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About Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922 | View Entire Issue (June 23, 1895)
10 THE OMATIA DAILY BEE : SUNDAY , JUNE 23 , 1805. The only clcnnablp Refrigerator in i the market. Prices no higher than oth fit er dealers ask for trash. ' . $ 2.75 for $ 4.9S r' ' ? ° . .u.u.Fm.GI3HA. n $ 1O.OO A $16.00 UCFMaUHAToil- for AN J1SOO HLTHiamiATOli rt % fir \ J2UCO nnrniGUUATOH fir SPEclal 8FFER - HVIIV UAI.IUIS ; THIS WEEK : 1'ilco . MOO Chenille Portieres , per pnlr st : IS JHOO ChPtilllo Pottloles , per pilr Nl,7 $1200 Chenille I'ortlcres , per poll 157. IM _ ' Th'i Polld Oik $1 fiO Lace Curtains , per pair. . Pol shed Oik Exl nslon T-ib'c Easels tli It - , s we , Hrfrlgerator $ J 00 Lace Curtnlns , Price $4.SO Pnc3 35c , 50c , 70c Price $100 Lace Curtain" , per pair ti rl T ! ; - " T..ai ' .V Pon't buy n cliervpliltc Dinner Sot \\hen vou can bu > of us a handsome decor ated blue or brown 100-plccp Ha\l'.anil slmpe Dinner Set for G..OO SOLID OAK nnn HOOM st rr PIP. . pi uoith ntuvvhere $13 , this week's price. Jg25 00 This large antique , pl l " -hod , tlnl hed cine Tapestrj Covered beat nnd back Rocker , worth $300 , this { $1.50 l orner Chair week's price price Our Tbrms-Casli or Bid 00 worth SI 0 iluuti * 1 OO ni-plc SI OO inontli ' - ! ( > 00 north S OO ilnuii SI 00 Hcek 84 OO month M10 00 north- Si fiO week S3 00 month S3O OO worth s' ! 00 week 97 OU month S7. 00 t\ort li- tSi 00 wcok # 8 OO month 8100 00 mirth 13 00 week 810 00 month UJiOO 00 worth 81 00 wcolf 15 00 tiiontii Piccures This \\vclc We nro We have In stork Japanese Screens In Hat Racks this week , price , : Furnishers all shapes and sizes , Tumblers from $ WO to $2 GO Lemonade Sets , , In the most comprehensive sense of the will sell Every home should nord. Furniture , Carpets , Stoves , Ciock- This week : we , Draperj , lieddlng , Kitchen Goods This week have one. They are Consisting of decorated pitcher and rjf\ - ery iS12 Carriages for. $ 8-OO , 6 tumblers to match , also eleXr / A $ J no Hanging everything. You m.iKe but one bill of I $15 CarriuRcs for SIO.OO 3c so nice for decorating gantly embossed tray , would beJJ | \ I iimp Ol 7(1 ( jour entire outfit You pay all cash or a If Impplnesi Initli home \ou M nil. ) . , , JLJ. Wlieiu elm Uc und Fnut will IK cr mill , . . y . vl.lU ing , you know cheap at 5200 for . . . small part ca-h , balance later. . AIth u kitt-litii In u hit U liK in a i > .ul i jou feel -Ti > "THU Qt 1 < k MI.AL. We are the Largest House Whatever others advertise Furnishers in Ilia West. you will fliid our prices lower. THE HOPE OF THE COUNTRY Echools aud Colleges as QuarcVana of the Nation's ' Lfc. DEPEWON PATRIOT SM AND EDUCATION The Summer School ua n Fuctor In Amoil- en's iduc.ittiiiinl SjrsUm M.ulstlcs ot how York City Schools edu cational > ( itc . "Patriotism and Education" was the text of Chauncoy M. Depow's instructive address at the Vandorbllt university commencement last week. The central thought of the ad dress was that our schools and colleges were the strongest hope of the country as It had been of all nations In modern history. "In the darkest hour of Gorman history , " said Mr. Depew , . "Stein , the Incomparable states man , appealed lor advice. He could not ask for help , because the resources ot his country wore exhausted and the rest of Europe was either allied to or under the hefl of Bona parte , The answer camu , not from camps or cabinets , but from the lecture room of the most remarkable educator of his time , I'rof. Flchte. 'Educate the Germans , ' was his cry. 'Teach them not only the glorious traditions of their race , but glvo to them the trained Intellect and ttic disciplined mind which will uulto the German peoples Into a resistless power and make them the leaders of Europe. ' Von Humboldt seconded Flchte , Stein saw the opportunity , and upon the smoking ruins of the Napoleonic conquests they bu'lded the University of Berlin. In eighty years , with their Incomputable gym nasia nnd their magnificent heats pf learn ing , the German people became the best edu cated In the old world. Their leaders In camp , In cabinets and In parliament were the graduates of their universities and the best fruit ot their liberal education. The crowning of William