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About Hemingford herald. (Hemingford, Box Butte County, Neb.) 1895-190? | View Entire Issue (Dec. 27, 1895)
L TKiSw SKPWWHWBIWBImIWIPBBf l tuniuwwftwit mkhxff0M&m-mmi " V-i" i .. .limits. cetetrs era Qttu, Jlfnuly and Caprice ; Build this golden portal; Grateful women, chosen ra i Daiiteerery mortal. Their sweet nnd lolly counlensnes HI enchanted food lis need not so to them, their form Beast lilt solitude. He looketh seldom In their face, III pye cplor' the ground Tho green erann in a looking-gUte Whereon their trntU nro fnund Little nnd lesi lie says to them. Bo dances his hrnrt In his breast; Their tranquil tnleti berenvetta him, Ot wit, of words, ol rest. Too weak to win, too fond to shua The tyrntits ol hi doom, The much drrelvptl Kndyinlon Slips behind li tomb. MRa DOIJBS' "WHIM." From the Argot. Mr. and Airs. Dobbi lived at Clap fcam. They were a very worthy coup h, their friends said. Tliat is about the beat people wilt say of an elderly pair if tbuy are not intellectual or troublesome. Mr. and Mrs. Dobbs were neither. Mr. Dobbs was stout and commonpluco in appearance, and did not flirt with bin neighbor's wife, or gamble in stocks, or live boyond his income. He was hall-marked among upright men, and was trustco (or half his friends' chil dren. No doubt he was a triflo heavy and prosy at times, but these are drawbacks frequently attendant upon mon of probity. Ho certainly was nev "inpted by impulses or inspiration-, of any sort either to do wrong or to become witty or original. Mrs. Dobbs was reputed a respect able and virtuous matron for other reasons, imprimis, she had no taste in dress; neither did alio paint hor face or excite the envy and spite of her femalo friends by beautifying her house, the was fond of a cood dinner of a Bolid English sort, and always wore black silk or satin gowns. Her caps wore preposterous erections f lace, with gilt or steel ornaments attached; and when she went to tho theater she wore a red bernotiso. Tru ly this couple wore loft behind in the race of extravagance, frivolity and ec centricity. Fashionable folks would have nothing to say to them; those who did consider them worth cultivat ing explained their status as "good, worthy peoplo," with a compassion; ate shrug or smile. Mr. Dobbs was "something in the eity," and his bit; office and many clerks brought in some thing more than a comfortable in come. Yet he made no parade ot wealth and kept household accounts strictly. Every evening he returned home punctually by the 0 o'clock train from Waterloo, carrying his fish bas ket with him. Fish was cheaper and letter in the city than at Clapham,' ana wra. iJayumvas particularly 101m ot figh, Tho worthy" Josiah would riot have spoiled her dinner for the Q.rld. She must have her salmon in season, and her red mullot and white feait, nil in due turn, of the host. By this you will understand that Mr. Dobbs was devoted and domestic. Yet there wero thorns amid tho rosea of his conjugal paradise. Mrs. Dobbs waB now and again beset by (spirits of unrest and discontent, and her whims at inter vals causod dear, steady-going Josiah much inconvenience. There wore no children at Clarence Villa; and per haps for this reason Mrs. Dobbs had more leisure for complaint. She prac ticed the art of murmuring with as steady a persistence as aprimadonna her scales. Jostah suffered hor dis contents with mores than the ordinary patience ot an exemplary husband. As years went on Josiah philosophi cally gave up wishing for an heir, seeing his Dorothy had grown portly and middle aged. He uubecrlbed largely to tho vari ous charities not having a legitimate outlet for his human kindness. A philoprogenitive organ impelled him toward children's 'hospitals. Why, said he. should not his generation benefit instead of they that were to come afterr Mrs. Dobbs did not however, view such matters with equanimity See ing tho undue and unwelcome number of olive branches round about othor people's tables, she resented nature's ruelty to herself. She, therefore1, frowned persistently on Josiah's philanthropic schemes for other people's children. His benevolence toward orphans, foundlings and waifs and strays was a never-ceasing cause of argument and mortification to her. She did not suffer any loss, Sarsonally, from these charitable eds. Not a wish remained unwant ed, and checks were forthcoming with cheerful readiness when required. She had her carriage, her servants, her milliners as she listed. Josiah erected a miniature Crystal Palace in his gar den because bhe wished to have bana nas growing. He took her to Egypt one winter, and