Democratic Sentinel, Volume 20, Number 10, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 13 March 1896 — Page 4

TUMBLE-DOWN FARM

cHAPjawrr Nestling half the slope of one •f our low Hampton hills stands a small farm house, which in my memory lay vacant for many years. The situation was bleak or pleasant according to the weather and season. Cold and dreary it must have been in a driving winter storm, with the snow whirling round the hills, the night wind rattling at the casement. Spring time, however, was not long in paying back winter's debt of dreariness. Thereabout the earlier primrose blew, and the sunshine had more light in it and the air a sweeter smell around that spot than anywhere in the neighborhood. Even now I, John Book, who have kept the chemist’s shop in Hampton these many years, crawl up there sometimes, and taste the breath of spring, which runs into my blood like wine, and 1 feel something of the young man tingling in my crazy limbs. Garden and house, windows and ceilings, were all going to the bad together, and at last we called the place Tumbledown Farm; and we used to say that even the rats knew better, than to live in Tumbledown Farm. One day, however, my boy, who was up to his eyes in gossip, came rushing ill, basket in hand, and called out, "The farm’s taken!” “Tumbledown Farm?” I said. “Never!” “Fve seen the people,” cries he; “an" old fellow in a nightcap and spectacles and a young lady.” “Heard the name, Bob?” “Hardware.” Mysterious tenants these newcomers turned out. As for the old man, he scarcely ever went outside his little garden. He was tall, decrepit, with a long white beard, and heavy spectacles, and seemed In wretched health. But his daughter came into the village almost every day, and soon became a well-known character. She was a striking young woman, hpr age hardly more than twenty-two, but she looked six years older. Her figure was that of one in the fullness of womanhood, her neck and head wonderfully graceful. She was mindful of the beauty of her figure. and wore her shawl cleverly so as to set herself off; and she knew that she had a pretty pair of feet, and let other people know it too. Her step was quick, and her carriage lively and alert. She had the whitest skin possible, a handsome face boldly cut. andjtwo dark eyes easier noticed than forgotten. I admired this young woman's appearance, yet something in her manner gave me a turn against her. There was wickedness in her eyes—l express myself awkwardly. but my way of putting it is this: her eyes seemed such that, when you looked, into them, your own were fastened for a moment, and in withdrawing your glance you seemed to draw the wicked eyes after you. Our rector, who made a point of calling on every new parishioner, poor or rich, very soon found his way to Tumbledown Farm. I asked him one morning who they were, and -all he could toll me was the name, which I knew already. “The young woman is his daughter, I suppose?” I said. “She is; he calls her Vanity," replied the rector.

“Strangest name for a Christian I ever heard,”.l remarked. “Miss Vanity Hard-ware-sounds odd enough. Well, Vanity is that Vanity does.” That name “Vanity Hardware” kept ringing in my 4 ears, and made me more curious than ever to know something of the young woman who bore it. "Bide your time, John Book,” said I to myself. “Everything will cqme to light you wait long enough.” And I was right! Once or twice Mr. Hardware was seen in the village. He was very infirm, and used to drive in Jupp’s fly. Hardware was tall, and looked venerable. He wore a brown cap with lappets over the ears and a long blue cloak with a cape. His hair you could-scarcely see, but his beard was long and white; and his shoes were large, with knobs on the toes, which caught my eye as I watched him lumbering out of the carriage. “Bunions,” said I. He could hardly rise from his seat, falling back twice, and helped out at last by his daughter and the flyman. “Lumbago,” said I again. Then he was seized with a coughing fit that nearly shook him to pieces. “Asthma,” cried I the third time. Almost .immediately after, the father and daughter crossed over the street and entered my shop, he supporting himself on her arm, and leaning heavily on his stick besides. He fell into a chair with a great sigh of relief, and Miss Vanity came to the counter and made one or two purchases, the old man wheezing and mumbling to himself all the time. In my little garden there was a blossomy sweet-smelling rose, which grew close beside a gnarled withered elder bush. Do you know, Miss Vanity, dressy and handsome and young, standing beside this grumbling Antiquity, made me think of the rose- and the elder! Now begins the story proper. Just as I was thinking of the rose and the elder, a young fellow, whom I dearly loved’ named Willie Snow, stepped into my shop. He was in haste; so, with one of his easy, pleasant nods, he asked Miss Vanity to allow him to be served befor'e her. upon which she drew aside. I marked her watching him while he stood lean- . ing carelessly against the counter, as taking a young fellow as one would meet in a day’s walk. There came over her face a look as if she would try to snare him. when she got a chance. She got the chance soon; for as Willie put the vial in ffis pocket he*turned to thank her. She smiled and, having fixed her dark eyes upon him just for an instant, withdrew her gaze with an air of tender modesty that might melt any man’s heart! “Well done. Miss Vanity!” thinks I. “Next to being bashful, the prettiest thing in a pretty woman is to seem so.” But Willie, being not half my age, could not be expected to take the thing In this cool way. A light flashed in his soft gray eyes, surprise and pleasure mixing their rays, and the color deepened on his cheek. He hesitated. “Good —good—morning,” said he, with stammering lips. “Thank you!” “You are very welcome.” Only four words, mark you. But how charming she looked! A thousand soft •nd winning beams played over her face, her voice had a melancholy ring, and her eyes drooped to the ground again. Actress—actress, Jrorn her pretty cheek to her- heart’s core! Willie seemed struck and dazed; he ••wed out silently, and she turned to me

