Newspaper Page Text
THE BANNER=DEMMOCRAT.
VOL.XI POVIENC. EST ARRLL ARI- .... NO 26
VOL. XIV. LAKE PROVIDENCE. EAST CARROLL PARISH, LA., SATURDAY. OCTOBER 26, 1901.N
SSPIRITED AWAY.
Br J. A. B3LLSa
I/ iLALAALML 19SLMLALAn A AL ft d AL IL ýa ALa i P- 1ý
The Inhabitants of Albuquerque,
New Mexico, had become greatly ex
cited on account of a series ot daring
robberies that had been perpetrated
in their midst. The principal dry
goods store had been broken into, and
$500 dollars' worth of silks taken from
the shelves and $200 in specie and in
bills stolen from the safe; the post
office had been robbed; and even the
vault of a bank had been blown open,.
and not less than $20,000 in money
and $40,000 in coupon bonds had been
secured by the miscreants. In not
one instance were any of the fellows
captured, and no clew as to their hid
ing place or rendezvous for the plan
ning of their robberies could be ob
tained.
Alarming as was the continuation of
the robberies, it was surpassed by an
occurrence that proved to be the cul
nomination of the work of the despera
does. One night the beautiful daugh
ter of Colonel 3lecker, the richest citi
zen of the city, was kIidnapped. That
the decd had been done by the robbers
for the purpose, of keeping the maid
en captive until they could obtain a
liberal ransom from the distracted fa
ther th:ere could scarcely be a doubt
The circ:ncltaent!al evidence showed
that Helen U!eek!r had been chloro
formed while sleeping in her bed, after
which a blanket had been wrapped
about her and she had been borne
from the house and spirited away.
Helen had a lover named Malcolm
MacDonald, a rhrewd young lawyer,
who was confident that the headquar
ters of the klinappers were in the cra
ter of lava beds about 20 miles south
west of Albuquerque. This belief was
not shared by many people, however,
for the cave had often been visited by
hunters, contained no hidden recesses,
and was not adapted to purposes of
concealment or defense. But suffice it
to say that MacDonalu knew what he
was about when he resolved to attempt
the rescue of the dear girl to whom he
was betrothed,by organizing a party to
search for her captors among the lava
beds. Five of his friends, all of them
stout-hearted and adventurous young
fellows, agreed to aid him. Armed to
the teeth, and mounted on good horses,
the party quietly left Albuquerque
three hours after the abduction of Hel
en became known. When they arrived
within sight of the lava beds they
placed their horses in the care of a
trustworthy ranchman, and with
watchful eyes walked toward their des
tination.
The lava beds were several acres
in extent, and were in the shape of a
low and broken cone, the top of which
was hollowed out so as to resemble a
huge bowl. The latter was all that re
mained of the crater of an extinct
volcano, and to long had destroying
influences been at work that the sides
had considerably fallen away and
crumbled until the once deep bowl was
now so shallow that is was easy to
walk into and out of it.
The young men, rolding their rifles
in readiness in case of an attack, de
scended into the great bowl and ad
vanced until they came to the mouth
of the cave. The opening was large.
and from it a goodsized passage wound
downward a distance of ten feet to the
cave, which was about a rod long and
shaped like a right-angled triangle.
The adventurers ratisfied themselves
by a cautious exploration that the rob
bers were not in the cavity. A little
later, while, torch in hand, they were
examining the bottom of the hollow.
they discovered a square section of the
lava floor was slightly separated from
the surrounding lava. The excited
men pounded on the slab of lava until
they broke it sufficiently to enable
them to grasp the pieces and remove
them. A deep hole was revealed, ex
cept where narrow shelves extending
on four sides had served to support
the edges of the block. It was prob
able that the party was at the entrance
of the hiding place of the robbera, at
the mouth of a second cave lying
beneath the one they were in. The sup
position was that one of the robbers
had accidentally broken through the
floor of the first cave at a point where
it was thin, and had thus discovered
the entrance to the second cavern. It
was further surmised that in order
to keep their valuable discovery a
secret the outlaws had immediately
cut a block of lava from the extensive
beds outside of the cave and had fitted
it above the hole in the manner al
ready described.
