Rensselaer Republican, Volume 22, Number 32, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 10 April 1890 — Page 2

ALLAN QUATEMAIN.

BY H. RIDER HAGGARD.

Chapter XX—CoNTiyru ed. i Opposite our right wing, and forming Sorais’a left wing, was a great army of dark, wild looking men, armed with sword and shield only, Which, I was Informed, was composed of Nasta’s twenty- fire thousand savage hillsmen. “My word, Good,” said I, when I saw them, “you will catch it to-mor-row when those gentlemen charger’ whereat Good not unnaturally looked rather anxious. All day we watched and waited, but nothing happened, and at last night fell, and a thousand watch-fires twinkled brightly on the slopes, to wane and die one by one like the stars they resembled, as the hours wore on and the silenoj gradually gathered more deeply over the opposing hosts. It was a very wearying night, for in additition to the endless things that had to be seen to, there was our gnawing suspense to reckon with. The fray which to-morrow would witness would be so vast, and the slaughter so awful, that stout indeed must the heart have been that, was not over "helmed at the prospeet. And when I thought of all that hung upon it, I own I felt ill, and it made me very sad to reflect that these mighty forces were gathered for destruction, simply to gratify, the jealous anger of a woman. This was the hidden power which was to send those dense masses of cavalry, flashing like human thunderbolts across the plain, and to roll together the fierce battalions as clouds when hurricane meets hurricane. It was a dreadful thought, and set one wondering about the responsibilities of the great ones of the earth. Deep into the night we sat, with pale faces and heavy hearts, and took counsel, whilst the sentries tramped up and down, down and up, and the armed and plumed generals came and went, grim and shadow-like. And so the time wore away, till everything was ready for the coming slaughter; and I lay down and thought and tried to get a little rest, but could not sleep for fear of the morrow—for who could say what the morrow would bring forth? Misery and death this was certain; beyond that we knew not, and I confess I was very much afraid. But, as I realised then, it is useless to question that eternal Sphiun, the future. From day to day she reads aloud the riddles of the yesterday, of which the puzzled worldlings of all ages have not answered one nor ever will, guess they never so wildly or cry they never so loud. —~—

And so at length I gave up wondering, being forced humbly to leave the issue in the balancing hands of Providence and the morrow. And at last up came the red sun, and the huge camps awoke with a clash and a roar, and gathered themselves together for battle. It was a beautful and awe-inspiring scene, and old Umslopogaas, leaning on his ax, contemplated it with grim delight. • ‘Never have I seen the like, Macumazahn. never!” he said. “The battles of my people are as the play of children to what this will he. Thinkest thou that they will fight it out?” “Ay,” I answered, sadly, “to the death. Content thyself, ‘Woodpecker, 1 for once shalt thou find thy fill.” Time went on, and still there was no sign of an attack. A force of cavalry crossed the brook, indeed, and rode slowly along our front, evidently taking stock of our position and numbers. With this we did not attempt to interfere, as our decision was to stand strictly on the defensive, and not to waste a single man. The men breakfas Led and stood to their arms, and the hours wore on. About midday, when the men wore eating their dinner, for we thought, they would fight better on full stomachs, a shout of “Sorais, Sorais,” arose like thunder from the enemy's extreme right, and taking the glasd I was able to clearly distinguish the • Lady of the Night” herself, surrounded by a glittering staff, and ridif r slowly down the lines of her battalk vs. And as she went on, that mighty, thundering shout rolled along before her like "he rolling of ten thousand chariots, or the roaring of the ocem when the gale turns suddenly and carries the noise of it to the listener’s ears, till the earth shook, and the air was full of the majesty of sound. Guessing that this was a prelude to the beginning of the battle we remained still and made ready. We had not long to wait Suddenly like florae from a cannon’s mouth, out shot two great tongue-like forces of cavalry, and came charging down the slope toward the little stream, slowly at first, but gathering speed as they ee/ac. Before they got to the streams orders reached me from Sir Henry, who evidently feared that the shock of such a charge, if allowed to fall unbiOken upon our infantry, would be too much fcr them, to send five thousand Fa»»e>a lo meet the force opposite to mo, at the mccient when began to m-unt the jdffest of the rise about four hunarad yards from our lines. This I did, remaining behind myself with the rest of u? mat . rsm',l H,o Dve thousand horsemen, drawn up m r. wedge-like form, and 1 fnubt say twat tL 3 general in command handled then* very ably. Starting at a hnna-gar,of, for the first three hun.drod yai*ds, ho rode straight at the tip cf the tongue-shaped mass of cavalry, wnich n-imtering, so far as ,1 could judge,, about eight thousand sabers, was advancing to meet us. Then he suddenly swerved to the right and put on the pace, and I saw the great wedge curl round, and before the foe could check himself and turn to meet it, strike him about half-way down his length, with acrashlng, rending sound, like the breaking up of vast sheets of Use. U sunk the great wedge, into hiß heart, and as it cut its way hundreds •of borsemea were thrown up ou either

