The Evening Democrat, Greencastle, Putnam County, 5 October 1896 — Page 3

SMI1.ES and TEARS. The smile* that ItRht some kindred fuee, To oheer us when by sorrow bowed, Are like the Klory beams that chose The darkness from the summer cloud; Dear, radiant gloamings of the soul, The suiMhine of affection's sky. They lift the hoort from griefs control And wipe the tear from sorrow’s eye. 1 The tear-drops on some kindred cheek, When joy is mingled with despair, Our spirits’gloom can lift and break, And leave joy’s light unclouded there; Can lift and thrill the trembling heart, And soothe us In life’s saddest hours, And sparkle on the soul as clear As dews that sleep on fainting Rowers. Love’s holy smile and Pity’s tear, Like angel footprints from the skies, They lift us o’er the mortal sphere, And give us gleams of Paradise. Oh. Smiles and Tears, by those a'oue, Had we no higher r ipluro given, The heart might hope for glory’s zone— The soul might wing its way to heaven; —0. D. Stuart, in Ledger.

BATTERSBtS FORTUNE.

She mswerei him only with tears. “He’s boun’ to ha’ left you summat, Joan, my lass, to remember him by; and, whether or no, you’ve only to speak the word, and theer’s one as ’ll be proud to have you.” “Seth, I can’t talk with you now,” she said, showing him her damp face and bright eyes. “Nor come home and take your dinner with my mother, Joan?" “No, no. I mustn’t go yet. They’ll turn me out soon, I know; but 1 must stay till then.” “Well, lass,” said Seth, "you know best; but I’m fair aching for you, and this night as is I’ll fetch you to home. ” He took her in his arms in the passage, up which so many antique articles had traveled during the last half century, and kissed her wet cheeks. “And now i man get back to work,” he said.

more than the palliaeeo and the bol- ! BIG SN\KE

ster. | “Well, I’m off to the Hen and ! Chickens,” said Walter Hattersby at length. “I’ve had enough of this.” So, too, had Mrs. Peter, for there was not an article in the {90m that she

had not thoroughly tested.

The sun was still well above the cemetery hill when Seth called at No. 59, in his workaday grime and his

workaday grease.

“Art ready, my lass?” he inquired

of Joan.

The girl began to make excuses. “It’s not right, Seth, to leave the ,

house with no one in it. He wouldn’t I la „ r 5 e S'dnenng of people, have liked it.” she said. 1 ofll<:o » ,urt of tbo » llt ‘ual

D

“‘Save yourselves, boys!’ I cried, and just then the snake gave a great swish and broke loose. I let go and the snake made straight for the backroom. I tried to get hold of him again, but he faced us and twisted his tail into the bar-t of the little elephant's cage aud I didn't dare to go near him. The way we got him into the box was to tangle him up in a net and then work him in. I tell you he's a corker.”—Now York Sun.

OWN at Burns’s auimal place, '

in South street, just north of j Cnriusitirs of Hailstones, where the Lrooklyu bridge ! Humboldt, the great scientist crosses that street there was a ftn nndiepnted H uthority

Ihe sm'»H| pherio as W0 U

romena,

ills FIRST MKAL IX AMK.KICA

WAS A TKARIilNG TALK.

He UroUn Away From Klevon Men 1

Who Were Trying to Hox Him

Lp—Forty Feet Long and Weighs 503 Pounds.

an 1

on atmos-

, . , , . , 1 i as other natural pheoffice part oftho annual store, which , telle of B hailstorm which is separated from the rest by a high : ftMed OV( . r Tna , anv on March 14, "" ””” ‘ 1813, every ico globule of the entire

fall being of a beautiful orange color.

