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A
CMtfMNl
Stiry.
By HALL CAINC.
i CHAPTER V. ( Continued. )
But Jason did not move a feature.
"Old man , " he said , looking up with
-his eyes as steadfastly as tue sun into
.Jorgensen's face , and pointing towards
.Sunlocks , "if you touch one hair of
this head , these hands will tear you to
.pieces. "
Then one of the men who had stood
near , a rough fellow with a big tear-
drop rolling down his tanned cheeks ,
.stepped up to Jason's side , and with
out speaking a word offered him his
musket ; but Jason calmly pushed it
back. There was dead silence once
more. Jorgen Jorgensen's uplifted
hand fell to his side , and he was
-speechless.
"Speak now , " said the Judge. "Why
have you brought Michael Sunlocks
.here ? "
Jason stood silent for a moment as
-if to brace himself up , and then he
.said , "I have laid my soul bare to
.your gaze already , and you know
what I am and where I came from. "
A low moan seemed to echo him.
"But I , too , am an Icelander , and
.this is our ancient Mount of Laws ,
the sacred ground of our fathers and
our'fathers' fathers for a thousand
.years. "
A deep murmur rose from the vast
company.
"And I have heard that if any one
i Jis wronged and oppressed and unjust-
3y punished , let him but find his way
to this place , and though he be the
meanest slave that wipes his forehead ,
yet he will be a man among you all. "
There were loud cries of assent.
"I have also heard that this Mount ,
on this day , is as the gate of the city
Jn old time , when the judges sat to
Judge the people ; and that he who is
permitted to set foot on it , and cross
it , though he were guilty as the out
laws that hide in the desert , is in
nocent and free forever after. An
swer me is it true ? Yes or no ? "
"Yes ! yes ! " came from a thousand
throats.
"Then , judges of Iceland , fellow-
men and brothers , do you ask ine why
I have brought this man to this place ?
Look at his bleeding hand. " He lift
ed the right hand of Sunlocks. "It
has been pierced with a nail. " A deep
groan came from the people. He let
the hand fall back. "Look at these
poor eyes. They are blind. , Do you
know what that means ? It means
hellish barbarity and damned tyran
ny. "
His voice swelled until It seemed to
shake the very ground on which he
stood. "What this man's crime may
be I do not know , and * I do not care.
Let it be what it will , let the man be
what he may a felon like myself , a
malefactor , a miscreant , a monster
yet what crime and what condition
deserves punishment that Is worse
than death and hell ? "
"None , none , " shouted a thousand
voices.
"Then , judges of Iceland ; fellow-
men and brothers , I call on you to
save this man from that doom. Save
him for his sake save him for his
you own , for He that dwells above is
looking down on you. "
He paused a moment and then cried ,
"Listen ! "
There was a low rumble as of thun
der. It came not from the clouds , but
from the bowels of the earth. The
people turned pallid with dismay , but
Jason's face was lit up with a wild
frenzy.
"Do you hear it ? It is the voice that
was heard when these old hills were
formed , and the valleys ran like fire.
It is the voice of the Almighty God
calling on you. "
The word was not a war cry. The
people answered it with a shout. Anri
still Jason's voice pealed over their
heads.
"Vengeance is God's , but mercy be
longs to man. "
He stooped to Michael Sunlocks ,
where Greeba held him at her bosom ,
picked him up in his arms as if he
had been a child , turned his face to
wards the Mount and cried , "Let me
pass. "
Then at one impulse , at one instant ,
the Judge and the Bishop parted and
made a way , and Jason , carrying Sun-
locks , strode up the causeway and
swept through.
There was but one voice then in
that great assembly , and it was a
mighty shout that seemed to rend the
dome of the heavy sky. "Free ! Free !
Free ! "
V.
But the end was not yet. More , and
more terrible , is to follow , though the
spirit is not fain to tell of it , and th'e
hand that sets it down is trembling.
Let him who thinks that this world
is founded in justice , wait long and
watch patiently , for up to the eleventh
hour he may see the good man sit in
misery , and the evil man carried in
honor. And let him who thinks that
Nature is sweet and benignant and
that "she is all things to all men and
nothing to any man.
