THE- FRANKLIN: PRESS
vaniMExxi.
FRANKLIN. N. 0., WEDNESDAY. OOMIiEU 10, 1906.
NUMBER 41.
The Widows of Tear-Dfop Lodge.
How the Five Hr&. Smiths Found '
Consolation.
No, Mr, Van Patter wai not In, the
- office boy iatd. But wouldn't the lady
wait? He would surely be back lit a
few minute. The lady sighed and sat
down near au open wtudow, threw
back her mourning veil,, dabbed ber
eye with a black-bordered handker
chief, and fanned herself with a small
black fan. Then she law that tin;
room already had an occupant, a wo
man, who, like herself, wai dressed
' In the deepest mourning. They cast
a surreptitious glance or two at each
other before their attention was drawn
to another arrival, a woman, young
and comely, and clad In mourning as
deep as their own. They heard the
office boy- assure her that Mr. Van
, Patter would be bnck In fire minutes,
and that he had many cottages to rent
that were exactly what she wanted.
The first comer took In hte appear
ance of the last with a furtive glance.
"It must have been her hUHband, too,"
she thought, "for she looks so end."
A moment Inter they heard the office
boy again explaining Mr. Van Pat
ter's absence. A sad voice replied,
"Well, I can wait, if It Isn't too long."
and the three women saw another wo
man, dressed In black with a long
crape veil floating from her widow's
bonnet, cmHr the room. She was tall
nd stately, and wore her mourning
robes well. The four ludles fanned
themselves assiduously with their
black fans, their eyes on their lups,
but lifted frequently in furtive glnnces
at one another. Presently one of thcui
Uttered a half-suppressed exclamation,
and four fans dropped Into as ninny
laps as four pairs of eyes were tunit.1
iowajd-lhe dflpr. Therstood n little
roly-poly lady, in a Trailing black
gown, a longer and heavier crape veil
than any of the others, and not a
speck of anything but black about
her, except her face, which was all
pink and white, and looked as if a
very deep sorrow indeed would be nec
essary to prevent it from rippling with
smiles. She was asking for Mr, Van
Patter, and saying she wanted lo rent
a pretty cottage in a quiet street. The
women already there rustled with ex
citement, and exchanged glances. For
the space of two minutes there was
entire silence in the room. Then the
, tal! and stately one took them all In
with a sweeping glance and said
"Ahem!" The others looked up and
sighed and dabbed their eyes with
their black-bordered handkerchiefs.
"Ladies," Bhe began, "I cannot help
, thinking that there must be some
Strange providence in the accidental
meeting here of so many women, all
suffering from the same great sorrow.
For I Buppose, ladles. You have all
lost your husbando."
A chorus of sobs made reply. Five
faces were burled in as many dainty
bits of black and white linen, from
which came muffled exclamations:
"Only three months ago:"
"Oh, he wad such a dear!"
"1 shall never see his like again!"
"Oh, I can never endure It!"
There was a sound of rapid foot
steps in the hall, and Mr.'Van Patter
, entered the door with a little skip.
and took off his white duck yachting
, cap with a flourish, while his face
Irradiated itself with a genial smile
of welcome. But when he Baw his
' office filled with an assemblage of
black-gowned and black-veiled ladles,
.sobbing and exclaiming, with bowed
heads and faces burled In their hand
kerchiefs, his smile went out like a
candle in a gust of wind as he Jumped
quickly back Into the corridor. Ho
caught the office boy by the collar,
and demanded:
"Who are they and what arc they
crying about? Do they think this Is
. an undertaker's shop or a public weep
ing station? Vou done anything to
hurt their feelings?"
"They're cryra' about their hus
bands, Mr. Van, 'cause they're all
dead and there ain't any moro like
'em. They're all wldders. Mr. Van,
and they all want to rent nice cottages
In quiet Btreets."
The sound of the tall widow's voice
again came from tho room:
"Ladles, nothing but the hand of
Providence could have guided Into
this office this morning so many wom
en with breaking hearts, and each one
eeeking a quiet place in which to hide
and endure her sorrow. Ladies, It
means, I feel sure, that we've been
guided to this place so that we can be
come friend and console one another
In our affliction."
'. There was a sobbing chorus of as
sent, and Mr. Van Patter's face bright
ened with the Inspiration of an Idea.
With a Utile skip and a profound
. bow he was In the room and saying:
"Ladles, command me! Can I be of
' service to you?"
"Ah, Mr. Van Patter!" said the tail
lady. "I am sure, Mr. Van Patter,
that you will agree with us that there
Is some deep significance in our meet
ing here this morning, total strangers
to one another until we stepped into
four office."
"Assuredly, madam! It Is very evl-dentr-
1 t
"We do not even 'know one an
other's names," she went on.. 'Mine,
ladles, is Mrs. Mary A. Smith."
The others looked up with , sudden
Increase of Interest "How extraor
dinary!" exclaimed one "Mine is
tMrs. Mary J. Smith!" -
' "Apd mine Is Mrs. Mamie Smith,"
eiclalmed another "I was christened
Mary, but I've alway been called
. Mamie, ami that Is the way i always
.sign my name now that I can no fcng
through the rest of the sentence "now
er" her voice: broke . and sobbed
. can no longer sign myself Mrs. Joseph
8mlfb." - - t y- i
"Joseph Smith"!" '
"Did you say Joseph Smith?"
. "Was that your husband's name?"
