THE SURGEON'S HAND. "HE MAKETH THE BLIND TO SEE." Mary Murdoch Mscn, in The Century. 3eneath his wrist there stirs a sun-god's thought, A strong magnetic current swiftly flows Through palm und finger-tip, and power bestows On tiny blade of steel with promise fraught. Up toward the eye the charged blade is brought Maible, moonlit, the arched cornea shows. The iris, lying ladylike in repose, And the deep pupil, where the soul is caught. "Let there be light." he says "Let there be light," And, solemn as the sign of cross, the hand Performs the miracle. At that command The pulsing thought leaps toward the blind man's night. Symbolic, like a dove's flight to its nest, The haloed hand drops down and is at rest. H John Inflow's John Thurlow sat vaione In his office, lotg after his one solitary clerk had takea his departure. There were no inducements for him to do other wise, for the word home had no at traction for him. A modest fiat in Harlem, and a cross-grained old housekeeper, were all that word rep resented to John Thurlow. Eight years before, when he was but one and twenty, he had taken over control of a small but prosperous business owned by his father, in order that th latter might retire to a quiet country home in Morristown, N. J. On that same day, too, he had mar . ried a pretty girl of nineteen, whom he had known from childhood. He had loved her then with a depth of devotion which had overmastered every other thought. But he was quiet and undemonstrative by na turewhile she was full of life and sparkling vivacity. All his wants and aspirations were realized in the quiet sanctity of their newly-made home. But she though loving him no less dearly was not so easily satisfied. For life under any circumstances. was to her dull and monotonous without the gayeties und pleasures to which she had grown accustomed. Of course, she had her way. Invi tations to balls, theatre parties, and every other form of amusement were never declined, and pretty Mrs. Thur low seldom spent two consecutive evenings by her own fireside. John accompanied her, and watched her as she flitted here and there among the guests, and his heart yearned for the quieter pleasures of home and the presence of the woman he loved. He saw how she was admired, even by the men about her, and gradually very gradually at first there grew up within him the first bitter seeds of jealousy and distrust. At first he expostulated with her In a quiet way, but she only pouted and sulked like a willful child, until in very despair he yielded the point, and she once moro had her way. But hi3 jealousy was not so easily silenced. Day by day it grew, and distorted every word or look which she bestowed upon others. At last he could endure it no longer, and, in a moment of anger, gave utterance to the iruel thoughts and suspicions which had filled his mind so long and made his life so miserable. "Lock you! " he said, stepping close tirv tr hnr n n rl ro(n rrl itp h pr sH'Pn A il V "You have made my life a misery. I thought you better than all other women I find you worse! Go your own way, then, and I will go mine!" And, turning upor his heel, he went to his room, hastily packed his few personal belongings, and left the house for ever. Through all the seven long years which had intervened sine.- that un happy day he had never once heard of his deserted wife. He had not even arranged for her support, and she, smarting under his shameful accusa tions, had been too proud to compel him to fulfill this legal obligation. As he sat at his desk in that quiet counting-house there seemed to be a voice within him which rose up in protest against his injustice and cru elty. He got up and paced to and fro in the narrow office. It was quite dark by this time, so he took a match from his pocket and lit the gas. Then he resumed his walk. Everything had gone wrong with him "2 late. He had ' speculated pretty freely, and loss had succeeded loss, until he felt almost afraid to examine his bank-book and see how the balance stood at his bankers. He had not felt himself for some few days past. Early the previous week, while riding from the office on his bicycle, he had collided with a heavy conveyance, and severely in jured his head. The fall had dazed him fox a few moments, but he had sufficiently recovered to, proceed to his home, where his injuries were dressed. For a few days he remained indoors, as his face was somewhat disfigured by the fall. But business cares had weighed upon him, and he was soon back at the office once more. But for an occasional numbness in the head he now felt little the worse for his mishap. And yet he felt ner vous and uneasy. A sense of impend ing calamity seemed to be brooding over his head. His mind persistently returned to the girl whom he had once loved so dearly, and of whom he had been so unreasonably jealous. With a frown he went back to his desk, and, opening his business diary at the almost blank