MacDonald determined to make the
descent of the shelving sides of the
hole. He argued that the robbers were
undoubtedly asleep at that hour, and
that the chance of coming upon them
before reaching the main cave was
small. Seeing that they could not
dissuade him, and admiring his bold
ness, the young men discontinued their
objections; and after they had assured
him that theywould defend him should
he come forth pursued, and would re
venge his death should he be killed,
they bade him godspeed as he entered
the cavity. He was armed with a long
hunting knife and a brace of pistols,
and carried in his hand a dark lantern.
Closing the slide of the lantern to
as to conceal the light he crept in
darkness down the passage. At last
he stood upright and moved on a level.
He was in the cave. The sound of
washing waters came to his startled
ears, and he inferred that he stood up
on the edge of a subterranean lake.
After considerable hesitation he ven
tured to turn on the light A weird
spectacle was presented to his view.
Above was the root of the cave, com
posed of shaggy lava, from which
rocks protruded so much of themselves
that it seemed as it they might fall
at any moment The sides of the cav
ern were equally rough, and with the
exception of the shelf of lava on which
MacDonald stood the bottom of the
cave was covered with a gloomy waste
of waters.
Soon MacDonals a attention was ar
rested by a slngular sight. A hugemass
appeared from the gloom beyond the
reach of the lantern's rays and slowly
advanced toward him. Itwasnot acraft
belonging to the robbers, as MacDon
ald had at first feared, but was an
island of lava. That to great a mass
of lava et.tld float seemed incredible,
until MacDonald bethought him that
the mass was undoubtedly composed
of pumice, a feldspan...c scoria pro
duced by volcanoes, that is lighter
than water.
It immediately occurred to our hero
that the robbers were probably on the
lava vessel, and he closed the lantern
without delay.
Once :tore he veas in intense dark
ness. As the island came nearer he
could distinguish a dim light. He at
once came to the conclusion that the
mass was of considerable size, and
that the light arose near its centre from
a camp fire around which the outlaws
were probably gathered. He breathed
more freely, feeling confident that he
had not been discovered.
When the island had almost reached
the shore it caused a slight swashing
of the water, and guided by the sound,
MacDonald could almost tell where
the floating lava was. Cautiously put
ting out his hands, he felt them come
in contact with a hard and moving
surface; and as the island touched the
shore he gave a leap of sufficient power
to carry him well upon the singular
craft. He sat still for a few moments,
and to his alarm noticed that the
island had not lingered at the shore, as
he had hoped that it would do. It was
already moving steadily away, and he
surmised that the currents of the
singular lake or river, so ran as to
carry the mass round and round the
:ave. Eo regular appeared to be the
m:ovement that he believed the robbers
had been able to ascertain just at what
times during the 24 hours of the day
(for he could not believe that the lake
was of so vast a size as to require
days to make its circuit) the island
could be depended upon to touch the
shore that he had lett.
After slowly climbing upward for
six or seven feet MacDonald came to
the top of the island and t.ien learned
that the theory as to the dim illumina
tion was correct. ' ie island was cir
cular, about one-half acre in extent,
and near its centre was the fire, now
burning low. The island shelved from
its elevated sides toward s..e centre,
and on account of the bowl-like sur
face it was possiole to see the entire
area, although its edges could not be
JiLtinctly seen on account of the in
bility of the i.re except in its imme
diate vicinity, to overcome the power
of the intense darkness. Rolled in
blankets and stretched around the fire
were eight roubers, asleep. bout ten
feet from the fire was a wigwam cov
ered with strips of straw matting that
had been laid upon the slanting poles
of the frame. That his dear Helen
was in this wigwam MacDonald felt al
most certain.
How to act under the circumstances
was most perplexing. To attempt to
rescue Helen, or even to communicate
with her, would be an undertaking
fraught with the greatest hazard.
While our hero hes.tated his eyes
were attracted to some plunder that
the robbers had left in a pile a short
distance from where he stood.
Among the articles were heavy
horse blankets. A bright idea came
to MacDonald. He removed his shoes,
went in his stocking feet to the pile,
selected two blankets, folded them into
as small a compass as possible, placed
them on one arm, and, lantern in hand,
approached the fire and the eight men,
who slept soundly after the arduous
work of the previous night.
