Mission Which the Structures Performs
During the Season ,
THEY OFFERED COMFORT
Io Thounuml , Whether or Not Natives of
tlio State RopreHcntcd Number of
VlHltorti Entertained , us Shown by the
Rcglstera Miscellaneous Mutter * .
The closing of the exposition , says
the Omaha World-Herald , while it
will be hailed with satisfaction by
many , will be like the breaking up o
home to some. Several thousand people
ple have been constantly on th i
grounds by day and several hundred
have made it their abiding place by
night.
Among those who will feel the dis
solution most keenly are generally
those who have had charge of the
state buildings. As a rule these people
ple have played the part of hosts too
sincerely and taken too much real
pleasure in providing for the comfort
of visitors to be glad that the relations
of the s .inmer are now to be severed.
With such a prospect In view as the
close of a great exposition that hus
been the delight and admiration of
hundreds of thousands , it is common
to hear expressions of regret that the
scene is to be blotted out forever and
the beautiful buildings be torn down ,
and the feelings of the host and the
hostesses and attendants at the -'tato
buildings are well appreciated by the
visitors who have found hospitanle
receptions , rest and refreshment with
in these walls. Their sentiment of
fondness for these places is somewhat
attested , too , by the demands for
pieces of furniture or hangings or
decorations from them as souvenirs. .
And one of the most gratifying fea
ture of the whole exposition , both to
the management and to the visitors ,
has 'been the excellent administration
of the state buildings. At no other
exposition has the purpose of the i-tate
and local headquarters been so well
served. At no other exposition has
there been so little formality. FUC I
cordial welcome , such generous treat
ment and such facilities for rest and
comfort.
What at other expositions has be.2i
done by a central organization known
as the department of public comfort
was here done by all the states , and
they left nothing to be desired. All
the Trans-Mississippi states were not
represented here , it is true , but those
which contributed the overwhelming
ly larse share to the attendance of
the exposition , were adequately r-p-
resented.
Not much that is very reliable can
be learned from the record of regis
tration at the various buildings , b-j-
indiscriminately
cause callers registered
ly , and thousands of the same names
are on all the registers that wevo kept.
It has -been claimed by Iowa that she
sent to the exposition half of its at
tendance. This is not admitted by
very many , more admitting that Iowa
contributed only as many visitors a3
nebraska.
If the registers show anything they
show that this is true , for the Iowa
and Nebraska registers contain about
100,000 nr.mes each , and these regis
ters are considerably longer than any
others. Minnesota shows 65.000
names ; Illinois. 45,000 ; Kansas , 35,000 ;
New York7 20.000 ; Wisconsin , 20,000.
and Montana something less than that.
The largest state building , which
was natural and proper enough , was
Nebraska's. Nebraska started out TO
be the host , not only of the visitors
from Nebraska , but of those from all
the states and especially for those
from states that had no buildings.
The broad guage plan was carved
out perfectly and it should not be for
gotten that the same spirit governed
the administration at every state
building. All comers were welcome.
At the Minnesota building for exam
ple a man was just as welcome whether
he came from Minnesota or from Cal
ifornia , or Htvwaii. It was the same
everywhere else. And , while order
and "neatness had to be loohf-d out for
everywhere , there was a * t , "Mng
absence of any stiff rules whose un-
nessary restraint the wearied " visitors
might feel.
At the Nebraska building some of
the state commissioners were always
present and the most unremitting at
tention to their functions was given
by tne hostess , Miss Butterfield , and
the assistant hostess , Mrs. Hunter.
and em-
They had the unhesitating
cient support of every employe.
During the cummer the building
was -the scene of many a congress or
fraternal rally , for which the large
and several
rotunda was so convenient ,
eral entertaining receptions were giv
en afternoon and evening. The fact
that the building was headquarters
for various fraternities and state or
ganizations and was filled with elab
orate and tasteful decorations and
several collections of great Interest
made it almost equivalent to an ex
hibit as well as an entertaining build-
Ing.
Death , of Stephen B. Miltw.
Falls City dispatch : Stephen B.