Now when Jason had crossed the
Mount of Laws with Sunlpcks , think
ing by virtue of old custom he had
thereby set him free of tyranny , Jor
gen Jorgensen did what a man of shal
low soul must always do when he
sees the outward signs of the holy
things that move the deeper souls of
other men. He smiled with bitterness
and laughed with contempt.
"A pretty thing , truly , " he sneered ,
"out of some forgotten age of musty
laws and old barbarians. But there
is something else that is forgotten.
It Is forgotten that between these two
men , Jason and Michael Sunlocks ,
there is this difference , that the one
is"a prisoner of Iceland , and the other
of Denmark. Jason is a prisoner of
W Iceland , a felon of Iceland , therefore
Iceland may pardon him , and if this
-brave mummy has made him free , then
so be it , and God pity you ! But
Michael Sunlocks is a prisoner of Den
mark , a traitor against the crown of
Denmark , therefore Denmark alone
may pardon him and he is still un-
I
pardoned. "
'The clamorous crowd that had
gathered about Michael Sunlocks look
ed up in silence and bewilderment at
this fresh blow. And Jorgen Jorgen
6
sen saw his advantage and went on.
"Ask your Lagmann and let him
answer you. Is it as I say or is it
not ? Ask him. "
The people looked from face to face
of the men on the Mount , from Jor-
sen , and he laughed. "Look at him. "
the Judge to the Bishop.
"Is this true ? " shouted a voice from
the crowd.
But the Judge made no answer , and
the Bishop said , "Why all this wrang
ling over the body of a dying man ? "
"Dying indeed ! " said Jorgen Jor-
sen , and he laugher. "Look at him. "
Michael Sunlocks , again lying in the
arms of Greeba , was showing signs
of life. "He will recover fast enough
when all is over. "
"Is it true ? " shouted the same voice
from the crowd.
"Yes , " said the Judge.
Then the look of bewilderment in
the faces of the people deepened to
consternation. At that moment
Michael Sunlocks was raised to his
feet. And Jorgen Jorgensen standing
like an old snuffy tiger on the watch ,
laughed again , and turning to Jason
he pointed at Sunlocks and said ,
"What did I say ? A pretty farce truly ,
this pretense at unconsciousness.
Small good it has done him. And he
has little to thank you for. You have
brought him here to his death. "
down from the Kotlugia yakul , hurl
ing ice-blocks before it , and sweeping
farms , churches , cattle , horses , and
men , women and children into the
sea. Then this man also put his heels
to his horse and broke away , like one
pursued by death itself.
What answer Jason would have
made him , no man may say , for at
that moment the same terrestrial
thunder that had been heard before
was heard again , and the earth became
violently agitated as with a deep
pulsation. The people looked into each
other's faces with dismay , and scarce
ly had they realized the horror that
waited to pour Itself out on the world ,
when a man came galloping from the
south and crying , "The mountains are
coming down at Skaptar. Fly ! fly ! "
They stopped the man and ques
tioned him , and he answered , with
terror in his eyes , that'-the ice-moun
tain itself was sweeping down into the
plain. Then he put his heels to his
horse and broke away.
Hardly had the people heard this
dread word when another man came
galloping from the southwest , and
crying , "The sea is throwing up new
islands at Reykianess , and all the nv-
ero are dry. "
They sotpped this man also , and
questioned him , and he answered that
the sky at the coast was raining red-
hot stones , so that the sea hissed with
them , and all the land was afire. Then
he , too , put his heels to his horse and
broke away.
Scarcely had he gone when a third
man came galloping from the south
east , and crying , "The land around
Hekla is washed away , and not a green
place is left on the face of the earth. "
This man also they stopped and
questioned , and he answered that a
torrent of boiling water was rolling
down from the Kotlugia yakul , hurling
ice blocks before it , and sweeping
farms , churches , cattle , horses , and.
men , women and children into the sea.
Then this man also put his heels to his
horse and broke away , like one pur
sued by death itself.
For some moments thereafter the
people stood where the men had left
them , silent , helpless , unable to think
or feel. Then there rose from them all.
as from one man , such a shrielc of mor
tal agony as never before .came from
human breasts. "In their terror they
ran hither and thither , without :
thought or intention. They took to
their tents , they took to their ponies ,
they galloped north , they galloped east ,
they galloped west , and then came
scurrying back to the Muont from
which they had started. A great dan
ger was about .to burst upon them , but
they could not tell from what direction
it would come. Some remembered their
homes and wives and children they
had left there. Others thought only of
themselves and of the fire and water
that were dealing out death.
