The Columbus journal. (Columbus, Neb.) 1874-1911, May 18, 1904, Image 3

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Copyright. UN. by A.
CHAPTER I.
The Fall of the House of Frede.
As the blackness of the midsummer
sight paled, the broken towers and
.wrecked walls of the monosteiy loom
ed np dim and stark in the gray light.
Through a breach in the moss-grown
wall, the first sunbeam stole in and
pointed a bright finger across the
cloiser garth at the charred spot in
the center, where missals and parch
ment rolls had made a roaring fire to
arm the invaders' blood-stained
sands.
As the lark rose through the bright
ening air to greet the coming day, a
woman in the tunic and cowl of a nun
opened what was left of the wicket
gate in the one unbattered wait She
struck a note in perfect harmony with
her surroundings, as she stood under
the crumbling arch, peering out into
the flowering lane.
Like the straggling hedges that
were half buried under a net of wild
roses, red and white, the path was
half effaced by grass; but beyond,
her eye could follow the straight line
of the great Roman road over marsh
and meadow and hill-top.
Between the dark walls of oak and
beech, it gleamed as white as the
Milky Way. The nun was able to
trace its course up the slope of the
last hill. Just beyond the crest, a
pall of smoke was spread over a burn
ing village. 'Shivering the nun turned
her face back to the desolate peace
of the ruins.
"Now is it clear to all men why a
bloody cloud was hung over the land
In the year that Ethelred came to the
throne," she said. "I feel as the
blessed dead might feel should they
be forced to leave the shelter of their
graves and look out upon the world."
Rising from its Knees beside a bed
of herbs, a second figure in faded
robes approached the gate. Sister
Sexberga was very old, much older
The face under the black
than her companion, and her face
was a wrinkled parchment whereon
Time had written some terrible les
sons. She said gently. "We are one with
the dead, beloved sister. Those who
He under the chancel lay no safer than
we, last night, though the Pagans'
passing tread shook the ground we lay
on, and their songs broke our slum
bers."
The shadows deepened in the eyes
of Sister Wynfreda as she turned them
back toward the lane, for her patience
was not yet ripe to perfect mellow
ness. "The peace of the grave can never
be mine while my heart is open to the
sorrows of others," she answered with
sadness. "Sister Sexberga, that was
an English band which passed last
aight I am in utmost fear for the
Dames of Avalcomb."
"'They that take the sword shall
perish with the sword,' " the old nun
quoted, a little sternly. "An English
man was despoiled of his lands
when Frode the Dane took Avalcomb.
If now Frode's turn has come "
Her companion made a gesture of
entreaty. "It is not for Frode that I
am timorous, dear sister, nor for the
boy. Fridtjof; it is for Randalin, his
daughter."
Sister Sexberga was some time si
lent When at last she spoke, it was
but to repeat slowly, "Randalin, his
daughter. God pity her!"
Sister Wynfreda was no longer lis
tening. She had quitted her hold
upon the gate and taken a step for
ward, straining her eyes. Out of a
tall mass of golden bloom at the far
ther end of the lane, an arm clad in
brown homespun had tossed itself for
one delirious instant Trailing her
robes over the daisied grass, the nun
came upon a wounded man lying face
downward in the tangle.
When the united strength of the
four arms had turned the limp weight
upon its back, a cry of astonishment
rose from each throat
"The woodward of Avalcomb!"
"The hand of the Lord hath fallen!"
After a moment the younger woman
said in a trembling voice, "The whis
per in my heart spoke truly. Dearest
sister, put your arm under here, and
we will get him to his feet and bring
him in, and he will tell us what has
happened. See! He is shaking off
bit swoon. After he has swallowed
some of your wine, he will be able to
speak and tell us."
It was muscle-breaking work for
women's backs, for though he tried in
stinctively to obey their directions,
the man was scarcely conscioas; his
arms were like lead yokes upon his
supporters' shoulders. Just within the
gate their strength gave oat, and they
were forced to put him down among
the spicy herbs. There, as one was
palliag off her threadbare cloak to
ssake him a pOJow, and the other was
starting after aer cordial, he opeaed
ais eyes.
Felice Perquisites.
Clancy Why did Casey ar-
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Osneer Hogan Share, Casey is new
m th force, aad wanted f injy th'
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"Master!" he muttered. "Master?