"Joseph BmlthT" .
Mrs, Mamie sobbed, "Oh, .my dear
Jody!7 . ' - .
"But It was my husband's name too!"
"And mine!" ..
, "And mine, too!" -
By FLORENCE FWCHKELLV. j
"And so was nUae named Joseph
Smith!"
"Wonderfull Wonderful!" exclaim
ed Mr. Van Patter, waving both arms
and beaming upon the widows as he
skipped from one foot to the other. It's
the most wonderful thing that ever
happened!"
"It is a most wonderful coincidence."
said Mr. Mary A., solemnly; "and it
proves the truth of what I have been
saying all the time, that Providence
guided us to this room. But we do
not yet know your name, mndame,"
she went qn addressing the widow who
sat farthest back, "except that you
have told us your husband's name was
Joseph Smith. Is your first name also
Mary?"
"It was, orlgnally, Mrs. Smith, but
my dear husband always liked to call
me Molly, and I've no henrt, since I
lost him, to call myself enythlng else."
Mrs, Mary A. Smith looked Inquiring
ly at the little roly-poly widow.
"Polly," she ancwered promptly.
Mr. Van Patter sprang forward with
a little skip and waved his arms.
"Ladies, this is certainly the most
wonderful coincidence that ever hap
pened. But I begin to understand its
secret significance! In fact, I am sure
that I understand exactly what it
means!'
The ladles looked up with eager ex
clamations of '"What Is It?" and "Do
tell us!'
"It means," he went on, "that you
art? not to shut yourselves pf) In scpar
at cottages where yonwouldhavetoplne
away in solitary sorrow aud loneliness,
It evUenlly means that you are to
inakc yoimclvog one mSffS?T
united under a common roof, there to
comfort one another In your affliction
and share with one another your bur
cdns of sorrow!"
Spring aud summer passed, and the
wurni golden days of autumn were
at hand, Teltrdrop Lodge looked
even more dilapidated that it did when
the widows were moved to make their
home within its walls because of Its
resemblance to their own eniotloryil
condition. But at least one Of the
widows, as she walked down tho path
toward the gate, seemed not nt all In
harmony w;ih the forlorn aspect of the
house and grounds. It was Mrs. Polly,
clad all In white, and looking ns bright
as a May morning. She went to the
gate, gazed up and down the street,
and then walked slowly back towards
the weeping willow. Mrs. Mamie and
Mrs. Mary J., sitting in its shade, noted
her movements with Interest. They
were both dressed In white, but had
kept some touches of black In their
attire.
"She's been acting very queer tho
last few days." said Mrs. J. "She
has si'emcd as pay and happy as if
she had never had a husband anil
didn't know what It meant to lose
him."
"She has had two letters lately that
were- addressed In a man's handwrit
ing." said Mrs. Mamie, "and the same
writing on both."
"And she seemed so devoted lo her
Mr. Smith! You would have thought
she'd never look at another man!"
"Wouldn't It be curious," comment
ed Mrs. Mamie, "if it should turn out
that Polly Smith's husband Isn't dead
at all?"
. Mrs. Mary J. flushed and exclaimed,
without looking up, "Mamie Smith!
You' don't suppose she's only a grass
widow, do you?"
"I didn't my so, nnd even If she
were I shou.du't consider It anything
against her."
There was a shrink from a thicket
sound of tearing drapery and running
footsteps, and Mrs. Molly dashed out
of the bushes and came dashing to
ward them, her face pale and frighten
ed and her white gown in tatters.
"A man! "A man!" Bhe gasped.
"Where?'
'"He came creeping Into the haw
thorn bushes as I sat there reading.
Oh, he frightened me almost to death!"
"Are you sure It was a live man?"
exclaimed Mrs. Mary A. "Polly! Do
you think it was the ghost of Mr.
Smith? Do go and see! Oh, why
doesn't Mr. Van Patter come!"
Mrs Mamie was moving towards the
house, but stopped suddenly, scream
ed, and ran back.
"Girls!" she cried breathlessly,
"there's another man down by the
gate! . I saw him come In and hide
behind the big bunch of lilacs!"
"It's a gang!" exclaimed Mrs. Mary
J.
"And they're bidden all over the
grounds!" added Mrs. Polly.
"And they'll rob and murder us!"
moaned Mrs. Molly.
"Why doesn't Mr. Van Patter come!"
sobbed Mrs. Mary A. "If be doesn't
come soon I shall refuse him!" But
so great was their alarm that no one
noticed the spontaneous admission of
her expectations. They huddled to
gether, looking longingly towards the
house. ,
"Oh, girls!" said Mrs.1 Polly, "I want
to go a few steps down the path and
see if those men are coming this way,
HI be , very careful, and you'll all
keep your eyes on me every minute,
won't you?" '
The others protested, but she picked
up her skirts and tiptoed cautiously
down the walk, craning her neck and
staring at the ehubbery. Then there
was a succession of little squeals and
she came scurrying back like a fright
ened quail "It's another man! she
.gasped. -'A ' horrid, big, red-bearded
man, over tnere on the other side of
the grounds!' . ,
Hardly had she finished speaking
when Mrs. Mary J. Screamed and fell,
trembling, into Mrs. Molly's arms.
"There's another man," she cried. "1
saw him peeking from behind the y
rings bush, beside the back gate." .
"Why doesn't air. Van Patter come?"
Moaned Mrs. 'Mary A, beginning to
weep. , ..'........ ;; . ...
