LIFE'S
" 5 Ittt'v " - ! "vnl hearts. there arc ipirili
brnvi- ,
There arc souls that ar-o pure and ( rue
' 1'Iu'U ; rhf ! o tin- world the bebt you liav <
And thf iosivil ! come buck to you.
fJive lo ie. nsi-J ! < .ve t- your life will How ,
A strrnuJli in your utmost need ;
-"Flare fsUli. jin ! : i score of hearts wil
shiuv
Their fiiili in y.tnv word anil deed.
Give trn'ii. a : il , voir gifts v.'iil be paid si
And iiftnor will honor utcet ;
And a hutl < - Unit s swoct will surely fiiu
A smile ( I ; ; * ! I * jn.-t as sweet !
Give pis.v : n-d sorrow to those who- mourn
You will jraHier. in flowers again ,
The s'-altfiv-d .seeds from your though'
outcome ,
Thonjrh ih" suwhig seemed but vain.
' /'or / lift * is tJj& mirror of king and slave ,
'Tist , ] > ihn ( ; ve are , and do ;
Then rive to the world the best you have
And { In- best will r-niue back to you.
JHIBS
01-R DRESSMAKER.
i'ECKITT used to come tc
MJSS : hotipo to sew. She sewei ]
my 1 rocks and she sewed mj
j inaforr- . and .sat among her tapes and
.j : ns ami yard measures telling me old
storiesjiiat m < one else cared about , foi
Mis. ? IVt-kitl lunl no relatives , and had
r > lwij : > . a > she > aid , kept herself tc
.herself.
And ru all lu r < torie.s the one I liked
.l t'M wsone : ! - about the pincushion.
It waj iirfiheavy cushion , and I
wondi'ivdlty Miss Peckitt always
In'cuglit it with hi r when she came for
.the day.
"It has a brick inside to keep it
steady when I pin myyork to it , " she
fiaklslid I carry it with mo because
ir wa < thi' l.-ft thing my joung man
du.de f r nu\ "
-Oh. did y .u ovt-r haven young man ?
Do fell 2ii < - about him ! "
At 1'J year * old one is not discreet.
3 supi u e Mi > s Peckitt was not inclined
to be hard on youthful indiscretion.
: She threaded her needle and began :
"It was when 1 was a young girl. "
Sue could not have been more than
: SO at IJ- ? ; tinn- . but to me she seemed
immeji > r.rably old. as I said :
"If * : i loiitr time ago , then , " as syni-
.pathetically : is I could.
"Yes. " she -aid. "a long time. He
was Ihi : s ; i of a farmer , and we was
courting fviir .since we was quite little
things and wont to Sunday school. But
it was not to b < > . "
"What hapj'fiu-d ? "
-v ' 'Why. hi < father died , my dear , and
when it came to looking into things it
was found he'd borrowed money on the
laud , and HIP interest hadn't been paid.
So , iln-u. my Willie said he'd pay the
interest ami all. if they'd only wart.
But they wouldn't and the old place
v/as sold up hoij- and buildings and
the beaMs and the land with the stand
ing crops. They may say it's law , but
it ain't jusJice. "
She 5)51 oft' her thread sharply and I
paid it was a shame.
"So it w s : i black shame. My Wil-
'He would a" paid them every penny if
they'd only a"waited. . But no ; they
sold the- old place , and it fetched more
V
thrm { hey looked for , and there was
.near $1.000 ovor. and that they gave to
Willie , asvns only fair. And after
the sale wa * over I saw nothing of him
for two days , and then he came to me
"looking Pke a doi ? that the boys are
-after wti ? . stones- .
' Tin off. ' says he ; 'with this bit of
money I'll uuike. a fortune over in
America , which is a free country , and
I'll come home for you , iny girl , or I'll
write you and you'll come to me. '
' 'If it MM * : to the world's end , ' says I.
' Then be ij.-jve me this pincushion' ; it
seemc'l a funny present , being quite
plain , ayrm see. nd it had big stitch-
-cs , but M'\vn strong , and I almost
laughed : i * I t mk it. I was glad after
that I Itatlu't laughed , for Willie he
-says :
'Bl' > M.m. my dear , do you know
Avhat m.-ilce-j 3j > < > heavy ? "
"So I s : ; < i. ! . L didn't.