When he was a few feet from the
fire MacDonald paused and laid the
blankets on the lava. It was a singu
lar and most exciting situation. Far
from the aid of friends, in a cavern,
on a mysterious lavaislanidthatfioated
in a subterranean lake of unknown
depth and extent, our hero stood in the
presence of foes who should one of
their number happen to awake and
give the alarm, would shoot him down
in an instant.
MacDonald did not, however, spend
any time in thinking of the singularity
and peril of his situation. In the
most careful manner he proceeded to
cover the burning sticks with the
blankets and to smother the fire.
Owing to his precautions, should the
robbers awake, before they could light
their lanterns he could escape in the
darkness.
Once more the cave was wrapped in
inky blackness. MacDonald moved
the slide of his lantern sufficiently to
give him the little light that he need
ed. He approached the wigwam with
a beating heart. At this moment one
of the villains stirred and groaned.
It was a moment of terrible suspense.
The man muttered something and it
seemed as if he must be awake. Mac
Donald closed the slide and waited,
while the perspiration started from
every pore of his body. But the dan
ger passed. The man sank into deep
slumber. MacDonald gave himself
a little light a second time, and peered
into the wigwam. Yes, Helen was
there!
She recognized him, and did not
scream.
'What a dear, brave fellow you are,"
she murmured, "to risk your life or
me.
She looked at him with tears in her
beautiful eyes, and stroked his hair
fondly.
At this moment one of the villains
awoke.
"What is the matter with the fire?"
he cried.
MacDonald had taken the precaution
to close his lantern while Helen and
he were whispering, so that there was
no danger of immediate discovery.
The man got up and began to fumble
around. His companions awoke, and
swore because they had been disturbed.
Not a moment was to be lost.
The situation was desperate, well
nigh hopeless. MacDonald feared that
he had played a brave and most peri
lous part only to be defeated. While
he was in terrible suspense, not know
ing what was best to do, the dear girl
whispered to him,--
"Let us fly. There is a boat. I
came in it"
"Can you find it?'
"Yes; there is a stake with a red
flag on it that will guide me to it"
Meanwhile the robbers had disceor
ered the blankets, and were removing
them from the fire. Two of the fel
lows approached the wigwani Ad
they reached it Maclbonaid and Heled
left it, afteP hh had hastily cut the
cords that bound the maiden's
hands. One of the men
happening to touch our hero, the lat
ter with quick presence of mind, felled
his enemy to the lava. The robbers,
now thoroughly aroused, hurled forth
imprecations that echoed in a deafen
ing manner throughout the cavern.
But they could not readly find a lan
tern, and could not tell where the fu
gitives, running noiselessly in their
stocking feet, were. The pursuers dis
charged their pistols at random, and
one bullet whistled by the heads of
our hero and heroine. They continued
to run, keeping as nearly as they could
a straight course.
MacDonald opened the slide of the
lantern as soon as he dared to do it.
They had reached the top of the height
just above the shore; but no flag was
in sight.
The robbers saw the fugitives, yelled
viciously and fired their pistols. Bul
lets whistled alarmingly near the in
tended victims.
MacDonald closed the lantern, and
holding Helen's hand, walked along
the island's edge. Again he allowed a
gleam of light to escape. He saw the
flag ten feet from him, and closed the
lantern before the villians could Are.
The steps of the pursuers soundea
fearfully near.
The fugitives ran forward, expecting
each moment to be precipitated into
the water. But fortune favored them.
They fell against the flag pole, and re
covering themelves in a second, slid
down the island's steep bank. Mac
Donald opened the lantern. Thank
God! The boat was at their feet.
They sprang into it. MacDonald
handed Helen the lantern, cut the
rope, grasped the oars, and they were
afloat.
At this moment three of the robbers,
waving pistols, gained the summit of
the bank.
"Shut the lantern!" MacDonald
cried.
Before Helen could, obey the cavern
rang with a great discharge of fire
arms. The three men threw up their
hands and fell forward into the water.
MacDonald knew that his friends
had come to the rescue just in time.
He looked behind him, and saw on the
lava shelf his five brave companions
waving their hands with delight.
