln
nny strny dog or cut or, Indeed, any
stray animal that may come to them.
In Franco this Is a dnngcrous thing to
do. Some time ugo a farmer living at
Lozorc. near Paris, took In a sheep
that had strayed on to his lnnd. nnd In
due course branded tlie sheep with hit
initials. Later on the real owner or
the strny sheep turned up nnd demand
ed the animal back. The farmer who
had adopted the sheep as his own
stoutly refused to comply with tills re
quest. Then trouble ensued. The
owner of the lost sheep wns n tena
cious aud persevering man, and he
wont to law over the mnttor. lie
fought the matter out In throe differ
ent law courts and eventually won his
case. He got his sheep back nnd the
other farmer hnd to pay n bill of coats
amounting to IjaSOO. The Tatler.
Ancient Tombs In Homo.
Several months ago In the work of
exploration which has been going on
In the Homnn Forum two nnclent
tombs of tho prehistoric period were
unearthed. Lately two moro of prob
ably tho same epoch were found, tho
epoch being the eighth century before
tho founding of tho city. One of these
tombs contnlued whnt was probably
the remains of n child, In both of them
wore urns which contained ashes,
showing that at Hint period both In
hiimntlon nnd cremation were prac
tised. These, four tombs nro among
the. most Interesting finds that kve
been made in Homo,
A Russian who claims to be a noble
man advertises for an American wife
wllh ?.().0(H. It looks as If noblemen
were getting less expensive.
The Doukliobors never heard of Tal
leyrand, but one of his maxims, "Be
ware of too much 'cnl," would be use
ful to thorn If they would lay It to
heart and hoed It,
It cannot be doubted that women ate
coming to prefer the "strenuous life"
to (lie "grand, sweet song" when on the
same day one catches ami stops a run
away horse aud another shoots a bur
gin i
A newly patented process is said to
convert sawdust Into a solid substance
more durable than mahogany and ca
pable of high polish. By and by there
will be no such thing as waste in any
Held of human Industry nnd produc
tion. ...
The Minneapolis Times says that
when electric railways traverse overy
olhor seetlou line, as they will sonic
day, It will be a great deal more com
fortable to live In the country than In
town, ami there will be more living in
the country In those days, so that
lielghborlluoss will be possible, the dis
tances between farm homos being
much reduced.
There Is an element of danger In
nearly all forms of sport, but until
some curb shall be put on the amateur
hunter, who goes out to kill the beasts
of the field and the forest nnd manages
to make things Interesting for his fellow-man.
there will never be dltllculty
lu deciding where the risk Is greatest,
asserts the Philadelphia ltccord. With
in die nrca covered by the range of the
amateur's rifle life is uncertain.
The British Pacific cable, connecting
Vancouver, Ii. C, with Brlsbnne,
Queensland, has been completed and
opened to the public. The cable ex
tends from Baintlold'Crcok, Vancouver
Island, to Fanning Island, In the mid
dle of the Pacific; t hence It goes. In
several sections, lo Norfolk Island, Just
north of New Zealand, and connects
here to New calami and to Australia,
at Brisbane, The first section of this
cable Is the longest continuous subma
rine telegraph Hue in the world.
Tlie Boston Christian Heglster ob
serves that It Is interest lug to watch
die successive waves of people enter
ing a large city In (he morning, livery
train brings a different section of so
ciety, of which the ehuiacterlsties aro
distinctly marked. A rough classifica
tion has been made llnis-nt 7 the
works, at ! the clerks, at 11 the shirks.
But the linos are so closely drawn that
every fifteen minutes brings to the eye
of mi expert observer Indication"; as to
the distance passengers have ionic, the
districts where they live ami the kind
of work they are going to do in the
city.