[J1E High street of Moxford was interested this Ju ne day in the funeral of old Carmel Bat tersby, whose picturesque hobble and long gray locks would never again enliven the street He had kept the curiosity shop for about tifty years. The old spinning wheels, sparrow-logged chairs, carved oak bureaus, china, of all sorts, war medals, watches, coins, etc., would,no doubt, now go to the hammer. Moxford would miss the attractive window of No. 59 almost as much as the quaint form of its late owner. Peter Battersby aud Mrs. Peter were early on the scene, in decent black. They had extremely comfortable expectations. To he sure, for the last ten years they had not interchanged many words with the late Carmel,who was Peter’s only brother; but as Mrs. Peter remarked when the news of her brother-in-law’s death arrived, “he couldn’t for shame leave his money to any one else.” Young Walter Battersby, Mr. and Mrs. Peter’s only son, did not conceal his joy in his uncle’s demise. He told his boon companions at the Hen and Chickens that ho was in lor a good thing. “Blood, you know, ns the saying is, is thicker than water,” he said, as be drained his fourth pint on the evening of his avuncular bereavement. Nor was the three daughters of Mr. and Mrs. Peter without discreet maidenly elation. Their uncle, while he lived, was such a figure that they never called to look at him. Besides, he hadn't a very civil tongue; liked to be caustic about their high-heeled shoes and extensive bonnets aud hats, and to be very rude with his inquiries why three Mr. Bights did not press for the honor of their small gloved hands. It seemed unlikely indeed, that a single tear would bo shed for the old curiosity man. Of course, there was his little servant girl, Joan Smith. But she was only “a workhouse hussy,” to barrow Mrs. Peter’s elegant expression. With his usual eccentricity, old Carmel had taken a girl from the Moxford Union after the death of his elderly housekeeper, Mrs. Roberts. Joan was tnat servant, and she had served him truly for the last six years, being now hut twenty-two. A quiet, shrinking, dark-eyed little creature, who had revered her dead master quite unaccountably, and devoted herself to him heart and hand and soul. Save for Seth Perry, who worked for the Moxford tin plate company, she bad had no one else to care for. Mr. and Mrs. Peter found No. 59 nicely prepared for tho funeral. There was also a rather clumsy wreath of wild hyacinths and buttercups on the coffin. “The idea of such a thing as that 1” exclaimed Mrs. Peter, touching the wreath with the tip of her parasol. Joan was near at the time. She burst into tears at these words. “Please, ma'am,” she said. “I should so like it to go with him. I picked them all myself.” “It shall do nothing of tho kind, then ; and your place is in the kitchen, not in tho parlor,” retorted Mrs. Peter. Joan retired, crying bitterly; and Mrs. Peter flung tho wreath into a corner. “The hussy ought not to be allowed to leave this bouse, Peter,” she said severely, “without being searched. The idea of her .being with all these vallybles—all alone, too.” But Peter was not as cruel as his

wife.

“Cameron says she is entirely to be trusted," he replied, “and it’s for him to act as he pleases, he says.” Mr. Cameron was the Moxford lawyer who had charge of the old curiosity man’s affairs. Two or three others now arrived, including the lawyer, Mr. Hurst, tho Methodist New Conueetion minister, and old Craven, the silversmith. Then the High street enjoyed its little sensation as the hearse and three coaches solemnly passed along it to the cemetery on tho bill. Joan viewed tho start from the back entry with tennul eyes. She was periodically convulsed with sons. She watched the procession as long as ever she could. The void in her Hfo w.i.e

immense.

So much so indeed, that even the soothing vo.ee o Scthl’err;.', who had come npon her unawares, had no ef-

fect on her at first.

It was a hot day even for June, and when tho funeral party re-entered the house, Mrs. Peter's face was extremely

red.

Here they were met by Walter Battersby and the three girls. This was Mrs. Peter’s arrangement. “Tho more witnesses there are the safer it’ll be,” she had said, alluding, of course, to the reading of her broth-er-in-law’s will. “Besides,” she added, “they may hear something nice for themselves.” As far as he was concerned, however, young Walter had fully intended to be present, even if his father and mother objected. Joan continued alone in the kitchen. Th# tramp of strange feet in the room over her did but make fresh tears well up from the bountiful source inside

her.