Have they gone?" "
la aa instant Sister Wynfreda was
on her knees beside him. "Is it the
English yon mean? Did they beset
the castle?"
Slowly the man's clouded eyes
cleared.' "The Sisters" he mur
mured. '1 had the intention to get
to you but rfell " His words died
away in a whisper, and his eyelids
drooped. Sister-gexberga turned again
to seek her restorative. Sister Wyn
freda leaned over aad shook him.
"Answer me, first Where is your
master? And young Fridtjof? And
your mistress?"
He shrank from her touch with a
gasp of pain. "Dead," he muttered.
"Dead at the gate Frode and, the
boy the raven-starvers cut them
down like saplings."
"And Randalin?"
"I heard her scream as the English
man seized her Leofwinesson had
her round the waist they knocked
me on the head, then I I " Again
his voice died away.
Sister Wynfreda made no attempt to
recall him. Mechanically she held his
head so that her companion might
pour the liquid down his throat That
done, she brought water and band
ages, and stood by, absent-eyed and
in silence, while Sexberga found his
wounds and dressed them. It was
the older woman who spoke first
"The fate of this maiden lies heavy
on your mind, beloved," she said ten
derly; "and I would have you know
that my heart also is sorrowful. For
all that she is the fruit of darkness,
it was permitted by the Lord that
Randalin. Frode's daughter, should be
born with a light in her soul. It was
in my prayers that we might be en
abled to feed that light as it were a
sacred lamp, to the end that in God's
good time the spreading glory of its
brightness might deliver her from the
shadows forever."
locks was the face of Randalin.
In the chapel four feeble old voices
raised a chant that trembled and
shook like a quivering heart-string.
Tremulously sweet it drifted out over
the garden and blended with the aroma
in the air. The wounded man smiled
through his pain.
The chant ceased, the, wavering
treble dying away in a note of haunt
ing sweetness. The man moaned and
clutched at his wound; and the bowed
figure by his side roused herself to
tend him. Then a grating of rusty
hinges made her turn her head.
Under the crumbling arch, relieved
against the green of the lane beyond,
stood the figure of a slender boy
wrapped in a mantle of scarlet that
bore a strangely familiar look.
Sister Wynfreda rose and took a
step forward, staring at him in bewild
erment "Fridtjof?" she questioned.
At the sound of her voice, the boy
turned and hastened toward her. Then
a great cry burst from Sister Wyn
freda, for the face under the black
locks was the face of Randalin.
She made a convincing boy. this
daughter of the Vikings. Though she
wai sixteen, her graceful body had re
tained most of the lines and slender
curves of childhood; and she was long
of limb and broad of shoulder. A life
out-of-doors had given to her skin a
tone of warm brown, which, in a land
that expected women to be lily-fair,
was like a mask added to her dis
guise. The blackness of her hair was
equally unconnected with Northern
dreams of beautiful maidens. Some
fair-tressed ancestor back in the past
must have qualified his blood from
the veins of an Irish captive; in no
other way could one account for those
locks, and for her eyes that were of
the grayish blue of iris petals.
The eyes were a little staring this
morning, as' though still stretched
wide with the horror of the things
they had looked upon; and all the
glowing red blood had ebbed away
from the brown cheeks.
She said in a low voice, "My father
. . . Fridtjof . . ." then stopped
to draw a long hard breath through
her set teeth.
Sister Wynfreda ran to the girl and
caught her tremblingly by the hands.
"Praise the Lord that you are de
livered whole to me!" she breathed.
"Gram told us that they had taken
you."
Gating at her out of horror-filled
eyes, Randalin stood quite still in her
embrace. Her story came from her
in Jerks, and each fragment seemed
to leave her breathless, though she
spoke slowly.
"I broke away." she said. "They
stood around me In a ring. Norman
Leofwinesson said he would carry
me before a priest and marry me, so
that Avalcomb might be his lawfully,
whichever king got the victory. I
said .by no means would I wed him;
sooner would I slay him. All thought
Hot Water Either Way.
Boggs Why is social convi
a net bath?
Joggs Give it up.
Boggs Because, ia both cases,whea
yon ant your foot in It yon get into
Very Ceetina.
