V
A
v
SQUAN CREEK FOLKS.
Bquon Creek was runnln' along ns
tnooth ns grease and thar was never
a better sezun fur flsh and oysters, when
Moses Parker gits up at a meetln' of
the Mars' club one night ni says:
"Thar' ain't no reason on the fact of
this alrth why this town shouldn't bo
as good a summerresdrl as Atlantic
City or Cape May. We've got the same
ocean, a heap more marsh land and
'Bkeeteis, and the crabs, clams and flsh
ar every mlto as good. We orter hev
20,0000 people here Instead of 1,500."
"I'm agreeln' with Moses," said Tim
othy Ulgglns, as ho stood up. "Nntur
jartlnly Intended Squan Creek to grow
and spread out, and why she hasn't
done It beats my time. We've got the
ocean and a bay; we've got a fog-horn
and a bell-buoy; we've got twenty-two
boats In our fleet, and the climate here
is good fur consumpshun. How them
towns got ahead of us Is more'n I kin
make out."
"I was putttn' sum shingles on the
roof of my barn today," says Abner
Williams, "and I stopped my work to
look around. With the bay, the ocean,
the marsh and the town thar' ain't an
other slch sight In America. It made
my heurt swell with pride to luoK
around, and I can't understand why
Squnn i-reek nln't boomln'. Mcbb Mo
ses Parker has got sum plan to offer?"
"1 iiniiK l Iitv," said Moses, as he
tot up agin. "I've been turnln' this
thing over In my mind, and It's my opln
yun that what we need is advcrtlsln'.
If folks don't know what we've got hero
they won't come. Atlantic City and
Cape May hev bin advcrtlsln' fur y'ars
and y'ars, while nobody fifty miles
away has ever heard of Squan Creek.
Most of the members fell In with the
Idea, but they didn't thing newspaper
advcrtlsln' would do any good. It want
ed sunthln' with more novelty to It.
The matter was sorter left- to Moses
Parker to flgger out and report on at
the next meetln', and he was ckal to
the occashun. What he proposed to git
10,000 zinc tags with the name of Squan
Creek stamped on 'cm and attach 'em
to the tails of 10,000 fish. It was cai
kerlatcd that these fish would be kotch
ed all the way from Maine to Florida,
and nil along the coasts of England, Ire
land, France and Spain, and every time
one of 'em was hauled in the newspa
pers would mention Squan Creek and
advise their readers to buy real estate.
It was resolved to go ahead at once,
and In a week we got the tags from
New York. Then everybody went to
catchln fish and wlrln on the tags.
Didn't make no difference whether they
was dog-flsh or sea bass anything with
a tall, even to crabs and lobsters, was
all right. In about two weeks the work
was done, and Moses Parker gits up
in the club and rubs his hands and
eays:
"At this present mlnlt ten thousand
flsh ar' bearln the name of Squan Creek
to varus parts of the world, and a
Philadelphia newspaper will send a re
porter up here this week to write up
three columns about our scheme. Here
tofore I've been axin' $450 fur my house
and lo mt tomorrow the price goes
up to $700."
Fur u eek the enthusiasm was un
bounded. No strangers arrived, and no
property was sold, but we all felt we
was on the right track. Then Moses
got a letter and an express package
from Atlantic City. In the package
was 9,997 of our fish tagB, and In the let
ter was the news that in two hauls of
a net off the Inlet they had raked In
that many of our flsh, lobsters and
crabs. The three who wasn't accounted
for had probably died on the way or
gone towards New York. That was an
awful blow to Squan Creek. It seemed
to show that the very flsh was agin us
and in favor of Atlantic City. Every
body was crushed fur a week and Moses
Parker had chills ever day, but It was
finally decided to try sum other dodge.
It was Auron Davis who suggested bot
tled with a printed sircular inside. Bot
tles couldn't swim down to Atlantic
City ag'in' wind and tide. A commit
tee was aprolnted to buy bottles and an
other to git the println' done, and Moses
Parker got over his chills and said:
"I don't reckon George Wushlngton
could hev licked the British with 10.000
bottles, but I do believe that they'll
bring 5,000 new people to this town. I
hew read that the flndln' of a bottle
was what made Chicago, and what's
good fur Chicago Is good fur Squan
Creek."
The circular told all about the town,
and beln' printed in red Ink they made
a fine show through the glass. The
women and children corked 'em up,
and when all was ready we sent 'em
out on the tide. There was all kinds of
bottles, and as the 10,000 of 'em went
bobbin' out to set, Ichabod White waved
an American flag and Joe Saunders
fired off his double-barreled shotgun.
Fur four days the price of property went
up, and in his enthusiasm William Mor
ris bought a hull keg of paint and a
gallon of oil to paint his house. The
Wars' club wns holdln' Its usual Fri
day night meetln', and sum of the boys
was i ngerln' how long It would take
one of them bottles to drift across to
Japan, when thar cums a telegram fur
Moses Parker from Cape May. It said
that every last one of them 10,000 bottles
had drifted ashore thar'. and if he want
ed the corks at 5 cents a dozen they
would be pulled out and sent on C. O. D.