nearly died of sea sickness by the way, becaueo she had been reading Eaptern romances and ? earned for Oriental glitter. Nothing hat money could obtain was 'denied her only she had no children. cor a long time Mrs. Dobbs had displayed no extraordinary caprice. Jobluti wassallmgnronginwonderruity smooth matrimonial waters. But the lady's frequent absence of mind nnd contemplative mcin might have convinced a more sophisticated man that mischief was brewing. In truth Mrs. Dobbs was slowly hatching a scheme which she felt sure would run counter to Josiah's wishes. This lent nn additional zest to her plan. She considered itaretributiveschemo. She would fight Jostah on his own ground with his favorite weapon of benev olence. "I ingoing to adopt a child, Josiah. Apply daily to Meanrs. Grinhain andGrnb Jfow it's no use your contradictlne'4 Imni. Solicit jri, 201 Parliament utreet, sa . ??flteWWWW ffjrrflyffig lyMMiWiMrtf -mm mo, because 1 won t listen,- nam tne lady one evening over dessert. Bhe spoke aggressively, cracking the shell of a walnut with decision. She peevish ly found fault with tho fish and tho fintnd.and had slapped her pug for -no earthly reason. If Josiah had been less slow ho would have opined that a storm was brewing. There was silence for a minuto after Mrs. Dobbs had opened fire. "Aren't you going to speak?" she aid at length. "A child, remarked Josiah, drop ping his fat chin into his shirt. "My lore, that is surely a project requiring very serious consideration." Mrs. Dobbs tossed her head omin ously. Every inch of lace in her cap Bcomod suddenly to have acquired itarch, while tho gilt ornaments there on scintillated fiercely. "When I say a thing I moan it, as foil know, Jopiah. I havo considered hat you indulge- your hobbies with out testraint. It is high time my benovolence found something to oc cupy it." Josiah drank up his wino slowly. When he spoke again it was in a sub dued tone. "Dorothy, my dear, how often have I reminded you in the past threo years that your poor sister left a child. As I have said before, it is your clear duty" "Mr, Dobbsr Tho lady roso, and swept her black satin skirts to the door. Here she paused to add: "I repeat, I remember no sister. A dis graceful marriage severed all connec tion of birth. I beg that you will nevor allude to that shameful matter again." Perhaps the episode alluded to wan well romombrcd by .Toaiah, for ho sighed several times in his after-dinner solitude. He knew the mad-cap girl he had sheltered for many years beneath his roof was dead, but he know, too, that her child lived, and he would fain have cherished it for tho mother's sake In tho courso of the ovening Mrs. Dobbs resumed the questiou of adop tion. Josiah was a peaceablo man, and ho loved his wifo; but this last whim was a serious one, and would inevitable entangle her in difficulties. "1'in going to advertise at once," she said. Mr. Dobbs looked very blank. "I Bhould advise you to try some other plan that would give less pub licity to the matter," he said mildly. "That would bring any amount of beggars and inpostors about you." Mrs. Dobbs looked over her crowol wbrk in an injured way. "Thero you are again, Josiah; always trying to oppose me and make my life miserable. I declaro you contra dict me every morning and ovening about somotlnng. Haven't I told you before what a lonely life I lead? It's all vorj well for you, who go away to the city overy day to make money. You are just liko all men you are selfish to tho core." With this final femalo platitude, Mrs. Dobbs began to whimper. Mr. Dobbs folt guilty of heinous cruelty. "A companion might "ho began. Tho lady lifted herself from the sofa cushion and Josiah quailed. "A companion!" wjth withering sarcasm, "to make lovo to you, no doubt, Josiah. I know their schem ing ways. Didn't I have enough ol Miss Griggs and her maneuvering tricks, working you-braees, tho hussy, and sending you Christmas cards. How daro von mention a person of that sort after all my sufferings with them?" Of course in tho end tho lady pre vailed, and Josiah passively counte nanced tho adoption. Matters were soon sot in order for the fulfillment of the latest whim. Yet verily hor heart failod her during the week follow ing hor advertisement, Her lonely con dition had never been so apparent to hor beforo as when Bhe was besot by a crow of parents and guardians bearing some puny or blighted Infant for her adoption.' All sorts and condi tions of men craved her pity for their wretched children. Sho was bewildered by tho offensive bearing ol bolder ap plicants. Moro than once Mrs. Dobbs had to ling in her respectable butler to get rut oi Bomo