BY ALAN-MUIR

again. I filled her orders. Then the old man hobbled out to the fly, dragging at his daughter’s arm. I must say she seemed kind to him. He managed to get seated, and the carriage door was fastened. The vehicle and the crazy old gentleman went off together, creaking and groaning, jolting and ejaculating. And I here declare to you that though I disliked that young woman and despised her artful ways, yet when she was gone out of the shop I felt as if the sunlight had gone with her. , CHAPTER 11. Willie Snow, taking him all round, was one of the finest young men I ever knew. When he was only fifteen his father, a bank clerk, died suddenly, leaving behind him a widow, one son and seventy pounds a year. Mrs. Snow lived decently oil her income and gave her son a good education; and in due time ho got a situation at an iron worker’s in the city, where he rapidly rose in the esteem of his employers. Willie had been a good son, and when, a year before this time, his mother died, he showed remarkable sorrow. He was now in an excellent position. In addition to all this, he was good-looking. His eyes were clear gray; his hair dark and thrown across his left temple in becoming irregularity; lie was tall, aud u particular melancholy in his expression made his kiud. frank smile very pleasant to see. I loved the lad—every one loved the lad. the girls especially. A more heart-, breaking fellow you could not find iu all the West of England; and he broke hearts for one reason, just because he never tried.. He won the girls' affections everywhere—he who never troubled his head about love.

Have 1 said lie did not trouble his head about love? I ought to qualify that statement; for just now he was on tinpoint of being engaged to a thrifty managing girl, who had a small fortune of her own. This Miss Nancy Steele, of her own free will, fell desperately in love with Willie, and let him know it—cleverly, for she was dever iu all things. I was not quite sure that he loved her back again, but the upshot was that affairs between the two were plainly nearing that point where the measure of the young woman’s finger is taken. Only the final word had not been spoken. The fish had nibbled, was hooked, and Miss Nancy was just gathering her wrist to swish him on to the land. The evening of the day upon which Willie met Miss Vanity Hardware in my shop he looked in to see me. Something was on that young man’s mind, and ut last the secret came out. "Singular old man I saw in your shop this morning." "You thought so?” I replied. "That young woman is his daughter, 1 suppose?” “So I understand/' “Pretty sort of girl,” he said, with makelielieve indifference. "A very tolerable girl indeed.” “I call her a woman—full grown,” said 1, emphatically. "Knows more than nine men out of ten, I'll be bound.” A few days after Willie met Miss Vanity walking at her usual active pace, and looking as handsome as ever. The you liman blushed like a girl fallen in love fertile first time; llie young woman preserved her easy air. Willie would have given a ten-pound note for any decent pretext under which he might have spoken to uer. As a matter of fact, he stole only oue sly glance in passing. It was by no means easy to climb the fence of mystery that shut the Hardwares trorn public view. A gossip Miss Ax ford was especially anxious to discover everything about them. Though nearly eighty years of age, she was still sharp and active. Morning by morning she went the round of the village, hearing all she could, telling all she could. Miss Ax ford, as I have said, ran crazy about the Hardwares. One day she looked in, fluttering with excitement. “I have heard some news at last,” she cried. “What may it be, ma'am?” “He drinks!” “Old man?” “Yes. Two dozen bottles of gin went up there last week —cordial gin He is an old sot—a brute beast!” cried Miss Axford. Strange old lady! But 1 have not inserted her bit of news merely to fill up the page. That would be bad story telling. No. long enough after, on one awful day, I remembered Miss Axford and her discovery about the quarts of cordial gin.

