The Keystone Watch
Case Co. of Philadelphia,
the largest watch case manufactur
ing concern in the world, is now
putting upon the Jas. Boss Filled
and other cases made by it, a bow
(ring) which cannot be twisted or
pulled off the watch.
It is a sure protection against the
pickpocket and the many accidents
that befall watches fitted with the
old-style bow, which is simply held
in by friction and can be twisted off
with the fingers. It is called the
Sold only through watch dealers,
without extra charge.
Ask any jeweler for pamphlet,
or send to the manufacturers.
A STRANCE CASE.
How an Enemy was Foiled.
The following graphic statement will be
read with intense interest : “I cannot describe
the numb, creepy sensation that ex is ted in my
arms, hands ana legs. I had to rub and beat
those parts until they were sore, to overcome
in a measure the dead feeling tHat had taken
possession of them. In addition, I had a
strange weakness in my back and around my
waist, together with an indescribable ‘gone’
feeling in my stomach. Physicians said it
was creeping paralysis, from which, accord
ing to their universal conclusion, there is no
relief. Once it fastens upon a person, they
say.it continues its insidious progress until
it reaches a vital point and the sufferer dies.
Such was my prospect. I had been doctoring
a year and a half steadily, but with no par
ticular benefit, when I saw an advertisement
of Dr Miles’ Restorative Nervine, procured a
bottle and began using it. Marvelous as it
may seem, but a few days had passed before
every bit of that creepy feeling had left me,
and there has not been even the slightest
indication of its return. I now feel as
well as I ever did, and have gained ten
pounds in weight, though I had run down
from 170 to 137. Four others have used Dr.
Miles’Restorative Nervine on my recomen
dation, and it has been as satisfactory in their
cases as in mine.”—James Kane, La Rue, O.
Dr. Miles’ Restorative Nervine is sold by all
druggists on a positive guarantee, or sent
direct by the Dr. Miles Medical Oo., Elkhart,
Ilid., on receipt of price, SI per bottle, six
bottles for §5, express prepaid. It is free from
opiates or dangerous drugs.
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A QUATERNION.
Let there be Light within thy soul
O’er the fair world of things to wander.
And each fine link that binds the whole
Nicely to note arid well to ponder.
Let there be Liberty with broad wing.
At plastic Nature’s high dictation.
From crude, chaotic stuff to bring
The magic of a new creation.
Let there l>e 1.«jvi\ that each free force
May seek and aptly find another.
To move in sweet, harmonious course.
And work as brother works with brother.
Let there be Law to sit supreme
On steadfast throne of sanctioned order.
That each new hatched, untempered scheme
May fear to cross the sacred border.
Hold by these four, by right divine
That wisely guide and sweetly sway us.
Else lossfed ubout in aimless rout
And drifting blindly into chaos.
—Cassell’s Family Mag&zino.
THE COURIER.
*
“I intrust j-ou with a sacred duty,”
said the general as he handed his courier
a letter. “Remember, you are to 6top
for nothing. If you fail, you will be
shot, but if you succeed the Order of ijt.
George will adorn your breast. Now go,
and God be with you in all your perils.”
The young courier knelt and swore to
protect the life of the czar with his own,
and then he pushed the curtain aside,
leaving the general alone.
The evening was fair, cold and beau
tiful. As the general leaned from the
balcony of the palace he thought what a
farce this ball was when his heart was
full of terror for the czar and all Russia.
In the adjoining room, near a marble
pillar, stood a young girl covered with
magnificent satin and jewels. Looking
at her with flashing eyes was a man of
about 40, with coal black hair and cruel
expression.
“Nodine, this must be your work.”
She shivered as he spoke, but Otaroff,
the traitor, had no mercy.
“And to it at once!” he said.
“What is my task?” she asked him, and
again she shivered.
“An easy one, my beautiful queen.
Merely to throw yourself in his way, and
this courier will forget the czar and all
Russia.”
“I doubt it,” she answered.
