w
'r
ft
A
V
l .
Y
V
rs.
mildiied has a beau.
Ehc sits and gazes oft
At something far In space,
And pcnslvencss and keen regret
Are pictured hi her face;
The bloom of lovely womanhood
Still gilds her cheek but, O.
She alts nlonc and sighs today, ,
For Mildred has a beau.
'TIs not thnt she wou'5 nook to throw
Sweet Mildred In tlv Miade,
'TIs not that they art rivals where
The game of love rv played;
Ah, she Is fair, wltv flossy hair
And roses yet. , O,
Sweet Mildred U tier daughter, nnd
Has Just brought home a beau.
cnlcKs. NeWB.
THE NOSTHALUIA OF NANCY
Miss Janet Tweed stood upon Nancy
"Knowies' door-step and piled the
knocker with a gentle persistency. She
had not stood upon that door-step for
several weeks past, but that was not
due to neglect. Nancy had been away
,from home. She had been visiting her
birthplace, and Miss Tweed glowed with
a generous anticipation of tho pleasure
she would experience In seeing the
heart-starved old spinster tasting of
happiness to her soul's satisfaction for
once in her life.
There was a flavor of personal grati
fication In Miss Tweed's emotion the
gratification of the benefactress. To her
'Nancy owed her holiday. It was Miss
jTweed who had furnished her with
the necessary means.
Nancy Knowies was poor and when
In the early summer Miss Tweed had
visited her in the course of one of her
customary rounds of merlcal ministry
she had found her sitting wretched and
alone, In her little kitchen, clasping an
aching head between two fever-parched
hands and lamenting to the unrespon
sive four walls.
"May I come In?" Miss Tweed had
asked, standing on the outer thresh
old and forbearing with a nice sense
of delicacy to cross until she gained
permission.
Nancy had raised her head and bent
on her visitor a look of reproachful
welcome.
"O, yes, come In, come In," she re
sponded, sounding high the note of
complaint with her first breath. "This
be the first time you've ben anlgh me
for weeks an weeks an' me so dretful
poorly seems like I was goln to die.
But I 's'ppse that ain't no account an
I ain't no call to find fault. Folks must
take what they c'n get an' be thank
ful for't when they be old an' falHn'."
Miss Tweed took a nimble seat not
far from her aggrieved hostess and be
gan, In faint protest and apology: "iti.
deed, no, Nancyl I haven't meant to
neglect you. I've been nursing mother,
who has had the grip, and I have
bcarcely been out of her rooms for
weeks. I'm so sorry you are sick. What
seems to be the matter? "Won't yon
tell me and let me see if I can't help
you?"
"Help me? Oh, law! I s'pose there
ain't nothin' 'd help this pain. An'
it ain't on'y the pain, either (tho' that's
considerable ugly), it's the kinder sink
In' fellln' In my heart that comes out
'o times an' the lowness o' my srlrrets.
Does your ma hev slnkln' o the heart
an' lowness o' the splrrets? Ever since
I hod the la grlppey, 'long In the
spring, I ben Jest this way feelln' like
I was goln' ter die an' purt near wish
In I war. O, law! how my head does
hammer! I c'n see In the glass how
hagworn and pindlln' I look. Folks
don't need to ast ater my health, they
c'n see for themselves how bad I be.
"Doos your ma hev a constan' achln'
In the bones? We ain't never had no
rheumatlz In our fam'ly. Oh, Ian', 1
do ache bo!
"But -who wouldn't get took down
In this mls'ble, stlved-up sorter place?
"Wonder everyone ain't down, sick abed
with the doctor! I never see such a
town! I declare for't, I feel so ugly
times, seems like I couldn't stand it.
It Jest makes me long fer my own place,
whar 1 was raised. My stars! But what
wouldn't I give to see the old house
again! Sometimes 1 'low It's that sort
cf fellln makes me so pesky slow
plckln' up. Seems like one look 'round
'ud put new life Inter me.
