Yorkville enquirer. [volume], February 02, 1909, Image 1

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^RWiLLE ENlElZE
ISSUED SEMI-WEEKLY.
l. m. grists sons. Pabiuiwn. } % Jamil? Bncspapfr: Jor th* promotion of th< political, ^Social. Agricultural and dJommtrrial Jnttr?ts of the flcogle. {
ESTAHLI8HE1) 1853 ~~ YORKVILLE, 8. C., TUESDAY, FKHBUARY it, 11)09. " NO. 10.
HAH AHA HAH AHA HAH AHA HAH i
1 BREWS
2 BY GEORGE BAR!
J [RICHARD
^ Copyright. 1904, By Herbert S. Stone ft C
tAH AHA HAH AHA HAH AHA HAH s
CHAPTER XL
It was not that he had realized heavily
In his Investments which caused
his friends and his enemies to regard
him In a new light. His profit had
been quite small as things go on the
*? J~? TKo more fact
exchange in mese uu>s. a uv
that he had shown such foresight proved
sufficient cause for the reversal cf
opinion. Men looked at him with new
Interest In their eyes, with fresh confidence.
His unfortunate operations
in the stock market had restored him
to favor In all circles. The man, young
or old, who could do what he had done
with Lumber and Fuel well deserved
the new promises that were being
made for him.
Brewster bobbed uncertainly between
two emotions, elation and distress. He
had achieved two kinds of success, the
^ desired and the undesired. It was but
r natural that he should feel proud of
the distinction the venture had brought
to him on one hand, but there was
reason for despair over the acquisition
of 150,000. It made it necessary for
^ him to undertake an almost superhuman
feat?Increase the number of his
January bills. The plans for the ensuing
spring and summer were dlmiy
getting into shape, and they covereu
many startling projects. Since confiding
some of them to Nopper Harrison
that gentleman had worn a never
decreasing look of worry and anx>
iety in his eyes.
^ Rawles added to his despair a day
or two after the Stock Exchange misfortune.
He brought up the information
that six splendid little puppies had
come to bless his Boston terrier family,
and Joe Bragdcn, who was present, enthusiastically
predicted that he could
get $100 apiece for them. Brewstei
loved dogs, yet for one single horrible
moment he longed to massacre the
helpless little creatures. But the old
affection came back to him, and he
hurried out with Bragdon to inspect
the brood.
"And I've either got to sell them or
kill them," he groaned. Later on he
* * - ??11 nuno for
Instructed Bragaon to sen lliC pupw |
^ $25 apiece and went away, ashamed to
look their proud mother In the face.
Fortune smiled on him before the
day was over, however. He took Subway
Smith for a ride in the "green
Hp juggernaut," bad weather and bad
r roads notwithstanding. Monty lo-t
control of the' machine and headed for
a subway excavation. He and Smith
saved themselves by leaping to the
pavement, sustaining slight bruises,
but the great machine crashed through
the barricade and dropped to the bottom
cf the trench far below. To
Smith's grief and Brewster's delight
the automobile was helplessly ruined,
a clear loss of many thousands. Monty's
joy was short lived, for It was
soon learned that three luckless workmen
down In the depths had been badly
Injured by the green meteor from
above. The mere fact that Brewster
could and did pay liberally for the relief
cf the poor fellows afforded him
* ~ TT /lArnlnaanocfl
little consoiauon. mio
and possibly his Indifference had
brought suffering to these men and
their families, which was not pleasant
to look back upon. Lawsuits were
avoided by compromise. Bach of the
injured men received $4,000.
At this time every one was interested
in the charity bazaar at the Astoria,
ki Society was on exhibition, and the
public paid for the privilege of gazing
at the men and women whose names
filled the society columns. Brewster
^ frequented the booth presided over bv
r Miss Drew, and there seemed to be
no end to his philanthropy. The bazaar
lasted two days and nights, and after
that period his account book showed
an even "profit" of nearly $3,000.
