A LETTER OF REFUSAL.
AY I come in ? "
The curtains from be
hind which the musical
-voice issued shook a little , but no one
appeared.
The man at the easel painted away
industriously , putting in a sunset sky
with strong , even strokes !
"When our forefathers signed the
Declaration of Independence 120 years
ago , " he began.
" "
"Please
A face made its appearance at the
.parting of the curtains , a face framed
in dark , wavy hair , with big , shilling
eyes , made soft by long curling lashes ,
.and a red , red month , just now droop-
JUR pitifully at the corners.
"They made all men free aud equal , "
iproceeded the man , never once look-
-fng up , "and since then a lot of ladies
with abbreviated hair and petticoats
* have been struggling to make their sex
-also independent and with considera
ble sucress. "
"Don't be horrid , " pleaded the red
imouth , seconded by the shining eyes.
"Therefore , I was about to say , " he
went on , calmly , "I don't see how I
can hope to prevent you from coming
in , if you choose to do so. "
She stepped inside , but did not ad
vvance into the room.
"I know 3'ou're going to be horrid , "
she said , plaintively.
He laid down his brush , and , turning
at last , surveyed her deliberately as
she stood , her slender shape outlined
against the curtains. They were bur
lap curtains , which she had painted a
dull brick red ( "Pompeian red , " she
called it ) , and whicli she had orna
mented with a Greek border in yellow
floss and hung in the doorway , herself ,
.in spite of his scofling and ribald pro
tests.
They were pretty bad , those curtains
but whatever their limitations from an
esthetic point of view , they certainly
made an Affective background for tbe
white-robed figure , and his e.\e lin
gered approvingly on the picture a mo
ment before he said , severely :
"What have you been doing : "
"Why. the idea ! " she exclaimed , in
dignantly drawing her figure up to its
full height and flashing a protesting
.glance at him from under her loin ;
lashes.
"I notice that you generally take il
for granted that I'm going to be horrid
when you've been particularly horrid
yourself. " he observed blandly.
She did not reply to this daring ro-
jnark , but , crossing the loom to the
.mantel , carefully selected an especial C
ly ugly bulldog pipe from the collection
it contained. This she filled , with
practiced fingers , from a battered to
Imcco jai that stood near , and then ,
crossing to the easel , offered it to the
man with a most bewitching little air b
of coaxiaer humility.
"My dear young woman , " he cried ,
wainr the offering away sternly , "do
1 look like a man who would accept a y
"bribe" ; : Do uiy features bear the imprint -
, print of vulnerable virtue , that you in
should thus seek to gain my favorable
judgment for your nefarious goings-or
by swh a palpable " ai
He said no more , for just then the gc
.stem of the pipe was dexterously in- ai
.serted ivi'tweeu his teeth , and , deftly in
striking a match on the broad sole of of
his shoe , conveniently presented lo her Jo
by the careless attitude of its owner , lobl
-the girl applied it to Mie tobacco in the bl
.pipe bowl.
lu sjMte of himself , he closed his ci
.teeth oii the stem and drew a long cine
breath , and as the first cloud of aromatic hi
matic vapor rose to his nostrils his doth [
features iclaxed.