When Moses read the telegram thar
was slch Indlgnashun that seven fights
was goln' on at once, and fur a week
after that thar was a lawsuit every
day. If It was singular why all them
flsh swum down to Atlantic City, It was
still more strange why all them bottles
went bobbin' off to Cape May. Fur a
few days It was kinder agreed that the
Lord was agin' Squan Creek nnd didn't
want her to spread, and the preacher
had hard work to talk us out o' it. Most
folks was fur glvln' up, but arter a
time Mose3 Parker got 'em to try it
once more.
"We've tried advertisln' under water
and on top of water," he says, "and now
we'll try the air. If the wind goes back
on us then we'll go outer'the blzness."
His Idea was to send up 5,000 little
toy balloons with the name of Squan
Creek on 'em, and they was to go up
some day when the wind would take
'em clear to Chicago. Sum had faith
and sum hadn't, but the number of bal
loons was cut down to 2,000, and blmeby
they was ready to go up. One day
when the wind was Jest right and blow
In' at the rate of forty miles an hour
them 2,000 advertisements went sallln'
out o' sight like buckshot, but skassly,
had the last one disappeared when old
Saul Beskwlth cried out:
"I knowed the Lord was agin Squan
Creek .and here's a new proof of it. The
wind Is shlftln' clean Into the north!"
That's Jest what took place and no
body ever knowed the like of It before.
Afore them balloons had gone five
miles to the west they shifted fur the
south, and two days later we heard that
the hull 2.000 lit down In a man's door
yard at Brlgantine. He was a man who
was Jealous of Squan Creek, and he
went nbout and Jumped on every bal
loon and busted It. When we got the
news Moses Parker stood and shed
tears and snld:
"That setftes It. I'm orry the Lorrt
Is agin out town, but beln It's so, and
beln' we can't beat a royal flush, I
guess we'd better lay down our hands
and go outer the game I"
Understanding tho Pooplo.
"I've known plenty of Americans to
mnke a failure of it In Guatemala."
said tho colonel In answer to certain
Inquiries, "but I think the sole reuson
wns that they did not understand tho
people. I didn't do anything for tho
first bIx months I was there but study
the native, and when 1 went into busi
ness I had no trouble."
"Do they seem to need special study 7"
was asked.
"They do, sir. They have got their
tittle Idloma and chntnctcristlcs, and
If you try to brenk over them, things
are sure to go wrong. Let mo Instance
the case of the machinery we Inndcd In
the bay of Hondutns. There was a
forty horsepower boiler which had to
be conveyed Inland for a distance of
three miles and the whole road was
over hills und of the roughest sort. I
figured out that the only way was lo
use about 200 natives with ropes and
pulleys and levers, and that If we cov
ered the distance In a month, we'd be
lucky. I had n talk with a native 'boss,'
and he wanted $600 for moving tho
boiler alone. There was an engine be
side, together with 2,000 bricks, nnd a big
flywheel and a lot of other stuff. Ills
flKures on moving the whole outfit were
close to $1,000, and he wanted sixty full
days to Uo the work."
"And that was where your study of
the people tame In," was laughingly
observed.
"The laught doesn't come In yet," re
plied the colonel. "If I hadn't studied
the native I should have had to pay out
that $1,000. As It was. I went oft fish
ing fcr a week. I had an American In
charge of my stuff on the wharf, and I
gave him a vacation, also."
"And what happened?"
"Just what I had planned for. One of
the Idioms of the Guatemalan Is never
to work when he enn steol. He'd much
sooner steal a quarter from you than
to nave you present him with 50 cents.
There was only one way to get that
boiler and machinery back Into the
country and that wns up the road lead
ing to the mill. They wanted ninety
days to move it for pay, but I figured
that it wouldn't take over seven it they
stole the outfit. I was correct to an
hour."
"Do you mean that they stole your
outfit?"
"That's what I mean sir. As soon as
our backs were turned about 300 natives
gathered and began to hump them
selves. They worked day and night, and
on the eighth day, when I returned, boil
er, engine nnd nil were within five rods
of where I wanted 'em. I went up to
the 'boss,' who had figured on $1,000 nnd
complimented him on his work, and I
felt so good over It that I offered him
$200 In ensh. He wouldn't look at It.
He Just called off his crowd and marched
away, and though they must have been
a disappointed lot I didn't hear even a
cuss word. I got a new gang and paid
cm $25 to put the outfit where I wanted
It. If I'd only been an hour later in my
return I wouldn't have had to pay out
a dollar,"
"Perhaps you didn't have to pay
wages to your mill hands over there?"
was asked after a long silence.