Monty's serenity, however, was considerably
ruffled by the appearance of
a new and aggressive claimant for the
smiles of the fair Barbara. He was a
Californian of immense wealth and unbounded
confidence in himself, and
* - j
letters to people in mu u?u & ?
en him a certain entree. The triumph
In love and finance that had come with
his twoscore years and ten had demolished
every vestige of timidity that
may have been born with him. He
was successful enough in the world of
finance to have become four or five
times a millionaire, and he had fared
so well in love that twice he had been
a widower. Rodney Grimes was starting
out to win Barbara with the same
dash and impulsiveness that overcame
Mary Farrell, the cook in the mining
camp, and Jane Boothroyd, the sehoolr
teacher, who came to California ready
to marry the first man who asked her.
He was a penniless prospector when he
married Mary, and when he led Jane
to the altar she rejoiced in having
captured a husband worth at least
! $50,000.
He vied with Brewster in patronizing
Barbara's booth, and he rushed into
the conflict with an Impetuosity that
seemed destined to carry everything
before It. Monty was brushed aside,
Barbara was pre-empted as if she were
a mining claim, and ten days after his
arrival in New York Grimes was the
most talked cf man in town. Brewster
was not the sort to be dispatched without
a struggle, however. Recognizing
Grimei as an obstacle, but not as a
rival, he once more donned his armor
and beret Barbara with all the zest cf
a champion who seeks to protect and
not to conquer. He regarded the Callfornlan
as an impostor, and summary
action was necessary. "I know all
about him Babs," he said one day after
he felt sure cf his position. "Why,
his father was honored by the V. C.
on the coast in '49."
"The Victoria cross?" asked Barbara
h Innocently.
"No. the vigilance committee."
In this way Montv routed the enemv
and cleared the *eld before the end
of another week. Grimes transferred
his objectionable affection, and Barr
bara was not even asked to be wife
No. 3. Brewster's campaign was so
ardent that he neglected other duties
deplorably, falling far behind his im^ *-1
-
LHA HAH AHA HAH AHA HAH AHA
ITER'S I
jORSs- i
* M'CUTCHEON 5
GREAVES] ?
Company. Jf
kHA HAH AHA HAH AHA HAH AHA
provident average. With Grimes disposed
of, he once more forsook the
battlefield of love and gave his harassed
and undivided attention to his own
peculiar business.
The fast and loose game displeased
Miss Barbara greatly. She was at first
surprised, then piqued, then resentful.
Monty gradually awoke to the distressing
fact that she was going to be Intractable,
as he put it, and forthwith
undertook to smooth the troubled sea.
To his amazement and concern, she
was not to be appeased.
"Does it occur to you, Monty," she
said, with a gentle coldness that was
uo?i,ai? n-nrco than hftflt. "that VOU
1UU1IUCIJ nvtov
have been carrying things with a pretty
high hand? Where did you acquire
the right to interfere with my privi.ges?
You seem to think that I am
not to speak to any man but you."
"Oh, come now, Babs," retorted
Monty, "I've not been quite as unreasonable
as that And you know yourself
that Grimes is the worst kind
of a bounder."
"I know nothing of the sort," replied
the lady, with growing irritation. "You
ay that about every man who gives
me a smile or a flower. Does it indicate
such atrocious taste?"
"Don't be silly. Barbara. You know
perfectly well that you have talked to
Gardner and that idiot Valentine by
the hour, and I've not said a word.
But there are some things I can t
stand and the Impertinence of Grimes
is one of them. Jove! He looked at
you out of those fishy eyes sometimes
as though he owned you. If you knew
how many times I've fairly ached to
knocked him down!"
Inwardly Barbara was weakening a
little before his masterfulness. But
she gave no sign.
"And It never occurred to you," she
said, with that exasperating coldness of
voice, "that I was equal to the situation.
I suppose you thought Mr.
Grimes had cnly to beckon and I
would Joyfully answer. I'll have you
know, Monty Brewster, right now that,
I am quite able to choose my friends
and to handle them. Mr. Grimes has
character, and I like him. He has seen
more of life in a year of his strenuous
career than you ever dreamed of in all
your pampered existence. His life has
been real, Monty Brewster and yours
Is only an imitation."
It struck him hard, but it left him
gentle.
"Babs," he said softly, "I can't take
that from you. You don't really mean
It, do you? Am I as bad as that?"
