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I W l I t - a? ife id ho a T. IB C ia. of n 10 d it n i. t J 1 :A i i( w m fs T Si THEIR COUKTSHIP. "This sort of game Is all well, but If It lasts much longer I shall bo a perfect wreck," said Arthur Mason to himself ono evening, as ho sat gazing thoughtfully at tho fireplace "For tho last sis months I havo been head over heels In lovo with Vera Fray.and, what is worse, not had tho pluck to teil her bo. Uut sho Is such a peculiar girl" he argued In self-defenso). "If It was any ono clso I wouldn't hesltnto a mo ment." Mason was a man of about 25, and as full of passion nnd sentiment as a man well could be. Uut ho had boon brought up In orthodox English stylo with many sharp lessons never to be tray his feelings. Thcso lessons hail been eo hammered Into him In his youth that ho found now that oven against his own wishes It was almost Impossible to bIiow what his real opin ion was of anything that affected his likes or dislikes. When he was most happy peoplo thought him sad.and vlco versa. It was, perhaps, on account of the peculiar way ho had of looking at things that ho Invariably saw tho fun Iny sldo first, sometimes on tho most serious occasions. Mb passion for Vera at times mado him laugh, and when on tho vcrgo of proposing to her tho thought would strike him how foolish ho would look. The truth of It was, ho know too much of tho world, and the lovo affairs of his friends had appeared ridiculous to him. Ono of the chief attractions of Vera In his opinion was her passlvo nature, and It was that perhaps which made him falter. Tho Idea of her being In lovo seemed absurd to 1.1m. Tho week following tho self-com-munlngs Just recorded, ho know that Vera would bo at a dinner party to which ho had also been Invited, and ho determined, If an occasion nn3o for a serious talk, to have tho matter settled. How ha would manngo It ho did not dnro to decldo: chance, ho hought, would havo to bo his guide. Mrs. Falrburn's drawing room was packed on tho night of tho dinner. So much so that poor Mason's heart sank. If Vera did como Ills opportun ity for a tele-a-toto with her appeared small. Sho was a popular person, and ho know sho would bo dragged off to entertain somo of tho "lions" of tho evening. The Falrburns houso luckily boast ed ono of tho finest gardens In Sus sex, and If ho could persuade his Idol to go for a stroll in that garden ho meant to do so. At dinner Vera sat directly opposite him, and ho Inwardly blessed his host ess for not crowding tho tablo with flowers, ferns, or ornaments, which would havo hidden hor charming, clear cut features from him. When looking at her a calm always came over him, that ho could not explain. Even when absont from her, ho generally pictured her as a limpid spring from which peaco was always flowing. Nothing on earth, ho Imagined, could over ruf fle her. Tho dinner passed off perfectly. All Hcemed thoroughly pleased with them selves and tho world In general. It was an hour later, and ho was sitting by Vera's sldo In tho drawing room. They wero enjoying nn animat ed discussion on somo topic of public interest, and no chance had so far presented Itself. At last, In puro dos poratlon, Arthur blurted out, during a slight fall In tho tklo of argument: "This room Is terribly closo; shall wo finish our llttlo controversy in tho gar den?" Vera was nothing loath. It was a lovely night; tho sky was a mass of twinkling stars, and tho moon gave a light that ono could easily read by. Such a moment seemed specially ordained for lovo-maklng, lovo whlsporcd In tho trees and echoed in tho bushes. And yet these two still continued to disagree, as If such ro mantic evenings wero Intended for the battltdore and shuttlocock of social commonplaces. They had by now wandered to an ar bor, and without either of them draw ing attention to It, thoy entered und sat down In tho two deck chairs it boasted. Vera tried to continue the J subject at Issue, but Arthur remained uncut. iu mis ivisu mo conversation stopped, and each bocamo absorbed, ior the first time, In tho beauty and tho stillness of tho night. Prcsontly with startling abruptness, tho silence was broken upon. "Vera," said Arthur, turning toward her, "would you caro to marry mo?" It was not, by a long wny, tho first tlmo sho had recolvod