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HE development of the free circulating library is one of the
outstanding features of this age. Mr. Carnegie and others
T
have scattered libraries so freely throughout the land that
there is now scarcely a town or village that has not some
i . sort of a library. But it has remained for Washington
County library of Hagerstown , Md. , to develop the limit of
usefulness for the collection of hooks , and to demonstrate in
a very practical sense that books are published to be read , not to be stored
on shelves. The Washington County library does not wait for readers to
come to it ; it sends out a colporteur , not only : to carry books , but to spread
the gospel of literature in isolated rural regions.
The itinerant library , drawn by a pair of sturdy horses , has become a
familiar sight in the Washington County section of the Blue Ridge. Like
' " the semi-annual appearance of the tin peddler's cart , its approach is an oc
currence quickly heralded throughout the neighborhood. The housewife
throws a sunbonnet over her head , and , followed by one or two barefooted
children , runs out to the roadside to see , what the good-uatured bookman
has brought on this round. The chickens follow hotfoot , certain that such
a commotion can only mean that some appetizing dainty is about to be
distributed. In the middle of this scene of domestic activity the itinerant
bookman stops and descends from his lofty seat.
"Good day , Mrs. - , " says he , as he winds the reins about the whip-
stock. "How did you like the last book ? "
"It was pretty good. I liked that part where it said , 'To be or not to
be , that is the question. ' That's thn way lots of farmers' wives feel , I
reckon. I let Mrs. - , down the road apiece , take it. She said she liked
the way the wind and thunder and lightning flared around in 'Macbeth :
because it reminded her of the way it flares around her house sometimes.
She says it's awful ; almost tears the house off the cellar. I reckon she's
right , for that's the way it blows around yere. Have you got 'The Duke's
Revenge ? ' I heard that book cracked up once. What do you want , Mary ? "
addressing the older of the two girls.
Recommends : Good Literature.
"I haven't the book you mention , " says the book colporteur , opening
the doors of his wagon , "but perhaps you would like 'Marius , the EpI-
curean , ' or Gray's 'Botany. ' The 'Botany' would be interesting , I think ,
for it describes the plants and flowers , and tells how they grow. Or , if
you want a story , there's 'Kenilworth , ' or 'A.Tale . . of Two Cities. ' Mary :
would like those books , too , I'm sure. .
"What cities are they-Baltimo' and Wash'n'ton ? "
"Oh , no. They are two European cities , Paris and London. The book
zells about some people who were mixed up with the French Revolution , and
had some exciting adventures and narrow escapes. "
"Well , if you ; say it's better'n 'The Duke's Revenge' I've heard so much
about , I reckon mebbe we 'uns better take it. "
"Here it is , " replies the bookman , taking the volume down from the
shelves and handing it to the woman. "Let me leave the ' 'Botany' with you ,
also. You can learn something about the flowers as they come along. Mary
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- . USSIAN JAil HORRORS
4/ Brutal Executions of Men Who Are
Condemned to Death by
Court . lartial.
/ SUSPENSE OF THE DOOMED.
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Member of the Second Douma , Im-
prisoned at Sevastopol , Tells of I
His Gruesome Surroundings.
I Y A touching letter has been received -
. " from M. Lomtatidze , a member of the
second douma , at present imprisoned
_ at Sevastopol , the essential parts of
which , according to the London Daily
_ News , are as follows :
"Sevastopol Prison , April 2.-It is
not the first time that I have been a
prisoner nor the first time that I hear
and see what is done within prison
walls , but that which goes on here is
so far beyond the ordinary that the
very recollection of it makes me
speechless with horror.
" liariv : executions take place here.
During the time I have been here-
that is , from the end of last May-
more than seventy persons have been
executed. At the present time there ;
are fifteen persons in the prison
awaiting execution. Ninety others in
this session alone are awaiting sen-
tence. All cases to be tried by court-
L _ _ _ martial in the government of Taurus
are heard in Sevastopol ; hence all
doomed to death are brought together
here from all the ends of the govern-
ment and here are executed. Such
executions take place in the courtyard
of the hospital.
Forced , "Witness . Execution.