It was a moment for dominance, and
he missed it. His gentleness left her
cold.
"Monty," she exclaimed irritably,
'you are terribly exasperating. Do
make up your mind that you and your
million are not the only things in the
world."
TJ?o Klrvrv^ n-QC lirt rinu' hilt It flune
him away from her.
"Some day perhaps you'll find out
that there Is not much besides. I am
just a little too big, for one thing, to
be played with and thrown aside. I
won't stand it."
He left the house with his head high
In the air, angry red in his cheeks
and a feeling in his heart that she was
the most unreasonable of women. Barbara
in the meantime cried herself to
sleep, vowing she would never love
Monty Brewster again as long as she
lived.
A sharp, cutting wind was blowing
in Monty's face as he left the house.
He was thoroughly wretched.
"Throw up your hands!" came
hoarsely from somewhere, and there
was no tenderness in the tones. For
an instant Monty was dazed and bewildered,
but in the next he saw two
shadowy figures walking beside him.
"Stop whore you are, young fellow,"
was the next command, and he stopped
short. He was in a mood to fight, but
the sight of a revolver made him think
again. Monty was not a coward; neither
was he a fool. He was quick to
see that a struggle would be madness.
"What do you want?" he demanded
is coolly as his nerves would permit.
"Put up your hands, quick!" And
he hastily obeyed the Injunction.
"Not a sound out of you or you get
it good and proper. You know what
we want. Get to work, Bill. I'll
.vatch his hands."
"Help yourselves, boys. I'm not fool
enough to scrap about it. Don't hit
m; or shoot, that's all. Be quick about
!t, because I'll take cold if my overcoat
is open long. How's business been
tonight?" Brewster was to all intents
and purposes the calmest man in New
York.
"Fierce!" said the one who was do!ng
the searching. "You're the first
Tuy we've seen in a week that looks
good."
"'I hope you won't be disappointed,"
said Monty genially. "If I'd expected
'hat I might have brought more mon
ey."
"I guess we'll be satisfied," chuckled
the man with the revolver. "You're
awful nice and kind, mister, and mayoe
you wouldn't object to tellln' us
when you'll be up dis way ag'in."
"It's a pleasure to do business with
you, papdner," said the ether, dropping
Monty s $300 watch in his pocket.
"We'll leave car fare for you for your
honesty." His hands were running
through Brewster's pockets with the
quickness of a machine. "You don't
70 much on jewelry, I guess. Are
dese shoit buttons de real t'ing?"
"They're pearls." said Monty cheerfully.
"My favorite Jool," said the man
with the revolver. "Clip 'em out, BUI."
"Don't cut the shirt," urged Monty.
"I'm going to a little supper, and I
'on't like tiie Idea of a punctured
shirt front."
"I'll be careful as I kin, mister.
There. I guess dat's all. Shall I call a
for you, sir?"
"No. thank you. I think I'll walk."
"Well, Just walk south a hundred
steps without lookln* round er yellln'
and you kin save your skin. I guess
you know what I mean, pardner."
"I'm sure I do. Good night."
"Good night," came in chuckles from
the two holdup men. But Brewster
hesitated, a sharp thought penetrating
his mind.
"By gad," he exclaimed, "you chaps
are very careless. Do you know you've
missed a roll of $300 in this overcoat
pocket?" The men gasped, and the
pasmodlc oaths that came from them
were born of incredulity. It was plain
that they doubted their ears.
"Say it ag'in," muttered Bill in bewildered
tones.
"He's stringin' us, Bill," said the
other.
"Sure," growled Bill. "It's a nice
way to treat us, mister. Move along
now and don't turn round."
"Well, you're a couple of nice highwaymen,"
cried Monty in disgust
"Sh! Not so loud,"
"That is no way to attend to business.
Do you expect me to go down
into my pocket and hand you the goods
on a silver tray?"
"Keep your hands up! You don't
woik dat game on me. You got a gun
there."
"No, I haven't. This is on the level.
You overlooked a roll of bills in your
haste, and I'm not the sort of fellow to
see an earnest endeavor get the worst
of it. My hands are up. See for
yourself if I'm not tellng you the
truth."