"They're going to-murder us!" sob
bed Mrs. Molly. :. ' ";' y ''"'v ' :Msy
'Oh. If my dear Jody was only here
' - - '
cried Mrs. Mamie wringing her hand.
There was a sound of some one
tearing through the bushes where Mrs.
Molly bad seen the first disturber of
their peace, and a - big, bewhiskered
man rushed out, extending' his arm
and crying Joyously s, "Here's your
Jody, my darling Mamie!" ' .
There was a chorus of shrieks as
the women fell upon one.another and
threw their arms about Mrs, Mamie.
Bhe drew away from them and with
Cheeks very red spoke severely to the
man:
"Joseph Smith, how can you explain
your conduct?"
"I wrote to you, Mamie dear, e
plaining everything, except that I did
n't tell you how successful I've been
In the Klondike, and I've been hunting
for you ever since I got back and
couldn't find you."
"You didn't suppose I'd stay at
home, did you, and be Just a common
grass widow? No, indeed! t came
here where nobody knew mo and put
on mourning and held my head up
like a real widow whose husband has
n't disgraced her by resertlng her in
stead of dying."
"I'm very sorry, Mamie dear, that
I've caused ou so much pain and
thouble. I thought my letter would
explain everything. Aren't you going
to forgive me and tell me you are
"Of course I am, Jody Smith. I've
glad to see me?"
meant to all tho time, but 1 hadn't
explained anything to the other ladles
yet, and you've frightened us all dread
fully, and, anyway, Jody Smith, 1
think you ought to be ashamed of
yourself!"
Half laughing half crying she Bank
Into his anus. As tho others turned
away with pleased exclamations they
saw Mrs. Polly running to meet a short,
stout gentleman who was hurrying
from the back gate. They embraced
ardently and came back with their
arms about each other.
"Oirls, here ie my Mr. Smith, and
he's never been dead at all!" Polly
said to them, her face beaming with
I hannlgfijfr "H to go to South
America for a loSS trip, and I was
so lonely nnd boredwithout him that
I Just had to do something new. So 1
put on mourning and 'Mine to see how
It would seem to be a widow for a
while, but I didn't cjtpect him for a
few days, and i realfyNi)0,11111 to tu"
you all about It in a day or -rWor"-
"I suppose I ought to tell you,
ladies," said Mrs. Mary J., "that iny
husband Isn't dead either. We had a
dreadful quarrel, and I said hateful
nngty things, and he said he would go
away and stay away until I was sorry
for my words, and asked him to come
back. I've repented bitterly, and I'd
be glad enough to beg him to come
back, but I don't know where he is."
And she dropped her face In her hands
ami began to weep.
"Maybe ho la tho red-headed man 1
saw," Mrs. Polly whispered to Mrs.
Mary A. They looked across the
grounds and saw him coming towards
them. Mrs. Polly gently lifted Mrs.
Mary J.'s head, facing It towards the
man. She screamed and rushed to
meet him.
"Well, Indies." said Mrs. Molly, "I've
truly suppnmd my husband to be dead.
As you know word waa sent to me that
he had been killed In China. But now
everything: seems possible, nnd I be
gin to hope that he will reappear, too."
.Mrs. Mary A. grabbed her arm.
"Molly! There's another man to be
accounted for the one that Mamie
saw!"
Just then a man emerged from an
overgrown arbor near by. "It is nel"
cried Mrs. Molly, and ran to meet him.
"And there's Mr. Van Patter com
ing," exclaimed Mrs. Mary A. Joyously.
How delighted the dear man will be,
nnd how lovely of him to come now
whin everybody is so happy,"
"It's all right, Mr. Van Patter," ex
plained Mrs. Mary A. "It happened
Unit their husbands weren't deud at
all, and they've all come back and
found their wives here this morning.
It's Just their Mr. Smiths."
Mr. Van Patter sprang backward
with a look of sudden concern. "Their
Mr Smiths! " be exclaimed. "And
your"
"You needn't be alarmed about him,"
she Interrupted, "because because
there Isn't any! I didn't have any!"
"You didn't huve any? What do
you mean?"
She Unshed deeply and hesitated In
deep embarrassment, "You see I In
tended to explain to you this morulng
you see, I had been plain Miss Smith
for so long that I got tired of it
and a widow is so much more Inter
esting and It would be so amusing
and so I I Just bought some mourn
ing things and came away here where,
nobody knew me and Just called
myself Mrs. instead of Miss."
"And now that you've tired of be
ing Mrs. this long, my dear Mary A
are you willing to to to "
"To be a real one after this? Yes,
quite."
He made another skip and Belied
her hand. "Then we'll be married to
day! And now I suppose I'll have
Tear-Drop Lodge on my hands again."
New York PoBt. ;
r- ;
Diamond Romance.
Brazil has been called the "land of
diamonds," and her mines are among
the richest In the world. Negro labor
ers working in the gold mines oESerro
de Frio in the early part of the eight
eenth century collected the "shining
pebbles," which they used ss counters
in their crude card games. Struck by
their brightness and geometrical
forms, a Portuguese officer forwards
speciments to Lisbon, where the Dutch
consul pronounced them diamonds,
Th4 Draganxa, one of the largest
stones In the world, was found by three
criminals who had been sent Into exile
among cannibal tribes and wild beast.
