Semi-weekly Express, Terre Haute, Vigo County, 5 November 1897 — Page 3

KIBE ON A LILY LEAF.

EXPERIENCE OF A .'rlEAW V&OfciAfa IN ST. LOUIS.

lhe Royal Water Lily a BTarrelous Plant. The Leaves, Twenty Feet In Circnmfer. ence, That SerVe as a Boat—The Plants

Require Careful Attention.

A green leaf, no thicker than ordinary caittboard, floating on water Are feet-qecp and bearing the weight of ft 217 pound woman—this was witnessed recently Ui St Louis when Superintendent JaraesGurney sought to determine, the carrying capacity of the leaves of the Ifymphaea victoria regia, more commonly known as the royal water llly»:

The leaves of this roniarkable^Jjlant spring from a mammoth parent* 'rrtalk growing in water. They "are attached'- to the stalk by a growth resembling an" or»^ dinary rope. This cable is several feet in length, allowing the leaf latitude in'"ft"tiich' to float about. Tho rope which holds it to the central stalk is under waiter far enough to be invisible, except on close^hgpectioh. parent growth is afBo submerged, excyti a email bit of its average leaf this species is 18 or 20 feet in circumference and perfectly round. The outer edges turn upward, forming a rim, which makes a basinlike interior. The rope or cable through which thg leaf draws its sustenance from the parent growth, which is stationary, attaches itself to the leaf in the center on the underside.

There is no other support, and the leaf moves about

the water. The cajileis'

of no value as a support to kee{ the leaf from sinking under a load, because' it is not more than an Inch in diameter and iB 60 slack that it dangles in the Water.

Adventurous people who like to take the risk of standing on the leaves of the pretty lily walk out into the pond on boards which are laid for that purpose. A circular frame is laid upon the leaf, fitting snugly inside of tho rim.

This frame is covered underneath with soft cloth to prevent bruising the tender leaf. Thus arranged, a man or woman steps into the basin. The leaf moves about, the motive power being furnished by the swaying of the passenger's body. "I want to find a heavy person to make the test," said Superintendent Gurnay. "I suppose I will get tho park policeman. He weighs 198 pounds."

The officer was called, but before he reached the pond where the lilies grew a "*1 fat man of middle age strolled along. A little persuasion and he agreed to make the novel vpyage. "Fix the ship

gardener.

for navigation, said

Superintendent

Gurney to Philip, the

Philip hastened to supply the framework and the fat man walked the gangplank and .stepped upon one of the big leaves/ "Iwfelgh 213 pounds," be said, and this is rather dangerous, I fear, yet I will try it."

Once aboard the unique craft, the man •K of ponderous weight felt as much at ease as if standing on the lower deck of the biggest boat that ever plied the Mississippi.

The fat man had hardly regained terra flrma when along came a woman, even more corpulent than he. "1 saw that kind of Illy in Rome this summer," the woman said, "and I would like to stand on one of those leaves. Over in Rome they were afraid to let me try it, but here in America the people

are

braver.

Please, sir, may I walk out there?" "How much do you weigh?" inquired Superintendent Gurney. I "Two hundred and seventeen pounds. [, "Well, I hardly know about that. You will not get nervous, will you?" "What! A woman like me get nervous?

Why, sir, 1 can swim as well as any athlete in St. Louis. If you are willing td take chances on your lily being smashed, 1 will assume all risk so far as I am concerned."

She walked out on the plank to the leaf that had been equipped with the framework. Cautiously she placed one foot, then the other, on the leaf. Then with arms akimbo the woman of flesh sailed away as jolly as any tar. She went as far

the

cable

would permit, then when her

body swayed by the sudden stop she sailed I back to the starting point. The royal water lily is grown both in I Shaw's garden and in Tower Gjove park, the only places it is to be found in St.

Louis. In the pond at Tower Grove pork there are three parent sprouts, each one being prolific of leaves. There are now 17 leaves from the throe stalks., 1 "How can it be possible for 200 pounds to be held up that way?" was a frequent question.

It is not because of thickness, for the leaves are not thick. It is no.t because of durability of texture, for the leaves are so fragile that a child oould poke its finger through them.

n» examination of

the

underside reveals

the secret. Each leaf is a network of cells, somewhat like honeycomb, only the. compartments are larger. On a leaf of average size these cells are about two inches square in dimension. The air gathers in these receptacles, giving floating buoyancy, and then the expansion of the leaves and the rimmed edge assist in making it float upon the water. The board frame upon which the passenger stands prevents, his feet fiom going through the tender fabric.

