A-
DUSK.
Day is done, nm! low in the "West
The nun's Jal ia- has mm!: to vest! .
fewect Kong'oii'ds cease their jovous Jay,
. And chirrup-softly on their way
To Jind a quiet; ncnl.
- Now insects strike their nnctin-n hymn,
-Through woods an. I inuadow last grown
emu; .
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RESTORING
lis
The Greea Orange Grove and Im
provement Company, which adver
tised to clear land, set trees, care for
groves and do all work necessary for
non-residents, was about to go out
of existence. John Green, its head,
had already accepted a position as
purser on a Clyde steamer running
between New York and Jacksonville;
and Abner Green, the rest of the
company, was going back to Wiscon
sin to resume his former occupation
of teller in a village bank. The fif
teen or twenty discharged employes
liad scattered in various directions
in search of work, generally toward
the North, for Florida was just now
prostrate, with an army of idle men
and no employment. .
Tor almost the first lime Id the
three days since the great freeze, the
brothers were together in their office.
John, usually so energetic and busy,
now tapped idly upon his desk with a
pencil; Abner stood by a window and
gazed out across the blackened
squares and parallelograms of orange
trees, , some not more than two or
three feet high, and others melan
choly with their first crop of fruit
frozen. Here and there were the
scattered . Ainpainted houses of resi
dents; and just below, on the same
-street, the half dozen stores of en
terprising merchants, who were al
ready advertising their good3 below
cost preparatory to closing out and
going away. Less than a mile dis
tant was the dark, irregular line of
the pine forest, driven back during
the past few year?, but now waiting
,grini and motionless. " '
. Abner turned away with a shiver.
He and his brother had been very
successful in their Florida venture;
hut their success was represented in
come of those blackened parallelo
grams, now worth less than the wild
land they had purchased seven years
fcefore.
During the past three days they
nad made a careful, unprejudiced
3tudy of the situation, and had de
tided that it would be best for ihem
to go away. They could earn more
and re-establish themselves sooner
than by staying here. Later, per
haps, when the natural elasticity of
the State should cause it to rebound,
they might return. Of the hundred
Or more orange groves they had had
charge of, not one was likely to re
main. None of the owners would
care to throw good money after bad.
Suddenly John tossed his pencil
upon the desk and rose to his feet.
'No use wasting more time on the
past," he said, decisively. "What we
to- do with now is the future."
"Yes," agreed ... Abner, promptly,
'and I've been thinking you'll have
to start for Jacksonville to-morrow
if you wish to reach your boat in
time for her next trip. As for me,
there isn't quite so much hurry."
He took a bunch of keys from his
pocket and unlocked his desk, taking
therefrom a package of letters.
"I suppose it will be just as well
for one of us to vemain until every
thing is rounded off smoothly," he
said. "I've already written to our
corespondents about the loss; but
there's another thing," hesitatingly,
"don't you think it rather hard on
them, after they have paid out so
much on their groves and lost it, to
have to pay us for work that does
them no good? Suppose we write to
them all that we are willing to call
the thing square."
John shook his head.
"Won't do at all, he declared.
"'Most of them are well-to-do, and
can afford their loss better than we
can to give away our work. Besides,
we have bills here and need the
money to square them. I don't quite
like the idea of selling our mules
and wagons and tools just now. We
could only get a fraction of their
value; and, besides, f am looking
forward to coming back after a year
or two. The country will have recov
ered from the shock by then, and
business confidence will be restored.
Only we won't intrust all our profits
to orange groves again, but divide
them so as avoid another catastrophe
like this." He paused, and then ad
ded as though an concession to Ab
ner's proposal: "There's' the old
woman who pays us in small month
ly installments, and the clerk in Cin
cinnati, and the two school teachers
I don't suppose they have much
money to spare. You might send
them receipts, and advise them on no
account to sell their lands."
"Why not?" asked Abner with
some surprise.
"Because they would get very
little and when we return with
money enough to make a new start,
we can reset their groves and charge
them the bare cost to us. This freeze
Is only going to be a temporary check
to the orange industry. But have you
geen Dave this morning?"
"Yes; said his father was thinking
of moving away in search of work."
John laughed skeptically.