"What kind of a game is dis?"
growled Bill, dazed and bewildered.
'I'm blowed if I know w'at to t'ink o'
you," cried he in honest amazement.
"You don't act drunk, and you ain't
crazy, but there's somethin' wrong wid
you. Are you givin' it to us straight
about de wad?"
"You can find out easily."
"Well, I hate to do it, boss, but I
guess we'll Just take de overcoat and
all. It looks like a trick, and we take
no chances. Off wid de coat."
Monty's coat came off in a jiffy, and
he stood shivering before the dumfounded
robbers.
"We'll leave de coat at de next corner,
pardner. It's cold, and you need
it more'n we do. You're de limit, you
are. So long. Walk right straight
ahead and don't yell."
Brewster found his coat a few minutes
later, and he went whistling away
into the night. The roll of bills was
gone.
CHAPTER XII.
Brewster made a gocd story of the
holdup at the club, but he did not relate
all the details. One of the listeners
was a new public commissioner
who was aggressive in his efforts at
reform. Accordingly Brewster was
summoned to headquarters the next
morning for the purpose of looking
over the "suspects" that had been
brought in. Almost the first man that
he espied was a rough looking fellow
whose Identity could not be mistaken.
T "Dili
"Hello. Bill," called Monty gayly.
Bill ground his teeth for a second, but
his eyes had such an appeal In them
that Monty relented.
"You know this fellow, Mr. Brewster?"
demanded the captain quickly.
Bill looked utterly helpless.
"Know BUI?" questioned Monty In
surprise. "Of course I do, captain."
"He was picked up late last night
and detained because he would give no
account of his actions."
"Was It as bad as that, Bill?" asked
Brewster, with a smile. Bill mumbled
something r.nd assumed a look cf defiance.
Monty's attitude puzzled him
sorely. He hardly breathed for an instant
and gulped perceptibly.
"Pass Bill, captain. He was with me
last night Just before my money was
taken, and he ccv.ldn't possibly have
robbed me without my knowledge.
Walt for me outside, Bill. I want to
talk to you. I'm quite sure neither
of the thieves is here, captain," concluded
Brewster after Bill had obeyed
the order to step out of the line.
Out-ide the door the puzzled crook
met Brewster, who shook him warmly
by the hand.
"You're a peach," whispered Bill
gratefully. "What did you do It for,
mister?"
' - ' " -1 Ann., nrl. .. t I
"iiecause you were mhu cuuush nut
to cut my shirt."
"Say, you're all right, that's what.
Would you mind havln' a drink with
me? It's your money, but the drink
won t be any the worse for that. We
blowed most of It already, but here's
what's left." Bill handed Monty a roll
of bills.
"I'd 'a' kept It if you'd made a fight,"
he continued, "but It ain't square to
keep it now."
Brewster refused the money, but
took back his watch.
"Keep It, Bill," he said "You need
It more than I do. It's enough to set
you up in some other trade. Why net
try It?"
"I will try, boss." And Bill was so
profuse in his thanks that Monty had
difficulty In getting away. As he
climbed into a cab he heard Bill say:
"I will try, boss, and, say, if ever I can
do anything for you jes' put me nex'.
maw' ??au oil Ha 11 m a "
XIII IICA jyj u uu uv
He gave the driver the name of his
club, but as he was passing the Waldorf
he remembered that he had several
things to say to Mrs. Dan. The
order was changed, and a few moments
later he was received In Mrs.
Dan's very special den. She wore
something soft and graceful In lavender.
something that was light and
wavy and evanescent and made you
watch Its changing shadows. Monty
looked down at her with the feeling
that she made a very effective picture.
"You are looking pretty fit this
morning, my lady," he said by way of
preamble. "How well everything plays
up to you!"
"And you are unusually courtly.
Monty," she smiled. "Has the world
treated you so generously of late?"
"It Is treating me generously enough
Just now to make up for anything,"
and he looked at her. "Do you know,
Mrs. Dan. that it is borne in upon me
now and then that there are things that
are quite worth while?'
"Oh, if you come to that," she answered
lightly, "everything is worth
while. For you, Monty, life is certainly
not slow. You can dominate; you
an make things go your way. Aren't
they going your way now, Monty?"