Miles one of aho pioneer settlers of
Nebraska and one of its wealthiest
men , died last .night about 10 p. m. .
at the Union house after an illness
of a week. Mr. Miles' wealth con
sists largely of land that he acquired
from the government in payment for
carrying the ma * , across the plains
by pony express during the war and
before. He has spent his summers
recently at his ranch of 2,000 acres
near Dawson. The winters he spent
in banking and was active in looking
after his business interests himself
until within the last Year , when his
health rapidly failed. Last winter
he was in the hospital at St. Loute ,
Mo. The past spring he gave the Odd
Fellows a building worth $8,000 a-'d
assisted them in putting it in shape
for their use.
May Secure the Exposition Organ.
A project is under w.iy at Lincoln
to purchase the great concert orgdn ,
built for the exposition , for use ic the
chapel of the University.
Supreme Court Decision.
The supreme court handed down a
number of decisions the other day.
among them being affirmations in the
cases of Stevens , the Sheridan county
cattle stealer , and Chezem of Adams
county , who was sentenced by the
district court for larceny. A casa
brought up from York county is de
cided , giving cities of the second class
the vlght to levy an occupation tax
against railroad companies where th
lines of the company enter the city
limits.
Deserted a new found bride
Chadron dispatch : Through the
agency of a matrimonial bureau Pat
rick Lacy of Harrison , Neb. , aged 43
years , and Mrs. Maggie Schooley , aged
53. , of Marlon , Q % were united in mar
riage at the home of the yioom last
week. After having enjoyed the com
panionship of her newly found hus
band two nights and one day Mrs.
Lacy tired of the matrimonial venture
and Lacy has now lost his bride , who
left , together with her little daughter ,
for her Ohio home. Gross misrepre
sentation on the part of both parties
in the case resulted in the marriage
being a decidedly unhappy union , and
Lacy does not regret his wife's early
departure. It is stated that Lacy rep
resented to Mrs. Schooley that he
was a wealthy cattle ranchman , own
ing a larce ranch in Sioux City , but
when she arrived on the scene she
discovered her intended to be a day
laborer with small means. Lacy , In
turn , discovered that the woman , who
claimed to have several thousand dollars
lars In her own right , had barely
enough money In her possession to
purchase a ticket home so the match
was broken with but little sorrow on
the part of the two interested parties.
Lively Closing of the Exposition.
There was a noisy crowd on the ex
position grounds on the night of the
closing day. Here is a sample of how
they celebrated as told by the Omaha
Bee :
"The second scrap of considerable
dimensions took place in Pabst's beer
hall , which has been the "official" ren
dezvous for a great number of rail
road men and other Omahans during
the season. About 1 o'clock a strange
lot of spectators wandered in and , as
they were more or less filled with the
exhuberance of the occasion , and
other things , they showed their ap
preciation of the show in their own
manner. The trouble began -when
one man heaved an empty beer bottle
tle on the stage to emphasize the fact
that he wanted "Pepita , the queen of
the Midway , " to give another song
and dance. About six simultaneously
followed his example. Then the beer
glasses commenced to rain on the
stage and the large trays of the wait
resses were hastily grabbed and shied
into the jack pot. When a cople of
chairs were tossed in Manager Willard
concluded it was about time to close
the game. A squad of guards and
police soon cleared the hall , the more
obstreperous visitors being dragged
out and uncerimoniusly landed in the
Middle of the Midway. No serious
injuries resulted from this affair ,
though there were any number of
wounds of minor mention received. No
more -beer was sold , the show was
adjourned sine die , and the big front
gate was lowered for the last tins
about 1:45 o'clock .
A Good Thing : for JTarmors.
Fremont dispatch : Dodge , county
will be as large a sheep-feeding point
this winter as in previous years. The
feeding yards for 75,000 head have al
ready been arranged for and it is probable -
bable that 100,000 sheep will be fatten
ed here for market. Very few of the
old feeders are in the business this fall
owing to the fact that the sheep are
now , and were last spring , so high that
they consider there would be very lit
tle if any profit in it A number of
range men have engaged yards and
some local men have embarked in the
live stock business. Cattle will also
be fed on a large scale. The Standard
Cattle company at Ames will feed
about 7,0oj head and several firms will
look after -bunches of several hundred
head , while many farmers will feed a
carload or two. This large feeding
business is a big thing for farmers who
sell grain and hay , as it insures an
excess of the market price and in
many cases shortens the hauL
First claim for it XcJiraskan.