page which was to contain the entries for the follow ing Monday, he read once more the memorandum which, had been placed against the date: "Rankin, Son & Co.: Bill, $1154, due to-day." lie sighed heavily a3 he looked at the words. "I must face the music," be said, bitterly. "If Rankins" refuse to g?ant Affliction, me a renewal well, I suppose it's all up with Thurlow & Co." He took a sheet of paper and pre pared to write a letter. Dipping his pen into the ink he was about to begin when he noticed that the light did not seem to be fully turned on. He rose and went over to it, but to his surprise he found he had been mistaken. Annoyed at" being thus disturbed to no purpose, he returned to his seat, and again took up his pen. "What poor gas," he muttered. Then he began his letter. Very de liberately he wrote the words: "Gentlemen I am compelled, very much to my regret, to inform you of my inability to meet your bill, which falls due on Monday next. If you would be so good as to grant me an extension of time, I feel sure the present crisis of the firm could be averted. In this hope, therefore, I beg to propose that you should grant me a rene " The word was never completed. A sud'den haze crept up before John Thurlow's eyes grey at first, but rapidly darkening, untilit had be come as black as night. The letter, the scanty furniture of the room and even the light itself, were all blotted out from his view, and a terrible darkness covered everything around him. He got up hastily and groped his way to the gas jet. Then once more drawing forth his matchbox he endeavored to light the gas, which he imagined must have gone cut. But to his astonishment and terror he could not distinguish the faintest glimmer of a light. He listened, and heard the hiss of the burning gas, and going close up to it he felt the heat, upon his face. His breath came quick as a horrible suspicion took possession of him. Jn an, agony of suspense he thrust his fingers into the flame, which he al most knew to be there though unseen it, was, and only withdrew his hand when the fingers had been blistered by the heat. In a frenzy of horror he groped his way to the outer door of the office, and took one short step into the street. The cool night air, fanned his cheek, but all around liim was as dark as the grave. Not a ray of light, not even the vaguest outline of an object greeted his straining eyeballs. And then, with a cry of utter despair, he realized the terrible truth. He was blind! Feebly he groped his way back to his office chair, and tried to think calmly upon his horrible situation. But he could not. Blindness! that most awful of all calamities had fallen upon him him, a young man of but nine-and-twenty and his life henceforth must be spent in lone liness and darkness beyond descrip tion. The thought was maddening. His brain reeled and his senses swam. With a loud cry for help he fell upon the office floor, and kind unconscious ness came to his relief. When he recovered a confused mur mur of voices sounded in his ears. He was in the hospital. The nurse for the day had come on duty, and once as she passed him she stopped, and, in a sweet, quiet voice, asked him his name. When he told her, she stood for some time silent before him. "How did you sleep?" she asked at last, in a voice which John thought unusually sympathetic. "Very well," he replied, gratefully. "That is right!" she said, kindly. "You must try to get as much rest as possible, and, above all, you must not worry about your affliction. You know, it may be we hope it is only temporary, and you are in good hands here. Dr. Pope will see you to-day, and then we shall know more about your case, and be able, I hope, to do our little part in the great work of restoring to you your lost sight." "Thank you," he said, simply. "Your words inspire courage. I trust that, under the skillful treatment of Dr. Pope and yourselves, I may soon realize the hope which you ' have so kindly expressed." That afternoon Nurse Gertrude was ! off duty. But instead of going out for her usual walk she went straight to her bedroom. Lockine the door hastily behind her she fell on her knees by the bedside, and, covering her face with her hands, burst Into OME, I will make the continent indissoluble; I will make the most splendid race the sun ever yet shone upon; I will make divine magnetic lands, With the love of comrades, With the life-long love of comrades. I will plant companionship thick as trees along all the rivers of America, and along the shores of the great lakes, and all over the prairies; I will make inseparable citie3, with their arffis about each other's necks; By the love of comrades. By the manly love of comrades. Walt Whitman. tears. Sob after sob shook her franw 1 as she knelt there alone. "Oh, Jack," she moaned. "My Jack! .How can I comfort you! How can I tell you the terrible truth! My poor, blind, helpless husband!" She controlled herself with a