Semi-weekly Independent, Volume 2, Number 12, Plymouth, Marshall County, 21 December 1895 — Page 3

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EDUCATIOXALCOIUAIN

.NOTES ABOUT SCHOOLS AND THEIR MANAGEMENT. An Iowa ?rhool Ma'am GItc Pome Firt Week Comments Hints cn Teuchini; Geography Kootliall Krutulity Educational Notes. Some First-Week Comments. On the second day of school after the 3iiinin r vacation I began to bo somewhat acquainted with the new element that had entered my room to take the place of the ambitious class that had Just gone up higher. I had seen the most of them about the building for a year or two, and the teacher who had sent them up from the grade below sent most of their refutation along with them. Siie did not consider her duty done until she had reported to me each case of insubordination, usually accompanied by remarks commendatory of her own management, together with suggestions to the effect that I follow the same course of management for the ensuing year. Thus I knew quitGi bit of their history, and was fully prepared to see Janet wiggle until my own nerves began to respond, to see the little Norsk fellow look at nie as if I were a spook whenever I asked hint a question and to be on the qui vivo for the chap that "was always watching for an opportunity for mischief and was always improving it. Hut I thought It would have been more interesting if I could have found out a few of these peculiarities for myself, and I felt convinced that I could have met those children on a better footing if the rule had not been rerised and I had not had "their virtues rwritten in nonpareil and their faults In lig long primer." Next year when my co-worker in the grade below comes to me with her rehearsal I shall Uindiy but frankly suggest that those mines of hidden, wealth Ih left all undiscovered to me. I would like the opportunity just once fr follow the example of the immortal iarhIu when he began a new school, and study each little intellect in a free and untrammelod manner when I seek my repose at night. I am somewhat in the habit of going Immediately to the land of Nod. but if I had all that new psychological material to study out, perhaps I might mau.Lge to cheat Morpheus a trifle. There were some early surprises for me. however. Tho most startling came from a little girl who was a. stranger. Her mother had accompanied her when she lirst came, and had expressed groat regret that she was compelled to leave her in my grade. 4,lor." she said, "she reads just beautifully in the Fourth Header and you can't think how much geography she knows." The principal, however, was unappreciative, and in.sisred that she be put in a room with children of her own age. She had read for me. and seemed to understand her work, but when a little later I distributed some copies of "Happy Days" and called on her to read, you can imagine my astonishment when she utterly failed to make tuiy headway. I asked her what was tin' trouble. She did not know the lirst word. -Spell it." "I can't." an'tV Why not?" Was the child crazy? ' "How ran you road In the Fourth Header:" "I know the words there." Fast! o. mystery explained! The poor child bad been taught by a method that iuadf her acquainted only with the words contained in Swinton's series. I have nor decided yetjust what I shall do with her, but I know she is going to be a trial. The second surprise I had was when I gave t each pupil a paper on which I had drawn a circle; with instructions to till a continent in this hemisphere. On looking the papers over. I found that one little fellow had written In the circle "A continent is a largo body of land suroiimle! hy water." This was his mental picture of a eontiiynt! Hut he had not been taught in our .school where every child is expected, as far as possible, to get the ideas of geography into form and where preliminary work in geography is made a delight to every one of them. If that little fellow with the wordIdea of the coiitineut had become used to our maps of typical land formations, lie would not have needed to use his cumbersome definition in the circle. This September weather is simply crushing, ami when the niereurj' is up in the nineties these irregularities are an awful drain on the vitality of 113 teachers. Iowa Normal Monthly. t Hints on Teaehing Gergrnphjr. Among the so-called common branches no other one seems to be receiving so much attention from persons Interested in education as geography. There is a widespread feeling that this Mibject is not generally taught in such .a way as to 1k either