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U
THE BANNER=DMOCR
VOL. XIII. LAKE PROVIDENCE, EAST CARROLL PARISH, LA., SATURDAY, MAY 4, 1901
A FROSTY MORNING,
I love these frosty mornings, A wagon, bound for market,
When all the outer air Goes creaking down the road;
Is tinging with a freshness I hear the axles groaning
And vim beyond compare. Beneath the heavy load.
The north wind in the tree top' The light grows at my windows
Proclaims the coming dawn, And on the pane, I see,
'And sends the crisp leaves rattling Jack frost has limned a picturd
Across the frozen lawn. Of silvery tracery.
From some adjacent farmyard -Now, from the servants' stairway
A watchful chanticleer Slow feet pass down the hall;
With raucous, joyous crowing Alnd then a k;tchen shutter
Assails the atniosphere. . Clangs out against the wall;
Then, nearer home a watchdog, I love :hese frosty mornings.
Awakened from his sleep, To note these things, and then
Gives voice to his resentment To draw the bedclothes closer
In tones prolonged and deep. And co to"sleep again.
-Philadelpnta Catholic Standard and Times.
CHEE'SAI WILLIE SAN.
By Captain 4Musgrove Davis (Charles 0O Shepard),
C HEESAT,. In Japanese, signi
fties small or little, and san is
a suffix of respect. about the
equivalent of the English
Mister; hence Chieesal Willie San
means Little Mr. Willi., That wa:s
what the tiny American was called.
He was about thirteen years of age
when the explosion of a high-pressure
boiler of the steamer City of Yeddo
made hint fatherless. his mother and
!ne small sister nu::de up the remauid
tr of the family, and poor indeed they
Were. The worthy woman struggled
bravely, and turned her hands to any
thing that presented ;tself. She tried
washing, but the "heathen Chinee"
loon demonstrated thlie impossibililty of
letting a living in that field. Do what
the might, a hollow-eyed deficit al
Ways started her in the face. Even my
granite heart demalnded that I now
Ind then make to her "deficiency aip
propriations." Callous as I had he
rome through long exposure to the
lolicitatic,ns of stranded Americans,
tihe mute appeal of facts softened my
heart where a begging word would
bave failed.
On many a Sunday morning the fol
,owing conversation-in Japanese
look place between my faithful, ten
Ier-hearted major domo and mte:
"Have you seen the mother?" HIe
Soon came to know who "the mother"
Was.
"No. master; not yet."
"You mnasl go; go soon."
"Yes, I will as you say."
lleturniL.g "-all an hour afterward:
"Master, I went. They have little
to eat. I am so sorry."
"Go call lit. e MIr. Willie here."
'And little Mr. Willie always went
home full of breakfast, tears and
gratitude, with a hamper loaded, and
t few coins besides.
I was, ex officio,. ,be guardian of
every under-aged American orphan,
and Cheesal Willie San was, therefore,
constantly on my mind. Early and
late I met the lit.:e chap with his jolly,
lager face, always doing something
to earn an itzibu. Sometimes I was
able to recommend him to American
travelers as a guide to the Japanese
shops, and his familiarity with the
Snglslish and Japanese languages made
bim exceedingly useful to the purchas
.r and no mean breadwinner to his
mother. "
It so happened that Yokohama
abounded in bachelors, ia species of iru.
man being whose right to exist Is
sometimes called in question. Willie's
nmother, however, one day discovered
that the Yokohama questlonables at
least had a real, practical reason for
being, namely: to furnish darning and
mending foe needy American widows
a discovery which she followed up
with excellent results to all concerned.
Thus for a year or two there were no
holes in unmarried stockings, and no
deficits in a certain family treasury.
Early one Monday morning Willie's
bright face appeared beside my desk.
"Well, what is it now, my little
man?" I inquired.
"That's just it, Mr. Consul," he re
plied. "It's because I am almost a
man that I want to do a man's work.
Haven't you got something in the con
sulate, sir?"
"What do you want to do, Willie
San?"
"Anything, sir, anything."
"How much do you want for doing
it?"
"Anytjing, sir."
On the instant a brilliant plan oc
curred to me, so I said: "Well, Willie,
have you plenty of courage?"
"Yes, sir," was the prompt answer
"The:ie is something I want done,
Willie, but any one who begins must
go all the way through with It. Are
you sure of yourself?" "
"Yes, sir."
"Can you spell?"
"Yes, sir, s'ss I can understand It
but maybe you wouldn't."
"That doesn t matter so much, Wil
lie, for the work will teach you just
how to spell. When will you start?"
"Now, sir."
I ordered a table to be placed In one
corner of my office and, providing pen,
ink and about a ream of paper, direct
ed Willie to sit down. I then put be
fore him a Worcester's Dictionary,
simply remarking, "I want an exact
copy made of that," and resumed my
work without even a look at him.
I ignored my new employe as long
as possible, but curiosity soon proved
too strong for me, and I stole a glance
out of the corner of my eye, only to
find him working away utterly ob
livous of everything but his task.