CHAPTER 111. . Meanwhile Willie Snow worked as hard as any of us to get at the secret. Still he found out nothing. His evening walk, however, was always uphill now. I dare sa.v the sharp eyes of Vanity Hardware soon noticed him strolling past the farm evening after evening, for after a time she grew more marked in her signs of kindness. She met him occasionally on the unfrequented road; and how those dark staring eyes set his honest young heart beating none but himself knew. On a particular evening in June, Willie pursued his upward way, coming to a turh of the road where on either side ran tall hedges, pink and white with flowers, that made the sunset air sweet like honey from their thousand breathing blossoms. Who should he see here but Miss Hardware. Of course she did not know he was near, innocent girl! She was trying might and main to catch at a spray of wild rose that hung temptingly out just beyond her reach. What an opening for Willie! He plucked up courage. “Can I—can I—do that for you?” She turned round, her face bright with surprise and pleasure. “Thank you. Ido so wish for that particular rose.” If the spray had been twenty-five feet above bis head, mark you, Willie would have secured it. In a moment he held the rose out to her, neatly trimmed by his ready pocket knife. She took it gracefully. Looping the spray round her rustic hat with skillful fingers, she stood before him, one arm raised over her head statue-like, while love and laughter played over her face. "Beautiful, isn’t it?” “Wonderfully beautiful,” replied Willie, in a low earnest voice, and with such a sigh! Then he walked on, intoxicated. Golden was the June that year. Long sunlit days passed into warm, cloudless evenings and breathless brilliant starry nights. Willie became more regular than ever in his uphill walks. Nor did Vanity give him any rebuff. Somehow she mnu-

aged to meet him constantly at one particular spot where tall trees shaded the road, and from which the distant landscape could be seen in perfect beauty. So Vanity and Willie met frequently; he talking about weather, scenery, news, any trifle, while his heart was full of lore; she, all glance and smile, letting off flights of # arrowy pleasantries barbed with mock tenderness, little suggestive sayings, laughs tipped with a meant to insinuate “I am dying for you!” but quits capable, you observe, of being explained as meaning nothing at all. What was Miss Nancy Steele doing all this time? Biting her linger nails,'l suspect; tightening her lips, tossing her haughty head, clinching her fist, but not giving up the game for lost, not if her name was Nancy Steele. That Willie was cooling toward her she could not but discover. But Nancy was a long-headed girl. Other girls would have flown into a passion. Not Nancy! She may have fumed and sobbed, but this was in secret. She got scent of Willie’s evening walks, and thought she might take a walk herself now and then. By this artful conduct on the part of Miss Nancy, Willie was put in a fix. When they met-she smiled and chatted as usual, never reproving his even b$ a .glance. “Doctor,” said Willie to me one evening, “I feel like a schemer. I have been rather sweet, upon Nancy Steele for a ‘longtime.’ What must I do?” “Marry her,” I replied. “Take her to have and to hold from this day forward.” “But I don’t love her,” he answered, “and I do love Miss Hardware—passionately." “Then let Miss Nancy know,” I said, gravely. “Honor bright. Will.” , “I will let her know,” cried Willie—“this very night.” “Steady, my lad, steady,” said I; “yon have not asked the other girl yet. Wait and see, Will; wait and see. Steady does it.”

(To be continued.)

"SUGAR AUNTS AND UNCLES.

Amusing New Year's Custom Among the Children of Belgium. All over the broad earth children display the same characteristic at New Year’s—they expect gifts, says the New York Herald. Sometimes they use every art in order to make their expectations realities. Sometimes they even resort to force to gain their ends. One amusing custom Is found in Belgium. There, on St. Sylvester's day, the eve of New Year’s day, the children strive to secure a “sugar uncle” or a "sugar aunt,” as the relative who falls a victim to their wiles is technically termed. On that day all the children of the household enter into a solemn conspiracy for the mutual good at the expense of the unwary adult whom they may, entangle in the meshes of their intrigues. They employ every artifice to get one of the older members of the household under lock and key. Early on that day the keys of all the doors in the house have mysteriously disappeared. They have been secreted by the children, who retain them, nearly for instant use whenever the occasion shall occur. Then strictest watch is maintained, to the end that some unsuspecting one may be alone in a room. An uncle enters a room to search for the paper which he has mislaid. Presto! There comes a pattering rush of feet in the hallway, the door is slammed, the key rattles in the lock. The alarmed uncle springs to the door. Woe betide him nqw if he be in a hurry, aud if he be ungenerous, for he must yield to the terms of these youthful brigands before lie can escape. He must solemnly covenant with them that he will pay to them whatsoever ransom they may demand ore the prison door will swing open. When the prisoner has promised all-that is asked the triumphant company restore him to liberty.