emperor of Germany at Versailles , the triumph of Bismarck in tnc unity of the Teutonic peoples Into one great nation was the fulfillment ot Flchto K and Von Humboldt's prophecy mat In education lay the saltation of Germany r.iul thu future of her progress and power. "American Independence and the founding of our nation upon canst tutloral ilncj , which embodied the ex erleno and I'm lassons U the ngcs , was the work if the g-ai ! i.Ues of the colonial colleges. Harvard and Yale , and Princeton , Columbia , and JVIlllam and Maty were the architects of the Dcclat\tlon of In dependence , of the constitution of the United States , ot the union ot the states , and of the incomparable system of executive , legislative nnd judicial Independence and interdepen dence which have survived so tucccssi'iilly a century of extraordinary trial and unprece dented development. Samuel Adams , In his commencement thesis at H.uv.ird , struck th > keynote of colonial resistance. John Moiln Scott brought from Yale to New Yoik the Icssona which prepared th.it rlcU and pros perous colony for the sacrifices" the re bellion. Alexander Hamilton , a ctudent ol Columbia , although only 17 years of n- % In tlory pamphlets which were nscr.bi.l to tin ablest and oldest patriots , educated the popu lar mind to the necessity of the B'lusglc , while the pen of Jefferson , ot William am ] Mary , wrote that Immortal document which Jives and will live forever a < the most com plete charter of liberty. "The central thought of Washington , tin main spring of every uttcianco and action ol his llfo , was the Inseparable connoct'nn be tween the union ot the states and Amc-- lean liberty. He foresaw the storm whUi was Impending , and like the great Oirmnti whose method has resulted In euch n I lie- cornenal triumph In our time , he believed that civil war and domes'Ic strife rould be averted by education ; not by provlncal , or state , or sectional , or Isolated trarlili.g , hut by n university at n common comer and under the guidance of n broad , healthy , pttrl- otlo ami national spirit. " THD SUMMER SCHOOL. There has come to be n new and highly significant element la our American tyst > m pf education. It Is the summer tchool. The extent to which summer schools have sprung up In all parts of the country , says the Chicago Times-Herald , Is one of the re markable features of the time. It Is n strlk- ng indication of the peculiar alertness , docility and eagerness of the American spirit at the present time. It Is also interesting as showing the broad-minded and unselfish quality of American culture , which Is as ready to give as to get. These summer schools are of necessity brief In their continuance , but it would be wholly wanting In truth to charge them with being pretentious , or superficial , or sciofty. They are neither more nor less than what thej claim to be. They do not assume to take the place of any other schools ; they supplement , the work and the influences of all the others. That they are usually located at places of most delightful summer resort , where \ailous forms ot recreation and social enjoyments are provided for , Is In no wise to their disad vantage. To Prof. Agassiz's zoological laboratory on PenlKeso Island In the summer of 1872 be longs the distinction of leading the way In this large , new educational movement. Al though it was continued for only two sum mers , It was ot a character to attract at the time universal attention. Then , In 1874 , the Chautatiqua school was Inaugurated one of the most fruitful educational move ments In all our history. Not only has It gone on widening Its scope and adding to Its facilities and Its power each year , but has led the way for the establishment of n hundred other similar summer schools all over the country. It Is all In all a wonderfully stimulating fellowship of the brightest , best and most forceful men and women older and younger for which these most popular schools make mosc delightful provision. It Is a high fellowship of knowledge , of culture , of moral force and spiritual aspiration , and , In many ways , of the true enthusiasm for humanity , the penetrating Influences of which will both surely and quickly reach out Into every part of the country. THE SCHOOLS OF NEW YORK CITY. By the figures of the recent