"Ah! The place I was raised Is suthin'
like. No narrer streets there! Good,
open roads with trees an' things growln'
long-side. An' no pesterln' sidewalks
that like to break your shins stubbln'
your toes. The houses to Bethelbury
ain't set In long rows like they be here.
No, lndeedy! Thar they be whar folks
can, feel they's llvln' In the world lth
the trees 'longslde on' your own strip
o' garden. O, laws o' man; but ain't
it pipin' hot!
"Now, to Bethelbury the days ain't
never so hot's they be here. There's
alays a breeze som'ers. An' the nights
Is so cool you can sleep under a com
forter, If so he's a comforter's agree'ble
to you. I never wish for one myself.
I don't think 'em healthy. It's much's
twenty years sense I was to Bethelbury,
but I can see our old house now, aset
In' back on Trukey hill. It ain't changed
a mite. Big an' ramblln andgood
slzed chambers, you can do more than
sling a cat In. Back of the house Is
the orchard. How us young 'uns useter
streak through that orchard! Thar was
an appletree with a nat'ral seat Into It
we set dreadful store by. Hot summer
days we'd useter sit up there when
thero wasn't a breath of air to stir
the leaves over our heads.
"An then there was Shlndle crick.
No place hereabouts like Shlndle crick,
I can tell you. Us children useter have
picnics there, and I 'low It was some
of a treat when we could take our
baskets an' walk six miles to eat our
vlttles to Shlndle crick!
"Oh, my, how I wlsht I was there
nowl SeemB like I might feel chirk an'
likely acen ef I could get back to
Bethelbury for a spell. Law! I feel so
ymeslck times, seems like I must take
to get there somehow. Hut I ain't g'H
money for't, nn' no I cnle'Inte I'll h
to stay whar 1 be. Ef 1 was Jest i
mite more forehanded but laws! 1 v
scurce enough now to keep myself I
vlttels folks Is so dretful near mud
less go 'way for n spell. Who cure
for me a pore stranger en tin' brend o"
charity!"
"Oh, don't say that," broke In Mlr
Jane' Interrupting the long-thaw n win
with a sympathetic dlelnlmer. "We uli
feel for you nnd I'd not be In
least surprised If n way were opened t
you to go nnd see your old home and
get well and strong again. Hate, let
mo put this ccM compress on your head
And If you will swallow this tablet
I am nmte sure It will help you. It
nlways does n, r-hen I have a nervous
hendncho."
Shortly after Miss Tweed left, her
brain busy with n project whereby she
might nllevlate tho nostalgia of Nancy
Knowies. A few days Inter the little
tenement was closed, and, Nancy had
started upon four weeks' holiday.
Now she hnd returned, nnd Miss
Tweed was all eagerness to see whether
the old spinster had renewed her youth
amid the scenes of her childhood, nnd
whether her draught of happiness hnd
satisfied the thirst of her heart. Miss
Janet never dreamed of gratitude. It
would be sufllclent return to witness
the Joyful effect of her good work In
the Joyful woman's life.
She stood upon Nancy Knowies' door
step and piled the knocker with a gen
tle persistency. Presently she heard
a shuffling of feet within the entry nnd
a moment later the latch of the door
was lifted and she and her beneficiary
stood face to face.
"H'm, It's you Is it?" said Nancy,
grimly.
Miss Tweed's radiant smile faded.
"Ah, Nancy," she said, gently, "I
came to hear all about your delightful
time. Has It done you worlds of
good?"
"Ef you have a mind to stop Jest
step In. The flies swarm dretful this
time o' year. Good time? No; I ain't
lied anythln' of the sort. Oh, h'm! I
wlsht I hed stayed to hum!"
"Why, Nancy, didn't you enjoy the
beautiful lanes?" asked Miss Tweed.
"You were looking forward to seeing
them again with so much pleasure. Tou
longed for them so."