They took the stone to the priest, who
turned It over to the Governor. : The
gem became the glory of the crown
Jewel of Portugal, and tue King, In
gratitude, pardoned the exiles, E
chsng.' ; A. ..
; Nickels Are Scarce. - ' .
Since the Nevada Legislature legal
ised slot machines there have not been
enough, nickels in circulation outside
of the slot machine' bazars, to buy 6
cents worth of gum for six-year-old
school girl. A keg containing $1,600
in nickels was recently received hot
frnrn the factory by a Reno bank.
oulld a Silo,
With the general use of Uie silo
the productiveness of our farms would
be so increased, both in quantity and
quality Of our grain craps, in the cash
Income, In tho quality of Block kept,
nnd In almost every other way that
tho problem of keeping our boys on
the farm would be solved. Convince
them that they con make more money
on the farm than in the cfty and you
can't get them away. Build a silo.
Spray Fop Berries.
1. tn fall or Winter remove all
Canes Infested with Cane borers,
orange rust and crown gull aud burn.
8. In spring, before tho buds swell,
cut off und buru all canes badly spot
ted with disease and spray the test
with Bordeaux mixture, repeating the
spraying when the young shoots are
about six Inches high, and ugalu in
ten to fourteen days. Aim to cover
the young shoots with spray. This
treatment Is for anthrao nose, cane
blight and leaf spot diseases.
Artichokes.
Artichokes are regarded as a flno
health preserving and appetizing food
for hogs. They are comparatively
little trouble to raise anil are quite
productive. Every hog feeder should
have an artichoke patch, if not more
than hnlf an acre. Plant Just as you
would potatoes, and ns soon as tho
ground is warm. In the late Slim
mer nnd fall you will (Inil you huve
made a good Investment. They serve
as a kind of tonic for the hogs, keep
ing them healthy and sharpening
their appetite for corn.
s. Cutworms.
any pest tries the patience
of the gardener more than cut worms.
They woreS6t1iu Thaxter's bote nolr:
they drove her. from the bed at mid
night and In tle sniull hours of the
morning to see fher sweet peas were
still safe. One effective remedy is
handplcklng, wlthvthe aid of lantern
by night or digging them out from
around the roots of 4fested plants by
day. But this treutmeTIt- requires
considerable iph! hiuI iKviitlntiJJILll0
best method for denting with cut
worms Is to prepare poison bait for
them. Bunches of clover or pigweed,
pepper grass and mullein, even when
thoroughly poisoned, art attractive
to cut worms. Such bait should be
applied two or three days before any
plants have come up or before the
garden Is set out. At this time, If
tho ground has been well prepared,
tho worms will have been hungry for
several days lilul will seize the first
morsel without examination. This Is
their undoing.
Th Gape Worm.
The dreaded gape worm has been
ionsplcuo'is by Its absence this sea
son, to judge lly the Utters received.
The absence of dump and rainy
weather has had much to do with this
unwelcome parasite in chicken cul
ture. Tho festive gape worm revels
In a foul, damp atmosphere, and is
seldom In evidence where dry sani
tary conditions prevail. It is true
we hear of chicken raisers Who speak
of "gaps" whenever a chicken opens
its Jaws und breathes a trifle suspi
ciously, but on close examination no
trace ot the gape-worm is found.
Where doubt exists, hold the chick
en's throat exposed to the sunlight
and open the mouth nnd look down
tho wind-pipe. If a small, thin red
dish looking Btring of about au inch
In length Is attached to the mem
brane, "his gapeshlp" Is busy und
must be removed. A twisted horse
hair or sliver wire will extract the
appendage. A small prlmory feather
stripped to the quill, except a small
end of about a quarter of an Inch
wide and half an inch long dipped In
coal oil will answer the same pur
pose. Some use turpentine, but it
needs very careful handling when ap
plied internally. A local application
of turpentine to the outside of the
throat Is often effective In destroying
the gape-worm In the early stages.
Placing the afflicted chickens In a
barrel or box and dusting with air
slaked lime Is another -remedy that
is fairly successful. Plowing the
foul ground In the fall and dressing
with fresh lime Is the best preventa
tive of gapes. American Fancier.
High Grade Fertilisers.
The annual report of the Connecti
cut Experiment station at New Hav
en gives I some Interesting facta
about fertilizers sold in that state.
There are at present legally sold
more than 2S7 brands ot fertilizers,
costing from $25 to $43. per ton, for
which farmers pay annually not far
from a million dollars. The question
of their valuo Is therefore a live one.
The report gives one or more anal
yses of every brand la market, with
some discussion of the relative value
of these brand. Most of them agree
well in composition with the manu
facture rV guarantees. Occasionally,
however. an article Is condemned as
very Inferior, If not fraudulent, by its
chemical analysts or the results of
microscopic examination. The prices
charged for low-grade brands ot goods
sre shown to be put of all proportion
to the actual quantities of plant food
In them, and as Is usually the case,
the high-priced goods'are more econ
omical to buy . than ''the low-priced
"cheap" goods. ; For instance, on the
average, there can be bought for a
given amount of money nearly twice
as much actual plant food la fertilis
ers costing $T per ton" less. "U '. is
maslng that any one can find any
body to Jbay fertjllsers f having' for
composition such as is guaranteed for
some of those who analyses are here
given," says the report. "There is
if o fraud
1n the matter. The compo
the low-grado fertilizers cor
falrly well with the guarau
If purchasers can be found
pay for a ton of plant food
as would BUtfice to purchase
four tons, the seller is uot
the law in taking advantage
obtu'sencss." Albany Coun-
siuon oi
responds
tees, and
who will
as much
three or
breaking
of their
try tientl
email.