“You must not doubt it,” he cried
fiercely and held her wrist so tightly that
the pain made her face white to the very
lips.
“Our scheme must go through this
time, and the courier will arrive too late.
You hear, my beautiful daughter?”
“I hear you,” she answered and
wrenched her wrist from his grasp.
“But, father,” she said pleadingly,
“you have never used me as a decoy be
fore. Oh, I beg of you not to do it now!
I cannot do it. I cannot.”
“Fooll” he hissed at her. “You little
know your power. With your beauty
you can do anything.”
“And would you sell it?” she asked.
He hesitated, then said:
“Yes, for the cause.”
“You are a strange father,” she said
slowly, looking at him with no spark of
love in her eyes, “but I may prove traitor
too. What, then, father?”
He bent his head and whispered in her
ear. “I will shoot you, my beautiful
queen; so take care. For the first time
tonight I doubt you, but ’tis an insane
idea. Go into the ballroom and dance
an hour, then return to your house and
prepare for your journey.”
She went from him down the marble
steps into the room beyond and never
once looked back. Her heart was sad
and heavy. Many noticed the beautiful
woman, but wondered why her face was
so tragic.
It was about 8 the next night after the
ball when the courier of the czar arrived
at the first posthouse and asked for a
change of horses.
“Stop a little?” asked the worthy post
master.
“.No, answered the courier m a tone
which silenced all other questions.
“I want horses and nothing else.”
The Russian looked with much admi -
ration on this tall courier and speedily
went for them. With a clap of the whip
the tarantass was off, and the little Rus
sian was alone, but not for long. Down
the road he saw another tarantass com
ing at breakneck speed. “Ah, perhaps
they will stop,” he said to himself. The
little man had to flee for his life, for the
horses dashed on, and he only caught
sight of a very beautiful face in a red
hood.
A dreadful storm broke upon the night,
and in the darkness a flying tarantass
dashed by—the one occupied by the cou
rier. “Some one else in this dreadful
storm,” thought he. “God help them.”
When the first dawn of day came, the
rain had ceased, and they were almost
past the dangers. In the middle of the
road lay the figure of a woman, and
the horses almost ran over her.
“She is dead!” cried the courier as he
laid his hand upon her heart. “No; she
lives. I cannot see a mortal die like
this.” So, with the help of the driver,
he carried her to the tarantass and laid
her gently down. There he sat, looking
at the girl’s pale face and wondering
what he should do with her.
Suddenly she opened her large, dark
eyes and gazed into his face. Her won
drous beauty captivated him, and he
forgot to ask her if she was hurt. He
only gazed and said nothing.
“You are a courier?” she asked at
length.
“No; I am captain of the Fourteenth
guards. And you?”
“I am going to meet my father at
Isham,” she answered. Her voice was
wonderfully low and sweet, and he be
lieved all she told him.
They journeyed on together, and the
time sped rapidly away.
At last they reached Isham, and the
girl looked for her father, but of course
he was not there. She burst into tears
and would not be consoled. An officer
had taken the last horses an hour before,
and our hero had so wait for his own to
rest.
In the meantime Nodine, for it was
she, wove a subtle charm around the
courier. He was not proof against the
glances from her splendid, half veiled
eyes. Her red lips seemed to say, “Come
and kies me.” Her voice, her smile
seemed to make the air he breathed de
lightful, and his nerves thrilled with
joy. How could he help loving her?
Seeing her in all the glory of her youth
and beauty, he forgot the czar and all
Russia.
They were standing beside a high rock,
and with an impulse prompted by his
great passion he knelt at her feet, kissing
her hands madly and begging her to tell
him her name.
Her soor heart beat wildly. For the
first time she loved, add at the cost of
her life she resolved to be true not to her
oath, but to tlie man who knelt before
her.
“Go! Flee) for your life!” s!m cried.
“My name is—nihilist!”
He started to his feet and turned to
leave her in a dazed manner. A sharp'
report of a pistol sounded in the air, and
the courier of the czar fell wounded.