In Science Mr. .1. Ii. Thatcher, of the
Carnegie Museum, describes the find
ing of the skull of a musk ox in West
Virginia. It was found In glacial grav
el along the Ohio Rhoi. .Musk oxen
(oday only Inhabit the ultra Arctic re
gions, but when the gront ice shoot
covered nil the upper part of North
America the Arctic animals were
pushed down before II ami their range
became very mueh extended. In those
days, Just before tho advent of man,
walruses disported along die loo-bound
const of Now .Icrsey. and now wo
know musk oxen roumed over the fri
gid plans of the Middle West.
The Medical Department of the
Army reports forty vacaucles In the
crude of assistant surgeon. As to the
reasons why the commissions go beg
ging the Now York Tribune says: "The
rnuk or the new assistant surgeon In
tho United States Army Is first lieuten
ant, with about ?100 a year pay, not
enough to lure ninny men from the
quiet path of general practice to the
strenuous work of the army surgeon.
After fivo years' service the nsslstnnt
surgeon advances to tho grade of cap
tain, and there he remains, unless
something extraordinary happens, for
twelve or fifteen years, and if lie Is
then still physically competent to per
form the duties of the place, he may
become a surgeon, with the rank of
major. The army register shows Hint
a few surgeons gained tho gold leaf lu
less than ton years, ami (hat one lucky
man reached the grade of major lu
about seven years after his captain's
commission wns issued. But tho ma
jority of the sixty majors lu the de
partment had to wait from twelve to
sixteen years for the promotion. This
condition In believed by many physi
cians to be one reason why the exam
ining board bus had mediocre material
to deal with, and has been compelled to
reject all but five of the candidates for
the vacaucles." With a few changes
this branch of the service might be
made popular,
CHILDREN'S
iSK5tBrA55gflfe
Brapsfnifi Ivy; s?rj-f0Blx
Ml "UwI&JeK V d?II n(
T.llltc Wllllft mi AVliltlii?.
tioniptiucs w'en I'm tniihlliii' bail,
Sntnu os ho. 'II be.
Then my inn she aits a glide
Jus' to pimisli tue.
1 ike dii l.iugli to .ce that slid:
Like a iup o' h.iy
Hut tlie minute tli.it it l.inV,
Then I tall, this uuv
"Wow! Ouch! Oil! I s.iy!"
(Thinks I'm crvin' then)
"Oudi! Oil. dear! I will obey;
I'll be good ng.iiu!"
Seems lo enp my inn, you see,
An', o' cour-e, it don't Imit inc.
Bulil's iliiTeion' with my pa;
W'en lie Lit-! a sink
' It is longer nn his nun
An' rrbullt cs thick.
Wile he's Kittin' il I w.iit,
Tliiiikin', thiiikin' dun!.
An' die lirs' blow 'nl lie kin's
This U ft tint nic j, ii red:
"Wow! Oudi!" (Jiu'ercs" tiling!
Cue etpr.irs to be
I cm 'I 'nieinbei w'.U I s.iy
Won he's whippin' me.
AVIiijipin'M on'y fun fiuiii m.i
Hu' it's dilTctcn' with my p.t.
THE BEAN"" POLE
ANI
THE POTATO.
Once there was a bean polo placed
hi a garden near a potato patch.
The cabbage Iiuiiicdintclj exclaimed:
"Dour mc, whnt a slid', poky thing Unit
is! What use is it standing there, no
benefit to anyone?"
Soon (lie seat let lieaii came running
about, searching for something to cling
to. ami found the beau pole.
"All right," said the happy little
beau, "yon are just what I was look
ing for; now 1 can begin my summer
win k."
"To be sure," cried young cabbage.
Kvery tiling lias some Use. Who would
over nave thought ol II;
The s'cniiei bean was cry spry, ran
up the polo very easy. Being very
llvelj. she began to make fun of the
potato plant.
MISSING MUSSULMANS' PUZZLE.
zzRM&yzi ks 1 iBfc 'iv
r Wyf WblImMi wtT MKll M M -' '-
Find two more Mussulmans
"How slow you tue." said tho bean.
"Why don't you look brighter and
more blooming?"