The boat touched the shore. Wil
ling hands assisted our hero and he
roine to alight.
Awed by the fate of their comrades,
the five robbers on the island sur
rendered themselves, and, with most
of the property which they had stolen,
were taken back to Albuquerque in
triumph.
Young MacDonald, the fair Helen
and their five gallant friends were re
ceived with raptures by Colonel Bleek
er and his wife, and were lionized by
all the people of the city.-Waverly
Magazine.
QUAINT AND CURIOUS.
A driver 200 years old and once used
on the links by an Earl of Eglint3n is
the property of Alexander Campbell,
the famous professional golfer, at
Brookline, Mass.
A statistician has discovered that
the average gait of the New Yorker
on his way to business is a mile in 20
minutes, while the churchgoer's rate
of speed is a mile in 25 minutes. The
fastest walk is that of the homeward
bound Brooklynites-a mile in 18 min
utes.
In fiction and other graphic pages
one reads of ocean waves "rolling
mountain high." In fact waves approx
imating 40 feet are so rare as to be
of scientific note. Seldom does the
crest of a wave reach the height of the
eye of an observer on the uppqr deck
of a modern ocean steamship-that
deck being from 30 to 32 feet above
the normal water-line.
The London Zoological society has
the photograph of a pair of elephant
tusks that break the record. They be
longed to an African elephant and
measure, along the outer curve, 10
feet and four inches. Though they
measure the same they difer 0 lbs.
In weight, one weighing 225 and the
other 235. Ths elephant had more
than his share to carry about-4-O lbs.
of ivory, in addition to his trunk.
Several years ago a horde of hairy,
yellow caterpillars infested the linden
trees in the Philadelphia Zoological
gardens; and the ingenious head keep
er let out the South American ant
eater, first securing it with a collar
and a long cord. It started up the
trees, and scooped in the caterpillars
by the dozen with its long, sticky
tongll". This was done three times a
day, until the caterpillars were ex
terminated.
According to the East Anglian Times,
a Malmalson rose bush growing in the
garden of Mrs. Brown, at Violet Hill,
Stowmarket. England, has just borne
a strange flower. The bush was grow
ing close to an apple tree, and on one
of the largest buds bursting into
bloom it was seen that five perfect
apple blossoms, each on separate
stalks, were growing in the centre.
The apple blossoms opened as the
petals of the rose developed, the two
forming a strange contrast.
An English naturalist, traveling in
the Malay Peninsula, has made two
queer discoveries. One is a kind of
bamboo, in which are stored, between
the joints that connect the stems,
large quantities of naturally filtered
water. Emergencies might arise in
which a knowledge of this anight prove
of great importance. The other di.
covery is two species of ferns, growing
on trees, the thick stems of which are
filled with galleries tunneled by ans,
the ferns thus forming living nests for
the ants.
Tre Symptpthy.
Kindly 1 Iitor--Mrs. A.,what do yeo
suppose makes you suffer so?"
Mrs. A.-I don't know, I'm sure, and
I believe nothing but a post-mortem
will ever show.
Kindly Visitor-You poor thing! You
are so weak you could never stand that
-Tit-Bits.
0,00 0320OOO CcGOOCOOOOO0'0 I
SWhen spail's King 0
aones of Age.
Alfonso XIII., comes of age
next spring, and will have
the nominal ruling of his
country. He will have good advisers,
however, including his mother, the
present Queen Regent, Senor Sagasta,
and the Duke of Tetuan. Alfonso
XIII. will be sixteen years of age on
May 17, It is believed that the coro
nation will be practically a private
.ent, and in the light of present po
litical conditions in the country, it will
probably be a wise precaution.
The political atmosphere has cleared
somewhat. Things are not so bad as
they might te; there is a surplus, even
"K
L!
IJ r
'I
LATEST PORTRAIT OF T HE YOUNG SPANISH KING. :
though not a large one, in the treas
ury, and there is no lack of activity in
the more important trading circles.
Senor Sagasta, one of the notable
figures in the political history of the
day, has a tremendous task before
him. He stands for Spanish Liberal
ism, and there is no one in the country
that is so well versed in its peculiar
conditions. Worn by long service to
his country, absolutely faithful to it
in every sense, of unimpeachable in
tegrity, Sagasta has earned the title
of the Grand Old Man of Spanish
Liberalism, and it 13 a deserved recog
nition.