Trying to Top the Clowd.

ll e entered the car on which I was seated on the Sixth avenue elevated, and after a bit he leaned over and whispered in my ear; “I’ll be hanged if they liawen’t dona it!” “Done what?” I asked. “Got my watch!” “Who?” “Dunno. Some feller picket It out o’ my pocket!” “Well, that’s too bad. You ought to have been more careful. Are you a stranger in the city?” “Yes, perfect stranger. Got here only two hours ago. Say, it’s immense, ain’t It?” “I don’t exactly understand.” “Don’t you? Wall, I dt>. Do you know what’ll happen when I git back home?” “The folks will laugh at you for loslug your watch.” "Will they? Not as I knows of. You jest let m e git down alongside the stove In White’s grocery and tell the crowd that some feller down here in New York picked that watch off’n me and I never felt a touch and I’ll be the biggest man in town fur the next two weeks!” “And if you lost your wallet yau’d be a bigger man yit?” “You bet I would! Here she is, stickin’ right outer my pocket, and there’s nine dollars In her, and if somebody’ll sneak her out and not let me feel ’em I kin go home and knock the socks off’n the feller who was clubbed by a policeman and run over by a cable car down here!”—Detroit Free Press.

A Sham Battle.

In the show window of a Greenwich street saloon called the Defender, a very Interesting performance takes place every day. The performers are a big black cat and a fat white rat. The performance consists of a series of graceful gambols, in which the cat pats the rat with its soft paw, chases It about the window, catches it gently In its mouth, and otherwise disports Itself. The rat, being unable to defend itself, is obliged to submit, though with a very bad grace. It is plain that it suffers more from terror than from physical pain, for the cat works with sheathed claws and Is very gentle. At times, when tormented to the very limit of desperation, the rate does the only thing that a defenseless creature can do under the circumstances. It turns sullenly at bay, sits up on Its hind legs and makes a show of fighting. There are some who say they have seen the rat chase the cat around the window, but this Is not very likely, unless, indeed, the cat permitted it in a, spirit of fun. It is said that a cat will never harm a white (or albino) rat, and will never go further than to play with It. Two different cats have been placed In the window on Greenwich street, and neither of them has done the rat any Injury.— -New York World.

THE UTTLE COMFORTER. I shall not rail at fortune or at fate While in the dark or light I hear a footstep pattering to the gate That closes on the night. But for those little feet Each pathway shall be sweet— The sad storms rimmed with rainbows, where the paths of angels meet! I shall not rail at fortune or at fate While under Ixtve's own skies My little queen walks where the roses wait And wins me with her eyes. For in those eyes I seem To read the stars that stream On bright celestial meadows where the angels sing aud dream! I shall not rail at fortune or at fate While still I feel the beat Of her glad heart, aud in life’s twilight late Her rosy lips and sweet! Lovely as still thou art. Rest on my heart, sweetheart! Till God’s white angel smiling kiss lips and lives apart! —FRANK L. STANTON.

TRIAL BY FIRE.

The Major was one of the many wellborn Englishmen who came to California with a younger son's portion and a small monthly allowance, aud hope to make a fortune on a vineyard or a wheat ranch. The plan always looks feasible In England, and the agent assures his victim that tho £I,OOO will buy a ten-acre plot, plant vines, build a decent bungalow and tide the owner over until the vines shall bear and bring him a harvest of good American gold. The Major was going the way of many of his English friends. The £I,OOO legacy was gone, and the monthly allowance of £2O (which, viewed from a distance, seemed large) always grew painfully small as it neared California and the debts it was supposed to cover. The Major’s little mountain vineyard had been destroyed by phylloxera, and he was living on the uncertain promise of a number of green shoots, called, respectfully, “the olive brchnrd.” But the Major was not unhappy. When he was not tilling the soil, he sat on his little veranda, with his briarwood pipe between his teetli, and studied the long, narrow, picturesque Napa Valley far below. It may be said that the Major’s failure to succeed in the grape business was not the fault of the country, but that his genial, unpraeticed nature was the true obstacle to success. The Major was, in fact, the most helpless Englishman who ever came to California to take care of himself. The poor fellow became so convinced of this after a short trial that he engaged a man to act as valet to himself and Incidentally to cook the meals for both. The Major was a solitary bachelor then. The gods alone know In what unpropitious moment he picked up Pete, to hang about his neck, a mill-stone of inefficiency. Pete’s poverty must have been his recommendation and the Major’s poverty the excuse for koping him. Pete had about as much knowledge of laying out and caring for a man's wardrobe as the Major had of running a ranch. The consequence was that the Major often presented himself at his friends’ houses in the most surprising garb, a combination of white duck trousers, black •rock coat and russet hunting hoots being one of Pete’s masterpieces. In his capacity as cook Pete was not one whit more efficient, and often suffered mental agony over the ponderous directions of the Major’s French cook book, which were like the hieroglyphics of the ancients to his clouded intellect. Considering the diet of sour bread and tinned meats which Pete provided, it is only less than marvellous that his benefactor was still alive.

