mM
ill. , J
That Night at "La Scala. "
< ? 7 T WAS the third day of the carni-
! JI val at Milan , In the year 1830.
Donizetti's immortal masterpiece ,
JLucia di Lammermoor , had been per
formed for the first time at the San
Carlo , in Naples , a few months previ
ous , and was then making its trium
phal tour through Italy.
Then genius of Bergamo's sweet bard
2md attained its culminating point
Its great aria and the stupendous
magnificence of the septet had elec
trified the entire musical world ; even
the star of Rossini was eclipsed by
the incredible success of the younger
composer.
Milan was In an uproar ; the streets ,
quares , and arcades were illuminated
a glorno ; the cathedral in marble
majesty glittered beneath the glare
of Innumerable lanterns , while the
Joyous laughter of sixty thousand
( pleasure-seekers made the old , nar
row streets ring and echo again , and
the Scala , Italy's greatest opera house ,
ablaze with glory , had placed before
the entrance , in letters of flame , the
magic word Lucia
No wonder the crowd hastened
thither ; for eighty lire you could not
have obtained a seat. It was the
third representation only , and fame ,
feeauty , or gold could not have forced
An entrance. It was six o'clock ; the
pit and gallery boxes aud stalls of the
Immense theater were crowded to suf
focation. Four thousand eager people
four thousand anxious , soulful Ital
ians were waiting with subdued
frenzy for the curtain to rise.
The nobility of Lombardy graced
the boxes , the political celebrities of
the city Crowded the passages , all the
elite of the art-loving town had flock
ed thither.
The heat was stifling ; at half-past
six the overture began. The immense
throng was silenced at the first wave
of the conductor's baton. Was it not
to hear the last and most admirable of
Donizetti's operas ? Had not the
Neapolitan papers been devoured with
avid eyes ? Was it not to hear the
fioug over which Italy was raving ?
And last , but not least , was it not to
applaud the beauteous prima donna ,
Alfieri , who had achieved such a
colossal success the two previous
nights ? their favorite their idol the
divine Allieri ! who had sung for seven
consecutive seasons in Milan , alike
renowned for her consummate art ,
tier beaut- , and her unrivaled voice !
Jlow the audience was moved ! how it
trembled with expectant ecstasy !
The curtain rose at last
The hunters' chorus was listened
to with religious attention ; the bari
tone's song and cabaletta which follow
caused but a slight impression in spite
of their veritable excellence , and the
shifting of the scene to the park where
Lucia makes her first appearance was
welcomed with a hushed murmur of
delight
A frail , white-robed female form
advanced toward the footlights , her
eyes were cast down , and she moved
nlowiy near the prompter's box. There
the stood still , raised her eyes and
gazed full upon the audience.
A howl of disappointment arose
from the house : "It's not Alfieri ! "
The cry was echoed on all sides ;
groans , hissing , and stamping of feet
drowned the orchestra.
"Off ! off ! Alfieri ! Alfieri"
The woman , confronting that audi-
eiice , not in the least disconcerted ,
walked leisurely around the stage. A
man peeped out from the side-scenes. s
It was the director astonished and
disturbed.
"Who is that woman ? It is not
Allieri ! "
"No one knows no one saw her en "
ter. "
Atf.lin the conductor raised his
baton ; the unknown prima donna seem
ed to rouse herself from her pensive
tethargy , and moved solemnly to the
ntor of the stage.
The clamor had ceased.
She raised her eyes to the level of u
the tirst tier , and stood in the full b
force of the light She was wondrously - u
drously beautiful , but white white as si
Know ; deathly , spectrally white ; not
a tinge of rose enhanced the marble
graces of her face , which was purely ,
faultlessly Greek.
Her ej'es , black and radiant , flash-
fid luridly. When she dropped them
their tint became sad , gray , and
crepuscular. Her lips shone red as ver
milion , and seemed like a gash like
u hideous gash when contrasted with
fhe whiteness and rigidity of her face.
Her hair , long and purplish , in un
dulate tresses rioteu over her should
ers , pure and colorless as marble.