Sagasta's cabinet includes General
Weyler, as Minister of War; Senor
Moret, as Minister of the Interior; the
Duke of Almodovar del Rio, as Min
ister of Foreign Affairs, had the
Duke of Veragua, as Minister of the
Navy. The first and last named gen
tlemen are Lot known in the United
States, but it can hardly ue said that
they are regarded with favor.
The American people remember
Weyler through his Cuban administra
tion, the story of which, all things con
sidered, does not improve with the
telling. The Duke of Almodovar del
Rio is said to be somewhat in sym
Iathy with the British; Senor Moret
is perhaps the best known of all the
cabinet, and has an excellent record.
General Weyler's influence was in
evidence in connection with the mar
riage of toe Princess of Asturias, the
Queen's eldest child. The Princess's
choice-Don Carlos de Bourbon-is the
second son of the Count Caserta, who,
is a pronounced Carlist. The Queen
Regent approved of the match because
it was based entirely on mutual esteem
and love, but Senor Sagasta strongly
opposed the marriage, even refusing
to be in office when it took place. Gen
eral Weyler's friendship for etc young
man meant so much, uowever, that
notwithstanding Sagasta's disapproval,
which was warmly seconded by both
Liberals and Republicans, the mar
riage was consummated. Don Carlos
now Prince of the Asturias by the
royal decree-studied in the Artillery
School at Segovia, and served in Cuba
under Weyler.-Harper's Weekly.
To Be Busiest Corner in New York.
When the new rapid transit under
ground road is completed we will have
at Forty-second street and Sixth ave
nue three lines of railroad, one un
der another-a thing existing nowhere
else in the world except in London,
where at the northern end of Black
friars Bridge the same condition pre
yails.
Here we will have the new under
ground road running beneath the
Sixth avenue surface line, and over
that will be the Sixth avenue elevated
road, with its numerous trains.
Perhaps no spot in the world will
be the scene of greater activity in tra
vel, and between the three lines an
immense member of people will pass
tlhis corner every day.--New York
feraMl. ,.
COMING FUR FASHION'
f!&11/ Calderd orny Neck Pleees .i Pas
tLiied Paletots;
The nimble fingers of a fashionabid
furrier's employes are already busy
carrying out the clever designs from
London and Par;s in mink and sabie
neck p'eces. aEnble. you know, is Im.
ported in the pelt shape without duty,
so it is really sane to buy these fine
natural furs here where one knows
and has confidence in the furrier.
To judge by these fine novelties our
furry fellows have taken to growing a
great number of tails. Of fore, when
we complained that there were too
few tails on a neck piece we were in
formed that animals seldom had more
than one each.
Evidently we've changed all that,
for these advance beauties are co'
posed entirely of tails.
In mink tails these pieces cost from
$50 to $75. The one shown In the illus
1
tration is perhaps the most graceful
and fetching. Round the satin neck-!
bnnd is a double row of tails, the top,
row looped down, the bottom row,
looped up, until both rows -meet. At'
each end of the ruche-like neck piece
there are four ends in chenille effect,]
each of these strands being composed{
of four tails.
Among the variations on this plctur.
esque arrangement is one which has
twenty tails hooped around the foun
dation band. The ends are either like
the one pictured or consist of simple
bunches of tails.
Though fur-lined coats now seem
1 W
i I 1
A roan LOOK AT FUn FASmIONS.
synonyrmous with torture garments
never mind, there are cold days cotr
ing.
Paletots are to lead In style, black
broadcloth being the favored fabric.
The all-gray Siberian squirrcl Ia the
choice for linings.
As to the details, the sleeves will
bell a bit at the wrist, and though the
coat is perfectly loose the seam down
the middle Lack w1ll be slightly curved
and open abcut half the way up.
Women who are to indulge in a mid
season as well as a cold-weather pale
tot are chosing black Louis:nc, and
white is still the favorte lining.
Cuba's Salvsation.