great effort and tried to think calmly what she should do. Dr. Pope had told her at the end of his examination that he could hold out no reasonable hope whatever that John Thurlow's sight would ever be restored. How anx iously she had waited that verdict, and how mercilessly those cruel words had pierced her heart as she listened, none but herself knew. From the first moment when she had encountered the pale, drawn face and sightless eyes of John Thurlow in the hospital ward she had recog nized him as the husband who had deserted her seven long years before. But there was no feeling in her heart but one ot intense sympathy and love for him, and a passionate yearning to be able to comfort him and to receive anew all those old and treasured tokens of his love which had once been so dear to her. The next day a second examination took place. When it was ended Dr. Pope and Nurse Gertrude passed out of the dark room together. "It is a bad case," he said, when they were alone. "I can only confirm my opinion of yesterday." "Do you think he ought to know?" she asked, in a voice which she tried to control. Dr. Pope glanced at her curiously. "Why?" he asked, half smiling. "Would you care to be the bearer of such terrible tidings?" "I I think," she said, bravely, "I would rather tell him than any one else. He i3 my my husband!" And then in a broken voice she recounted her early life to the doctor, whose kindly nature and warm, re sponsive heart had won so many sim ilar confidences from those about him. "Well," he continued, after a pause, "I think you had better tell your husband what I have said. I will, however, perform an operation iupon one eye. But you must not place the smallest hope in the result. It is merely a forlorn hope and, in deed, barely that which I am only induced to undertake by the possi bility that his present unbroken dark ness may be thereby relieved by the reappearance of light, though not, I am afraid, of sight." "Very well, doctor," she said, "and thank you." And she went back to her patients. That evening she led Jqhn Thurlow into a small, unoccupied ward, and, placing a chair for him, sat down be side him. "I have something to tell you," she began, striving to speak calmly. "Have you?" he asked, eagerly. "Yes. But first, will you not tell me a little about yourself? I know something of your early life. Will you not tell me all about it? Per haps I may be able to help you." And she laid her hand lightly upon his, as if to still further appeal for his confidence. A shadow crossed John Thurlow's face, in which both pain and self-reproach were plainly visible. Almost Instinctively he knew that what Nurse Gertrude had said referred to his long-deserted wife. "Have you met her?" he asked quickly. "I know her," she replied, in a low voice, which even he could scarcely hear. "Ah!" he groaned. "I was mad then! And now now she would not look at me! Perhaps for her sake it Is better so. For had we never parted she would now have had me blind and helpless and ruined as I am to care for and work for a life-long burden upon her frail resources." "Are you sure?" she asked, looking earnestly and lovingly into his poor sightless eyes. "It seems but reasonable," he re plied, sadly. "But suppose she still loves you! Could you not love her in return, and take her to your heart as you did when she was a foolish, wayward girl, and try to forget the bitter memories of. the past?" "Would to God that were possi ble!" he said, with a sigh of regret. "But could I as I am, blind, help less, beggared ask forgiveness of the woman whom in the days of my pros perity I cruelly and shamefully deserted?" For answer she put both her arms i about his neck, and, kissing him ten derly, burst into a flood of happy tears. "Winnie!" he said, with a cry of astonishment, "is it ycu? I cannot see you! Is it really you?" "Oh, Jack! " she whispered, broken ly. "My own dear Jack! God has given you back to me once more, and ! though your dear eyes may, perhaps, never see my face again, you will al- ways have me to care for you and see for vou. and tell you how dearly I love you! " And that was how she cpnveyed to him the truth which the doctor had commissioned her to tell. John Thurlow could not fail to un derstand all that her words meant lq regard to his lost sight. But the sweet, kindly way in which they were uttered, and, above ail the earnest heartfelt feeling of thankfulness which rose up simultaneously within him that his wife was found at last, that she loved him still nay, with even a greater love than of yore softened the bitterness of the blow, and helped him to bear his great af fliction with courage and fortitude. "Why do they call you Gertrude?" he asked. "It is my second name, you know," she said, smiling. "There was already one Nurse Winnifred fn the hospital where I began my training, so I took my second name, and have retained it ever since." And then they sat hand in