To Break and Train a Colt
The breuklng and training of a colt
should begin nt an early age. Three
things are to be accomplished: First,
we desire to teach the colt lo submit
to man's control, and in doing this we
must first overcome Its fear. This
can most easily be accomplished when
our pupil Is quite young, uot over one
or two mouths old t the younger tho
belter), by handling aud petting It
when In the stable with Its dam. At
tills time a strong man cuu catch uud
hold it securely until It givea in and
ascs to show fear. At this age also
it should be broke to the haltur and
taught to stand tied and ulso to be
led. Colts should ulways be left in the
stable when the mother is taken out
to work, thin when weaning time
conies you will have but little trouble
lo manage Iheni. liming the summer
season 1 prefer to have It run with
its dam in a good pa.-ituro during the
night, as this will develop Its muscle
as well as u good frame and constitu
tion to tit it for future usefulness.
The second yuir of tho colt's lifo Is
usually spent in the pasture, and tho
training is usually neglected, but It
would be heller if they v. ere occasion
ally led to the stable to keep them
iinuVr control. During the third year
we should try and accomplish our sec
ond object In Its training, (hat of
teaching It to perfoini the various
kinds of labor, which we expect lo tit
It. for, whether for draft or lighter
employment. If we have properly
handled our pupil daring its first two
years there will be no breaking to do
now, simply training For lis first
lesson I prefer lo hitch It with u good,
trusty horse to a stout wagon, and if
time is uot too precious I would drive
It each day, for two or three days,
without u load, and lluu If it has
tied to walk up straight you call
beglntc -Joud. lightly at find, and
gradually incre"ase."-t7o"U6i 1)U" 11
hurry ut this stage of the game, as
haste may spoil the Job. After a few
clays' training I hitch to a plow, har
row, corn plow, or whatever work is
ou hand nl the time, and give my
pupil a Ics-iOii In the different kinds of
work that It will be expected lo per
form in the future, always being care
ful not to overdo or discourage It, but
aiming to give continuous training
from duy to day. There is so much
required of n good farm horse nowa
days, that It will take some time to
teach it all about l' running of tho
various farm machines, and great
t-aye Is necessary until II becomes ac
customed to this kind of work. But
a well-trained horse is a valuable
thing on the futni, and will well re
puy us for the time spent and the pa
tienco und care exercised In bringing
bis eollship to this desired attain
ment. Our third object is to avoid
the acquiring of any bad habits by
our pupil during this lime of training.
We should be sure to have good, sub
stantia! harness und other accoutre
ments, when working with colts, so
tl.at we may not be placed at a dis
advantage by the breaking of the
same at sonic critical period. The
great object Is to teach the colt that
man Is Us muster, and to prevent it
from acquiring that nervous habit ot
becoming frightened at every strange
noise or object that It encounters.
Never whip a colt when It is fright
ened, but keep cool, and it will soon
learn to overcome this spirit of fear.
A great help in teaching a colt this
desirable trult of fearlessness is a
quiet; fearless mate to work it with
durlhg this training period. This is
especially desirable in this age of the
world, when we are likely to meet
trolley cars, automobiles and other
frightful things at any time.
There Is such a difference in the
disposition of colts that the stage of
its training at which I would teach it
to work single would vary with dif
ferent subjects. Some are much eas
ier taught than others. We will, by
the time our pupil hag become used
to team work, have learned its dis
position so that we will know how to
manage this part of Its training. In
diana Farmer. ' , ,
A Great Lumber Country.
The lumber interests ' of northern
Maine are enormous, notwithstanding
the ravages of fire and the lumber con
cerns. In the district of the St John
Bystem alone the forest commissioner
estimates nearly seven tjilllon feet ot
spruee, besides hundreds of million ot
pine and nearly two billion of cedar.
Toe fertility of the soil' makes it a
very rapidly producing lumber country;
The spruce accessible to transporta
tion having been somewhat reduced,
the poplar is being drawn upon largely.
The poplar land quickly replaces itself
by sprouts and grow - very fast.
Along the line of the railroad max. be
seen many poplar lands, which are re
placing these. Spruce, when "cut or
burned over, also reseeds itself fairly
well, and burned areas, If not burned
too deep, are soon covered with young
grbwth. v -
The Story of Turner.
' A London woman' bad A painting
which she believed to be by Turner
Kha offered It to several dealers, who
sntd it was nothing like Turner's wo-t
id . refused -.to buy It. Later she
fyiind documents which proved It tv
fca genuine Turner and within a we
a!ie sold it for $12,250. , V,'
TOOK A BEAR KIRK
DEACON WARNER ASTRADDLE
BRUIN ADDED ' VA8TLY TO
; V MERRIMENT. .
Joke Was Put Up By The Terrible
Twombley . Twins Got Even with
Old Enemy and th Whole Village
Had a Good Laugh.
The Chittenden,' (Vt.) correspondent
ot the New York World writes:
"(loudness gracious, bub, what on
alrth be ye a-tryln' to do!" exclaimed
Uncle Ben Morse when a giant fire
cracker, rrrUng beneath bis chair
on the stoop of the general store
woke him from an afternoon nap with
nerve-wracking suddenoss Just as three
small culprits giggled their way Mo
cover behind Sim Jones's oxcart.