"Me? Oh, I dunnl's I longed 'tlc'larly
after ennythlng. Leastwise after sech.
like. Hoy d'you 'low I was going to see
fields an them sorter things to a teown
like Bethelbury, with trolley cars n
runnin' through It so you don't dare
stir?"
"Why, I thought your old home was
quite out In the country, on the top of
a hill, with an orchard at the back,
and"
"Wal, who said It warn't? The house
Is there, but laws o' man I D'ye 'spose
I was goln' to stop long of Joel's folks
all that spell? Why, I never sec sech
children's Joel's. Sech noise and pes
teration! Seem's like I should go crazy!
Sides, Joel's folks hev done suthin'
dretful destroyln to the house. Why,
It's the mlser'blest old rack o boards 1
ever did see. The chambers are all so
small an the cellln's so low seems like
you'd smother. An' hot! Land o' love!
How hot It do bo! Not a breath, nor a
breeze; No, I"
"But, Nancy, didn't you see the or
chard and that lovely natural seat on
the old apple tree, and"
Yes; I see the orchard, and got a
smart nip o' neuralgy a-settln' under
the trees one day. Wlsh'd I'd never
went. No; I declare for't"
"But Shlndle creek," urged Janet,
"surely you went to Shlndle creek?"
"Shlndle crick? Now. how in the name
o' natur was I goln' to walk a matter
of six miles to get to a place damp
enough to chill yer marrer with malary,
soon's you set yer foot In it? Joel's
wife did carry me over onct In the wag
on, but the looks of the place give me
the cold shivers. It ain't a mite what
It useter be, an I wouldn't be laired
to set foot inter It, with all them rocks
and that water a-flowln' by, with
rheumatllz thick's midges in the air.
You talk kinder senseless to ask. And
the natural seat? Wouldn't I cut a
pretty flgger at my age cllmbln' an
apple tree, even If the tree an' the seat
an' all wasn't dead and gone for years
an' years. Seems to me some folks
ain't got proper sense!
"No; I stayed to Bethelbury a matter
o' two days or so an then 1 cum home.
Ben here ever since, an calc'late to
stop here. An' no one shan't bundle
me off no more for the sake o' gettln
rid o me. I don't pester folks so dret
ful that I must be packed off Jest to be
got shet of, when I wasn't but only
gettln' over la grlppey an' In no con
dition to travel.
"Seems like some folks might havu
consideration for my age an condition.
I declare for't, the thlnkln' o' them
couple o' days gives me such a turn,
seems like I could cry.
"I dunno what alls me, but I feel
a sight worse'n I did before I went.
Thet slnkln' feelln's worse, an the low
ness o the sperrlts.
"An I can't help feelln a mite ugly
when I think It's all along o' you thet
I got so.
"Somethln to Bethelbury dls'greed
with me, an I hev a notion I'll never
get over It."
In the differences existing between
the operators and miners at Pana, III.,
tho state board of arbitration has de
cided that 33 cents gross weight per
ton for mine run should be paid, all
supplies except powder to be furnish
ed by mine owners, and that the 6 per
cent discount for cashing , coupons
should be abolished. The decision of the
board has been accepted by the miners,
while the operators announced that
they would not be bound by any de
cision of the state board whatever
THE WORLD'S POSTMEN.
How Mnil Matter is Handled in
Many Countries.
Tho postal delivery servlco of the
world Is ono of tho wonders of nine
teenth century achievements In govern,
ment, and of the armies thnt comprise
Its complicated human machinery tho
postman Is porhaps tho most Interest
ing personality. Tho world's postmen
may bo divided Into two clasfscs first,
tlwj well-uniformed ones who make
the houso to house distributions In the
cities; second, the long-distance bear
ers of mall pneks who servo communi
ties remote from transportation high
ways. The latter nre fewer In num.
bers, but more picturesquely Interest
ing. In tho United States nlono ninny
types of these nthletlc nnd Intrepid let
ter carriers, who served the advancing
lines of clvlllzntlon across the conti
nent, almost has disappeared. In spots
of tho Sierras and Itockles r few of
the Amerlcnn grlmpeur postmen re
main, and occasionally of a winter you
read of ono of them petishlng In the
nvalaanche whoso path he has crossed
perhaps n thousand times.