Interesting or fruitful. Now, we are thoroughly convinced that no subject of school study Is letter calculated loth to awaken deep lnterst in the pupils and to bear fruit than this, if it be rightly taught. One reason is rhat it ileal with things .so intimately connected with dally life, even from the earliest years. An--other is that it furnishes the mind with vivid pictures more readily than any -other of the common studios. Ho who teaches geography well must never lose sight of the two thoughts just suggsted. In any stage of the Htudy, whatever is brought before the lupil for his consideration and acquisition must be set in its relation to man to his pleasure, his comfort, Ms process, and the supplying of wants. Ah Frof. Guyot pointed out years ago, geography Includes a knowledge of the

earth anl man that I?, in their relation to each other. Now, it is the easiest thing in the world to get a child, in his early years, to see and feel some of the most important of these relations. He walks upon the earth from the lirst, he notes the features of land and water, he feels the effect of the weather ami of the seasons, ho sees the development of plant life and animal life. Jlo is also barn into political, economic and social relations of which geography takes account. Hence, from start to finish, if the right course be taken with him, the papil is vividly conscious of a personal relation to the matter of his study. Such a consciousness is sure to beget an abiding interest such as Ilerbart so persistently pleads for. l)o Our School Promote Joyousness? A few weeks since a school boy in Cincinnati committed suicide by taking poison. According to the newspapers, the boy was despondent because of the low average ho had taken in school, and sought in this desperate way to put an end to his troubles. The sad incident is well fitted to beget serious and searching inquiry by teachers and by parents into the working of the system which may be supiosed to be in some measure responsible for the sad quenching of a young life. Wo do lift know whether any vigorous and thorough investigation was made into the circumstances, but, if not, thre ought to have boon such an inquest. It is but seldom, we may believe, that the native buoyancy and hopefulness of youth can bo so completely crushed out as to leave a young lad the victim of utter despair. Hut even one such incident suggests many questions touching the school systems of the day. which are worthy of the most painstaking thought. One of those questions, suggested by the New York School Journal, wo commend specially to the attention of our readers. Very much is implied in It. "Does It (the school) cultivate the natural joyousness of children?" This does not simply mean, we take it. Does the school completely suppress the buoyancy of spirit which is so characteristic of healthy children ol school age, but, rather. Does It tend to such a result? If so, we may be sure there is something radically wrong with the system or the teacher. We know of our own observation that there is such a tendency in some of the Toronto schools, which are. on the whole, we take it, nowise inferior to those of other localities. We have, within the last year or two, known cases in which boys of average parts and brightness wore found to bo losing their natural joyousness and becoming morose and ill-natured under the combined strain and restraint of school work and discipline. Hut the other day a mother was commiserating the hard case of her boy, who was being kept in night after night to complete work which he and many fellow-sufferers were almost habitually unable to overtake in the regular school and homo work hours. What joy in life caii a young lad have who can hardly lind time, except on Saturdays and occasional holidays, for a real, rousing game? What is more pitiable than a boy of eight or ten with prematurely staid gait and demeanor, and careworn expression, at the age which nature intended to be tilled with shout and laughter and merry antics? Our contemporary very fittingly quotes those words from Jean Haul Hichter: "I can endure a melancholy man. but iipt a. melancholy child; the former, in whatever slongh ho may sink, can yet raise his eyes either to the kingdom of reason or of hope, but the little child is entirely absorbed and weighed down by one black poison-drop of the present. Think of a child led to the scaffold; think of Cupid in a Dutch cottin; or watch a butterfly, after its four wings have been torn off, creeping lifco a worm, and you will feel what I mean." Ed uea tional Journal.