side of it, just as the earth is thrown 4ip by a plowshare, or more like still, as the foaming water curls over beneath the bows of a rushing ship, In, yet in, vainly does the tongue twist its ends round in agony, like an injured snake, and strive to protect its eenter; still further in, by Heaven! right through, and so, amid cheer after cheer from our watching thousands, back again upon the severed ends, beating them down, driving them? as a gale drives spray, till at last admidst the rushing of hundreds of riderless horses, the flashing of swords, and the victorious clamor of their pursuers, the great force crumples up like an empty glove, then turns and gallops pell-mell for safety to its own lines. I do not think it reached them more than two-thirds as strong as it went out ten minutes before. The lines which were now advancing to the attack, opened and swailowed them up, and my force returned, haying only suffered a loss of about five hundred men, not much, I thought, considering tae fierceness of the struggle. I could also see that the opposing bodies of cavalry on our left wing were drawing but how the fight went with them Ido not quite know. It is as much as l can do to describe what took place immediately around me. By this time the dense masses of the enemy’s left, composed almost entirely of Nasta’s swordsmen, were across the little stream, and with alternate yells of “Nasta” and “Sorais,” with dancing banners and gleaming swords, were swarming up toward us like ants. Again I received orders to try and check this movement, and also the main advance against the chest of our army, by means of cavalry charges, and this I did to the best of my ability, by continually sending squadrons of about a thousand sabers out against them. These squadrons did the enemy, much damage, and it was a glorious sight to see them flash down the hillside, and bury themselves like a living knife in the heart of the foe. But, also we lost many men, for after the experience of a couple of these charges, which had drawn a sort of bloody St. Andrew’s CTtJsa Tjf“ dead add—dying through the center of Nasta’s host, our foes no longer attempted to offer an unyielding front to their irresistible weight, but opened out to let the rush go through, throwing themselves on the ground and hamstringing hundreds of horses as they passed. And so, notwithstanding all that we could do, the enemy drew nearer, till at last he hurled himself upon Good’s force of seven thousand five hundred regulars, who were drawn up to receive them in three strong squares. About the same time, too, an awful and heart-rending groan told me that the main battle had closed in on the center and extreme left. I raised myself in my stirrups and looked down to my left; so far as the eye could see there was a long, dazzling shimmer of steel as the sun glanced upon falling sword and thrusting spear. To and fro swung the contending lines in that dread struggle, now giving way, now gaining a little in the mad yet ordered confusion of attack and defense, But it was as much as I could do to keep count of what was hoppening to our own wing; and as for the movement, the cavalry had fallen back under cover of Good’s three squares, I had a fair view of this.

Nasta’s wild swordsmen were now breaking in red waves against the sullen, rock-like squares. Time after time did they yell out their war-cries and hurl themselves furiously against the long, triple ridges of spear points, only to be rolled back as billows are when they meet the cliff. And so for four long hours the battle raged almost without a pause, and at the end of that time, if we had gained nothing we had lost nothing. Two attempts to turn our left flank by forcing a way through the wood by which it was protected had been defeated, and asyetNasta’s swordsmen had, notwithstanding their desperate efforts, entirely failed to break Good’s three squares, though they had thinned their numbers quite a third. As for the chest of the army where Sir Henry was with his staff and Umslopogaas, it had suffered dreadfully, but it had held its own with honor, and the same may be said of our left flank. At last the attack slacked, and Sorais’s army drew back, having, I began to think, had enough of it. On this point, however, I was soon undeceived, for splitting up her cavalry into comparatively small squadrons, she charged us furiously with them all along the line, and then once more rolled her tens of thousands of sword and spearmen down upon our weakened squares and squadrons; Sorais herself directing the movement, and fearless as a lioness heading the main attack. On they came like an avalanche —I saw her golden helmet gleaming in the van—our countercharges of cavalry entirely failing to check their onward sweep. Now they had struck us, and our center bent in like a bow beneath the weight of their rush—it parted, and had not the ten thousand men in reserve charged down to its support it must h&ve been destroyed. As for Good’s three squares, they were swept backward like boats noon an incoming tide, and the foremost one was burst into and lost half its remaining men. But the effort was too fierce and terrible to last. Suddenly the battle came, as it were, to a turning point, and for a minute or two stood still. Then it began to move toward Sorais’s chmp. Just then, too, Nasta’s fierce-and almost invincible Highlanders, either because they were disheartened by their losses, or by way of a ruse, fell back, and the remains of Good’s gallant squares, leaving the poaittonq.£hey had held for so many hoqra. cheered wildly, and rashly folloMlrthem down the elope, whereon I the swarmß Of swordsmen turned to envelop them, and once more flung themselves upon them with a yelL