With lightning quickness Nodine knelt
beside her lover, and while smoothing
back his hair with one hand, with the
other she stole the imperial letter and
slipped it into her breast. Then she left
him, for she bad made up her mind that
she would carry the important message
to the czar herself.
After traveling day and night without
food or sleep she reached the palace and
delivered the letter to the czar.
“What can I do for you?” asked the
czar of all Russia.
“What do you do for nihilists?” she
asked him.
“ We shoot them,” he answered angrily.
“Then I shall be shot.” She said it so
calmly and deliberately that the czar
looked at her in surprise.
“Nihilist or no nihilist, my child, you
have saved my life, and therefore I spare
yours. You may return to your home in
safety.”
With a cry like a hunted animal she
fell at his feet.
“Don’t send me back. The bullet that
struck the courier was meant for me. 1
heard the word ‘Traitress!’ hissed by my
own father, and if I go back he will not
miss his aim again. He has sworn to
kill me if I prove false to the cause, and
he will keep his oath. I pray you. don’t
send me back.”
He saw her agony was genuine, and
placing his hand on her head said: ‘‘Rise,
child. You stay here.” Atthatmoment
Ivan Liveresky, the courier of the czar,
dashed into the room. His clothes were
covered with mud and his body weak
from loss of blood.
“Thank God!” he cried when he saw
the czar. “Otaroff, the traitor, is cap
tured, has confessed all, and you are
safe.”
“He was my father,” said Nodine
softly.
The courier caught the back of a chair
for support, and the czar turned to her
in anger.
“Yes, do with me what j-ou will. I
am Nodine Otaroff, who despises her
name, her father and most of all her
self.”
“Wait a moment,” said the courier to
the czar; “there is some mistake. Otaroff
gave me some papers and confessed hav
ing stolen a child out of revenge from
the rich Cordiskv. He name was No
dine.” And Liveresky handed the docu
ments to the czar, who in turn, after ;
glancing over them, gave them to the
young girl.
“I will send a messenger to Moscow,
and one who would travel night and
day, without sleep or food, to deliver this
letter is the noblest of Russians.” So
said the czar and left the room.
“You have saved my life!” the courier
cried.
“And you mine,” answered Nodine.
“Yet, my loved one, it is worthless
without yours.”
“Then,” she said, with glad tears in
her eyes, “I give mine for thine. I love
thee, Ivan Liveresky.”
He took her in his arms and kissed her
many times. When Cordisky arrived he
found he had gained a child only to lose
her again, for Nodine gave her heart and
hand to a young soldier decorated with
the Order of St. George, given to him by
the czar of all Russia.—Exchange.
Dr. Mary Did Not Whistle.
When Dr. Mary Walker was in Phil
adelphia not long ago, she wanted to ride
in a Market street cable car. She sig
naled the gripman, who appears to have
taken no notice, and the doctor put after
the conveyance in indignant haste.
“Why didn’t you stop?” she said stern
ly to the conductor.
“Beg pardon, sir,” replied the latter.
“I didn’t hear you whistle.”
“Oh, you horrid brute!” exclaimed the
doctor, “what do you mean?”
The conductor began to realize the sit
uation and stammered an apology.
“Yon should never judge a man by his
clothes,” said Dr. Walker, with the
charming smile she can wear, “and the
same rule applies to women.”
She did not seem to mind the curious
gaze of the other passengers, a*d upon
her signal the car stopped instantly. As
she got off the conductor tipped his hat
and she raised her high silk hat in dig
nified acknowledgment. — Philadelphia
Press.
Professor Froth in "ham's Discovery.
Professor Frothingham of Princeton,
college returned not long since from an
extended archaeological tour through
central Italy, and one of the most in
teresting results of it is the proof he has
adduced to the effect that many of the
Christian churches which have been sup
posed to date from the early centuries of
our era really belong much later—in fact,
well into the middle ages.—College Bul
letin.
Feeding Horses In Norway.