She had no ornaments. A tuberose
thrust in a rebellious curl adorned her
brow ; around her throat was a piece
of broad , black velvet
Her dress was white all white.
She gazed weirdly upon the audience
and began , in a strange , vague , un
earthly tone of voice , the ravishing
aria of "Lucia" upon her entrance.
I was present , and I can recall per
fectly the cold sensation and chilliness
I felt at the first few notes.
it seemed 1o me as If some humid
cavern had been suddealy opened , and
that I had breathed the first icy wafts
of air emanating therefrom.
Not a sou.id save her voice was
heard. Her hands hung listlessly by
her side. I do not remember how she
liuished. I heard 'her first strange
change to a soft sweet voice
* f rnsHiinting. bell-like brilliancy , and
, - ke from a trance by hearing
the audience shriek and stamp with
delight .
The applause was feverish and fran
tic , then suddenly ceased as if by
enchantment ; the strange woman had
turned aside and began the ordinary
stage business and duet with Edgardo ,
as Alfieri would have done. The act
ended In indescribable amazement.
"Who is she ? Who is she ? What
a voice ! " and such exclamations were
heard on all sides.
The director appeared at this mo
ment , evidently anxious to find out
for himself who the beautiful pale
songstress was , but could answer no
inquiries.
In the meantime I hurried behind
j the scenes to Alfieri's dressing-room ,
where I had often gone to chat with
her , expecting to see this marvelous
creature.
The apartment was illuminated ;
Lucia's bridal costume for the second
act was ready on the sofa ; a bottle
of Asti wine , which Alfieri always
partook of between the acts , stood on
the table ; but naught proved that the
room had been occupied previously
by another nothing showed the pres
ence of the new-comer.
I waited a few minutes , took a few
whiffs from my cigarette , and was
about to return , when I spied upon
the floor an earring of such uncommon
size that I stooped to pick it up , and
gazed upon it in wonder , held spell
bound by its beauty.
It was a solitaire diamond , richly
set , of a slightly greenish tint I
knew the value of green diamonds ,
and estimated this one to be worth
at least seven or eight thousand dollars
lars , being really finer than any I
had seen in the famous vaults of
Dresden.
I hastened down to the director's
office to remit it thinking it belonged
to the new-comer or to Alfieri. The
director was absent ; soon I heard the
bell ring. The diamond in my hand ,
I hastened to my seat
The unknown woman again entered ;
she was , if possible , a tinge paler than
before. She wore gloves this time ,
and her lips were not so cruelly red.
She sang , and , ye gods , what songl
Her voice soared , spread , , fused with
other invisible voices ; it rang souo-
rouslj' , and murmured divinely in
magnificent power and harmony a
voice all lire , a voice all soul.
I trembled the audience qnivcr&d.
Still that strange being stocxlin the
same position , still did her great Inm-
inous black eyes gaze continually up
ward ; she seemed not to heed her fel
low-artists ; the bewilderment ofEd
gardo , the anxious , inquiring glance
of Ashton did not move her ; she would
glide by them like a sylph , a vision
lignt , ethereal , graceful. No one
heard her walk she sang !
Again the curtain fell , again the
house cried out with delirium. "Bravai
brava ! " yelled the rabble.
But no one appeared.
Again I went to Altieri's box while *
the ballet ( which in those days was5
performed between the acts ) was go
ing on , but it was empty ; so I re
turned to listen to the animated dis
cussions and conversations in the
lobby. fi
"Alfieri is eclipsed ; she is Pasta and fic
fie
Persian ! combined ! She is not human , o
she is an angel from Heaven's gates ! " tl
. tlfi
Tis the Beatrice of Dante descended fi
fin
ed from Heaven ! " n
A friend came frora behind the il
scenes. < ilc ilit
"Well , what news , Ricciardo ? Have itT
vou seen her/ * itn
"No , but Grazzini has" ( Grazzini n
was the tenor , a handsome fellow ) , tlh
"and he tells me he spoke to her tlv
forced to do so by some subtle , mag v
netic attraction. He told her of his o
wonder , his admiration , his love , I
believe , and she answered him , in
Milanese dialect 'We shall meet
igaiu. ' "
The bell rang , and the curtain went
up slowly. The lights seemed to burn
badly , aud the heat -was stifling , but
upon the entrance of the mysterious
jtranger a sudden chill pervaded every
aue.