"Well , who is it ? ' " he asked , as the th
-girl seated herself on a hassock and tei
fixed her eyes on him appealingly. hi
"It's it's Hiusdale , ' " she replied ,
dolefully. an
"Iliusdale. Why I thought we dis '
posed of Hinsdale three weeks ago , boi
and since then let me see there was
Smith and Devcreux and how many rei
Bothers ? * *
"Oh , never mind the others. " sine de
cried , petulantly. "It's Hinsdale now. lul
We tlid dispose of him or at least I hii
thought we had and I'm sure that let- on >
Jter I wrote " bui
"Ah. did you write to him , too ? " he i
asked , pufiiug a big cloud of smoke nip
over his sunset and watching the ef tat
fect of Its vivid hues shining through
-the clouds of grayish vapor with an ar- sta
tisx's delighted appreciation of color. iy,1
iy,1a
"Ohvellthe letter you wrote , a
then , " she said. "Though I'm sure you a
didn't do it all ; you only helped me. " to
"Oh , yes , " he answered indolently. I
"But Hinsdale he's broken out Jol
-again ? " OV
"Yes worse than ever , " and she rig
sighed dismally , "aud I want you to pic
help me write him another letter one wa
> thit will fix it so he'll understand of
there's no hope no possibility I meac in
J of my- ever being anything more to ale
Jiim " her-e she floundered aud broke yes
quite down. on
"Can't do it to-day , " he said , decid imi
edly. "I've jrot to get this picture done tha
-to-morrow older , you know and it'll fan
'be a. scratch if I manage to do it It ers.
. means painting all night as it is. " a f
"Oh , John , you must , " she cried , eag- she
' < ? rly. "I've just got to send it to him see
this afternoon by a messenger boy or wit
'iie'H be sure to come up to-night and me
jrnake a scene or something , bet - to (
t sides " * lay
' "No , fl's no go , ' " he" said , cruelly , ier
-'taking up his brush. "You'll have to dev
get rid of him somehow and come tomorrow - sob
morrow " for
forB
"Bur oh , John , " she burst out , tears B
/coming to her eyes , "I I can't coine exp
, * '
J > >
to-morrow. Aunt Maria has issued her
commands the fiat has gone forth
I'm forbidden to come here any more. "
"The deuce you are. ' " And he laid
down his brush and faced quite around
in his astonishment
"Yes , " she replied , furtively drying
a tear on one of the ends of her muslin
sash. ( Jean never could find her hand
kerchief , being always without pock
ets. ) "She says it's all well enough for
me to take painting , lessons of you ,
though everybody knows I never could
learn to paint. Aunt Maria is so Ig
norant about such things , you know. "
"Yes , I know. " Blowing a ring of
smoke ceilingward to hide a little
smile.
"And she doesn't mind my having a
studio , if I'll fix one up at home , but
she doesn't think it looks well for mete
to have one in this building and run in
and out of here all the time and so
I've got to move to-morrow. "
This time she forgot to dry the tear ,
and it ran forlornly down her cheek
and fell with a splash on a study of the
head of John the Baptist that lay on
the floor.
For a moment there was silence , then
John suddenly pushed back his easel
and pull a writing table toward him.
"Well , if you can't come to-morrow ,
I suppose I'll have to help you write
your letter to-day , " he said , but there
was an unnatural sound in his voice
ind Jean looked up hastily through her
tears.
John's face was grimly set , however ,
ind told her nothing.
"Let me see it was Hiusdale , I
think you said" he went on , still with
that grating sound in his voice.
"Yes , " she replied , miserably , again
having recourse to the crumpled sash.
"And I think we told him , in our last ,
that we'd be a sister to him , " he pro
ceeded , nibbling the end of his pen.
"Something of that sort. " And she
flushed warmly , clear up to the curly
waves of dark hair on her temples.
"Evidently the 'sister' racket won't
go down with Hiusdale. " he said , re
flectively. "You might offer to be his
maiden aunt , you know "
flsi
"There ! I knew you'd be horrid ! "
she exclaimed , indignantly.
"It's a delicate job , " he went on , re
flectively. "Are you quite sure you
iln
mean lo refuse him this time ? "
"Of course I am , " she burst out in
dignantly. : "You don't suppose 1 could
care for a boy like him , do you ? "
"Uo bas a nice eye for color , " pro-
ceeeded John , drawing faces on the
margin of the paper faces that had
111bi
big , soft eyes and'pouting lips , strangely
iyhi like the girl on the- hassock , "and
his drawings are wonderfully strong.
He's a gifted fellow , is Hinsdale the
best pupil I have. "
"Yes , he's gifted enough , " she as
sented , j
"I've often wondered whv//he fancied
you , " said John.