school census as submitted to the Board cf Education , says the Now York Sun , the number of male chll- dien In New York City of school ago was 1GS.090 on-May 1 , and the number of female children ot school age 171,730. Of the former 99,915 , and of the latter 98,834 were , at the time of the census , In attendance at the pub He schools maintained by the city. By the figures of the school census of the parochial schools of Now York recently pre pared by Ht. Rev. John M. Farley , vicar general and chairman of the Catholic school board , the number of children In attendance at the ICO parochial schoo's was S3.05S. The number of children attending private schools , academics , college ? , Ira Jo schools , and other Institutions oO Instruction was 30,000. The number of truants Is 0,000. These are the figures In detail. Uoja of school nse In New York City 16'/0) In public Fchbols ; "joi5 In imrochlnl schools 15,421 In ptlrate or trade fcliouU H v. ' ) At work 13 S > S Tiinntu SJ ti3i aiil of school dKO In Now YotIs.Cit > 171'M In public fchooH iiSS3l In jiiroclil.il orhoolf i.co In [ > rUute school * 14 D7S At woik JI.'CI Tiuants 2C.U1 Included in the number ot children In at tendance at private schools , po-callcd , are 7,000 at charitable Institutions under commit ment. For these the city pays an average ot $2 a week each , ruillnieut.il Instruction bo'ng Included. The designation , truants. Is not a correct cne technically , for nuny of the chil dren so described are deprived of the Iicncllti of public Instruction by rcisoii of the Insuf ficient accommodations provided. It I ? com puted by oftlclals of the Board of Education that 15,000,000 will bo requisite for new schools in New York before the evil of tru ancy can bo disposed of , or greatly mitigated. The city Is now expending J1S.OOO for the salaries of truancy agents , but so Icng as th : overcrowded condition of the schools In some populous districts continues , the services of the truancy agents are of comparatively llttlo value. The city cf New York Is e\penJlng for Its public schools this year $5.100.000. The parochial , private and. statc-alJ schools give Ir.itructlon to over 00,000 children , and at the same ratio of cost the sum disbursed for the purpose of education In New York In a yeir Is probably not less , with the expendi tures of colleges added , than JS.000.000. An 'lcltoru ! ! ! CMicnJIture of { 13,000,000 , to be ob tained from the Issue of bonds , vvoulJ do away with the present evil ot truancy to a considerable extent. The present value of school sites in New York is about $7,000- 000 , and the value of the buildings for school purposes upon these sites is $10,000,000 more Twenty additional schools at $250,000 each for land and buildings would repre ent an in vestment of $5,000,000 , the immediate benefits of which would be shown In Increased fa cilities for Instruction , while one ulterior ad vantage to the city vvouU come from the en- hanceJ value of the land secured. MADE HER WORD GOOD. Mrs. Minnie HIckox , who has Just entered upon the discharge of her duties as teacher of the public bchoola of Cooke City , Mont. , Is a lady who cannot fail of success in any given direction. Her ambition and grit would stand many a man In good stead She Is one of the few women who are equal to almost any emergency and is deserving of praise for her Indomitable pluck. She let' Livingston recently to open the Cooke sctiool. Upon arriving at Cinnabar , the terminus ot the rallroaJ , she found that the stage would not leave that day on account of the washing out of the bridge across Gardiner river. The stream was so swollen that the stage driver dare not undertake to make a ford. This wa a dilemma not counted on by the plucky llttlo school teacher. She had given her vvoul that she would be In Cooke on the first day of the week and she determined to make It gooJ , even if she had to continue her journey on foot and swim the streams. There was no time to bo lost , and so she started out. All there was left of the Gardiner bridge was a slng'e stringer. Nothing daunted , the lady stepped boldly onto this and walked across the raging river. It was a perilous undertaking , oven for a man , and a woman less biavo and cool-headed than Mrs. HIckox would have been very likely to have become