When four o'clock came I announced
that that was the usual hour of stop
ping work. Willie piled up his book
and papers neatly, and with a respect
ful bow and a sayonara (good-day), de
parted.
The second day was like the first,
and so on until Monday came again,
and with it my little clerk, bright and
brave as ever. As the second week
wore on I began to be uneasy and to
ask myself whether I had not caught
a Tartar. Pride kept me to the bar
gain, however, until the end of the
third week, when I had paid out to
the little chap the sum of nine rioAs-
about ,nine dollars.
A fourth week went by and the cost
of my fun had mounted up to twelve
rlos without tie least sign of discour
agement-on Wllie's part.
Calling the little hero to my side, I
saked:
"Willie San, are yU satisfed with
your work'"
"Yes, sir," he answered. "Are you?"
"Well, Willie San," said 1, "I am
satisfied that 3ýou are a little brick,
and I aml happy and proud to confess
that you have beaten me at my owfl
game."
"What do yod mearl by your own
game, sir?" he asked in open-eyed
wonder,
I did not deem it n:eessary to ex
plain just then, but said: "1 think we'll
quit this job. Willie. I've about con
cluded to buy another dictionary-if I
need one. Here is your balance, and
I'll put you into the post-office next
Mondny"-I was postmaster among
other things. "But tell me, my boy,
how long would you have kept to that
dreary task of copying the diction
ary ?"
"Until it was finished, sir. Then I
should,lhave had money enough to
take mother and sister home and carry
me through 'ollege," was his quick
and frank response.
I surrendered.
Time went on and Cheesal Willie
San performed well all that was re
quired of him in his new position.
One day the boy came to inform
me that he had bought a rabbit, and
asked if I would allow him a day off
so that he might go to the neighboring
city of Tokyo and sell it. Of course I
gave hint the desired permission.
I should explain that about the years
1872-3 the Japanese took a silly craze,
first for rabbits and next for pigs, two
species of animals not indigenous to
the country, and speculation ran riot
upon them. I have known a miserable
rabbit to bring the incredible sum of
five hundred dollars. Exchanges were
even organized in which, like stocks or
wheat, the animals were bought and
sold over and over again In a single
day upon certificates, without the pur
chaser ever seeing his property.
Willie had no exchange membership,
however, so he proposed hiring a
jinrikisha and, with bunny in his lap,
going to seek a buyer in Tokyo.
His knowledge of the language
served him well, and he found a pur
chaser soon after arriving In the capi
tal. The next morning he exhibited
to me thirty rios as the net profit of
his transaction, I shall never, I hope,
forget the look of transcendent pride
and joy that lighted up his bonny face
as he told of his first mercantile ven
ture, nor his intensely eager, "Oh, sir,
I could make toxon (plenty) 1i I only
had more kinsats (money)."
Did I furnish the small merchant the
needed capital? Haven't I already
owned that I was practically a fool
about that day? Yes, I let him have a
hundred dollars, and in two weeks he
paid it all back and had five hundred
dollars for himself besides. He cried
anti laughed and laughed and cried as
lie counted it out before me, and just
to make him feel comfortable-not that
I was at all affected by his enthusiasm
-I laughed and shed a tear or two
myself. A graven image couk. have
done no less.
When his excitement had moderated
I said: "Now, Willie, will you keep
your head if I propose something?
Remember mother and sister, and
don't, as most grown folks would in
your place. make a fool of yourself."
He promised, and I told him that I
would pay his passage-which I could
get at a reduced rate-and he, taking
his five hundred dollars-and perhaps
a little more-should go to San Fran
cisco with letters of introduction to
ex-Governor Low and others, there in
vest in rabbits and pigs, and hurry
back before the craze should die out.
The little man's delight at my propo
sition was unbounded. He laughed
again, and jumped and clapped his
hands and tried to thank me, but in
stead burst out cryiog. However, I
understood, and presently we had
everything planned.
It was no easy matter to gain the
mother's consent to the voyage, but I
finally secured It, and in a week that
fifteen-year-old boy was off, in the
care of the captain. While on ship
board he bore hibself most discreetly,
and even earned a little extra money
by copying for the purser. He was
received with open arms by my friends
in San Francisco, who vied with each
other In helping him to buy to the best
advantage. I even suspect, too, that
they failed to report to him the whole
cost of the menagerie. Suffice it to
say that he took the same steamer
back in a few days, having with him a
goodly stock of rabbits and liHtl- pigs.
The three-weeks' voyage told severe
ly on the former; so much so that
about one-quarter of them died en
route. But nature intervened and
brought It about that on landing he
nevertheless found himself actually
possessed of more rabbits than on leav
luin San Francisco: an unearned incre
ment for which I hope he was proper
ly thankful.
In due time our little merchant re
appeared at the consulate in robust
health and spirits. The Japanese cus
tom-house authorities let him through
easy. Even his rivals in trade helped
him along, so that in two weeks Chee
sal Willie San disposed of his entire
stock at a profit of no less than five
thousand dollars. This statement
seems incredible, but people whc were
in the Land of the Rising Sun during
the pig-rabbit insanity period will bear
me out as to the probability of the
statement.