In the silver mining districts Uicbo
tall, powerful and handsome snowshoc
postmen were quite numerous fifteen
nnd twenty years ago.
WONDERFUL FEATS OF STnENOTH
On Norwegian shoes some among
them have been known to pnek in n
day ICO pounds of mall, ascending nltl
8,500 feet to the bleak objectless alti
tudes of 13,000 and 14,000 feet and down
again to 7,000 or 8,000 on the other
side. As the distance traveled would
not exceed thirty miles it may be Imag
ined how this particular kind of post
man has to climb and slide. In tho
summer, with the disappearance of
snow he usually has a regular zigzag
trail.
The newest border postman of Ameri
can type Is tho one who follows the
Eskimo mall car of the polar circle, his
dogs the only animate beings he sees
through the great stretches of lec and
snow.
Many years ago, after the navigation
of the Colorado river by flatboats had
developed considerable comemrce, an
old postman's service was established
particularly for the benefit of the army
detachments stationed along the river.
The mall was brought to tho mouth of
the river on the regular steamships. By
rlvcr-boat It was three days to Fort
Yuma, the first point of settlement ln
Btde tho American line.
THE COCOPAH CARRIERS.
Big Cocopah bucks, built like Olym
pian prize-takers, were the postmen or
ganized to defeat the steamboats. The
distance to Fort Yuma, the first relay
on the river over the route, was fifty
miles by trail over the Sonora desert,
where blistering, strangling simoons
were of common occurrence In the sum
mer months. The heat at all times on
this desert stretch is tropical, yet the
Cocopah postman rarely failed to trot
the distance In a day with twenty-five
pounds of mall, thus beating the steam
boat two days. The river trip was
lenghtened by the Incredible curves of
the channel. No white' man ever ven
tured to take the Cocopah postman's
contract, though It represented a goodly
sum of money.
In Borne respects the Cocopah post
man of the Colorado desert, who made
his astonishing trip only at Infrequent
Intervals and striped to his coper-tanned
hide, with his hair, matted on the
top of his head In baked mud, Is resem
bled by one of the picturesque post
men of the British empire. This Is the
native of Natal. Ordinarily he does not
cumber himself with clothes, although
the government gives him a military
great coat and cape. About 170 of these
runners are employed on routes where
the use of mail carts Is not Justified.
One hundred mlle3 a week Is the maxi
mum. The runer'B load ranges In weight
from forty to sixty pounds; for dis
tances less than forty miles he Is re
quired to average four miles an hour,
and three miles when the distance is
greater. He is honest, liven on por-
j ridge, and In addition to $2.50 allow
ance monthly for rations, he receives
i $5 pay.
An add method of carrying the mall Is
' In vogue among the Island natives of
Coromandel. Waterproof bags are
' placed In a kind of a catamaran, stride
j which the postman has to sit, while he
at the same time navigates the mall
transport and battles with sharks.
Peasants carry the malls through
the Jungles of India, and across swollen
or torrential streams the mall bags
are pulled on slung ropes. The slowest
postmen are In Corea. They serve with
ox carts. It Is Insisted, however, that
the Blowest delivery Is In Turkey. There
sacks containing the letters of the peo
ple often He for weeks at a dlstrlbu
tlon ofllce, until the local cadi finds
It convenient to hand them over to the
lowest bidder who will undertake to de
liver them within a specified time to the
local cadi of the town for which they
arc destined. Almost without exception
these delivery contracts are violated b
the vagabond postmen, who loiter along
visiting relatives.
HOW JAPANESE MAIL IS CARRIED.
