EDWARD LESLIE klssi-d his
wife fondly when she lan to
the door to welcome him home
from business , but when he reached
their cozy kitchen he dropped wearily
Into the easy chair by the fire and
rested his head upon his hand. He
was tired after a long day's work , with
nothing but a couple of buns to stay
the inner man tired and worried. They
had been married now nearly twelve
months , and they found housekeeping
more expensive than they had antici
pated , and the better times they had
hoped for seemed as far oil as ever. It
was nearly the end of the mouth , too ,
and the rent would soon be due. The
coal , also , had yet to be paid for , and
then there was the jnterest on some
"tickets" which must be paid , or his
little wife would lose the little jewelry
she treasured so , but which she gave
up so willingly to help the man she
loved In the hard struggle to get their
little home together.
"Dinner Is nearly ready , dearest , "
said she as she stroked his hair back
from his forehead. "And you are hun
gry and tired , de'ar , and worried. "
Presently the postman's sharp rap
caused him to spring up and run to the
door. He came back more slowly.
"It's from Uncle Mac , " he said.
"Well , I am surprised. He arrived in
England yesterday morning , aBd oh ,
good heavens ! we must put him off.
We can't do It"
Mrs. Leslie took the letter.
"My Dear Godson Ted I have come
back to England after fifteen years in
Australia , As things are not too well
with me , I propose to come and stay a
few mouths with you. I suppose since
you are married fortune is smiling
upon you , and they say three can be
kept as cheaply as one. Expect me to
night at 9. All news then. Your
affectionate uncle. MAC. "
"Why , I always thought your Uncle
Mac was doing so well , Ted , " she said ,
slowly , as she finished.
"So did L" said her husband. "But ,
then , everyone abroad is always doing
welL I must write at once and put I
him off. "
"No , Ted , dear , " his little wife said ,
bravely. "Because you are married I
don't want him to think we are quite
so poor. We will manage somehow. "
But she sighed a little as she thought
how quickly , even now , the weekly pay
dwindled to a shilling or two before
Friday night
Barely an hour later Uncle Mac ant
aounced his arrival with a performance
on the little brass knocker which startt
led several of Mrs. Leslie's quiet neigh-
bora.
"Glad to see you , me boy. Glad to
see you. Nice little place you got but
'
iwkward to find. Took the wrong train
at Broad street so had to come up on .
the tram. And I say , Ted , my boy ,
why on earth don't they put the pave
ment all the way along the street ?
Half way down I got mixed up in a
mountain of mortar , quite lost my'
temper , and nearly my umbrella. As
I said to a man who came down with r.
me , 'That's an infernal ugly looking o
thing . ' Your wife , eh , Ted ? " broke h
off Uncle Mac , as he caught sight of n
Nelho in the hall. "Glad to make your
acquaintance , Mrs. Ted , " he said , walkf
Ing into Nellie's dainty little drawing-
roon : the pride of her life bringing v
v.'iih him sufficient of the much-sized
mortar on his boots to build a smallt
sized villa. "Come over to the light
and let me look at you. "
"Nice face , but tired , " he said , quite
audibly , although intended only for
himself. "Smart girl , but no strength '
or backbone. Novel and the sofa and )
pretty fal-dal-lals. Wonder why he ta
taa
married her ? " taPi
"Because he loved me and I loved Pi
him , " said Nellie , proudly. cl
"I beg your pardon , " said Uncle Mac , lii
hurriedly. "Silly habit speaking your cc :
thoughts aloud. Learnt it in the to
lonely bush. No offense. Hope you're
happy and your love will last but they be
do say when poverty comes in at the pi
what's-its-name love skoots out of the er
thingummy. " th
"That's wrong , my dear , isn't it ? "
said Edward , slipping his arm round at
her waist "Poverty only make our th
love the brighter. But come. Uncle aii
Mac , my little girl has some real old
Irish stew for supper , and I'm sure hawi
' " wi
you're hungry. wiHi
"You're right , Ted , my boy. " cried Hi
Uncle Mac. "I'm absolutely raven ne
ous. " hh