msistant parent who endeavored to intimidate- her in to an immediate purchase. The re sult of all this was a cessation of the daily advertisement. Mr. Dobbs, of course, was not informed minutely of all that went on, though an interview with his butler one evening threw a little light on things that had occurred. "I wish to give a month's warning, sir," said this gentleman in privacy to his master. "Why, now, Tinker, what is the matter? I'm sure you've a very com lortAble place, with a boy to do all your dirty work." xinicor coughed and stammered a few words before coming to tho point. "Well, now, sir, to speak, plain it's along of that wild crowd of vagabonds, as Mrs. Dobbs she's seeing of every day. Babies by the score, they're brought by impident rascals such as I ain't been accustomed to. One of 'em Bhe wouldn't go out ol tno gate till 1 called the police. It aint respectable in a gentleman's house, I do assure you, sir." Somehow or other Mr. Dobbs man aged to sooth the outraged feelings of his man servant, and prevailed upon him to put up awhile loncer with the inconvenience of tho situation. The worthy Josiah was concerned for the protection of his wife. "How are you getting on with your business, my love?" inquired Mr. Dobbs that evening. "Oh, pretty well," Bsid the- lady cheerfully, yet persistently avoiding hor husband's eyes. "1 find it very difficult to make up my mind; and I want a pretty little boy, not quite a baby, with no disgraceful connections to hang abQUt bun. No doubt I shall see one to suit me in a fow days." Tho fow days passed without further allusion to the subject, and the follow ing curious advertisement appeared in all the daily papers: WANTED. For Immediate ndoptlon, a little ooy between 2 and 4 years old. Must bo healthy nnd pretty and sound in body aud mind. The parenU or relatives must lenounce all f laim on him forever, lie will ia nmlAtnlil,i .AuMii.l fsM In 41lm fta. Weutinirster. n-? "-Y Alter the appearance ot this advr ' sement tho persecution of Clarence tlsement Villa died away, and only now and ' nrtntn n. iAnn,f nl! man jv. iunv.i leading a little boy, was heard inquiring for Mrs. Dobbs' residence- of a Ipcnl policeman. But the lady was nbdurato to all claims mado on her pity. See had hardened her heart to destitute cases; and pen niless widows or consumptive fathers met with scant ceremony at her hands if their offspring wero not de sirable. After this had gone for a fortnight or more, Mrs Dobbs onaday visited Messrs. Griffham and Grab ham during business hours. "I have como about tho child, Mr. Griffham," she said, going at once to her point. "How is it you have sent mo none that aro pretty or interest ing?" From tho force of habit, Mrs. Dobbs was apt to speak dictatorial ly to strangers. "My dear madam, pray remember children are not mado to order." Mrs. Dobbs winced. "I see I must except no assistance from you, sir," she said loftily. No doubt my hus band's opposition to my object has influenced you, I will tronbie you no further in this matter. You may con elder your quest at an end. Good morning." Weary ol hor undertaking, Mrs. Dobbs had almot resolved to aban don her whim. She chowed the cud of bitter thoughts on her homoward way that day. Providence or fortune was against her success. That evening Mr. Dobbs came home in an unusual de cree of haste, and of a cheerful mien. "Love," said he, tripping over the dining-room mat, "I've found a child for you." Mrs. Doobs lookeed up coldly. "It's impossible I shall liko it," said she perversely. "No ono wants to part with a child Unless there's something tho matter with it." Mr.Doobs beamed yet moro bright ly. He was not to bo subdued by any wet blankets. "It's a little boy, and he is 8 years old, fair, pretty and most intelligent. His father is just dead." "What about his mother?" queried Mrs. Doobs cautiously. Josiah reddened,stammeringalittle. "She nh, poor soul is dead too. This is no beggar's brat. He is well born, Dorothy, on one side. I can give you every proof." The next day the child was brought to CI aph am and left a Clarence Villa by a clerk from M. Dobbs' office. He was poorly dressed, but a handsome little lad, lively and spirited. Ho was not at all shy, nnd addressed himself freely to tho pug and parrot. The piping treble voice and shrill, childish laughter touched the maternal chord in Dorothy's heart. Slfo went a little sadly that day while hor eyes followed the child. Ho stroked her velvet gown and fingered her rings while he Bat up on her knee, chatting about the things around him. "What is your name?" questioned the lady.' "Harry," answered the boy readily. But nothing more