n similar re quest, for sho had been vainly courted by tho richest and highest In tho coun try. So vainly, Indeed, that peoplo wero oven beginning to hint of tho shelf when speaking of her. Dut whether It was tho suddenness of tho request or tho personality of him who mado It, for tho" mlnuto her confiiBlon was obvious, though luckily for her tho friendly moon did not light up this llttlo arbor. Calming herself Imme diately, and looking quickly up nt hor companion, Vera queried: "Why do you ask? You don't think I'm In lovo with you, do you?" "No, In fact I'm sure you are not." "Then that Bottles tho question without further trouble," said Vr.i, carefully rearranging her shawl nnd establishing herself In a moro com fortablo position, as If somo knotty problem had Just been solved. "Not at all, for you haven't answer ed mo." "You havo answered yourself, though; you would hardly marry a woman who did not lovo you." "That's ono of tho reasons I am ask ing you," replied this cool diplomatist, slowly lighting a cigaret. "Then before answering," sho said, appearing to be Interested In this Btrango species of proposal, "let mo question you. Do you lovo mo?" "No, I don't." men why on earth do you talk such rubbish? How can you wlah to marry mo?" "Simply becauso neither of us Is In lovo with tho other, which shows that we aro both mentally nnd physically In sound health." "You consider, then, that lovo Is a disease; in fact, I suppose," she added, sardonically, "a kind of disordered liver?" "Exactly, nut lot mo put tho caso before you properly," said Arthur, ris ing nnd walking up and down In front of her as ho spoke. "You and I havo been friends for twelve years, nnd by now Know each other thoroughly. I am thankful to say I havo never loved you, nor, to my knowledge, havo you loved me, and It is thcso facts which convinco mo wo should mako a thor oughly congcnlnl ond happy married couple. On these grounds I again ask you will you marry mo?" ho con cluded, stopping opposlto Vera's chair. During this curious monolosuo tho moon had traveled somewhat on Its Journoy, and now cast n palo light Into tho arbor Just enough to show Arthur that his fair companion's eyes wero twinkling and that she was on tho vergo of smiling. Looking straight at him, Vera composedly answered: "Your philosophy, dear Arthur, Is excellent, and your caso apparently fully proved, but er If you would not mind sitting down hero" (nodding toward the empty chair at her sldo), "hold my hand and look mo full in tho faco, and then tell mo that you aro not Iwnd over heels In lovo with me, I will bollovo that for tho last flvo minutes you havo ben speaking as thoy say in courts tho truth, tho wholo truth.and nothing but tho truth," Arthur felt dazed. He sat down, and took his pretty companion's hand ho observed it was beautifully soft. Ho looked Into her eyes ho noticed they had In them a light ho had never seen beforo, and that on her faco was a smllo and an expression that could havo but ono Interpretation and he falterod. And tho sllenco of night wrapped the arbor In Its embrace. A bird moved in tho Ivy a nlghtlngalo called to Its mate and tho moon traveled farther on Its Journey. It sank but not bo foro it had witnessed what, In tho courso of Its considerable experience, It had often seen before, but of which It never told. Mainly About Peo ple. llu Hie Kr.lRhtlinoiIt. Sir George White, who has boon mado a O. C. V. 0., has now no fower than flvo knighthoods. Ho is Sir Georgo White, O. C. D., K. C. D O. C. S. I., O. C. I. E., O. C. V. O. Only two other British subjects, not of tho blood royal, havo flvo knighthoods. They aro tho marquis of Dufferln nnd Lord Rob erts, and thoy havo but four each, without their K. P.s. Among com moners, who cannot bo IC. P.s, Sir Georgo White stands alone. Indeed, ho Is tho only commoner with moro than threo knighthoods. Ji'ew lllsnmrck Anecdote. A now Bismarck anecdote contains the statesman's opinion of Wagner tho man. "I know him," said the chan cellor, "but It was Impossiblo for me to care for him. At breakfast, dinner and supper every moment Wagner de manded admiration. I found myself too busy to glvo it." AKD GARDEN. MATTERS OF INTEREST CULTURISTS. TO AQRI- Sown t'p-to-Ilato lllntl Ahnnt tntlon of tho Null anil Cnltt- Tlirrnif Horticulture, Mtlctllluru