In Norway horses always have a buck
et of water placed beside each animal’s
allowance of hay. After each mouthful
of hay they take a sip of water. It is
said that this mode of feeding is benefi
cial, and to it the fact is attributed that
a broken winded horse is rarely seen in
Norway.
Poor Animals!
“You see, Miss Fanny, even the birds
seem happier running in couples.”
“Yes, but they are geese and don’t
know better.”—Wonder.
MEN WHO HAD LUCK.
STORIES CIRCULATED IN A GROUP OF
TACOMA SPORTS.
Most of Them Were Told by Professional
Gamblers and May or May Not Be True,
but an Affidavit Is Required For the Yarn
About the Gold Seeker.
“Well, that was luck.”
The speaker was one of a group of half
i dozen men who were standing on Pa
cific avenue puffing away at Havanas and
talking just to pass time away and to
clear their throats. The conversation had
been about the livery stable man, Mar
tin, of this city, who had fallen heir to
$350,000 three years ago and didn’t find’
it out until a few days ago.
“Talk about luck,” said one of the
group, who was agambler,“wesee plenty
of it. Do you know that one day last
week a man entered one of our gambling
houses with a nickel and won out $400 in
three hours? He had gone clean busted
the night before and found the nickel in
an out of the way corner in his room the
next morning.
“That blokie went to the gambling
house with the intention of placing his
5 cent piece on the number 5. He got
into the room when the roulette ball was
whizzing around on its tour of numbers.
He rushed to the table and got down his
nickel on the five just as the game run
ner shouted ‘All down!’ In a few sec
onds the ball started on its ‘rear end’
bouncing, and in a few seconds more the
man shouted ‘Five!’ That gave the man
with the nickel $1.75 for his 5 cents.
Then he put $1 on No. 17, and that num
ber came up, giving him $35 more. He
continued to play with varying luck
until in three hours he had won $400.
And the next day he was broke again.
He borrowed a nickel and tried the game
again, but it didn’t go.”
“I can tell a story of a man who was
lucky,” said a business man. “In the
early days of the gold excitement in Cali
fornia, there came into San Diego a man
who was ragged and sick almost to death.
He was taken in hand and fed and fixed
up. Then he told a story of a wonder
ful find of gold he had made. It was
only a few days off, he said, and he would
take a party to the place if they would
outfit.
“Several men who heard the story cf
the great gold in the mountains that was
theirs to go after got up a party of 50.
The start was made with that man as
leader. After a few days’ travel it be
came evident that the man had forgotten
the way. They traveled on, trusting to
luck, however. Indians were hostile at
the time, and they started in to mow the
gold hunters. They picked off one after
another with their bullets. A score were
thus taken off. Then a fever struck the
party, and 11 more went the way of
death.
“By this time the 19 survivors were
crazy with rage. They had been 14 days
out and were traveling in the most arid
country. Food was growing less and
less, and death faced everybody. On the
afternoon of the fourteenth day the lead
er, who had caused so much misery, was
given three days more to find his gold
‘find.’ If he was not successful by that
time, he was to hang.
“Well, the three days had almost
passed, and still there was no sign of the
find. The last hour was almost up. It
seemed that the man must hang. There
were only five minutes more, now two
minutes, now one minute, now a half
minute—then came his luck. Just as the
time was up for the hanging that man
dropped dead.”
“I don’t see how he was lucky,” put in
the gambler who had told the first story.
“Why,” said the business man, “he
was lucky because if he hadn’t died he
would have been hanged.”
Another gambler told how a few days
ago a green Swede who knew nothing
about the game, but determined to try
his luck, had won nearly $1,000. He
had been an onlooker once or twice and
seen big winnings. He went to the rou
lette wheel with $20, and in a few hours
he had won out $800. It seemed that no
matter what number he put chips on—
and he played recklessly, as all new play
ers do—it came np every time. That
was pure luck. The man played no com
binations or “arrangements,” because he
was as green as grass and knew nothing
about the game.