A Victim of Football. Ixeut Leonard M. Price, Second Infantry. United States Army, died at the Presbyterian Hospital Nov. 1, from injuries received in the famous army and navy football games at Annapolis in IS'.)! In the scrimmage for the ball Price, who was under the struggling mass of players, was struck by an unknown Annapolis player, who fell on the small of his back with both knees. Price could not rise, and he was carried off the field. An examination showed two floating ribs on his left side were broken and internal injuries inflicted, lie was sick for some time, but after lie had graduated and gone into the army it was thought all danger from his injuries was past. While exercising In his post gymnasium at Tort Omaha eight months ago, ho again experienced the old pains. He returned to his home in Hlooinington, 111., where the family physician pronounced his sickness a result of tho injuries received In the football game of 1SI)1 He leaves a widow and a two weeks old child. Schoolroom Courtesy. Do tho children who enter the school room before the opening of school more alnmt quietly? Do they salute tho teacher as they enter? Do they prepare for work in an orderly manner? Are they kind and considerate of one another? Are they neat and clean? Is the teacher an example to the children in neatness of personal attire, helpfulness and courtesy? School Kd 11 cation. Notes. Mississippi has the least percentage of white illiteracy of any of the Southem States. Many young Hungarians of Cleveland have petitioned Superintendent Jones for a night school, specially adapted to their needs. The University of -Michigan Enrollment will easily reach 3,000 this year. AH this In spite of the medical row and the lengthening of the law course to three years.

BICYCLE BUILT FOR NINE.

Dmtincd to Annihilate Space and Time Alike. Time is now to bo annihilated by tho "nonaplet," or the bicycle built for nine, which is the latest novelty in the cycling world. Manned by nine "scorchers," this machine is said to be capable of covering a mile in twenty seconds, or twelve seconds better than the best railroad record for the distance. This is also faster than the fastest horse and faster than any bird. Three miles a minute! The brain whirls at the thought. It is oven claimed that the "nonaplet" can leat twenty seconds if it were possible to secure a crew of riders who could sit on the wheel during such a dizzy flight, or if it could bo established that respiration would lie possible at such a speed. Hut it is well-known that tho New York Central engineer who ran the mile in thirty-two seconds had no ditliculty in the matter of respiration. This now flying machine, like many other wonders, is a California creation. The Inventor is Alfred Thompson. The machine is built of aluminum and weighs 180 pounds. It has a oO-inch wheel, and its gear will be Heroin lies the secret of Its phenomenal sliced. A "quad," or bicycle for four, manned by the Delmas-Smith-Jones-Davis team, made a mile in one minute and thirty-live seconds oven, or one-half second faster than the horse Salvator, the holder of the world's record for the mile made at Monmouth Park Aug. LS, ISiK). The best mile over made on a bicycle was by Kd wards of California last spring. On that occasion ho was paced by the "quad" team above named. The object of "pacing" a cyclist with a tandem or "quad" Ms to break the wind for the racer. He follows closely in the vacuum thus created, and thus has the advantage of suction as well as absence of wind resistance. The time 1:35 made by the "quad" is thus better really than that made by Kd wards. This "quad" was geared at ninety. As the speed increases with the gparing it will not be a dillicult matter to calculate the normal sliced of a machine geared at "20 to be a mile in V,8 seconds. Prom that point the skill and speed of the riders must enter into the calculation. In order to understand the possibilities of this wonderful machine it is necessary to know what is meant by tho term "bicycle gear." Tho gear of a safety having wheels twenty-eight inches in diameter is arrived at hy dividing the number of teeth in the largo sprocket by the number of tooth in the small sprocket, which is on the hub of the roar wheel, and multiplying the quotient by tho diameter of the wheel. Por instance, IS (tooth of largo sprocket) divided by S (tooth of small sprocket) equals '2; this multiplied by US (diameter of wheel) equals :. tho diameter in inches of an imaginary wheel, each