uutl 1'1'irlculturu. Knttorn nnd WriOrn Trult (Jronlne- Professor L. H. Halley In tho val leys of California wo sco the best tll- lago thero Is on tho American conti nent. This Is necessary for tho preser vation of molsturo during tho summer months. Rain Is not wanted thero dur ing tho summer from May to Septem ber. Whllo I was thero I hoard men oxpress fear lest It should rain, which would do great damage, Interfering with tho gathering and drying of fruits. So they want tho drouth and havo to prcparo for It, By careful cultivation In tho spring and summer they con servo their winter and spring rainfall and hold enough molsturo through tho summer to meet all necessities of tho plants. Tho largo fruits grown In California aro not tho best ones they have, by any means, though they Ilka to show them. It Is an Inspiration to go to tho Pa cific coast. Tho farmers there hava accomplished more In a generation than wo of tho East havo In two cen turies. They havo met great obstacles and havo overcome them, and havo developed a' horticulture that Is tho wonder of tho world. I believe, however, that for tho fruit grower with small capital thero Is moro opportunity In tho East than In California, whero a man has to havo largo capital and do things on a large scalo to succeed. On tho Pacific coast there aro many fruit growers that grov each only n olnglo kind of fruit and concentrnto their at tention on that nlone. Peoplo aro doing well In both sections of country. Fruit growing Is not so much a matter of climate, of soil or of geography as of tho man. Californlans aro better cultivators than aro wo, and thoy aro no lc3S suc cessful In tho disposing of their fruit. They havo formed co-opcratlvo asso ciations for tho disposal of their fruit, and theso associations havo been very successful. Tho Callfornlan3 seem to bo loss suspicious of each other than aro tho people east of tho Rocky Moun tains. They havo been forced to co operate by circumstances. Tholr local market 13 insignificant and tho bulk of tho fruit must bo disposed of in places hundreds or oven thousands of mllos away. It Is, therefore, necessary to ship In car-load lots, and thoy havo to combine with others to mako up largo consignments, Tho Individuals can not afford to seek tho distant markets and aro, therefore, forced to unlto their efforts. Whero special fruits are grown for apeclal markets, as In tho New Eng land Btatcs, co-operation will not amount to anything; but whoro fruit growing is not thus specialized, but whero largo quantities of a fow kinds aro produced, co-operation In selling will bo effectlvo. As yet the greater part of California Is undeveloped nnd Is suro to bocomo In tho futuro a great fruit-growing region. lUelnmatlon or Mnrih l-onil. Within tho last fow years tho recla mation of marsh lands has assumed considerable importance as a subject for discussion In somo parts of the country. In European countries this work began long ago, and to-day some of tho mo3t valuable land In those countries is that onco deemed worth less. In England moro than 1,000,000 acres of fen land has been reclaimed and rendered productive. In Holland, as most of our readers know, tho reclamation of the marshes was prac tically complcto many years ago, und since that tlmo the direction of work in this particular has been tho dam ming and pumping out of lakes of con siderable size. Just now tho authori ties thero aro planning to dam and pump out tho Zuldcr Zee Belgium. Denmark and Germany havo all dono much In tho line of marsh reclamation. In tho United States up to this tlmo thero has been such an abundance of good land that could bo had at a low prlco that tho peoplo havo folt no ne cessity for tho recovery from a stato of naturo of tho millions of acres of rich land lying along tho courses of rlvors, about tho borders of lakes and on tho rims of tho oceans. Tho in creasing prlco of land, howovor, has brought tho subject beforo tho peoplo, and It Is llkoly to remain thero. Tho marsh lands aro nearly always lands that aro both very rich and admirably suited to cultivation, when tho water has onco been removed from them. Tho rich peoplo aro beginning to neo in tho purchaso and reclamation of marsh lands a good investment for their money. Professor N. S. Shalor, of Harvard University, asserts that be tween Now York and Portland, Malno, tho marsh lands along tho Atlantic seaboard amount to 200,000 acres, and that every aero of this land, If made tillable, Is worth $200 in tho market, making a total value of 140,000,000. Tho cost of reclamation ho puts at one fifth of this sum. What Is true of the FAItM 'rcK,on nicnllonei1 I8 nlso truo of tho 'i ui mo tuu.uij, uui in n. lesser ue firce. Incidentally it innv bo men- 'JonctI that tho elimination of tho marshos means tho destruction of tho mosquito, nn Insect that Is now known to bo tho principal medium by which malarial fever, yellow fovcr and many other diseases nro spread. 