“I have a friend,” spoke up one of the
group, who is connected with the city
government, “who by the merest luck
made a discovery that is netting him mil
lions. His name is Perkins, and a few
years ago back in Minnesota he made his
discovery. He was a traveling man for
a grocery firm, and while walking to a
train to go from one country town to an
other one day he whittled a stick.
“He had whittled the stick in a trian
gular shape. On the train the idea struck
him that the shape would be just what
was wanted for railroad spikes. The
square spikes in vogue were not the right
thing because they split the grain of the
green ties when driven into them, and
when dry the wood shrank away from
them. The triangle shaped spike would
not split the grain, and subsequent
shrinkage would be done away with.
Perkins submitted his discovery to Pull
man, and now the spikes are being made
by millions at Pullman, Ills., making
millions for Perkins and Pullman.”
Another gambler here chimed in with
the statement that during the past week
a gambler from Seattle had won $2,300
at faro in Tacoma rooms in two sittings.
Both sittings occupied 13 hours, and the
first sitting resulted in the winning of
$1,300 and the second $1,000. During
the latter game the man was out nearly
the whole $1,300 he had won at sitting
No. 1, but he picked up and’won big
money. “I suppose he has gone back to
Seattle with his dough,” said the gam
bler, “as I have not seen him for some
days.”—Tacoma News.
Kind Indeed.
Collector (angrily)—Do you intend to
pay this bill next week or never, sir?
Trotter—Well, since you offer me a
choice, I say never. Really very kind of
you. Good day.—Truth.
ONE CURE FOR INSOMNIA.
A Man From >’«w York State Took a Little
Active Kxerclse on Horseback.
“I once was a sufferer from insomnia,”
said a dentist who lives in one of the
small villages of the state, as he sat talk
ing with other men in the sitting room
of an uptown hotel, “but I got rid of the
trouble.”
“What did you tako for it?”
“Bucking pony.”
“Tell us about that, please.”
“Well, you see, there was nothing the
matter with me only I couldn’t sleep.
The doctor looked me over and said I
wasn’t suffering from any disease that
he could detect, but all the same I could
get only a few catnaps every night, and
I felt that I would go crazy if such a con
dition of affairs continued much longer.
A wise friend of mine advised me to try
horseback exercise. Just at that time a
man had brought to the village a string
of ponies from the west. As the ponies
were wild they were offered for sale
cheap. I bought one. He was such a
sleepy looking animal that we called him
Rip Van Winkle. After we knew him
better we dropped part of the name and
called him plain Rip. The first ride I
took on him furnished excitement for the
whole village. Two men helped me to
saddle and mount him in the stable.
When the door was opened he shot out
into the street like a streak of lightning.
“He ran full against the fence opposite
the stable and broke several pickets.
Then he reared up on hir hind legs and
came near throwing me over backward.
Next he tried to stand on his head, but
I yanked him back on his feet and drove
the spurs into him. He started to run
then, and I let him go as fast as he could
leg it until we got to the Methodist
church at the end of the street. A tem
perance meeting was being held in the
church and the door was open. Before 1
could stop the pony we were in the
church and half way up the aisle. Wom
en screamed and fainted.
‘borne oi the men led Kip back into the
street. I didn’t dare to get off his back.
When the men let go of the bridle he be
gan to buck, and for a few minutes I
thought my neck would be broken. Ho
would go at a gallop when he went at
all, but he would stop now and then to
indulge in some bucking. Presently he
changed his tactics and went from one
street to another, across lots, jumping
fences, turning up flower beds, damaging
gardens and keeping me busy dodging
the branches of fruit trees. The next
street led to a turnpike, along which I
spurred him for miles until he was cov
ered with foam and nearly tired out.
“He seemed to be docile when I got
him back to the stable. Next day, how
ever, he was nearly as bad as when I
first rode him, and every day for a fort
night I was obliged to race him along the
turnpike several miles. My! my! How
he did buck! I was so lame at the end of
two weeks that I could scarcely walk to
my office, but I could sleep. A few min
utes after I got into bed at night I was
sleeping soundly, and I awoke every
morning thoroughly refreshed.”