When the Major married Elbe Smith, a pretty San Francisco girl, Pete was promoted to he manager of the ranch, and expended his grooming talents on the pet mule. The Major’s wife was “artistic.” She had studied sketching, and did some really clever bits. Her admiring husband was sure that she possessed the divine afflatus, and consequently much time was devoted to art and little time to ranching. But this was not without protest from pne Individual. Not that he was disturbed by lack of work, but poor Pete oftener than not the unwilling mcpjel for Elbe’s clever studies. One day'Pete posed for “The Mari With the Hoe.” His temper was particularly tried on that occasion, for he had taken up his tool with the honest intention of weeding the primitive vegetable garden. Though he had scudded through the back yard and climbed the rear fence, he had not counted on meeting his young mistress in the barnyard. He began to wrestle with the weeds and pretended not to see her. His education, however, had not included a sight of Millet’s picture, he would have fled the mountain side in utter despair. “Stop, stop. Pete, right there. Don’t move an inch,’ called the sweet voice that drove him to madness. “Kenneth,” Elbe called her husband, “look. Isn’t it wonderful? The lights, the pose, the very landscape like ” “The Man J\ ith the Hoe,’ ” shouted the Major gleefully. “I’ll get your paints, Elbe. Hold on, Pete.” And before that honest son of toil had time to collect bis scattered senses be found himself posing in a very uncomfortable attitude, with the Napa Valley lying at his feet and the Major’s familiar phrases ringing in his ears—“ Fine pose —jolly good subject—delicious coloring.” After Pete posed for a hundred or more indifferent works of art without names, he began to think of deserting his master and leaving him to a just and awful fate. But this stupendous blow was averted by the (arrival of Brompton Edwards, another Englishman. who had come to learn practical ranching under the direction of his father’s old friend, the Major. After a week liad been given np to driving his protege about the valley and introducing Mm to the English colony, the Major returned to his daily routine of pruning olive trees and digging out worm-eaten grape vines. Elbe soon discovered in the young man’s clean-cut features and fine athletic figure an entirely new field for art study, and Edwards found the time pass more pleasantly as a model than as an embryo rancher. They were together during most of the daylight hours.* When

Brompton was not posing for a wild Norseman or a Greek hero, he was sitting very close to Ellie, criticising, in soft,caressing tones, tne sketches of himself which she had been doing. Without actually straying from the path of duty, Ellie was treading on dangerously uncertain territory. She quite frankly admitted to herself that she was pretty and charming and. being of that mind, she did not repress comparisons between her husband aud the younger man. Matters had arrived at a state where a warm-hearted, but vain, young woman needed a friend with the strength to hold up a good, powerful, unrelenting mirror for her to gaze into. Pete could have held up the mirror with right good will.-dnit he did not know how. In those days he followed the Major around with dog-like devotion, and only glowered when Ellie came out to the orchard one morning with her paints and succeeded in bringing upon herself a scolding from her over-indul-gent husband. She held her head very high and stiff, and marched over the hill some distance away, where she seated herself and pretended to sketch, but was in reality nursing her injured feelings to keep them alive. The Major watched her disappear with a pained expression on his good-natured face, and then went dejectedly into the house. Pete was deeply incensed against Ellie, aud made another solemn vow to desert the ranch. It was the ninety-and-ninth time that he had done so, and this time he sealed the vow with an oath. The long grass on the Napa hills was burned and crisp, aud Ellie was daubing yellow ochre and burnt umber over her canvas with vicious strokes. She was not giving any attentioh to her work, however, for an athletic form stood between her and the landscape, and she was indulging in a very foolish day-dream. To do the little woman justice she was not in love with Brompton, but her vanity had been stimulated to. such wonderful activity by his youthful gallantries, that she fancied he was deeply infatuated with her.