Then most seriously: "What's wrong?
Is the pace too fast?"
His mood increased upon him with
her sympathy. "Oh, no," he said, "it
'sn't that. You are good, and I'm a
selfish beast. Things are perverse and
people are desperately obstinat? sometimes.
And here I'm taking It out on
you. You are not perverse. You are
not obstinate. You are a ripper, Mrs.
Dan, and you are going to help me
out In more ways than one."
"Well, to pay for all these gallantries.
Monty, I ought to do much. I'm
your friend through thick and thin.
You have only to command me."
"It was precisely to get your help
that I came In. I'm tired of those confounded
dinners. You know yourself
that they are all alike?the same people,
the same flowers, the same things
to eat and the same inane twaddle in
the shape of talk. Who cares about
them anyway?"
"Well, I like that!" she Interrupted.
"After all the thought I put Into those
dinners! After all the variety I so
careiuny secured: wy ucitr uuy, jruu
ai*e frightfully ungrateful."
"Oh, you know what I mean, and
you know quite as well as I do that it
Is perfectly true.' The dinners were a
beastly bore, which proves that they
were a loud success. Your work was
not done In vain. But now I want
something else. We must push along
this ball we've been talking of. And
the yachting cruise?that can't wait
very much longer."
"The ball first," she decreed. "I'll
see to the cards at once, and In a day
cr two I'll have a list ready for your
gracious approval. And what have you
done?"
"Pettlnglll has some great ideas for
doing over Sherry's. Harrison Is In
communication with the manager of
U..??B?.|aw nrntiAfltra Vflll flnnlfP
uiai 11U115U* mil v?
of, and he finds the men quite ready
for a little Jaunt across the water. We
have that military band?I've forogtten
the number of its regiment?for the
promenade music, and the new Paris
sensation, the contralto, Is coming over
with her prima tenore for some special
numbers."
"You were certainly cut out for an
executive, Monty," said Mrs. Dan.
"But with the music and the decorations
arranged you've only begun. The
favors are the real things, and if you
say the word we'll surprise them a
little. Don't worry about it, Monty.
It's a go already. We 11 pull it off together."
"You are a thoroughbred, Mrs. Dan,"
he exclaimed. "You do help a fellow
~ MImaII ??
ai a piiivn.
"That's all right, Monty," she answered.
"Give me until after Christmas
and I'll have the finest favors
ever seen. Other people may have
tnelr paper hats and pink ribbons, but
you can show them how the thing
ought to be done."
Her reference to Christmas haunted
Brewster as he drove down Fifth avenue
with the dread of a new disaster.
i\ever before had he looked upon presents
as a calamity, but this year it
was different. Immediately he began
to plan a bombardment of his friends
with costly trinkets, when he grew suddenly
doubtful of the opinion of his
uncle's executor upon this move. But
in response to a telegram Swearengen
Tnnoo tt'lth nlonctnir Imselbilltv. in
formed him that "any one with a drop
of human kindness in his body would
consider it his duty to give Christmas
presents to those who deserved them."
Monty's way was now clear. If his
friends meant to handicap him with
gifts he knew a way to get even. For
two weeks his mornings were spent at
Tiffany's, and the afternoons brought
Joy to the heart of every dealer in antiquities
in Fourth and Fifth avenues.
He gave much thought to the matter
In the effort to secure many small articles
which elaborately concealed their
value. And he had taste. The result of
L,~ ? ?--J ?"? " maritr frlnnH Q
1113 euucavui nao uiaw ukwij
who would not have thought of remembering
Mcnty with even a card were
pleasantly surprised on Christmas eve.
As It turned out, he fared very well
In the matter of gifts, and for some
days much of his time was spent In
reading notes of profuse thanks which
were yet vaguely apologetic. The
Grays and Mrs. Dan had remembered
him with an agreeable lack of ostentation,
and some of the Little Sons of
the Rich who had kept one evening a
fortnight open for the purpose of "using
up their meal tickets" at Monty's
were only too generously grateful.
xfiT-o riron' hnd fnrff-ntten him. and
when they met after the holiday her
recognition was of the coldest. He had
thought that under the circumstances
he could send her a gift of value, but
the beautiful pearls with which he asked
for a reconciliation were returned
with "Miss Drew's thanks." He loved
Barbara sincerely, and it cut. Peggy
Gray was taken Into his confidence,
and he was comforted by her encouragement.