"In search of a dram-shop, more
likely. We've offered him work time
out of mind and when he hasn't made
some excuse for not accepting It, he
vno rnv worked a day r two at
Biost. If U wasn't for Dave, the poor t
crave
And hifth aLove ia darkened dome
A twinkling star has early come,.
And nature welcomes liini.
The silver inoon, with queenly grace.
In soft, light floods earth's restful face.
No twitter now from sleeping bird;
The insect host is all that s heard.
Dusk gives to nirht her nlscc.
.Tn1fnn II .. :.. T
Newton Greene, in Recreation.
SELF - RESPECT. S
shiftless toper would often go hun
gry." "I know it poor fellow!" Then,
in answer to the decisive smile on
John's face, he went on, apologetical
ly. "I've never regarded old Hig
gins In -quite the same light as the
rst of you. He is worthless enough,
granted; but it seems to me we are
more eager to hold him down than
to help him rise. You know how it
has been here; all the men, even the
negroes, have scoffed at and openly
derided him. Call a thing a dog, and
it's pretty apt to be one. Higglns
seems to have been bcrn without that
spur to ambition, a backbone; and,
besides, he still prides himself, on
having been a gentleman in some far
off stage of his life. These two things
alone are enough-to destroy an ordi
nary man; but In addition to them,
Higgins is still twitted of some ob
scure disgrace which has followed
him down from Georgia. Got -drunk
and neglected an important trust, I
believe. During the six years he has
been here I have never seen a man
shake hands witH him or offer him
any consideration whatever. Some
times I have wondered how he would
act if he were treated courteously,
as an equal; or, better still, if he
were given a position that implied
confidence and respect."
John still looked derisive, but the
smile had left his face.
"Who knows," he said thought
fully, "it is a queer world, very full
of queer people I can shake hands
with an honest negro and greet him
heartily, but I draw the line at a man
like Higgins. Hello! j'onder comes
Dave now," glancing from the win
dow and then rising hastily and mov
ing toward the door. "We must
make some arrangement with him to
day." "About taking care of the mules
and wagons, I suppose?"
"Yes, he is the best person we can
get for the work. With Dave in
charge, I will feel as safe as-though
I were here myself. Besides, he is
only a boy and will not expect much
salary. We can hardly afford to pay
out much just now.".
Abner looked doubtful.
"All very good if Dave would agree
to It," he said, '.'but you know how
the boy is about his father. If old
Higgins moves away, Dave is going
to move, too. Whatever the old man
may be to the world in general, he
is everything to the boy."
"Yes," irritably, "but what are we
to do? We have been counting on
Dave as a sure thing."
"Can't do anything without count
ing the old man In." Then he
stepped forward quickly and placed
a hand upon his brother's shoulder,
for now a brisk step was heard com
ing up the sidewalk toward the door.
"Leave this to me, John," he
urged, lowering his voice, "I believe
I can bring it round all right. Any
how, give me a chance to try my
idea."
"All right. Come in, Dave," In an
swer to a low tap.
The door opened and a strong,
well-built boy of sixteen or seventeen
entered.
"I've come to say good-bye, Mr.
John and Mr. Abner," he said, with
evident regret in his voice. "I've
brought up the saw an hammer Pap
borrowed, an' Pap he's going to
bring up the other things in a few
minutes. He was just startin' when
I left. Then we're goin' to pack our
goods an back 'em to Orlando."
"Oh, no, I guess not, Dave," re
torted Abner, good-naturedly, "we're
making different arrangements for
you. Somebody's needed to look after
our mules and wagons and things."
The boy's face lightened with won
dering, almost incredulous, ecstasy;
then drooped with the recollection of
the hard reality.
."I'm ter'blo sorry, Mr. Abner, an
Mr. John," he said, striving in vain
to keep his voice steady, "but Pap's
'lowin' we must be ruovin' on. We've
staid here a right long spell now."
"But he's no call to be dragging
you off to Orlando," broke in John
sharply. "You're better off here.
You've got five acres of land almost
paid for, and another ear you can
clear it and set out trees. Your
father "
The boy straightened suddenly.
"Pap knows best," he said, his
voice growing steady and his gaze di
rect, "he 'lows folks are gettin down
on him here, an' it's tinie he was
movin' on."
John shrugged his shoulders.