"You won't mind the kitchen , will Nc
you , Mr. er ? " Nellie began. <
"Mac , my dear , plain Mac ; ; that is , ioii
i
of course. Uncle Mac , to you , " he re
plied. "Personally I prefer the kitch wi
en. " 1
During supper he kept them all mer lei
ry with stories of his life In Aus bu
tralia , but Nellie's eyes noted with ap <
prehension that his appetite was likely Ur
"to be a serious strain on her limited "VI
larder. I
"Good tack , this , " he said presently , j of
with appreciation. "Knocks billy and "
damper hollow. But you're not eating shi
much ! "
"Oh , I've plenty , thank you , " she yei
stammered , but Uncle Mac silently tie
noted that the meat had been served to ovi
' . Ted and himself , while her plate made ,
a brave show with little else than a on
\ potato. bit
* * * * * * wl
Nearly a week passed and one day l
Nellie was just wondering whether she tlr
would have an egg or her lunch now , shi
or wait till 5 , when a ring came to the hei
door , and she ran up to find Uncle ne ;
"
Mac. saj
"Bit surprised to see me so soon , ah , em
. > ' #
my dear ? " he says cheerfully , "but the
fact , is , I've run out of cash , so I
thought I would drop down earlier and
have a bit of lunch with you. "
"Have lunch with me ! " cried Nellie
in a horror-stricken voice. "I'm afraid
I have nothing in the house , Uncle
Mac. "
"Oh , anything will do , " he replied ,
carelessly , "and if you have nothing in
the place , give me two bob , and I'll run
down to the butcher round the corner
and get a bit of steak , eh ? "
"I'm sorry , Uncle Mac , but but Ted-
die went off in a hurry this morning ,
and and he took my purse away in
his pocket"
"Silly boy ! Silly boy ! And yet he
doesn't know It , " replied Uncle Mac
ruefully. "For when I called at his
office to borrow five shillings off him
he said lie had left all his money at
home. But there , " he added cheerfully ,
"I have a sovereign , and we must
spend that My lucky sov. must go. "
"Your lucky sovereign ? " queried Nel
lie.
"Well , I call it my lucky sovereign , "
said Uncle Mac , "because it was the
first sovereign I ever earned , and it
happened to have the date on of the
very year I started to work as a boy
of fourteen. I've kept it all these
years. "
"Oh , you mustn't spend that , " cried
Nellie. "To-night Ted will be paid and
we shall be'all right again. Come
down stairs and have some more ba
con. "
Uncle Mac said he had never enjoyed
any meal so much as he dH that bacon ,
and after he had finished he proposed
that they should go for a walk to
gether.
"As we can't afford a tram ride , " he
said , laughingly , "we will just walk
round and think we are millionaires.
Nothing like building castles in the
air , my dear , when you are down in
the dumps. If you can't actually en
joy the things wealth would bring you
canlook round the shops and see all
the pretty things , and then by a little
imagination i just consider they are
your own. Now , as money's no object ,
where shall be say we live ? "
"Oh , at Highgate , " cried Nellie.
"Why Highgate ? " asked Uncle Mac
seriously.
"Because there's such a lovely house
there 1 to be let It stands in its own
ground [ , and I've often looked at it ,
long before we were married even. I
think I told you about it one day. " a
Finding the gate of the house open a
they ventured to look over it Nellie
waxed quite enthusiastic , and as they its
went from room to room she furnished it
them sumptuously in her imagination. itP itP
The drawing room would be in gold P
and white with , Louis XIV. style fur fj
niture. "
"Never heard of him , " said Uncle
Mac , with conviction. "You must show k
me some of that on the way home. " .T
Nellie replied with a laugh that she .TIE
would show him the
very thing she tl
meant in Dormans & Brown's Empo tl
rium , and on the way back she pointed tlai ,
out many things she would like and st
have , "if only they had plenty of cfl
money. "
When they got back Ted was waiting ta
for < his dinner , and while the chops
were grilling Nellie told him the ad-
ve.ntures of the day. During dinner
Qucle Mac , amid many bursts of laugh
ter , described the wonderful home in
Nellie would , in imagination co
live.