hand, telling each other all that had be fallen them in those seven long years of separation. Three weeks later the bandages which had covered John1 Thurlow's eyes since his operation were re moved, and the first soft rays of light which filtered through the veiled win dows of the ward revealed to him the face he loved best on earth not a3 he knew it seven years before, but far more beautiful, because it had passed through the fire of tribulation, and now possessed a new grace and refinement which had not been there before. Gradually John Thurlow's sight grew stronger and stronger, and, though it never became quite so per fect as of old, it enabled him to pur sue any avocation he pleased. And from that day forward John Thur low's business steadily but surely prospered. When he was at last dis charged from the hospital it was to learn that Rankins', hearing of the calamity which had befallen him, and being wel convinced of his undoubted business qualities and high principles of honesty, had agreed to renew; the bill which had so terribly harassed him that fatal night. During his enforced absence, also, his energetic clerk had been doing good work. Several old speculations had turned out successfully and John Thurlow found, to his intense relief, that the crisis which had so recently threatened him had been averted. Steadily and surely step by step the little business thrived and grew, and prosperity began to smile on him anew. The fiat at Harlem was deserted, and, in a neat little villa at Larch mont John Thurlow and his hand some wife still live to bless the day when, out of the shadow of a great darkness, the light of love had dawned for them indeed. New York Weekly. Five hundred ether colors besides alizarin and indigo are to-day made from coal-tar. Formerly allowed to run to waste, this offensive liquid now furnishes the world With its most astonishing illustration of the power of chemistry in taking waste products and in turning them back again into the channels of profitable use. From coal-tar Professor Remsen derived saccharin. Already other chemists had made coal-tar the basis for the manufacture of innumerable dyes and perfumes and flavors and drugs. It was reserved for Dr. Rem sen to find that coal-tar contained within it the possibility of a sweeten ing material of six hundred times the power of ordinary cane-sugar. An almost infinitesimal amount of sac charin will sweeten a cup of coffee. The extremes to which chemists will go in the use of waste material is Illustrated by a case furnished by Mr. Peter T. Austen, formerly pro fessor of chemistry at Rutgers Col lege. At Mulhausen, in Germany, there was a yarn-mill. This mill pro duced, as a waste-product, an enorm ous quantity of soapsuds. The sight of soapsuds going absolutely and ir revocably to waste was so painful to a neighboring chemist that finally he devised a method by which he precip itated those suds with lime, and pressed them into briquettes. Fur thermore, from the briquettes he manufactured a gas which had three times, the illuminating power of ord inary gas, and which he used to light the mill. A French inventor, M. Paul Jegou, has devised an electrolytic detector which operates without the use of a battery to affect telephone receivers. The detector consists of a glass cup containing at the bottom a small amount of mercury with some pure tin in solution. This serves as one electrode, while the other electrode is of the usual type, namely a fine Wollaston wire. Diluted sulphuric acid is used for the electrolyte. The detector is found to act like a small battery, and yet possesses all of the sensitiveness of the electroyltic de tector. One of these detectors used at Paris was found to receive signals sent from the Ouessant post on the coast. Scientific American. Patient Explanation. "Something wrong with my right foot," said the man at the hotel counter. "Could you direct me to a good carpenter?" "Excuse me," said the clerk, with a sly glance of amusement at the lady bookkeeper, "but of course you mean a chiropodist." "No. I'm going to be patient with yon, young man, and tell you I want a gocd carpenter. My right leg la a wooden one." Washington Star. Younger Children... THE BROWNIES AND THE WATER FAMINE. The town was much in need of rain, That seemed to linger o'er the main, And leave the country, sad to see, With scarcely water for the tea. (And this says naught of bird or beast, Whose sufferings hardly were the least.) The wells were deepened in the hope -Of striking veins of greater scope. And pumps were rattled out of use For water they could not produce. When Brownies met, as day withdrew, The situation to review, Said one: "The land we love so dear Is passing through a test severe. -There may be water in the sea That suits the sailor to a T, Providing he can hold his grip Upon the yard, and keep his ship; The wave no djubt this moment breaks Along the shores of upper lakes, And in