The royal water lily was discovered in South America along the Amazon river. It is an annual and grows there in wild profusion. The seed was sent to England. The first appearance of the wonderful lily beyond its native clime was in the Royal Botanical garden in London in 18«8. James Gurney, who i6 now superintendent at Shaw's garden and Tower Grove park* waB then connected with the London gapden. The plant was named in honor df Queen Victoria.

The plant requires the most careful attention. The temperature must be kept just right, about 78 degrees being normal heat. To do this hot water pipes, connecting the pond with a furnace, is necessary. The seeds are usually sown in February inside of a greenhouse. About May or June the tender sprouts are transplanted to the pond out of doors. Later ill the summer they bloom. The flower af first Is snowy white, and the fragrance is delightful- Thie color is retained for one day only. On the second day tho color changes to crimson, and the fragrant'o passes away. The blooming season is over early in September, but tlie leaves rcnuuii green until nipped by the frost. Then the whole plant, parent stalk and all, is deady and another crop is brought on by the planting process in the greenhouses.-^tot-Louis Post-Dispatch.

DEFYING LAW ON A RAFT.

Bow the Sheriff* of Two Counties Were Outwitted. A snug little white house on a raft is itill to be seen moored to the shore of Pontoosuc lake, in the Berkshire hills. It has been famous in its time, but. its active career is over, and the fun loving youth of the neighborhood look regretfully upon its quiet retirement It was the property of lk man who a few years ago plied a brisk trade in retailing liquors without a license The portable nature of his saloon and a geographical peculiarity in the situation of the sheet of water upon which it floated enabled him to carry on his trade in merry deflancc of the authorities.

Poutoosuc lake lios partly In the township of Pittsfield and partly in the adjoining one of Lanesboro. J.'s "float," as Jt was everywhere known, was always kept near the dividing lino, and was tlie most popular rundesvous Hi the two tewnfhina iac those of a ooawviaU nature.

Sharp eyed and quick eared sentinels wew (tEOBIGIA'S

continually on the watch, however, and

at the first breath of warning of the approaoh of the sheriff of Pittsfleld the flouts if it chanced to be 06 that sido, was speedily ecullcd or poled over Into Lanesboro. There tho baffled Pittsfield officer might gaze at it to his heart's content, but it was beyond his jurisdiction. In the same way the sheriff of Lanesboro found that the float successfully eluded all his most vigorous attempts to surprise it on his side of the line. Each officer was so anxious to make the capture in his own township that the rivalry was spirited and th3 float led a life of excitement. But this same rivalry between the,sheriffs was also its protection, for their professional jealousy of each other prevented them from frying the olearly feasible plan of joining their forces and' running the float down into one township or the other.

After a few seasons of this life J. retired from it, doubtless with a comfortable competency and a feeling of satisinction at the series, of adventures from which he had always emerged as the victor.—New York Tribune.

LESSONS FROM THE OYSTER. lbMany a Pearl of Wiwiewi t® Be Gleaned

From Bis Life.

The oyster is pre-eminently a creature of leisure, and he consequently has much time at his "disposal for thinking and reflection, and in the absence of proof to the contrary we are obliged to accept the deduct ion that he employs that time profitably, though he may keep his wisdom to himself and employ it for his own uses. He certainly has reduced light housekeeping to a line art. He lives right in the water hence the question of water supply and drainage is one that he never has to concern himself about.

He manages alfto that the water shall bring him his food consequently matters of commerce, of supply and demand, the prices of commodities and other questions which worry other members of the animal creation, whether they

are

Music 1 a Tomb.

When in Greece, I twice heard concerts in strange places. On the first occasion a musical society of Patras gave an entertainment on the very summit of Mount Parnassus, several hundred feet above the ancient town of Arachova. The number of instrumentalists was about 40, and the audience amounted to SO or thereabouts.

Another entertainment of this nature in Greece was at a musical performance which took place in the tomb of Agamemnon at Mycenae, on the occasion of the visit of a philharmonic society of Nauplia. to the ancient residence of the "king of

The tomb bears stone resemblance to a pyramid, and the interior is divided into a vast hall t»ud smaller chamber for the sarcophagus. So dark was it inside that the band had to play by torchlight. The performance may havo been somewhat ghastly, but it was decidedly original.— Pearson's Weekly.