dizzy and lobt her balance. Mrs. HIckox , however , proved herself equal to the emer gency and reached the opposite bank of the roaring mountain torrent In safety. As luck would have It , she found a family enroute to Cooke camped close by. and securing a horse , mounted It and continue ! her Journey. It was a pretty long ride for a woman who had never ridden a horse the distance being sixty milts over a rough mountain road but Mrs. HIckox kept on her weary way until she reached her destination. Upon arriving at Cooke she was so badly used up with her long ride that when she got off her horse she had to be assisted Into the hotel. She had the satisfaction , however , that she kept her appointment. IMurittloiml > < > ! < . The California legislature passed a teachers pension act. Twenty years continuous serv ice In the state schools entitles a teacher to retirement at $15 per month , and twenty- five years service commands $50 per month. The pension fund Is raised by Email levies on the wages of teachers. The Johns Hopkins trustees have Just awarded twcntyone fellowships to graduates of Johns Hopkins and other Institutions , wlm Intend to pursue their studies at that univer sity next year. The fellowships yield $500 each. each.No No phase of the growth of the University of Pennsylvania has been so striking as the number of new buildings Within the latt five years five new buildings have rls"n on the college campus the library , the Wlstar Institute of Anatomy , the engineering build ings , the laboratory of hgtene , and the Harrison chemical laboratory The prcssnt year will mark the completion of th ; How ard H. Houston hall , the Agnevv pavilion , and the William Pepper laboratory. /Trof. Hutchlns , who leaves Cornell at the end of the university > ear to become dean ot the school ot law of the University of Michi gan , received the parting gift of a piece of statuary from th ; professors and students of the law school. Prof. Hutchlns has been at Cornell since the opening of the law school In 1S87. Judge Francis M. Finch , who retires from the court of appeal : this year , will un dertake the active duties of dean , and will bt assisted by Prof. William A. Finch , whom the trustees have elected secretary of the law school. The Roxbury ( Mass. ) Latin school celebrated - brated Its 2JOlh anniversary on the 19th lust. lust.The The alumni of the University of Michigan his arranged for a reunion and Jollification at the college gymnasium on Wednesday next. The members of all classes , from 1815 to 1S33 , are expected to be- there and assist In making the golden jubilee ot the univer sity a router. The California Echcol of Mechanical Arti. founded by the generosity of the late James Lick , has proved to be a revelation to Its trustees , teachers and students In more ways than one. Although the school has been In op ration for only about six months , it is already attracting general attention , and has so systematized Us students as to abridge the labor of years and to attain the most surprising practical results. The academic building and shops , crowded with ambitious students of both sexes and patient teachers , are dally the scene of a most pleas ing Industrial activity. LMIUU .l.7 > IMtUtiTltr. The Massachusetts shoe trade Is improving , and many men who have been Idle for years are again at work. A federation of 20,000 worklngmen has baen foimed at Pittsburg. It proposes to wage a fight for eighthours. . Knights of Labor sold their Philadelphia headquarters for $40,000 , paid a mortgage cf $20,000 , and will used the balance to build a location in Washington. Improved mechanical apparatus has re duced the number of men employed at the Homestead , Pa. , steel works from 4,300 to 3,000 since the strike ot ' 02. Employment Is now given to 4,250 persons by the Pennsylvania Steel company at Its plant at Steelton , Pa. , which Is within 100 of the largest number ever emplo > ed by tha company. The Keystone Iron works rolling mill In Reading , Pa. , has resumed operations , after an Idleness of throa years , In consequence of which employment has been given to over 150 hands. It Is anonunced that the mills of the Car- ncglo company at Beaver Falls , Pa. , are to be In operation within the next thirty days. These two mills have been totally Idle