-The Ji
that a great Jest aad lsaghed. While
they were shouting I slipped between
them aad got ap the stairs Into a
chamber, where l bolted the door and
would aot open to them, though they'
pounded their fists sore and cursed
at me. At last they began to laugh
and jeer, and called to me'they would
go down and drink my wedding toast
before they broke la the door and
fetched me; and then' they betook
themselves to feasting."
Sister Wynfreda bent her head to
murmur a prayer: "God forgive me
if I have lacked charity in my Judg
ment on the Pagans! If they who
have seen the light can do such deeds,
what can be expected of those who
yet labor under the curse of dark
ness?" "I do not understand you." Randa
lin said wearily, sinking on the grass
and passing her hands over her strain
ed eyes. "When a man looks with
eyes of longing upon another man's
property, it is to be expected that he
will do as much evil as luck allows
him. Though he has got Baddeby,
Norman was covetous of Avalcomb.
When his lord, Edric Jarl. was still
King Edmund's man, he twice beset
the castle, and my father twice held
it against him. And his greed was
such that he could not stay away even
after Edric had become the man of
Canute."
It was the nun's turn for bewilder
ment "The man of Canute? Edric
of Mercia. who is married to the
King's sister? It cannot be that you
know what you say?" v
"Certainly I know what I say." the
girl returned a little impatiently. "All
English lords are fraudulent; men can
see that by the state of the country.
Though he be thrice kinsman to the
English King, Edric Jarl has joined
the host of Canute of Denmark; and
all his men have followed him. But
oven that agreement could not hold
Norman back from Avalcomb. He
lay hidden near the gate till he saw
my father come, in the dusk, from
hunting, when be fell upon him and
slew him, and forced an entrance the
nithing! When he had five-and-fifty
men and my father but twelve!"
She paused, with set lips and head
flung high. The nun got down stiffly
beside her and laid a gentle hand upon
upon her knee.
"Think not of it my daughter," she
urged. 'Think of your present need
and of what it behooves us to do. Tell
me how you escaped from the cham
ber, and why you wear these clothes."
(To be continued.)
SHE WANTED TO KNOW.
Then When She Found Out All
About It She Was Unhappy.
"John Billus, I found this photo
graph in the inside pocket of an old
vest of yours hanging up in the closet.
I'd like an explanation. Whose is it?"
"Can't you see it's an old picture,
Maria? What's the use of stirring up
memories that "
"I want to know whose picture that
is."
"Rather a pleasant-faced girl, isn't
she?"
"I want to know her name."
"No jealous tury in that counte
nance, is there?"
"Whose is it?"
"It's a portrait of a girl I used to
think a great deal of, and "
"Her name, sir?"
"Well, you sat for it yourself,
Maria, about nineteen years ago; but
to tell the truth I always did think
the pleasing expression was a little
overdone. Put on 'your spectacle?
and look at it again, and then com
pare it with the reflection in that mir
ror over there and see what are you
getting mad about?"
How Success Succeeds.
Col. Weis was once at Carlsbad with
the treasurer of a Cincinnati brewery.
There is a system of "Kur tax" in
Carlsbad. You pay from 5 to $10 if
you stay over a week, the fund going
to defray music and improvement ex
penses. It is plain robbery, but can't
be avoided. The tax is graded ac
cording to your wealth or income, and
the wily Bohemians generally know
who's who. They came to Weis and
asked his occupation.
"I'm in the express business."
"Vat's dat?"
"Oh. we deliver packages, you
know."
So they put Weis down as a wagon
driver and assessed him the very
lowest, although he draws $36,000 a
year. The brewery employe gave his
occupation and was hit for the high
est tax, although his salary was but
$5,000 a year. Philadelphia Ledger.
Improve, the Canals.
A movement has been started in
several centers in Europe to improve
the canals, which have been neglected
through the influence of the railroads
just as they have in many American
states.
There are in France 3,000 miles of
canals. Belgium has 1,242 miles of
canals arid other waterways. In Hoi
land the canals are put to more gen
eral use than they are in other coun
tries. In England there are 3,907 miles of
canals, and it has been pointed out
that the railway companies own 1,376
miles of these' canals. The railroad
companies keep the canal rates so
high that there is no competition be
tween the canals and the railroads.