In two minutes the Mount was a bar
ren waste , the fissures on its sides
were empty , and the seats on the crags
were bare. The Thing-men and the
clergy were rushing to and fro in the
throng , and the old bishop and the
judge were seeking their horses.
Greeba stood with fear on her face ,
by the side of Michael Sunlocks , who ,
blind and maimed , unable to see what
was going on about him , not knowing
yet where he was and what new evil
threatened him , looked like a man who
might have beendead and was awaken
ing to consciousness in a world of the
damned. '
Two men , and two only , of all that
vast multitude kept their heads and
were cool through this mad panic. One
of these was Jorgen Jorgensen ; the
other wasRed Jasen. They watched
each other constantly , the one with the
eyes of the lynx , the other with the
eyes of a lion.
A troop of men came riding through
the throng from the direction of the
Chasm of Ravens. Twenty of them
were the bodyguard of the Governor ,
and they pushed their way to the feet
of Jorgen Jorgensen.
"Your excellency , " said one of them ,
"we had news of you that you would
want us , so we made boldto come. "
"You have come in time , " said Jor
gen Jorgensen , and his cruel eyes flash
ed with the light of triumph.
"There has been a great eruption of
Skaptar , " said the man , "and the peo-
pie ofthe south are flocking into Reyk
javik. "
"Leave old Skaptar to take care of
itself , " said Jorgen Jorgensen , "and do
you take charge of that man there , and
the woman beside him. "
So saying , he pointed towards Mich
ael Sunlocks , who , amid the whirl of
the crowd around , had stood still in
his helpless blindness.
Jason saw and heard all , and he
shouted to the people to come to his
help , for he was one man against
twenty. But the people paid no heed
to his calling , for every man was think
ing of himself. Then Jason fell on the
guards with his bare hands only. And
his mighty muscles would have made
havoc of many of them , but that Jor
gen Jorgensen drew his pistol again
and fired at him , and wounded him.
Jason knew nothing of his injury until
his right arm fell to his side , bleeding
and useless. After that he was seize ]
from behind and from before and held
to the ground while Michael Sunlockn
and Greeba were hurried away.
Then the air began to be filled with
smoke , a wind that was like a solid
wall of black sand swept up from the
south , and the sudden darkness cover
ed everything.
"It Is the lava ! " shouted one.
"It's the fiery flood ! " shouted an
other.
"It's the end of the world ! ! shoutei
a third.
And at one impulse the people rush
ed hither , thither , north , south , east ,
west-rsome weeping , some shrieking ,
some swearing , some laughing like de
mons all wild with frenzy and mad
with terror. '
Jorgen Jorgensen found his little pie
bald pony where he had left it , for the
docile beast , with the reins over its
head , was munching the grass at the
foot of the causeway. He mounted and
rode past Jason as the men were loos
ening their hold of him , and peering
Into his face he said with a sneer , "If
this is the end of the world , as they
say , make the best of what is left of
It and fly. "
( To Be Continued. )
Over Mountain to Dnntb.
While descending from Camp McKin-
ney to Jolly Creek , B. C. , the horse
hauling Hoff's mail stage bolted , and
could not be controlled by Andrew
Kirkland , the driver. Finally the horses
left the road and dashed over the bank
dragging the stage down the steep in
cline. Passengers , horses and coach
rolled over and over and into the creek
below. Kirkland was instantly killed ,
his neck being broken. Of the passen
gers , one , a woman , had her collar
bone broken and besides was badly
bruised. Harry Nicholson was seriously
injured , and another male passenger
was also hurt. The horses were killed.
Earn Money Rescelnff Hat * .
A new Industry , which is proving a
source of considerable revenue to
small boys who live near the suburban
pleasure parks , Is that of "hat rescu
ing. " The youngsters station them
selves around the scenic railways and
toboggans and when the headgear of
some unlucky passenger is blown off
during the rapid ride an accident
which occurs at almost every trip of
the flying cars one of them seizes it
and hastens to the stopping place.