aue.We
We old not breathe t listen , and
as I gazed upon her , charmed by her
supernatural beauty , I noticed that
from one of her ears hung a bright
large stone , similar tothe one I held
S
In my hand. Scarcely had I seen it
when she caught my eye. She smiled
the only time. I averted my glance. t to
The music went on.
The scene where the unhappy Lucia ,
tj
after having been dragged to the altar tjffi
by her heartless brother , realizes the
full atrocity of his conduct , seemed to
y
influence the sombre sprite-like prima.
donna , for she roused herself at last
a
and acted acted with the frenzy of
passion , acted with the sublimity of
pathos and despair. She was intense- , ,
superb In the mad scene. Her voice
had sobs of anguish.
Up swelled the vertiginous staccato
high above the moans of the orchestra.
She raved , she wept , and the large
tears rolled down her white cheek ;
her hair floated wildly over her quiver
ing shoulders , and still rang forth her to
magical , heartrending notes.
I trembled ; the house groaned.
The mad scene neared its end , and
the musicians , as if ordered , ceased
to play. They looked at her , she sang
unaccompanied. It was terrible , un
ique , sublime.
The culminating point arrived , and
the pains and pangs of Donizetti's
masterpiece vibrated on her lips as
they had never done on lips before.
She gazed wildly , stupidly about ,
when she stopped , and I saw drops
of blood ooze from her moucu * Qhe
fell heavily upon the stage , and ine
curtain went down. The house was in
tears.
I Half an hour later all Milan knew
of the miraculous performance ar too
Scala. The last act of the opera was'
listened to without , curiosity , Lucia
not appearing in it Nothing occurred
> except the indisposition of the tenor ,
Grazzini , who was taken suddenly ill ,
and I afterward learned , died that
night
Milan , outdoors , all fun and anlzi-
tlou , could not comprehend the story
told in the cafes and on the squares.
The reports were called exaggerated ,
and the singer's phenomenal voice a
myth. No one could find her , and it
was In vain that I waited for more
than an hour in Alfieri's box.
The director told me confidentially
that he was as nonplused as the audi
ence , and had never beheld the rnar-
j velous singer before. Then , as he
| left me , he superstitiously added : "She
was a spirit I believe. "
Full of conflicting tnoughts , I walk
ed sndly homeward , and heard again
through the quiet streets , far away
.from the riot and revel of the carni
val , the heavenly echo of that unut
terably divine voice.
I walked on , and passed across the
Saint Italda Cemetery to near my
home. It was late. The noise of
Milan's festivities reached my ear
from time to time faintly.
Within a few steps of my house ,
separated by a high wall from the
end of the graveyard , there , beneath
a few cypress trees , in the full glare
of the moon , I beheld an unusual
sight j
The cemetery , through which I passed -
ed regularly , and which I knew In
every nook and corner , presented In
that particular spot a singular aspect
I advanced , aud remarked with astonishment -
tonishment that a tomb had been ex-
humed.
Sure enough , the sod on either side
was all strewn and scattered here and
there , foot-prints were plainly visible ,
and , to my horror I saw that the
coffin was open. In it , wrapped rather
loosely in a faded yellow shroud , was
a human form.
I was about to call for the guard ,
when my eye was suddenly attracted
by a faint greenish light twinkling
near the top of the coffln.
I stooped over , and to my amaze
ment saw a diamond earring in the
lobe of the corpse's ear tLe mate of
the one I had found.
The moonlight , checkered by tbe
tree-boughs , did not allow me to view
the face , and trembling I drew aside
aud lit s match. Aproaching , I gazed
on the body. It was the spectral soug-
stsess !