Our hero brought all his gains to me
and begged to be allowed to repeat the
venture. Older heads, h6wever, saw
the beginning of the end of the pl
rabbit mania, and with his unfafling
good sense he accepted our advice,
and, instead of another speculation,
took his mother, hibs sister and his five
thousand dollars to their former home
in the States and there gave himself
lip to study. At Yale he partly met
expenses by the sale of books and sta
tionery, and in due time was graduat
ed with honor. During the same years
his mother was earning support by
needlework, and so, between them,
they were able to give the Sister, also,
a good education.
For a profession Willie hose civil
engineering, and went to the West to
grow up with the country. Railway
men soon recognized his ability. Iie
got ahead rapidly and he now signs
himhnself. "Supetintendent bf the
Railway.
Little Mr. Willie is now a big, man
ly fellow in heart and body. He is
forty-two years of age, grand to look
upon; for the mant has fulfilled the
promise of the boy. The sister, too, is
well, and happily married.
Somewhere in the great State of Col.
orado and under the shadow of tne
mighty Rockies stands an amplD house
in ample grounds in it pledsant street
of a pleasant city. Its interior speaks
not of wealth alone, but of refinement
and solid comfort. Should you look
into it at meal-time you would sce,
seated It one end of the mahogany,
Cheesal Willie San, noble and benig'
nant, and at the other his sweet-faced
wife.-Tire rhiladelphia Saturday
Evening Post.
POLICE SPOTTERS.
Sinister Duties of the "Inside 'Man"
on the New Ysrk Force.
"Concerning the regulation police
spotter there is little to be said. The
work of the stool pigeon, unsavory as
it is, is legitimate and even necessary.
More sinister are the duties of the 'in
side man.' In the present constitution
of the New York Police Department it
is obvious to all but official boards and
investigating committees that there is
a vast amount of 'police business' ad
mirably systematized which is kept
strictly within departmental lines. The
inside man is the agent and operator of
this business. In every 'fat' precinct
that is, a precinct where vice pays its
regular toll to the police-the powers
that be in the central office have a
representative. This man ranks as a
patrolman, though he is not in uni
form. He Is, de facto, the captain of
the precinct. With him the de jure
captain 'consults' on any matter of im
portance that may come up, and his
'advice,' given after a visit to police
headquarters, is always accepted. IHe
is always within reach of the station
house, and the sergeant on the desk.
though many degrees higher in official
rank, comes to him for orders. All the
keepers of gambling houses and houses
of ill-fame who make their visits open
ly to the station house ask, not for the
captain, but for the 'ward man.' He
knows the exact amount of revenue
that can be extracted from the 'sporty'
interests of the region, and he sees
that the proper proportion reaches
those in whose interests ht is working,
reserving a' percentage for himself.
Any one who cares to study the trans
fers of policemen 'for the good of the
service' will find the trail of his puni
tive powers, It is estimated by other
anl envious policemen that the 'in
side man' in what is usually regarded
as the fattest of uptown districts pock
ets an income of more than $10,000 a
year."--S. H. Adams, in Ainslee's.
Nature's Cloeks.
Writing to a contemporary, a corre
spondent gives an interesting lilt of
flowers that tell the observant peasant
the time of day in rural England. The
scarlet pimpernel opens its petals at a
few minutes past seven in the morn
ing and closes them again a little after
two in the afternoon. In bad weath
er. however, like many a clock, the
scarlet pimpernel refuses "to go." The
star of Jerusalem, known also as
"Jack-go-to-bed-at-noon," never varies
in opening at tLree in the morning,
and, a believer in early closin,:. goes
to bed at midday. The dandeionat un
folds its glory to the sun at tqr in
the morning, at five out cotmes the
hawh's beard and somewhere near Six
o'clock (far nature is not particular to
a minute or two) the viper's grass blos
soms. At seven the lettuce "spreads
its petals," eight is marked by the
opening of Veatus' looking glass; nine,
by the bloom of the creeping hawk
weed; at ten the purple juniper bares
its corolla to the sun; at eleven the
star of Bethlehem "strikes," and, as
we have seen, Jack-go-to-bed by his
sleepiness tells the hour of noon. At
one the succory opens, at two the
squill expands, at three the marigold
betrays her beauty to the sun; four
o'clock is told, of course, by the four
o'clock flower, and five belongs to one
of the hawkweed family (the flower of
the wall), and at six, when the laborer
turns again home, the exquisite even
nlag primrose' shakes off the day's long
sleep and welcomes him on the road.
Nature's clocks go on "striking" after
this, at any rate, until nine o'clock,
but as every good countryman turns in
soon after that hour we need not pur
sue our subject further.--London
Chronicle.
An Odd Fish From New Zealana.
A curious tish existing in New Zea
land known by the Maorlis as the ka
kawal has recently been described. It
is discovered at a depth of one or two
feet under the ground, and is encoun
tered on digging in the soil. It is from
two to three inches in length and is
long and slender, silvery and shaded
like a minnow, though more tapering.