"Well, not regularly," cheerfully re
plied the colonel. "On Saturday after
noons, If I happen to think of It, I leave
a bag with four or five silver dollars in
It lying around loose, and the crowd
perfers to steal It and divide up the
plunder rather than to be paid twice or
three times as much by the cashier."
Blind Boy Graduates.
Franz Joseph Dohmen of Austin, Tex.,
ranks above any of his fellow students
of the present senior class of the uni
versity of Texas. At the next commence
ment he will receive the degree of bach
elor of literature. The fact that Mr.
Dohmen Is the first honor man of his
class Is only remarkable because since
his tenth year he has been totally blind.
He is 24 years old and was born at New
Bramfe's, Tex., of German parents. His
father, Dr. Dohmen, was at the time of
his death the state occullst. When
young Dohmen was 10 years old he was
seized with an attack of typhlod fever
which setttled in his eyes, nnd when his
strength wns restored It was found that
he had completely lost his sight. His
fondness for study nnd his natural mus
ical taste have apparently afforded him
ample recompense for the loss of his
sight. He was placed In the blind asy
lum and there had his talents for music
developed nnd at the same time re
ceived splendid preparatory training
for his university career. While he was
studying in the blind asylum he re
ceived training In a system of writing
that has been invaluable to him while a
student in the university. This system
consists of piercing full of small holes
a stiff waxed paper by means of a sharp
instrument, the position of the hole be
ing determined by a small metal frame
held on the opposite side of the paper;
this furnishes projections which the
blind learn to read as readily as they do
raised letters. Mr. Dohmen is a perfect
master of this system, and writes it as
rapidly as an ordinary writer does long
hand. He comes to the university dally
with his note book, attends classes,
takes notes, and goes about the building
so easily and naturally that the loss
of his sight Is scarcely noticed. When
a term examination occurs he writes
his answers to the questions according
to his short-hand system for the blind,
and then takes his replies home and
makes a neat copy himself upon his
typewriter. He does his typewritten
work rapidly and neatly, and presents
to his professors manuscript faultless
In Its appearance and almost flawless
as to Its scholarly grasp of the subject
under consideration.
Mr. Dohmen graduated from the blind
asylum In 1S95 with the highest honors
and has now been a student of the unl
cerslty of Texas for Ave years. His pro
ficiency as a performer on the piano is
a great solace, both to himself and his
friends, but his greatest delight con
sists In delving In the problems
of higher mathematics, philosophy and
political science. He speaks and writes
English, German and French. He is a
fair Latin scholar and knows a smatter
ing of Greek. At present he Is studying
Greek, French, German, mathematics,
Latin and political science. Upon these
studies next June he will receive his de
gree of bachelor of literature, and will
leave Immediately for Germany to pur
sue further Investigation In his favor
ite subjects of philosophy, mathematics
and political science In some one of
the great universities there.
Mr. Dohmen is rather tall. His face
Is sensitive, refined nnd pleasantly intel
ligent. His disposition Is bright nnd
cheerful. He Is popular with every one,
and the small coterie of his friends, to
whom he reveals In some degree his In
ner self, all testify by their sincere ad
miration to the true nobility and great,
ness of his character. His life after his
return from Germany will be spent in
teaching.
No citizen of Texas can begrudge ihe
generouslty of the state that has pro
vided means for educating the unfor
tunate blind, and surely every one will
rejoice that the honors of the present
graduating class of the university of
Texas will be taken by a blind boy who
received his preparatory education In
the state institution for the blind. And
patient, persistent, persevering applica
tion have won honor for young Dohmen.
His record will be left behind him on the
books of the university, and it is as
phenomenal as it Is hoped his success
Will be in after life.
Woman Can Drlvo n Nail.
Thousands of women renders of tho
Sunday Post-Dlspatch were Interested
In nn opinion recently expressed con
cerning the reason why a womnn can
not drive a nail. Many of them have
written for a further elueldntlon of the
idea. Bright women have discussed
tho matter from every standpoint. They
all desire to know mute about It.
One woman writes:
"in the nrtlcle I spenk of, the physi
cian did not explain the mntter with
ny degree of clearness. In fact, ho
said thnt no particular reason could be
ascribed for this peculiarity, although
he attempted to show, later on, that It
was due to a lack of control of tho emo
tional centers. I have heard a number
of bright women discuss this matter,
and It Is their opinion thnt the physi
cian was scarcely lucid on the question.
I drive, ride a wheel and nm very fond
of outdoor exerclpe-yet I simply cannot
drive a nail without Imperiling life nnd
limb. If you could get some other phy
sician to discuss this in your paper, I
believe that a large number of women
all over the country would bo vastly
Interested In henrlng nbout It."
Dr. Charles H. Hughes ventures tho
following declaration:
"The main reason why women are not
so handy as men with a hnmmer Is be
cause they were not used to it In their
childhood.
"The first thing a boy gets from his
doting pnrents when he le old enough
to do anything Is a chest of tools.
"The first thing a girl gets Is a doll
baby nnd n cradle.