"Thunderatlort! yo might's . well kill
a man' to sheer him t' death an'
'Just as I was dreamln' of lookln' right
Into the berrll o' the enemy's cannern
to the second battle o' Bull Run."
"Sho, uncle, what In time d'ye ex
pect if ye go to roost on the glor'ous
Fourth, Jest like nn owl, when ye'd
orter be out with the boyB, bangln'
away with your blunderbuss," laughed
Sim, who had been drawn to the door
by the explosion.
"Wai, wai, so 'tis the Fourth, now I
come to think on't" admitted Uncle
Ben somewhat mollified. "An' I dunnp
but what I should ha' done the samo
thing when I was a young 'un. They
tl i t' II that I was a reg'lar cut-up, but
1 tad Hikes an' nil, 1 wa'n't half bo bad's
t: en Twombley Twins. Sny, Sim, did
ji- i ,tr hear your father tell how them
tli:s ((line It over Deacon Eph War
ner back In '23?"
Sim hadn't heard, or If he had ho
pretended he hadn't, and when Uncle
Ben made sure that no more disturb
ing crackers lurked in his vicinity he
kicked back in his chair and let go of
the yarn while tho aggregation camp
ed almut In easy positions.
"Iu those days wo didn't have no
such things as hifalutin firecrackers
to set ye on aldge an' burn holes In
your pants," began the veteran, "but
the young fry made Jest as much noise
as they don ow, and I dunno but more.
We uster make cannern out o' hlck'ry
lawgs and bind them with wire and
hoops from hawgsheads, and when one
on 'cm busted some one most alius
lost a laig or an arm or leastwise a
Anger.
"At the time I'm tellln' about tho
Twombley twins had rigged up an ol'
buster and all the boys and some 'f
the folks had -chipped In and bought
enough powder to blow a hole clean
through ol' Fort Tlconderotige. They
was a goln' to set her bff on the village
common, but Deacon Warner, who
hated them twins like he hated pizen
because they was alius playln' tricks
on him, set his foot down. 'You'll haf
ter gwup the mountain If ye wan' lo
do any shooting,' says he, 'for I'm con-
Btalfliji' 1 ""' .iii:h n lye it rouna uie
vIlM
"The deaci
trary cuss ye eve
mind made up to a
some o' the nelghbo
the twins Eph stuck by
got real hot up over the
'You're a mess 'f doduks, the who!
b'illn o' ye,' says he, 'an I guess IUI go
along myself an' see that ye don't
break no laws ner ord'nances. Ye
never can tell what them pesky
twlns'll do next, consarn 'em.'
"Wai, when the twins heard that
the deacon was a-goln' along the be
gun to snicker an' laugh 'emselves In
side out. Bud Twombley allowed that
If the ol' man was goln' to set In Judg
ment on the flrln' of tho cannon er
show 'em how to celebrate the Glori
ous Fourth an' Bofulh, he'd give htm a
mighty lnterestln' time. So he sot out
up the mountain and never come back
till dark. When he did get home he
and his brother Hank laughed most all
night and next moroln' got terrible
busy luggln' the cannern to Thomp
son's Gorge, throe miles above the vil
lage. "It seemed a strange place to cele
brate, but tho twins' owned the gun
and there wa'n't no other way out of
it. So when It come along 10 o'clock
the night b'fore the Fohrth, about
thutty of 'em, includin' the deacon,
took up the trail. They found the
cannern sot with its muzzle p'tntln' in
to the mouth of an ol' cave, Jest below
which was a pond of the meanest
stickiest muck ye ever saw. All along
the cliff, which formed one side 'f the
gorge, were other caves, and the twins
allowed that as the canneren was dan
gerous every man bed better get in a
hole when she went off.
"Most o' the holes were s' small ye
had to lie down in 'em, but one was
big enough f stand In, and the deacon
spoke up for it Sim's father ruther
wanted It, but the twins shoved him
away, and the deacon was soon stand
in' right In the mouth with his lalgs
ipread wide apart and his mouth open.
"This 'ere's th' way V fix yejrself so't
ye won't git deef,' says he. 'That's
the way they do to June tralnln'.
"They looked turrlble queer' in the
moonlight with their mouths, open an'
their fingers stuck in their ears, and
1 thought' that was what the twins was
glgglln' at when they lit a piece ot
paper over the brltch hole In the can
nern. But It wa'n't. It was at what
they Was hopin' was goln' to happen,
and what did happin. '.!;; '"'" .!;
, "I never heard such a turrlble roar,
not even to Bull Run, as When the
charge went 'oft -into the mouth o'
that cave, but It wa'a't a tuppence to
the- noise that follered. - It was the
deacon yellin'; for out ot the cavern
behind him had come an olsh bear,
and scudded right between his lalgs.
The smoke, it seems, had come In to
her through an openjn' or a passage
way, and she was lightln' out about as
fast as she knew how. The vent beln'
narrer. She knocked Epb's underpin
n'J gaily west, and down he come a
traddle her back.