Osceola dispatch : Another of th-3
members of Colonel Bryan's regiment ,
the Third Nebraska , has just been
sent home here , discharged by tele
graphic order from the war depart
"
ment. Austin Jeffrey had "been here
on a sick furlough and had returned
to his jegiment at Pablo Beach , Fla. ,
when the order came for his dis
charge.
Judge T. H. Saunders has just filed
the first pension claim for a Nebrask't
soldier of the Spanish-American wir.
This man was a recruit and enlisted
for Company C , Captain Killian's
company , of the First Nebraska , and
had got as far as San Francisco ,
where he was drilling while awaiting
transportation for Manila , whoa he
fell and was injured quite badly and
was discharged.
Election Contest Case Decided.
An election contest case from Nuck-
ells county was decidedby , the su
preme couri. The republicans of that
county , in certifying their candidates
to the county clerk , had neglected to
include the certificate for county com
missioner and the mistake was found
out too late to file , under -the election
law. To remedy this the republican
committee met , declared a vacancy
on the ticket and nominated the same
man over again. The nomination of
a man to fill a vacancy gave them the
right to file a certificate up to eight
days before the election. The county
clerk refused to put the name on the
ticket and the republicans applied for
a writ to compel him to do so. The
court granted the writ.
Swindled by a Cattle Thief.
Broken Bow dispatch : E. Sholtz ,
who lives nine miles southwest of here ,
bought 01 October 24 sixty-five h-Jad
of cattle of a stranger who said he
was driving them through the coun
try and who gave his name as Wil-
kintson. Today he turned the cattle
over to Mr. Plumer without expense ,
from whose range , on the Dismal , the
cattle were stolen on the 22nd ult Mr.
Sholtz is out ? 1,500
A Storm Off San Salvador Sank
the Arnfored Cruiser ,
SHE WENT DOWN NOVEMBER 1.
The Patched Seams In the Hull Could
Not Stand the Strain of Heavy Seas
All of the Crew " \Voro Savol Xe
* >
Officially Confirmed.
S. C. , Nov. 7. The
ocean tug Merritt , which put into
Charleston this morning for supplies ,
reported the loss of the armored
cruiser Infanta Maria Teresa oft' San
Salvador , Bahamas , November 1 , in
the midst of a furious storm.
The cruiser left Caimancra , Cuba , on
the morning1 of October 30 , in tow , for
New York. She had already passed
Cape Maysi and started northeast
around the Bahamas. A furious storm ,
warning1 of which had already Leen
sent out , overtook her , and in her con
dition she was unable to weather the
gale. The strain opened rents in her
hull which had been patched to enable
her to make the journey and she began
to fill rapidly. *
The Merritt took off Captain Harris
and the crew from tbe sinking1 ship
and she soon went down. The Merritt
brought the captain and 13 ( > men who
will proceed north by rail. No lives
were lost , so far as known. The Mer
ritt is now at quarantine , six miles
from the city. Communication with
her is difficult.
WASHINGTON , Nov. 7. The navy de
partment has received a dispatch from
Lieutenant Commander Harris , who
was with the Infanta Maria Teresa
when she left Caimancra , saying that
he reached Charleston last night on
the wrecking tug Merritt with the of
ficers and fifty-eight men , formerly
the crew of the Teresa The cruiser
was lost about thirty miles north of
San Salvador , Tuesday , in a northeast
gale of exceptional violence.
NEW YOUK , Nov. 7. Private information
mation received in this city from
Charleston says that the Infanta Maria
Teresa was abandoned thirty miles
north of Watlings island , one of the
Bahamas.
The Teresa was the flagship of Ad
miral Cervera and led the dash out of
Santiago harbor July 3. She was the
first of Spain's fine armored cruisers
and was built about seven years ago at
Bilboa at a cost of over 83,000,000. She
was of 7,000 tons displacement ; her
length was 3C4 feet. She carried a
crew of 500 men and her coal capacity
was 1,200 tons. Her indicated speed
was twenty knots on hour.
The Teresa , being in the lead , re
ceived the bulk of the fire of the
American fleet as she left the harbor
of Santiago and her flag was
hauled down iu just three-quarters
of ; in hour. She was beached six
miles west of Morro castle. Oae of
the first shells cut her fire mains and
she was on fire almost from the first.
Her sea valves were opened by the
Spaniards before she reached land.
THE THEATER ROOF FELL
Six Bodies Taken Prom thn Ruins of u
Structure Building in Detroit.