Very few persons have nerve enough
to send the polite rescuer off without
rewarding him. Philadelphia Times.
The Advent of Coffee
About the year 1600 coffee began to
be talked of in Christendom as a rare
and precious medicine. In 1615 it was
brought to Venice , and in 1621 Burton
spoke of it in his "Anatomy of "Melan
choly" as a valuable article which he
had heard of but not seen. In 1652 Sir
NicholasCrlspe , a Levant merchant
opened in London the first coffee house
known in England , the beverage being
prepared by a Greek girl brought over
for the work. Other coffee houses In
abundance were soon opened.
Flying Fish in Tropics.
Flying fish , called by naturalists
" 'Exocaetus , " is a common sight to
all voyagers in tropical and sub-tropi
cal seas. Their usual length Is from
ten to twelve inches , though one eight
een inches long has recently been de
scribed. They are enabled to execute
flying leaps by means of the great
development of their forward or pec
toral fins. During the flight the fins
are kept quietly distended , without any
motion. Their flight is rapid , greatly
exceeding that of a ship going ten
miles an hour.
Suez Canal's Immense Bunlnew.
The total number of vessels passing
through the Suez canal in 1900 was
3,441 , of which 1,935 were British , 462
German , 285 French , 232 Dutch , 126
Austrian , 100 Russian , 82 Italian , 63
Japanese , 34 Spanish , 28 Turkish , 30
Norwegian , 27 Danish , 22 American ,
7 Belgian , 3 Portuguese , 2 Swedish , 2
Greek and 1 Argentine. The passen
gers numbered 282,000 , this being the
highest number on record , except that
of 1896.
Improving the Potato.
A new method of Improving the po
tato is credited to M. Michalet , as a
result off experiments made In the De
partment Vaucluse ; France. He ad
vises that the potato plant should bo
stripped of Its blossoms and the crop
tubers will be improved In quantity
and be richer in starch' . The flower
is not at all necessary to the well-
being of the plant , which In the pro
cess of blossoming consumes starch
and other vegetable substances.
Old Presidents Not Many.
In connection with Senator Allison's
declaration that he is too old to run
for President , he being now 72 , it may
be mentioned that so far no man once
three score and ten has ever been elect
ed chief magistrate of the nation. Only
five over 60 have been so honored.
These were John Adams , 62 ; Andrew
Jackson , 62 ; William Henry Harrison ,
68 ; Zachary Taylor , 65 , and Jamei
Buchanan , 66.
A Remarkable Thimble.
The Queen of Slain has a remarkable
thimble , which was given to her by
her husband. It is made of gold , in
the form of a lotus bud , and is thickly
studded with diamonds , which are ar
ranged to form her name and the date
of her marriage. The form of the gift
was particularly appropriate , since the
lotus Is the royal flower.
x H x : : H"X : - : i 'ii ' - -i : I ! *
Commoner Comment *
Extracts from W. J. Bryan's Paper.
. _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ . . - - . - . .
Different Klnda of Dollars.
George E. Eoberts , director of the
mint , in an interview recently , referred
to the proposition that a mint be es
tablished 'at Manila. Mr. Eoberts
said :
"I have heard nothing about the
matter since the adjournment of con
gress , but I know that it is receiving
the attention of the war department ,
which is obtaining all the informa
tion possible on the subject. Army of
ficers seem to favor the establishment
of a mint at Manila , and an effort to
substitute American coinage for the
Mexican now in general use. There is
considerable opposition to this propo
sition , however , as it is certain that
any attempt to push the American dol
lar and redeem it in gold would pre
cipitate commercial disturbances that
might result in disaster. Secretary
Gage is opposed to it , and I am in
clined to think that this plan will not
be adopted.
"Two plans have been proposed. The
first of these is t establish a free mint
at Manila for the making of a Philip
pine dollar interchangeable with the
Mexican dollar and redeemable at a
fixed price in gold. Under this plan
producers of silver would sell their
product to establishments having trade
relations with the east , which would
have it coined at the Manila mint and
put in circulation. This is the plan
adopted by the British government ,
which coins an Indian dollar which
is circultated from the Straits settle
ment and has so far been successful in
competing with the Mexican dollar and
the rupee.