Taken thus on every side, what remained of the first square was quickly destroyed, and I perceived that the second, in which I could see Good himself mounted on a large horse, was on the point of annlhflation. A few more minutes and it was broken, its streaming colors sunk, and I lost sight of Good in the confused and hideous slaughter that ensued. Presently, however, a cream-colored horse with a Snow-white mane and tail burst from the ruins of the square and came rushing past me riderless and with wide streaming reins, and in it I recognized the charger that Good had been riding. Then I hesitated no longer, but taking with me half my effective cayalry force, which now amounted to between four and five thousand men, I commended myself to God, and, without waiting for orders, I charged straight down upon Nasta’s swordsmen. Seeing me coming, and being warned by the thunder of my horses’ hoofs, the majority of them faced around and gave us a right warm welcome. Not an inch would they yield; in vain did we hack and trample them down as we plowed a broad red furrow through their thousands, they seemed to rearise by hundreds, driving thoir terrible sharp swords into our horses, or severing their hamstrings, and then hacking the troopers who came to the ground with them almost int* dieees. My horse was speedily ’kilted under me, but luckily I had a fresh one, my own favorite, a coalblack mars Nyleptha had given me being held in reserve behind, and on this I afterward mounted. Meanwhile I had to get along as best I could, for I was pretty well lost sight of by my men in the mad confusion of the moment. My voice, of course, could not be heard in the midst of the clanging of steel and the shrieks of rage and agony. Presently I found myself mixed up with the remnants of the square, which had formed round its loader. Good, and was fighting desperately for existence. I stumbled against somebody, and glancing down, caught sight of Good’s eye glass. He had been beaten to his-knee. Over him was a great fellow swinging a heavy sword. Somehow I managed to run the man through with the sime I had taken from the Masai, whose hand I had cut off; but as I did so, he dealt me a frightful blow in the left side and breast with the sword, and though my chain shirt saved my life I felt I was badly hurt. For a minute I fell on to my hands and knees among the dead and dying, and turned sick and faint. When I came to again I saw that Nasta’s spearmen, or rather those of them who remained, were retreating back across the stream, and that Good was there by me smiling beamingly. ‘ Near go, that,” he shouted, “Dut all’s well that ends well.” I assented, but I could not help feeling that it had not ended well for mo. I was sorely hurt.

Just then we saw the smaller bodies of cavalry stationed on our extreme right and left, and which were now reinforced by the three thousand sabers which we had held in reserve, flash out like arrows from their posts and fall upon the disordered flanks out Sorais’s forces, and that charge decided the issue of the battle. In another minute or two the enemy was in slow and sullen retreat'"across the little stream, where they once more reformed. Then came another lull, during which I managed to get my second horse, and received my orders to advance from Sir Henry, and then with one fierce, deep-throated roar, with a waving of banners and a wide flashing of steel, the remains of our army took the offensive and began to sweep down, slowly indeed, but irresistibly, from the positions they had so gallantly held all day.

At last it was our turn to attack. On we moved over the piled up masses of dead and dying, i and were, approaching the stream, when suddenTyTperceived an extraordinary^sight. Galloping wildly toward us, his arms tightly clasped around his horses neck, against which his blanched cheek was tightly pressed, was a man arrayed in the full costume of a Zu-Vendi general, but in whom, as he came nearer, I recognized none other than our lost Alphonse. It was impossible even then to mistake those curling black mustaches. In a minute he was tearing through our ranks and narrowly escaped being cut down, till at last somebody caught hisi horse’s bridle, and ho was brought to me just as a momentary halt oocurred in our advance to allow what remained of our shattered squares to form into line.