"Oh , indeed ! " she exclaimed , flushing -
ing once more
"Yes. He's a dreamer , you know
ai idealist and it seems to me some
angelic creature a little too pure aud
good for huiaau nature's daily food ,
and that sort of thing : , would be more +
his line than a little human bundle
g
naughtiness like you , " went on
Tohu , cheerfully. "You'd make a fel
low like Hiusdale unutterably misera
ble , you know. "
"You're very kind , " exclaimed Jean , w
crimson with vexation. "But I shall
e
not make Mr. Hinsdale miserable. I
a
liave ! not the slightest intention of ever
loing so. "
i 'Ah , " replied John , coolly. "Then h
the sooner we write this letter the bet
ter. Now what do you want to say to ha
tiim : ? "
haw
"Oh ! " she cried , struggling with her w
mger. "You are so disagreeable , I
ate you but I've got to have , some- a
jody to help me with that letter. "
"Of course. And you really want to ch
efuse him for good and all ? " nu
"Certainly I do. I want him to un- go
lerstand definitely that there is abso- It
utely no hope of my ever caring for to
lira in in the way he means' ' and
nce more she broke down , blushing the
defiant
"There's < only one way to make a en
nan understand that , " said John raedi-
atively. bo
"Anything so long as he under- on
tands and leaves off being being sil- inl
" she cried impatiently.
John made no reply to this , but after in
moment's i deep thought commenced thi
write rapidly.
Five minutes passed , during which Hi
ohn's pen scratched industriously
ver ( the paper and Jean sat bolt up-
(
ight on her hassock , staring at the .
icture on the canvas. It was a pale ng
; °
ratery sunset that shed green glea.ms
a ind
light : on a wide , lonesome landscape ,
the center of which a woman stood
lone , gazing with desolate , hopeless A
at the retreating figure Of a man iy
iyme
horseback. It was painted with in- me
uitable skill and a strange wild power till
had made John Steele the most chj :
imous of the younger school of paint- ,
. What an artist he was and what
friend i he had been to her ! And now .
must go away and perhaps never „
him again , except in the class . .
)
the others. All those hours of
icrry comradeship were 'over never
come again ; all the sweet work and mo
together. A great sob came up in [
throat but just then John threw
g
own his pen and she choked down the
thi :
and rising , reached out her hand
:
the letter.
But he did not give it to her as she A
fpected. reg
"It Is a difficult thing to do , " he said.
"To make a man understand that no
matter how much he cares for you , you
can never care for him. "
"Yes , I suppose it is , " she assented.
"But you have done it , I'm sure. "
"Indeed , I may say there's only one
way to convince a fellow of such an
unpleasant fact , " he went on.
"But you employed it ? " she asked ,
eagerly.
"Yes. You may think it an extreme
measure , though. I'll read it to you. "
And he read aloud :
"Dear Mr. Hinsdale : I thought I
had made it quite plain to you when ,
several weeks ago , you asked me to be
your wife , that such a thing was quite
impossible. I certainly tried to have
you understand it , and I deeply regret
that I did not succeed , because this
renewal of your offer can onlj' result
in added pain to both of us. Believe
me , I am deeply grateful for your pref
erence , but you will realize , I am sure ,
how boneless it is for you. to ask for
more than my esteem when I tell you
that I am engaged to be married to Mr.
John Steele. Hoping that you will be
lieve in the sincerity of my friendship ,
I am very sincerely yours.
"JEAM CHESTER. "
The silence in the room could have
,
been cut with a knife ivhen John con
cluded his reading and laid the epistle
back on the table.
Jean stood rigid , gazing with a fixed
and haughty stare at some point ona
tee wall above John's head , when he
turned and confronted her with as lit-
tie 'embarrassment as he would haven
shown in facing a new pupil.
"Well what do you think of it ? " he
asked coolly.