"The boy begins life by mnshlng his
fingers nnd ends by learning how to
handle tools dextrouslv.
"With equal opportunities. I see no
reason why a woman could not learn
to drive a nail ns well ns she enn drlvo
a bargain, and In the latter some nro
experts.
"This lack of training appears to mo
to be tho only reason of woman's Ina
bility to hit the nail on the head.
"I also believe a woman could throw
a stone as well as a mnn, If she were
trained to do so. Hor environments
do not accustom her to such prnctlces.
"Women have proved themselves to
me tin equals of men In th nrts requir
ing manual dexterity, when they h.ve
gone in regulnrly for such things. Tnls
proves conclusively thnt It Is not a phys
ical Impossibility, hut simply a lack of
training.
MIND INFLUENCES HAIR.
Many a woman has wondered why
her head hurt sometimes why her
ecolp was so sore she could hardly bjar
to touch It, and why every hair seemed
like a strand of lead pulling down as
if trying to rend her brain npnrt. Con
cerning this, Dr. rrughes snld:
"When women have difficulty In keep
ing their hair In place, and when It
hurts their hends, no mntter how they
may dress It, they probably do not
think that there Is a causi outside of
the hair itself.
The tone and lay of the hair, Its dry
ness, or glossiness, depend on the stuto
of mind, ns well as the state of health.
"Sometimes the head hurts when tho
hair Is put up, because the nerves are
more sensitive thnn at others. There Is
a state of the nerves when the sensibil
ities nre extreme whenever the comb
ing of the hair produces pain and tho
stroking of the skin Is disagreeable.
"The eyes become over sensitive to
the light nnd the ears to sound, and
sven the smelling apparatus Is so Im
pressionable that the odor of the most
agreeable flowers becomes a source of
great displeasure.
"All of this Is the result of an abnor
mal condition of the nervous system. In
some cases amounting to positive dls
esse. "It is a similar condition that makes
women prone to shed tears on tho
lightest provocation.
"Mentnl proclivities likewise affect
the appearance and character of mn.
In some persons of exceptionally strong
will power the hair stands up continu
ally. This wns the case with General
Jackson, whose hnlr, a natural pompa
dour, was a historic source of pride to
all the good democrats of his day.
What a Battle Would Cost.
A battle between the American bat
tleship Indiana and the Spanish bat
tleship Pelayo would wipe off of the
face of the earth property worth $5,
973,000. All this in one hour. Each ship
cost the same. The destruction of
either would mean a loss of $3,670,000. It
Is probable that the other would bo
damaged half Its value, or $1,835,000.
Those two incidents of n naval engage
ment would mean a total destruction of
$5,505,000. Each of the big guns would
be discharged twenty times. That Is
the average number. Each time the
sixteen big rifles of the Indiana were
Discharged It would cost the government
$12,000. In the course of sixty mini .es
they would belch forth $240,000 worth of
shot and shell. Four o' her guns cost
$600 each every time they are dis
charged; four of them $1,000 each, eight
of them $700 each.
Besides these she carries two gall
ing guns. Their capacity Is 1,200 shots
a minute. To operate each gun $300
worth of cartridges must be provided
every minute. It Is not probable that
they would be flred for more than fifteen
minutes, but even that brief time would
mean an exppnse of $1,500 for each g'm,
or $9,000 for both. That would b"ig
the total expense of an hour's engage
ment up to $249,000, or $4,500 a minute,
of a little more than J69 a second.
To operate the Pelayo would cost a
trifle of $30,000 less than this total.
She carles seventeen big guns. A single
discharge of all of them would cost
$10,050. One of her guns costs $650 to
shoot; twelve of them $500 each; two of
them $S00 each; two of them $900 each.
Besides these she carries four gatling
guns with the same capacity as thoso
of the Indiana, and operated at the
same cost. To fire them fifteen minutes
would cost $18,000. The total cost of the
engagement to the Palayo would bo
$219,000 an average of $3,650 a minute,
or $60 a second, with a few pennies to
spare.
Therefore, supposing that one ship
ihould be wholly wrecked and the othor
badly disabled, the total cost of this
ono battle between our government
and that of Spain, counting $480,000
worth of ammunition, would be dan
gerously near $6,000,000. If tho Indiana
were destroyed the fight wouldl cost
the United States $3,919,000. If tho
hip were only disabled we wouldascapa
with a Iosb of $2,034,000.
Mrs. Bombazine Black Is an attrac
tive widow with a host of admirers. Sho
Is also the mother of a bright llttla girl,
Fannle.to whom a gentleman who
thinks he is going to marry tho widow
laid:
"You will love me, won't you, Fannie,
when I am your papa?"
"Oh, go 'way!" said Fannie, peevish
ly; "that's what every gentleman that
ban ever been engaged to mamma has
laid, nnd none of them have married
her yet." New York World.