The coolies postmen of Japan are
counted among the speediest and carry
very good average loads, suspended
from the bamboo pole which they bal
ance across their Bhoulder. But the
cutest of all postmen are the dogs on
the eastern slope of the Casplen moun
tains, who are sent down to the post
office towns of the plains with the tax
collector, peddler or anyone who
:hances to be going that way. The mall
Is placed In a pouch depending from the
dog's collar, and Immediately he makes
the dust fly In his tracks for home.
The difference in the regulation cos
tume of the postman Is so striking as
to point plainly the national and ell-1
mntlo Influences In taste. The Ilarbn
does postman bus two uniforms. Dur
Ing the threo hot months ho wears un
bleached cotton drill, with red facings,
nnd the remaining time ho Is nttlred In
blue sorgo. Ills headwonr la a hclmot.
Ho takes the mnll to the back door.
As a rule tho postman of Trinidad
Is a native of Barbudoos or Tobngo. lie
Is usually a vary civil, woll-spoken
negro. Ho makes threo deliveries be
tween D o'clock In tho morning and 4 In
tho afternoon, averaging fourteen miles
a day and Is paid from $150 to $350 a
year. In tho capital of the Island the
suburban postmen have bloycles fur
nished by tho government. Seventeen
postmen servo the capital of San Salva
dor. Two nre employed exclusively In
tho dollvery of registered letters for
$40 a month ench.
Sixty-two million letters nro distri
buted annually In New South Wales.
Two kinds of uniforms arc worn In
Sydney. Tho city postman Is distin
guished by blue serge, brass buttons
and helmet; the suburban postman by
gray clothing, with black trimming nnd
slouch hat. Both uniforms arc rated
first-class.
In nearly all European countries the
postmen look nnd act as though they
had JuBt Blcpped out of tho army,
former servlco therein Is their usual
experience. The Holland postmen nre
rated as a handsome class, though of
medium stature. Tho delivery of this
little monarchy numbers 00,000,000 let
ters annually. For the arduous service
of stair-climbing In Vienna, which Is
a necessary part of tho postman's duty,
he receives from $150 to $200 a year.
He gets from the government ono tunic,
ono pair of cloth trcusers, cne pair of
linen trousers, one waistcoat and a
cap, and every Bccond year a coat and
blouse are given him.
POORLY PAID ITALIAN CARRIEHS.
In Rome tho postman has to work
eight hours a day for $15 a month, nnd
Is only enabled to live comfortably, like
the Turkish postman, from the tips
given him by citizens at the holiday
time. In Switzerland postmen, as Is
the case with other members of tho
postal service, must pass physical and
mental examinations, speed and endur
ance of foot being required with proper
Intellect. In somo cities of the republic
he pushes a mall cart. In Norway the
long, mlnlBterlal-looklng frock coat of
the postman has given way recently to
a short green Jacket.
The Norwegian's pay Is not enough
to keep him out late Saturday nights.
He gets $275 a year and a rulse after
fifteen yenrs' service. Ho pays for
his own uniform besides. However, ho
doe3 better than tho Viennese and Ro
man. All the Finland postmen arc lin
guists, speaking at least Finnish, Swed
ish and Russian. They dress warmly,
In long boots of thick leather, long,
heavy coats and skull caps. The post
men of Denmark receive less pay than
those of Norway, tho annual salary
running from $220 to $270. Just the
same, they are said to be a fine lot
of public scrvnnts. Roumanian post
men have a handsome uniform of dark
blue cloth, with gilt buttons and green
collar and cuffs. The uniforms of tho
continental postmen nre mostly slight
modifications of military patterns.
Hospital Corps Director.
Dr. Anita Newcomb McGce, director
of the hospital corps of the Daughters
of the American Revolution, whose
headquarleis are at Washington, fraa
born In 18G4. Her father was Prof.
Simon Newcomb, Ph. D., LL. D., and
her mother, Mary C. Hassier Newcomb,
daughter of Dr. C. A. Newcomb of the
United States navy.