live.Uncle
Uncle Mac started off early next rii
iiorning to get work , or , as he said , er
'die in the attempt" Toward the end . wl
f the second week Uncle Mac obI I co
ained a "job. " "Of course , it isn't ex-
ca :
ictly the thing I wanted , " he ex- ofl
lained , "but then , beggars can't be thi
ihoosers. I'm to get thirty-five shil- ab
ings a week , so I thought , Nellie , I
nli
ould pay a pound every Wednesday ca
oward the housekeeping expenses. "
Matters were so arranged , and Nellie
icgan to feel quite rich. It was sur-
irising how much help that extra sov-
reign was , and Nellie's nightmare of
he end of the week began to vanish. ye
Uncle Mac continued to come down
5 , and Nellie and he still amused ag
he
heniselves by "building castles in the
ir" and with looking in the shops. . w.n
At last when everything seemed so
appy. Edward came down one night me
'ith a hard , drawn look upon his face. ins
Ie kissed his wife with great tender-
ess at the door , and. with a shake in HO T
"
voice said : "Come into the kitchen ,
rellie. " Sej
"What is it , Ted ? " she asked anx- 1
msly. mo
"I'v got the sack , Nell ! " he said , the
ith a sob. evt
For some moments they stood in si- the
snce , then he sank on a chair and she
uried his face in his hands. gre
" Well , my little love birds , " cried oce
ncle Mac , entering from the garden. wit
Why , what's the matter ? " fill *
In a few broken words Nell told him ter
this last and greatest trouble. lig ]
"Well , well , " said Uncle Mac , when roa >
had ended , "keep a brave heart tha
dear , and things may be all well * s h
ot I think Ted and I will take a lit- ' befT
walk up the street and talk matters T
rer. " the
When they came back she was lying y
the bed. where she had been crying ed
Itterly , but she tried to meet them
1th a smile. i
y
After dinner she seemed to become
ill
red and heavy , and she felt as though
nea
must go to sleep. Presently her
me ]
ad nodded , and as she lost conscious-
sss she thought she heard Uncle Mac A
: "Carry htr to something. " Presj j \\Th
itly , In her sleep she had a beautiful ] by
dream. She thought that she woke nj
and found herself in the house at High
gate , furnished just as she always plq
tured it , and Uncle Mac and Ted wer <
there , and they were talking and laugh
ing joyfully.
"Isn't it a lovely dream ? " she said
turning to Uncle Mac.
. "It is not a dream , my dear , " he said
softly. "I am not poor , as you think
I am very rich. I have bought you thii
bouse and furnished it as you de
scribed , and we brought you here it
your sleep. We shall all live here UOM
that is , if you will tolerate your old
uncle and to-morrow Ted will come
up with me as manager to my business
in the city. "
"Is it true , then Uncle Mac ? " shf
cried.
"It Is all true , little woman , and you
must forgive an old man's deceit , bul
I wanted to see the metal my boy's
wife was made of , and and that riches
would not turn her head. But I know
now , my dear , that as wealth has come
In at the thingummy , love will not fly
out of the what's-its-name. " New Yorl ;
News.
CONCERNING THE OYSTER.
A Short Natural History Lesson 01
This Timely Subject.
Now that the oyster season has -
rived a few remarks concerning this
popular bivalve might not be amiss.
Epicures naturally like to know what
they are eating and if those who are
addicted to the oyster habit will fol-11
low this brief scientific treatise closely
they will be made familiar with the
habits and eccentricities of the oyster.
The oyster belongs to the genus of
lamellibranch mollusks of the third
order monomya and may be at once
distinguished by the bilateral sym
metry of the heterogeneous convexity.
The labial ganglia are very minute
while the parietosplanchuic are well
developed. We hate to say a thing !
like this about an oyster behind its
back , but the truth may as well be
told now , because some one would find
out later , anyhow ; there is no excuse
for beating about the bush.
In spite of all the hard names applied
to the oyster , however , it is considered
one of the most toothsome dishes that
come out of the sea. A few fat oys
ters in the prime of life , seasoned to
taste with salt , pepper and a dash of
vinegar , make a really appetizing re
past ; an oyster needs no other lubri
cants save the condiments mentioned
above. If placed in the mouth it will
be found that a well trained oyster will
burrow Its way down a man's gullet
and into his vitals with the dexterity
of a toboggan on a shoot-the-chutes.
The oyster is a creature of sedentary
habits. It will sit in the mud by the j
month at a time thinking out beautiful
and ennobling thoughts without assisttl
ance from outside sources. In addition
it also possesses a great amount of perr'
sistence. : The oyster never gives up ;
will cling to a rock during the entire a
period of its existence without coma
plaint or becoming discouraged. In a
fact , the oyster's motto seems to be. a !