"Let him move on then," he ad
vised, "and you stay here. See how
quick he will be. coining back after
something to eat."
The boy's eyes flashed.
"I'm much obliged to you all for
what you've done for me,'.' he said,
the forced caitnness of his words be
lying the resentful sparkle in his
eyes. "That's what I walked up to
say. Now I'll be going-"
"Pshaw, pshaw, Dave," expostulat
ed Abner, "you mustn't feel put out
with what John says. Remember It
was he who sent your father medi
cine when ha vas sick. There, that's
right," as the boy's face softened.
"And about our father now think
he can te talked around. Is he com
ing, did you say?"
" "Yes, sir; he'll be here in a few
minutes. He's on the way."
Abner looked at John, who grim
maced, then nodded a good natured
assent.
"Come, Dave," he said. "Suppose
we leave Abner to talk Avith your
father, while we go out to the ctables
and look around. I want to show
you about the work and explain more
fully what we desire. The. mules
must have plenty of exercise; you can
use them in breaking ground, clear
ing land, or anything you like. You
understand. Just take care of every
thing - the best you know how, as
though they were your own."
The boy . followed him slowly, the
resentment not wholly gone from his
eyes. At the door he turned.
"Don't you go for to say nothin
bad to my father," he warned. Then
he disappeared. .
A few minutes later old Higgins
entered. Abner was seated at his
desk writing.
"I've come," began the visitor.
Abner turned in his chair. ''Oh,
it's you," he interrupted. "Glad to
see you. Take a seat." Then as the
man stared at him, wonderlngly,
without offering to sit down, he went
on: "We were talking about you
just now. You see, the thing Is just
here: we want to go away, but we
don't want to sell out. Mules and
wagons would bring very little just
now; besides, we may come back at
the end of a year or so. What we
want is a good, trustworthy man to
take charjje of everything while we
are gone; somebody we can depend
upon, you know. You have been here
long enough to understand our ways,
and Dave will be a prime hand to as
sist. Now why can't we engage you
permanently to look after the outfit?
Tho pay will not be large, of course;
but you can use the mules and
wagons as much as you like. It will
do them good. Take it all around,
you can make a very nice thing out
of it. What do you say?"
The man shifted . uneasily and
glanced about the room with a depre
ciating, half-foolish grin. Evidently
he considered it a huge joke.
"I've come to say," he began again,
when he was interrupted with:
"Come, come, Mr. Higgins; give
me a direct answer, if you please. I'd
rather have you and Dave than any
body I know; but if you can't accept,
why, of course, I must look some
where else."
The man's eyes shifted from the
floor to his face.
"You don't mean, Mr. Abner "
"Yes, I do mean," with a pre
tence of impatience. "Will you take,
charge of our affairs or not? Re
member, I want a straightforward,
man on wWom I can depend. Will
you be the one?"
A tremulous hand which had been
shifting uneasily between trousers'
pocket and frayed coat edge, now
went up to the forehead In a pitiful,
wondering way. Then the slouching
figure began to straighten, and fo
the first time in his memory, Abnefc
Green looked straight into the uut
wavering eyes of Dave's father.
"Why, if you if you really meal
It that way, I'll be awful glad," t
old man said, still in a dazed sort
wonder. Then, catching his breath
at the thought, ' "won't Daye b$
s'prised pleased, I mean." I
He walked toward the door as
though the interview were ended,
then stopped suddenly and took a
bottle from his pocket, handing it to
Abner.
"Some whisky one of the men got
for me this mornin'," he explained,
still looking Abner in the face, "I
'lowed on havin' a time, but I don't
reckin your head man ought to drink.
I'll give it up. S'pose you break the
bottle, an say nothin to Dave."
"I will, and thank you." Then he
rose suddenly to his feet and held out
hi3 hand to this man who had made
such a long stride toward his own
level. He felt a strange, almost ex
plosive elation over the success of his
idea, but he only said:
"We have not known each other
as well as we ought to, Mr. Higgins.
I hope we will get better acquainted
in the future. But sit down, while I
explain the business more in de
tall."
That evening as Abner Green was
returning from a visit to the stables,
he heard rapid footsteps, and then
felt his hand grasped warmly.