"The second plan is to coin a 'token
dollar' about the size of the Mexican
dollar with enough less silver to pre
vent it from going to the melting pot
or out of the country , interchangeable
with the Mexican dollar , and redeema
ble in gold equally with Mexican coin. "
It is rather strange to hear that the
war department is considering the es
tablishment of a mint. Surely we are
undergoing many changes. Heretofore
the treasury department has been
charged with affairs relating to our
finances ; but under the new policy that
has sprung up in our "land of the free
and the home of the brave" the war
department appears to be a mighty in
stitution , wielding enormous powers ,
and one whose bounds are controlled
by'no pent up Utica. "
Mr. Eoberts thinks it likely that
ome plan involving the creation of a
" dollar" will .
"Philippine be adopted.
It will be well to look at this sugges
tion seriously. The constitution gives
congress the right to "coin money , reg
ulate the value thereof and of foreign
coin , and fix the standard of weights
and measures. " No one heretofore
would have dared to claim" that con
gress had the right to make one dollar
i or one section and another dollar for
another section. Under the constitu
tion no one will seriously claim that
such a right exists. It will not be
surprising , however , if the proposition
to create a "Philippine dollar" or a
'token dollar" prevails. Authority
for this will be found , not in the con
stitution , but in the decision of the su
preme court in the Porto Eican cases.
Un'der that decision congress , the crea
ture of the constitution , has , with re
spect to our new possessions , whatever
authority it may see fit to execrcise en
tirely regardless of the fundamental
law.
law.When
When the war department , by and
with the consent of the presfdent and
Secretary GtJge and a few other execu
tive heads , sets out to adopt a financial
policy for the Philippine Islands , the
American people will begin to obtain
a hint of the far-reaching character of
the Porto Eican decision.
There are no restraints upon con
gressional authority in Porto Eico.
There are no restraints upon the war
power in the Philippine Islands.
If political interests require , the
time may yet come when we will have
one kind of dollar for the Philippines ,
another kind of dollar for Porto Eico ,
an altogether different dollar for Cuba ,
a new-fangled dollar for Arizona , and
a patent-applied-for dollar for New
Mexico , while within the states , which
are the masters of these territories , a
wholly different dollar will be "current
money with the merchant ; " and this
will be a ' 'sound financial system"
one in which ' 'every dollar is as good
as every other dollar" one inwhich
the ' 'faith" and the "honor" of the na
tion are preserved , and the "business
interests" of the country are subserved.
In response to an invitation from
Tammany to submit < a _ sentiment to be
read on the 4th of July , Mr. Bryan sug
gested the following :
"Liberty is hot safe without a writ
ten constitution , and a constitution to
be of value must be strong enough to
control every public servant and broad
enough to include within its protection
every person who acknowledges al
legiance to the flag. "
"When a Chinese bank fails the bank
officials are beheaded. When an Amer
ican bank fails the bank officials are
interviewed and express great surprise
at the failure. Bank failures are ex
tremely rare in China.
Mr. Hanna told the Ohio republican
convention that "this is no time to ex
periment with the tariff. " Certainly
not. Not the time for the republican
party to experiment with it. The
trusts are satisfied and Mr. Hanna
knows right where he can get a rich
yield of fat when he starts out with'
the frying pan in the congressional
campaign of 1902 and the presidential
campaign of 1904.
The chief argument in support of
the ship subsidy is that ike promoters
want the money.
' WWV
"Hampers" In the Constitution
The American Review of Reviews
gives an interesting editorial approv
ing of the supreme court decision as
delivered by Justice Brown. In this
the Review says : "The primary ob
ject of the American constitution was
to arrange an effective and permanent
scheme of partnership and union for a
group of associated states which were
not suitably organized under the old
articles of confederation. " The Re
view adds that the constitution "was
never intended to hamper posterity"
and concludes "the main thing that
has been decided thus far is that the
constitution of the United States is not
a doctument that is going to interfere
with the people of the United States in
their proposal to do the very best thing
that they can from time to time in pro
viding for the government , develop
ment and true progress of the territor
ies that they have acquired by recent
annexation. "
The preamble of the constitution
tells the object of that document , and
even the Review of Eeviews cannot im
prove jupon the statement. The ob
ject , according to this preamble , was
to "form a more perfect union , estab
lish justice , insure domestic tranqnili-
ty , provide for the common defense ,
promote the general welfare and secure
the blessings of liberty to ourselves
and our posterity. " It is very evident
that even some of "our posterity" were
deliberately 'hamperetl" by the fram-
ers of the constitution. They new the
tendency of strong men to take ad
vantage of weaker men , and so they
declared as one of the objects of the
constitution "to secure the blessings
of liberty to ourselves and our poster
. " Mark ' ' " and
ity. the word 'secure ,
observe that the fathers intended to
"secure" liberity not only for them
selves but for posterity. And iu order
to make these benefits secure they or
dained and established this constitu
tion for the United States of America
a constitution which has always been
recognized as a grant of power and the
certificate of any authority which our
public servants may rightfully exer
cise.