It was a bit difficult for her
to advise him to try again, but his
happiness was a thing she had at
heart.
"It's beastly unfair, Peggy," he said.
"I've really been white to her. I believe
I'll chuck the whole business and
'eave New York."
"You're going away?" And there wac
just a suggestion of a catch in her
hreath.
"I'm going to charter a yacht and
sail away from this place ror mree
'.f four months." Peggy fairly gasped.
"What do you think of the scheme?"
he added, noticing the alarm and Incredulity
In her eyes.
"I think you'll end In the poorhouse.
Montgomery Brewster," she said, with
a laugh.
To be Continued.
?*5" In an article on "Everlasting
Monuments to Scientists" Leopold Ehr!Ich
says In a Berlin paper: "The
>tones finally crumble and the bronzes
may be destroyed. Younger general\A?'AOu
A M/J #/"V l*>VA
liunn IUl> C IIICII Iiciuva anu it'igci u?r
names of those who have gone before.
But making the name of a scientist a
part of the universal scientific language
is an indestructible monument.
The men who gaveth e name of ohm
in honor of CJeorge Simon Ohm to the
unit of electric resistance; ampere, the
,;nlt of electric current, to perpetuate
the name of Andre Mare Ampere, and
volt, in honor of Alessandro Volta, to
the unit of electro-motive force, handed
there names to the people of all
times to follow. The cablegram should
have been named for Field as the wireless
message has been for Marconi,
ind the incandescent lamp would bum
just as well if it were known as an
'edison.' The suggestion that the kilowatt
hour should be called a "kelvin'
for the scientist who preferred to be
called Thompson, should be carried
out, and thus another worthy name
would be made imperishable."
aWiscfUanrous grading.
TALK WITH BURBANK.
I"he Wizard Talis About tha Spineless
Cactus.
While the plant creations of Luther
Burbank have made his name a household
word throughout the worid, very
few even of the residents of his adopted
state know anything of the "Wizard
s" personality. He has no time
for the limelight, even if he had the
taste, and, as he tells you, he can ta<b
more readily to his flowers than to ai.
audience of people. On rare occasions,
nowever, when he emerges from his
picketed grounds for a little journey In
the world, tp attend a florlsts's convention
or whdt not, he can be persuaded
to address p. sympathetic company on
the subject'to which his life is devoted?the
improvement of plants.
A spare man of middle age and me- i
dium height, with a kindly, c.ean-shav- (
en face of the "hatchet" type, a shock ^
of iron gray hair and a student's stoop
of the shoulders, Burbank makes rather
an unea|y figure before an assem- ,
blage expecting him to be as enter- (
tainlng as he can, and he is palpably t
relieved wHen, his preliminary "ladies
and gentlerpen" spoken, he gives the j
word to hlh assistant to throw some t
plant pictures on the screen. Then r
you can see that he is among his ^
friends and his speech is from the
abundance of the heart
"You can do anything you like with
a plant if you have time enough," he
observed as a picture of his thornless
cactus patch at Santa Rosa came to
view. "Twelve years ago I became impressed
with the possibilities of the J
opunua cactus, or pnciuy pear, as a
forage plant, If only the spines and the
bristles could be done away with.
There exists In nature certain of the
cactus tribe which are thornless, but
none of these are of sufficient size or
are rapid enough growers to be of
practical value to the stock raiser. I
had specimens of opuntias sent to me
from all over the world, and by selection
and crossing, raising year after
year thousands of new seedlings, only
to be grubbed up as unavailing, I at
last was rewarded In creating a variety
absolutely without spines or bristles.
The original plant from a seed
has grown in three years to a height of
six feet and Is six and one-half feet in
diameter. I have half a dozen other
spineless varieties, and they were all
put on the market for the first time
last summer, although some dishonest
? v..-v*V? V?r\nn/1 i? TJSirrtna ha fit
lieUlCIB UUIU I1C1C auu lit uuivyv ?M?v
been offering so-called Burbank spineless
cactus for a couple of years. The
thornless varieties cannot be raised
from seed, but are propagated only
from cuttings, which must first be
wilted In the sun for a week or two
before they will grow. After that they
root anywhere, any end up?even In
your overcoat pocket or on the floor
back of the stove."