' 'It's : Iirlrk ut of the old south
-wall.a I homo.ays he , 'where the yel
low rosf r.-i. a'id ' whore the apricots fruit
so free , and ii'- covered with a bit of
silk ffovv-ji my mother was married in
it's faded , ' 'in you can see the rose
sprigs OM It yet. You'll keep it for my
sake ? "
"Well ? " I a-k 'd. for Miss Peckitt had
.stopped aJ ruj.ty. !
"We ! ! . Hint's all. " she said , shortly ;
-"he never < - " ! > ie back , but I know he
-was true .Mid hi' would ha" come back
if lie's been liviiic. and tin ? Lord's will
be done. " > h - : nided.
"Did ynu keep the piece of the old
< { r < ' ? s ? " f : i > kotl. "when it wore out and
you rippi'd i' > ' . ! ' ? I should like to see
-It. "
" 1 never ntj | i-il it off , " she said ; "I
covered It-with ; i bit of damask , mean
ing to .sh t v 5 ? ' him fresh and bright
when he c'.uie home ; but I dare say it's
-worn OH ? now. underneath , with all the
needles and piit > I've stuck in it worn
.out/ '
.outTime tilt ! not stand still in our vil-
riajre. A bieycle faetoiy reared its gaunt
ugliness by rno- church , and the moss-
j nwn-'ttvH replaced by a galvan-
a/.cd iron piut i. The old families moved
.away , and new people came ; smarter
.people , in i heir grime-rack way , who got
-their cliv.-st-.s made in the county town ,
-and desjiK-eil Miss Peckitt's old-fash
ioned patterns. I was finishing my education -
< cation in France and Germany. When
T came home I hardly knew it. Almost
aiy first' visit was paid to the little
white lioii&tf with the green railings.
"It \ > H1 do the poor thing good to see
.you , " said ray mother. ' 'I fear she is
horribly poor. She gets hardly any
work now. Anil she won't accept any-
vthing she does uot earn. "
She did not know me at first , and wn
dusting a chair that was already of
snotlessness to shame our chairs $
home , when suddenly she recognize
me the shock shattered for a momer
the reserve of years she threw li r thi
littL' arms around my neck nnd kisse
me faltered an apology for the "lil
erty , " and then sat down on the doubl
dusted chair and cried piteously.
I listened to such a tale of povert
and self-denial as my young ears ha
never heard before. Work scarce an
growing scarcer , hardly enough to liv
on. and to crown all , the urgent nece :
sity for saving , for hoarding every po :
sible penny.
"But why ? "
"For my funeral , my dear , " she sail
"I've kept myself respectable all thes
years , and if the parish was to touc
me I should turn in my coffin I know
should. "
"Your needle's crooked , " I said , figh
ing with a choking feeling in my thioa
"Let me thread you another. "
"Dear miss , " she said , "this is th
only needle I've got. It's not so croot
ed and a cent's a cent and needles i
penny packets isn't what they used t
be. No , and I won't let you buy ui
even needles , miss. It's the principl
I think of ; I won't be beholden. "
"You've got the old pincushion then
still , " I said ; "there must be lots o
needles in that ; let me empty out th
sawdust and see. I'll put it all bac
carefully. "
I think Miss Peckitt's will must hav
been weakened by loug fasting am
trouble , for she let me rip up one sid
of that sacred cushion nnd pour ou
the bran into that little black tea tra ;
with the gold border. I found in tha
bran sixty-seven good needles , to sa ;
nothing of broken ones.
Then I began to put the bran back
and as I pushed it in to make it har <
and light I felt a hollow in the brick
There was something in it. I pulled 5
out.
out."Oh
"Oh , Miss Peckitt , " I cried ; "lool
what I have found in your pincushion ! '
A little canvas bag and in it Severn
bills ami a little letter.
My Dear Blossom : This is $250 of m :
money , so as you will have somelhinij.if , '
am not lucky with the rest. You will ihu
this when you rip off the cover. If al
goes well , as please God it will , it will paj
for things of our home. Your true friciu
and affectionate lover.
WILLIAM BE ALE.
"Pay for things for the house ? I ;
will pay for 1113" fneral. "
* * V * * 5 ? *
Miss Peckitt was on my mind. I line
seen that the money nnd the word :
from the dead had brought her more
pain than joy and after dinner thai
evening I slipped on a dark cloak ami
ran down the quiet street to r ittlc
white house. I opened the door softly
and peeped in.