Utterly bewildered , with haggard
eyes and quivering knees , I grasped
the coflin Bid and ? replaced it over the
livid face. On it was written in large
letters :
Virginia Cbsseli , queeD of soprani , h
died September , 1781 , requiescat in t
pace.
I remember a wild : thrill of horror
came over me and I fell senseless.
For weeks I raved in delirium. When
I had sufficiently recovered I left )
Milan. People were- still talking of ?
the mysterious prima dona. ? Saturday J
Evening Post {
= tc
His Own Hat. ! m
George Buchanan ; who represents the ? tl
firm of Bunnell & Buchanan on thetn
eurb , was- the victim of his own lovew
of raising a > rumpus on the day whea tl
the curb takes smashing ; hats. Betl
fore Mr. Buchanan left his office that. tc
morning he warned' his partners that. D
if they happened to- come down to thei
curb on that morning , he would see tou '
that their hats paid the penalty. ' el
When Mr. Von Gossler , his junior partIt
ner , put in an ; appearance ini the crowdi *
the genial Buchanan , proceeded to put as
his- threat intoeffect. . He knocked the ?
visitor's hat off and ! made- football >
out of it ;
"I told youi what would happen to $
you ! " he saidt u
His partner took , it veuy goodnato
turcdly , merely remarking as h * headtv
ed for the office : | b s
"L remembered alii right. That was t
the-new hat you bought yesterday and M
forgot to taie home ; It fitted me ah" , w
right ! te
tevi
vi
White Blackberries.
By. means of cross-breeding LutSier
Bunbank , of Saata Rcsa , California ,
has-develdted , a variety of blackberries ,
which are perfectly white , as bright as
snow ] La the sunshine and 90 trans
parent , that the seeds can b * seen in- cj
side the ripe fruit T&e seeds are said
* be unusually small , and the berries
- sweet and meltingly tender
areas as tl
the finest of tie black varieties. The fc
Camlliar Lawton berry Is described as $
the great-grandparent of the new wbitei \ ;
variety , to which has been given the m
name "Iceberg. " The white berries
are : as large as tbe Lawtons.
Keel Blindness. asC
Inability to "see red" Is the main C
form of color blindness from which e {
sailors suffer. Last year thirty-four pj
officers and would-be officers of Great
Britain's mercantile marine failed to
pass the color tests ; and of these twen
ty-three were more or less completely
red blind , the rest more or less unable e'
distinguish green. The 4,000 candidates - *
dates for certificates were also sub- '
.
mltted to a test for form vision , and
twenty-two of them failed to dlstin-
guinh the form of the object submitted. * :
We have always imagined that It Is it
called a de-but because it means that ji
one more has butted In. i
I *
When you make wishes , It Is a sign ;
you are not getting what you want. *
'
5/
> ;
&
SK&iX/
- &
A Handy Hoc Scaffold.
In my visits to many farm houses
i n this country I noted many home
made scaffolds on which to hang hogs
ifier they are killed and scalded , but
Jie one shown in accompanying figure
ind which I use myself , I consider as
landy and practical as any. It can be
' iioved anywhere , even in the smoke
house , and if made out of good season-
Mi timber and painted , it will last a
jfetime. It will hold five hogs weigh-
ng 300 pounds each.
One can buy five large hooks , or
iave a blacksmith make them , at a
rery small cost ; these are to hook over
lie beam , A , on which to hang the
logs. The top piece , A , is a chestnut
icantling. 2x4 in. and G ft. 10 in. long ;
: his piece has two mortises , 3 Inches
torn center , as shown in cut The two
ipright pieces , B , are hardwood scant-
i ings , 2x4 In. and 5 ft 8 in. long.
, Chese have a mortise at the top 2
nches wide aud 4 inches deep ; also
i mortise at bottom 1 inch deep and
I inches long. These pieces also have
I mortise lxl % in. , 2 ft 5 in. from
'enter to the upper end , for the tenon
> f brace , D , to go into. These pieces
llso have a mortise 2 feet from lower
md ! for brace , E , to set in. The sills ,
D , are 2x4 in. and 2 ft 4 in. long ,
\
they have a mortise In center 4 inches
R'ide and 1 inch deep ; also a mortise
) Inches from center , for brace , E , to
et into. D is a brace Ix2& in.f and
,
I ft 4 in. long , including tenon , which
.