Children of the San, have been called "children of the sun," and there is truth as well as poetry in the designation. Year by year the man of science drags himself a little closer to the great central engine. When iaraday iu his mind's eye saw lines of force trav ersing space, and when his great dlsctple Maxwell bequeathed to us the electro magnetic theory of light, men of science felt that a path had boon Staked out across the maze of solar mysteries. The sun no longer shone as a giver of heat and light only, for in the ether were, nervelike waves oi every description. Children of the sun, we respond not only to the great periodic changes, but to every passing spasm and disturbance. Auroras are associated with solar change.

pearl.

p. Was a Follower

quadrupeds or

bipeds, or whether they walk on the earth, fly through the air or swim in the water do not concern him. As for his house, as soon as he settles down, after a very brief period of wandering and sowing his wild oats, he builds it himself right out of the material brought to him by the accommodating water, and thereafter he lives a life of ease.

He knows perfectly well that things will come his way. He doesn't even bother with having legs and eyes, for he has no need of transportation he does not need to see in order that he may gather his food and he finds no neoessity for

idly

gaping

about and thus uselessly exciting his nervous organization. He sits down under his roof, if not under his own vine and fig tree, and enjoys a life of

quiet

up,

patch.

and dignity.

He has enemies, but he does nothing to stir them

since he eschews all religious

and political controversies, and he thus manages to retain the good will of all the denizens of the land and sea. There are many lessons indeed to be gleaned from the life of the oyster that we might learn and follow with profit.—Pittsburg

Dis

Oregon Vonei'i Brass Band. A musical organization which is meeting with great sucoess in the state of Oregon is the ladies' brass band of Heppner. lte membership is made up entirely of the maids and matrons of the most prominent families in the town. The band was organized a year ago. It was to be a self supporting organization entirely. As soon as organization was perfected ways and means were oanvassed by which funds could be raised for uniforms and instruments. It was decided to give a concert, which proved a grand success financially, Qt which the band made its first appearanoe in public. The ladies' band was a success. Then when the presidential campaign opened they were at once in demand. The ladies' brass band became the fashion, and no candidate ever thought of making a speech in their neighborhood without first having secured their services as an attraction. Their popularity led them into church socials, picnios, etc., until now they are famous throughout the entire state.—Portland Oregonian.

studying them we may

fathom the seorets of the sun.—' What Is an Aurora?" by Alexander McAdie, Century.

What fie Took.

The Louisville Post says that three men walked into a Louisville drug store the other day and one ordered drinks. He and I one of the others asked

for soda

water, and

then the olerk turned to the third. "What will you have, sir?" The man looked at the one who was treating and said:

You know I don't like s«d% John. Then, turning to the olerk, ho said: ... "Give mo five postal cards."

She Found a Peart.

Mrs C. E. Bums of Indianapolis, while recently wandering along the banks of White river, found two large mussel shells Iving in tho water, in one of which was a

She had her find inspected by com

petent jewelers. The pearl weighs 6K carats, and the removal of the scale will the pwl worth fully $1,000-

.rt-s parvM«jrsh»p Masonic Apron. Kx-Grand Master James H. McCall of

TERRE HAUTE EXPRESS. FRIDAY MORNING. N )TEMBER 5.1897

ODD SECT.

MACK DGM-JSON BELIEVED HE WOULD NEVER DIE.

w«pre

gaaartc Warned

Sherman—To the Beligton of a time He Was Tm to tke iMt

in death beneath the sod of the

old family burying ground in Henry county, Ga., is Mack Dodson, a man who in life believed that he would never die.

His faith was that he would never see death, yet he In dead. In a pretty house in Atlanta came the end to this man's remarkable career. Lying almost unoonsckrus in the throes of death, he argued that he would not die. To the religion of a lifetime he was true to the last.

Mack Dodson was a beMsver in that strange creed called Sherman ism. The sum and substance of this weird dogma is trhni-. a man who has faith will never die that if he will live right he will some day be caught up to heaven in a chariot of fire, just as was Elijah of old.

Shermanism is without doubt the strangest religion in existence. It has thousands of followers, but none of them with a faith like Dodson's. He visas the most prominent of the hundreds of Shermanites who inhabit north Georgia. For years be has been an aggressive believer in the religion of Sherman, and there has been no more powerful factor in spreading the religion in Georgia than he.

He was prosperous and could have dressed well, but his religion was that a man must have but one coat. So he never had but one. He thought that man should wear his hair long like Jesus and the apostles, and from the time he adopted the eccentric belief he wore his" hair in long flowing looks that fell below his shoulders.

A few days ago, while Dodson was visiting his brother-in-law in Atlanta, death took from him his life. Just before he died he was told by a brother of the creed to get up and walk and he would be well. The sick man's faith was stronger than all else, and he rose up and dressed. In a short while he was dead.