for almost a year. The International Machinists union hai made provision for the establishment of a home for the aged and also for the protection and care of widows and orphans. A defense fund of $ COOCO has be = n created. The Bolivian tin mines are very rich , but they are generally situated at an altitude of over 14,000 feet above sea level , so that between high freights , lack of railroads and Insufficient capital they are hardly developed at all. "Wood-pulp cotton" is made from whitewood - wood which has been macerated with chemi cals until it can be drawn Into a thread. The threads so produced can be readily woven and It is said that "cotton duck" made from them can be washed. For the first time In two years the White Sewing Machine company of Cleveland , 0 , is operating all the departments of Its factory on full time ten hours a day. Employment Is now given to 300 men , , a large Increase over a few months ago. n A NEW SWEEPER. Improved Apparatus , Ior Sn-ccplnj iinil All the street cleaning enthusiasts of the town were at Haymarket square jesterJay , says the Chicago Qhronlclo to tee the trial of a new street sweeping machine. The new machine works on the principle of a carpet sweeper. Resides the wheels , a few gears and some levers nothing Is visi ble but a big red boj ] hung close to the ground. A brush Inside the box runs at high speed and throws everything that conies In Its path Into a receptacle located for ward , This receptacle holds a cubic > ard and Its contents are dumped at Intervals by the driver. The machine did about as well In cleaning the muddy Haymarket pavement as Bother sweepers do under like conditions , Itn principal advantage being that the dirt Is deposited In plies. As long as the pave ment In Haymarket square was level the sweeper cleaned It almost perfectly , but the revolving brushes did not get Into the small ruts , A strip of the pavement in Union street was then tried. This pavement was of granite blocks and was fairly smooth. The test hero convinced the onlookers that the tweeper would bo of service on the boule vards and on asphalt streets , but that It would scarcely do the work on the rougher pavement. } . A rubber scraper will hereafter be used on all wool pavements after a rain and the toft mud will be effectually removed. A new bruth with bristles cut saw fashion has been devised In order that the dirt may be removed from the crevlcej In stone block paving. MISS MARY E.WILKINSVINjj \ The $2,000 , Pr.'zo in the Detective Story Competition Goes to Her. PROF. BRANDER MATTHEWS IS SECOND How the l.nrcoit Sum of Money Cflcrpil for a 1S.OOO Word Story AVas Cumjioteil 1'ur uiicl Anurilctl. ( CopMlght , Ii93 , by Ilarhpller , Johnson & Bach- cllir ) HE fact that a short story proved a marketable com modity at $2,000 ought to bo the best possible evi dence that It was a very good short Btory , Indeed. Two thousand dollars Is the largest sum ever won In a short story competition , and the kind of tale that could secure such a prize Is a matter of the utmost literary Importance as a guide to the pro ducer of salable fiction. Itas a detective story. Probably the great popularity of the "Ad ventures of Sherlock Holmes" nnd similar talcs llrst revealed the possibilities of de tective fiction. At any rate , such stories and their Immense success prompted the Bacheller newspaper syndicate to make Its unprecedented offer. As no coupon scheme or other claptrap contrivance marred the contest , the competition rapidly assumed an Interuattonal character , and some of ths greatest authors living entered the lists. Perhaps the details of the competition , the surprises of the result and the high averag : of the tales entered for the prize form a story fully as thrilling as the best piece ot \sork submitted. The story Is here told. Cven the disappointed may not remain un- consoled when it Is mentioned that one ex cellent tale "A Diplomatic Mystery , " which was written by A. E. Evans of Cheltenham , England , failed of serious consideration by the judges because It could not b3 divided advantageously. The circular sent to competitors ran as follows : "It is Imperative that all storles be- re ceived at this office on or before May 1 , 1895 ; It Is desirable that they be recslvej as early as possible. "As to length , each story submitted must come within the lines prescribed In the offer , otherwise It cannot enter the competition All good stories will bo purchased at a fair pilce. "As to the character of stor.es desired we can only say that we are teeklng clean stories which will interest the average newspaper - paper reader , and which can be published to advantage in installments of about 2,000 words each. We hold that a very high qual ity of art is consistent with these require ments. The novelty and Ingenuity of the plot , and the lltetary and constructive art developed In its treatment are considerations which will probably most * Influence the minds of the Judges In reaching a decision. The judges will be gentlemen ot unquestionable fairness and competency. "To facilitate our nork and insure legi bility , all stories submitted must be type written. " All the stories were read In the first in stance by Mr. Uacheller and a staff of experi enced coadjutors. In accordance with the terms of the competition , every manuscript had to bo typewritten and accompanied by a sealed envelope containing the name of Its author. This was not to be opened until a decision wat > reached. For Identification , the envelope bore come mark , which was also to appear on the s.ory submitted. These rules- were violated In a number ot Instances. Some of the manuscripts were In execrable handwriting , and In many that were typewritten the authors did not hesitate to avow their names. Their stories , of course , could not be considered In the contest , Those that were not typewritten , but were In legible handwriting and otherwise complied with the conditions of the competition were not thrown out. The authrra who persist In rolling their manuscripts were numerous. TbeLr itorlea were read , however , but if the writers only Knew the annoyance their particular packages caused the examiners they would never again send a rolled story to an editor whom they wished to propitiate. Fifty of the best stories were selected. Each reader made a note of the stories read by him , gl\lng a short account of it and ex pressing an opinion on its merits. The fifty stories were then handed to Mr John H. Boner , associate editor of the Liter- ard Digest. Mr. Boner selected the best thirteen from those fifty and handed them to Mr. Hamilton W. Marbie , editor of the Outlook. Mr. Mabtc selected the winning stories , and checks for the fortunate competitors are at their disposal. Mr. Mable received the manuscripts only , without the envelopes , still sealed , containing the names of the writers1 so that his decision was entirely unbiased , and he was not aware to whom he was awardIng - Ing the prizes. Both Mr. Mable and Mr. Boner recom mended several other stories ? for purchase In addition to the prize stories. Mr. Mable's letter , giving the titles of the prize-winning stories , is In full , as follows : June 8 , 1893 Gentlemen : I hn\o rend the stories submitted to me In typewritten manuscript with Bjieclal regard to dramatic Interest , inventiveness , novelty , and sim plicity and dlicctness of style. In my judgment the stoiy which combines thcbc qualities In the highest degree Is thnt en titled "Tho Long Aim. " Ne\t in Older of excellence I should place that entitled "The Twinkling of an llyo " Yours veiv truly , HAMILTON W MA13IIJ. Messrs. liacheller , Johns-oil & Ducheller. When the sealed en\elopes were opened It was ? found that the author of "The Long Arm" was Miss Mary E , Wllklns , the well known writer of stories of New England life and character. Miss Wllklns had In thla Instance worked in collaboration with Joseph Edgar Chamberlln of the educational staff of the Youth's Companion. Mr. Chamberlln Is widely known also as the "Listener" of the Boston Transcript. The author of "The Twinkling of an Eye" was discovered to be Piof. Brander Matthews of Columbia college. MARY E. WILKINS. Miss Mary E. Wllklns , who has thus boldly entered a field hitherto entirely foreign to her , and has taken first rank In It at the first attempt , was born In Randolph , Mass. She lived for some time In Brattleboro , Vt. , but on the death of her parents returned to Randolph , which has clnco been her home Miss WIlKlns wrote verses almost as early as she could talk. Her first serious literary efforts were