And so tho funeral party and the others sat round old Carmel’s table and waited for Mr. Cameron to begin. The lawyer did not keep them waiting. Ho smiled rather dryly and drew forth tho paper from its official blue envelope. Never was there, in Mrs. Peter Battersby’s opinion, u more horrid and disgraceful last will and testament. Certainly, her husband was to receive a fourth of the proceeds of the sale of the deceased’s goods; but what was a mere fourth? The other three-fourths wero left— of all things—to tho Moxford Union, "to help them to train up more girls like Joan Smith." Those were the very words. To tho throe girls of Sir. and Mrs. Peter tho three largest mirrors m the establishment of No. 59 were bequeathed without comment. Mr. Walter Battersby was not even mentioned, nor was Mrs. Peters. Mr. Cameron received a hundred pounds, and so did the deceased's old friend, Mr. tVr.ven. Lastly, Joan was mentioned. She was to have a year’s wages, all the furniture of her own bedroom, and the old scrap book for which she had so often plied scissors and paste, and which contained curious items of newspaper intelligence during tho last thirty years. “There, gentleman and ladies, that is all,” said Mr. Cameron; “and now you must excuse me. I leave you with my co-trustee, Mr. Craven.” “One moment, sir,” interposed Mr. Peter, to whom his wife had whispered mneb. “What’s become of all his money in the bank? He must have had thousands." “The balance to his credit on May 31," answered Mr. Cameron, referring to a note, “was j^ist £45 8s, lOd. Alter the funeral expenses are paid—” “What’s he done with it?” cried Mrs. Peter, redder of face than ever. “I cannot tell you, madam. Good morning,” said the lawyer, who then wisely left them to tight the matter out among themselves. But before he went he, with his own bauds, carried to Joan in her kitchen the unwieldy old scrap book, and told her that it was her property as well as the furniture of her room. “Come, cheer up, my girl,” he tnkl at parting. “Your muster was fond of you, and he would rather see you bright than downcast. Aud remember that I am your friend if you should happen to want one.” Joan thanked Mr. Cameron, and then, having reverently kissed the old book, xiut it one side. Mrs. Peter, before she parted, thought well to trespass in the kitchen and say some cruel things to Joan. But somehow tho girl did not mind them very much now. Then Seth looked in again, and said she was to come up to his mother’s that evening. If the didn’t he should fetch her. And to make snre of having her ho carried olT the big scrap book.

“It’s not right, Joan, to make a , , , . , ,... promise and not keep it.” retorted ! au ’ 1 st ™ D R lron “ c twork partition Seth. “Como, now, I’m not going to ™‘«'l of ineI1 wh ' ,fe >»t<rest seemed

leave you to mope your eyes out. Do conceii I ra ^ upon loop »n< j pj ve y earg p r j 0 r to that extraordinary you mean to make me marry you?” I hl, ' on K t J tw box which was :n the inner | even . (Jaruiola, Germany, was treated She was persuaded with difficulty. | room, close to the partition. Donahl | u fodl o{ dve f eet 0 f blood re i Then it was a revelation of churac- -'as inside the partition w.th u l 1now ._ This was followed by a fall of ter to see how she locked one door af- ! nnmb< ‘ r " l lll8t y assistants, and he ^] uo which is said to have given

was giving directions for making a hole iu one end of tho box and con-

THY COUNTRY. Tl* with thy country thou must rise or falli Hee l thou thy country's call! The blood of patriots sprinkles all her clods— Her cause is thine and God’s! 51111 be thy breast ^brnve in her right to bleed — Thy dream should be thy deed! Epon her alta’s still thine eyes shou 0 see The tires of Liberty. And thy true ban d make even a wiad-l low rose A barrier to her foes. Content to (Ind. where’er her banner wnvo Thy glory or thy grave! —F. L. Stanton. mil anB point.

Mrs. Peter Battersby did something else before she left No. 59. Together with her disappointed sou and darling Walter, she climbed the stairs to Joan's little attic, and took a

hammer with her.

“It’s the very kind of spiteful thing he’d be likely to do,” she said, “but I’ll not stand it—robbinghis own flesh and blood for a workhouse brat." Mr. Peter left her to her own devices. He, Mr. Craven, and the three vexed (indeed, insulted) girls went

away together.

Then Mrs. Peter studiously searched Joan’s attio from wall to wall. Bhe turned out the girl’s one tin box, looked in the drawer of tho washstand, ripped up tho palliasse outrageously and threw the straw all about and treated the bolster with

equal brutality.