There are few canals in any country
that are' not fifty years behind' the
times.
Salary Regular, Anyhow.
George Gilliland, now secretary to
Senator W. H. Clark, of Montana, was
for six years secretary and political
adviser to the late Senator Brice, also
a millionaire. One day Gilliland was
at the White House and President Mc
Kinley asked him:
"What are you doing now, George.
"Oh, I'm in the senate again.
"How's that?" asked McKinley.
"I'm secretary to Senator Clark of
Montana."
"Well, George," said McKinley, "yon
certainly display good judgment In
picking out your employers."
Double Vision. ,
"See here," exclaimed Benedick's
friend, "you'll have to give up your
old ideas of seeing life. You're not
siagle any more."
"Zhat's all right" gurgled Benedick.
"I don't shee shingle, eizher; shew
dtmble "
Mutual.
Mrs. Kratchett Bridget, I doat
like the looks of that man who called
to see you last night
Bridget WelL well, aint it funny,
ma'am? He said the same about yon.
Philadelphia Press.
Mrs. Stabb-I am quite sure oar
new neigaBors came from Bo
Mr. Stubb Why so, Maria?
sum. bcudm They call the
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Here the eeeaas twain have waited
All the aces to be mated
Waited lone and waited vainly.
Though the script waa written plainly:
"Thin, the portal of the sea,
Opes for him who holds -the key;
Here the empire of the earth
Walts In patience for its birth."
Who shall hold that magic key
But the child of destiny.
In whose veins has mingled long
All the test blood of the strong?
Sentinel of duty, here
Must he guard a hemisphere.
Let the' old world keep Its ways;
Naught to him Its blame or praise;
Naught its greed, or hate, or fear;
For all swords be sheathed hers.
Tea, the gateway shall he free
Unto all, from sea to sea;
And no fratricidal slaughter ,
Shall defile Its sacred water;
But the hand that oped the gate
Shall forever hold the key!
James Jeffrey Roche m Scrfbner's
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Annlce Wheatley strolled to the
window and gazed idly out This was
strictly in accordance with the in
structions conveyed in the little blue
covered book of typewriting which
read:
"and I will explain it all to you.
(Gertrude walks to window R and
gazes idly out)"
Considering that this was the 217th
time she had done this the view from
the window had lost somewhat of its
novelty.
She knew exactly what she would
see there. At her right would be a
huge electric calcium pouring its
green rays upon her white dress. It
had been decided that green would
be better than blue. The moon had
been green ever since the night when
the stage manager had arrived at this
decision.
There were also a couple of stage
braces holding up the scenery, and
sometimes a couple of stage hands in
very dirty shirt sleeves lent anima
tion to the view.
To-night the men were absent and
Annice was able to give her whole
attention to the floor, on which some
one had chalked "I love you." in a
clear print
She wondered idly who might have
done this. Some stage hand, prob
ably considering it a good Joke.
Surely no one would make such an
open confession and expect to be
taken seriously.
She was still wondering when the
heard the cue which was aer signal
to turn with a cry of horror to per
ceive Lady Gwendolin prostrate upon
the floor, struck down by Hugh de
Maltravers, who In private life was a
most unvillain-like villain.
After that it was a busy time nntO
the fall of the curtain, when she had
to run for the dressing room for a
change for the third-act costume. She
gave the chalk marks no further
thought until the following evening.
There, again, were the eloquent
words, neatly chalked for her inspec
tion. She was the only one required
to use the window. She could not
suppose that the message was meant
for any one else.
Gradually the legend began to an
noy her. Every evening the same
words appeared, only to disappear be
fore it came time to make the change
for the next act
She complained to the stage mana
ger, but that official could offer no
practical suggestion. He was certain
it was none of the stage boys and
that was all the satisfaction she could
obtain.
The matter both annoyed and Inter
ested her. It takes but little to make
talk in a company, and she wisely
held her peace; but she kept a sharp
eye out in the hope of discovering the
offender.
She even made a practice of run
ning to the window the moment the
curtain fell in the hope of discovering
the writer erasing the lines, but by
that time the marks had been ob
Gazes idly out,
scored and she could only wait for
time to unravel the mystery.