revolution of the pedal of which M ould cover a lateral distance of BUS feet. Tho ci roil inference of a wheel of fVinch gear is U)7.t- inches; the circumference of tho circle described by the foot on an S-inch crank is 50.LV inches. Por each inch traveled by tho foot there is a progression of the wheel of :i.D4 inches. Wore the crank inches the progression would be 4.S4 indies. The apparent gain by the long crank in power is therefore nullified by the greater motion. Tho principle of dynamics is well known. A bicycle is a road engine driven by human power and comes under the same laws as the locomotive. Freight engines have low gears in the sense that the cranks are comparatively near the rims of tho driving wheels, while express locomotives have a short stroke, or what would represent high gear in a bicycle. Hy comparison it will be noticed that if an ordinary 2S-ineh wheel cf C't gear covers HVi foot with each revolution of the pedal a wheel geared to 180 would with oacli revolution of the pedal cover three times the distance, or 4iVa foot. It would be impossible for loss than nine ordinary men to furnish the short stroke or high gear power necessary to maintain the 225 gear. A World reporter has interviewed a number of experts in bicycle construction, and they agree that there is nothing impossible in the claims of the builder of the California "nonaplet." Hicyele machinery is as capable of development as that of locomotives. The fastest railroad mile on record was made by the Knipiro Kx press on the New York Central and Hudson River Railroad May 11, ISO", in a mn of one mile from Crittenden west. This mile was made in .'52 seconds, and was at the rate of 1 1-Ms miles an hour. This was done with locomotive "000," afterwards exhibited at the World's Pair. The engineer was Charles Hogan. Since John S. Johnson, by wheeling a mile in 1:35 2-5, beat the great Salvator's record of lSlö1,. no less than five professionals have beaten the horse, yet no horse has beaten Salvator. And now four men on a quad beat Salvator's time, making their own pace, that is wheeling with all the disadvantages of wind. There is a difference in the Class A record as given In the World's Almanac of 1805 of over 22 seconds between the paced and unpaced b'cycle. A claim that it is safe Is not advanced for this bicycle that is to make the race horse seem a snail. The men who will ride It will actually take their lives in their hands. In proof of this are the accounts of the Delnias-Smith-Jonos-Davis "quad" team performance in California. Tho Wheel of New York says when the team made their best time half a second better than the fast horse, after making their mile they could not stop th-?ir machine. At the awful speed they dared not attempt to back-pedal for fear of being hurled Crom the seat and dashed to pieces,

and the machine ran several mllea along tho straight, level road. When the riders alighted from their perilous' positions their faces were blanched the hue of death, so great had lieon the nervous strain and tho fear of accidentalways imminent which would pitch them to destruction. All four of the strong, skillful wheelmen were so' prostrated that they did not attempt to ride for weeks. '

FORTUNES IN SCRAP IRON. Matters in Which Kailroada Might Increase Dividende. Kven upon roads whore proper facilities for handling scrap are furnished, wo lind a laek of appreciation on the, part of many officers of the importance of thoroughly and frequently collecting old material, especially iron. While certain yards and portions of tho right of way are picked up weekly or even daily, at other points on tho same line once a year may be considered often enough for a general cleaning up. The consequence s, under the latter conditions, that wo lind large quantities of iron sinking into tho ground or being covered tip with grass, woods, or rubbish. Too much importance is often attached to the cost of labor for proper scrap collection, but a laborer going over every foot of ground, say every other day, will save many times his wages hy saving material which would bo lost or stolon. In one case recently the experiment was made of sending a laborer out for one-half day, with instructions to pick or rather dig up only such iron as was seen partly buried in the ground. The result was that in the half day enough iron was resurrected to pay the year's dividend tqion a share of the capital stock after deducting the wages of the laborer for the half day. The pieces of