"Hang on. " j
There are various humane ways of
killing an oyster , says the Ohio State p
Journal < , all of which are highly com-
com0
0
mended by the clergy and societies for
the prevention of cruelty of animals
throughout the country. For instance. L
:
in oyster may be stewed , fried , baked
p
steamed or pickled , according to the K
caprice of the consumer. If eaten raw h.
in oyster should be stabbed before ?
taken.
T [
Tst
LAUGH AT THE "TOMMIES. " st
.
Boer Prisoners Played a Clever Jokt
on Their British Guards. ' j
When the 5,000 Boes prisoners were
confined on the islands of the Great
sound , Bermuda , there was a constant
ivalry between the wits of the burgh-
rs and those of their guards every
.
vhit as keen as that displayed by the
Contending generals on the far-off Afri- .
an battle-fields. Now it was a "take- .
iff" on the Toinmjes , now a laugh on ,
he hirsute burghers , and things had '
.bout split even until the eventful
light when not only the whole English
amp but the English fleet as well fell
ictims to the plotting Boers.
'
Y
A Britsh sentry was stationed on a
romontory overlooking the sound , LTll
rhen something suspicious caught his U1
on the calm surface of the water .n
etween himself and a battleship ly- :
at anchor. Not wishing to arouse
whole camp on a false alarm , he
matched the object for some minutes. , °
uddenly his heart jumped into his "
louth. The object was not only mov-
slowly through the water , but it *
(
ad , taken the shape of a man on a j"
ift Was it a prisoner escaping ?
"Guard turn out ! Sound the alarm I a
earchlight ! Searchlight ! * he shouted ,
The English camp was astir in a j "
loinent The alarm was sounded and -1'
armed Britons came flocking from . .n
rery quarter. Signals were made to
battleship , and in a few moments °
was a scene of commotion. Her / ? >
reat searchlight was turned on the , ir
ean and lighted up the promontory
ith the brightness of noonday. Boats 3
lied with armed soldiers shot out af-
ar
the escaping Boer. Then the search-
ght fell upon the raft , as it did so a IH
ar from 5.000 Boers told the British
or
lat they had been taken in as Brit- '
soldiers had never been taken in , > r
sfore. i ! „
The supposed prisoner escaping , says aE
Detroit News-Tribune , was a durnrif \
dressed up in burgher's clothes and n \ }
to a raft. ' n0
Biggest of A 1 Cotton Mills. j ] Q
What is to be the biggest cotton iv (
in the world is to be located soon : lil
Kansas City , Mo. Tlu invest- s
ent will roach about $10,000,000.
"
All some city people know is
hether their part of town is reached
a green or yellow car. "
m3i
80YAL SKIN BARED 10
TATTOO MAN'S NEEDLE.
yWP * / 'L , _ 3 > . ' It'3 - . " /
tiJ bt&J z < , r & s * "t w. / / . \ /
!
Ttte proudest sovereigns of the worn
ire not proof against the tattoo germ
Most of the rulers of Europe have sue
cumbed to the fad and the number i
grpwiug. Even sedate Queen Alexan
dra , of Great Britain , can show her
Diark. It is a spray of for get-me-nots
done in green and blue , on her right
forearm.
A fire engine drawn by three
prancing horses is indelibly frescoed
on the left shoulder of Princess Walde-
rnar , of Denmark. She is an enthu
siast on fire fighting and honorary
member of a Copenhagen fire com
pany.
When Queen Olga , of Greece , was
made admiral of the fleet she had an
anchor tattooed in blue on her right
arm. i Prince George , of Greece , has a
hideous I dragon , twenty inches long ,
tattooed t across his chest
Prince Henry of Prussia , also a re
cent American visitor , has admiral's
shoulder knots tattooed on his shoul
ders. King Oscar , of Sweden , .and
most of the German Princes can show
their parti-colored badges of courage.
Grand Duke Alexis , of Russia , could
pose as a tattooed wild man in a cir
cus
cusWomen
Women all over Europe are submit
ting themselves to the tattooing needle.
'
GIVING THE RED BIRETTA.
In the last consistory three red hats
were bestowed on three cardinals who
were last year elected to the purple.