"I couldn't sleep till I come and
thanked you, Mr. Abner," Dave s
voice said rapidly. I I can't tell
you how I feel, but I'd rather a thou
sand times for Pap to have the place
than me. "We'll never forget it. I
" and then with a quick sob be
was gone.
And Abner Green, looking up into
the still starry depths of the sky,
even with all the desolation of the
great freeze around him, felt a warm
sudden glow, and went on to the
office to make preparations for an
other start in the world. The Crafts
man.
Facts About Amber.
Santo Domingo is one of the few
places in the world where amber oc
curs in any quantity. The bulk of
the supply comes from the vicinity of
Konigsberg, on the Baltic seacoast.
There it occurs on the lower oligo
cene, and appears to have deposited
originally in glauconite beds of clay,
which was afterwards eroded by wave
action and the amber distributed,
though much c-f it is taken from beds
in which it was originally deposited.
Amber is simply fossilized resin,' de
rived apparently from certain conif
erous treea,
For Me,
younger
Children:...
A SLEEPY BOY.
UP- ,y boy' iVa time to dress,"
Calls father in the morning;
And then, a second afterward,
There conies another warning.
What! not up yet, you lazy boy,"
kays father quite severely,
It's fifteen minutes since 1 called.
And breakfast's nearly ready."
Now what I really want to know.
Is where those fifteen minutes go?
Aiden Arthur Knipc, in St. Nicholas.
HOUSE IN THE GARDEN.
Ethel had a July birthday. She
had celebrated nine birthdays in her
Bhort life, to the accompaniment of
birthday cakes and candles, and flow
ers, and candies, and dolls, and doll
carriages. Indeed, so many good
things had come to her that even
mamma and papa began to rack their
brains to find some sort of surprise
for the tenth anniversary of their
only little girl.
Aunt May put the idea into Mrs.
Gordon's head.
"Why don't you build her a play
house, Sister Fan?"
"Ethel is too big to play with
dolls.' " . -
"Never! I love mine now in se
cret; but I don't mean a doll's house.
I mean a playhouse big enough in
side to hold her and her friends; and
outside finished off like a genuine
house, gables, turrets, windows and
all."
"What an imagination you have?"
laughed Mrs. Gordon.
"If you'll give me leave to carry
it out, I'll show you what can be
done. I've seen the dearest little
houses, but they cost money.
"Very well, go ahead," said Mrs.
Gordon. ' "As long as Ethel is pleased
I'm not counting the cost."
So Aunt May went to work, as she
always did, with her whole heart and
soul. But no one knew what she
had done in the two months' time
before the birthday.
Ethel opened her eyes on a clear,
9
THE BIRDLAND
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c3v A. F". CALDWELL,
-3333-
SUN AROSE AT FOUR THIRTY-ONE!
The symphony concert had just begun.
WEATHER PREDICTIONS:
Partly fair
So the singers were each one there!
TERRIBLE ACCIDENT! PARENTS DISTRESSED!
. A mower destroyed Mr. Sparrow's nest!
ROBBERY!
From Mrs. Bobolink
Were stolen three eggs! What do you think?
From big stone house (philanthropic feat)
Were thrown out crumbs for birds to eat
A FEARFUL SCARE!
Boy climbed a tree,
How many robins were hatched to see!
FOR SALE!
Some wool Mr. Finch can spare.
Good to line nests! Also some hair!
To let on shares (at easy terms),
A lot just full of angleworms!
WANTED!
By Mr. and Mrs. Cuckoo,
A nest to hatch an egg or two!
Watch next week's issue ('twon't be dry)
For
"HOW SWALLOWS CATCH FOOD AS THEY FLY."
A word from the publishers if they're wise
ALL BIRDS IN THE "NEWS' WILL ADVERTISE.
Youth's Companion.
0
beautiful morning to the music of
Aunt May's knock on her door.
"Get un. little girl, get up!" she
cried, almost as excited as Ethel her
self. Ethel found dressing easy, with
some one to button her shoes and
comb her hair and fasten her dress.
Then mamma and papa came, also
verv much excited, and Ethel was
hurried down the shady avenue, past
the hothouses and geranium beds, to
thft further end of the lawn, on wnicn
she had not been allowed to play
for many weeks.