The potato plant only showed a few
palc blossoms, although she thought
she wns doing her best.
You do not call those (lowers." suld
the lively beau. 'Must look nt my love
ly scarlet blossoms," and she held up
a spray of bright blossoms.
The summer passed, the bean filled
her pods nnd felt quite proud of It.
"Only see what I have done," said the
beau to the potato plant. "There Is
summer Avork for you," ami she filled
the polo up nnd down with her pods.
The cabbnge cried out: "Why don't
you do something? Cnn't you come to
a bend?"
The potato plant still was silent.
But when tho time enme to dig up the
potatoes and the hill was opened, nnd
the pile of lung white potntoos ap
peared they nil could hardly believe
their senses. '
"You were doing something all tho
time," declared the i.ibbnge, but how
could I know?"
Then (lint bean hung her pods bo
everyone could see (hem, "Well, after
this I will suy of tho plant that makes
tho lenst show, 'Walt, potatoes in
side.' "
There are u great many scarlet beous
DEPARTMENT:
among people, aud some potatoes also,
and maybe a few rahbiigT- heads. Chi
cago Record-Herald.
"Did you have lots of nice things In
cat at (he party?"
"Rather! Why, I had to tnke four
kimls of medicine after it." Ally
Sloper.
Clersr lllrilt.
Tlie brilliantly plumed birds of the
tropical forests arc exposed to many
dangers, and If they wore not gifted
with queer yet useful Instincts they
would certainly fall toady victims to
their enemies. Chattering monkeys
and big snakes steal nnd eat their
eggs, while their fledglings are preyed
upon by foes on every side.
But it takes a sly monkey or snake
to get abend of the mother tailor bird.
She hides her nest so skillfully thnt her
enemies canuot find it, no matter how
In this Constantinople scene.
hard they try. This sho does by using
her long, slender bill ns n needle.
With ,the tough fibre of a parasite
plant abundant In tho tropics as a
thread, she sews a dead leaf taken
from (he ground to a living oue near
(he end of a slender am! bunging
branch, and between these leaves she
builds her nest, where neither monkey
nor snake can approach, .becuuse tho
branch will not bear their weight.
The Indian sparrow Is equally In
genious. She makes her nest of grass,
which she weaves like cloth, and lu
the shape of a bottle. Then she covers
the outside with fireflies to scare away
the bnts thnt prey upon her young ones.
Habits of 8pnrrowa ( Knglantl.
A writer in t! o London Spcctator
snys that the site of sparrows' ucats
Is chosen with great en re, nnd nlways
with a view to avoid dnnger from
cnts. They shun any proximity (o or
dlnnry roofs of houses when; cats are
likely to disturb them, but the erection
of a corrugated Iron roof In their
neighborhood will attract them nil
from their old nests, us the cavities
underneath furnish homes for hun
dreds of them, where they nro entirely
safe, as no cat can reach them.
Among other curious things related
Is one of how they cling to n particular
block of houses, or, maybe, only to tho
front of a row of houses, never going
to tho buck, or vice versa. One spring
time, when these birds seem especitilly
luellned to (mil up (he enrly crocus.
It wns noticed that a number of these
(lowers In front of some houses wore
totnlly destroyed by tho brood of spar
rows living there, but the llowers nt
the bnck of the same house were un
touched, and the brood of birds living
there wore busy nt work nt scxictlnng
else. It wns related thnt the reverse
wna Just as likely to be the case.
Th Pearl Can II 8klnuil.
The penrl Is tho only precious stone
thut can be skinned. To skin It Is of
ten the only way to restore Its milky
color.
Hcrpcntt Venom Kill l'lanti.
Plants inoculated with tho venom of
serpentB usually die in from one to four
duys.
"A I'lcnsaut Tlino X Unit."
A A (Jfn.rf
i.l II I'" m , . , I,
t
,'v
If
gy-jEW"aVear Is to try it Mmuir. "
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