Over the mountain side, a half mile away, l'ete leaned on his hoe, and watched a thread of fire crawling, like a red snake, through the underbrush of chapparal and manzanita. He knew only too well that no human power could stop it, and within a few minutes the gentle breeze would cause a flying spai'k to fall upon the long, dry grass, and puff!—the crawling snake would become a great swirling, galloping mass of flame aud smoke, and would pass over the place where Ellie sat sulking and dreaming, Pete had firmly determined to leave the ranch. He had washed his hands of these people. He would not—but the grass was on lire and Pete made a dash for the house yelling at tlie top of his lungs for the Major. The volume of smoke was rising high when Ellie rose to her feet and sniffed the air. Before she could gather up her paints a thin rim of fire ran along the top of the little liill above her. The small birds and insects rose from the ground with a whirr, and scattered down the hillside. Ellie glanced quickly backward, and saw the tire licking up the grass as it bore down upon her and the smoke rolling heavenward in dense, sooty clouds. She did not lose her presence of mind, but remembered a small ploughed field a short distance away, where the flames could not reach her, and ran nimbly down the hill, with her fluttering skirts gathering cockleburs and sticker weed as she sped. When she \vas fairly on the ploughed ground and gasping for breath she saw the young Englishman tearing along the hill at a frantic rate. Through the smoke he looked pale and frightened. Ellie felt a thrill of satisfaction; here was the longed-for proof of his love, he thought she was in danger and had come to her rescue. A deep blush mounted to her cheeks and her heart beat to suffocation. But he did not seem to see her. It was evident to her that he was crazed with fear and would plunge into the tire in search of her. Merciful God! he would be burned. “Brampton! - ’ she screamed; “Brampton, I am here, safe!” The fire was very close and she had to throw herself flat upon the ground to escape being burned. She gave one more despairing cry as she felt the hot breath scorching her clothing: “Brampton! Brampton! Brampton!” A great wave of smoke and flame swept around the edges of the ploughed ground, and for a minute nothing could be seen or heard. Fortunately for Ellie, the dry grass burned like tinder, and the lire was soon roaring down the hill toward the valley. When Ellie, choked aud frightened, lifted her head, she saw the thin, long, scantily-clad legs of her husband bounding over the blackened earth toward her. His duck trousers were smeared with soot, and he had a wet blanket about his shoulders. He could not speak, but caught Ellie in his arms and burst into stifled sobs. Back of them was heard the voice of Brampton Edwards. “Hello, there, Major,” he called; “1 had a very narrow squeak of it. My hammock and books are burned to tinder by this. By jove, old fellow, you are burned yourself, aren’t you? Your wife was .safe enough. I knew she could take care of herself.” But Ellie buried her head in the wet blanket with a shudder, and burst into tears of shame and contrition. “Well, well,” gasped Pete, who had stumbled up the hill with a bundle of wet sacks, “I never was so plaguey scared in my life. Thought you’d be burned sure, Miss Ellie. Me an’ the Major’ll have a fine time next week clearing ” For Pete had reconsidered his ninety-and-ninth vow. Indeed, it was only a week later when he was speculating if ever there was a happier couple than the Major and his Ellie. And Pete beamed as he thought of the ignoble part Brompton Edwards played on the day of the fire.—San Francisco Argonaut.

A Factory for Convicts.

The Governor and the State Convict Board Of Alabama have recently closed contracts for the construction, and equipment of a large cotton factory on the penitentiary farm. The purpose is to operate this factory with the female and youthful male convicts, seventeenths of whom are negroes. The building will be erected by convicts, and the only cost to the State will be the machinery

NOTES AND COMMENTS.

The Japanese Government has just placed ordera-for 18.000 watches, not to cost more than $2.50 each. They are to be distributed among the ofticers and men who distinguished themselves in the late war. and are to take the place of the medals usually awarded at the close of national hostilities. Already Alfred Austin, England's custom-made Laureate, is paying the penalty of greatness. His maii is enormous, and the autograph tiend is after him in force. One of the curious features of the case is that Mr. Austin receives as many requests for his signature from the Fnited States as he does from England. Oiney and Lodge should look into this matter^ Benjamin D. Silliman, ofaßrooklyn. becomes tbe oldest living Vale graduate by the death of Charles L. Powell, of Alexandria. Va. Mr. Powell was born in 1804. aud was graduated from Yale in the class of 182,”,. For several years his name has appeared first in tbe list of living Yale graduates. Below his name, in the class of 1824, was that of Mr. Silliman, who was born just one year after Mr. Powell. There seems to be little doubt that John B. Robinson, of South Africa, is the richest man in the world. His fortune is estimated at $350,000,000. In 1878 Robinson was in debt. He had kept a grocery store in the Orange Free State, but he could not make both ends meet. lie and ids wife begged their way for 300 miles to Kimberley. Here Robinson laid the foundation of his enormous fortune by piekiug up a rough diamond worth $1,200. His ambition now is to be worth a billion. Electricity is likely to be an important factor in the agriculture of the future, according to tbe Italian Professor A. Aloi, who lias collected evidence showing that both terrestrial and atmospheric electricity are favorable to the germination of seeds and the growth of plants. M. Bonnier has found in tbe course of Ids experiments with continuous electric light on plants, that Alpine plants, cultivated under constant light, present points of structure identical, with those of Arctic plants, which grow under the midnight sun.