'I think , " she flashed out , "that
you're the most conceited beast I ever
saw. "
"My dear girl , " he protested. "I told
3ou that extreme measures were nec
essary. It's the only way to get rid of
him , and I'm willing to sacrifice myself
in a good cause. "
With great dignity Jean turned to
leave the room , but somehow he was at
the door before her , with his arms out
stretched.
"You're not going to leave me , little
Jean ! " he cried. "I can never get along
without you any more , for , oh , I love
you love you love you ! "
second she stood hesitating then ,
with a little sigh , she went to him and
burst out crying coinfortabty on his
shoulder.
Jean ! " came a voice suddenly from
behind the burlap curtain. It sounded
like the clinking of ice in a pitcher.
"Aunt Maria ! " gasped Jean , in her
ror.
ror."Oh
"Oh , come in , Miss Chester , " said
John , drawing aside the Pompeiau red
draperies. "We were just going to find
you and ask you to come to our wed
ding to-morrow , at 12. "
"Jean what does this mean ? Why
didn't you tell me this before ? " ex
claimed Aunt Maria , aghast
"I thought I ought to consult John
before I told you , " said naughty Jean.
Chicago Times-Herald.
FUNNY ?
ni
The Over-Critical Grammarian Spoils
a Comic Story. al
Under the title of "His Funny Sto
ries" Harper's Bazar makes fun of the CO
too critical person who is always on the so
watch for small errors of speech. Not sb
content with being grammatical him- su
self , he must teach every one else to be * * :
,
so.
w
"I want to tell you something funny , t
that , happened to me this morning , " tth
thWi
said 1 Spatts , cheerfully. Wi
"All right , " said Hunker. "Go on. " th
"I started down the street after my pli
laundry , aud ' sh .
sk
"You mean you went down after your th
washing , I suppose , " Hunker interrupt be
ed. ] "I imagine you do not really own dos
laundry. "
"Of course that's what I mean , " said is 5
Spatts , a trifle less cheerily. "Well , I lin
had went " sh
Hunker interrupted him again. "Per sel
haps you mean you 'had gone. ' tin
'Certainly. I had gone but a little co1
ways when I-
"I presume you mean a little way , not
little ways , " said Hunker. bo
"I presume so , " said Spatts , but the gii
cheerfulness had all gone out of his
manner. "As I was going to say , I had
gone but a little way when , it happened.
tickled me so I thought Pd just have
lay down and die. "
"Lie down and die , not lay down , is
correct form of the verb. "
"Oh , yes , I know ; but those kind of
errors seem to come natural "
"Not those kind of errors , my dear
307. ; Say that kind of errors. But go
with your funny story. I'm getting
interested. "
' Are you ? Well , I've lost my interest
it I don't believe there was any
thing funny , after all. Good day. "
"Now , I wonder if I offended him ? "
Blinker thought , as Spatts strode off.
Ouicla's Writing Desk *
Ouida does not use a table for writ-
her stories. She sits on a low
tool , with an ink pot on the carpet ,
writes on her knee.
Many Hands.
A pair of gloves passes through near-
two hundred hands , from the mo-
uent that the skin leaves the dresser's
the time when the gloves are pur- _ Q
hased.
Common sense is easier 'than non
sense. It is common sense to believe
vhat you know ; it is nonsense to be-
ieve a lot of unreasonable stuff that
ther people tell you. rja
The poet probably sings of the silvery t °
noon because comes in halves and J
uarters.
s
Some people seem to know everyp
me
hing except the fact that they don't
ear
now how much they don't know. riel
?
Although the gas meter never fails to
egiater. It isn't allowed to vote.
DUCKS AND MUSLINS.
ELABORATELY MADE UP IN SUMMER -
MER GOWNS.
The Fashion of Former Days. Ylliich
Indoraed Simplicity , Kase and ioose-
ness in Hot "Weather , Hag Keen Upset
and Completely Reversed.
York correspondence :
UMMER once upon
a time was a season
when the pretty girl
could tuck herself
loosely into a daiutj'
muslin gown , tie a
muslin sash about her
waist , let a picture
hat weighted with a
rose or so curve over
her brows , and there !