At Furth, Bavaria, all classei go to
work at 7 o'clock; quit at 8:30 for lunch;
ro back to work at 9; quit at 12 for
Sinner; come back at 1 (except clerks
Mid bookkeepers, who do not come
sack until 2); quit at 3:30 for lunch; back
it 4 till 6.
THE SAGE HAD BEEN THERE.
Tho Plumber nnd tho loo Man woro
Exousnblo.
One dny ns the sago was gathering
clams along the seashore he was ap
proached by a man w ho cried out In dis
tress: "O. Sage, I have come to ask for Jus
tice at your hands."
The Mige picked up the cork of n
brandy bottle, smclled it nnd threw It
a way with a sigh, and said;
"I am here upon enrth to see Justice
done to nil men. Stale your case."
"There Is a man w ho owes me $4 nnd
he will not pay. It Is a Just debt, but
he levllus me and tells me to go to a
plnco that Is hotter than this,"
"My subjects must not treat one an
other thus," said the sage, ns his faco
grew stern. "He who cuntracis a lust
debt must pay It. even though he sells
the shirt ofT his back. Ity what namo
Is this shrlnker known?"
"It is one James O'Flynn, O, sage, and
he Is in tho plumbing business."
"What! A plumber refuse to pay his
debts! Of a verity, but a man who col
lects $2.50 for stoplng a pin-hole leak
In u water pipe must either pay his
dues to his fellowmen or go to Jail. 1
will send this plumber word of my deci
sion." "And there Is another mnn nlso, O,
Sage, who owcb me a bill and will not
hand over the rhino," said the distrust
ful mnn.
"Ah! Another yet? Hast asked him
often to rOtr.lte?"
"About a hundred times."
"And what salth hc7"
"Same as the other, but a little moro
vigorously, lie lias even called mu a
robber for wanting mine own."
"And his name and occupation?"
"He Is called Green, nnd he Is In the
Ice business, O Sage."
"What! A man In the Ice business,
who gives eighteen pounds for twenty
five, refusing to pay his honest dues!
It seems Incredible. Hnst made no mis
take about Mr. Green?"
"None whatever, O sage. He owes me
$3 and he will not pay."
"Then I will make him eat a ton of his
own Ice, nnd It shall be honest weight
at that. Thou canst spread the newa
that I will do this, lly the way, what
Is your name and business?"
"1 nm called consolidated, O sage, and
I run a gas plant."
"And the plumber and the Ice man
owe you for gas consumed?"
"That Is the Indebtedness. See here
are the bills. 1 knew that you were n
Just man nnd would not see me "
"Begone, catlff begone!" ronred the
sage, as he threw up his hands. "As I
told you before, I am upon enrth to see
Justice done, but when a gns man com
plains of a plumber and an Iceman It Is
carrying things altogether too far. The
plumber has ever over-charged me, and
the Ice mnn has given me short weight,
but the gus man has billed me $3 for the
month my house was closed up tight as
a drum. Go to, thou man of gall go to."
Hope Is a Modlclne.
"I never yet told a patient that he
must die," said Dr. Otto Sutter, super
intendent of the St. Louis city hospital.
"Itemove hope from a patient nnd the
battle Is half lost. I do not advocate
deception as to one's true physical con
dition, but to tell a patient that he Is
going to die at a certain time from n
certain cause Is needless, cruel, nnd la
apt to be fraught with the worst possi
ble results.
"Mind will dominate matter to a cer
tain extent. I have known persons I
thought would die to recover, and I
firmly believe that the hope they en
tertained and the fact that they did
not realize how near death they were
was as much responsible for their get
ting well as the medicines they swal
lowed. On tho other hand, I have seen
persons die when they should have re
covered. They seemed to think their
cases hopeless, and no matter how
great the effort to Instill courage, they
gradually would grow weaker. Cheer
fulness in the sickroom Is as essential
as medicine and fresh air.
"Not a great while ago I had to in
terfere In a clinic at the hospital. One
of the professors from one of the med
ical colleges was lecturing over n pa
tient. The patient was suffering from
an Incurable malady. I knew he had
no chance and so did the professor. He
was lecturing to his class and did not
mince matters in describing the poor
patient's condition. He explained that
death was certain and proceeded to tell
Jsut how It would come. He was tell
ing about how much longer the patient
would live when I entered the lecture
room. I looked at the patient and the
look of utter hopelessness that was de
pleted upon the patient's face was as
pitiful as anythtng I ever witnessed.
'i wns forced to stop the professor
before he finished. The patient was
mine and 1 knew Just what effect the
plain talk was having upon him. The
professor was surprised that I should
object and he snld that the patient was
a pauper. It made no difference to mo.
1 felt I wus responsible, und I would
not Jeopardize the patient's chance for
it. 1 think the professor understood,
afterward, that the step I took was
prompted by humanity and my interest
In my patient's welfare.
Boar That Saves Life.