“Do you still ride the pony?”
‘ ‘No. By the time I was cured of sleep
lessness I had broken Rip to ride, and I
sold him for double the sum I had paid
for him. My advice to anybody who is
suffering from insomnia is to get a buck
ing pony and ride as fast as he can. If
no necks are broken, both man and pony
will be benefited by the treatment.”—
New York Tribune.
To Remove Substances From the Eye.
To remove the solid particles from un
der the lids, it is sufficient to pull the lid
away from the eye and to wipe the body
with a piece of moist paper or the corner
of a handkerchief. If it is under the up
per lid, grasp the lid firmly between the
thumb and finger, lift it from the eye
ball and draw it down over the lower
lid, and then allow it to slide slowly
back to its natural position. The foreign
body will be scraped off on the lashes.
The operation may be repeated several
times. Or lift the lid from the eyeball,
allow the tears to accumulate beneath
the lid and forcibly blow the nose. Or
place in the eye a few grains of flaxseed,
which, forming a mucilage, will prompt
ly bring relief. Or place across the up
per lid the point of a pencil or bodkin,
and turn the lid back over it. In this
way the foreign particle is brought into
distinct view and can be readily wiped
away.—Washington Star.
A Long Underground Canal.
The canal between Worsley and St.
Heleha in north England is probably the
longest and most remarkable canal of
the kind in the world. It is 16 miles
long and is underground from one end
to the other, Many years ago the man
agers of the Duke of Bridgewater's es
tate filled its old mines with water that
they might transport the coal under
ground instead of on the surface. Ordi
nary canalboats are used, the power be
ing furnished by the men. The tunnel
arch over the canal is provided with
cross pieces, and the men propel the
boats along as they lie on their backs on
the loads of coal.—Pittsburg Dispatch.
Adam's Staff.
The Talmudic writers tell us that “the
blessed God gave to the first man in par
adise a staff which had been created be- i
tween the stars. Adam gave it to Enoch,
Enoch to Noah. Noah to Shem, Shem to
Abraham, Abraham to Isaac, Isaac to
Jacob. Jacob carried it into Egypt and
gave it to his son Joseph. When Joseph
died his household goods were taken to
the house of Pharaoh. Pharaoh took the
staff of Adam, which had descended to
Joseph from the first man, and put it
among his special treasures.”—St. Louis
Republic.
A Big Livery Bill.
A Bangor man who sent his office boy
to return a hired team to a stable re
ceived several days after a bill for the
board of the horse and another bill for
the hire of the team for the time in
tervening. The stupid boy took the team
to the wrong stable. The man said he
wouldn’t mind so much, but there seemed
to be no limit to the number of cigars he
is compelled to pay for at the instance of
jeering friends.—Exchange.
Htwftllng I cl thrift.
It must be surprising to the uninitiated
tc s.*i how soon fashions become general
ized in Paris. A “creation,” a new fash
ion, is hardly out of an exclusive house
of the Ruo de la Paix—hardly out of the
workrooms, it might be said—when you
see it copied in the show windows of the
Louvre and the Bon Marche, where it
can be bought for less than one-fourth
of the price asked by the great couturier}.
At first the rulers of dress thought that
some of their workpeople were bribed to
give points, but they soon discovered that
the pilfering of ideas took place in the
showrooms instead of the workrooms.
The Louvre and the Bon Marche engaged
handsome, distinguished looking young
women, dressed them as if they had $20,
000 a year and were accustomed from
infancy to having and wearing the best,
gave them a private carriage and had
them go to tho great costumers to order
garments “just come out.”
These afterward served as the models
of things which the week after you
might buy by the dozens. Tho large
shops resort to this means to obtain nov
elties not only in the beginning of the
season, but all tho year round, and the
couturiers have no way ef avoiding the
sales, for their showrooms are open to
all who wish to purchase and give or
ders. To be sure these couturiers make
most of their creations for authentic
princesses and duchesses, but here also
the shops get the best of them.—Cor.