_ "At times I have to see with my
own eyes all the horrors , to dash my-
self against the walls in impotent
rage , to swear , to shriek , to knock
and to listen to the cynical , cries of
the jailers and police with the police
master at their head , all this time
_ crowding ) the courtyard of the hos-
_ pita.1 1 } . . . . _ . ; 3. . - . if . . .
" D6se condemned to death wait
several months for the execution of
the sentence. Each night they expect
_ - to be taken out , so that they do not lie
down to sleep until morning comes ;
only when it is morning , wearied out
and broken with the strain , they sink
down like dead and sleep all day.
"But it turns out that they will
hang nobody to-day ; it only seemed to
the prisoners that they would. Yet it
is impossible to sleep. The authorities
open the cells and begin to restore
order. Beatings begin ; then to pre
vent shrieking they gag them ; they
curse with rich oaths ; they take away
bed , soap , sugar , tobacco , etc.
. "Then the execution must take place
in reality. That is already known
from the evening , for it is seen from
the number of coffins brought in how
many persons will be executed at
nigl t.
"The knocking of a hammer begins ; .
they are unfettering the criminal ; but
to make up for this they fasten , so
tightly that even blood is drawn , his
hands behind his back : they bind his
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and your other girl may be interested in It Wouldn't you like to have it ,
Mary ? " he inquires , turning toward the larger of the two barefooted girls
with a genial smile. The smile completes the book missionary's conquest ,
and the barefoot miss looks up from beneath her sunbonnet , extends a hand
for the book and takes it with a whispered "Thank you. "
The itinerant librarian takes the name of the person to whom the book
left on the last visit has been transferred , shuts the doors over his shelves ,
climbs to his seat , unwinds his reins and , the chickens being no longer
under foot owing to the discovery that books are not good to eat , drives
off up the dusty road. So he goes up and down the mountains , day after
day , helping a farmer to pick out a book which will be of benefit to him
in his work and opening windows upon scenes in many lands and times to
the uncultivated imaginations of the young people.
Work of tho Past Year.
In the course of the last nine months of 1908 each of the sixteen routes
In the county was traveled twice , and some of them three or four times.
Several of them require four days for the journey , while others can be
covered in two or three days. Only a few can be covered in a day. New
routes are constantly being mapped out , and it is expected that a second
wagon will be required soon. Last year 3,700 books were circulated by the
wagon. It was estimated that each of the volumes was read twice , and some
of them three or four times , as it became the habit in some neighborhoods
for the households to exchange with one another. Wiien the wagon does
not contain the book desired a memorandum is made and it is forwarded
by mail.
The zeal of the Washington County library in spreading the use and
love of books has found expression in many other ways. The Hagerstown
school children were first sent to the library once a week to listen to stories
read by an assistant. Then a school circulating library was started , and
the teachers throughout the county were invited to enter a race as book
circulators. The school at the village bearing the startling name of Rohrers-
ville last year carried off the palm , having circulated thirty books 387
times among its pupils. The county , at the instance of the Hagerstown
book propagandists , established seventy-three deposit stations throughout
the county for adults. As a result , according to a careful statistician , the
mountaineers in 1908 perused the contents of 11,156 books 22,569 times.
The library also received assistance in developing its circulation from six-
teen Sunday schools.
TY COBB , NOW FIRST IN THE RACE TOE TITLE OF PEEMIER SLIIGGE $ . j
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legs and beat him without cessation.
Guaranteed not to shriek , they carry
him to a cell , a dark room , and throw
him on the floor , where he lies until
the scaffold is ready and the governor
and other authorities arrive.
"The coffins are brought iand put
near the scaffold. Ready ! The con
demned are carried in like logs. They
are dressed in shirts and drawers ;
they are barefoot and trembling from
cold. First , they put them on the
ground , then with caution they unbind
them , freeing their legs from the ropes
and stand them on their feet.
"At this time there is a noise in the
prison , the funeral march is sung , sol
diers run about giving orders to be
silent. All this , as is to be expected ,
raises up in the criminal the desire to
live , to live at all costs. He falls on
his knees , weeps , prays , tries to kiss
the people's hands.