It appears to be dead when dug up,
especially in the summer, when it will
die at once if placed in water; but if
found in May or early June, when the
ground is commencing to be thorough
ly moist, it will Ilve if put in a vessel
of waler. Furthermore, it will shed its
skin, which then sinks to the bottom
of the tank. When the fish is dug
up in the summer, a growth of skin
or a dry gummy exudation is found.
which seals up the head and gills and
enables it to live through the dry
weather. In the wilter the fishi swlm"
and prolpagates in marshy pools or
damp places. After shedding the skin
small red spots appear on the body of
the fish, Which have .suggested a re
semblance to a small trout, but the ka
kawal, according to the natives, exist
ed in New Zealand long before trout
were ntroduced from F'agland.
In Berlin sign palnti ig is added to
the list o trades nracti hy wbomub
GIANTS IN A CONTEST
.HICACO SAID TO HAVE THE B:C.
CEST POLICEMAN ON EARTHi
tie is Six Feet Three Inches Tall and
Weighs 317 Pounds-Chlmpion Police=
men of Other Cities-Mddern Goliaths
In and Out of Shows-TAlI Women.
There seems to be a revival in liter
ature pertaining to giants. One phase
of it started in St. Louis.
The other da4 a St. Louis editor dis
covered a wonderful young giant wear
Ing the blue uniform and brass but=
tons of the St. Louis police force-a
stalwart son of Anak, impressirve In
his official trappings and a terror to
evildoers. With a flourish of boistfil
lelight he sent forth a challenge to the
students of giant greatness in other
cities, caliing on them in words that
rang a defiant note to produce the
equal or superior of the St; Louis Go
liath:
The towering specimen of gianithood
offered by St. Louis is Patrolmai Mur
ray P. Davidson, twenty-nine years
old. IIs height is six feet two and a
half inches, and his weight 291 pounds.
The challenge in his behalf was di
rected to the police chiefs in other big
American cities.
"Have you any officer in your city
that will beat him?" said the letter,
The proud boast Of St. Louis that it
had the biggest policeman onl earth
was destined to early humiliation.
Chief Yipley, of Chicago, read the
^hilfenge. Then a sardonic smile un
coiled itself upon his usually impertur
bable face. He touched an electric
button and asked for Edward Mar
tini. In response Martini was speedi
ly ushered into the chief's presence.
The latter proudly surveyed his sub
ordinate from the ground up, his
gaze seeming to rest on the ceiling
when it had reached the giant's head.
"What are your dimensions, Mar
tini?" asked Chief Kipley.
"I am six feet three inches in
height," said the policeman. "My
weight is 317 pounds, my chest expan
sion eight inches."
"That will do," answered the chief,
with a lofty wave of his hand. "It
beats the St. Louis giant, and we can
rest on our laurels until we hear from
some other precinct "
He is thirty-six years old, and a na
tive of Wisconsin. His record, di
mensions and photograph were
promptly forwarded to St. Louis, to
the great chagrin of the champion
giant of that town.
It was only a day or two before a
Ohio giant entered the lists. This was
Officer F. K. Srarrett, a member of the
Columbus police force. But he failed
to carry off the palm. He easily beat
the St. Louis giant in every point ex
cept height. His principal measure
ments are: Height, six feet one inch;
breadth of shoulders, twenty-six
Inches; chest and waist girth, each
fifty-five Inches; calf of leg, twenty
inches; thigh, thirty inches. He is
thirty-nine years old and weighs 347
pounds. 'the Buckeye giant has thirty
pounds the better of Chicago's biggest
policeman, but the latter is superior
and more impressive in height. Yet
he lowers the proud standard that was
raised by the champion giant of St.
Louis.
There are doubtless many other
blue-coated giants that will be heard
from before this interesting contest
is ended. It is natural that men of ex
traordinary strength and proportions
should seek and find employment on
the police force of large cities. A year
or two ago, just after the reorganiza
tion of the Broadway squad in New
York, it was said that Arichbald Tag
gart and Harry Graham, at that time
roundsmen in the squad, were proba
bly the biggest policemen in the world.
Graharp was the tallest man on the
New York police force, being six feet
six and a half inches in height, but his
weight was only 245 pounds. He was
so tall and thin that he was called the
lightning rod cop. In every point ex
cept that of height be is outclassed by
the Westerners already referred to.
Taggart, in every way except in
height, was a larger man than
Graham. His measurements were:
HEleight, six feet five and a half inches;
chest, forty-seven inches; waist, thir
ty-seven and a half inches. His
weight was 278 pounds.
Still, all modern Goliaths are not
found in the police ranks. When Em
peror William made his celebrated
Stour of the Holy Land, two years or
more ago, he took with him for spec
tacular purposes the tallest man in the
German Army. This German giant
was reported to be seven feet eight
inches in height. Prince Frederick
Henry, eldest son of the Prince Re
gent of Brunswick, who recently at
tained his majority. is the tallest of
the Hohenzollerns, being over six feet
three inches in height.
Oswald Bal-lins is now said to be one
of the greatest giants of the German
Army. He is a Bavarian by birth,
twenty-three years old, and seven feet
one inch in height and still growing.