“Ah, monsier,” ha gasped out in a voice that was nearly inarticulate with fright, “grace to the sky, it is you! Ah, what I have endured! But you win, monsier—l forget, it is no good; the queen Is to bo murdered to-mor-row at the first light in the palace of Milosis; her guards will leave their posts and the priests are going to kill her. Ah, yes! they little thought it, but I was ensconsed beneath a banner and I heard it all.” “What?” I said, horror-struck; “what do you mean?” “What I say, monsier; that devil of 1 a Nasta, he went iasl night to settle the affair with the Archbishop [Agon]. The guard will leave open the little gate leading from the great stair, and Nasta and Agon’s priests will come in and kill her. Themselves, they would not kill her.”

“Come with me,” I said, and, shouting to the stall officer to take over the command, I snatched his bridle and galloped as hard as I could to the spot, between a quarter and a half a mile off, where I saw the royal pennon flying, and where I knew that I should find Curtis if he wdre still alive. On we tore, our horses cloaring. heaps of dead and dying men, and splashing through pools of blood, on past the long, broken lines of spearmen, to where, mounted on the white stallion

Nyleptha bad sent to him as a parting gift, I saw Sir Henry’s form towering above the generals who surrounded him. J ust as we reached him the advance began again. A bloody cloth was bound around his head, but I saw that his eye was as bright and keen as ever. Beside him was old Umslopogaas, his ax red with blood, but looking quite fresh and uninjured. . “What’s wrong, Quatermain?” he shouted. “Everything. There is a plot to murder the queen to-morrow at dawn. Alphonse here, who has just escaped from Sorais, has overheard it all,’’and I rapidly repeated to him what the Frenchman had told me. Curtis’s face turned deadly pale and his jaw dropped. ‘ ‘At dawn, ”he gasped, ‘ ‘and it is now sunset; it dawns before four, and we are nearly a hundred miles off—nine hours at the outside. What is to be done?” === An idea entered into my head. “Is that horse of yours fresh?” I said. “Yes; I have only just got on to him—when my last was killed, and he has been fed.” “So is mine. Get off him, and let Umslopogaas mount; he can ride well. We will be at Milosis before dawn, or if we are not—well, we can not help it. No, no; it is impossible for you to leave now. You would be seen, and it would turn the fate of the battle. It is not won yet. The soldiers would think you were making a bolt of it. Quick, now.” In a moment he was down, and at my bidding Umslopogaas sprung into the empty saddle.

TO BE CONTINUED. MATTERS OF LAW.

Recant Decisions of the Indiana Supreme Court. Where a contract sued on appears to be made in the name of a person other than the plaintiff, the complaint will be good if it appears there from that the contract was made with the plaintiff and for his benefit, although executed in the name of another. Where a contract with a carrier for the transportation of live stock does not fix the time for shipment, the law requires it shall be within a reasonable time, and what is a reasonable time depends upon the circumstances of the particular case. Where cattle are loaded in time for shipment or on a 6 o’clock p. m. train on Friday where they would reach the market on Saturday, but through the negligence of tho carrier are not moved untill 4 o’clock on the next morning, in consequence of which delay tho owner suffers damages byreason of a decline in the market and injurfe9 to the cattle produced by hunger, etc., the carrier is liable. A motion for a new trial can not be made after the party has moved in arrest of judgment.

A debt due from an heir to his deceased father’s estate can be retained out of his distributive share of tho surplus proceeds of real estato which has been sold to make assets to pay debts of the estate, as against one who took a mortgaged upon the undivided interest of the heir in the land sold pending the settlement of the estate, with fbll knowledge of the indebtness of the heir.

A Township Trustee has no authority to incure a debt in the erection of a school house or otherwise, beyond the fund on hand and that to be derived from the tax levy for the year, without an order from the Board of County Commission.

One who stand-, in the carriage way of a public street in a city, in the dark, ongaged in conversation, and dose not use sufficient vigilance to discover, a slowly approaching horse and vehicle, can not recover damages for injuries resulting from the inattention of the driver. A person who heedlessly puts himself in such a situation, in the night time, without taking precaution. to avoid danger, from persons riding or driving on the street, is guilty of negligence, and the ju''y may be so instructed.

Where a county regularly pays the interest accruing on school fund loans made by it, upon the failure of the mortgagors to pay such interest, and afterward, under a foreclosure of the mortgages, acquires title to the mortgaged lands, which it- sells at an a - vanced price, it is bound to turn into the school fund only the principal of the loans, with such interest as may be vet due thereon. The exc ,‘ss over does <uot constitute any pait of the school fund.