There was aleo a handsome old oak wardrobe that would have graced even 11 royal bedchamber. This was for i Joan’s three or four poor irocks. ) It was quite laughable to see how mother ana sou tapped and probed this antique piece o; lurniture. They ' even knocked oil the head of a lion 111 i relief at tho top of it, to see if there

“Never you mind, lass,” said Beth was n secret cavity behind the head, “thingi’ll all oowo out right,” i But the wardrobe taught them no

ter another and pocketed the different

keys.

“Anybody ’ud think Iho things were all youru, Joan,” said Seth admir-

ingly.

“It’s the same to me as if they were," she answered, with the tone of

fresh tears.

But Seth hurried her off before she could break down again, and soon had her in the little red brick cottage he shared with his mother. Old Mrs. Perry had, in her younger days, been a servant herself. She had a true woman’s sympathy for Joan, and discernment enough to know that her son might do far worse than marry

such a girl.

It was as comfortable a meal as any in Moxford, with the cat purling on the hearth all time. Afterward the talk turned solidly upon old Carmel and his singular bequests to Joau. “The money and the furniture Ml be useful to you, child,” said old Mrs. Perry; “but the idea of leaving you a thing like that 1” pointing to the

scrap book.

“I used to bo so fond of it,” stammered Joan. “The times we’ve sat together, him pasting aud me cutting what he’d marked!” She rose and lifted the big book on the table, untied its strings, and

opened it.

Why, what’s this?” exclaimed Seth, as a bank note for £100 ap-

peared.

Joan turned pale as she took it up. It was endorsed on the back: “Pay to Joan Smith aud no ouj else.” Ere they had finished looking through the book they found twentyone other notes of exactly the sumo

kind.

“They aro certainly yours, my girl,” said Mr. Cameron, when Joau called on him in the morning ; “and I shall have great pleasure in telling Mrs. Peter Battersby what has become of the money to her brother-in-law’s credit at tho bank."—Cassell’s Satur day Journal. The Cara of Spectacles. An experienced oculist says that a great many people injure their eyesight by not keeping their glasses bright and highly polished. Tney allow dust aud perspiration to accumulate upon them, then they are dim and semi-opaque and the eyes are strained with trying to look through

them.

It is not au easy matter to keep glasses in perfect order, especially iu warm weather, and just what is best to clean thorn with has long been an unsettled question. One man has put himself on record as declaring that the only cleaner he has found satisfactory was a bank note of large denomination. Whether the size of the note or tho quality had to do with tho efficacy of it did not transpire. A lady has used a Japanese paper napkin with most pleasing results, aud says she buys jiaper napkins by the dozen and keeps them ou hand for this purpose, Another lady, who must be very particular about her glasses, keeps on hand bits of mosquito netting thoroughly washed aud rinsed in clear water and ironed, and pronounces thorn in every way better than anything else she has ever tried. The ordinary pocket handkerchief, being not a practical glass cleaner, the^e suggestions are given for what they are worth.—New York Ledger. An Enterprising Org m-Orinucr. The grinder of tho street piano is never at a loss for a new attraction. For some time a couple of little girls have been following one of these marvels of technique and dancing on the sidewalk each time it stoppeU to play, but those performances have been eclipsed. 1 Have seen the pianist down town lately. His partner turns the handle and ho does a song and dance; rather, a song or a dance, as tile music requires. He has not a bad tenor voice and he soars way up on the small notes of “Arrahgowan, Ye’re Only Fooling,” then comes a quick step of some kiud aud he trips the light tautastie with a trained bearlike motion. “Oh, Don’t You liemember Sweet Alice, Ben Bolt,”comes in somewhere, aud he sings it with a trill or two in effective places. He succeeds in drawing a crowd, and between the tunes he passes his hat.— Albany (N. Y.) Journal. Irving’s Wigs. Shortly before Sir Henry Irving went to AtmTioa ho exhibited the wig he wore when he played Bill Sykes, a wretched thing with broken springs, imitation hair and badly made. It was made tnirty years ago. Tho bnir alone of his new Macbeth wig is worth $15. Clarkfou, the famous English theatrical wisimaker, Miys that for Sir Henry’s recent American tour ho supplied no le.-s than 11(10 wigs. The wig which Mr. Tree procured for his Svengnli in “Trilby” cost $50. The licarest wig Clarkson ever made cost i-200.