Resists Until the End.
i "The executioner comes and puts his
hand on his shoulder ; he falls on his
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Cobb has made such strides in
hitting the ball that he has passed
Eddie Collins , the star of the Ath-
letics , and is now at the head of the
American league batting list.
face. The Jailers rush forward and
lift him up. He begins to kick , to
yell and to howl. Oh , I never have
heard anything like it ! I do not know
what howls like that ; there is nothing
human in it , and yet nothing of t..e
beast. I have seen how oxen and.
sheep and pigs are killed ; they bel
low ; but this is something different.
A few times more they kick him , they
drag him up with great trouble , they
struggle a little with him.
"And all this happens under my
window. I have tried to get myself
to sleep early , lying down at 6 o'clock ,
trying to go off to sleep. -But this does
not seem to lead to the desired end ,
for as soon as they begin to put up
the scaffold a sentry always knocks at
my door , with the warning that I am
not to go to the window , otherwise
they may fire and send me , without
judgment , into that other world. "
A German is bringing to America a
circus of trained ants. The insects
throw somersaults , make pyramids ,
dance , wrestle and fence.
England spends $40,000,000 a year
for eggs and poultry , for one-half of
which she is dependent on foreigners.
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Church Members Increasing
According to Census Report
.
Church membership in the United
States increased from 32.7 per cent of
the population in 1890 to 39.1 per cent
of the population in 1906 , according to
the New York Sun's digest of the re
port of the census of religious bodies
just issued by the census bureau. The
relative gain in the sixteen years is ,
for Protestant bodies , 1.8 per cent ; for
Roman Catholic , 4.4 per cent ; for all
other bodies ' together , one-tenth of 1
per cent. The number of religious de
nominations in the United States is
given as 186 , with 212,230 local relig
ious organizations , 32,936,445 church
members , and $1,257,575,867 invested
in church edifices.
The total for 1906 is 186 denomina
tions , against 145 in 1890 , an in-
crease of 41. The total number of or-
ganizations covered by the 1906 . cen
sus was 212,230. This is an increase
since 1890 of 47,079 , or 28.5 per cent.
The Protestant bodies increased 42-
564 , or 27.8 per cent ; the Roman
Catholic Chur6h , 2,243 , or 21.9 per
cent ; the Jewish congregations , 1,236 ,
or 231.9 per cent , and the Latter Day
Saints , 328 , or 38.3 per cent.
The eastern orthodox churches in
creased from two organizations in
1890 to 411 in 1906. All other bodies
increased 299 , or 64 per cent. Of the
212,230 organizations in 1906 the 164
Protestant bodies reported 195,618 , or
92.2 per cent ; the Roman Catholic
Church , 12,428 , or 5.9 per cent , and
the remaining ' bodies 4,130 , or about
2 per cent. In 1890 , there were 165-
151 organizations , the Protestant i
bodies controlling 153,054 , or 92.7 per I
cent ; the Roman Catholic Church , j i
10,239 , . or 6.2 per cent , and .the re- '
maining bodies 1,858 , or a little more
than 1 per cent. The general order or
rank of t'he . ' principal religious bodies
in 1906 , with respect to the number of
organizations , was :
Methodists . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 64,701
Baptists . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 54,880
Presbyterians . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .15,506
Lutherans . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12,703
Roman Catholics . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .12,482
Disciples or Christians . . . . . . . .10,942
Protestant Episcopalians' . . . . . . . 6,845
Congregationalists . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5,713
Evangelical Association . . . . . . . . 2,738
United Brethren . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4,304
Reformed . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2,585
Adventists . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2,551
Jewish congregations . . . _ . . . . . . . 1,769
Christians ( Christian connection ) 1,379
German Evangelical synod . . . . . 1,205
Latter Day Saints . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1,184
Friends . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1,147
Dunkards . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1,097
The Methodist bodies reported 30.5
per cent of the entire number of or-
ganizations and the Baptist bodies
25.9 per cent. Thus these , two families
embraced considerably more than one-
half of the , organizations in the
United States. It is stated that in all
Protestant bodies the membership is
practically adult membership. In the
I LITTLE CURTAIN LECTURES. I
If you don't care any more for wom-
en than you're always saying you
don't , why do you become so mighty
I show-offy whene you meet a new
bunch of women ? Tell me that , Mis
ter Crafty !
There'll come a time when you'll be
sorry for treating me as if I were
the dirt under your feet !