He weighs 300 pounds and is, unlike
most extremely tall men, in perfect
health. IHe was recently married to
Miss Beemen, a native of Tonquin,
China. Her mother was a German,
and her father a Chinese. She Is con
siderably taller than most women,
being six feet six inches high, and
when last heard from was still grow
ing at the rate of two inches a year.
Hassin All, who gives Cafro, Egypt,
as his home, is said to be eight feet
five Inches tall. His head Is thirty-one
inches long. He married a Mahom
metan lady who was six feet high at
the age of fourteen.
Miss Ella Ewing, the Missouri giant
ess, who is eight feet four inches in
height, recently completed a house for
herself at the town of Govin, in that
State. Her new house has doors ten
feet high, ceilings fifteen feet high,
with chairs, tables, beds and every
thing in proportion. Before this she
never had a bed long enough to sleep
in with comfort.
The greatest thin giant of recent
times was Joseph Blacisycwski, a la
boring man in Chicago,who was seven
feet eight inches in height, but weighed
only 125 pounds. He lately died at
the age of forty-one. He came to
America from Poland.
Chicago has now a renowned boy
giant in the person of one Harry Mey
ers, who says that he quit the show
business a short time ago to become a
tramp. He is one of the few tramp
gianta 0n record, ie is twenty years
old, stands six feet eleven Inches in
his stocking feet and weighs over 800
pounds.
Tennessee has a reformed giant. He
is the Rev. Charles Kesterson, a na
tive of Hancock County, in that State.
His height is Seved feet eight inches.
though hb says that in the prime of
manhood ha was over eight feet tall.
He is now Seventy-five and Weighs
about 300 pounds. Years ago he was
a moonshiner and general all-round
terror. Then he was converted, joined
the Baptist Church and began preach
lng. He Was still engaged in this
work at list accoults.
It is said that the tallest man ever
accurately measured was Winckel
meyer, Who was eight feet six Inches
in heigh4 Chang, the Chinese giant,
the tallest bersoi ever exhibited in
this country, tas only seven feet six
inches high, though he pretended to be
over eight feet.
The tallest woman on the American
stage is Miss Mary Tull, who, beside
hole hlistriouili talent, has won world
wide fame as the favorite model of
some American sculptors for their
goddesses of liberty. Miss Tull's
height is considerably over six feet.
w-vich naturally limits her field of
endeavor as an actress.-New York
Sun.
COLLEGE OF AUTO DOCTORS.
The Spring Announcement, 1960, of the
Institution.
The spring quarter. 1060. of the
College of Auto Doctors, of Chicago,
formerly the Chicago Veterinary Col
lege, will open March 3. Students
to enter at this time must register
during the two days preceding. Spe
cial attention is directed to the fol
lowing features:
Credit will be allowed for work done
in manual training schools, machine
shops and electric plants.
The fee for entrance does not cover
medical attendance incidental to the
Gasolene Department.
Students in the Gasolene Depart
ment must make a deposit, to protect
the College against loss should they
leave without notice.
The course in monkey-wrenches has
been extended to take in the full
year.
A series of lectures on "The Use
and Abuse of Profanity as Applied to
Autos" commences with this quarter.
The Chair of Balkiness; Electro,
Aero- and Gaso-, has been enlarged,
to meet the increased interest.
Among the topics for discussion
during the year are: Care of the
Tire; Consumpt:on in Gas Autos;
Braking a Fractious Auto; Insanity
in the Auto: Its Symptoms and Rem
edy; Hot Boxes and Other Fevers;
Cracking of the Dashboard, etc:
Ten hours a week of practical an
atomy and seven of dissection, are
required of every student. Students
are expected to be able to name readi
ly, and accurately place each of the
1609 parts of an ordinary auto.
The junk shops of the city are open
for inspection by our students. Much
valuable information is to be gained
by frequently visiting thee.
The college has made arrangements
with the Park Police whereby a
plentiful supply of material for clin
ics is constantly being turned ever to
it.-Edwin L. Sabin, in Puck.
The Congressman Went to Sleep.
One of the most absent-minded men
in the House of Representatives is Mr.
Burton, of Ohio, chairman of the com
mittee on rivers and harbors. The
other day Mr. Burton . having charge
of the appropriation bill, forgot that
for the time being he was boss of the
House and that it was his duty to say
when the weary lawmakers should
quit work. When that time came Bur
ton forgot all about it. The speaker
looked hard at him, but Burton did not
come out of his trance. Finally Gen
eral Henderson's patience gave out.
"The gentleman from Ohio," he shout
ed, just as if Mr. Burton had been
asking for recognition. The Ohioan
jumped up, looked bewildered and fin
ally blurted out: "Eh, eh, Mr. Speak
er," he stuttered. "I move the House
do now adjourn." "Well, he's awake
finally," muttered Speaker Hepderson,
sotto voce, "but some people do need
a lot of sleep."-Chicago Chronicle.
Local Paper a Xirror.
Somebody has said that the local
paper is a mirror, reflecting the life of
the community in which it Is pub
lished, showing the character and
tastes of the people, and furnishing
a correct index to the business enter
prises and the industrial development
of the locality.