To be simple and
fresh , and either un
adorned or adorned in
a wild rose waj' that
was the trick , and a
girl could save money
toward a tailor gown
for the winter. But
the simple muslin
cannot be worked any
more. There must be
a foundatiqu bodice
under the loosest and
most careless looking
blouse , and that foundation must fit with
a precision as absolute as does the winter
cloth shrunk to the figure. Then as to
other details there must be a degree of
elaboration that has seldom been excelled
in gowns for any purpose that is , if the
muslin dress is to count as a stylish suc
cess.
If these points applied onlj' to muslin
dresses , the situation would not bring so
general despair , but they don't. The same
standards apply in general to other sum-
FOUR NEW AND TYPICAL SUMMER GOWNS.
ner costumes , with modifications guided
> y the nature of the materials and the
mrpose for which the dress is intended.
Cake the white duck sailor rig that in past
ieasons was so useful. It was easily
nade , allowed a wearer to let out her belt
ieveral inches and still made her trim
ibout the waist. It may now pass muster
airly well for an occasion , but it does not
over the duck requirements of the sea.-
on's wardrobe by any means. This first
ketch conveys an idea of what duck is
upposed to do. It fitted as trigly as cloth ,
nd the shield flat front of the jacket es-
lecialiy suited the material used , which
ras dazzling white linen duck. Beyond
he applique scroll of embroidered muslin
hat finished the edge of the duck , there
ras a border of silk-dotted muslin , and
he yoke of muslin was covered with ap-
ilique scrolls. Muslin for such use may
how colored dots or be all white. The
kirt of this rig was of duck to the knees ,
liere < was finished with muslin scrolls , and
elow the duck a-flared and Cull skirt of
otted muslin escaped.
The same change towaru elaborateness
apparent , in lesser degree , in this year's
nen gowns. For the linen gown to be
hewn here a rather simple model was
elected. It is at the left in the next pic-
.ire , and was sketched in a beautiful rose
olored weave. Its skirt was flared by
foot flounce headed by and edged with
ows of white wash braid. A jacket or
rhite wash all-over lace elaborated the
odice charmingly and was new in design ,
iving the yoke outline a novelty. Such a
a fte * the effects of lace , and lawn scroll'
ing on open work wash net or sheer mus *
lin suggests the Renaissance patterns so
highly in favor in other than wash de
partments of. the wardrobe. This wash
Renaissance is much used on wash silk
gowns , and with good effect. The next
gown shown is an example of this treat
ment. It was soft grayish blue India silk
dashed with flecks of a soft dull green , a
most artistic combination of color. The
bodice was overlaid with a lovely wasn
lawn in soft yellow "Renaissanced" with
scroll work in white lawn and perforations
through which the sjlk showed. A val
ance of tinted lace falling towards the
right side from the throat and a triangle
yoke of tucked lawn completed an essen
tially up-to-date rig.
Black dotted white muslin is a new no
tion and very pretty. The dots are rais
ed and often are of silk. Such a dress
made princess and trimmed with bands of
narrow black ribbon velvet is distinctly
fashionable , and an insertion of a band o
white lawn machine stitched in 'scroll de
sign with black is pretty. The yoke may
be tucked lawn , the tucks sewed with
black. All these features were embodied
in the next of these pictured models. Be
sides it is an expression of a recent fancy
for an insertion of a material contrasting
with that of the gown and flanked on each
side with rows of black ribbon velvet.
This idea appears in many different styles
of gowns. This one was a tailored gray
linen , its inserted bands of white duck on
the skirt corresponding with the white
duck waistcoat front. The little shoulder
cape effect with its lawn faced collar and
tabs took away severity from the gown ,
though it was simply outlined.