One of these is Archbishop Skrbensky
of Prague , who is the youngest mem
ber of the sacred college , being only
88 a most exceptional age to be thus
honored.
I
The see of Prague has , together with
one or two others , a special privilege
that of wearing the red biretta from
g
the moment he is created. The usual
rule ' is that a cardinal , although enjoy
ing all the privileges of his position
and ranking with his colleagues , is not
allowed to wear his red hat until it is
actually bestowed , which is often quite
i year after.
j YV
Many years ago Prince Swarzem- YVn
berg , cardinal and archbishop of P
Prague , says the Rome correspondent
f ] the Pall Mall Gazette , happened to
je in Rome when the consistory took e
lace ] , so was invited by Gregory XVI. di
dihi
o come and receive his hat from him hi
hies
jersonally. ( The cardinals to be thu es
, esbi
louored all gathered , black birettas in bi
land , which made the red one held by bim
riuce Swarzemberg most conspicious m
"he prelates of the chamber remon IK
IKU
itrated , saying he had made a mistake U
.iid must exchange for a black one , but ec
ie insisted that it was his privilege and cc
hat he intended to go thus into the of
apal presence. Things were becoming ofbi
nost strained and heated , as neither bi
ide ' would give way , when a clever ai
icrson dexterously suppressed the ret
.pple of discord and thus forced the br
ardinal to go into the presence empty-
landed. As to whether he was within I
lis rights or not has never , I believe , re
ieen decided. thH
To Meet an Interesting Demand. pi
fo
In response to an ever increasing de
laud for skilled woman labor , New
OD
'ork is soon to open a trade school for
iris. Besides getting half pay pupils
.
ill have a chance to learn more than
ne trade , and thereby become pracn
cally independent of the fluctuation
mi [
fashion in the industrial world. For
xaniple , girls who declare a preferonce all
r the machine room will , if they stay ou
dig enough , be taught almost every ea
siriety of work which can be done by eaTt
machine , from lace to leather , while of I
indidates for the pasting room may on
ccome equally proficient in the manu-
icttire < of milady's opera fan and bon- do
et box. of lamp shades and bookbind- he
( . Thus if bonnet boxes
igs. , become a spi
rug ' on the market or fans go out of he
heW
ishion , a girl who learned to W
lem at the trade school will be able kii
turn , without loss of time or money , thi
making lamp shades and to book- wa
inding. ste
the
"What He Was Doing. theA
The other day the proprietor of a noi
rge hotel advertised for a cellarman to\
towb
he next dajr an Irishman applied fo. wb
vacancy. As it happened , the land- wh
rd knew him to be a man from the his
iwn , and also to be the biggest drink-
in the place. Being pressed for a am
an , , owing to tho busy season , the on
ndlord engaged him , on the condition ivi
iat Pat was to keep on whistling CUl
hen working in the cellar. The next er
ly Pat started on his new job. and sel
hadn't been in the cellar more than da i
minutes when he stopped whis-
ing. The landlord , suspecting that te
man was drinking , shouted out to f
m from the bar :
"Pat , what are you doing now ? "
The reply came back at the top of
it's voice :
"Changing my tune , sor. " un ;
JU.
The performance was over and the
proprietor of the dog and pony show
requested the audience to remain a few
moments while he said a few words :
"Now , boys , you have all seen what
luy dogs can do. Will you be surprised
when 1 tell 3'ou that some of your dogs
can do the same things ? Now , then , I
am coming here again in six months.
If any of you can , by that time , train
a dog to stand on its head , play dead
or dance , I will give him fifty dollars
for the dog.
"I took notice that you were particu
larly pleased with the little dog that } ,
played the part of a policeman. Eigh
teen months ago I bought him from a
little boy. I paid seventy-five dollars
for him , but now five hundred dollars
eouKl not buy him. Your dog may be
as easy to train as he was ; try it.
"Here are some little pamphlets tell
ing you how to care for and train dogs ;
they are only five cents apiece ; who'll
buy ? "
The boys of Belltown raised a great
shout when Tom Bowen stepped for
ward and handed the man a nickel.