iron saved were mainly little things which are generally considered too small to notice, but which rated mostly as No. 1 wrought scrap. Only a small portion of the total yard was gone over, and no rails or other Urge matters wore looked for. Such a quest should be made frequently, ami a scrutiny of the results readied would interest many a railway officer. On a largo road the sale of scrap material amounts to thousands of dollars annually, and a; a rule closer and belter collections of tho same can bo made than is tho usual practice. Railway officers are too apt to forget that earnings from scrap sales are just as valuable in the net financial outcome of the year as tho similar amounts of money derived from traffic Kail way Master Mechanic. Insect Iii To. In every patch of moss exists little families, communities and nations, that carry on the business of life in their own queer fashion, which, nevertheless, affords many parallels to human life and man's ways of doing things. These pygmy peoples have their governments, their wars, their children and their homes to look after; they have servants, household pots and police; they are cattle raisers, farmers, hunters and fishers, and practice all the handicrafts of men. Take, for example, the paper makers. While the rest of mankind were writing imperishable thoughts on all sorts of clumsy makeshifts, the pith of reeds cut spirally and liattened by pressure leather, tho leaves of palm trees, wood, stone, clay, and what not, tin? Chinese painted their tiresome treatises on paper; but oven they did not invent paper. Ing before they discovered how to make it, tho wasp was manufacturing a tirm and durable article of this valuable substance, "by very much tho same process," says Mr. James 1 Jennie, "as that by which human hands now manufacture it with the best aid of chemistry and machinery." I'Yoin Floor to Ceiling. Some of the old fashions are best, despite our boasted progress. Tho French windows that could be set ajar like so many doors are beginning toj lind favor again, because they make perfect ventilation possible, osivoeially in those cases where they are to bo found on several sides of a house, allowinga ctirrent of air to swoop directly through rooms and to penetrate every corner. The drawback to the ordinary windows Is that if opened two or three feet above the floor, when the air pours in the heavy gases are apt to settle and stay Inside. Kven when a room Is provided with a ventilator near the top, the stratum of Impure air above may remain. With a window extending from tho floor to tho coiling, and made so that it can bo opened wide, a complete change of air in a room is possible. Scabbards. Wooden scabbards covered with hardened India rubber are to take the place of the leather scabbards at present used by the Russian cavalry. Experiments made with the new equipment are said to show that it Is not affected by frost, moisture, or the heat of the sun. ' "Wal nuts. "Walnut shells are In demand In London for the purpose of adulterating ground cinnamon, and bring more than the whole walnuts. The powdered shells are not distinguishable unless the microscopic examination is an un usually careful one. 1 Pyritlne. ryritine is a new explosive, invented by a man in Bordeaux, who says it is much more powerful than melinite and will so reduce the weight of ammunition that each man will lo able to carry 210 rounds without trouble. Kxplainetl. Mamma Why do you always run so fast when sent on an errand, Bortie? Hurtle Because, mamma, the faster I run the shorter it always makes the dlstauce.New York World. There is no help In the case of a woman who can't get a servant.

FERRIED ON A POLE.

Novel Feat Performed ly an Aged Lumberman iu Maine. Although John Cusack, ex-lumberman of Moose Island, in Moreliead lake, is now rj years of ago, he has not lost his dexterity in executing some of the difficult feats in log-walking that made his name famous on the west ;branch of the Penobscot for many years, lie was in Foxcroft last Saturday and, in recounting some of his past exploits in the office of the exchange Jiotel, was bantered by some of tho Iniys, who doubted that he could do all lie said he could. Tho old man was game and tho upshot of the matter was that a bet between him and Sam Sanford, the liveryman, that ho would that afternoon cross the Piscataquis river ;W.ith no other support than a stick so mall that, rested tqion bis wrist, ho .could hold it cut at arm's length. Tho :faet that the