'the whole foco of nature an exceed-

1.0,e ,:, one cuu 01 rue uox ana con- ; , , v „ nrious t/ . necting a stove with it to keep the big j jj;,, hai]tltnnn l a f cll ,

snake warm.

“I hear

you have

with a snake,”

been said

having the ro-

truiiblo

porter.

“Hush !*' whispered Burns. “I have been keeping the thing quiet. How did you hear of it? You know I didn’t want it to get out that any animal, wild or tame, ever got the better oi me. I have been handling animals and snakes ever since I was a hoyelephants, lions, tigers, wildcats, boas, rattlesnakes, copperheads—and nothing ever got the best of me before. It was awful, 1 tell you. Look at this!” Mr. Burns threw back the hasp which held shut the lid of a smaller box which stood beside the big new one and opened the cover. Then ho loosened aud raised au inside lid of glass which covered tho contents of tho box, and. making a quick move, caught a big snake by tho neck, just back of the head. “Catch hold of him, boys,"be cried to his assistants, and three of them grasped different portions of the snake as Burns drew it forth. They stretched it out until its head and tail w< re probably ten feet apart; but tho snake did not seem to like the operation, and kept a good part of its length concealed by pulling itself up in ringletted kinks. “Put him back,” yelled Burns. The snake was perhaps six inches iu diameter at the thickest part of its

body.

“lie’s a pretty good sizedehap, isn’t ho?” asked Burns. “He’s nearly twenty feet long, but he’s not a marker to the other one. You see I

could handle him.”

Then Burns went over to the big box and opened it cautiously. This box also had an inside set of lids tilled

in with heavy plate glass.

“There,” exclaimed Burns, “is 8 snake that is a snake. He is netween tnirty aud forty feet in length, weighs 503 pounds aud measures two feet around the biggest part of his body,

Talk about handling him.

Bed hailstones fell at Amsterdam in 17‘2ii, at London iu 11103 (during the time of the great plague), and at divers places in Ireland and France during the early part of tho present

century.

In 1823 a monstrous hailstone fell at Muusou, Mass. It is described in the Waltham Register of July 15th of that year us follows: Extremes, four feet long, three feet wide and two feet thiek. Alter the rough part of tho body had been removed there remained a clear, solid block of ice two feet three inches long, one foot and six inches wide and one foot and three inches thick. The most extraordinary hailstorm of history, as far as tho queer shapes ! of the hailstones were concerned, was that which occurred on tho Wadi . oasis in the desert of Sahara, iu 1851. 1 The individual ice chunks were of all imagiriablo forms. There were wheels with four, six and eight spokes, dumb bellt;, targe and small, triangles, 1 cylinders, both solid and hollow, somo of the solid ones being as much as six inches in length and not larger iu diameter than a lead pencil. Tho 1 common round hailstones congealed together in their descent, forming into fantastic pyramids, like tho old pictures ol the piled-up cannon balls; some took-upon themselves the forms ot gigantic bunches of grapes, and other masses “fell in the shape of necklaces, crowns, crosses, etc.” In a hailstorm in Wisconsin in 188(1 the individual “stones” were of many odd shapes aud forms. Some were shaped like ginger snaps, others like watches, loaves of bread, etc.— Atlanta Constitution.

firing a Cannon Uniler Water. The most curious experiment ever made with a piece of ordnance was at Portsmontb, England. A stage was erected in the harbor within the side mark; on this au Armstrong gun of the 110-ponnd pattern was mounted.

He’s tho ! Bi 18 8 aa was then loaded and carefully

aimed at a target—all this, of course, during the time of low tide. A few hours later, when the gun and the target were both covered with water to n depth of six feet, tho gun was tired by means of electricity. We said “aimed at a target,” hat the facts arc

as high as 1 that there were two targets, but only that are to om? was erected for this special experi-

bo seen ou the decks of a square- rncut, the other being the hull of an rigged ship. The snake’s little yellow old vessel, the Griper, which lay di bead-like eyes were alert, but he rectly behind tho target and in range seemed not at all anxious to move, j of the ball. The target itself was Burns advanced a hand carefully to- placed only twenty-five feet from tho ward the snake’s head and suddenly muzzle of the gun. It was composed

darted it forward and closed his ~“ 1 ' '

only brute that ever got away from Donald Burns. Look at him now!" Bums had opened the glass cover. The great python lay coiled at one end oi the box with his head resting comfortably upon the upper coil of his body. He made altogether a pile

about us big around and one of the coils of hawser

powerful lingers about the snake’s

neck.