DETROIT , Mich. , Nov. 7. The roof of
the New Wonderland theater collapsed
at 1:45 o'clock this afternoon , carry
ing down the iron galleries of
the structure and a great mass of
scaffolding. Twenty-five men were
working under the collapsed part of
the structure. Scarcely any of these
men seem to have escaped injury. The
bodies of six dead men have already
been recovered. Several others are
fatally injured.
Spanish Arms to Come Xortli.
SANTIAGO , Cuba. Nov. 7. Colonel
Barrup has completed an inventory of
the arms captured from the Spanish.
They are to be shipped to American
arsenals. One hundred and thirty-five
cannon , vuryin ? from one to five inches
in caliber have been gathered together.
There are eighty-six bronze pieces ,
three steel guns and forty-one cast iron
guns. In addition to this ordnance ,
there are 22.000 Mauser rifles and 10-
000,000 cartridges.
The Delawares to Kmlgrate to Mexico.
WICHITA. Kan , Nov. 7. The Dela
ware Indians are holding a political
and religious meeting on Caney river
in the Cherokee nation. They dis
cussed the agitation to emigrate to
Mexico. Five delegates were elected
to go to Mexico and arrange for the
purchase of lands for the tribe. The
sentiment of the Delawares is said to
be practically unanimous for emigra
tion. *
To Bring the Erl S10.009.OOO.
LONDON , Nov. 7. The wedding of
the Earl of Stafford to Mrs. Samuel
Colgate will probably occur in Amer
ica. Mrs. Colgate is one of the richest
women in America. Iler fortune is es
timated at about S10.00D.OOO. Her hus
band , the soap manufacturer , died six
years ago. She is young and beautiful
and has been a favorite in the Amer
ican colony here.
Independent Telephone for VFIchltn.
WICHITA , Kan.Ncv. 7. Twenty bus
iness men of Wichita have combined
to fight the high charges of telephose
companies. An independent line will
be built in Sedgwick county and a
rate , 25 per cent lower than that of
the present companies , will be charged.
Six Hundred Don tin In Slttanzas.
HAVANA , Nov. 7. The official rec
ords from Matanzas for the month of
October gives the births there at nine
teen , the marriages ten and the deaths
C6S.
FiLjPiNOS TAKE A TOWN ,
Spaniard * In the Town of Ilollo Fall
Back Before the Insurgent * .
MANILA , Nov. 7. The. latest news
from iloilo is that the rebels are ad
vancing and the Spaniards retiring be
fore them. The foreigners are afraid
that the rebels will attack the town.
Admiral Dewey has sent the Charles
ton and the Concord to protect foreign
interests. The Isla Negros has been
taken by the rebels. It is rumored
that all of the Spaniards are prisoners.
There is much misrule by the local
authorities in Northern Luzon The
provinces under the immediate control
of Aguinaldo are fairly well ruled.
If the United States assumes part of
Spain's Philippine debt it is advised
that it shall insist on the payment of
deposits in the saving bank , or Caja de
Depositos. Ninety per cent of the de
positors are poor persons.
The health of the American troops
is improving. The heavy rains are
over. A member of the First Colorado
volunteers has been drowned while
swimming in the river.
SAW SERVICE AS COAL PASSERS
Captain Bartlett Found Kducated Naval
Reserves Undertook Impossible Tasks.
WASHINGTON , Nov. 7. Captain John
R. "Hartlett , who was in command of
the United States auxiliary force dur
ing the war , has submitted a report
showing how that force was organ
ized with expedition and thorough
ness , in spite of the short time availa
ble. He speaks of the naval militia in
terms of highest praise.
Captain Bartlett found that anxiety
to see. active service induced many ed
ucated men to enlist as coal passers
and in other ratings that they were
not physically competent to fill. The
naval militia was called on to augment
the crews of the regxilar warships.
Captain Bartlett thinks this a mistake
and outlines a bill to provide for a sys
tem of naval reserves , based upon some
part of the militia when the men have
shown themselves expert on revenue
marine service and the life saving ser
vice.
CALLED THEKAISjiR A POODLE.
A German Editor Given Six Months for
Insulting the Emperor Five Time * .
BKRLIN , Nov. 7 Maximilian Hardin ,
editor and publisher of Die Zukuiift ,
has been sentenced to six months de
tention in a fortress for lese majeste.