There was a fire in the grate , and be
fore it in the armchair with the patch
work cushion sat a middle-aged man ,
Miss Peckitt sat on his kuee and her
arm was nround his neck. In her
cheeks was the "fresh color" I had
neve ' seen there , and in her eyes the
light of youth and hope.
"It's my Willie , " she cried ; "he's
come back ! Oh , miss , dear , to think
of it he was coming home to me , with
his fortune made , and the ship was
wrecked , and him and the others has
been living like Robinson Crusoe , and
only fetched away by a ship the other
day. "
I am sure they were both persons of
sentiment , because they bought back
the old farm , with its south wall where
the apricots "fruited so free , " and when
they went to church Miss Peckitt wore
a. gown of faded silk with a rosy sprig.
The cousin in Maidstone had been
faithful to his trust , and there was
enough of the silk that the bridegroom's
mother had worn at her marriage to
clothe the little bride ou her wedding
day. Longman's Magazine.
Humors of Balaklava.
Of that mad but heroic charge a hun
dred incidents are preserved thrilling ,
liuuiorous , shocking. A man of the
Seventeenth Lancers , for example , was
lieard to shout , just as they raced : n
upon the guns , a quotation from Shaks-
: > eare , "Who is there here would ask
more men from England ? " The regi-
nental butcher of the Seventeenth Lan
ders was engaged in killing sheep when
le heard the trumpets sound for the
charge. He leaped on a horse ; in shirt
sleeves , with bare arms and pipe in
iiouth , he rode through the whole
jharge. slew , it is said , six men with
jis own hand , and came back again.
)5pe still in mouth ! A private of the
Eleventh was under arrest for druuk-
jiiness when the charge began ; but he
jroke out. followed his troop on a spare
lorsc. picked up a sword as he rode and
; hared in the rapture and perils of the
charge. The charge lasted twenty min-
ites , and was ever before such daring
> r such suffering packed into a space
so brief ! The squadrons rode into the
ight numbering 073 horsemen ; their
nouuted strength when the fight was
> ver was exactly 193. Cornliill Mag-
i/5 ne.
The Dean's lit striction.
If the English Ecclesiastical Gazette
eports corrc' ( ily. eminent English di-
; iues are not above a little fooling , of
i scriptural tenor , of course.
The dean of the Chapel Royal v. as
me day seated in the Sj-uod Hall , at
Dublin , when a scent-bottle , falling
: rom the strangers' gallery , happened
o alight upon his somewhat bald cra-
lium. Rising from his chair , he asked
) ermission to make a personal explana-
: ion.
"My lord primate , " he said , "I ain al-
, vays glad to see strangers at our de-
jates , and I feel specially honored by
lie presence of women. But" here he
icld up the scent-bottle "let not their
ireclous balms break my head. "
Brevity is the soul of wit to the mail
with a scheme. He says "invest , " but
never "investigata , "
DNCLE SAM'S GEOYvTH
UNITED STATES HAS EXPANDED
SEVEN TIMES.
of . ' prcacliiig Out Not liu-
tirely Nexv-It Has Been Tliirty-pne
Years , Though , ' bince We I aBt Ab
sorbed Foreign Territory.
This' country since it became a na
tion has made seven strides in terri
torial expansion. At the close of the
revolutionary war Connecticut , Virgin-
la , Georgia and the Carolinas had
"property out West , " which was spoken
of as "the Western reserve. " It was
not a part of these States , but territory
owned by them , just as Porto Rico , the
Hawaiian Islands and the Philippines
ave owned by the United States. After
a while the several owners ceded this
territory to the Federal government ,
and out of it have been formed various
States.
That part of Alabama north of lati
tude 31 was ceded by Georgia and
South Carolina. Indiana , Illinois ,
Michigan and Wisconsin were all ced
ed by Virginia : Tennessee was ceded
by North Carolina , Ohio by Virginia
and Connecticut , Mississippi , north of
latitude 31 , by Georgia and South Car
olina , and Minnesota , east of the Mis
sissippi River , by Virginia. In 1803 the
United States acquired from France
the "Louisiana Purchase. " This pur
chased territory is now occupied by
Arkansas , Colorado east of the Rocky
Mountains , Iqwn. Indian Territory.