As she reached the geranium bor
der she suddenly stood quite still and
uttered a little shriek. There berore
her rose a miniature of her own dear
home. It was a perfect little house,
set back in a lovely garden, laid out
in fascinating flower beds. There
was a pretty fence around it, just
like the home fence, and a ntue iron
gate.
There were gay rockers on a dear
piazza, and Ethel went wonderlngly
forward, pushed on by Aunt Mary.
She looked through the front door
into a perfect little sitting room, with
rattan furniture and lace curtains
in the windows and a cunning tea
stove with a pipe going out through
the real roof, just like the one in their
big. old fashioned home kitchen.
Ethel was speechless with delight.
No little girl ever had a present more
calculated to make her happy.
The House in the Garden stood
there for many years, and Ethel's own
children play there now In the long
summer days.
FEEDING ZOO ANIMALS.
There is a part of the Zoo that the
public is not allowed to visit. It
may surprise many to know that
there exists In an out-of-the-way cor
ner of the gardens an Inclosed space
where korse3 are examined, and often
kept for some little previous to being
slaughtered. Disease cannot be de
tected so easily in the carcass as in
tho live animal, and were carcasses
bought the possibility of the car
nivora becoming infected would not
be nearly so remote as it is now.
The only case in which the Zoo re
ceives a carcass is where a horse,
having met with an accident in the
street, has to be slaughtered at once.
If it has a healthy record the Zoo
authorities do not refuse it.
Not only In this way is much care
exercised in the choice of horseflesh,
but when a carcass is cut up it is
divided in such a way to insure that
in each piece given to the animals
there Is a bone. Otherwise the lions,
tigers and other big carnivora would
swallow the piece whole, which would
be bad even for their iron diges
tions. The presence of the bone com
pels them to take bites at the flesh,
which they pick from the bone with
their claws and teeth, licking the
bone afterward with their sand
papery tongues until the surface
shines.
For the smaller carnivora, such as
polecat and weasels, and for the
raptorial birds, horseflesh is some
what too coarse and pungent, so they
are fed for the most part on the
heads and necks of chickens. These
parts are selected also because of
the bone in them. London Daily
Graphic.
DEATH OF FAMILY PET.
J. Howard Henry, a well-known
abstracter of the city, appeared last
night at police headquarters with a
fine old Irish setter dog which has
been the family pet for over ten
years. "Poor old Don has been suf
fering of lte with the rheumatism,"
explained Henry. "We are afraid he
might freeze to death this winter,
so we decided to bring him down and
have him shot."
MORNING NEWS.
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"I wouldn't shoot that dog for
fifty dollars if he was mine," growled
a big policeman. "I'd about as soon
shoot my brother as a dog like that,
which had been in the family so
long. He wouldn't freeze, for I'd
take him in the house where it was
warm and make him up a pallet on
the floor behind the parlor stove."
But old Don was led away, not by
a string, but by a command from
his master to the killing post. His
neck was fastened to the post by a
wire and Police Officer. Leasure was
told to kill him. The officer walked
behind the dog, so he could not see
its eyes and fired. Poor old Don
fell. The officer spoke to him and
as life passed away the faithful old
fellow wagged his tail to show he
understood. Leasure turned away
and there were tears in his eyes &s
he walked back to the office, carry
ing his ' smoking revolver. Dea
Moines Register and Leader.
TEN LITTLE INDIANS.
How would you like to go to school
where the roll-call is like this:
"Sophia Little Bar, Annie Red Crane,
Lizzie Spider, Kis-toe, Gray Cloud,
Laughing Face, Delay Ankle, Joseph
White Plume, Frank Yellow Bird,
Porcupine Creek?"
All these are the real names taken
from the catalogue of a very famous
school for Indians at Hampton, Va.
I am told that sometimes the little
redmen become dissatisfied with
their picturesque titles and try to
"Americanize" their names. And It
is on record that one Shawnee lad,
who entered the institute as Tommy
Wildcat, appeared afterward in the
catalogue as "Thomas W. Catt."
Philadelphia Record.
The cocoanut tree Is so elastic as
to withstand the fiercest storms, even
on the sea-coast.
Household Affairs.
NUT COOKIES.