On the 250th performance Agnes
Carleton celebrated the event by in
troducing a new gown. In place of
the white satin, which was beginning
to show the marks of wear and tear,
she appeared in a handsome black
satin, which caused every woman In
the audience a pang of jealously and
incidentally got her several newspaper
items.
As usual, Annice stood by the win
dow, wondering who her unknown ad
mirer might be. Lady Gwendolin
gave her customary shriek and Annice
turned with a scream of terror to be
hold the villain's wicked work.
To-night 'she supplemented aer
stage horror with a cry more aaturaL
Lady Gwendolin fell with her face
to the audience that they might mar
vel at the play of her facial expres
sion as she slowly died from the
effects of Maltraver's cruel blow.
There on the back of the black satia
were the marks of a man's Angers
clearly outlined In white.
In a flash it all came to her. Hugh;
Cameron, who played Maltravers, was
the only person who left the stage.
He made his exit from the very win
dow out of which she had been look
ing. All of the other characters were
sappoeod to enter from the castle on
the opposite side of the stage. -
It waa an easy matter to eaask the
legend while she was naviaf her
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scene with Miss Carleton. Then when
he fled from the consequence of his
murderous assault he could rub out
the chalk marks.
Only the black satin dress had
been out of3 bis calculations. When
he had grappled wjth Lady Gwen
dolin, the chalk from his imperfectly
cleaned fingers had left their mark.
On the old white dress they had not
been noticeable.
AH through the last act the inci
dent kept running through her head.
She liked Cameron very much, bet
ter than anyone else in the company.
He had' been so klad to her in many
little ways, so deferential, she could
not believe that he had sought to
insult her. She could not even Im
agine him doing such a thing even
for a Joke. He was not that sort
of a man.
It hart her to think that he had a
hand In this Joke. Just as the curtain
fell at the close of the act she turned
to Cameron.
"I should like to speak to you
"Believe me," he said, earnestly, -It
was no prank. "
after you have changed," she said sim
ply. He bowed, but it was with no easy
heart that he awaited her coming on
the dark stage.
She -broached the subject directly.
"Mr. Cameron, she demanded, "Why
do yon annoy me by chalking such
absurd sentiments underneath the
wiadow in the second act?"
"How did yon know?" he countered.
"You Jeft chalk marks on Miss Car
leton's black dress this evening," she
explained.' "Now I want to know
why you played such an absurd
prankr
He colored like a guilty school
boy. "Believe me," he said earnestly, "it
was no prank. I meant it, every word.
One night I stood by the window. The
stage hands were all busy with a
card game at the rear and I knew no
one woald see It before I came off
after the murder. I picked a piece
of chalk off the call board and wrote
the words. Ton see while I play vil
lain on the stage, I am anything but
a bold man off. Just as I was going
to sign them I heard the cue that
brought you to the window and I had
just time to whisk around the corner.
I have been trying every night since
then to get the courage to sign my
name, but if it hadn't been for that
blessed dress I aever should have
done so. I mean It, every word of it,
Miss Wheatley. Wont yon believe
me?"
By special request Miss Carleton
will wear her black dress at the
wedding.
Mascagni'a Sarcasm.
During the last dress rehearsal of
Mascagni's Japaaese opera "Iris" the
author, who was conducting the or
chestra, was greatly annoyed by the
ineffective performance of one of the
singers. The paasage was a very in
tense one a love scene between the
chief reprobate and the heroine.
"Do not move so timidly," shouted
the composer above the surge of the
music.
The aafortaaate singer went from
bad to worse. Mascagnl stopped the
orchestra and beckoned him down to
the footlights.
"Siace all other methods for mak
ing the passage . affective seem tc
have failed," he remarked, "suppose
yon try staging It in the proper key."
A Heme en Him. ,
It waa not so very long ago that
Barney Woodworth was one of the
coining baseball pitchers In the New
England league, and for that matter
he can do some clever twirling now
When Barney attended Tufts college
he, with one or two others, became
mixed up with the college horse. It
seems that the horse got frightened
aad Barney tried to stop the animal
by shouting "Whoa!" The horse dou
bled his efforts and landed with all
four feet ia the college fence. The
latter had to be cat dowa and for
some reason or other Baraey worked
anusaauy hard In the cage that day.
Ideal Lecatiea.