So long as hot weather lasts there is no
danger that the overdress will increase
greatly in weight. Just now in the heav
ier materials it is more suggestion than
real , but the former appears on almost
all skirts. She who fears to lose height
from an overdress may modify the double
skirt idea to suit herself. In the next
model , for instance , the upper skirt of
blue pique came almost to the foot. The
edge of blue striped pique that showed be
low would add to a wearer's apparent
height , as would the side panel of the
same that showed to above the knee.
Fashionables do not seem to tire of the
yoke , and now that they may not widen
Hie shoulders by elaboration at rhe sleeve
top , they realize the value of the yoke that
appears to be one with the upper sleeve.
This is because the tight fitted hips displayed - .
played at the same time with the close ,
shoulders show the average woman out
of proportion , and make her seem narrow cs
across the bust and shoulders as compar cf
ed with her hip girth. f
This difficulty , which ruins the appear s
ance of many a fine gown and pretty wom t
an , was nicely met in the gown worn by
the seated woman of this picture. Its.
yoke was black tucked muslin nnlined. a
Tie gown itself was black India silk. The b
scrolled edges and finish of fluted black s
muslin were simple and pretty , and the ti
arrangement of the cuffs was new and tiC
tasteful. This model could be carried out
prettily in any other color. For the yoke
there was an under facing from the edge
of the dress to a proper cut-out line , but n
this facing is sometimes a salmon pink , c
though the general rule is slightly to em
phasize the top of the lining.
A skirt that is especially graceful for a
0
house dress appears in the last of these
costumes. It was lilac albatross cloth a
combined with silk muslin in white with d
a dot of faint blue. This combining of tlC
delicate shades is a pretty feature of the C
season. The sleeves were unlined , and 42 !
11'ej
ej
in
si
it
R toN
L.Pt
Pt
ti
tim
Y <
to
GO
vo
fa
th
bu
cr :
Ri
tic
pn
to :
-
i _ i.
_ eve
NOVELTY AND TASTEFULNESS IN EACH.
: ket cut out in front below the yoke line
show a- loose front of the under mate-
1 ] may be made separate from the gown ,
ugh there is a fancy for closeness of fit
it implies permanent position.
iVhile the use of lace in summer gowns
i custom of centuries standing , the ap-
cation of the idea this year follows the
thods women adopted for cloth in the
ly spring. Lace is of the all-over va-
tyT and drapery and curtain lace has
n applied to dress designs. In wash
> ds open work embroidery runs closely
the open front eton jacket was brought up
to date by scalloped tab corners and braiding - |
ing with black velvet ribbon. The belt
was green velvet and muslin flounce front
and blouse were lined with green. By jlly
choosing a faint rose lining the muslin
over the bare arm would be in harmony ,
but many women would prefer it 6the > A
wse.
sene
Copyrfght , 1899.
Street refuse in Italy Is sold by pur > a
lie auction. uo
g * " ' ZZ - "
SELLERS.
TRICK QF THE TICKET
Sometimes Are
How Circns Patrons
Cheated Out of Their Money.
' 'flim-flamming/
-
" 'Short-changing' or
class
Is practiced by an unscrupulous
" said old-time circus
an
of ticket sellers ,
cus ticket seller , "the opportunities
that the business offers being greater
than that of any other that I know * of.
Everything is bustle and confusion , a
man'loses his head , doesn't think to
count his change , and becomes an easy
victim , when under ordinary circum
stances he'd detect the fraud. I'll at
tempt to describe to you one of the
commonest tricks of 'flim-flamming'
A man approaches
on an extensive scale :
preaches the booth , hunts in his pock
et for change , and finally pulls out a
$10 bill. The ticket seller takes the
preliminary performance in at a glance
and knows to a dead moral certainty
that the man hasn't anything smaller.