It was over ten years ago when Dodson first embraced the faith which he held to bis death. In Henry county he was one of the most progressive citizens. About 1886 a preacher named Sherman came to Henry county preaching a strange, new religion. Dodson went to hear the man tell of his system of religion. He was struck with the force of the stranger's utterances. After the sermon was finished he offered the preacher some money. "I never accept money or pay for ministering," said Sherman.

The preacher told Dodson that he must go through 40 days of fasting and prayer. For 40 days the searcher for the truth prayed and ate onfy what was necessary to keep body and soul together.

Sherman, with the influence of Mr. Dodson, soon secured other followers. In a few years he established in Henry county and Clayton a large church of his followers.

Very few people in Atlanta know Sherman or know that his religion exists, yet within a few miles of the city there are hundreds of men who believe they will never die. In north Alabama Sherm.au has a following estimated at 10,000 men. They may not be known as Shermanites, for frequently the only evidenoes of their belief are their quaint way and long hair.

The main basis for the belief is found in the eighth chapter of John, fifty-first verse. This is the passage of Scripture whioh Dodson said was his promise: "Verily, verily, I say unto you, If a man keep my saying, he shall never see death."

Others were, "Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on me hath everlasting life." "Your fathers did eat of that manna in the wilderness and are dead." "This is that bread which cometh down that a man may eat thereof and not die." "I am the living bread which came down from heaven if any *ian eat this bread, he shall live forever, and the bread that I will give is my flesh, which I will give for the life of the werld." "This is that bread which came down from heaven not as

your

fathers did eat

manna and are dead he that eateth of this bread shall live forever." A few weeks ago Dodson came to Atlanta to visit relatives. He was unwell when he eame to the city, and every day of his stay he became worse. Last Monday ho was quite ill. His brethren of the faith visited him and encouraged him to cling to the oreed of eternal life.

Sherman, the man who had ohanged the current of Dodson's life, came and eat by his betide. Bugged, bearded and with Wt streaming down his back, he looked like some priest of a dark craft. He had lost one arm in battle, and the empty sleeve added to the groteaqueness of his appearance. "Have faith. Take up thy bed and walk," he said to the sick man.

Dodson rose up and dressed at the bidding of his chief. He was hardly able to stand, yet his faith upheld him. Dodson was so weak after dressing that he had to go back to his bed despite the urgent request of his priest to oonquer sioknesS by faith. The sick man refused a doctor. Finally he became so iH. that he could not forcibly objeot and Dr. Odell was summoned. The physioian diagnosed the case and said that the patient was suffering with typhoid fever. Dodson grew constantly worse. In a few days his relatives saw that death was inevitable. He contended that he would not die. He still laughed at death and said he believed too strongly in Jesus to think he would die.

Just before Dodson's death a number of the Shermanites were with him. After he died they fled like frightened people flee from one who has been stricken by the plague. "He sinned," they cried.

It was their religion that a man wonld never die unless he sinned, and they claimed that Dodson had sinned. They would not go near him after death, for they said they were afraid they would catch the dread contagion of his transgressions.

When he was carried to the family burying ground in Henry county, not a single Shermanite followed the bier. "Let the dead bury its dead,:' was the quotation of the Shermanites. They said that Dodson had sinned and was in hell, and they did not want to go near him.

Now he is sleeping with his fathers. The faith of a lifetime was devoted and loyal, but it didn't save him from the inevitable.— Atlanta Constitution.

DIVISION OF THE HULL.

Kx-Grand Master or bulkheads, made of three Wichita has just

received

Washington used to wear at Masonic lodge meetings. Lafayette also wore it at one time.—Kansas Cltj Times.

Paris is tfce paradise of the dressmaker. There are in tbe city 70.000 persons who make articles of women's dwas and 66,000 dressmakers. It has been estimated that the yearly amount earned i» this business there is over $8*0.078.000 'I

Fifteen million caws are required for the milk trade of this country, and they are fed on the produce of CO.Vttu.WO acres ol land.

the apron George pa ..

The compartments, 1ft will tie seen, were made for c&Amercial economy rather than for the safety of the veaseL

Use of bulkheads for safety purposes was probably SxA made in the western riven of the United States. As early as 1830, not ten years after the introduction of steam navigation on the Mississippi and Ohio rivrts by Robert Fulton, the hull of the steamboat Columbus, running between New Orleans and Shippin gport, Ky., was torn open by a snag, but the vessel was "saved from sinking by having a snagroem, which apartment alone was filled with water." The Caledonia, running on the Mississippi river in 1834, also had a ssagroom.