The pest of yellow fever h1aa beet
combated with such vigor 1:1 CuLt
that not a single death has been re
ported as rezultin; from it this year,
according to good authority. Reports
received by Surgean-General Wyman
from members fct the medical staff
scattered all over the Island of Cuba
show that it is practically free from
yellow fever. This is probably the
first time this statement could be made
for centuries. The reason that yellow
fever has been so successfully over
come is because of the eicient sani
tary methods employed by the United
States health officers. Havana itself
has been revolutionized as regards its
sanitary conditlonu. Recent experi
ments having proved tha.t yellow fever
was to a great extent tJansmitted by
mosquitoes bred in the tropical
swamps and the cesspools, drastic
means were employed to kill these in
sects. The streets and sewers in Ha
v.na and other cities of the Island
were sprinkled with kerosene, with
most satisfactory results.
Out of 100,000,000 passengers t ma=
all over the world thirty lose their
lives; out of the same dSsbe !bj al,
forty-seven. ' b
AN EARTHWORM'S VALUE
¶tlRNf UP tH SOIL AND THUS
HELPS VECETATION ALONe.
iioys Think ft is Creted fio the Partie
ulIr Purpose of hadt aBut There Are
Other Uses-Play an tainaprat hprt
in the World's History.
'After a spring rain hundreds of
earthworms crawl across the pave
ments and through the lawn grass.
Then they are most conspicuous, but
they may be found any time by dig
ging into the ground. They are na
ture'S lowliest gardeners, and perform
& tremendous amount of work in the
worlds Boys think themt created for
the particular' purposed of bait. It
was owing to a boy's forgotten jar of
squirming wornii. that his family be
came interested in the creatures, and
the boy himself says that he now feels
like taking off his hat to every earth
worm that wriggles out of his way.
A two-quart glass fruit jar was
nearly filled with earthworms and
earth from the back yard. The earth
was there to keep the worms comfort
able until fishing time. Company
came into the household, however,
and the boy was not permitted to go
fishing, and as the cook was preparing
vegetables for dinner he threw onion
chips and scraps of cabbage into the
receptacle as food for the worms.
They did not appear distressed about
their captivity, and began to make
themselves at home in their new sur
roundings. Both cabbage and onion
were devoured, and the long slimy
creatures set about making burrows
which could be quite plainly traced
through the glass.
When the boy took the jar on his
worm hunt it contained about two
inches of white sand belonging to the
canary birds. He had neglected to
throw this away, and black mold and
worms were placed on top. The cook
set the jar on the window sill among
her plants, and, as a matter of conve
nience, put dried leaves and twigs
from the flower pots into it. The
worms set to work to keep their small
domain in order. Burrows ran from
top to bottom. The white sand from
the bottom veined the soil to the sur
face. Twigs and leaves were gnawed
into pieces and dragged to the depths.
Some small chicken bones thrown to
the worms were buried.
A month passed before the boy was
invited to go fishing, and by that time
he could not be induced to part with
his jar of industrious workers. He
watched others in the garden, sat
down beside their burrows at the edge
of the park walks and made up his
mind that they were too useful to kill.
Something else must be found for fish
bait. His grandfather tried to con
vince him that serving as fish bait may
have been one of the uses for which
these worms were created, but the boy
decided differently.
Even superficial study proves that
worms have played an important part
In the world's history. They turn over
the entire surface of vegetable mold
on the earth every few years. Their
burrows are made in two ways, either
by tunneling and pressing the earth
close to the sides of the tunnel a r by
swallowing the earth, literally eating
their way downward, sometimes to a
depth of eight feet. They devour the
earth for the food it contains, casting
off the sandy particles upon the sur
face.
Farmers themselves are unaware of
the aid given them by earthworms,
which keep the soil in constant mt ve
ment. Half-decayed leaves are di
gested by them or are dragged into
their burrows below the surface in
great quantities. Different strata of
soil several feet down are carried up
ward. Old burrows are .constantly
collapsing and new ones being made,
the earth is sifted and exposed to the
action of the air.
Bones of animals, dead Insects, shells
ef land mollusks, leaves and twiga are
baurled beneath the castings. They
prepare the ground for the growth of
ibrous-rooted plants and for seedlings
of all kinds by their method of gar
dening. Darwin says that the earth
was plowed by them long before the
plow was invented by man.