Where a city authorizes a street railway company to uso one of its streets, which is covered with planks, and permits tho rtAls to be laid and remain on the top of itc planks so that they project four inchow.Uovc tho surface of the street, tv here uy a p« rson iu the lawful uso of the street Is injured by reason of the obstruction, the city is liable. The. fact ifcat »b* •river of vehicle, in which tlx* r-’atroiff was riding was negligent, W* \ot »-foat the. action.

An abutting owner who expressly consents to the occupancy of a street by a railroad comp: ny can no» bo afterward ask a court to enjoin the uso of the street or a word him damages. The grant by a city to a railroad company of the right to use a jlreet. transfers no property interest of th abutter, nor deprivos him of his right to damages; but his right to damages is against the rail road company, ai d not against tho city. The abutter can not maintain an action for damages unless be shows that the additional burden causes injury to h\s property.

YOUR HAND IN METAL.

Vml Scheme to Prevent One Pereon frem Stenting Another's Umbrettn.

A tall, spare old gentleman has bees seen during the last few stormy days in the gallery of the house and strolling up and down the corridors always carrying aa umbrella no matter whether Gen. flreely’s weather was fair or fouL Save that his hair and side-whiskers were snowy white he looks very much like the Rev. T. DeWitt Talmage. His umbrella is, however, more noticeable and "noteworthy than himself. As he swings it idly in his long, bony hand or leans apon it while sitting in the gallery looking down ou the frenzied scene below, it attracts attention. It is of silver, bat its shape is its peculiarity. That is, it is neither- round nor square, convex nor concave—hot like pear, prism, pillar, or pot-hooks. "All there is of it is ihis: If any man wishes to try my umbrella handle I take an impression in any kind of plaster or wax—the latter is better. That impression is electroplated and the electroplate shell of copper or silver is filled with lead or some lighter composition and fastened on your umbrella. The whole thing can be done in copper for #l. Gold or silver costs more, according to the amount of metal it takes. I can also take the head in wax of your favorite dog or cat, or your wife’s canary entire, and then reproduce the impression in metal. They make novel umbrella handles, This handle can be ornamented as much as you please." Here the old gentleman took from a capacious overcoat pocket a package rolled up in many folds of soft tissue paper. Unrolling it as gently and awfully as if it were the Eohinoor he displayed a superb silver handle surmounted by a lion couch&nt. “This,” said he, holding *it up admiringly, "is sne I made for Mr. Blaine. That rx ‘>:a prehensile autoform, so to apeak. You can look at this and imagine how the helm of state feels when he has his grip ou it. Now, here is another I have made for the president. See the eagle. That is a beautiful piece of work. These conchordal shaped imprints of palm and figures are not so large or decided as those made by Mr. Blaine. Do you think so? I will vouch for their accuracy. There can be no mistake about them. Hero is Jean Jacques Ingalls’ fine Italian hand, as one of his critics might say. I put a greyhound’s herd on it. The greyhound is our most intellectual dog. "I have used the handle on other things. Here are photographs of a hammer, the superb gaval I have made for Speaker Reed, and a cleaver I am going to give Assistant Postmaster-General Clarkson, who iB the champion headsman of this administration. You see I am mixing a little fan in with my business. That’s all right, isn’t it? Eh?” With this the old man wrapped up his darling "auto-manes," stowed them softly in his pocket, gave the umbrella an admiring glance, and trndged up out of the gallery as fast and as gracefully as hitrheumatism would allow.

You have to get acquainted with the old man himself to get any idea of it. That is not a hard matter, for he has got a patent on that queer-shaped handle, and inventors usually talk at a dog-trot. Col. Sellers' investments are trifles compared with what our old friend of the umbrella expocts to result from his (discovery. Asking him to explain it, he said: “This is what we might call an autograph handle. You see, it fitß my hand perfectly. Thumb, palm, joiuts—all are precisely anticipated in its form. Now, if you take hold of it you will see that it will not fit your hand at all.” Tne experiment was tried with just the result the old gentleman predicted. It felt liko wearing a coat two sizes too big or putting a No. 9 hat on a No. 6 head.