A general, simultaneous census of the world for the year 1900 is asked for by the International' Statistical Institute. It can be taken if slight modifications in the time of their regular censuses are made by the chief countries of the world. Portugal, Denmark, the United States, Germany, Austria. Switzerland, Belgium, Hungary and Sweden will regularly take their censuses on different days of 1 lie year litOO, Holland on the last day of 1899, Norway on the first day of 1901, and Great Britain, France and Italy later in that year. Prof. Becker, of the United States Geological Survey', who has just returned from the Alaska gold fields, states that although the precious metal abounds in different parts of Alaska, gold seekers should take into account the hardships and chances of ill-for-tune that they will encounter. Food and other necessaries are very expensive. Notably rich mines already developed are the Treadwell, on Douglas Island, which produces $500,000 worth of ore yearly, aud the Apollo mine, near Delaroff Bay, with a yearly output of $300,000. Henry M. Stanley states that within the last ten years France lias acquired of Equatorial Africa about 300,000 square miles, in which there are only 300 Europeans; Germany, 400,000 square miles; Italy. 547.000 square miles, and Portugal lias a defined territory extending over 710,000 square miles. France, moreover, lias been active farther north, in tbe Sahara and in West Africa, and claims rights over 1,(500,000 square miles; while Germany, in Southwest Africa aud the Cameroons, assert her rule over 540,000 square miles. France is stil much troubled over the found that Paris is not a city of Parisians. if even of Frenchmen. Only 36 per cent, of its inhabitants were born within its walls: and 75 in every 1,000 were born outside of France—a total of 181,000 aliens. Of these latter no less than 26.8(53 are Germans, while in Berlin there are only 397 Frenchmen. While Paris lias 75 foreigners to the 1,000, London lias only 22, St. Petersburg 24, Vienna 22 and Berlin 11. Perhaps, though. These figures are not so alarming to France as they are significant of the comparative attractiveness of file cities in question. One unexpected but by no means unimportant result of Dr. Jameson’s Transvaal raid has been to cast serious doubt upon the value of machine guns in civilized warfare. Those engines were certainly of little use in the Krugersdorp fight. It is to be remembered that in. the Franco-German war of 3870-71, the famous mitrailleuse was a failure, and to this day the German military authorities put little faith in such devices. Against savages, the machine gun is of the greatest possible value; but there is - evidently reason to doubt whether such will he the case against civilized combatants.

Our Baltimore contemporary, the Manufacturers’ Review, prints a full review of the business advancement of the South during the last year. We learn from it that, in the year, the southward movement of population was of unprecedented magnitude; that cotton-mill building in the South was “phenomenal”; that there was a remarkable revival in the iron business; that the output of coal was heavier than in any previous year; that several Southern shipyards made large contracts; and that, in short, the year was one of marvelous success in all branches of industry. After surveying the field, our Baltimore contempora says with pride that iu the year ISM “a solid, substantial foundation was laid for growth greater than any ever before seen in the South, if not in any other part of the country.” A new chapter lias been thus opened in the industrial history of the South. Speaking of the quaint city of Kingston, Canada, a correspondent of the Chicago lEvening Journal says: "It would not be easy to find a family in Canada within 100 miles of Kingston in which there belong a half a dozen children, where one or laore of the children were not living in the United States. A great portion of those who

have left the country are farmers’ sons, and they are found filling situations all over the State of New York. Bnt more significant than all this is the retard of the graduating classes of the Royal Military College, the West Point of Canada, picturesquely located at the foot of the slope between old Fort Henry and the river. The college was opened in 1876. The course of study is four years, the same as at West Point, the chief instructors are regular officers detailed from the British army, and the curriculum is of the most exacting order. It is a school that Canada is justly proud of, but of its annual graduating class only the four highest are eligible for commissions in the regular army. Over 50 per cent, of all of the graduates are filling positions in the United States, chiefly as civil and mechanical engineers.”