This figure is accurate only in pro
portion as the local newspaper fulfills
its true mission, for the paper that is
started to boom real estate and to cre
ate fictitious values, the paper that is
started as an auxiliary to the ambi
tions of some tinhorn politician, and
several other classes of so-called news
papers, give a distorted and inaccurate
reflection or local life.
There is no question, however, but
that a majority of people are inclined
to judge a town by its newspapers.
Chandler (Okla.) News.
A New Scheme.
A new scheme to get people to buy
a paper has been on trial by-the Ref
eree, a London sporting journal. It
advertised that on certain days a num
ber of persons in its employ would pa
trol certain thoroughfares and count
the copies seen in the hands or pock
ets of people who pass them. On
reaching a certain unadvertised num
ber the counter would present the per
son with an envelope containing a
check for two guineas. Such a scheme
would not appeal to American readers,
as they would not consent to make
walking advertisements of themselves,
even though they might capture a $10
bill 'for doing so.
Duration of the Victorian Era.
The Victorian Era has taken its
place in history. It dawned at twenty
minutes past two on the mornin* of
June 20, 1837. and closed at half-past
six on the evening of January 22, 1901.
says St. James' Gazette. It lasted
23,223 days, 557,386 full hours, 33,443,
170 minutes and 2,006,500,200 secopds.
All but 546 1-2 hours of it were In the
nineteenth century.
The art of dentistry was introduced
into New York. City by John OGreen
wood In 1798. He is said to have made
the first artificial teeth ever mmanufac
tured in this country.
A WINTER FLOWER FAD.
SIMPLE RULES TO MAKE RLANTS
GROW IN THE HOUSE.
A Pleasure More Neglected Heras .tan is
Europe - Light, Water and (Cleuaillness
the Neeeesary Requisites-Care of Ferns
- Desirable Flowers for the Beginner.
Americans do not take to house
plant culture as Europeans do. Perhaps
their winter Climate makes the thing
more difficult, perhaps they haveq't
time to care for the plants. et' it is
extremely easy to master the few car
dinal principles of plant care, and
plants afford so much interest and en
tertainment that it is surprising that
more womeh do not grow them.
The love of flowers is being spread,
however, among children in the
lcpools, especially in the kindergart
eas. Ifl one downtown kindergarten
each child received a little potted
plant on Christmas day, and all pri
vate and public business is apparently
made to give way to the care of those
flowers. Every morning the teachers
are called into serious consultation
upon plant syimptoms and the question
of proper treatment.
Then, again, one wealthy uptown
mother recently told the kindergarten
teachers of her small children that she
had never found anything else the
children learned at school so satisfac
tory as their recent craze for plants.
The mania which began with a pot of
cyclamen has spread mightily. One
whole room on the fourth floor has
been given over to the amateur gar
deners, and an expert florist has been
paid for practical lessons in potting,
watering, fumigating, pruning, etc.
Raising flowers in a modern house
is a troublesome piroblem, because of
the dry heat. Flowers must have
some moisture and a good deal of fresh
air, if they are to thrive. The explan
ation of the fact that window plants
usually thrive better in the kitchen
than in any other room in the house is
found in the steam and moisture of
the cooking and dishwashing.
Gas is another enemy of the house
plants, and it is worth while when the
gas is lighted to remove any growing
plants from the room if that is practi
cal.
A south or east window is naturally
the best place for plants; but, even at
a north window they will flourish, if
they have proper care, and some plants
will grow well with an astonishingly
small allowance of sunshine and light.
The China rose is a veritable poor
man's friend, because it will grow and
blossom sturdily, in the gloomiest
place, if only it is watered properly,
receives an occasional smoking and
gets a breath of fresh air now and
then.
No cold air should be allowed to
blow directly upon a potted plant.
Next to fresh air in flower culture
perhaps before it-comes cleanliness.
The leaves are full of tiny, breathing
pores, some of them having as many
as 150,000 pores to the square inch, and
yet persons will allow a plant to go
unwashed all winter and wonder that
it doesn't thrive. Every plant should
be washed at least once a wees, and
washed thoroughly, but the water must
be confined to the stems and leaves and
not soaked into thb roots. Washing a
plant is one thing, watering it is an
entirely different story.
The plant should be put into a sink
or bathtub, and each leaf should be
washed on both sides. For the smooth,
waxy leaves a sponge may be used,
but for the hairy leaves a flower
syringe with a fine nozzle is needed.
Tepid water is the right thing, and an
occasional bath in weak soap suds is
advisable, while the stems of all hard
stem plants should be sponged with
warm soap suds every two weeks as a
preventive for insects. The plants
should never be set in the sunlight
while wet.
The pests from which the house
plants are in danger are the green fly,
the mealy bug, the scale and the red
spider. Tobacco smoke will kill the
green fly, and warm soap suds will lay
low both the scale and the spider. The
mealy bug must be searched for and
ruthlessly executed,' but frequent
syringing will do much to exteminate
it.
One often hears ot women who have,
as their neighbors put it, a knack with
flowers. Translated, the knack is
merely intelligent observation and in
t'erest. There is a little German wom
an on Avenue A, who has the knack.