Kansas , except tne south west corner ;
Louisiana , except a part east of the
Mississippi ; Minnesota west of the
Mississippi , Missouri , Montana , except
a part west of the Rocky Mountains ;
Nebraska , North Dakota , Oklahoma
east of 100 degrees west , South Dakota
and Wyoming , except the sontlnvestern
part. The United States then rested
from expansion and improved its pos
sessions.
From Foreign Nations.
Ill 1S19 the nation grew again in ter
ritory. Florida was bought from Spain ,
and by the same treaty which ceded
Florida Spain gave up the Oregon
country. This Oregon country was de
batable land at that time. England
had some ill-defined claims to that part
which Spain ceded to the United
States , and a well-defined claim to the
part which is now called British Co-
enormous , it had been effected by the
acquisition of territory contiguous to
territory already possessed. In 1SG7 a
new departure was made by the pur
chase of the vast territory of Alaska
from Russia. And now. after a period
of thirty-one years , the United States
again expands its territorial limits.
For the first time a correct map has
been published showing the acquisi
tion of territory on this continent by
the United States. It appears in the
report of the Secretary of the Interior.
Heretofore the northwestern part of
the Louisiana purchase has been shown
as extending to the Pacific ocean. It
was so delineated on the Land Office
maps , which were supposed to be cor
rect. It lias been found , upon Investi
gation , that the Louisiana purchase
stopped at the continental divide , and
that the territory occupied by Oregon ,
Idaho , the State of Washington , the
northwestern part of Wyoming , and
that part of Montana west of the
Rocky Mountain ? , was acquired by the
United States from Spain sixteen years
after tlie purchase of Louisiana from
the French. In view of the talk about
"expansion" this map is of especial in
terest , as showing how this nation has
been expanding since it was a narrow
strip along the Atlantic seaboard.
At What ARC Js 3laii Strongest ?
The muscles , in common with all the
organs of the body , have their stages
of development and decline , says the
Strand Magazine. Our physical
strength increases up to a certain age
and then decreases. Tests of the
strength of several thousands of people
ple have been made by means of a dy-
WEALTH AND NOBILITY.
Rich. American AVomaii Joined in Mar
riage to a British Nobleman.
In Grace Church , New York , recently ,
the Earl of Strafford , a member of the
English nobilitj- and equerry to Queen
Victoria , was joined in marriage to
Mrs. Samuel J. Colgate , widow of the
wealthy American manufacturer who
died four years ago , leaving a fortune
estimated at $10,000,000. The pomp and
ceremony usually manifested at a func
tion of such social prominence was en
tirely absent , owing ro the fat that the
Earl is in inouriug for his cousin , Prin
cess Eiwan , of Saxe-Weimar. The cere
mony was performed by Rev. Dr. lluut-
iugtou.
The Earl of Strafford is 07 years ol
age. He is tall , lithe , and dignified. His
inheritance to the earldom came to him
at his eldest brother's death , in the be
ginning of this year , lie comes of a
family that gave to England a hero and
a martyr. One was Viscount Torring-
ton , who fought bravely in the navy In
the time of George I. The other was
Admiral John Byng , whom popular
clamor condemned unjustly. Admiral
Byug was shot by decree of court-mar
tial for having failed to prevent the de
scent of the French upon Minorca , and
for having failed to relieve St. Phillips.
George III. made amends for that exe
cution , as well as he could , in favors to
the "Byng family.
The Countess of Stratford is already
well known in the society of England's
capital. After her husband's dealli she
wenit to London and was presented at
court and immediately became a great
favorite.
Lf5 SB3
OFFICIAL MAP SHOWING THR1UTOKIAL GROWTH OF THE UNITED STATES.
lumbia. Though the coast had long
been known to Europeans , it was first
really introduced to the civilized world
by Capt. Gray , of Boston , who , in 1702 ,
sailed Into the Columbia River , whk-h
he named for his ship. In 1SO. the
United States sent an exploring expe
dition through the region , and in 1S11
the original John Jacob Astor founded
the town of Astoria there. Therefore ,
the United St'ates set up a claim to Hie
country based upon "discovery , ex
ploration and settlement. " But Spain
had a prior claim by discovery and an
nexation which she held to tenaciously.