5rBt I'rnilurrrn of Corn unit Vfhrnt. This table, compiled by F. D. Co bum, tho secretary of the Kansas Stato Board of Agrlculturo. from tho Govern ment Year Books, gives by states, ac cording to their rank, tho total com bined valuo of wheat and corn raised In each of tho leading flfteon stntos, In tho flvo-ycar period beginning with 1S0C and ending with 1900: Valuo of Wheat State. Rank, nnd Corn. Kansas l $373,433,317 Illinois 2 3C1.M0.C1S lwa 3 33i,91,771 Nebraska 1 301,419,923 Missouri C 275.9G1.983 Indiana C 25S.EC2.008 Ohio 7 252,703,713 Minnesota 8 220,883,907 Toxas 9 182,489,833 Pennsylvania 10 163.C18.387 Tonnesseo 11 155.085,808 Kentucky 12 153,204,900 Michigan 13 123,979,189 South Dnkota 14 117,789,270 California 15 115,316,200 Ilrccnr VtVccI (tinoillnm Tortnnanni). This Is an erect, leguminous annual, with a woody stalk. It grows threo to ten feet high and has an nbundanco of leaves ubovo. When In llowur it Is tipped with a much branched, erect panicle, tho lower branches of which aro eight to ten inches long. Tho seeds aio borne in pods that nro mauy-julut- wcrq duccar wBEir.' cd and prickly. Theso break apart at maturity and tho seeds aro distributed by sticking to tho bodies of anlmnls or the clothing of peoplo. Tho plant la hairy throughout and has trlpollato leaves, tho obliquely rhomboid leaflets being two to four Inches long. It Is a sub-tropical species, native of the West Indies and possibly of southern Florida. It Is adapted to cultivation either as forago or for soil renovation In BUb-tropical regions. It has proved to bo of ilttlo value as far north as Dakota, though somo experiments havo bcon mado with It at tho South Da kota Experiment Station. Tho follow ing analysis shows that It possesses a high nutritive valuo: Air-dry sub stance: water, 5.4G; ash, 7.20; ether extract, 1.63; crudo flbro, 38.77; crudo protein, 12.56; nltrogen-freo extract, 34.38. Total nitrogen, 2.01. Albumi noid nitrogen, 1.77. Farmers' Review. Xuriary Inaneotlon. In many of our states at tho pres ent tlmo laws exist requiring tho In spection of all nurseries by officials connected with tho offlco of tho state entomologist Buyers of fruit trees should noto tho fact that siioi Inspec tions aro not sufficiently rigid to make them guarantees of the freedom from Insects and fungous diseases of stock from tho Inspected nursorles. Tho en tomologists claim that an Inspection to be really offecuvo must Include tho closo scrutiny of ovory treo in tho nursery, which It Is manifestly impos siblo to havo in tho few hours devoted to Inspection. Tho number of Individ ual trees often runs up Into tho thou sands, making a closo examination of each ono impracticable But for all this, tho Inspection is valuable, as tho Inspectors havo a cbanco of finding orchard pests if thoy oxist there. This possibility acts as an incentive to the nurseryman to do much Inspecting himself previous to tho visit of tho official Inspector. The purchasers of nursery stock should, however. In form themselves on the insects and fungi and do somo Inspecting on their own account. Let anyone that doubts the high value of selection look at our flno races of cabbages, kales, cauliflowers. Kohlrabi and rutabagas, and comparo them with tho wild cabbage of the western shores of Europe. Import of Kbit .tlntrr.nl. American manufacturers aro evl. dontly qulto us busy In 1901 as thoy wero In 1900. At least this la n reason ablo conclusion from nn oxninlnatlon of tho figures of tho Treasury Bureau of Statistics, which show that tho to tal Imports of manufacturers' mato nals In tho nlno months ending with September, 1901, wero grenter In Valuo thnn those of tho corresponding months