Though the lowliest order of ant
eals and poorly provided with sense
organs, they'are able to distinguish
between light and darkness, are deaf,
but have a feeble sense of smell: are
sensitive to heat and cold and vibra
tions, and show a degree of taste by
selecting favorite kinds of leaves for
food and rejecting others.
- About the moaths of their tunnels
or burrows they heap little piles of
tiny stones. A boy scattered the
stones to a short distance and was in
terested to see the worms crawl out
and carry them back, one by one.
They enjoy lying near the urface, and
owing to this pleasure robins and
other birds acquainted with the little
heap of stones or the leaf-plagged en
trances know just where to plunge
their bills into the ground to paull up
a fat, wriggling worm. Thousands of
earthworms meet their death In this
way.
Their industry is not confined to
turning over the soil and benefiting
the farmer. Some of the ancient mon
oliths that have been overthrown were
probably undermined by worms. Ex
tensive ruins have been burled by
earthworms undermlning the founds
tions. Coal cinders and lime spread
pver fields have been carried below
ground in a short space of time. A
German selentist estimates that an or
dinary field contains about 53,767
worms to the acre.
Measurements taken near Nice, In
France, show that fourteen tons of
soil are annually tbrought to the sur
face of a single acre of land by these
silent workers. In the chalk dlstrict
of Engtland the average was elghteen
tons to the acre, and on an old, well
rolled, grass-grown terrace, sixteen
ton. The Boman city of Urlsonlum,
Beaulleu Abbey and various other
rains tin IEngland have been buried
through this agency alone. The worms
fid their way through cracks In con
ete disintegrating it, and have been
to destroy both bricks and
While they are responsible for
Iandslides, they also heap ridges wblhch
are the beginntgs of ledges an the
blsides.
Darwin's rvolume on "The Forma
tiea of Vegetable Mold" is devoted to
the weork and private character of
sooete meabers of reatiom.
A qm 36 . 1n ans the mms
facts by inducnlg a colony of earth
worms to make a home in a glass fruit
jar. They will plow, dig, bury and
carry to the surface any leaves, twigs
and bits of gravel given them.-Chi
cago Post,
King Edward VII. of England reigns
over about 400.000,000 people, or a
quarter of mankind.
A woman in Eau Claire, WIs. has
sued a spiritualistic medium for $5000
damages because he allowed a mate
rialised spirit to kiss her.
A 099-year lease expired in London
the other day, and the property re
verted to the original possessor, the
Chapter of Westminster Parish.
About 300,000 geese are annually
brought from Russia to Saxony. A
carload consists of 1700, and they
have no food or drink during the jour.
ney.
The Rev. Jones Colvin, of Youngs
town, Ohio, eighty-nine years old,
known as "the marrying parson,"
broke all records the other day by
marrying seventeen couples in twenty.
four hours.
In India, if you see a quantity of
strings tied from side to side of the
street, with three-cornered pieces of
paper fastened to them, you may know
that a birthday is being celebrated in
one of the houses.
One county of West Virginia has
among its political sub-divisions the
Slab Fork, the Marsh Fork, the Shady
Spring, the Clear Fork and the Trap
Hill districts. Another has the Pipe
Stem and the Jumping Branch dis
tricts.
George May, of Pike County, Kan
sas, is the owner of a remarkable fruit
tree. The body of the tree, with a
few of its branches, is apricot, while
branches of peach and plum trees
have been grafted thereon. The three
different kinds of fruit have been gath
ered from it this year.
Baron Nathaniel Rothschild hal
leased for five years a piece of ground
at the highest point of the Ampezzo
Road, between Toblack and Ampezzo,
in the Austrian Tyrol. In this charm
ing spot he intends to erect an asbes
tos house, in separate compartments.
Workmen have already left Vienna to
lay the foundation of the new villa.
The New York Public Library ha
been offered a collection of 1000 me
nus from different hotels and restau
rants. Some are from Hungary,
China, Japan and Russia. -The pres
ent owner of the menus, who is a
woman, stipulates that they shall be
kept sealed until 1950, as it is her de
sire that the coming generation may
know what their ancestors ate.