"Most of the action ia my story,"
explained Pennibs, "takes place in a
-Wefl.- rejoined Critics, "that's a
place for a plot."
. -.
How Toads Undi
For a marvel of economy you will
never beat the toad. He eats his own
clothes, says a devout lover of that
harmless and slimy creature. At cer
tain seasons he begins to undress. He
begins by rubbing his elbows hard
against his sides, and pressing down
ward. In a second the old suit lursts
open along his back, and he keeps on
rubbing until he has worked it all In
folds on his sides and hips; then he
seizes one of his hind legs and begins
to haul off one leg of his trousers, and
next the other leg is served in the
same way. Of course a brand new
suit is discovered by this disrobing
process. Before he takes off the rest
of his old clothes he folds his trous
ers up quite neatly and swallows
them. Then, by raising and lowering
his head, and swallowing little by
little, he hauls off his coat until he
comes to the sleeves. Grasping one
of these with the opposite hand, he
drags it off, wrong side out, and swal
lows it also, rubbing his neck at the
same time, so that his collar, cravat
and. In fact, every- vestige of his old
suit, disappear altogether.
Some Indian Names,
Kakagos A wood raven.
Musquash A muskrat.
Cheokhes The mink.
K'dunk The toad.
Hawahak The hawkl
Malsum The wolf.
Moween The bear.
Kagax The weasel.
Killooleet The white-throated spar
row. Meeko The red squirrel.
Target Shooting.
Figure 1 shows the target cut out
of cigar box wood. A circular piece is
first cut, about one inch in diameter,
and eight small round pieces of card
board with the numbers 1 to 8 on
tuem are mounted on toothpicks and
grouped around it at even distances;
the other ends of the toothpicks are
then inserted in the sides of the circu
lar piece of wood. The target itself
is fastened to a stick of wood about
eight inches long, fastened to a stand,
as shown in the picture. The gun con
sists of a paper tube, which is made
by winding cardboard, well covered
with glue, around the stem of a lead
pencil. When it is dry a piece about
five Inches long is cut off. At 1
inches from one end we make an In
cision about two inches long, cutting
down to about half the thickness of
the tubes. (See Fig. 2.)
Figure 2 shows how a piece of
whalebode about six inches long is in
serted, acting as the propelling power
of the gun. Tou shoot with a wooden
peg about 114 inches long, fitting
loosely into the barrel of the gun. To
give it more weight and strengthvwe
insert a carpet tack as shown in Fig
ure 3.
To shoot, hold the gun with the
right hand, pulling the whalebone
back with the index finger and insert
ing the peg. As soon as the index
finger releases the whalebone it
springs forward and forces the peg
out To aim well hold the tube in
such a way that the whalebone spring
points downward.
Tricks for the Tongue.
Try to read the following sentences
aloud and quickly, repeating the short
er ones half a dozen times in succes
sion: Six thick thistle sticks.
Flesh of freshly fried flying fish.
The sea ceaseth, but it sufflceth us.
Give Grimes Jim's great gilt gig
whip.
Two toads, totally tired, tried to
trot to Tedbury.
Strict, strong Stephen Stringer
snared six sickly, silky snakes.
She stood at the door of Mrs.
Smith's fish sauce shop welcoming
him in.
Swan swam over the sea; swim,
swan, swim; swan swam back again;
well swum swan.
A haddock, a haddock, a black spot
ted haddock, a black spot on the black
back of a black spotted haddock.
Susan shineth shoes and socks,
socks and shoes shineth Susan. She
ceaseth shining shoes and socks, for
shoes and socks shock Susan.
Fox After Chickens.
"Fox after chickens," is a rather
good game. An older person is the
fox, and her position is to run about
pretending to pick up sticks. The
"hen," who is the mother of the chick
ens, should also be an "elder," and
should have a long train of chicks
behind her, all standing one behind
the other, holding on to each other's
frocks; the one next the hen should
take hold of her. When the hen sees
the fox she asks him what he is pick
ing up sticks for.
"To boil a pan," is the answer.
"What is going to be in the pan?"
"A chicken."
"Where will you get one?"
"From you."
Then the fox tries to capture one of
the chickens, while the hen tries to
dodge the fox and guard her chicks.