Mrs. McGee's early education was re
ceived In her native city followed
by three years of travel abroad. In
188G she took up the study of history
and genealogy. In 1887 she was mar
ried to Prof. W. J. McGee, the well
known ethnologist, who Is connected
with the Smithsonian Institution. In
18S9 Mrs. McGee began the study of med
icine in Columbia university, and re
ceived tho degree of M. D. from that
Institution in 1892. The following year
she took a special post graduate course
In gynecology at the Johns Hopkins
hospital In Baltimore.
Dr. McGee can boast of a long line
of distinguished ancestry, and is ono
of the most prominent members of tho
Daughters of the American Revolution.
When that organization decided to s
tabllsh a hospital corps for service l
the war with Spain, Dr. McGee was one
of the first to volunteer and she wns
promptly accepted by tho management
and appointed director of tho service.
So far four nurses have been sent to
Key West, four to Charleston, six to
Atlanta and a goodly number went on
the hospital ship Relief.
If the native women of Sumatra have
their knees properly covered, the rest
docs not matter. The natives of somo
Islands, off the coast of Guinea, wear
clothes only when they are going on
a Journey. Some Indians of Venezuela
are ashamed to wear clothes before
strangers, as It seems Indecent to them
to appear unpalnted.
The royal library In Berlin contains
over 1,000,000 volumes, the university
library 153,000, that of the royal statis
tical bureau 136,000. The war academy
collection consists of 83,000 volumes,
that of the general staff 69,700 volumes
and that of tho royal chancery 72,600
volumes.
Jones Funny Joke on Earnest Dooem.
Brown What Is It?
Jones He went home with a Jag last
night, and saw two of himself in the
mirror. He thought he'd brought a
friend home with him and went and
slept on the lounge.
SOME DRAMATIC INCIDENTS
Strnngc and Inexplicable Happen
lugs in a Lifetime.
It occasionally happens that lives
which have run on the most peaceful
nnd uneventful lines for tunny years
nre suddenly marked out by fntc for
the Introduction of keenly dramatic
Incidents; nnd that such has frequently
hedn tho case, the following episodes,
oullod from tho writer's recollection
and experience will servo to demon
strate: Two old maids for many years hnd
lived, says a wrltor In the St. Louis
aiobc-Dcmocrat, in tho utmost acclu
slon nt a vlllngo near Toulon, Franco,
their lives being peaceful to tho point
of monotony. Their greatest oxclto
mont hnd been a flower show: their
deepest catastrophe, tho denth of a fa
vorlto cat. Ono evening, however, ns
the two pat nt their needlework In
their little parlor, they woro startled
by seeing their window flung violently
open, nnd a man la convict dress
rushed Into the room. Falling on his
knees, he begged for protection from
tho ptlson oillclnls, who at that very
moment were In pursuit of him.
Tho old Indies, terribly frightened,
were about to summon assistance,
when, of a sudden, tho elder of th'Jin
pointed to the man with a low cry, and
exclaimed: "Look I It Is Henri, como
bnek to life." Years ngo, when tho old
mnld had been a young maid, nnd a
pretty girl ns well, sho had been nf
flanced to a young fellow whom she
had loved passionately. He had died
three days before the doy appointed
for tholr union, and ever since ehc hnd
carried his memory in her heart. Uy
some strange coincidence the man who
Implored for protection was the living
Imago of the dead man; and, this be
Ing so, sentiment gained tho day, nnd
they resolved to give him the help he
besought
Acting on the Impulse, they went
through their work of mercy with hero
ism. The convict wns secreted In the
boudoir, nnd when the officers of the
law arrived and inquired if anything
had been been of the escaped man a di
rect denial was given them. Prob.
ably this was the first untruth which
the poor old Indies had ever uttered,
and the lie was one of those with which
the recording angel will perchance deal
lightly when the time of judgment
comes.