The thermometer the Other day at
the Summit House, Mount Washing
ton, hanging in the sunlight, stood at
ninety-eight degrees. The other side
of the doorway, in the shade, but re
ceiving reflected light and heat from
the platform, another thermometer
read sixty-one degrees. Behind the
hotel, unaffected by the sun's rays, a
third instrument told the true tem
perature of the air to be forty-seven
degrees.
'Peeualarltoes of some CIty streets.
Pennsylvania avenue, Washington,
is said to be the longest stre'et in the
world, extending, as it does, for sev
enteen and one-halt miles. The
shortest street is the RuBae Ble, Paris,
which is thirty feet long. lavand
has the narrowest street in the world
in the Via Sol, which ii only three and
a halt feet wide. Main street, Denver,
is believed to be the highest street and
Main street, Georgetown, Demerara,
the lowest street The most crowded
street is probably the Rua do Ouvldor,
in Rio de Janeiro. Tl'hls narrow thor
oughfare is as crowded at all times as
Namean street in the busiest portion
of the day, and no animal or wheele
':ehlcle is allowed to enter It It in
lined with houses painted white, blue,
pink, yellow and other colors, and
openipg off the street are the shops of
the dealers in diamonds and other
precious stones, the workers nto slver
and gold and the beautiful shops of the
feather workers, who manaufacture the
most exquisite feather flowers and
fans.
For crooked streets it would be hard
to find one to beat Pearl street, which
beginning at State street, which prae
tleally Is Broadway, wanders aimless
ly about the .ower portion of the city,
to end again ia Broadway.-New York
Press.
Iprosy I t the Utnited Stats.
Investigation has been going on at
Washington for several months, with
a view to learning the exten't of leprosy
in ~als country. It reveals that there
are about 275 cases in the United
States. It is thought probable that the
real number may be nearer a thou
sand. Seventy-four of the known
casei are in New Orleans, chiefly
among the Italian population. There
are twenty-three in Minnesota, mostly
Seandinaviansm in the rural settle
ments. There are fifteen eases in
lorth and two in Bouth Dakota.
Chicago has five cases and New York
si. It is noteworthy that ilearly all
the reported victims seemto be for
eigner. The Scandinavians seem
peculiarly susceptible. They either
had It when they landed in America
or contracted it shortly afterward.
Every one of the cases in the Dakotn
ad Minnesota is located in the coun
try, in localities rather remote even
from small towns. The diseas seems
to be spreading most rapidly lin ousi
a-a, and for several years there has
been an agitation there in favor of
efficit supervision and control of at
leprous patients, eitther by the State
or by lie general Government.
The late Baron Faber, the pend4
maufacaturer, once said of the artcle
that had made him rich: "It has done
mre executlo, since It came inte
a-, than the sword, while who ean
mam tae tlm tbma It has writtam
State GnTerilmeit of Luisi~ana
Governor-W. W. Heard,
Lieutenant-Gov ernor-Albert Eate
pinal.
Secretary of State--John Michel.
Superintendent of Educationu--John
V. Oalhoun.
Auditor--W. 8. Fraese.
Treasurer-Ledoux E. Smith.
U. 8. SENATOR.-.
Don Caferey and S. D. McEnery.
BEPBESENTATIVES.
1 Distriet-B. C. Devey.
2 District-Ado~lh Meyer.
8 District-R. F. Isroussard.
4 District-P Braz -ale.
5 Distriet--J. E. ltanLdell.
6 District-S. M. lu.biu;,n.
COJaioas CNo
a rans w m s sed a heae
e T a the es or e rl , fr
Spr. .,falsej5OS umlu ss
_l fiS old ad 8tesr Mlo6
au1e iplomas tsme., awaitt
383rAerI s ansd uropea. a
i pei tlo5. Comertal
cpa e orats estal fge.
.J pdor to "n d utw tt
i osti . We oev oar oolleyg
" bIuas s: d lve unequalled
feaelie and as uneoeled
et urtal o_ lloly known, we
•h-ssý ral aidelr al , and they keepto
ire, Steethad sad Business scohla. All
m0assta Ineshees. bend for catalogue.
Addesse 5O. UOUL-Ns d $0A
Mississippi Valley
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Jo. A. Meno, Div. Pas: Agt.;
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