Prior to the year 1840, of 786 vessels kKt from aQ causes on the western American rivers 4|9 were lost front snags and other obstructions in the rivers. No doubt the danger ki navigating these rivers is what brought the snagroom or chamber into use, though if they were as rudely and cheaply constructed as many of these vessels themselves wew at this early period, they could hardly be relied on in many mvana and this may account for the fact that they did not come into more general use.--John H. Morrison in Cassler's Mag-

PULLEY BLOCKS.

Lots of Them Used on land Sowadays as Well as on the Oooan. Pulley blocks were formerly made with a rope strap placed around the block on the outside. Now, in wooden blocks, the strap is made of iron, and is placed inside the shell. Many very large blocks and great numbers of very small ones are now lAadc entirely of iron. There are fewer wupcr ships than there were, their place having been taken largely by steam vessels and therefore fewer blocks are required to supply the demand, but great numbers are required for the coasting fleets and yachts. Within comparatively recent years the use cf pulley blocks on land has increased enormously, so that the aggregate consumption of blocks continues very large.

Wooden blocks are made most common ly with an ash shell and lignum vitaj sheaves in smaller and medium sized blocks the shell also is sometimes made of lignum vitas. The use of wire rope in derricks/is famiUar. Wire halyards are now used to some extent on yachts, as well as wire Standing rigging, and where such halyards arei used metal sheaves are substituted for'those of wood. The blocks of a big, heavily sparred steam yacht, say barkentfne rigged, might cost $1,500. On the gre&t number of sailboats and small yatfhts there are used many little blocks of galvanized iron.

On shore there are now used in cities immense numbers of little blooks for pulley

line6

for drying clothes. Such blocks

are made of iron and of wood in various styles. In a city like New York hundreds of thousands of such blocks are in use. The demand for the very largest of blocks for land use has also grown within very recent years,'such blocks being now used very extensively on the heavy derricks employed in the construction of the tall modern buildings. Big blocks useiT on derricks with manilla rope are made with wooden shells and iron .sheavea Blocks used with wire rope are all iron. The use of iron blocks is increasing. The great wooden blocks are made up to 16 inches in length. Iron blocks are made up to 17 inches and sometimes to order still larger. —New York Sun.

Against Premature Burial.

6onsul Mantlus, writing from Turin, says: "Prominent physicians and lnpmrn are at present busily engaged in prepare an exhaustive report, with exhibits, on the subject? of'Apparent Death and Premature Burial.' This report will be the striking feature of the medical department at the national exposition to be opened here in April, 1898. "Reports of a similar kind are expected from all over the world. There will be an international competition and a prize will be awarded for the best work on the solution of a problem in whioh not only the profession, but, more or less, every mortal is interested. "Up to the present time no infallible test for distinguishing apparent from real death has been discovered, in consequence of which horrifying cases of persons buried alive occur from time to time and are narrated in medical journals and daily papers. The committee of physicians and laymen organized to gather and sift the material realizes that the first step to remedy such conditions should be to obtain modification of the laws relative to the limited space of time allowed for bodies to be kept before burial in some countries. It is olearly proved that the.number of persons buried alive Is much larger in such countries. Therefore the members of this commission appeal to the heads of the governments and to all those whose position gives them influence over the people for their support in a movement which cannot fail to Interest humanity. It is the intention to start a periodical which will be devoted to the furtherance of the matter in hanL

The Early Use of Water Tight Bulkheads In Ship*. ,-• ,.'.s The division of a hull of a vessel into pflWmHnis of a more distant period than is generally supposed. As early as the beginning of the nineteenth century. the Chinese divided the holds of their trad- for hunsel', but I marrieid^hMi widow, ing vessels intended for distant waters Strand Magazine. into a number of smaller holds or spaces, Thoee compartments were separated by I

with a

„i:m that

inch planks and calked with a gum was mixed with lime and threads of bamboo—a oemposition that readily hardened when brought into contact with water. The number of compartments depended upon the number ®f owners in the vesseL

In a large vessel there were sometimes as many as 100, each partner shipping his goods in his own berth, which he fitted up to suit himself, and either went in person or sent one of his family to take charge of his property. At just what time thi* division of the hull was first adopted does not appear to have been recorded. It may Jj£Y« been very oM at the period named.

Early this year the Italian government, through foreign embassadors and ministers, extended an invitation to other nations to take active part in those branches of the Turin exposition which are of an international character. The main feature of the medical department might have been easily overlooked in the bulk of other interesting material."

To Teat True Worth.