could be elicited from him. He did not seem to under stand that ho could have a second name. He was but a baby boy, scarce ly threo. In the afternoon Mrs. Dobbs tele graphed to her husband that he must make arrangements for her to keep the child a day or two. It would not bo nocessary to send any one to fetch him that evening. The day passed quickly, with little feet pattering beside her, exploring the wonders of garden and green houses. Towards 7 o'clock Mrs. Dobbs began to look anxiously for her spouse s return. She had quite decid ed that she would keep tho child, but still there were questions to bo asked preliminaries to be settled. The boy must bo tiers entirely. IS ono must ever claim him, or interfere with his welfare. Mr. Dobbs camq leisurely up the garden at his usual hour, car rying his fish-bag. His stolid face changed a little when he looked throuch tho window and saw the child on his wife's knee. "Ho is a pretty boy, Dorothy," he said nervously, when ho camo near. "A darlipg little boy; I mean to keep him, .Ionian," sheeaid, gently disen gaging tho chubby hands from hor chair. "Will you stay with mo, Harry?" The child laughed gleefully, tossing back his curls. "Stay with ooj pity, pjty flowers," ne cried clapping his hands. "Tell mo ail you know about him, Josiah. What is his parentage, and will his nearest relatives surrender all claim upon him?" Josiah shifted uneasily in his Beat. He had tho appearance of a man op pressed with guilt. "He is an orphan," said he look ing speculatively at his own broad toes. "So much tho better for me, ' said Mrs. Dobbs. But I will have no dis tant reltaives hanging about. He must belong exclusively to me." Mr Dobbs drew nearer to his wife. "Dorothy, he ought to belong to you if to anyone." The ladv nut down the child from her knee. His largo bine eyes gazed in wonder at this sudden rejectiou. "What is the boy's name?" said Mrs. Dobbs, breathlessly. "Henry," ho rejoined, slowly, "But Henry what?" sheasked, more sharply. "Henry Morrison. He is your sis ter's child a friendless orphan now. God help him if you don't. Mrs. Dobbs fell back on the sofa cushion, nnd covered her face with her hands. The tears were falling through them when little l'nigei s essayed to move them. "Has oo, been naughty? on't ky." Perhaps the lady was veryconscious of her own naughtiness, for ehe cried still more at this appeal, drawing the child into her embrace. Thero was never any more doubt about the adoption. Henry Morrison callsMrs. Dobbs mother to this day, and Josiah is a littleness generous toward asy lums and hospitals. There will be a very pretty penny by and by for his adopted son. Norway, Michigan, was destroyed by fire, its population rendered homeless, and their losses rearhlng s:joo,oou. i i W A SHINOTON SWORF, ' " wiuiwiu O W JJXI1j. THB FATHER OV HIS COUNTRT PROLANS FOR ONCB. Ancrr With Klateas Baeters A Twrkejr, em Oath nnil a Broken Neae A Hitherto UnpublUhcd Starr Oar Rational lMar. Tho first national Thanksgiving day ever observed by the United Stat of America owes Its historic Interest to one broken nose- and an oath. To tho oath wo owe tho supremacy of tho turkey as our national feast day bird, and to tho broken nose wc owe the only evidence that has come down to us that George Washington ever iry ot uio treasury was ocinnu aworo. Yet afl these Important things tim? nn(1 tbcro occurred at the dinner aro collateral to tho malu fact that we toblo what would now bo called a dis narrowly escaped losing Thanksgiving J agreement among gentlemen. Wo have after all, and that all tho famed men much and detailed Information about of that day got Into a very bitter quar- it in Hamilton's letters. In tho first rel over it and ate a turkev dinner at , place Lieut St. Clair, a neyliew of daggers drawn, so to speak. The idea of having such a national holiday at all originated In the fertile brain of Alexander Hamilton. Hamil ton was then secretary of ho treasury, and In August, 1789, he broached tho matter at one of the meetings of Pres ident Washington's cabinet. To bo sure, there had been Thanksgivings in this country from time immemorial bo fore our government was born, but tho first celebration of a Kcnulnely na tional character was the ono appoint ed by George Washington of glorious memory. This correspondence Is now In the possession of the Schuyler Ham Utons and Is authority for this hither to unpublished history It was In September, 1789, that the matter was brought to the attention of congress. Representative Boudlnot of Now England moved that. In view of the blessings so abundantly bestowed on the country by the Almighty, a day of Thanksgiving