Five charges of lesj majeste were
brought against Ilcrr Uardin. The four
articles particularly resented were
"Pudel Majestat , " in. which hejom -
paretl the emperor to a poodle prince ;
"An den Kaiser.1 ( To the Kaiser ) , in
which he personally addressed the - m
purer complaining that he lias been
charged with lese majeste for writing
the first article ; "Dor Wahrheifc Ilache' '
( The Revenge of Truth ) , written an
onymously , and "Grossvater's Uhr"
( Grandfather's Clock ) , in which the
Bismarck case was introduced. A re
cent dispatch from Berlin said thy cir-
ulation of Die Zukunft since the per
secutions had increased three-fold ,
reaching * * < million.
MATAAFA STILL UNCROWNED ,
Surnouni , Urged by Foreigners , Are Ob
jecting to the Kingship.
SAX FKANCISCO , Nov. 7. Dispatches
from Samoa indicate that the dis
quietude among the members of the
board of control of the isl.ancls still
continues. The consuls of Germany ,
England and the United States are networking
working together harmoniously.
President Ratrel of the treaty board
has taken a high-handed position ,
though he has expressed a willingness
to recede , but is not permitted to.
Mataafa is not yet king. The abolishment
ishment of the kingship is advocated
by many of the islanders , supported by
many foreigners.
An American engineer has arrived to
superintend the building of a coaling
station at Pago-Pago. A protest , it is
said , has been filed by the German
consul over the work.
AGAINST BANK CONSOLIDATION
Boston Merchants Say It Is a Menace
to IJunincRS Interests.
BOSTON" , Mass. , Nov. 7. Soon after
the announcement of the determina
tion of the savings bank commission
to liquidate nice solvent banks in
Boston , the Boston associated board of
trade appointed a committee of five of
its members to oonsidet tins question :
* ls the wholesale closing of solvent
national banks for the best interests
of the business coiumumty ? "
The committee unanimously report
ed in severe terms against the savings
banks for their recent work of whole
sale liquidation , calling it "unjust ,
untimeli' and needless , " and a menace
to the business interests of Boston.
The Central National bank will take
over the business of the Lincoln Na
tional bank Monday.
Spain * * Auction of Tug mid
HAVANA. Nov. 7. The Spanish offi
cials have announced a sale of govern
ment tugs and launches. The only
boat sold was a launch , which went
for S3.300. In the other cases the bids
fell below the two-thirds estimated
value and the articles were not sold.
Found Anthracite Coal In Alaska.
JUXEAU. Alaska , Nov. 7. Captain
Abercrombse of the Copper River Ex
ploring company , has returned from
an expedition. Anthracite and bit
uminous coal was found in plenty.
He predicts the settlement of the
whole Copper river valley.
A Kansas Soldier Dies of Typhoid.
LEAVKNWOitru , Kan. , Nov. 7.
Thomas C. Richardson , of Company A ,
Twenty-second Kansas regiment , died
of typhoid fever at Gushing hospital
last night. His ho-ac was in Parsons.
FOR BOYS AND GffiLS.
SOME GOOD STOHIES FOR OUR
JUNIOR READERS.
The Cats * Tea Party The True Story of
Polly-Tom About the aiother Goose
Two tittle Girls Laura K. Klclmril'ii
I'retty Story Kutitled Jenny. ,
The Cuts * Tea Partv.
Five little pussy cats , invited out to
tea.
Cried : "Mother , let us go oh , do ! for
good we'll surely be.
We'll wear our bibs and hold our
things as you have shown us
how
Spoons in right , cups in left and
make a pretty bow :
We'll always say , 'Yes , if you please. '
and 'Only half of that. ' "
"Then go my darling children , " said
the happy mother cat.
The five little pussy-cats went out that
night to tea.
Their heads were smooth and glossy ,
their tails were swinging free ;
They held their things as they had
learned , and tried to be polite
With snowy bibs beneath their chins
they were a pretty sight.
But alas for manners beautiful , and
coats as soft as silk !
The moment that the little kits were
asked to take some milk.
They dropped their spoons , forgot to
bow , and oh , what do you
think !
They put their noses in the cups and
all began to drink !
Yes , every naughty little kit set up
a miou for more ,
Then knocked the tea-cups over , and
scampered through the door.