The danger once over, the two
worthy dames saw that the man wns
fed and properly clothed, and when a
week had passed he left their house,
taking with him a sufllclent sum of
money, which they forced upon him,
to enable him to leave the' country and
Gtart a new life' abroad. The farewell
scene was pathetic In the extreme, the
rescuers being as deeply affected as ths
rescued.
For years afterward, and, In fact, un
til the time of their decease, the tw(
women would often speak of thlt
strange Incident with bated breath, anti
the last Incident In the little drama wiu
the arrival one morning, two yean
later, of a magnificent diamond, accom
panied by a note from tho cx-convlct
He wrote thnt he had gone to South
Aft lea, where he had prospered ex
ceedingly, and he felt that the diamond,
his biggest find, was a fitting souvcnli
of the biggest service that hud cvc
been rendered to him by man oi
woman.
Another curious Instance of a peace
ful life suddenly lit up by a lurldl
dramatic Incident was the following
A venerable country pastor, beloved
by his flock and distinguished by nl
benevolence and unselfishness, wot
preaching one Sunday morning to tin
tiny congregation, when the calmnes
of the place was suddenly disturbed b
a tall, dark-bearded man rising In hi
pew, where he had been sitting unob
served, and calling on the minister 1
come down from the pulpit, as he hac
no right to stand there and preach t
his fellow-men.
The astounded congregation at firs
thought that the man was Intoxicated
and the verger was about to approaci
him, when the minister raised his hand
and, In a voice which trembled wit
terror, begged for silence.
The dark man then proceeded t
bring a terrible charge against tin
clergyman. He Btated that, twentj
years before, the latter had wronger
his sister; who had died soon after
wards, and that, ns her brother, he
demanded that Justice be done, and
that the preacher should cease to
preach precepts which, in days gone
by, he had so wickedly disregarded.
Every eye was turned on the white
faced cleric, and every person hoped
and believed he would utterly repudi
ate the charge, but, to the intense sur
prise of all, he cried out In a loud
voice that the charge was true, and
that henceforth the pulpit should
know him no more. He had spoken the
truth, indeed, for even as he descended
the steps he reeled and fell. The shock
had been too great for him, and he lay
dead at the foot of the pulpit. Dram
atic and awful, Indeed!
Then there was the case of the old
city merchant, a steady, plodding citi
zen, out every morning at 10, and in bed
every evening at the same time, hlb
life being governed by the law of mono-
toneB, who was awakened one night by
finding a burglar In his room.
Quick as lightning he leaped from his
couch and struggled with the maraud
er, and being a powerfully built man,
and posseslng great vigor in spite of his
years, he overpowered the midnight vis
itor. He was Just about to summon the
servants and send for the police, when
a voice he remembered well said hoarse
ly. "Don't you know me, Dick?"
For the first time ho took a keen
glance at tho other man, and what was
his horror when he discovered that It
was his half brother, who, years ago,
had run away to sea, and who bad al
ways been a hopeless ne'or-do-wcll. H
hail gono from bad to worse, with thi
result that he had entered this houso on
this night with the Intention of plun
dering Its owner, though he had no
known his Identity until they met fae
to fnco. Porhaps a more dramatic meot
Ing for two brothers separated for a
spnee of years could hardly bo Irnag.
Ined, and it will be needless to add that
the police were not summoned. Tin
merchant promised to assist his dlsrop
utablo relative, providing he would glv
up his evil ways, and it Is satlsfactorj
to think that the upshot of that nlght'i
meeting wus a change for tho better on
the part of the would-bo-thlof.
Saluting tho President.