be set apart by the president The resolution was sup ported by Representative Sherman of Connecticut, but it aroused violent op position. Many members of congress denounced the proposition as effete and monarchical, and We have the au thority of Representative Muhlenberg of Pennsylvania for the statement tliat some members grew so personal In their discussions of the matter that blows were exchanged on tho streets of New York. It appears from the Hamilton letters, and the fact will cer tainly surprise the historians, that Jef ferson and Hamilton Immediately dif fered as to the desirability of the boll day. Jefferson was opposed to the ldoa because It seemed undemocratic. He was then, of course, fresh from his long residence in free-thlnklng France. Anything that savored of prayer and church observance in the government was opposed to his extreme views In tho matter of separation of church and state. Ho expressed these views 'vlth moderation and good sense in a con cise letter, for he had as yet hardly as sumed the reins of office. Unfortu rately, the letter which Washington Is said to have addressed to Alexander Hamilton on tho subject Is lost. The resolution went through con- John Peter Gabriel Mnhlenbertf. cress, however, and Washington duly appointed the last Thursday of Novem ber, 1789, as the first of'one long line of national Thanksgivings. Immedl ! ately another acrimonious contest was becun. How was the day to be ob served? It was proposed to have a monster procession of dignitaries, headed by Washington himself on horseback. Jefferson's opposition to anything of the kind effectively pre vented Buch spectacular perambula tion. It was finally determined that the day was a domestic holiday, and I should be observed in tho privacy of the home after the good old New England manner. This much we know . from John Adams, the vice president, I who came from Massachusetts, the mother of Thanksgivings. I This settlement of tho controversy I was most gratifying tp Mrs. Washing tan, who at once made arrangements to hold a levee In true colonial fashion In the presidential mansion. Every one of prominence In the now govern ment was asked, from Chief Justice Jay down. And they all came, too, for I George Waeblngton was a gentleman, 1 and to be asked to bis house was a Bocial distinction, apart from the fact ( that he was president of the United States. I Now it seems that Alexander Ham I llton, eager to do anything calculated to put Thomas Jefferson to confusion, I had been organizing all manner of fes I tivltics nnd observances likely to make of Thanksgiving a noisy holiday. .Tef- ferson, on tho contrary, had held somowhat aloof from the whole thing, for he had too great pride In his supe , rlorlty to all affairs of a religious na ture, and he looked upon Thanksgiving as a religious contrivance entirely. By tho time the day arrived there had been engendered much unpleasant feeling Iwtwecn the cabinet factions, ' and this unpleasant fooling was com municated to tho respective partisans of the two cabinet leaders. The friends of Jefferson did what they do ccntly could to Ignore Thanksgiving altogether, a John Adams' letters show very emphatically. Hamilton s partisans, on the contrary, did all In their nower to maice tne uay a buc- cess, aud when the state of affairs was mado known In Boston ana in rnua delnhia. the battle wns heartily en- torod into, WTftB,lIuston had the mor tification of- seeing that his day ot thanksgiving for the blessings of Al mighty God liad become a source of no end of contention. However, the day dawned bright OTW m 'or New York: Tb u. of mnthr ,. nin, " bolls of Trinity were ranr for an hour and there was a parade of one regi ment, reviewed by Hamilton from from Faunce's tavern. Then tho cheer ing part of tho day began by indul gence In various forms of stimulating percolations, and every one no doubt was very thankful. Washington went to church in tho morning, and at high noon began to receive hlB visitors. It waB well on In the afternoon that ' Hamilton's little dinner began. It was rather a famous little dinner in Us day and generation, although It Is never talked of nowadays. It was I eaten at Faunce's and was the first t official Thanksgiving banquet iu our history. Hamilton wan to respond to a toast and then go off to the prcsl- uonts mansion, uut it seems the sec famed Arthur St. Clair, took occasion I to Bay, upon his honor ns a gentleman, that he was sober, vn unhlstoric per- ' !