! s l xl r in. square and 4 inches
bug. E is a brace 2x3 in. and 1 ft
II | in. long.
All that is required to put this scaffold
,
fold together are two % -ln. bolts , 5
!
nches long , to bolt the beam , A , to the
ipright pieces , B , and sixteen G-penny
mils and two bolts 3 inches long to
_
i B to C at bottom : . I have found
rt verjr handy on a buff day , for one
jj : an set it in some building to hang the
logs on ; it is ale handy to hang
heep on to butchfr. Charles E. Cum
ulus , in Ohio Farmer.
Tlie Oleoninriinrifie- .
Soaie time ago it was- shown that
me : weakness of the present oleomargarine
garinelaw. ; . the use of some ingredient
vhicb made ii possible to- avoid the
! iw against the use of coloring mat
er , was working hardships on butter
nakers > bat reports generally indicate
hat the law was a wise one , and prove
Beyond ; all question that consumers do
rant oleomargarine. It was ; held by
he opponents of the Grout bill that
be public demand was so'great that
a
o place any restrictions on the ineth-
ds < of marketing oleo would be to
Irive out o the- market a meritorious
rticle. Those who upheld the bill
launed that if oleo had any merit of
ts ownit s-lioultl be sold on that merit ,
t
nd not disguised as butter.- The law
s enforced has shown that by far the
reater ntsmber of these w o > used
leo did so because they assumed It was
utteo ; the color helping to carry out
lie deception. Oleo may be nutritious
ud have great merit , but It iis evident
tiat few people desire it or will buy it
rhen they have full knowledge that It
not from the product of the c < xw.
'he- Great bill has benefited farmer
nd consumer alike , and aay attempt
rbich is likely to be made this coming
ession. of Congress to modify its pro-
Lsions should be fought hard by farm-
re and dairymen. If butter must be
&ld OB its merits , why not oleo , also ?
-St. Paul Dispatch.
Lire Stock nt ct. Iotti Fair.
Live stock exhibitors IB each breed
lass at the World's Fair will receive
senior champion prize- and a junior
hamplon prize for males and females ,
nd a reserve champion award will
allow In four classes. Competition for
be senior championships will be llm-
ed to mature animals , and young
lales and females only will compete
or the junior champion prizes. Prcs-
ectlve exhibitors express themselves : >
s highly pleased with the plan of it
Ihief Coburn of providing for a more
quitable method of awarding cham-
ionship prizes and thus increasing
ae number of honors. .
Stnrt in n fimnll Way.
Most of the failures in trying to op-
rate poultry farms have been brought
.bout by trying to keep too many
owls at first. Begin on a small scale
.nd wotk up to your limit. You maj
te surprised to flnd how few you can d
eep ' at a profit and you may find
hat you were born to be a poultry
nan. Trying It Is the only way to
tet at the truth. v
s
I'lnterme Cnbhace for Family Use.
Cabbages that winter best are those p
ttst fully for.n.il and not overripe , b
For family use bury an empty barrel
in a well drained spot and fill it "will :
good heads. Place a lot of dry leaves
on top and cover the barrel so that 11
will shed rain or pile some cabbage
in a corner on the barn floor and covei
them with enough straw to prevenj
solid freezing. Exchange.
Movable Poultry Fence * .