A California Lion.

" Got to stir Idm up!” remarked the hunter, and the contents of the heavy shot guut went plunging into tb“ darkness. With a wild scream the maddened lion sprang from the cavern and stood for a moment in the dim lantern light enveloped in the sulphurous smoke. Turning quickly toward a rock projecting some fifteen feet upward, the lion crouched and sprang; but, just as his feet left the rock the mountaineer’s Winchester rang out aud the desperately wounded beast struck short of the ledge and rolled back screaming and tearing at everything within reach. Tip fled warily behind a bush; but Biuelier with blundering zeal charged like a load of hay, followed by a fool tenderfoot who wanted to kill the lion with an axe. A fierce snarl—a thump —and old Blueher came end over end through the air, striking the unlucky tenderfoot amidships when the whole aggregation rolled into a manzanita bush twenty feet below. •"Look out! He’s going to spring again!” yelled Charlie. As I sat far down the hill and dug the dust out of uiy eyes, I saw the long yellow body again rise into the air as it launched itself at 'the intrepid hunter. Billy made a splendid shot, for while the lion was in tbe air a bullet from the heavy 45 broke its neck.—Outing.

The Bicycle Conquering the Horse.

The bicycle has come, and although the predominance of the horse in sport is not destroyed, it is no longer undisputed. Not like that other, that with sulphurous manifestations tumbled tbe knight from his steed, this modern machine, in quiet and orderly manner, as becomes the present, is tumbling his modern counterpart from hunter and frqm hack. Gradually it has been growing in favor, and uow it is bearing all before it. There is no dignity too great to be borne by the nimble wheel, and coquetry has been sacrificed for its sake. Every oue rides: and it is singular that the most bigoted horseman often falls the most abject victim and is found practicing ’ u]K>n the smoothly running innovation —sometimes, it is true, on the sly. A writer says in speaking of the ••retreat” of tite power-holding classes: “The effect produced on certain individuals is such that, instead of siding with the class to which by tradition and individual interest they undoubtedly belong. they take their place in the ranks of their opponents.”

The Silk Thread Market.

New York is the acknowledged headquarters for silk thread, which is dealt in by exi>erts in large quantities. The buyers of the entire country look to the great New York houses for their annual supplies, and rite recent developments of the business have been very extensive. It is acknowledged throughout the country that the silk thread sold by the New York market is the best quality of thread to be found anywhere in the country. The recent developments in this business have pointed out emphatically the fact that the quality of silk thread lias improved wonderfully in the past few years, and has kept pace with the growth of the entire silk business. Dealers in silk thread have had a most prosperous trade of recent years, and they attribute their prosperity to the superior advantages offered by New York for the conduct of their business. —New York Mail and Express.

Oddities of Animals.

Observe for yourselves. Every spotted dog lias the end of his tail white, while every spotted cat has the end of her tail black. Try it. Gather 10.000 of tbe threads spun by a full-grown spider, twist them together and see if they equal in substance the size of one of your hairs. Oysters live ten or twelve years when they have the chance. In this country they don’t get the chance. ’Tlie large horned beetle can carry 350 times its own weight. One has been known to walk away with a two and a quarter pounds weight. Live bees are sometimes shipped on iee so as to keep them dormant during the journey. This is particularly the case with bumblebees, which have been taken to New Zealand, where they are used in fertilizing the red clover that has been introduced into that colony.

Not Evidence of Insanity.

A wealthy old lady in Indiana got tired of living single aud advertised that she would pa.y some nice young man $20,000 to marry her. The nice young man was forthcoming; aud her relatives, to stop the proceedings, tried to have the old lady declared insane. But the jury of lunacy concluded that wanting a husband was no evidence of insanity and decided that she was sane. To prevent further annoyance by relatives she eloped with the young man to an adjoining town, where they were married and she handed over the S2O,(MX) check.

Old Barbarities Recalled.

The very extensive excavations under and about the river at Blackwell have resulted in very few discoveries of any interest. One object, however, was unearthed, of a decidedly startling character. It was on the Middlesex shore, just at the crossing of two rands. Here the excavators unearthed a corpse or rather a skeleton, with a stake driven through the body. It was no doubt the remains of some hapless suicide, buried here at the cross-roads, after the charitable fashion of bygone times.