She can coax anything from a rose
gernanium to an orchid into glorious
health and reckless prodigality of
blossom. Her flowers are the admira
tion of her friends and the despair of
her dnemies, and she is called into con
sultation all over the neighborhood to
prescribe for ailing plants.
"It is that I love flowers," she says,
beamingly, when asked about her se
cret. "They are my children. They
have all different notions. I humor
them. That is all. I do not make
them drink when they are not thirsty.
I do not let them catch cold. When
they are sick it is the same as with
the children. They show it so plain.
Then I doctor them."
There is no hard-and-fast rule about
watering plants. One must judge the
need by the condition of the leavesand
of the soil. Never, save in the case of
some aquatic plants, should water be
allowed to stand in the saucer. Water
of the temperature of the room should
be used-never water cold from the
pipes-and if rain water is a possi
bility it is distinctly an advantage.
If the soil gets caked and hard from
overwatering, the plant should be
taken out and repotted in fresh, light
soil, which can be bought at a florist's.
Some broken pieces of flower pot
must be put in the bottom of the pot
for the sake of drainage. Repotting is
often necessary as a plant grows, be
ing usually advisable when the roots
reach the sides of the pot and curl
around.
Glazed pots of all kinds are death
upon flowers. If a jardiniere must be
used. the ordinary porous pot should
be set inside of It and should be taken
out of the jardinere for an hour or two
each day. The light colored earthen
pots are preferable to the red ones, be
cause more porous.
This matter of glased or airtight
pots explains the diffculty of keeping
table ferneries in good condition. No
plants can grow wal in a silver recep
tacle, even if it is perforated at the
bottom; amad few of the handsome table
fern holders make even that concese
sion to the plant's requirements.
If no one has already done it some
one should introduce a gracefully
shaped, low earthen jar, which could
be stat led-not painted-a soft green,
and set inside a lattice work of silver
fitted to the jar's shape. In this ferns
would have a chance to live if proper
ly washed and aired, and the fernery
could be a joy instead of a trial.
Unless one is going in for serious
gardening, it is rather foolish to at
tempt to cultivate the delicate hot
house plans3 in a home. Hot air and
gas and dust and amateur handling
would probably be too much for them
Any one who merely wants to expert
ment with a few flowers would better
stick to the hardy old favorites.
The cyclamen has recently attained
great popularity and will give more
satisfaction with less trouble than any
other flower in the market. One can
buy a good cyclamen bulb for 50 cents
and learn at the seed store how to
raise the-plant. The hyacinth is an
other bulb plant that gives excellent
returns for little expenditure of time
and care. It can be grown in water,
in a glass, and an amateur rarely
fails to have success with it.
The calla lily is another good plant
to the lover of house plants, and the
Chinese primrose, the begonia the
geranium an,- heliotre-pe. Ihe ch:ua
and tea roses nar standuyl, wh'le lo
belia, periwinkle, saxifrage, mroney
wort are hardy low plants. Azaleas
are in high favor for house plants, but
need careful treatmeht in order to ob
tain good winter flowering.-New York
Sun.
QUAINT AND CURIOUS
All sorts of animals are vain, a Ger.
man naturalist declares. Long obser
vation, he says, shows that monkeys,
dogs, cats and birds like to look at
themselves in mirrors.
Algeron Ashton. an English comn
poser, has composed a Turkish march
which he calls "Bag and Baggage," in
which the chief theme is built on the
notes B, A, G, a, (n), d, B, A, G.
G, A, G, E.-an arbitrary expedient
which is said in this case to have an
swered the purpose of inspiration ad
mirably.
A sensation was caused in New
Westminster, near Vancouver, B. B.,
the other day, by the discovery of $12
worth of fine and coarse grain gold
in the crop of a wild goose. The goose
was shot at Pitt Lake which is fed by
numerous mountain streams. The
sand bars along the shore were known
to contain gold, but had never been
prospected.
A memorial clock recently enected
at the head offices of the Bridgewater
collieries in Lancashire, England,
strikes 13 at 1 o'clock. The device
originated with the Duke of Bridge
water, who in the 18th century erect
ed a similar clock to meet the work
folk's complaint that they sometimes
failed to hear the stroke of one and
consequently did not resume work
promptly after dinner.
A curious lawsuit has just been com
menced in Ohama, Nebraska. David
Kolmits, of that city had a son whb
was suffering from appendicitis. The
father engaged an eminent physician
to perform the usual operation, but
when the appointed time came the
doctor was out of the city. Another
surgeon was called in, the operation
was performed and the boy died. Now
the father is suing the first physician
for $5000, claiming that if the knife
had been wielded by the one who had
previous knowledge of the case the
boy's life would have been saved.