New York Tribune.
An Eccentric Washington Woman.
There is a woman in Washington so
ciety whose eccentricities in certain lines
are so well known as to pass without
comment. Her position as a matron of
literary proclivities is the motive for sun
dry gatherings at her house during the
season. On one occasion the guests bid
den to the literary feast wTere informed
upon arrival that they must enter by a
side door, as the morning being rainy
they would otherwise track mud over the
hall carpet. That the hostess is not so
much a respecter of persons as of things
is further evidenced by her conduct at
an afternoon reception.
Those of her guests whose garments
were ornamented with jet were asked
during their stay to remain in the second
parlor, where the furniture was of ma
hogany. This sorting out process was
explained by the frank announcement
that if people would wear sharp orna
ments on their clothes she must protect
her own property by excluding them
from the sacred precincts of the first par
lor so that the rosewood furniture could
not be scratched.—Kate Field’s Wash
ington.
How to Keep a Chameleon.
The Florida chameleon, which also is
frequently brought home by the tourist,
is a bright and intelligent creature. He
requires almost unlimited sunshine to
bask in, and flies, which he catches on
the end of his long tongue, to eat. A
fernery is a comfortable place for him.
This fellow, it is said, has a temper, and
if not well treated or if teased he will
show fight, though he can hardly do
much harm. The genuine chameleon,
after whom the Florida lizard is named,
is one of the quaintest and oddest of
pets, but he is a native of the old world
and rarely seen in our country.
Another American of the family, often
sent from the west and south to pet
lovers, is called the horned toad, though
he is no toad, but a lizard. He is said to
be an interesting pet and capable of be
ing taught. All the small members of
this race live on insects and need to be
kept in very warm quarters.—Olive
Thorne Miller in Harper's Bazar.
The Boomerang Is Not New.
The boomerang, the Australian native's
weapon of offense and defense, referred
to in all reference works as an instru
ment unknown until after the discovery
of Australia, was doubtless known be
fore the time of Christ. Pliny the elder,
a contemporary of our Saviour, writes
as follows in his “Natural History" re
specting an instrument made of the wood
of the aquifolia:
“If a staff made of this wood, when
thrown at an animal, from want of
strength in the person throwing, falls
short of the mark, it will come back to
ward the thrower of its own accord, po
remarkable are the properties of that
tree.”
It is altogether probable that the
learned Pliny did not consider the shape
of the “staff" and referred its peculiari
ties to the nature of the wood of which
it was made.—St. Louis Republic.
Blunder Worse Than Guilt.
There are some penalties on innocent
acts essential to human safety, and the
signaler whose failure has destroyed a
train must be punished, even though,
when he pleads that he was in a “dwam,”
he is to his own mind telling the simple
and sufficient truth. Nature is even
harder on blunder than on guilt, and
though man has no right to be as stern
as nature, which, for example, executed
a dynamiter at Madrid—not for his in
tention to murder, but for his careless
ness in dropping his bomb—still, there
are points upon which he must be nearly
as hard.—London Spectator.
Colonel North’s Strong Boom.
Colonel North is said to have at Eltham
one of the strongest of strong rooms prob
ably in the world. Not only is his gold
and silverware stored here, but lady vis
itors to Eltham are provided for, special
arrangements being made for “taking
care” of their jewels during the night.
The “room” is floored with cement and
walled all round with weighty granite.
To get into its interior you must pas3
through many gates, all fitted up with
burglar alarms. The treasures are kept
in iron cages, and the “room” is 30 feet
under ground.—London Tit-Bits.
The Difference.
Two soldiers lay under their blankets
looking up at the stars. Says Jack,
“What made you go into the army,
Tom?” “Well,” replied Tom, “I had no
wife and I loved war, Jack, so I went.
What made you go?” “Well,” returned
Jack, “I had a wife and I loved peace,
Tom, so I went.”—Chicago Inter Ocean.