"Of course he hung on, becauseyhe
dassnt leggo and when we got an eye
on him the varment was sasshayln' for
the muck hole, roarin' as she run and
now and then bucking' like Bill Petar
ne's colt when-young Peters tries to
ride him to wter.About every sec-
ond the deacon would screech out for
Borne one to help him, but all th ,Tks
was laughin' too hard to be of any ose
if they'd ha' wanted to. ; And'f guess
they wa'nt hankerin' over hard to be
1,, L'i"MMhflmiets and blue
V gffThn streets
uv leather.
hnf"w wTTI
of assistance. ' Twice the bear would
have shied around the pond, but one I
twin was on one side and the other on j
tother and in she went wittt cpo
clingln' clus to her. back,
knowed what was ahead of him and
he Just shut his eyes and slid through
till he got acrost, he dropped oft. I've
seen a lot of turribly r'iled men, but
he was the maddest as he stood up
lookln' like a drlppin' mound 'f slippery
mud.
. "You knowed that bear was In there,
he yelled, shakln' his fist at the twins.
'Confound ye; if your pa don't cow
bide ye for this, I will.'
" 'We knowed there was a bear In
there ylateddy, but we didn't know
whether she'd stay,' Bays Bud. But I
guess they was mlddlln" sarting, for
we found the bones of a lamb in the
cave, and the critter had never been
killed by a bear."
"I remember that Abe Porter yelled
to the deacon not to let up or h'd
drown, for a bear could ewlm In the
sticky stuff and he couldn't. He need
n't have hollered, for the deacon
FIRST MONTANA LAWSUIT.
Picturesque Quality of the Open Air
Trial and Its Tragic Side Play.
The first case ever tried in Montana
was a mining suit. Both parties to
the- suit claimed a certain piece of
mining ground. The community had
elected a president, Dr. William L.
Steele, afterwards Mayor of Helena,
and now a resident of that city. Tho
regularly-elected judge of the commu
nity was a witness in the ease and,
according to the unwritten law, the
case had to be tried before the presi
dent. It was winter time, but tho case was
tried In the open air on the foot
slopes of the mountains. The occa
sional balmy winters of that portion
of Montana were a revelation to the
gold-seekers then, as' they are to the
visitor today. During the trial, the
plaintiff moved among the jury and
the spectators with a box of cheap
cigars, treating the crowd, while the
defendant, not to be outdone In hos
pitality, went around with a bottle of
what was known as "Valley Tan"
whisky, a product of the Mormon set
tlements to the south, iu tho region
of Salt Lake.
Dr. Steele had apimlnted Charles
Forbes clerk of tho court. While the
case was going on, two men Hayes
Yyons and "Buck" Stlnson stepped
up aud whispered something to Forbes.
Forbes replied in an audible tone:
"We'll kill him."
He rose, and the three walked out
to the edge of the crowd. They called
to a man named Dillingham to step
out from among tho spectators. Dil
lingham stepped out to where Forbes
and his companion stood, and was in
stantly shot dead. Forbes had fired
the shot. C. P. Connolly In McClure's.
QUAINT AND CURIOUS.
isastrous effects of hurricanes
i the cane crops of the West Indies
has led to the frequent discussion ot
Insurance to cover this risk.
Sir Patrick Keith Murray has pre
sented io the British nation an old
cushion on which the crown of Scot
land rested, and It has been placed
in the jewel room In Edinburgh castle.
Birds arc scarce In Southern Italy
because they are hunted pitilessly.
Along tho highways hunters are always
lurking to kill off the few reckless
swallows who now and then flit from
the crags above the sea.
Having supported himself as a ped
dler for seventy-live years, James O'
Dwyer, of Kilmlhil, Ireland, who is
now 102 years old, has for the first
time in his life been compelled to ask
ffor relief from the Kllrush board of
guardians.
In Austria a "man" and a "woman"
are considered to be capable of con
ducting a home of their own from the
age of fourteen a fact which accounts
In no small degree for the spirit of
"child fatherhood of the man" so
prevalent In Austria.
By a somewhat primitive system, the
town of Thompson Falls, Mont., man
.'jes, in the hottest weather, to keep
rooms at a temperature of 65 degrees.
Wells are coverod at the top, and
large pipes, tap the current of cold air
a few feet below the surface of the
ground, conveying it to different
rooms In nearby buildings.
The donkey Is man's best friend
In Italy. He is a little cuss, but car
ries loads incomprehensibly too big
for blm. Out of compliment, the com
ic paper of Rome, with Its 60,000 cir
culation, calls Itself "L'Aslno: E 11
Populo, Utile, Paztdnte e Bastonato";
meaning: "The Ass: He's the Peo
ple, Useful, Patient and Beaten" (with
a stick).
Ice ts regarded with superstitious'
reverence in Italy, France and Eng
land. Common waiters are not al
lowed to touch the precious product.
Instead, the head waiter hands It out
in Infinitesimal fragments With a pair
of sugar tongs. Recently the London
newspapers have been clamoring for
the : advent 'of some'' enterprising
American with . an Ice plant Most
of the, London editors are Americans
or have been in America, and their
palates ' yearn for long, cold things
with straws in them.
: Two cents is the standard price for
an ordinary- trolley fare In . Italy,
France or Germany, and four cents Is
the London standard. The distances
'on ti Continent ore not so great, but
the average ride is- no shorter than
that on the New York trolleys. The
cars are hot so large, but1 they are
clean, and people are not allowed to
stand up In the aisles or between
seats.1; Each car .has V huge Vesti
bule for any overflow of passengers,
and the standee must stand there or
get off the car. v Milan has the best
line, and It Is operated by the Soeleta
Elettrlca Edisono, Which sounds like
home with few trimmings.