Therefore , when we negotiated for the
purchase of Florida , we got Spain to
include in her cession the Oregon coun
try.
It was not until 1S4G that England
gave up all her claims to the part of
the Oregon country now owned by tin *
United States. In that year she retired
above the -lith ) parallel , and the boun
dary was i-stablisiu'd a.s it exists to-
day. After acquiring Florida and tht
Oregon country from Spain it was-
twenty-six years before the Uniu-d
States" again expanded territory. Ir
th-jn , in li. . > . annexed the republic of
Texas , which had revolted from Mexi
co 'ind established an independent gov
ernment for some time. The Texas of
that time embraced not only the pres
ent Sine of Texas , but also the east-
iTii part of Nov.- Mexico and a strip ex
tending across the southwestern corner
of Kansas up through Colorado into
Wyoming. Then came the war with
Mexico , which closed in 1S4S. Mexico
fdiug to the United States a tract of
territory which .is now occupied by Ari
zona north of the Gadsdun purchase ,
California. Colorado , west of the Rocky
Mountains ; Nevada , New Mexico , west
of the Rio Grande and north of the
Gadsden purchase : Utah and the south
west corner of Wyoming. A few years
later the United States bought from
Mexico a strip of land which now
forms the southern part of Arizona and
the southwest corner of New Mexico.
This was the Gadsden purchase.
So far , although the territorial ex-
pausion of the United States had been
namometer ( strength measurer ) , and
the following are given as the average
figures for the white race :
The "lifting power" of a youth of
seventeen years is 280 pounds. In his
twentieth year this increases to 320
pounds , and in the thirtieth and thirty-
iirst years it reaches its height , 350
pounds. At the end of the thirty-first
year the strength begins fo decline ,
very slowly at first.
By the fortieth year it has decreased
eight pounds , and this diminution con
tinues at a slightly increasing rate until
wS KrewsSasa
the fiftieth year is reached , when the
figure Is o30 pounds.
After this period the strength fails
more and more rapidly , until the weak
ness of old age is readied. It is not
possible to give accurate statistics of
the decline of strength after the fiftieth
year , as it varies to a large extent in
different individuals.
It makes any man aiad to return to
his office and find some loafer occupy
ing his chair.
OLD ILLINOIS QUARTET ,
Four Hale nnd Hearty Sisters Whose
Ages Aggregate 343 Years.
Among the hills of Johnson County ,
Illinois , there are four sisters who
claim the palm for longevity. The ag
gregate ages of this remarkable quar
tet foot up 343 years , or an average
of over So years , and they bid fair to
remain for some time yet. Among their
kinfolks , who number half of Johnson
County , they are known as Aunt Peggy
McFatridge , aged 93 years ; Aunt Polly
Gore , aged SO years ; Aunt Sally Thack-
QUARTET OF .1) SISTERS.
er , aged S4 years , and Aunt Fanny \
Reynolds , aged SO years. All of these i
'
ladies are widows , and three of them
have outlived their husbands thirty or
forty years.
More Important.
"What would our wives say if they j
only knew where we are to-night ? " remarked - ;
marked , the captain of a vessel beating j
about in a thick fog.
"I wouldn't care what they said , "
'replied the mate , "if we onlj
1 where we were ourselves. "
HANDICAPPED BY ABILITY.
A Man Is Refuse : ! n Job Because He
Was Too Good for It.
"Did you ever hear of a man being
refused a job because he wns too good
for it ? " No one gave an affirmative
answer , so the man Avho asked the
question went on : "Well , tl nt is what
happened to me a few dnya ngo. After
I left the old firm I went into another
office and told the head of the concern
I wns looking for an opening. lie at
once informed me there was a vacancy
in his office and then added :
" 'But the position is worth only a
thousand a year nnd 1 don't suppose
you would want it , and if you did I
wouldn't give It to you. ' That knocked
me cold and I wanted to know- why I
wasn't good enough for thnt kind of a
job.