A single leaf of the best variety of
the thornless cuctus?the Santa Rosa
?was sold for $1,000 to John M. Rutland
of Melbourne, Australia, with the
right to sell In the Southern Hemisphere;
and one leaf of another variety
was disposed of to the same Australian
horticulturist {or $500.
"But the forage proposition," continued
Mr. Burbank, "is by no means all
there 13 to cactus culture. The fruits
have wonderful poss.billties. Many of
my helpers prefer 'pear' to apricots or
peaches, and 1 myself find it delicious.
There is great variety in the taste of
the different sorts, and my ambition
now is to produce a type that will bear
distinct varieties 01 cactus truu, me (
^me as different varieties of apples are ,
characterized by different flavors. ,
"Changing the subject now to flow- (
ers, the famous eschscholtzla, or Call- ,
fornla poppy, used to be known only ,
as a yellow flower, but now the flor- t
lots will sell you a crimson variety, j
This was six or seven years In the
making. I had often noticed 'Individ- f
uals with a bronzy tint on the out- (
side of the petals; but one day I came (
across one that had a streak of red In- t
side the cup. I saved its seed, and by |
the process of selection Anally got a (
good crimson. It takes Ave or six gen- 3
rations to fix any new variety. 1
"Speaking of popples. I was once 1
surprised to get a new red garden I
poppy a3 the result of a cross between I
two white varieties?the common white 1
opium poppy and another. Often I am
unable to account for unlooked-for re- 1
suits of my experiments, but In this 1
case the reason was to be found In the i
tendency of the opium poppy some- i
times to produce red flowers; and, 1
though the particular flower that I 1
used in this cross was white, the t
hereditary strain was In Its blood and
cropped out in the offspring. I
"A desideratum in the Improvement ]
of plants is to secure new varieties i
that shall mature more quickly than *
the original ones. Few people note the *
fact that different Individual plants ]
of the same species often have differ- i
ent rates of growth. You think one *
blade of blue grass in your lawn grows
Just as fast as another, while, aa a
matter of fact, some produce their seed
four or five times as quickly as others.
It Is the same way with trees. I have
been working for a good while to produce
a quick-bearing chestnut. The
ordinary chestnut of the woods
may take fifteen years from the
seeding stage to the nut bearing stage,
but as a result of my experimenting
.[ have a specimen tree on my grounds
this year, six months old. that has
borne two perfect burrs and each has
its regulation quota of nuts. Now I
can almost promise you chestnuts
wnne you wan:
"Failures? Oh, yes. I have failures.
Here Is a picture of an Improved prune
plum. It excels the old kinds in size
and sweetness, but It Is a complete failure
as a prune" for the reason that the
skin, instead of splitting lightly in
shallow lines in the 'dip* to which
prunes are subjected before dying,
cracks wide open like a plum skin in
in canning. Then there was my cross
of the raspberry and strawberry. Theoretically
that cross ought to produce
\ good new fruit. I succeeded in getting
between 300 and 500 vigorous
seedlings from the crossing, and they
throve well. The plants had the trifoliate
leaves of the strawberry parent,
but occasionally they would send
ip canes?that was the raspberry in
them. By and by they bloomed, large,
" erfect flowers, that gave every evidence
of maturing seeds, but not a
solitary fruit set upon the whole plants
atlon. It was a stralghtout failure,
)ut somebody will be able to establish
hat cross yet. I
"One Interesting feature In plant
experimentation is the occasional cropping
out of reversions to primitive
'orms now lost through long cultlva- ,
ion. This fact gives us a hint as to ,
he original form cf some plants no ,
onger found wild. I am Just now (
unning Indian corn"?in nls New Eng- ,
and way Mr. Burbank calls it Injun (
:orn?"back to where It was maybe ,
wo or three thousand years ago. Corn, ,
ih we Know it today, Is an artlnclal
jroduct, the result of generations or
eentur.es of selection before the white
nan ever saw It. I have already seured
forms with the r tlk. oorne In
he tassel, like other grasses, for corn
n a grass.