Jenny.
We went out to drive with Jenny
yesterday. She was in the shafts and
we were on the seat , and we all look
ed very nice. Jenny is brown , with
long , smooth ears , and large , soft eyes ,
and she Is the prettiest donkey any
where about. But well , mamma says
that beauty is only skin-deep. At first
Jenny trotted along nicely , and we
said , "Oh , what a pleasant thing it is
to have a donkey ! "
Presently she stopped and began to
eat grass ; we knew she could not be
hungry. "Go on ! " we cried ; but Jen
ny would not go on. I beat her quite
hard , but she only shook her ears and
did not seem to mind at all. She back
ed round till the cart stood directly
across the road , and not another foot
would she stir.
Pretty soon a carriage came along ,
and the horse was frightened at Jen
ny , and began to rear and plunge.
"Take your donkey out of the way ! "
shouted the driver. We beat Jenny
again till our arms ached , but could
not make her go.
I got out and tried to push her , but
I might as well have pushed the stone
wall. Then the man turned round and
drove away , but we stayed there. We
were tired and the sun was hot , but
Jenny did not mind the heat. '
Another man came by or , rather , a
big boy and he laughed at us , and
said , "Ho ! before I'd give up to a don
key ! " so we asked him to help us , and
he came and tried to push Jenny back
from the road. He pushed and push
ed , setting his chest against her fore
head , and shoving till he was purple
in the face ; but Jenny planted her four
feet and laid back her ears and stood
still ; and we sat and laughed , for we
could not help it.
At last the big boy said he wasn't
going to stand there and be made a
fool of , so he went away growling and
grumbling ; and Jenny looked after
him as if she were laughing. Perhaps
she was.
At last something seemed to come
into her mind ; she looked all about
her ; then she turned round and ran
home as fast as she could go. She
bolted into the garden , upsetting the
cart and throwing Bessie and me out ,
with the cushions on top of us. Then
she ran over the flower beds , and at
last the gardener caught her and put
her into the stable. We are thinking
of giving Jenny away. Laura E.
Richards , aged 14.
The True Story of Polly-Tom.
Polly came to me when I was tired ,
ill and lonely , a birthday gift from
my little boy.
He was a green Mexican parrot ,
with a yellow head , and yellow and
red epaulets on his shoulders , and his
solemn , round eyes and great white
beak gave him a ridiculously wise and
aged appearance , although the baby
bird was not yet a year old.
He was very shy and quiet for a few
days , and I feared he would never
talk , but I always exclaimed. "Hello ! "
when I went into the room , and would
tempt him and coax him by holding
his food near the cage when he was
hungry , and in less than a week he
greeted my entrance into the room
with a cheery , "Hello ! "
My-hearty laughter made him very
proud of himself , and he very soon
picked up the name which some of the
family gave him , and would exclaim.
"Hillo , Polly ! " with much satisfac
tion.
I usually called him "Tom , " which
seemed to puzzle him , and he often
tried it over in a whisper , as parrots
usually do before speaking in public.
One day , after some very amusing
gymnastics , he astonished his mis
tress by saying , in a very patronizing
tone , "Hillo , Polly-Tom ! " and that
finally became his name.
He was a very affectionate fellow ,
and became immensely fond of my
husband , whom I usually called Jack.
About five o'clock each day Tom be
came very uneasy , would listen for
sounds in the lower hall most Intent
ly , with his head cocked on one side , a
and when he heard ho front door jj
bang and a cane and "umbrella rattle |
in the holder.his excitement knew no III
bounds , and his. "HilloDack ! Dack ! "
could be heard all over the 'house , nor
would he be quiet until his master had
petted and played with him awhile.
"Howdy-do ? " and "good-by" were
soon added , to his list of accomplish
ments , and rarely used at the wrong
time. He had a keen sense of the fit
ness of things , had our Polly-Tom.
But to hear him telephone was the
funniest of all ! He was In the same
room with the instrument , and it was
used a great deal , usually with the
hand held over the bell when "ringing
up , " which produced a whirring , whiz
zing sound.
One member of the family used to
hold long conversations by means of
it , never thinking that the solemnly
attentive bird was "taking notes. "
One day , as I sat in the next room.