Two gay young girls were having a highly edifying conversation on a Walnut Tmia cable car the other day. One said: "When I feel that a man is becoming interested in me to the exclusion of other girls, I at once put him to a test. "Of course you know what posers men are, and how they are on dress parade when the girls are about. Well, my test is this: I make an engagement with him to go off somewhere at 8 o'clock in the morning. Nine men out of ten will be late. The majority of people feel dull and not at all affable at such an early hour. Even his conversation will be lacking in sparkle. If you want to look behind the screen of a man's conventionality, put him to this test. If he comes through under favorable conditions, he will make a good husband."—Cincinnati Rnquirer.

His Cause For Regret.

An old Scotchman who had been along time in the colonies paid a visit to his "native glen," and, meeting an old 60hcplfellew, they sat down to have a chat about old titoes and acquaintances. In the oourse of conversation the stranger happened to ask about a certain Geordie McKay. "He's dead long ago," said his friend, "and I'll never cease regretting him si long as I live." "Dear me! Had yon such a respect lax him as that?"

Na. na! It wasna' ony respect I had

S an inpatient Gneit. At one of the Mackinac hotels, loved by its frequenters for its associations, in spite of lax management, anew guest demanded a bath"My derr sir," said the proprietor, ««U0xt year we shall have two of the finest and best eqd?!»ed bathrooms en the island." "Baft," objected the guest, I wa*t a bath tfclB year."—CJtikmg© Pe*.

Australia could be made to support 400, 000,000 inhabitants of the black or yellcm races, able to endure the climate. The present popahsSian .is e*iy 6,000,000.

IN THE WILDERNESS.

A SOLDIER'S GHASTLY TIONS OF AN AWFUL BATTLEFIELD.

Ho Time to Bury the Dead, Who l«y So Tliick as to Cover idurge Areas of Ground. Bine sad Oray 8Mc by Side The to Somebody's "Dear Jaok."

"I have no time to bury my dead and give you none," wn Grant's famous reply to Lee, when, under a flag of trace, a cessation of hostilities was requested long enough to bury the dead. Thus one great and awful feature of the battle of the Wilderness was the unburied dead, that lay for days and weeks all over that blood stained field, one of the most horrible and ghastly sights ever exposed to human vision. Probably no battlefield of the civil war afforded such an: opportunity for Inspection as this.

Ordinarily, after a fight, burying parties were detaiiod, and the long, dcop trench, a flflnimnn grave, was dug, and the dead were at least covered but not so here. Grant oould not stop, and the long stretch of country, overrun with Mosby's guerrillas, that intervened between the Rappahannock river and the nearest Union lines prevented aid from that direction in burying the thoasands that were slain in the Wilderness and in the fight at Spottsylvania Court House...

I sat on my horse looking over tlie portion of the field where the fierce and deadly fighting of May 4' and 5, 1864, oocurrcd. It was four or five days after the fight, about the 9th or 10th of May. A small detachment of our regiment had been sent as

esoort to a train of ambulances to gather in the wounded who were being temporarily cared for in barns and farmhouses near the battlefield, and I thus had an opportunity to view this historic scene.

During the years 6ince it has been an open question whether to be glad or sorry that. I visited that battlefield. It oould not be more vividly impressed upon me had I seen it yesterday. It has been a nightmare and a horrid day dream all these years. Often have I prayed that visions of those upturned faces, blackened and distorted, of the staring, glazed eyeballs, of the stiffened, outstretched hands, seemingly still grasping for support, those rigid forms wrapped in blue and gray, that had fought their last battle and now lay side by 6lde in that great charnel field, might be blotted forever from my recollection. Then, again, I have been glad that I knew so well how that battlefield appeared, and how barbarous, brutal and inhuman it made war seem glad that I knew how 10,000 dead heroes looked, who had faced and met death amid the wild, frenzied scenes of one of the greatest battles in the history of the world.

One of the most striking features to us that day and the one most thoroughly fixed in our memories was that all over that battlefield, or at least that pan we visited, there lay three boys in blue to one in gray. It will be remembered that all through the Wilderness fight the rebels were protected by a system of earthworks and hastily constructed fortifications and abatises, while the Union troops were compelled to fight largely in the open and assail the Confederates, in their strongholds. From these it was utterly impossible to dislodge the enemy except by the masterly series of flank movements so successfully planned by General Grant.

At this point the Union dead lay thickest. I believe I could have dismounted and walked a distanoe as great as two ordinary city blocks and never once have stepped upon the ground—walking on dead bodies all the way. Indeed had I undertaken the ghastly journey I would have been compelled in some places to climb over heaps of the dead.