Well , you must have been busy do-
ing something , for you didn't kill your-
self writing while I was away , I must
sal.Why
Why didn't you tell me before we
came out that my petticoat was show
ing beneath my skirt ?
If only I had my life to live over
again , heaven knows I'd never marry
such a , etc. , etc.
When I stop to think of the sacri-
fices I've made all these years , and all
for what ? I could cry my eyes out ,
deed I could.
Jealous ! Who , me ? Pooh ! If I
was going to be that silly I'd take
pains I became jealous of somebody !
Well , you're mighty trembly : and
grouchy and pale for somebody that
says he's been on a fishing trip , that's
all I've got to say.
Well , if you wrote to me every day
I was away , as you claim , then I'm go-
ing to write to the dead letter office
for . those letters , that's all !
You'd just love to reduce me to your
.
own level , but you never shall , so
there !
COLT LEAPS INTO A BUGGY. :
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At Delaware , Ohio , a frightened colt
jumped into a buggy in which were
seated R. K. Willis , his wife and 10-
year-old son , causing a runaway. The
Willis family and the coll were thrown
out In a heap. All were badly cut.
i
Roman Catholic Church all baptised '
persons , including infants , are re-
turned as members. In order to rend-
er the figures more nearly comparable
15 per cent has been deducted from
the membership returned from th&
Roman Catholic Church to cover those .
under 9 years of age. I
Among the Jewish congregations
only heads of families are reported as
members , so that the strength of this
religious body was greatly understat-
ed in the report. The total increase
noted , 12,367,530 , is exclusive of Jew-
ish congregations. As to the latter it
is shown that the 1306 total repre
sents heads of families only , while
the 1890 total includes all members.
Of the total number of members re
ported 61.6 per cent were returned by
the Protestant bodies i , 36.7 per cent by
the Roman Catholic Church , and 1.7
per cent by all other bodies together.
In 1890 , the Protestant bodies report-
I ed 68 per cent of the total . member-
I ship ; the Roman Catholic Church
i
30.3 per cent , and all other bodies to
gether 1.7 per cent. The rate of in-
crease shown for the Roman Catholic
Church was 93.5 ! ) per cent , more than
twice ; that for all Protestant bodies
taken together , 44.8 per cent. The
census of 1906 collected for the first
time statistics of the . membership by
sex. Of the total number of members
returned by sex 43.1 per cent were
male and 56.9 per cent female.
The number of church edifices re
ported was 192,795 ! ) , an increase Jiincft
1890 of 50,308 , or 35.3 per cent. This
represents approximately sixty new
church edifices each week , or eight
each day , for the sixteen-year period.
The figures show ( that in twenty-nine
states a majority of the members be-
longed to Protestant bodies , in sixteen ,
states to the Roman Catholic Church ,
and in one state , Utah , to -the Latter
Day Saints. The'st tes and terri-
tories for which a majority of Roman
Catholic members were reported , with
their respective percentages , are :
New Mexico : . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .88. 'i.
Rhode Island . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 74' { )
Montana . .
Massachusetts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 69.2
Nevada . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 66.7
Arizona . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 66.2
New "York . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 63.6
New Hampshire . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 63.0
Louisiana . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 61.3
Connecticut . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 59.6
California . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 58. ( )
Vermont : . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .55.9
Maine . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 53.3
New Jersey . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 51.5
Wisconsin . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .50.5.
Michigan . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 50.1
In two states - Wyoming and Colo-
rado-the largest proportion although
not a majority of the members , were
Roman Catholics , and in one state ,
Idaho , tho largest proportion were
Latter Day Saints.
MAN WHO BROUGHT FLEET
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BACK FROM EAST RETIRED ,
.ors
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Having reached the age of 62 yean ,
Rear Admiral C. S. Sperry has bee
placed on the retired list of the navy.
The admiral is now engaged with the
Newport conference at the war collegt
and will continue in that duty until
he has completed a certain line of
work which he has mapped out. When
this is finished , it is expected he will
retire from active service. The ad.
miral's last important sea command
was that of the Atlantic fleet , which
he brought from San Francisco by waj-
of the Pacific Ocean and the Sues
Canal to Hampton roads. He reached
the rank at which he was retired
about three years and three montlit-
ago.
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