When for any reason one does no ,
care to go to the expense of permanent
fences around the poultry yard , mov
able fences like that shown in the cui
may be used to advantage. They cod
but little , and If well made will lasl
for several seasons. The sections , ai
shown , may be of any dimensions de
sired , although If abrut four feet higt
and six feet long they can be bettei
handled than when larger. The frame
may be of any light weight material
and should be made so that it will b *
as stiff as possible. It might be a good
MOVABLE POULTRY FENCE.
idea , and especially if the sections
were of greater dimensions than thosi
given , to run a brace from corner ta
corner diagonally to give additions
stiffness. The corners should be wel
fastened and the frame is then cover
ed with -wire netting. Three planks ar
fastened to the bottom of the frame ai
intervals , as shown , and braced with a
strip from the frame to the planks
These planks will hold the section up
right and prevent it from sinking int <
the mud. Several sections can b <
quickly made after the same patten
and hooked together at the corners thi
desired length. These movable fences
would be especially valuable in th
spring , where numbers of chicks wer <
to be raised and It was desired to keer
them in Inclosures. If used to surround
chicks , a wire of a finer mesh would
need to be used. Indianapolis News. .
on Paatnre.
On most farms there is a wornou *
pasture or a newly-cleared piece oJ
ground thick in underbrush or sprouts a
which would make ideal runs foi
swine. A good plan is to fence off i
portion of such places so that the anl
mals will not run off the flesh as fasi
as it is put on , build some sort of i
rough house so they will be protected
from storms and turn them loose tc
root and grub. Many a pasture thai
was supposed to be worthless has beei
rendered fit for reseediug after a drovi
of hogs had occupied it one summer
Much of the living can be picked uj
on the range in the manner suggested
aud the swine will be in fine shape tc
take on fat when the proper tim <
comes to confine them more closely.
The Man Pehind the Cow.
Don't dose your cow or dog until yet
know what is the trouble. Treatinj
the symptoms should be most cautious
ly done. If your dairy business is sicl
locate the cause most carefully or yoi
may treat the case ignorantly and kil
the patient the business. w
wPi
Some dairy troubles originate in thi Piw
herd , some trace to the farm , a fe PiT
are leased on the market but the foun T
tian head of nearly all such evils ii aiH
found in the man behind the co < w. Fer H
ret out the certain weakness that Ii
found here , and all others are quicklj cl
cleared up. Watch the man behind 11
the cow. Farm and Ranch. ai
Pickiatc Fowls for Mnrket.
Poultry 'shipped for market allv
lose considerable of their weight h
transit and while there is a demand nc
for poultry In this condition that mus : Ja
be met , by far the greater demand Ii
for dry-picked carcasses. It Is not j cl
clfc
pleasant task to prepare poultry foi fcoi
market particularly when the entralli oi
must be removed , but as stated h
this department several weeks since tt
the additional price pays well for th <
labor. A dry-picked fowl has a perfeo te
tlon of skin which is attractive ani
for which the best customers are to
willing to pay. se
sed
GInsenff a Dnblons Ventnre.
Ginseng culture has been discussed w
by farmers for some time , but verj
little is known of the plant A Maini dcdi
bulletin describes and figures the planf diy
ind gives brief directions for culture y <
The experiment station does not en ) ti
courage ginseng culture as a comnaejj clcr
eial venture in Maine. cr
The Pestilent Sparrow.
Even In youth not much more thai
half the food of the sparrow conslsil Is i
f Insects , and this brief period passed ] tbSI
afterwards consists of SI
Its diet three
fourths grain and useful seeds. Sys ST5
ternatlc thinning on a scale so drastij
as to amount as nearly as possible t (
Ki
extermination Is advised.
te
Pnlt and Charcoal.
Salt and charcoal should be kept ii nc
reach of hogs at all times , says Ten pr
uessee Fanner. They will help them pr
selves when their systems require it re
A little turpentine In the slops occ
sionally is valuable as a preventive oJ
disease.
th
Apple Scab Fnnjm * .
A cold , damp season seems to be fa
vorable to the development of apple
cc
scab fungus. The scab is one of tin
Ilseases that are most eff 't-ially an < ! f
profitably treated by syrnrwitl
bordeaux mixture.
COMPENSATION.
/he Little Blind Girl Did NotThlmk
of lieinsr Unhappy.