There is an old legend that every
man must eat a peck of dirt before he
dies. In some parta of Australia peo
ple eat more than £ peck of it and do
actually die as a result. There is a
disease there which frequently be
comes epidemic, as it has now in
North Queensland, and which takes
the form of inspiring its victims with
a mad desire to eat earth. At Gerald
town, Cooktown and Townsville con.
ditions are more than serious, and it
is feared that the scourge will spread
and that the school children may come
under its influence. A commission
of medical men has just been ap
pointed to consider means of checkin_
the diseast
One of the most curious monopolies
in the world is that of the -Prince of
Palermo, who has a right of ownership
in all the snow which lies on the moun
tains of northern Sicily. The snow
is gathered in felt-covered baskets and
carried to the lowlands, where it is
sold, retailing at a cent a pound. In
Palermo It is used for making those
delicious ices for which the Palermo
cooks are famous. The right of ob
taining and selling the snow is let
out by the prince to contractors, and
from the money so obtained the prince
derives the larger part of his incomeb.
Another singalar way of raising
money has been put in practice in
Hesse, where a bachelor has to pay
25 percent more taxes than a married
man.
Iimats Orowlg Utder the Mieroscope.
This is something that we read of in
most books on the microscope, and al
though ic is not by any means true
plant growth, it is very curious and
beautiful. Procure a little collomia
seed, which may be had from seedmen.
Take one of the seeds and with a razor
or a very sharp knife cut off a very
thin slice. Lay this slice on a slip of
glass (an ordinary slide), cover it
with a thin glass cover, and, the mi
croscope being in a vertical position,
lay it on the stage. If you wish to in
cline the microscope you must use a
square glass cover and not a round
one, and hold the cover to its place by
means of a very fine rubber ring. Now,
bring the thin slice of seed into fo
cus and then apply a drop of water
to the edge of the glass. 'Ihe water
will penetrate between the glasses and
moisten the seed, which will at once
throw out a very large number of spi
ral fibres, giving it the appearance of
veritable germination. Beginners will
find it easier to perfrm this experl
meat if one will apply the water while
the other looks through the lnstra
menlt. A sing~ dron is enough.
UJ
8tatl Goivemn it of 1 WLma1L
Governor-W. W. Heard,
Lieutenant-Governor-Albert Eat..
pinal.
Secretary of Stae--.John Michel.
Superintendent of Edncation--John
V. Calhoun.
Auditor-W. S. Frasee.
Treasurer-Ledoux M. Smith.
U. S. SFNATORS.
Don Cafferey and 8. D. McEnery.
REPRESENTATIVES.
1 District-1t. C. Davey.
2 Distaior-- dolph MIyer.
3 Diatrict-R. F. Itroussard.
4 District-P. Brazeale.
5 Distrio--l. E. lAtaudell.
6 District-S. M. Robinson.
arm oULr-;
dl ears renowned a
m. o false promises made,
no charlatanism raOtloed.
Over 300 Gold and fiy.er Med
ala, Diplomas ot. award*A
us by Americas and'Iuropp_.
iposiltlons. Come
Course tncludes Ac
counting and iudt and
aperior to any vis the
South. We own our collee
building and have uneqlled
facllltis and as nsezLed
facut. .
Having numerous busanes monsetlonl an
being unhversally and reputably known we
have superior advntages in ai11ing stdens to
urOe situations.
WA store Is oeeted with souls Oallege
In which students do actual baineas wit
real goodo and actual mouey, and they keep
the books in the latest labor saving forms.
Students e(ter at any time. English. As.
duml. Shorthand and Business schools. Al
separat faculties. Snd for atalo
_ Adress 020. LOU
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ILUNOIS CENTRA
RAILROAD, e,
THE GREAT TRUNI
Betwesn the
North and SBoth.
Only dirst route to
lmpis, St. Lals, ChMalo, Ituas CIts
and all points
NORTH, EAST AND WVST.
Only direct route to
Jucksa, Vlcksherg, Nw Orunas
And all points ia Texs and the Ioueth
west. '
Double Daily Trains
Fast Time
Close Connections.
Through Pallnumn Palae Sleepers
between New Orleans nd Memphis,
asas City, BSt. Louis and Chicage
,ithout ehange, making direct eonneo
lona with Anrt-elss lines to all poinkts
The gret steel bridge sponning the
Ohio river at Cairo oompleted, and all
trains (freight and passenger) now run.
sing regularly over it,thus avoiding the
dolays sad aayanoce inoident to trai
erybf erry boat.
A. H. BHawow, Gac r7 Agt.,
Chicgo.
e, A. Soons. IL - P. V., sanh
Mississippi Valley
; Baillroad im
Unsurpassed : Di1 : Servic
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oonnecting at MeIphis with
trains of the Dlliatois Oen
tral Balroed for
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cinnati, Louisville,
raking direct connections with through
trains for all points
NORTH, EAST AND WEST,
Including Bufalo, Pittsburg, Oleve
land, Boston, New York, Philadelphia,
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neapolis, Omaha, gansas City, Hot
Spa angs, Ark., and Denver. Olose
sonnection at Okeago witb Centtral
Miasimippi Valley ,aoute, Solid Fast
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hIitaiE SIOgl FALLS, SIOUX CITY,
and the West Particulars of agents
of tho . a& M . and onneoting line
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Ar. K. Lianmo . P?. A Lo
AIt. , E m A, 0. 1. A.,