In the direction of children's stories. Afterward sbo became a contributor to the Harpers ? ' publications. Probably her strongest work Is "Pembroke. " Next that she herself ranks "A New England Nun" and "Jane Field. " Rev. Dr. Phillips Brooks pronounced "A Humble Romance * the beat short story ever written. Her understanding of New England life and grasp of New Eng land character have gl en her a world-wide reputation. Prof. Brander Matthews , the winner ol the second prize , who Is professor of English literature at Columbia college , was born In New Orleans In 185' ' , He was graduated from Columbia college In 1871 , and from the law school of that Institution two years later , Ho has written copiously for the magazines under his own nnme and that ot "Arthur Fenn. " Ho IB the author of "The Theaters ot Paris , " "French Dramatists , " "Vlgnrttea of Manhattan. " "In a Vestibule Limited , " "A Tale of Treasure Trove in the Streets of New York , " "The Royal Marine , " "This Picture and That , " and other volumes. Prof. Matthews Is also the author of-several plays. "A Gold Mlno" was played by Mr. Nat Goodwin with success , nnd "On Proba tion" was , written specially for Mr. W. H. Crane. Mr. John H. Boner , who brought the fifty manuscilpts down to thirteen. Is a North Carolinian by birth. Ho was formerly a member of the staff of the Century Diction ary. Afterward he became literary ed tor of the New Yoik World , and Is now editor of the Literary Digest. He Is a constant con tributor of > crse to the mpgazlnes , and has i published a volume of poems , "Whispering Pines. " Among the well known writers who sub mitted stories In competition for the prUo were Anna Kathcr.no Green , author of "The Lea\enworth CaEc ; " Florence Marryat , Duf- fleld Osborne , Robert W. Ch.imbars , author of "The King In Yellow ; " Howard Fielding and others. Stories worthy of honondo mention were written by John Seymour Wood of the Unl- \erslty club , New York City : H. Lynde ot i\ BRANDER MATTHEWS. Richmond , Ind. , Edgar Thonnct Roy of York City , and David Skeets Foster lUlca. N. Y. The competition disclosed many Interest ing features , especial ! } the trend of thought of the writers on the Mibccts assumed to be the basis cf a detective btory. The great fault with numbers of the Etorles was the announcement In thu first paragraph that n crlmo had btcn committed and thu Immediate Intioluctlon of tUo astuta detective , v.ho proceeded to uuruvol thu mys tery. Such a bald tieatment was not cal culated to affoid an opportunity for bright writing , Interesting dialogue or plcturcsqua dibcrlpilon. Many of the writers failed ut terly In comprehending the logical seituenco and development Indispensable to an effectlvo detective story. The favorite subject of the writers was the theft of diamonds. Then came murder , ' abduction , kidnaping , lopnotUm and mysteri ous disappearances. DUinouds , however. S\cro the basis of the plot in a very larga percentage ) of the storct ! > . Judging by thq competition enough diamonds have been stolen by decent peopl ? tinablo to resUt temptatloil to.stock all the jewelers' Miops In Christen dom , and to anticipate years of production In the mines of South Africa and Qolconda. The superiority of the professional writer over the amateur hand was Immediately op * parent to the reader. Even the poor storlet by those accustomed to wilto were mora easily read than those of the nonprafesslonals , who took up no many pages In coming to the point and getting their thoughts under way. The humorous and curious feat urea wcrot numerous. One writer vent to t'lo trouble ) and expense of having his story eet up In type. The scene wts laid In France , but In his endeavor to glvo It a FVnch atmoapheroj he had only succeeded In Investing It with ) a Brooklyn tone , and his mistakes , even ln ( the simplest French phrases and exprcJslonij were ludicrous. Still another was comic In Its absurdity ; It must have been written by one of Lorcl Byron's "bread and butter rnlssfH" at C boarding school In Boston , for the scene vrav laid In that city. The humor ot It lay Its tin ) extraordinary Ideas of the writer ITS tt * JL- th- manner In which the bu lne s of a largtf firm In ( arrlod on and her curlr.u * Idria cf ) JLr i rocedure. B. D , VALI.ENTINB , j r