A personal experience of Governor
) dell of New York , recorded In the
j Tribune , illustrates anew how often
lie soul encompassed by infirmity
tnows the compensating secret of hap-
llness. Governor Odell was inspecting
lie state institution for the blind at
Batavia. As he'was walking through
me of the bui'dlngs he noticed a gold-
in-haired child standing at a window.
Ihe had her back to him. The GOT-
h-nor walked over to the window , and
laid : ;
"How do you do , my little lady ? "
The child turned to him with &
Imlle. She was exceedingly beautiful ,
kut her eyes were sightless.
"Are you Governor Odell ? " she said.
Che Governor said that he was. "Oh ,
t have been waiting to see you , " sha
laid. "I heaid you were coming. "
The Governor then took her on hia
bp and asked her name.
"My name is Ruth. "
"I have a little girl at home Just
ibout as big as you , but her name hi
Estelle. " >
They talked freely after that The
Ittle girl told her story without sighs
> r bitterness. She was unable to go
dome for a vacation , because it was
accessary for her to remain for treat-
aieut. It was a disappointment but
5he smiled brightly as she said that
"seeing" the Governor partly "mada
up. " Finally , when it came time for
aim to go , the Governor said :
"Is there any message I can' tak
back to my little girl from you ? "
"Yes , oh , yes , you can give her my
love. "
"Is that all ? " asked the Governor.
"No , " said the child , clasping the
Governor's neck and kissing him. "Say
I sent her a kiss. "
The next day , when the Governor
was in Buffalo , he bought the biggest
doll he could find and sent it to Ruth.
A few days later he got a letter of
thanks. "I can feel its eyes shut when
I put it to bed at night , " she wrote ,
"and in the morning I can feel them
open. I have named my dolly Estello ,
and I pray every night that your little
girl may never be blind. "
AN ACROBATIC PRAYER.
How the Hindu Appeals to Providencs
for Knin.
The Hindu indulges in many curious
practices. His religious rites are
unique and some of them are to Chris
tian eyes ludicrous. An instance of
citl
this kind is found in his method of
appealing to Providence for rain.
> i & & & & * & ? * & &
1
.Lett- , $ l : " H > ir H
1'KAYIXG EOU
rhich is herewith depicted. The sup-
licant is tied to a bar , head down
ward , and tight cords around bJs legs ,
'hen a rope is placed around his body
nd the turbaned , bewhiskered old
lindu sways the body to and fro ,
inch the same as a sexton rings a
hurch belL While this curious re-
glous ] ceremony Is in progress , men
nd women stand around watching
erfonnance.
A Law Abitiinjj Citizen.
Representative Hull of Iowa eent
ome garden seeds to a constituent
ist spring. They came from the De-
artment of Agriculture and were .en-
losed in one of the regular flanked
overnment envelopes. On the corner
f each of these envelopes appears
ils legend : "Penalty for private use ,
iree hundred dollars. "
A few days later Hull received a
zr from his constituent which read :
"Dear Mr. Hull I don't know
) do about tncse garden seeds yea
ent me. I notice it is three hundred
ollars fine for private use. I don * *
rant to use them for the public. I
rant to plant them tn my prlvat gazw
en. I can't afford to pay thre laua
red , dollars for the privilege. Wont
ou see If you can't fix it so I ca usa
lem privately , for I am a lavr-ablduag
Itlzen and do not want to commit
rune. "
Newspaper in the Par North.
There Is only one newspaper
published In the arctic circle , and
aat Is the Nourlanaste , or Eastern
tar , which is Issued once a week at
igerfjord , in the extreme north of
orway. It is written in the Lap Ian-
uage and Is a very small paper , con-jf
istlng ] of only four pages , its eon * ?
nts are chiefly short articles on re4
gious subjects and items of local
ews. The peculiarity of the little
aper Is that It has no advertisements ,
robably because the wants of its
jaders are few and easily satisfied.
Money umi Votes.
"Money and votes are the only
aings that count in politics , " said tha
ositive person.
"That may be true , " replied the
amparatively wise individual , "but
loney has the advantage It Is sura
a count and votes are not" BaJti-
American.