Residents of Alpalachln, N. Y., had a
bad scare recently, when the 4-year-old
child of Henry Rnthburn started out
alone to look for trailing arbutus. It
was half an hour before Bhe was missed,
relates the New York Press, and then
all trace of the little one was lost. Her
distracted father and his neighbors
Joined In the search.
While passing through a ravine they
were Btartled to see an uncouth object
shambling toward them some distance
up the road, carrying a bundle in its
mouth. Closer Inspection proved to the
terrified searchers that the object was
a bear and the bundle a child. It is
many years since a bear was seen In
this section, but the men, though un
armed, prepared to give battle, ono of
the number going back for help. But
the bear trotted toward them as though
totally unconcerned, and when a few
yards away carefully laid down the
child It was carylng by its dress.
When the men approached and took
up the little one the bear did not show
light, nnd a closer Investigation proved
he had a ring In his nose. Later it was
found the bear belonged to an Italian
who was camping In a nearby barn,
unking a tour of the country. He had
jiurchased the animal when a cub and
reared him In a New York tenement
where he wns allowed to play with the
children, and It Is there he had
learned the trick of carrying the little
ones.
'My advice to any one going south."
says a writer in Fiber and Fabric,
"would be, don't go unless you have a
Job to go to and know what pay you are
going to get. Unskilled labor (white
labor) Is plentiful and cheap. Able
bodied men can be hired for from PC
cents to $1 per day, a dollar per day
being considered good pay. Women Ir
fnctorles can be hired nt almost nnj
price, In fact, at too ridiculous to men
tion. Skilled labor fares no better thai
unskilled In proportion, only In very ex
ceptional cases, where It Is paid as wel
os in the east."
THE WORLD OF FASHION.
New York, March 17. Nobody ever
claimed that spring openings offer a
feast of reason, but certainty there Is
now presented a flow of draperies. A
summer of cobwebs nnd gauze Is nhead
of us; from tulle-crowiied hat to billowy
skirts wo nru going to emulnte t he
book-muslln nnd blue sash misses who
picked stinwberrles and sweethearts In
the novels of fifty years ago, enjoying
extraordinary adventuics In unsub
stantial garments.
I know of hut one Infallible method
of gauging the probable populnrlty of
fashions; that Is, to hitch one's wugon
to an average woman when she Is head
ing for nn opening.
The average woman pnys no atten
tion to the beds of shivering pnnsles
shrinking from the Mnrch winds In the
great shop vestibules. No such poor
pretenses of spring weather are neces
sary to allure her. With a BWish of her
violet-colored petticoat sho Is past them
and elbowing her way through a crowd
of her violet-scented sisterhood to the
millinery and costume parlors. Arrived
at her goal sho looks at everything,
comments aloud on everything nnd
feels of everything not protected by
glass. It Is safe to take such things as
she stands longest In front of nnd con
siders most serlouly ns certain to be
popular probably before the summer
Is over wearisomely popular. The av
erage woman makes nnd utunnkes fash
Ions, first by wearing them, second, by
wearing them till they are stale.
The average woman Is a person of
very much better taste than sho Is cred
ited with being. She usually admires
the least objectionable of the models
presented for her approval, but sho le
restricted often In Iter own purchases to
cheap Imitations. These are among the
reasons why Bhe Is valuable as an In
dicator nnd why, In the long run, she
spoils fashions.
Nevertheless, the nvernge woman has
decided to flounce the hips onlyrwiien
flounces were worn last the skirt waa
covered with them; this tlmo the upper
pnrt of the skirt will remain tight, at
least for some time to come.
She has decided to nccentuntc the
airy olTeet of her flounces by using
trnnspnrcnt mnlerlnls In all cases
where by any stretch of the Judgment
they can be Imnglned fenslble. Young
girls will wear organdies and sheer
veilings over colored silk linings. Brides
will be married In while silk net mid
moussellnc de sole.
Matrons will wear grenadines nnd fine
canvas fabrlcsr When heavier stuffa
must bo employed they will be embroi
dered In openwork patterns lo show
contrasting linings, nnd will be ns fine
nnd soft In texture ns they can be mndc.
Tli ebest Berges and enshmere now In
the market have been worn on these
principles. When a silk Is required, a
soft one, capable of lending Itself to
"clinging" effects nnd without rustle,
will be chosen.
The extremely feminine Idea has the
better of the "smnrt" Idea, and fluff
and fineness go hnnd In hand.
The avcruge womnn hns done a dnr
lng deed. She has meddled with the
tailor gown. It Is her decision that It
shall not bo Incorrect to cut that se
verely perfect piece of attire with a
Spanish flounce this season. The new
tailor dress stamped with her approval
has a bIIiii, narrow skirt, widening out
toward the feet, with n bias flounce
flaring slightly from the knees. This
skirt Is trimmed with rows of stitching
or with bands of cloth, nnd Is worn with
a three-quarter length, square-cornered
Jacket or a cavalier coat, In some In
stances. '
The average womnn has mado up her
mind that the old Idea of permitting
tho oversklrt nnd underskirt of a dress
to be of different shades of one color,
or of different colors In widely different
materials is Just as rational as the
newer Idea of fancy waists and nlmost
ns convenient. Paris hns sent over street
dresses In three shades of blue for skirt,
oversklrt and cloth strapping; In light
nnd dark green, nnd In contrasting
shades of gray. Also there are cloth
dresses with gray underskirt and pink
or blue, or green, or even red oversklrt.