&'-& Faumce'a Tavern, soti3gc of whom we know no more than that his name was Tisdal, and that he was an alderman and notary, Impeached tho veracity of Lieut St. Clair, and defied him to prove It. The lieutenant thereupon ihrew a bottle ut nobody In particular and missed his aim. In nu Instant, as they say In novels, all was confusion, and then, like a god out of a machine, Iu walked Alexander Hamilton. The scene that met his gaze, accordlug to John Adams' account of It, was shameful. Viands and glassware aud gentlemen woro all massed together. However, they were separated, rtnd Hamilton, dreading the effect of the scandal if the episode became public property, did tho best to patch matters up. The skeptical alderman appears" to have had his doubts upon tho subject of Llout. St. Clair's sobriety set nt rest, but unfortunately there could be no doubt tliat the lieutenant's nose was broken in tho course of debate, for the Hamilton letters distinctly say so, but we have the same authority for main taining that it was agreed that a gen tleman is at times justified In Insist ing that he is sober. A now Aboat the Turkey. The next thing that happened, ac cording to tho letters, was a dispute about the turkey. Where was the tur key? It had not been brought upon the table. There were loud shouts for turkey, but none was forthcoming. A proposition to dispense with that fowl was hooted down, and Alexander Hamilton swore the Hamilton letters say he swore that no citizen of the United States of America should ab stain from turkey on Thanksgiving day. Well, they got a turkey some how, aud ate it Then they drank and cheered and sang songs and sang songs and cheered and drank. They knew how to observe Thanksgiving In those clays. This little matter attended to, Ham ilton made a speech and hied him to the presidential abode. Here there had beon dignified observance of the day, but It seems that some Inkling of the little row nt Faunce's had got abroad already, arid Washington put some questions to the secretary of the treas ury about It Both Knox and Ran dolph mention the exercised condition of the president, and Hamilton seems to have been inlluaiiced somewhat by his recent excitement. However It was, Washington nt nny rate became vexed nnd Indulged In some pointed remarks. Readers of the history of the period remember tho effective wnj in which Parton, Marshall nnd IIIU lard havo touched up the anger of our first president. Washington's dis pleasure always took the form of just resentment He resented the whole Thanksgiving episode. John Jay gives the language of the Fnther of Ills Country on this occasion with some pretensions to exactness. Washington was Incensed that a young soldier Bhould have broken his noso In a tav ern brawl while professing to be giv ing thankB for heaven's best gifts. Our first president went so far as fo say that It was disgraceful "by God." "By God, sir!" was the most blasphem ous imprecation In the Washington vocabulary, and he used it twice to Hamilton The first occasion was on this unhappy Thanksgiving. At the second, Hamilton quitted his muster. Thus, In a bundle of family letters, does the forgotten episode Ho pre served. Like many another event of the time, it has passed out of human knowledge, nnd the printed corres pondence of the great ones of the time, o3 V Contemporary Caricature of Jelter- on. in which alluBlon of It is made, re i poses amid dust heaps, and Is never perused by the eye of man. But It was a great event in us xune, uuu made Thanksgiving a memorable day to our forefathers In otticlal circles. History Is slleut on tho subject of the future career of tho lieutenant's brok en nose, but Thanksgiving day has come down o us lriin r What To Aro Made Ot, Professor Lanley. In the South Kensington Museum there is an immense collection Of ob jects appealing to all tastes and all classes, and we find there at tho same time people belonging to tho wealthy and cultivated part of society, lingering over the Louis Seize cabinets or the old majolica, and the artisan and his wife studying the statements astothoreia tivoeconomy of baking powders, or ad miring Tippoo Saib's woodon tiger. There is one shelf, however, which seems to have some attraction com mon to all social grades, for its con tents appear to be of equal interest to tho peer and costermongur. It is the representation of a man resolved into his chemical elements, or rather, an exhibition of tho materials of which the human body is composed. There is a definite auiount of water, for in stance, in our blood nud tissues, and there on tho shelf are just o many gallons of water in a large vessel. Another jar shows the exact quantity of carbon in us; smaller bot tles contain our iron and our" phos-r phorus in just proportion, while dth ers exhibit still other constituents of