These may be made, with any nuta
preferred, but hickory -nuts are
specially good. Rub together one
cup lard or butter and two, cups of
llgnt brown sugar. Add two well-
beaten eggs, one cupful sour milk.
a teaspoonful soda dissolved in a
very little of the milk, "one cunful
chopped nuts and flour added little
by little until the dough is the right
consistency for rolling , thin. 'Cut in
round or fancy shapes, place on
greased pans and bake In quick oven
for five or six minutes. Washington
Star. , .
FAIRY GINGERBREAD.
One cup of butter, two of sugaJ
me of milk, four of flour, three
quarters of a teaspoonful of soda,
one tablespoonful of ginger. Beat
the butter to a cream, add the sugar
gradually, and, when very light, the
ginger and milk, in which the soda
has been dissolved, and finally the
flour. Turn your baking pans up
side down and wipe the bottoms very
clean. Butter them and spread the
cake mixture very thin on them. Bake
in moderate oven till brown. While
still hot cut into squares or shapes,
New York World.
SIMPLE WEDDING CAKE.
The following ingredients will
make a medium-sized cake: Three
quarters of a pound of best flour, half
a pound of castor sugar, quarter of a
pound each of ground almonds, glace
cherries, sultanas, currants, citron,
orange and lemon peel; one teaspoon
ful of baking powder, five eggs and a
little milk.
Method: Beat butter and sugar to
a cream, add eggs, well beaten; then
beat all together until the mixture
looks like a stiff froth. Sift flour and
baking powder and add to mixture;
beat well. Then add all the fruit
cherries should be cut in halves and.
the milk. Mix all together, pour into
a well-larded, paper-lined tin, and
bake in a very moderate oven for
three and a half to four hours. It 13
well to make the cake quite six weeks
before required longer, if possible
and store in an airtight tin; it will
get much richer.
Icing For Bride's Cake. Three
quarters of a pound of sweet al
monds, half an ounce of butter, one
pound of icing sugar, a teaspoonful
of orange-flower water and two
whites of eggs. Pound almonds to a
fine dust, with the orange-flower
water, mix in the sugar sifted and
enough white of egg for a stiff paste,
pounding it all together till quite
smooth, and spread evenly over cake.
White Icing For top of Cake
One and a half pounds of Icing sugar
sifted juice of one lemon and two
whites of eggs. Mix well all together
till quite smooth with a wooden
spoon, spread on cake after almond
icing has set and use a large knife
dipped ia boiling water to make icing
even. Decorate according to taste
with little white candies, silver pills
and fondants.
To clean silver a little kerosene
added to the cloth that is dry whit
ened" will help wonderfully.
Boil your clothes lines and pins
occasionally and you will be able to
make them serve a longer term.
Stoves may look nice for some
time by rubbing them thoroughly;
with a newspaper every morning.
Scalding hot milk is more effec
tive in removing stains from linen
or, cotton fabrics than boiling water.
Put a pinch of salt into coal oil
lamps for a more brilliant light. For
a polish, rub the chimneys with fine
salt.
Wring a cloth from vinegar and
wrap it several thicknesses around
cheese to keep it from moulding or
drying.
Use adhesive plaster to fasten la
bels to cans or bottles. It is dan
gerous to leave either without being
plainly labeled.
An onion breath may be got rid of
by swallowing a mouthful of vinegar
or drinking a half cup of hot water
in which a pinch of baking soda has
been dissolved.
In using linen doilies on the highly
polished table cut asbestos pieces to
place beneath the mats, especially If
there is any danger of the hot dishes
marking the table top.
To prevent colored cotton garments
from fading soak three or four hours
in cold water, to every gallon of
which has been added one tablespoon
ful of strong turpentine.
Add half a teaspoonful of salt to
two quarts of water, or in that pro
portion to the lower compartment of
a double boiler; less time will be re
quired to cook the contents of the
lower one.
Chopped beef or pork cracklings
are good to use in Indian bread,
which is usually served warm, or
they may be mixed with bread and
mashed potato seasoned and fried
like sausage.
Save all the ends of candles, put
them in a jar and r.i?lt them on tha
stove, mis them with enough turpen
tine to make a soft paste, and you
will have an excellent polishing ma
terial for oil cloth, linoleum, etc.,
which will cost jou hardly nothing.
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