1 ue neck is slender compared to the rest of the body, but still it makes a big handful. The moment the fingers closed the snake began to stretch out its head, and it became apparent that 1 ven a powerful man like Burns could not hold it. Burns suddenly released his hold. The snake poked out its forked tongue once or twice and then returned to its former position. “ Je has been fed since we had tho tussle with him,” said Burns, “or I

of oak beams and planks, and was twenty-one inches thick. In order to make the old Griper invulnerable, a sheet of boiler plates three inches thick was riveted to the water-logged hull in direct range with tho course the ball was expected to take if not de lected by the water. Ou all of these —tbe oaken target, tho boiler plates and the old vessel hull—tho effect of the shot from the submerged gun was really startling. The wooden taiget was pierced through and through, the boiler-iron target was broken into pieces and driven into its “backing,” the ball passing right on through both

couldn’t even do that much with him. lu ‘ a ‘r ‘ UK figur ou lurousu ooiu I fed him a y, urimg calf and he swal- ! 8ldesof t b8 ™«* 81 . "^'iig a huge hole,

lowed it whole after crushing every

bone in its body. He is a rock python from Southern Java. He was caught in a trap on May 14 and came here iu the trap. 1 am sorry that I let the Italians carry off that trap and break it up. It was a curiosity in itself. It was made of teakaood aud bamboo. At one side was a hole and this bad jiitces of pointed bamboo running in Irurn it like the wires in our rat traps. The natives of Java put a goat into the box for bait, and tbe snake went in through the hole after the goat. When he got 111 lie couldn't get out. He was never taken out of the trap until I took him out. He was sent to

through which the water poured in torrents. Taken altogether, the experiment was au entire success, demonstrating, as it did, tho feasibility of placing submerged guns in harbors in time of war and doing great damage to tho vessels which an enemy might dispatch to such points for the purpose of shellingcities.—Invention. Railroads Encouraging (Jardenlng. In England the Great Western and the Midland offer sums of money annually to encourage platform gardens. In the case of the former company a regular system has been in operation for eighteen years §1250 being voted

Singapore, where my agent bought j annually lor the purpose. The line is him, and he was sent to me on the ! divided into twelve sections. To each ship Ben —Ben—something or other. « special prize of $2’i is awarded, and She got in ou Thursday at the foot ot ; there are 1G5 ordinary prizes, ranging Market street. They brought the ' from $!•'> to $2.50, a list of the suctrap down here on a truck, aud I got ; cesstul stations being published each ten Mongthoremen to help get it into j year, * ‘ !

the shop and take the snake out. We took the trap into the front part of the store, behind the partitiou, and put it beside the new box, where the

unnkeis now.

“i opened the trap and caught the big fellow by the neck. ‘Everybody catch hold,’ I called. Every one of the ten ’longshoremen got a hold ami we pulled tbe big fellow out of the box. We’d just, got him straightened o t w hen ho organ to rear. L weigh

more than 20(1 pounds, but do you inspector,

know that ho lifted me up as if I were a child. He lifted me up about two fe-; and thrashed the floor with me. AU the men behind wero being turovrn around the room as if they were infant.-i every time the snake twisted. Then tho brute drew him tell' up and I saw ho was getting ready to wind himself about some of us.

A circular is also sent round tarnishing a complete list of plants suitable for various purposes—for permanent borders, for summer bedding, for mixed borders of hardy plants, for spring bedding, as well as a list of evergreens and creepers,together with particulars as to height, color, dates for sowing, aud raauy other necessary

hints.

'The Midland INilway devotes $1009 iu the same way, the prizes (ranging from $37.50 to$].25. A fully qualified

wuo-e duties take him to

every part of the line, is deputed to deal with the matter, aud the whole scheme is pronounced a success. The Great Northern and tho Loudon aud Northwe-t rn Companies let allotuieuis in their men wh re possible,the number of allotments iu the case of tho former company reaching very

nearly 25U9.—utterly Review.