of last year, although an analysis of tho Imports, nrtlclo by ar ticle, shows that In many oases tho prices per unit of quantity havo do creased. This decrenso In prlco Is so strongly marked that In many cases whllo tho figures of vnluo show a de crease In tho nlno months of 1901, as compared with those of 1900, tho fig ures of quantity for tho samo period show an Increase. For lnstnnco, im ports of India rubber when measured by valuo bIiow a slight reduction In 1901 ns compared with J900, whllo tho quantity Imported In 1901 shows an Increaso of moro thnn 5,000,000 pounds as compared with tho samo months of 1900. Pig tin, used In manufacturing tin pinto, shows In valuo n slight re duction In tho Imports of 1901 as com pared with last year, but In quantity thero Is nn Increaso of ovor 2,000.000 pounds. Imports of unmanufactured fibers show n decrease of moro than $2,000,000 In valuo ns compared with thoso of 1900, yet tho quantity shows a material Increase Taking tho grand total of vnluo of Imports of raw ma terials for uso In manufacturing, the Imports In tho nlno months of 1901 compared with thoso of 1900 wero: For 1901, $221,4G9,9SI; for 1900, $217,019,372; whllo In tho month of September alone tho figures of tho month In 1901 nro $22,725,325, against $18,G03,9S0 in Septcmbor 1900 a marked Increase. Thoy formed In September, 1901, 34 por cent of tho totnl Imports, against 31 por cent of tho total Imports lu Sep tember, 1900. I'otntnra 111 tlm llrltllll Ila. Tho British Islands may yet beconu a good market for American-grown po tatoes. Until recently tho United Kingdom has produced enough tubers for Its own uso, but signs aro not want ing that a chango In this matter is taking place. For tho last ten years only nbout 1 per cent of tho potato supplies havo been Imported, nnd thcso havo como mainly from tho Channol Islands. During tho last three years tho supplies of foreign potatoes on tho English market havo Increased to 9 per cent. Tho ylold por acre, an well as tho total yields of potatoes In Great Britain and Ireland, will provo of In terest to American farmers. Hcnco wo reproduce tho following tablo from ao English source: Tons per Yean.' aero. 1891 4.74 1892 4.45 1893 5.25 1894 3.82 1895 5.64 1896 4.93 1897 3.47 1898 5.23 1899 4.82 1900 3.77 1901 4.C0 Total tons 0.030.04? 0,633,254 0,540,591 4,662,14: 7.064.C3 C,263,23r 4,106,60; 6,224,781 5,837.00' 4.576,81.' 5,400,001 Tho average per aero yield for th first ten years was 4.61 tons, and tin avcrago total yield was 5,699,981. Th figures for 1901 aro only tho estimator by mon versed In potato statistics. Al though Ireland Is famed for potatoes yet tho per ncro yield of potatoes In Ireland Is only 3.67 tons, against 5.96 tons In England. With Improved trans portation facilities wo may yet largcl) supply tho English potato market. Corn Handling Machinery. The Introduction of corn-handling machinery Is resulting In a great oav lng to tho farmers of tho country. In tho past no other crop has beon so ex tensively wasted as tho corn crop and for many years farm papers havo beon urging farmers to chango their waste ful methods In that rogard. Now at last a change 1b apparent and the stover as well as tho grain of tho corn plant Is being looked after. Tho sav ing Is being holped by tho uso of sever all kinds of machinery, among which wo mention corn harvesters, corn shredders and sllago cutters. It Is re ported that not less than 35,000 corn harvesters will havo been sold bofore tho closo of the year, whllo the esti mated sale of corn shroddcrs Is put at 8,000. Somo of thcso latter machines aro largo affairs, costing hundreds of dollars each, and do tho work on many farms, being operated after tho manner of tho steam threshers. As a result, corn stover Is being mndo Into hay In stead of being left In the fields to go to waste Tho keeping of tho shredded racterlal has been something of a prob lom In tho past, but Is now being solved to the satisfaction of tho farmer and stock feeder. Mrs. Laura A. Aldorman of Hurley, South Dakota, owns nnd cares for one' of tho largest apple orchards In that state It contains 130 acres and from 8,000 to 10,000 bushols aro gathered each year. Her father was closely ro tated to Colonel Ethan Allen, of Vermont. "i sa" r ' "'" u -f" -imju ifwy .iSSi . ,,,1, ,Wmi.mikth, BV