" 'That isn't it , ' he said , 'the trouble ,
is you nro too good for if ? I figure that
jif a man who is worth $3,000 a year i
willing to take a position at one-third
of that , it is because he is hard up and
; he takes it as a makeshift. As soon as
business picks up so he can get his full
value I am going to lose him. Even if
he is under contract he becomes dis
satisfied nnd then there is no use trying
to keep him. '
"It was a new one on mo , but I
couldn't help seeing the good business
sense in the old man's view of it. Aft
erward I told a friend about it and ht >
said the. same thing had occurred in h's
experience. He was trying once in
hard times to get an $18 a week job fck
with a wholesale grocery house. His
appearance and manner were nil right , )
his reference satisfactory nnd every ?
thing looked favorable until they learn
ed that he had previously drawn a sal
ary of $2,300 a year ami Ihen they ;
Avouldn't have him for the same reason i
thnt were given me. Later on the First
National Bank declined his services ou
the same grounds. It is good business ,
I say , but it seems tough thnt n man" *
ability should be a handicap. "
LOOKING GLASSES.
Backs of IVlost Urocleru IMirrorH Are
Covere : ! with Silver.
"How is a looking-glass made ? " was
me question recently put by a writer
for the Washington Star to a largo
manufacturer of mirrors in New York.
"Well , " replied the Ainnufacturer ,
"most of the glass used in this trade
is prepared for us at a molding factory ,
and we merely cut , bevel and silver it
in our works. All the bevels are cut
iu the same way. first Avith sand and
water , then on an emery wheel and
afterward put through several process
es to bring back the polish.
' Great improvements hn\e baeu made
ju this line of business in the last six
teen years. Formerly it took two or
Mirce days from the time work was be-
# un on a mirror before it could be fin
ished. Xowndnys we can get the glass
in the morning and make it into a look
ing-glass perfectly finished nnd ready
for sale before night. We make ail
sixes , from the smallest hand-glass of
2 by 4 inches , to a mirror 10 by 20 feer ,
or even larger , nnd we have a capac
ity of turning out 3,000 feet a day.
"Not many years ago the backs of
mirrors were coated with mercury :
now sheets of pure silver are used in
stead. The old looking-glass reflected
GO or G5 per cent , of the light that fell
upon it ; the modern mirror reflects
nearly 95 per cent. The mercury look
ing-glass wns very linble to rub off ;
heat nnd cold nlso affected It ; the
quicksilver would crack or melt , and
thus the beauty of the glass v/ould be
spoiled. None of these dangers threat
en the silvered mirror. Besides , mir
rors , those engaged in this line of busi
ness cut a grent denl of beveled glass
for doors and windows. In fine build
ings this is largely taking the place of
stained glass. "
Every Animal Its Own Doctor ,
Animals get rid of their parasites by
using dust , niud , clay , etc. Those suf
fering from , fever drink Avater , ami
sometimes plunge into it. When a do
has lost its appetite it cat * that species
of grass known as dog's grass- , which
acts as an emefcic nnd a purgative. . Cats-
also eat grass. Sheep nnd cowswlie
iilr seek out certain herbs. An animal
suffering from chronic - al
ways keeps , as far as possible , in the
sun. The warrior ants have regularly
orjranized ambulances. Latreille cut the-
antennae of the an * , and other ants-
sajne and covered the wounded1 part
ivith a transparent T'uid secreted , irc
their mouths.
If a chimpanzee is wounded ; it stops-
[ 'he bleeding by placin-r its hands on.
the wound or dressing it with leaves-
ind gras. When an animal hast
wounded leg or arm hanging on , it
i-ornpletes the amputation by means-of
ts teeth. A dog , on being snng : on the
nuzzle by a viper , was ol served to-
? lunge it * head repeatedly lor several
lays into running warer. This animal
eventually recovered. A terrier hurt.its-
ight eye. It remained under a counter , ,
ivciding light and heat , although , it
labitually kept close lo i > he fire. 3e
idopted a general trent-nent of restraint
ibstinence from food. The locul treat-
nent consisted in lickinjr the upper sur-
"aee of the paw. which it applied.to-tko
rounded eye. a gala licking the paw
vhen It became < ivy. SaturdayEven -
n Post.
In Gnml P
Walking delegate Is Wickertwi
: onsistent union man ?
Master workman I should say ha
vas. Why. be Avon't even permit his
: lock to run over eigfct hours , a day.
Cheaterf Him.
'I tolil Miss Reeks that one word
rom her was wcrth a million dollara
o me. "
"Well ? "
' She rnado It 'no. ' "
After leaving college It would be 3
jood Idea Cor some men to go to , School