the river known as wide, Some water may to ocean glide. But let me speak my feelings out; There's not much treshness hereabout; The grass no more is green and good; The forest stands like kindling-wood; A match ignited through mishap Might change the features of the map; And if a chance was ever nigh For work, it looks us in the eye." "These people think they know it all," Another said, "and yet they fall To digging where, since Adam's day A gill of water never lay. "They churn the pump for hours, and yet Bring nothing in return that's wet. We know where babbling springs are found Of which they ne'er got sight or sound; We'll bring from there a good supply before the stars have left the sky. Though we for fields may nothing do. Nor cause the trees to leaf anew, We'll aid the people of the town That are in heart so broken down. Away to that clear spring we'll troop To bring them water for their soup, And raise their spirits with a sup Of something from their morning cup." Within five minutes by the clock That overlooked the village block, They took the highway in a string That led them to that hidden spring. Some had a cart or dray, and more Pushed jolting wheelbarrows on before, With vessels new, or odd and old, That would the precious water hold. They carried churns, the whirling kind, And some for dasher-work designed, But, as they hoped, in proper trim To carry water to the brim. They soon were on the homeward track, And of supply there was no lack, For, let the reader bear in mind, That which the Brownies seek they find. They rode upon the water cart That took the liquid at the start Where, bursting from the granite rent, The treasure found a generous vent, Though, guarded well by rocks and trees, The place was not approached with ease, And wheels ran high, and wheels ran' low, And called for many a "turn and go!" Said one: "We've heard of floods that swept The people seaward as they slept, And buried homes in water quite Until the town was out of sight; But here's a midnight flood, 1 think, That comes to save instead of sink, And old and youn will bless the day The Brownie band came round this way." The fountain basin in the square, So dry for weeks, received their care, And soon the splashing water fell Into each deep and empty well, And pumps that oft were worked in vain Now answered quickly, free as rain, Till people drank a double share, While pots were boiling everywhere. The bubbling kettle sang a tune That lifted every spirit soon, And joy was spread throughout the town, In every district, up and down, For hoinea were all with plenty stored Until the rain of autumn poured. Palmer Cos, in St. Nicholas. GAME OF BEAN BAG. Two captains are chosen, who se lect an eg.ual number of players for their sides. The sides stand so that they are in two lines facing each other. Each captain stands on the right-hand end of his line. By this arrangement the captains are then diagonally opposite. Each captain throws a bean bag to the player oppo site. These players throw the bags across to the players second in line. These second players throw the ball back to the opposite side, but to the players next to those who had the bags last. This plan is continued down both lines, so that every one has a turn to throw and to catch each bag. The bags return in the same way. Playing with the two bags makes the game very interesting, es pecially since the bags cross in about the middle of the line. When a player misses a catch or throws to the wrong person he must join the line at the other side. After each bag has been up and down the line twice the game is ended. The side having the most players wins the game. To keep score, count the players on each side at the close of the game. If one side has six players and the other side eight the score is six to eight. When the players on one side are fewer than those of the other, the end player of the short side throws the bag to each of the extra players on the long side before it starts back down the line. Washington Star. HOME OF THE SHETLAND PONY. Just off the coast of Scotland there is a group of islands called the Shet land Islands. On one of this group of Shetlands the men are so large they are almost giants, for they are tall, strong and broad shouldered. Their wives and children, too, are fine looking and intelligent. Only twenty five miles away from this island of Fetlar is one called Muckle Roe. There the men are small, ill-shapen, homely, and, in fact, look almost like queer little dwarfs. These people are so very loyal to each ether that they do not like to welcome any of their neighboring islanders to live in Muckle Roe. For thi3 reason these queer people make very little pro gress. When the people of Shetland Islands reach the age of twenty they feel rather sure of a long life, for over half of the population live to be sev enty years old and many of the people lead vigorous out-of-door lives until they are past