There was a slight growth of underbrush at this point, with a few trees remaining. I made a careful examination and could not see a limb or a twig or a bush but was marked by a bullet, and some of them in several places. The wonder seemed not that there were so many dead, but that any lived. Officers and privates all made a common cause here and rank was forever obliterated, for among the dead we noticed the shining shoulder straps of commissioned officers mingled with the ordinary blue uniform of the common soldier. The trees were torn and shattered, the fearful work of shot and shell being shown on every side. Muskets, canteens, haversacks, knapsacks—in fact, nearly all that makos up the accoutermcnts of the.soldier—wwe scattered in all directions.fi

None of us felt like performing any act of ghoulish vandalism though, as I saw a letter extending from the pockct of a dead Confederate soldier, I dismounted, and, some of the boys gathering around, we looked it over. It was torn and partly illegible, but we made out that it was from the town of Hamlet, in the state of North Carolina. It was in a lady's handwriting, and the portion that we were able to read was as follows:

MY DEAR JACK—We hope that you can soon return and help us with the tobacco crop, but if not we do hope and pray to God that our dear .lack will not be harmed by those terrible Yankees.

As we looked at the letter and then at the upturned face of poor Jack, turning black from exposure to the sun, and then thought of that poor wife or mother or sister who was waiting and watching for the return of the dead and mangled soldier at our feet, and of the other 10,000 homes from which dear ones had gone out who were now among that host of dead around us, wo began to comprehend something of the brutal, barbarous nature of war.—Cyrus G. Shepard in New York Pos|„

DEER MICE AS PETS.

(bey Were Delighted With a Home In a Cocoanut- Shell. In St. Nicholas G. Rafael O'Reilly tells of a couple of queer pets that he caught in the woods. The writer says:

While rambling one evening in the woods I sat down on a rock close by a shaded bank all overgrown with soft green moss and feathery ferns. Not far away there was an ancient tree slump, with a hole running in underneath it, and what should I see peeping out from the bole, but tho head of a little reddish brown animaL At first sight I took it to be a chipmunk. Its large, black eyes seemed full of apprehension," and as I moved it drew back out of sight.

On rolling over the stump, I discovered beneath it some withered grass carefully rolled into a globular nest. Caut»uily drawing my handkerohief around this, I tied it up, with whatever It oontalned, and hurried homeward with my treasure. On emptying the handkerchief into a box covered with wire gauze, I found that I had captured two beautifully delicate and elegant creatures, somewhat larger than mica. Their fur was thick and soft, a rich velvet of reddish brown on tbe back and snowy white beneath. Their feet also were white. But their chief beauty lay in their eyes—great, black, liquid orbs half protruding from the head. No gazelle ever had ayes half so lovely.

They soon became quite tame, and without showing any fear would allow me to put my hand into their cage to give tbem fruits and berries. They carried their nest into a corner of the cage and reconstructed it there.

After about tw® weeks I procured a large oeoeanut, sawed it in two, and tak ing one-half of it, made in it a little doorway When I put thjs into their cage, turned month dowo,'fthey seemed to go wild with the eseitameot of delight. In and out they ran through Che-little doorway a hundred times in succession. SomeI times they would jump up on top of the eoccanut aud survey it all ever,

after "washing thsfrfaoss" with their dd* ioate white paws, jump down and again run inside. Soon they made up their minda to take possession of it as their home. Their nest in the corner they pulled to pieces and carried it off mouthful by mouthful into the little coooannt hut. There they have lived ever since.

During the daytime they sleep, but when evening comes on ihey busy themselves running and jumping about the cage, and they have never once in three years tried to gnaw thoir way out.

The Crater of Kllauea.

You step out on the aruat of tbe rolling sea of rounded and hardened lava billows beside your path, aad the surface crackles under your feet like the snow crust on a crisp winter morning. Its glittering, iridescent colors please the eye and tempt you to carry away a veritable load of the sparkling, glassy pieces. Here and there, even at a distanoe from tho edge, the fern spores have taken root and relieve the eye with their graceful waving fronds—and this on a soil like glass and formed no one knows how long ago, though its surface appears as fresh as if laid down yesterday.

On you go, punching the crust in front of

you

vigorously with a staff to determine whether it is safe or not, until finally, after

about

200 yards of such materhJ has

been crossed, you reach the rounded edge of the caldron itself, perhaps after some slight scares and probably getting you* staff on fire once or twice.

Here you pause for a moment to pick out a way up the side, which vanes in height from 10 to 80 fset, and is composed of masses of slag of all sizes, joined together by lava which has forced its way out between the blocks. Here and there you notice that through some of the larger openings the white hot fluid is running out upon the floor and often in qu»*ntitios which would make an ordinary blast furnace blush with shame. Here you can study on a small scale all the phenomena of a lava flow—the formation of tbe crust, tho fissures and many other phenomena. At length you pass, by a few steps, to the rim, and there

before

4«

Dii

you is the sea of lavs

itva tnrrible brilliancy.—Harper'#

in all its terrible Magazine.