Tom's dog had the reputation of being
the nearest to a good-for-nothing in
town ; but Tom loved him and believed
in him when no one else did. He ac
knowledged that the animal was no
bird dog , although its mother had been
a famous setter ; neither was he a
watch dog ; and he was mortally afraid
of cats a fault which , all boys know ,
places a dog away down below par.
TIP DOiNt. THE DANCE.
Tom's brother Ned owned a maguifi-
. ent inaltese , which answered to the n
nfi
nusical name of Muziah. If Tip pos fiC
sessed | a pet aversion , it certainly was C
: his same Muziah. When the table fi
fisi
scraps were scraped out into an old si
sif
jau , he stood afar off until the mighty f
kluziah ate all the choice bits and all
he plainer fare that he could hold. rt
rtb
Then if there were any left he b
vould be permitted to slink up and car- si
y the remaining bits behind the wood- st
tile. tl
tile.When tlai
When Tom went home from the ai
how he called Tip , and the two repair er ;
ed to the hayloft , where the dog was erdi
diSi
.uly informed of what was in store for Si
lim. A rusty red tail wagged acqui- al
scence and the training of Tip was ai
icgun. th :
Tom made a secret bargain with his sc ;
aother , consequently the price of a he
.ew pair of pants was in his pocket pc
ext ( morning. As Tom anJ Ned start- bi
d for school , Ned was not long in dis- ar
overiug a good-sized patch on the seat fo
f Tom's trousers. "I say , Tom ! what's nc
p ? How came j'ou with those old
reeches on ? Didn't father get you pe
ny new ones ? " peOi
Oi
Tom shook his head , ran his hand
ack over the patched part of his ap- m
arel , and said , "Oh , that's all right ! th
can't see it , you know. " When Tom
eached the playground , he was made
ae butt of much good-natureJ fun. "
[ owever , the thought of what his ,
urse contained and its purpose com-
rted him.
Thereafter , for weeks , Tip was fed
a fresh meat in the hayloft , while ,
jtside , Muziah whined pitifully. No
ie knew excepting Tom and Tip what
ent on in that hayloft The mother
id a pretty good idea ; but , you know ,
others never give you away. wt
Tom wore patched clothes to school cir
1 winter , and was always on the look- fol
it for small jobs , whereby he might a
irn a nickel , or , i-erchance , a dime , we
he butcher down on the corner got all cit
Tom's earnings , and Tip waxe.l fat lea
the best the butcher had. bu
At last spring came , and with it the gir
g and pony show. With beating , am
art ; Tom took Tip around to the tent j sh
tecified for candidates How relieved "
was when he found that the trial yoi
as to be made before no one but the "
nd faced professor himself ! Tip went "
rough the ordeal right bravely , and >
as lockel up with a porterhouse "
eak , while Tom went In to witness sal
e afternoon performance. "
After it was over the proprietor an-
gro
lunced that he had bought one Bell-
Bu
wn dog from Master Thomas Bowen.
bo would come forward and show
bat the dog could do and then receive f >
fifty dollars.
X (
What an excitement there was
aong the boys , as Tom took a seat "
"I
the platform and began playing a I
pely tune on a French harp. The red yot
rtains parted and In rushed Tip. Afj j vov >
a gesture from Tom , he raise 1 him-
If1on his hind legs and began to 'at '
nee. That was all ; but he did it well.tne
3ow the crowtii cheered as Tom pock- at
ed the fifty dollars. Then he went T
hind the curtains with Tip to bid ove
farewell. wu
m a long
slo1
The Flora of Alaska. Ian
According to a report of the special slig
ent of the Department of AgriculBla
e in charge of Alaska Investigations , j B
/a
1 end of the
a traveler may go from one
Yukon to the other In summervvlthoul
seeing snow. On the othnr hand , vege-
i tatloii , large forests , and wild raspber
ries , red currants , huckleberries and
cranberries will be found m profusion.
In places the grass grows as high as a
man's head. There are several places
along the coast , at the Sitka and KenaJ
experiment stations , and at many
points In the Interior , where practically
all of the cereals of the temperate zone ,
most of the vegetables , and a consider
able variety of cultivated flowers have
been grown with much success for sev
eral j-cars. Fine spring wheat haa
been raised at Sitka for three years
past. At Rampart , sixty-five degrees
north latitude , winter rye sown in the
autumn came out in the spring in p < ir.
feet condition , though the temperature
fell to seventy degrees below zero In tha
winter ; the grain matured by Aug. 1
Barley sown in May was ripe by th
middle of August. Oats and potatoes
thrive in many places. Cattle are kepi
at every considerable settlement , except
at Nome. The Alaska Commercial Com-
pany has for many years kept cattle ,
sheep , and Angora goats at * Kokaik ,
they requiring but little food or shelter ,
except in an occasional storm' durinj
the winter.