eighty years of age. The Shetland ponies are known the world over. They are shaggy little animals weighing only about ono hundred pounds, but they are very, hardy, sure footed and sensible. Their coats are usually some shado of brown, though some are of such a rich black that they are considered very beautiful. For thi3 reason the black ponies are the most valuable. The sheep of Shetland are small, hav ing short tails and short horns. Some are white, other gray white; still others are brown or black. Because the wool grown on the native sheep of Shetland is finer than that grown on any other sheep, Shetland wool3 are sold a great deal in their natural colors for fancy work. The wool is so fine that it can be spun into threads finer than lace threads. It is a Shetlander's boast that a stocking made of the wool of one of these native sheep may be drawn through a lady's ring. The cows of these Islands are small, and usually marked with several colors. The native pigs of Shetland are unlike the native "porkers" we are used to seeing, for they are quite slim, on account of being fed on fish. Their meat, too, has a different flavor, for the taste of fish is even in the pork. Washing ton Star. THOMAS EDISON. ' This is a true story about a man who is alive to-day. He has invented a talking machine, has given us tho electric lights and has invented hun dreds of useful things which give comfort to people all over the world. He has even made an instrument to measure the heat of the far-off stars. Sixty-three years ago, when this greatman was born, no one dreamed that some day the -name of Thomas Edison would be so famous. As the little boy grew into childhood he asked many questions which were dif ficult to answer, for he wanted to know the why and how of many things. When young Edison was twelve years old he began to earn money, for he started in business as a newsboy, selling fruits, peanuts and papers on the train. His brightness and pleasantness gained many cus tomers. Witftthe money earned he bought powders and liquids to use for ex periments. All of these jars and bot tles of things were kept in an old bag gage car and labeled "poison," so that no one would interfere with, them. Soon Edison wanted to print a paper of his own, so bought some old type from a printing office. His shop was in the baggage car where he kept his chemicals. After being a newsboy for four years an accident happened which caused young Edison to change his work. The baggage car in which the boy kept his chem icals and printing press caught fire by the falling of a bottle of phos phorus on the floor. So angry was the conductor that after putting out the fire he boxed Thomas Edison's ears and threw his materials out of the car. J.ater tiaison set up uis pout ing press at his home. As the boy grew older he studied telegraphy from a Mr. McKensie, who took great pains in teaching Edison, for Edison had risked his life to save .that of Mr. McKensie's child, who was playing on the track of a moving; engine. The great inventor as a young man was not very successful in keeping positions, for his employers complained that he had too many, plans of his own. As the man grew older these plans and many more were worked out until Thomas Edison has given pleasure and comfort to millions of people by; the work of his hands and brain. This untiring worker still spends much of his time in trying to discover better ways of doing things. Wash' Ington Star. The Little Red Devil. You will often run across a jolly looking individual who wears a but ton on which is a figure which looks like a little red devil. He belongs to the Order of the Rejuvenated Sons of Jove and must necessarily be an elec trical man. The order is national in its scope and includes electrical salesmen, en gineers, inventors, manufacturers and others engaged in electrical callings. Every once in a while the order hold3 a "rejuvenation;" they had one at the last electrical show in Chicago. It is told that they had a pair ot "electrical shoes" there through which the luckless initiate, before hi3 rejuvenation was esteemed complete, received most startling shocks. Popular Electricity. One of Time's Changes. Take our own New Haven, for in stance. Here in New Haven fifty: years ago, forty years ago, we as a city were the centre of the carriage manufacturing interest of the United States. New Haven was pre-eminently a city of carriage factories. Now there is hardly one factory left de voted to carriage manufacturing. All these factories are now automobile horseless carriage factories. Our carriage manufacturing fled West years ago and now it is the automo bile business that reigns here instead in our former carriage factories, and this work is chiefly the manufacture ing of the wood work of autos. New Haven Courier-Journal. The surface of the earth is said to I he 19 5,971,9 3 4 square miles. t

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