I was convulsed with laughter to hear
a perfect imitation of the whirring
sound emanating from Tom's cage ,
after which came a sharp , "Hillo ! "
He waited a moment , then gabbled
something meant for a number ; wait
ed , then said , "Howdy-do ? " and pro
ceeded to imitate the voice in conver
sation perfectly , with rising and fallIng -
Ing inflections and interrogations ;
then he. paused to listen , then said ,
"What ? " in a most amused , incredu
lous way , and laughed heartily. After
another pause , to hear what was said ,
he gabbled a little more nonsense ,
said , "Well , good-by , " and rang off.
No words can express how funny it
was ! After that the family often
heard him , for when he did not know
what else to do he "telephoned. " His
excitement was so great when the bell
was unanswered for a few moments
that I am quite sure he would have
flown to the 'phone and attempted to
answer , had he been free.
Poor Polly-Tom took a terrible cold
in our Canadian winter , and I kept
him for a while close to a heater , his
cage swathed in flannel ; he lost his
voice and moped dismally , sneezing
at intervals in a truly human way. His
great comfort was to have me sit be
side him and put my hand through
the wires of his cage ; he would sidle
up to me , clutch my finger with one
hot little claw , say , "Hillo ! " in a
husky whisper , and go to sleep. He
recovered as the spring came on , and
was as gay as ever.
He delighted in round objects which
he could chase about the floor of his
large cage. He would get wildly ex
cited over spools and marbles , and
played with them as gaily as a kitten.
Poor old Polly ! His master fell very
ill , and he was left alone too much
to mope and pine. He lost heart and
appetite , and winter seemed to try
him too much. One day I found him
prone upon the floor of his cage , and
neither love nor care could save him.
He sleeps in his temporary grave , in
a bvelve-foot snow-bank , and when
spring comes we will bury him under
the apple-tree.
appletree.ESTELLE
ESTELLE H. WILSON.
About Mother Goose.
"Is it true about Jill ? " asked Dot.
"Was there ever a Jack and Jill ? "
"Yes , " I answered. "I have no doubt
there was , somewhere , sometime , a real
Jack and Jill , and that they went for
a pail of water , and tumbled down hill.
I think most of the Mother Goose
rhymes started from some real saying
or doing or happening. Most of them
are very old , too. The Jack and Jill
jingle was a favorite in England long ,
long ago indeed , I rather think Jack
and Jill came over in the Mayflower.
And we do know , for sure , that there
was a Mother Goose , and that when
Boston was a village , two hundred
years ago , she lived there , and had a
little girl named Elizabeth ! "
"Oh really and truly ? " cried Dot.
"Tell me about it. " "Well , when Mo
ther Goose's little girl , Elizabeth Ver-
goose Vergocse was the real family
name grew up , she married Mr. John
Fleet , a printer , and had a little son of
her own. Now Grandmother Vergoose
was very fond of Elizabeth's little boy.
She was very fond , too , of rhymes ;
and , being a wonderfully jolly grand
mother , she sang to her little grand
son all the jingles she could remember.
I think , too , she made up some herself ;
I think perhaps one day , when she was
carrying the little Vergoose grandchild
about the house , she made up the
'Goosey , goosey , gander' verse Eliza
beth's little boy being that very 'goo
sey , ' and not any bird at all. "
"Oh ! " said Dot , "and what next ? "
"Well , Grandmother Vergoose sang
her rhymes over and over , and sang
them so loud that the neighbors all
heard , and laughed about it , and Mr.
Fleet was vexed until one day he
had a happy thought , and wrote down
the rhymes , and printed a book of
them , 'Songs of the Nursery. ' But.
perhaps as a joke on Grandmother
Vergoose , he also printed on the title
page , 'Mother Goose's Melodies for
Children/with a picture of a long necKed -
ed , open billed goose. That was the
first 'Mother Goose' book and it sold
for 'two coppers. ' "
Two Little Girls.
Dorothy Dump , Dorothy Dump.
Sat in her palace forlorn ;
She ate her honey and counted her
money
And moped from morn to morn.
"What a dolorous world ! " said Dor
othy Dump ;
"I wish I had never been born ! "
Barbara Bright , Barbara Bright ,
Toiled for the wretched and poor ;
She gave them money and fed then :
with honey.
And taught them how to be truer.
"What a beautiful world ! " said Bar
bara Bright ,
" Tls good to be living. I'm sure ! "