Silver and blue sntlns nro offered to
gether, nnd gray and yellow, as well as
silk skirts with cloth polonaises. The
effort of the fashion Is townrd Intrusive
ness. You take one material and upply
another to It. If chiffon you add lace.
If cloth you add velve. Every alliance
of this sort thnt has been suggested to
the average woman Bho Is preparing
to accept with avidity.
Probably the most striking new de
parture In spring dressmnklng Is that
of making up striped fabrics with o
scam In the middle of the skirt front,
causing the stripes to meet In acute an
gles pointing down. When this Inno
vation wus pointed out to the average
womnn she said that such skirts could
n't hang well. Oood dressmakers can
make them hnng well, and the first one
the nverage woman tried decided her
In their favor. When she got home after
a trial of It, she said to hr husband:
"Every womnn 1 met looked at me."
That settled Its desirability.
It Is decreed that navy blue is to bo
extremely fashionable. May the aver
age woman acquiesce, for crlor sins nre
the commonest nnd worst of dress sins
Navy blue is needed as a refuge from
the prevalent purple. The unabated
rage for that color indicates that the
average woman has no conception of its
dendly effects. I have met several times
the combination of middle-age, a pur
ple dress, rouged cheeks and an electric
light. People who have had similar en
counters need no comment. It Is mer
ciful to spare others. Dingy colors,
miscalled "quiet" ones, become only the
freshest and most beautiful. The
brightening of the world In the last few
years by the adoption of a wider range
of colors In dress Is one of the most
beneficent things that hns hnppened:
but, as has been the case In other re
form's, some of the reformers lack dis
cretion. The weakness of a great man Is often
that feature which contains the most
Interest for the student of human na
ture. It may be of interest to know
that Napoleon set aside $4,000 a year
for dress. Unfortunately, he had a
weakness for white breeches and often,
while wholly absorbed In state affairs,
he would spill Ink or coffee on those
lellcate trousers, which he would hasten
to change upon discovering the spots.
This clrcumstnnce cost the blameless
but timid Comte de Hemusnt his place
as master of the robes. The emperor
soiled his clothes so frequently that
the Imperial tailor was constantly re
ceiving fresh orders, nnd $4,000 became
Insufficient to meet the bills. The mas
ter of robes was foolishly afraid to
mention the subject to Napoleon and
"ontlnued to give unsatisfactory replies
to the insistent tailor, who became
pressing in his demands. At length, be
aming exasperated, the tailor took the
Dold step of complaining to Napoleon,
jvh learned with considerable astonish
ment nnd anger that he owed his tailor
(6.000; he paid the bill and nt the same
lime dismissed the frlghtener Comte de
Remusat.
Rev. James J. Dolllver, father of
.he representative from Iowa, was re
:ently Invited to deliver the opening
orayer before tho house.
POOL3 BY THE WHOLESALE.
AnBworlnK an Advartlsamant For
n Life Partner.
MATRIMONY Young Chcrokeo In
dian girl, hns 2,000 acres of land, COO cat
tle, wishes to corcspond with thorough,
business young man; object, matrimony.
Address Lock Box 214, Chelsea, I. T.
Chelsea, I. T., March 9. The Cherokea
girl with land and cattle Is a winner Th
advertisement she Inserted In the Sun
day l'ost-Dlspatch, Feb. 13, brouth
her eighteen uiiswers on Tuesdny; on Uia
Wednesday, sixty-three; on Thursday,
eighty-five. Then followed twenty-five
fifteen and so on, until tha number
dwindled down to two, sometimes one,,
a dny.
Still they come. Inside of twelve day
she hnd received 232 letters In responsa
to her printed plea for a husband.
Of this number seventy-six were from
St. Louis. Fifty-three others wero from
Missouri.
"Behold tho Indlnn mnlden In all he
blushing lovelltinesst" exclaimed Mark
Twain.
The dcslro to do so seemed to stlf
men In every wnlk of life as soon o
they read her "ummatl'ment," aa tha
Chlnntnan said,
Some Inquired If she lived In a tent
Others, hoping to Impress her with nro
Iden of their prowess, claimed to be
familiar with tho workings and possi
bilities of the bowlo knife. Some referred
sentimentally to "the red rose of th
forest." One negro wrote with great
feeling, and with a deaf mute laid his
heart at the feet of this simple child of.
nature with 2,000 acres of land and 609
head of cattle und goodness only knows
how much money in her safety deposit
box.