Lieutenant Philip Andrews, U, S. N.,
contributes to tho July St, Nicholas an
article on "Ceremonies nnd Etlquetta
on a Mnn-of-War." Lieutenant Andrews
says:
The regulations of tho navy set forth
Just whnt honors shall be shown tho
various high olllelals and military of
fleers who visit our men-of-war. The
prnctlce follows closely that In voguo
by nil nations, so that It would bo
very difficult to leave out any of tho
numorous honors nnd salutes now giv
en. That more simplicity In tho honors
shown officlnls would bo better BUltcd
to our republican form of government
Is certain; but international courtesy
requires that we go through the same
ceremonies ns those employed by tho
most sensible countries. The Chlnesa
have a most sensible custom of ren
dering honors. They glvo a salute of
three guns whatever the rank of the
visitor. This saves much noise and
waste of powder, and would bo ex
cellent practice for all nations to fol
low. When the president of the United
States visits a ship of war of our coun
try, he la received at the rungway by
the admiral, commedore or command
ing officer, together with ruch other of
ficers nu may be selected. Tho officers
of the ship, In full uniform, are on
deck; the crew, In their best uniforms,
ato at quarters for Inspection, and tho
marine guard and band nro paraded.
As the president steps on deck tho
drums give four rufllcs, the band plays
the national air, the president's flag Is
displayed at the main and a saluto cf
twenty-one guns Is flrcd. When tho
president leaves tho samo ceremony Is
gono through with, the same salute
being fired when the boat containing
him clears tho ship his flag being
hauled down at the lost gun.
Any other vessels of the navy pre
sent give the saT.o salutes, and the
crew, as the president passes, man tho
yards of parade nlcng the rail if tha
ship Is without cquare-rlcged masts.
Manning tho yards Is one of tho cus
toms of the old navy and I3 dying out
with the dlsnpeparance of square-rig,
ged masts. The n en stand on all tho
ynrds, nrms Htretchcd out and hands
grasping the life lines, which ara
stretched above the yard to give proper
support. It is a very pretty sight, aa
the life lines can not be seen and the
men seem to be standing unsupported
on the yardB. As men-of-war today
nre being built wlthcut call power and
with only military mnstB this ceremony
has of necesftty b?en replaced by sim
ply parading the crew on deck In the
most consplclous plates.
A Nojro Colonel Enlists.
A tcccnt vislcor to the' executive man
sion who had the largest amount of.
self-constituted Importance, perhaps,
of any visitor In the last decade was a
negro "colonel" from Virginia. He
came In with flowing Jim-Swinger and
artificial cocked hat, demanding to see
the president "to oncet." For a time
he was fretful of restraint, and jefused
to consider anything except an Imme
diate admission Into the White house
Inner sanctum. The officials asked him
what was the matter with him and
other profane questions, which at
length Induced him to explain his er
rand to the subordinate.
He was from Charlottesville, Vn., and
had a colored regiment ready to go to
the war, which he wanted mustered Into
service and sent to Santiago by the
next boat. The president, of course,
would have this done if he understood
he patriotism of these dusky volun
teers. "If you start Into a battle, what la
(he first command you would glvo the
troops?" was asked of the old uncle.
"I would say, 'Get on' yo horses,
sail. "
"What would be your next com
mand?" " 'Prepare to move forward, sab.'
"What next?"
" 'Shoot 'em for toe kill, sah.' "
Then It occured to the doorkeeper to
ask the man his name. The answer wa
quick and original.
"J. Smith, sah."
"What does the J. stand for?" was
the next query.
The old man hotly renlled: "Don't
you know nothin'? J. stands for cln.
era!, sah."
Cut half a pint of corn In a bowl, add
the yolk of one egg. half a cunful nf
milk, one tablcspoonful of melted but
ter, half even teaspoonful of salt, half
tablespoonful of sugar, tho white of
an egg beaten to a stiff froth, and
one-eighth teaspoonful white pepper;
mix all well together, pour the prepara
tion Into a buttered pudding dish, and
bake In a medium hot oven till firm to
the touch; then remove, and serve In
the same dish In which It was baked.
He I have Just tet $50,000 that you
would marry me.
She Run. quick, and make It a hun
dred thousand, then hurry back and
propose.