If the fox catches a chick he takes it
to his den. This is continued until all
the chickens are captured.
The Cat that Went to a Fire.
The other day in Boston an alarm
came in from box 9, for a blaze in
the tenement house at 410 Commer
cial street, caused by an overturned
lamp. A strange sight was witnessed
as water-tower No. 2 rolled In upon
the scene from its headquarters on
Bristol street A black-and-white car.
the pet of the repair shop, had been
taking a comfortable nap on top of
the tower when the alarm came In.
Before he woke up he was on the
way to the fire, and like a good fire
man, he stuck to his post On arrlv
iag at the fire he was furnished com
fortable quarters, and when the tower
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was ready to retara home he
given a seat beside the driver. Men
of To-morrow.
In the Firelight
The fire upon the hearth Is low.
And there is stillness everywhere.
Like troubled spirits, here and there.
The firelight shadows fluttering go.
And as the shadows round me creep.
A childish treble breaks the gloom.
And softly from a further room
Comes: "Now I lay me down to sleep."
And. somehow, with that little prayer.
And that sweet treble in my ears.
My thought goes back to distant years.
And lingers with a dear one there;
And as I hear the child- amen.
My mother's faith comes back to me
Crouched at her side I seem to be.
And mother holds my hands again.
Oh. for an hour In that dear place!
Oh. for the peace of that dear time!
Oh. for that childish trust sublime!
Oh. for a glimpse of mother's face!
Tet. as the shadows round me creep,
I do not seem to be alone
Sweet magic of that treble tone.
And "Now I lay me down to sleep!"
Eugene Field.
Aquarium ink Trick.
There are many tricks which may
be done with Ink, but perhaps"the sim-
The Trick Explained.
plest and one of the most interesting
is the ink aquarium trick.
Present a glass full of ink to the
view of the spectators, then prove
that it is ink by dipping a visiting
card in it and showing the card. Now
announce that there are live fish ia
the tumbler that just thrive on ink,
and you will prove they are there by
changing the ink to water so that the
onlookers may see them.
Throw a handkerchief over the
glass so as to entirely envelop It. re
peat an Incantation and then suddenly
whisk the handkerchief away.
The audience will be very much as
tonished to find the glass filled with
water, clear as crystal, with several
fish swimming about in it
The trick Is performed in this way.
Get a piece of thin black rubber cloth
and line the inside of the glass with
it, then tie a black thread to the up
per edge of the cloth. Attach a little
button or bit of cork to the end of the
thread overhanging the tumbler, as
shown in the drawing.
Fill the glass with clear water, aad
introduce several fish, live ones if
you can possibly procure them, but
if cot, toy fish will serve, though the
trick will hardly be so effective.
The ink test with the visiting card
is accomplished by mesas of a con
federate who is in the audience aad
who hands you a card which is mark
ed with ink on one side. As yoa dip
the card into the tumbler yoa con
trive to turn it around, and the audi
ence then sees the black side, thiak
ing naturally that It has just been im
mersed in the ink. The startling
change from ink to water is effected
by pulling out the rubber cloth by
means of the attached thread aad
button when the handkerchief Is
whisked away. Some practice Is need
ed first In order to do this without
spilling the water In the glass, but
after you have tried it several times
you will find that the cloth may be
removed without spilling a drop, and
that you are in possession of a very
clever trick.
utter Beys.
Every morning the people of the
large towns of Porto Rico are awak
ened by little merchants crying "But
ter! Butter of the country!"
These are the butter boys, who go
trotting in each morning as soon as
the tropical dawn begins, to sell the
native butter which has been made by
their mothers the day before.
Each little merchant carries a
plate on his head, balancing it expert
ly like a juggler, and never bothering
to steady it with his hand, whether he
is running or making change.
ODD SMOKE
Showing Smoke Pictures
If you can draw even a little bit
you can make pretty pictures of a new
and interesting sort in a very easy
way. The picture is made on any
flat surface that you can hold ia a
gas, lamp or candle name wunoui
burning or cracking. A piece of tin
or sheet zinc will do. or a china plate,
earthen pie dish or pane of glass. If
you use tin or zinc, take care that you
do not burn your fingers, as a piece of
metal gets hot all over, though oaly
a part of it is in contact with the
flame. On the other hand, If you use
porcelain or glass, especially the lat
ter, you must pass it quickly through
or just above the flame to avoid crack
lag it by heating one spot too strong
ly, and repeat the operation until as
large a spot as yon aeed is blackened
evenly.