tho body, and the Wholo reposes on tho sholf, as if ready for the coming of anew Frankenstein to ' recreate the original man and make him walk aboutagain as wedo. Tho little vials that contain the different elements which we all bear about in small pro portions are more numerous, aud they suggest not merely the complex ity of our constitutions but the iden tity of our elements with those we havo found by the spectroscope, not alone in tho sun, but oven iu the dis tant stars and nebulae, for this won derful instrument of the new astron omy can find the traces of poison in a stomach or analyze a star, and its conclusion leads us to think that the ancients wtre nearly right when thoy called man a microcosm, or little uni verse. We have literally within our bodies samples of the most important elements ot which the great universe without is composed, nnd you and I nro not only like each other, and brothers in humanity, but childron of tho sun and stars in a more literal Bense, having bodies actually made in large part ol tho eame things that mado Sirius and Alddmran. They and wo are near relatives. The Military Frontier of France. The cession of Alsace and Lorraine placed Metz and Strasburg, the koys of the old French frontier in German hands. It gave Franco a new frontier and a very open one, a frontier un protected by any very great natural obstacles, for the Germans now held both sides ot thoRhine.and the north ern passes of the Vosges (the passes by which the French army u&ed to march to tho Rhine under Napoleon I,) were well within the new German ter ritory. Moreover,this naturally open frontier might be said to be wholly unprotected by art once Metz and Strasburg were gone. True there was the fortress of Belfort on tho ex treme right, guarding the well marked valley between the Vosges and tho Ju ra, which French geographers call la trouee-de Belfoit. But Belfort, shat tered by the successful siege which was the last act of the war, was only tho wreck of a fortress, and in any case itB works were not of such a character as. to fit it for its new position on the very frontier line. Taught by the hard lessons of defeat, the French Government at once set to work to put the new frontier into a thorough Btato of defense. Successive War Ministers havo steadily worked upon tho lines originally lata down by tho engineers charged, with tho task in 1871. Money has not been spared. It has been spent by millions, and now, niter the labor of 10 yeuis. the work is done. Probably so" -vast a scheme of military engineering wns nevor be fore planned and executed in so brief a time. Tho French engineers have not been content tq erect upon the new frontier threo or four first-class fortresses to serve as points of sup port for adefendingarmy. , Thoy have closed it with a double line of works, linked these together by an elaborate system of railways, and, besides re fortifying Pans, they have construct ed two other great fortresses in the heart of France to serve as bases of operation for her armies if, as in 1870, the barriers nearer tho frontier were again pressed by Invading armies from beyond the Rhine. Rural National Review. How Much CanbeDrcamt inFlva Seconds. Revue 8c!entlfique. I was sitting with a police official at his office, and we werediscussinc some fantastic story, when an employe came in and eat down beside us, lean ing with hia elbows on the table. I looked up and said to him, "you have forgotten to make the soup." "No.no; come with me." We went out togeth er, going across long corridors, I walk ed behind him, at the college where I had been brought up. He went into a wing of the house wblch I knew well, and which led to the class rooms. Un der tho stairs ho shQwed mo a stove on which stood an oyster shell with a little whito paint in it U naa oeen mixing water colors tho night before.) "But you have forgotten tne vegefta bleB. Go to the porter at the other end of the court-yard; you will find them there on the table." I waited for a long time; at last I saw him making sinus to me that he had found' nothing. "It is at the left hand side," I shouted, nnd saw him cross the yard, coming back with np imroenso cabbage. I took a knifo from my pocket, which I always kept there, and at the moment when I was going to cut tho vegetable I was awakened by the noise of a bowl of soup being put heavily on the marble top of the table next my bed. It appears to mo that the idea of Boup was Buggestea to me Dy tns eraell at the moment when the door was opened by a Bervant bringing in the soup while I was asleep,-and' it takes nvo seconds at the most tb walk from the door to tho bed.. .41 ?-.( "x, ,1