day was chilly and tho water running almost ice-cold in thö, river was not, to Mr. Cu sack's mind, a circumstance worth taking Into account. The word quickly passed about tho Tillage of what was to be attempted and at 4 o'clock, the hour set for tho itrial, the banks of the river above tho mill-dam were lined with spectators. jMr. Cusack appeared on time, carrying a long pikepole, which was to servo h!m as balancing pole and profiler, land a bundle containing a chocked gingham shirt and drilling overalls, Ihis substitute for professional tights. The stick upon which he was to rido was upon the bank, a binding polo such as is used in securing a load of .hay uion a cart. It was the trunk of a. spruce sapling, lifteon feet long, of four Inches diameter at the butt, and it fWeighed about thirty-flve pounds. I Attored in his performing costume and in his stocking feet, Mr. Cusack launched his stick, pushed it out to deep water and with a quick spring landed on it at a point six feet from the butt, where 3üjerched as securely as a rope walker upon a tight rtie. The end of the stick upon which he rested sank beneath his weight until the water was breast high to him, while tho forward and smaller end rose from tho water, iointing like a linger mark to the opposite shore. I 'sing the pike1 pole, held by both hands in the middlo as a double oar, the old man, with a 'forward motion, scooped himself along at no small rate toward the further bank, while two men followed in a boat ready to rescue him in case of mischance. There was no occasion for their services in his behalf. The distance was 200 yards, but he did not Blacken stroke as he churned along, his head and shoulders rising and falling alove the chill black waters with his swift strokes, while he varied tho monotony of the exercise by an occassional whoop or shouted compliment to the ladies among the spectators upon the opposite shore. He crossed The river in live minutes and landed, fresli and smiling, amid tho applause and congratulations of the people gathered there. On his return to the starting point, .where the principal crowd was assembled, lie gave a further exhibition of his skill In log riding. Standing upon the slender submerged stick by skillfully shifting his balance he brought thtf end up so that he touched if with his head, and also sat upon the pole vith head and feet above the surface. After his return to the hotel he refused all stimulants except a comforting 1hw1 of ginger tea pressed upon him by the landlord, Mid has since shown no ill effect whatever from his recent exertion and the severe exposure lie underwent, lie has offered to repeat the performance this week on a similar J wager. Foxcroft, Me., letter to tue New York Sun. Horseless Carriages. Carriages without any horses are already so common in France that they excite no comment Naphtha or petroleum has thus far proved the most efficacious motive power for carriages. There are very few horseless vehicles In which electricity is used as the motive iower, the reason being that electricians have not yet solved the problem of practical and economical storage batteries. When the solution comes, as it undoubtedly will, electric carriages will probably spring into world-wide use. Hats of Wood. A machine has been patented for making hats out of wood. A log of wood, cut square, fed to the machine, is converted into line strips of wood much resembling excelsior. It is claimed that when these are moistened they can be woven much more readily than straw, and make a durable hat. The inventor says the substance is lighter In weight than straw, and that because of Its easier manipulation and lower cost it will supersede the straw now used for headgear. Artificial Rhyme. There are live or six thousand English words for which there is no rhyme; they can only be employed at the end of the verse by transposing the accent, or constructing an artlllcial rhyme out of two words. Among other words to which there are no rhymes may be mentioned month, silver, liquid, spirit, chimney, warmth, gulf, sylph, music, breadth, depth, width, honor. Iron, echo. A Present Due. Mrs. Dlx "I wonder what preseut my husband will bring me to-night" Mrs. Hicks "What makes you expect one? Is It your birthday?" Mrs. Dix "Xo-o; we quarreled this morning." Tit-Bits. Silly George. "But why have you thrown George over?" 'Oh, I hate lilm! The other evening he asked me If lie might give me a kisi and because I said 'No' be Uidu'CSketch,

THEY SETTLED IT.