Draw your picture with a pia or a
pointed stick, which will scrape away
the soot from the white china or
bright metal so that you caanot draw
very well Is simply this yoa can
alter the picture until yon get it right
Erery pencil line that is drawn
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The plate coataias about fifty or
sixty "pats' of the staff. It isn't very
good, although it seems delicious to
the Porto Rlcaas. because their cli
mate ia aot adapted for keeping but
ter well; so they are accustomed to
aa article that woald seem rancid and
strong to the luckier persons ia the
north!
The "pats" are very small, weighing
less thaa an ounce each, aad they sell
for about one ceat The customers of
the butter boys usually buy just
enough to serve for one meal.
The batter boys' mothers don't
make this batter in a churn. They
merely shake milk or cream la a big
jar till it Is fairly solid. Then they
put ia lots of salt aad sead it to town.
"The Fewer ef Frayer.
A pretty story Is told of two child
ren, who were, aa they thought chased
by a cow ia a field. "Oh, Johnny."
said the little girl, "say a prayer."
"doat 'member any!" "Say any
thing." persisted the little girl."
"All I know is what papa said at
breakfast" "Well, say that" So,
Johnny said " For what we are about
to receive, may the Lord make us
truly thankful." The cow ceased to
chase them, and they returned homo
and told their mother that they had
" been saved by the power of prayer."
The Way to
The very best way to succeed in
anything is to learn how to think
quickly. One of oar most famous
Americaa actors started out a very
poor boy. Applying for work in a
Chicago store, he was tested by a few
questions. Taking dowa a box of lace
from a shelf.' the proprietor asked.
"What would you do with this?" The
boy replied, tracing with' his fingers
on the box lid, "Dust it" He got the
position and it led to far better things
than he dreamed of.
Balancing Cup an Knife Feint.
If the subject of too much coffee
drinking making one nervous and un
steady ever comes up at your break
fast table, here Is a little trick by
which you can prove, with your own
coffee cup, that you are not nervous
and have got a steady hand.
Get a cork; squeeze it within the
handle of your cup as shown in the
drawing. Then take a fork and stick
it into the cork so that two of its
prongs are oa either side of the han
dle, being sure to fix the fork in such
I a position as to insure its handle com
ing under the cup's bottom.
Tou have bow fulfilled one of the
laws of gravity which will permit you
to balance your cap oa the point of
a knife if you are careful about one
thing find the exact place on the
cup's bottom oa which it will balance.
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The Balanced Cup.
Tour head should he very steady
and must not tremble a particle or
the cup will slip off. because its bot
tom Is usually glazed and very
smooth. The same result may be ob
tained by us!ng two knives instead of
the fork.
It would not be wise to try this bal
ancing feat with any coffee in your
cup on the first attempt.
Value of Bees' Tongues.
A curious note is found in the In
ternational Review of Agriculture. u
the effect that an entomologist had
succeeded in measuring the length of
the tongues of bees for the "purpose
of determining the possible effect of
crossing Italian and native bees upon
the lengthening of the tongues." Evi
dently, on the principle that the long
er the tongue the easier the access to
hidden stores of flower honey.
PICTURES.
and How They Are Made.
f wrong has to be rubbed out, and if
you use the rubber too much you
make a soiled and spoiled picture.
but if you make part of your smoke
drawing wrong you merely hare to
smoke the part again and do it over
and you can make as many changes
as yon wish. When the picture is as
good as you can make it. lay on it a
dampened piece of paper, press the
paper lightly and take it off. You
will find the smoke picture trans
ferred to the paper and you can keep
it from rubbing off by spraying it with
thin gum water as artists do with pen
cil drawings.
If you cannot draw at all you can
still make smoke pictures by cut
ting out animals aad human figures
from illustrated papers, wetting them.
sticking them on the plate, smoking
the latter aad then remove the paper.
Ia this way you get white figures on a
black ground. Tou can make black
figures on a white ground by using
the picture oat of which you cut the
figures tastoad of the figures themselves.
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