She cooed ; he wooed ; and the old man said they could if they would.— Spare Moments. If everybody knew when the market would stop booming it would stop a great deal sooner.—Fuck. Ella—“I heard something mean about you to-day.” Stella—“l thought you looked pleased.”—Tid-Bits. “Who was best man at tbe wedding?" “The bride’s father, if cheerfulness counts for anything.”—Puck. “They say a piano sounds best when it stands near a wall.” “I think it sounds best out in a ten-acre lot.”— Chicago Record. Mrs. Oldtimer—“Does your husband still think that you arc too good for him?” Mrs. Newlywed—“Yes ; he complains a good deal ou Sundays!”'

Puck.

She—“Everybody says you married’ me only for my money.” He—“But I didn’t dear. I know you look it, dear, but I didn't.”—Indianapolis Journal. Mrs. Elmore—“I wonder how many stops that new organ of De Smyth’s has got?” Elmore—“Only three, I should judge. One for each meol.”Buffalo Times. “Ab. me, my heart is full!” sighed the girl who ha 1 bccu taking advantage of hi r leap year privilege until she found herself engaged to five men. —Spare Moments. No Neel to Look; “O, Harry !”exclaimed Mrs. Curaso, “do look at that bug crawling across the mirror.” “It must be a ladybug,” replied Cumso, without raising his eyes irom his newspaper.— Detroit Free Press. “That minister is tho most absentminded man. I took him through a hospital ward yesterday where all the patients happened to be asleep.” “What did ho do?” “Forgot himself and began to deliver a sermon.”—New York Heraid. Suburban—“What do you supposo I have raised in my garden thus far this summer?" Visitor—“(IVell, if you’ve had the same weather that w® have I imagine you must have raised your umbrella oftecer than anything else.”—Boston Courier. A lady far more particular about her husband’s appearance than he is, was surveying him. “What is the matter?” he inquired. “That suit of clothes. It looks as if you had slept in it.” “I have,” he replied, candidly; “J wore it to church.”—Washington Star. Piano-Teacher (to father of one of his pupils)—“I have come to ask you for your daughter's baud.” “Oho. that’s your game, is it? You have been making love to ray daughter instead of teaching her? Very well, you can have her, but I shall deduct the money I paid for her lessons from her dowry.”—Fiieeende Blaster. Strange Sea Uonster.. The sting ray, a member of the skate family, is a dangerous inhabitant of Florida waters. The largest specimens of the kind, weighing from tour hundred to five hundred pounds, live at great depths, and are seldom found in shore, but rays from thirty to forty pounds aro often encountered near the laud, and natives consider them to bo fully as dangerous as the octopus or the much dreaded blue

shark.

The fish is a large, broad, tfat-bol-lied creature, with eyes of a golden tint, a sharp, spear-like appendage at the end of the back and a long, slender tail that reminds one mu''h of a blacksnake whip. This whip tail serves as a lariat w’tb which au enemy may first be lassoed aud then th® barbed spine finishes the work by lacerating tbe victim in a frightful manner. The sting ray is u villianoas creature from any point of view, and has no friends in this or any other latitude. In the Atlantic Ocean between th® shores of the Bahama Islands and tho Florida coast, there lives a strange creature known as the glaucus, 01 aea lizard. It is seldom if ever found near the laud, but seems to prefer deep water an I a hot sea, especially where a strong cutreut exists. It iu well known that this portion of the Gulf Stream, crowded in between th® Bahamas and Florida, is very rapid, and therefore the con litions so favorable to the sea lizard are here to b® found to a greater degree than elsewhere in the known world. As a substitute lor forelegs it has two broom-shaped tins, ami from about the middle of the body, including tho tail, there are several more fins that spread out like a fan.—New York Journal.

Tills Cut Had Kcnsoi. A writer in the London S .ootator' fells of a cat which foun 1 a pi t winre mouse tha* had escaped from the e i •«*. Th« eat carried the mons‘‘ iu toe house, placed it ou hi floor ami marched out. Cotmuou mice hoR heyer been treated that way by 1 o® eat, and it seens tha’ the fel no kni w that toe Albino mouse was eutiCc ' * — consideration.