“It i 9 a prime fact,” resumed the enthusiastic old inventor, "that no two people iu ail the hundreds of millions on the foot-stool have hands alike. The police oT Paris many years ago seized on the great fact, and made use of it in describing criminals. Every man who falls into their clutches is compelled to make an impression of liis right thumb in plaster, and this imprint is preserved, with a description of his hair, eyes, person. and various pecut inritics. “Now, I have discovered an application of this difference iu hands to a great practical need. There are 500,000 umbrellas stolen rvery year. Tho United Slates imports 8,000.01'0 every year, and ns many more are made in this country. Anything that will save your umbrella from thieves certainly ought to be wcleome. —Philoddphia Pruts,

THE KING AND THE CAT.

At so, the King and tha Brggar-Matdan— Stories of the Little Ruler of Spain. Stories of the little King of Spain are in order now that his recovery baa been assured, and several new ones have come out The young King, as is well known, has been brought up in a strictly family

way, and very" much as nay other young l person of good birth in his kingdom. His mother has very sensibly forbidden the lugging in of the royal features of his life any more frequently than the absolute necessities of the strict rules of Spanish court etiquette required, and except on the occasion of State ceremonials young Alphonao has been attended almost entirely by his mother and by the staiwart peasant nurse who has been his companion from his earliest babyhood to his present comparatively mature age of four yearn. Daring his fllaese she and the Qneen were constant-

THE KING OF SPAIN.

ly at the little fellow’s bedside, and about the only other living creature so constantly m the room was a. eat Tho young King, before his sickness had begun to tire of the baby playthings that had been at his command, and, seeking other toys, let his fancy light upon a Maltese cat that be saw somewhere about the palace. * The animal at once became a creature of distinguished consideration in the royal household. In answer to the name of Perico. The ribbon upon its neck was tied there by the King himself, and when he was taken sick the King insisted that pussy should be in the room with him. So, for a full month the faithful cat was constantly in the sick chamber. Naturally the animal became a great favorite, and one of the high ladies at the court made for it the embroidered cushion upon which it is sleeping in thftjictnrb here: . j ■ - ■

THE KING’S FAVORITE CAT.

Another story from the sick room, and one that has more of the flavor usually found in stories of royal infauts, George Washington and other lofty personages. It deals with a little crippled girl whom the King met on one of his walks or rides about with his nurse before he was taken sick, and to whom, seeing often sgain, he had taken a fancy. It came to be that whenever the King in his outings saw the little cripple he would make one of the ladies of honor descend from the carriage and oarry some little gift to her. When he had been sick for a while he said to his mother one day: “What will become of my little cripple and what will she eat, now that I go out no more?” “Bread,” said the Queen, ‘‘like all the poor people; that is, if she can get it.” “I am too little to command,” said the King. “As it is to do good,” replied the Queen, “I will permit you to give orders/” The King, at this, said nothing, but the next day he had taken to tile little beggar the bonbons some one had sent to himself. No affidavit goes with this story, but it is a very pretty one, and there is no particular reason why it should not be true, =•

THE BOY.

He is Being Crowded Almost Entirely Out •f Employment. What is to become of the boy if the present tendency to crowd him out of employment goes on? asks the N. Y. Tribune. Messengers with beards seem to be growing all the time, and the elevator boy ha 3 been largely replaced by the elevator man. Cash boys, once common in the city, have given way to cash girls to a great extent. The uniformed, brass-buttoned call-boys at the hotels are little mors than a memory, and in their places are men. It is true there are still newsboys about the entrance to the bridge, and other places where there are generally crowds of people, but news* women and newsmen are competing with them in ever-increasing numbers. Uptown the newsdealer has virtually driven the boys out of the business. With bootblacks the story is the same. A few of them still pursue their calling, but grown Italians have seized hold of the best corners, and with their big armchairs easily take away the business of their youthful rivals, whose customers have to balance themselves on one leg against a sharp corner of the building. There are a few boy peddlers of shoestrings and handkerchiefs, but this occupation is far more appropriate to those who have arrived at years when an .amble is the natural gait. On trains there are still many lads who go about distributing illustrated papers, light novels and candy, and then go about again collecting them, incidentally selling a few of the articles, but even here the men are getting ahead of them. Yes, what shall become of the boy is a serious question. If the present movement toward his displacement continues the only thing left for him to do will be to grow up and become a man, but unfortunately this takes time.— N. Y. Tribune.

A Heavy Drop.

At Waterville, Mo., a 1.000-pound weight dropped from the clock in the Unitarian church, crushing the costly church organ beyond the possibility of repair. William E. Gladstone has been offer, ed $25,000 a year by an American pub. lisher for the exclusive use of his literary output Literature pays better thaa wood-chopping.