A majority of these correspondent
have never Been an Indian, but all haz
arded the guess that they "would Ilka
ono real well."
Several newspaper men were wllllnm
to forego munificent salaries for the
sako of a copper-colored Bmllo nnd ther
proBpect of becoming ranchmen and
wearing I6ng hnlr and six-shooters.
Lawyers would fain depart from at
luxurious practice and solve the In
dlnn question by marrying this shrink
ing aborigine who yenrned for devotion
and things like thnt.
In fact, ull "the butchers and baker
and candlestick makers" In the country
seemed to ho pining to take care of that
simple maiden, who wns lonely In spite
of her wealth, and who longed for the
touch of a gentle hand.
Ono of the best or worst, Just a
you please was the product of a young,
man of St. Louis, who styled himself
an nrtlst. It was written on Llndoll
think It a strange impulse that I an
14. The artist Is one of thoso Spcncerlan
boys who put two dots over their "Vb"
flourish immoderately, and part their
names In tho middle. Here la what he
wrote: '
"My Dear Llttlo Girl Some might
thing it it strange Impulse that I, an
American, should become infatuated,
with one of your nationality.
But my explanation and conception
that we arc all born tree anu equal;
therefore to choose whomsoever that ot
different tastes or desires may prompt.
Now, In noting your ad. In Sunday's
PoBt-Dlspntch, 1 felt Borne BUbtle In
fluence come over me which prompted
me to write this letter. My vocation,
has principally been as an artist, al
though I have in several Instances de
viated from my art nnd figured In sev
eral business enterprises.
I have become tired of society and Itsr
vnrlous demands nnd will If I can find
a loving wife, withdraw and Join you obi
a loving and devoted husband.
I am not nn approver of these ma
trimonial bureaus altogether, but
think there nre Instances where many
loving hearts have found their proper
mates through their medium. You know ,
there Is good that can bo done In almost
all things.
Now, I do hope you will have soma
feeling for this letter and Its writer
Just think, now, when you read this.
If you cannot feci Just a little bit of at
tachment to the writer.
If so, please manifest It by answeringr
these lines by a nice loving letter, r
suppose I have read hundreds of Post
Dlsputch matrlmonlals, but none or
them hnd any effect on me whatever.
I think we should always wnlt until we
have a feeling and then obey the im
pulse. I do firmly believe that an at
tachment or feeling for a person we can
love can be felt and experienced hun
dreds of miles away.
Now I Just wish to ask ono requeit or
you, and I do believe you will grant It.
That request Is to please answer tht
letter. Even If we can never be more
to each other than we are now. I do feel
o Impressed, though, that we shall meet
aome day sooner or later. Hoping these
lines will find favor with you, I closr.
Yours most resp.
P. S. Write mo general delivery, as
I want to get all my letters myself.
"A young man 36 years old," who
writes from Paducah, Ky., gives an ad
dress on South Third stret in that city
and expresses his desires and quali
fication ns follows:
"My Dear Unknown Miss Knowing:
full well that you will receive scores of
replies to your most attractive ndvts In
Sunday's Post-Dispatch, yet I am de
sirous of Informing you that I am a.
gentleman. One thnt has devoted him
self the greater portion of his life to
business nnd travel, therefore having:
seen the better side of life. I nm a.
young man 36 years old am a brunette
brown eyes dark mustache rosy cheekw
almost six feet tall weight ISO pounds
and nm considered handsome by my
most dear friends, and now my dear
miss If this gent may strike your fancy
I nm ready to forward you refference ass
to my standing as to honestly sobriety
integrity nnd general worth this muoht
I will sny that I belong to one of the
most respected and wealthiest famllys
In Kentucky nnd now 1 wish to say in
conclusion that I believe you to be a.
lady of affluence and that if you are
sincere in this matter I will be moro
than pleased to correspond with yon
and verify all that I have said. I am des
perately in love with your beautiful
country and your people and would be
pleased to hear from you at which time
I will tell you more fully of myself. May
I ask you for you photo; If gratified, wilt
reciprocate, the honor.
"South Third Street."
And there nre more than 200 others-,
all In a similar vein. The Fool Killer
will have a busy time this spring.
The Cherokee maiden with lands ano
cattle Is still unmarried.
W. R. DRAPER.
At a school examination near Dudley
one of hor majesty's Inspectors was
questioning a little boy In the lower
Btnndards, and found that his knowl
edge of arithmetic was very deflclent
The Inspector had asked several ques
tions without getting a satisfactory an
swer, but, determined to arouse the lit
tle fellow's interest in the subject, he
Bskcd
"If your teacher gave you two rab
bits and I gave you one, how many
would you have?"
"Four, sir," replied the lad.
"Impossible," replied the Inspector,
getting Impatient; "two and one can
not make four."
"Please, sir," said the little fellow.
"I've got a lop-eared one already,"
London Telegraph.
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