JEWS WHO WEAR PIGTAILS.
Hebraic Colony in China Who
For-otten Kven Their Ritual.
It Is not generally known that there
Is a colony of Jews in China Jewa
who wear pigtails , bear Chinese names
and speak the Chinese language ex
clusively and who have forgotten tbe
God of their fathers and neglected
their ancient ritual of worship until
it has been entirely lost to them. But
there is such a colony , and Its people
have puzzled oriental scholars for
many years.
Recently it has been established that
they entered China or , rather , tlielr
progenitors did about the year 319 A.
D. , in the reign of the Emperor Mingta
H. , and formed a colony about 700
miles from Shanghai , on the Hoangho ,
or Yellow river.
At one time these Jews were a power
in the land. Their city grew in pop
ulation until its inhabitants numbered
about 5,000 Jews alone , and they be
came so wealthy that they were able
to loan money to the Emperor , who so
esteemed them that he built for them
a synagogue. Two of them , whose
names have been lost in the passing
years , were especially honored by tlia
emperor. One he made the treasured
of a groat province and the other was
genera ] In the imperial army.
In the golden days of Judaism In
China they prospered , and when their
magnificent temple was destroyed bj
fire they rebuilt it in greater magnifi
cence. ( In a land where thero are inanj
fine temples theirs was one of the most
splendid. It was 330 feet long and 150
feet wide.
To-day their temple is a mass of
ruins. Stone by stone , almost , It haa
been < torn down by those whose care It
should have been to preserve it. The
story , even among the heathen , is that
they forgot the worship of their God
ind He forgot them. They grew poor-
r and poorer with the advancing yeara
luring which they failed to keep the
Sabbath of their religion and were tin-
illy forced to sell all they had for food
ind clothing. Stone by stone , almost ,
heir temple Avas demolished , to be
old to builders or other temples and
louses ; their sacred books were dis-
osed of for what money they would
ring ; they had no place for worship ,
ind gradually their religious rites were
'orgotten and even their language so
leglected that it has now become a
nere memory and they themselves a
eople lost among the heaJien of the
rient.
They are only a handful now , China-
aen in all that outwardly marks one of
hat nation , says the New York Trib-
ine , except that every one bears the
acial characteristics of the Jews.
"here is a trace of their old religion
2ft , but so very little and so garbled
nd mixed with the religion of the
ind that only experts can detect it f
I
VvAS A Klcao.
if 'I1 !
Man Had
an Excellent Chanc
to Jiuy a DOR : .
A handsome bachelor of Baltimore ,
rell known in social and educational
ircles , acknowledges the truth of the
blowing story : He was driving witi
very pretty and attractive young
omen , when on the outskirts of the
ity they met a lad of about 12 yeara
jading by a chain a singularly ugly
finely bred bull terrier. The pretty
irl went into raptures over the dog ,
ad her escort determined the animal'
lould be hers.
"Say , sonny , " he called , "what wilj
au take for your dog ? '
"Nawthing , " replied the lad.
"Nonsense , " cried Mr. Blank "here's
for him. "
"No , I won't This here dog ain't for
tie. "
"Ten , " said Mr. Blank , and then
owing desperate , "fifteen , twenty. ' '
the owner still refused.
All the time the conversation waa
ing on the youth , although talking
the man in the buggy , kept his eyes
ced on the other
occupant of the
jhicle , and at last he said , gravely :
don't want yer money , but if
m'll just give that lady there a kisa
may have the dog. "
Mr. Blank was speechless. He stared
the boy an instant and then put
whip to his horse , starting him ofl
a ! iun.
The story goes that a mile was
gone
er without a word being spokea
hen as the horse's rapid gait
becam <
ower as it turned down a couutrj
the pretty girl turned ever
st
ightly and said , shylyQh ! Mr fl
lank , why don't you buy that dogf
Baltimore Sun. -
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