Difficulty lietween Dead wood Jactt and Montana Jim. Dead wood .Tack was no scholar, but he insisted that he was a gentleman. The same was the case with Montana. Jim. Therefore when we lea mod that Jack had come over to Custer City to lrave it out" with Jim we felt assured that it would be a gear eel affair fron Start to finish. Jack had put up at the? Last Chance Saloon, written his nama on the Ace of Spades and sent a meseeiigcr over to the Bald Eagle's Boost t3 say to Jim: 'Compliments of Dead wood Jack, and he hopes you have no engagement: to prevent your meeting him in the public square this evening to settle the little misunderstanding that has existed for several months." And Jim wrote his name on the Ae of Spades and instructed the messenger to say: 'Compliments of Montana Jim. and ho assures I). J. that it will afford him the utmost pleasure to shoot at him at exactly 7 o'clock this evening at tho place mentioned." Kadi was about town during the afternoon, and they encountered each, other a dozen times. On every occasion each raided his hat and bowed and expressed tho hope that tho other was well ami happy. At o'clock each retired to his headquarters and carefully cleaned ami loaded his two guns There was 110 bragging or loa sting no posing for oflVvt. Both were game men and both dead shots, and tho enhances were oven up between them. No one know the cause of the trouble between them, and neither man entered Into explanation. At exactly 7: o'clock they appeared on opposite side of tho square, each with his arms folded. They approached w.thin thirty feet of each other and bowed, and then Hoeky Mountain Joe gave the word. Four hands dropped down four revolvers were Jerked from their holsters, and the lirst two shots made but oue roIMirt Then there was a ip! pop! pop! faster than one coulA co,.nt, and of & .sudden both men went down. It was Doadwood Jack who slowly reached hla feet a moment later. lie had pulled down his gun to lire when the referee held up his hand and said: "That'll do. Jack he's passed in:" Montana Jim hsd four bullets in him, Doadwood Jack had two. Tho latter stood there with the blnl dripping from his hip and shoulder as the crowd closed in. and then quietly observed: Mientlomen, let the funeral be conducted iu a dignitied, genteel fashion, and then send me in tho bill by a gentleman!" Detroit Free Tress. ' Driving Out the Sea. Perhaps it is because Holland is such a dainty little morsel that old Ocean longs to swallow her; however that may lx. the jieoplo have been forced to construct great dikes to keep at bay the white crested waves that grind upon the shore like devouring teeth. And oven the dikes do not altogether keep out the sea. Five centuries ago the land which is now covered by a great inland body of water called tho Zuyder ZiV was green with waving forest:! and dotted in the clear places with farms and pretty cottages. But little by little the sea ate it up. The Hollanders have determine to reclaim it. and wiCh this outl in view are a l out to begin tho construction of a gigantic sea-wall which is to extend from North Holland' to Friesland, and will endov iiiucIl of the inland sea. Thus the tides will bo shut out. and the water in tho enclosure gradually drained off through a central channel. It will bo the werk of years to drive out the sea. but the undertaking lias been pronounced a practical one by eminent engineers. It is anticipated that Ü.'.ooo acres of land, will be annually reclaimed when the wall. Which is to be Ü1C foot wide at its base, has been completed. A Heartless Wife. Norton Wads worth is one of those nion who are liable to sive way to de spondeney. n such occasions he threatens to commit suicide. Not long since something went wrong, and he said he would drown himself in the Lnstern. "Not in the cistern. We are usinjj that for drinking water," replied Mrs. Wadsworth, who had no nonsense in her composition. "Yes, I am going to drown myself In ths cistern." "Very well." she responded, calmly, "gpt through the rash act as soon as eouvenicnt, but take off those shoes first" 'What for?" "Because some man who has got more sense will be slipping into your slices, n;id I don't want them spoiled. Water gardens shoes, and If he has corns tUe hard shoes will hurt them." Wads'A orth, instead of taking a header and disappearing shut tin trap-door of the cistern with such violence that the neighbors thought burglars were bio wins; a safe open. Darby and Joan. Th tmn "Uarby and Joan" originated In a popular ballad written by Henry Wcadfall in the last century. It is not generally known that the two characters of the ballad were real personages. ,?ohn Darby and his wife Joan lived at Bartholomew Close, and dieii in 17.'tJ. In the poem Joan gets dissatisfied with being a household drudge, lud declares that her work Is harder lhan her husband's labors in the Held. He offers to exchange places with her. and she consents. The result Is that both are quite content to go back into their legitimate spheres. Tho Letter's Condition. Employer What do you mean by let ting that letter blow out of the window? You must be drunk. Clerk No, sir; I am not drunk, but Z regret to say that the letter Is tare iheeta In the wind. Exchange, -