THE UUAU YOUNQ CHAMOIS. '
How lightly leaps th , youthful chamois
From rock to rock and never mlssesj
always set oil cold unit clamols
When near the edge of preclplaea.
Confronted by some yawning chasm
it- uii-nui mil lor iiib Him ur maiiiui
(Thdt Is, supposing tliut he liiis'm),. J
Uut yawns himself, the bold young
lamols. -
He Is a thing of licnwty always;
And when ho (Ilea, a (tray old ramols
Leaves us his hnrnu ,to dcick our hallways.
His iikln cleans teaspoons, oiled or
Jaiuols.
I shouldn't like to be a chnmoln,
However much I am hln debtor.
I hate to run nnd Jump; why, Damots,
Most any Job would suit me Debtor!
Ilurgca Johnson, In Hurper's Magazine,
Author This magazine has no rea
son for existence. Critic That is the
reason It exists. Puck.
"They are havlfnran engagement
dinner at the Browns' tonight." "Who
Is engaged?'' "A new cook." Judge.
"Do you treat your cook as ono of
the family?" "Good gracious, no! She
wouldn't permit such familiarity."
Baltimore American.
"And you've been waiting all this
time for a husband, Jane?" "No, for
a single man. Tills Isn't Newport."
Cleveland Plain-Dealer.
A camping out party is always a
success. If there is only one man who
Is perfectly contented to do all the
work. Sonicrvlllo Uournal.
"They say the theosophlsts out In
California worship u dog." "Oh, well,
that Isn't so sui prising; a great many
women who aren't theosophlsts do
that." Detroit Free Press.
"You admit you were at fault In that
Investigation?" "Greatly ut fault," an
swered the trust magnate. "1 see pow
where I could have taken far better
precautions for concealment." Wash
ington Star.
Head Men Tell No Tales. Old Gen
tlemanAre you certain that these
lifebelts are cork, und not half saw
dust? Storeman They are the best
quality. We have sold hundreds, and
never had a complaint! Punch.
Mr. Spimgely (slightly related)
Splendid!' Magnificent! Do you know.
Uncle Ell, I believe 1 shnll never get
tired o fHnelng the sun set behind
that hill! Uncle Ell That's what me
an' mother's beginning to think.
Puck.
News Editor Here's a cable from
Constantinople saying the Sultan's
princliial amusement is scaring his
wives Into fits. Managing Editor
Well, head it A Harem-Scofem Fei-
j i ni n it hi fliinkr column.
Phlladelnhln Record.
"You say you wouldn't like to get
out?" exclaimed the prison visitor.
"Why, I thought you were In for life."
"Oh, worse than that, ma'am," replied
tho convict. "I'm In for a double life.
I've got two wives waiting outside."
-Philadelphia Ledger.
"I wonder why Miss Sweet la at
ways asked to sing. Her voice Isn't
nearly so well trained as Miss Stick
ler's Is." "No. but her mannerB are.
Miss Sweet Is always willing to try
her luck without being urged for halt
an hour." Detroit Free Press.
"A number of statesmen refuse to
depend on tho judgment of the com
mon people." "Well," answered Farm
er Corntossel, "after the poor Judg
ment shown by us common people in :
putting 'em up for office. I don't know
as 1 blame 'em." Washington Star.
"I wish," said Mrs. Oldcastle, "that
I had Mrs. Waddlngton's savoir-faire."
"Yes, replied her hostesB, carelessly
tossing her $60,000 dog-collar on the
dressing-table, "I like It, too. I was
lookln' at some down town at Sellum
& Sendnm's the other day, but they
didn't have any left that was anything
like hers." Chicago Record-Herald,
Bridges and Beauty.
If the two hideous structures which -span
the Thames at Charing Cross
and Cannon street for the use of the
South Eastern Railway were removed .
London would now have a succession
of bridges from Putney to the Pool
that might suffer a comparison frrlth
the bridges of Paris, Rome and Yen-
Imi Tho now ' hrfrlcA lit. VailYhftll.
which was opened last Saturday, is
not so handsome as Its neighbor at
Westminster, nor so gauntly pictur
esque as this "auld brig" immortalised
by Whistler,, which It supplants. It
has, however,' a strong and solid beau
ty oklts own, and lies slenderly and
graceruliy across me water nae a
gigantic twig bent over it It Is th '
first bridge which has been built by
the County Council, and will, there
fore, be the first bridge over which
the despised tramway will have free
access. . It will restore to this part
of London some of its old prestige as
pleasure resort, and we may see a
revival of the Vauxhall Gardens of
the Resoration time in a fine park and
pleasaunce. The bridge almost lies
at the door ot Lambeth Palace, the
residence of the ArchbiBbop of Can
terbury, and? with this hoary old pile
as a centrepiece, there are unique op
portunities tor an improvement ot thf
district. Washington Star.
The Captain Became Singular, .V
Captain Rossi loves to use the pro
noun "we" in speaking of himself, but
discontinued the practice after the fol
lowing episode, says II Mondo Umor
iBtlco. One day he said to , his ser
vant: .
"John, how much win have-wela
the house?" ,
"Two bottles, sir."
"What? ' Impossible. 'Two weeks
ago there were fifty at least!"
Tea, sir; but you said, we have ex
cellent wine,-John; we will enjoy It,
and so
"Well, What?" ' '
"Wall, we have eoJbye3 It"
' The-Belgian Sanatorium for Con
sumptives at Borgoumont claims ne-ar-y
85 percent of successful results.