He looks at the bill a moment , then
sizes up his cash , as if in doubt , then
suddenly he turns to his victim anr1
says :
" 'Is this the smallest you've got ? '
"The man tells him that it is. All of
this has consumed but a fraction of a
minute , you'd say , but in point of fact
it has "given the sharper a chance to
fold the bill in such a way that none of
the figures are visible , and there is
nothing to indicate what its denomina
tion is. The bill is passed deftly from x
the right to the left hand , in the palm
of which is concealed a $1 bill folded
in precisely the same manner. It is
the work of only a second to substitute
one for the other , the ticket seller apol
ogizing all the while for his inability
to make change , and the victim walks
off unsuspectingly with ? 1 where he
had $10 , and the chances are that he
doesn't discover his mistake until some
moments later. And then he fails to
get satisfaction , for , of course , the
short-change artist denies the fraud
emphatically.
"The ordinary Avay of handing a man
short change in silver is beautifully
simple. Say , for instance , a man buys
two 50-cent tickets and tenders a $3
bill. Three dollars and a half in small
change is placed in his hand hurriedly
and he walks off without counting it.
Eventually he finds out that he's 50
cents 'shy , ' but it is too late to make a
kick. The short-change man knowa _
who to 'flim-flam' and who to treat
squarely. He sizes up his man f at a
glance and can come pretty near tell
ing whether he'll count his money or
not before leaving. That's where his
knowledge of human nature comes in
to play.
"Ticket selling is a profitable employ
ment outside of any illegitimate gains.
A man can always count on finding his
cash § 3 to $ G 'over' at the end of the ,
day. The per cent of people who get
excited in the confusion of the mo
ment and leave their change on the
counter is always great. This overplus r
goes to the seller , and * - > „ econoro.wtil-
13' inclined showman dcosn't have to
touch his salary during the
Atlanta Constitution.
LAW AS INTERPRETED.
A provision that none but union la
bor shall be employed is held , in
Adams vs. Brenau (111. ( ) , 42 L. R. A.
715 . , to be beyond the power of a pub
lic ] corporation , such as a board of edu
cation , to make in a contract , as it con
stitutes a discrimination between dif
ferent classes of citizens , and is of
such a nature as to restrict competi
tion : and increase the cost of the work ,
An act changing election districts
after they have once been established
by a statute based
upon the last cen
sus and before a new census has been
taken is held , in Harmison vs. Ballot
Commissioners ( W. Va.J , 42 L. II. A.
501 , to be in violation of West Virginia
constitution , art. 0 , sec. 10 , which per
mits but one apportionment , after a
census until the next census is taken.
A statute making a fire department
association the recipient of privilege or
occupation taxes collected from insur
ance companies and imposing on it the
duty of disbursing or administering
the fund is held , in rhoeuix Assurance
Company vs. Fire Department ( Ala. ) ,
L. K. A. 468 , to be fcot unconstitu
tional ' on that ground , vrhere the mon
is applied to a pufclfc use.
An attempt to continence an action
a court of record by delivering a
summons to the sheriff with jntent that
be served , which is made'equivaient
the commencement of an action in
New York , is held , in Hamilton vs.
Royal Insurance Company ( X. Y. ) , 40
. R. A. 48o , to be sufficient commence
ment of an action on a fire insurance
policy under a statute requiring the ac
tion < to be. brought within twelve
months after the fire.
Famous Divorces.
The Sloane-Belmont wedding in New
York and the recent case in Washing
where a man sent a check for $10V (
as a wedding preseat to his di-
vored wife are reminiscent of the most
famous divorce case of modern times II
that of Mrs. John Ruskiu from her
trasband , the famous author and art
iritic. When they were married John
Ruskin was threatened with
consump
tion. His
wife was a young and livelv
cvoman. Sir John Millais. afterward
resident of the Royal Academy came
paint Ruskiu's picture. He fell in
with Mrs. Ruskin and she with
iim. Mr. Ruskin saw how things were
joing , but instead of objecting
he
as-
isted his wife in
getting a divorce.
rhen , a little later , he went to the
rluirch with his former wife and actu- I *
gave her away in
marriage to I
1 * *
household journal says that kero
will remove rust from stoves ThP
bjectionable feature about it is'that
removing rust it incidentally
-