It is true that it was not intended
that the constitution should interfere
with the people of the United States
in their proposal to do whatever they
sought to do. The people of the Unit
ed States are the makers and the cor *
rectors of the constitution , and in or
der that it should not interfere with
them in anything that they might see
fit to do in the future a method of
amending the constitution was pro
vided. They did , however , intend that
that document should interfere with
any public officials , with any men or
coterie of men who saw fit to do things
inconsistent with American traditions
and American principles , and they es
tablished a written constitution in
which they said to their public ser
vants , so far.as . concerns the authori
ties and the powers they might exer
cise "thus far and no farther. "
Unsiife Banking.
The failure of the 7th national bank
of New York City calls attention to
the fact that many banks are doing
business upon an unsafe basis. This
particular bank made a report to the
clearinghouse on June 21st showing
that its capital was only § 576 , 340 while
its deposits were over § 5,700,000 ; its
loans over § 4,400,000. A shrinkage of
ten per cent in the value of its loans
would have more than wiped out its
capital. According to the report re
ferred to the net profits were § 234,000
but even this sum added to the capital
would not give sufficient margin to
make the business safe.
Some ratio snould be fixed between
the bank's capital and its deposits for
while it may be very profitable to di
vide among a few stockholders the
profits secured upon large deposits it
invites collapse. A banker would not
loan to a merchant whose liabilities
equalled 60 per cent of his assets. Why
should he ask depositors to trust him
under the same circumstances ?
Was Clemens a Prophet ?
Jeremiah Clemens , a United States
senator representing the state of Ala
bama in ante-bellum days said :
'Commit our people once to unneces
sary wars , let victory encourage the
military spirit already too prevalent
among them , and Eoman history will
have no chapter bloody enough to be
transmitted to posterity side by side
with ours. In a brief period we shall
have re-enacted on a grander scale the
same scenes that marked her decline.
The veteran soldier who has followed
a victorious leader from clime to clime
will forget his love of country in his
love for his commander ; and the bayo
net you sent abroad to conquer a king
dom will be brought back to destroy
the rights of the citizen and prop the
throne of an emperor. "
Was Clemens a prophet ?
China's mistake in offering to pay a
larger indemnity than was demanded
is calculated to make the "powers"
feel sorry that they did not follow the
example of Oliver Twist.
Mr. Foraker wrote the Ohio platform
or is credited with its authorship
and in it he takes occasion to praise
the "gallant and heroic negroes. " The
aegro can always expect plenty of
platform sympathy and respect from
bhe g. o. p.
General Grosvenor wisely declines
to hold both bag and candle.
Mr. Foraker's keynoting continues
bo be sounded in the tariff cleft.
Would it not be better to call Phil
adelphia "The City of BoodleryLove ? "
WESTERN WATER FARMING.
WKcoaaia's M r I kM Olra
of Great Profit.
Scientist * iho make it their buslnwa
to look ahead into the far future art
now busy telling what will happen
after all the land in the United State *
has been put under cultivation. When
* here are no more quarter section * tip-
n which the settler can establish him
self , it is predicted that water farm-
Ing will become a general occupation.
This information Is comforting to resi
dents of Wisconsin. No state in the
Union has better facilities for water
farming than the one famous for the
number and beauty of Its lakes. When
the 'time comes for men to fence off
acre plots on the crystal waters of the
inland seas Wisconsin will have a
boom worth while waiting for with pa
tience. Of course there will be draw
backs to water farming , but the In
dustry offers great possibilities. Al
though it will be difficult to keep one's
crop of fish from being mixed with
one's neighbors' , there will be no plow
ing or harrowing , no wrestling with
stumps , and no trouble over irrigation.