Is-'*®"

sriA

"You have scarcely spoken to me at all this evening," she said in tones of reproach. "I I beg your pardon, her husband returned apologetically. "I was just trying to think of something so say."

Tell me all about it. It Is my duty to sympathize with you, you know.

Do not let them study too much or gc to school too early. Of course their mlndi must be pleasantly employed, and tin kindergarten

may

111

"Is there anything on your mind?" pqv "Yes to tell you the truth, there is. Vy Can't I help you in some way?^ "You.might if I oould suggest out your becoming angry."

tfM

—r iMpi '"On my birthday anniversary you gave

me a fountain pen. "Yes. And now you are going to say that it makes a horrid muss and that you don't want to write with it." "I'm not going to say anything of the kind," he replied stoutly. "Iam going to write with that pen every day of my life, but there is one little favor that would like to ask." "What is it?" "Please make me a suit of overalls to go with it. "—Washington Star.

3 %rili

Nervous Children. $

Nervous children will not bear vcrjj muoh cold bathing. They have not got I $ heat enough in their bodies to read against it. Do not demand too much exercise from them. &•«&!

be available after thej

are 8 years old. Cultivate in them a lov« of nature and oi^fcd^or life especially in pleasant weather. This is tho true, grand kindergarten. Do not forgot they need

comfortable bed,*\

companionship. Give them a good, where the air is pure, and do all you can to promote healthful sleep. A little easily digested food before bedtime often help# them to sleep more soundly than they oth-.-erwise would.

Face Treatment.

Here are directions for a goodface bath, or "shampoo," the effect on the skin being most gratifying, it is said: Rub pure, fino soap on a sponge, adding several dfops of best toilet glycerin. Previously dip the sponge in hot water. Rub the face, and neck softly with the sponge until the} skin is covered with the soothing lather. Then tako almond meal and rub it in until face and neck are perfectly dry. Wash off at once in hot water that has had a teaspoonful of powdered borax dissolved, in it. Next bathe or spray with cold war tcr until the flesh feels cold and firm, finally drying by burying the face in a softs damask towel. A teaspoonful of good cologne should be in the oold spray.

Vapors From Metals.

That metals will throw off vapors is evident even to the housewife, who can smell, the raging fire in her kitchen range, even though she may be up two flights of stairs., It is said that zinc will give off sufficient vapor even at a low temperature to produe© chemical changes in photographic*..... plates, and that this occurs in a vacuum as well as in the open air. Experimenters say that the lowest known temperature at which metal vaporizes in 184 degrees F-—-*W| New York Ledger.

Odd FronwnoiaWon.

The secretary of the recent Lambeth conference made sad work with tbe pronunciation of names of some American states in calling the roll of bishops. He placed the accent on the last syllable of Texas, turned Tennessee into "Tenassy," with the accent on the second syllable, called the name of tbe bishop of Mychicken," and referred to Bishop Wells of Spokane as "the bishop of Spoken. —New York Tribuna

An Understanding Beaobea. "But our agreement was," said th« slender young man from the east, as h* paused for it momunc in his digging to allow the froaen

drops

Rewards 2Tor Hi* Hwolflm. T. O. Clifford, tho young man whe sprang into prornineuco when he sprang into the sea in a vain effort to rescue Barnev Baruato, is being rewarded for his heroism. A rich young woman of England, whose name is withheld from public cation, is reported to havo been so on* chanted with his bravery that she is going to luarry him. Mr. Barnato's relatives had already recognized Mr. Clifford's deed in a very substantial way.

of perspiration to rat*

tlu into the clai m,' concern in the division of our labor, that, as far as th© work 01 digging or washing out the gold was concerned, I could take my choice. "Yer a liar," said Klondike Kit, as h« soooped a handful of nuggets from th« pan, "I said yer could take yer ^ick."— Detroit Free Press.

There Is a Class of People

R6~

Who are injured by the use of coffee. cently there has been placed in aN the grorery stores a new preparation called GRAIN 0, made of pure grains that takos the place of coffee. The most delicate stomach receives it with out distress, and but few can tell it from ceffee. It dees not cost over one-quarter as much. Children may drink It wjth great benefit. 15c and Xt a package. Try it. Ask for GRAIN-O.

More than a hundred manu«aet?red in ton are year.'

mum