After the fish are planted each season
there will be nothing to do but to wait
until harvest time. By a little diplo
matic advertising water farmers may
persuade city men to spend their va
cations on the lakes as assistants dur
ing this harvest season. Houseboats
on the water farms would be ideal
places of residence during the hot
months. It Is estimated that the fish
eries of the United States produce food
of the value of $45,000,000 every year.
As soon as the water farming Industry
has a good start , Wisconsin will be
able to add millions to this amount.
If the calamity howler cannot find any
thing worse to prophesy about than the
water farm , this state can pursue dally
its business pursuits without any fore
bodings. Milwaukee Sentinel.
HOW TO KILL MOSQUITOES.
Chinatown Sells a Cheap and Most Ef
fective ObllUrator.
It Is the experience of the average
housekeeper In Philadelphia that no
matter how thoroughly the doors and
windows of a house are screened , mos
quitoes will get inside. Many of them
do not understand that a small pool of
stagnant water in a cellar or water
standing in pitcher plants is a birth
place for thousands of mosquitoes. In
flower vases on the table , where the
water is not frequently changed , mos
quito eggs are found In great numbers.
Applications of kerosene oil will , stop
that. The general question is how to
get the small Insect pests out of the
house when once they are In. To per
sons of careful habits chlorine gas is
recommended. Pour Into a plate con
taining four teaspoonsfuls of chloride
of lime about ten drops of crude sul
phuric acid. This liberates the chlorine
gas , which is said to kill the mos
quitoes. The plan can be used only in
rooms not temporarily occupied , or In
which the gas vapors can be allowed
to remain for several hours. The burn
ing of pyrethrum powders In a room
will also kill them. The powder should
be moistened and then made into lit
tle cones , which are dried in the oven.
When a cone is lighted at the top it
smoulders slowly , emitting an odor
which many persons find pleasant. But
a good , simple and cheap mosquito
iciller may be bought in Chinatown.
The Chinese use pine or juniper saw
dust , mixed with a small quantity of
brimstone and an ounce of arsenic
This mixture is put Into little bags In a
dry state. Bach bag Is coiled like a
snake and tied tightly with a thread.
The outer end Js lighted. The colls sell
at 10 cents a hundred and two of them
are said to be enough to clear any "or
dinary room of mosquitoes.
Drastic AntIGambling
Some little time ago the Belgian
chamber of deputies passed a some
what drastic anti-gambling law. The
bill has reached the upper house , and
is being discussed in a somewhat
acrimonious tone , and meeting consid
erable opposition. Some of the sen
ators point out that gambling is in
herent to human nature , and that if
the law were carried into effect it
would tend to foster clandestine
gambling-houses on an extensive scale.
This argument has been put forward
before , but where the shoe really
pinches seems to lie in the fact that
the fashionable watering place of Os-
tend would be the principal sufferer.
The casino there ranks with the fam
ous gambling hell at Monte Carlo , and
many of the senators are said to be
financially interested , and hence their
opposition. It Is claimed that if the
casino were abolished the loss to the
town would lie between $2,500,000 and
$5,000,000 , and that most of the public
works now in progress would have to
be abandoned as they were undertaken
on the strength of the revenues de
rived from the gaming tables.
A Remarkable Voyage.
The arrival at Manila of the squad
ron comprising the gunboat Annapolis
and the ocean tugs Frolic , Piscataqua ,
and Wampatuck , which sailed from
Hamp'ton roads early last winter , com
pletes a remarkable voyage. This is
the longest trip ever accomplished by
such tiny naval craft and was prob
ably never equaled by similar war
ships. The distance covered was near
ly two-thirds around the world , cross-
Ing CQe ocean , skirting the southern
part of Europe , thence through the
tornado seas of the Indian ocean , down
to the Philippines at a season when
typhoons are usual. There have been ,
trips of small ships across the Atlantic
and once an old monitor was sent
around to San Francisco by the Horn ,
but no vessels of such light displace
ment have yet covered so much dan
gerous water area as the little squad
ron of American boats.