"'ihe variation In the leaves of
ilants make an absorbing study, and
would like now and then to develop
;omethlng new in the foliage l>ne, foi .
eaves can be made as beautiful as
lowers; but there is so much to be
lone among the flowers that I am
eavlng the leaves for the present."
LiUtner Huroanns uiik is ainguimiy
ree from egotism. He Is absorbed In
he love of his subject, and as he
ouches lightly now on one feature of
t, now on another, he impresses you
vlth the feeling that his work, far from
>eing hard to do, is really very easy.
That, however, is the simplicity of
genius.?Philadelphia Record.
PROWEad Or ? .tfiivarl i Y ELK.
t Was Not Only Physical, But Mental
as Well. .
Frank S. Metzel and Will O. Metzel,
latives of Madison county and promnent
as hunters and stockmen, have
-ecently completed two remarkable
tunting trips, says a Helena, Mont,
etter. On one they secured five deer
vlthin a few hours without going
nore than half a dozen miles from
heir home ranch.
On the first trip they went elk
tunting in the rugged mountains dividing
the Madison valley from the
rtuty. There the mountains average
1,000 feet in height, and deer, elk,
nountam sheep and mountain lions
ive In contentment save when some
nighty hunter comes along and dlsurbs
their quietude. The hunt was
successful, and both Metzels brought
>ack big bull elks. The elk secured ,
>y Frank Metzel has a spread of ant- ,
ers of more than eighty inches. At ,
he risk of getting a call-down as a ,
lature faker, Mr. Metzel told of his j
experience In slaying this mighty bull. (
"We went Into camp close to the (
tead of Hell Roaring creek, which ,
tome of the tenderfeet are now try- ]
ng to name Elk river," he said. "We ,
lunted tor two or three days without |
nuch success, seeing a large number
>f tracks,i^>ut on?y an occasional ]
(rouse of^Wwshoe rabbit ,
"One afternoon after I had had a ,
ruitless hunt and come back to camp ,
[ decided-1 would prospect a park j
vhlch I could see about two miles
'rom camp and which looked good
'or elk. Accordingly 1 threw my sadlle
on a horse and started out When
[ got within a few hundred yards of
he place I tied my pony to a pine {
ree and began investigating the (
(round. ,
'"ihe entire park was as full of elk ,
racks as a barnyard Is of cattle j
racks. Seeing where a tree had been :
reshly turned over I investigated and j
ound unmistakable evidences of a (
jig elk planting his hoofs in the soft
(round and bowling the tree over by
naln strength, planning Its fall so
hat It would dam up a little thread ,
>f water and form a pool that would (
vould give him a wallow. The tree ,
vas several inches in diameter. It
lid not fall exactly as the old bull
vanted It to, and the tracks in the |
nud showed where he had attempted j
o roll It into place, but he was not ,
teavy enough to do so. ,
"the tracks told an Interesting (
itory and were proof positive that the i
;lk of the Madison county mountains {
:an reason. This wise old bull had ,
aken a bee line to another park close
:y and summoned a number of other
:1k to help him, and upon my word
fou could see the horn prints of at
east Ave other bulls In the soft ground
tvnere iney naa ussiaieu m ivvnug
hat tree around so that it would jam
:he stream and afford a wallow which
ie could enjoy in comfort. ,
"But this old bull was a crafty an- (
mal. He wanted the wallow all to
limself. A desperate fight ensued
ind the big bull came off champion,
is trails of elk going at a big gallop
!rom the battle ground In all direc- (
Jons showed how they had been put
o flight.
"Naturally I surveyed the ground with ,
nterest, trying to decide which elk ,
[ would follow in an attempt to get
lome meat. The tracks were the ,
'reshest I had seen for days and
ihowed that the battle royal had oc:urred
only a few hours before. Wh.le 1
[ was stuoying I heard a noise of an \
inlmal trotting through the wood.*) ,
ind lmmediate.y threw my rifle In
-eadiness. 1
"Scarcely ha?* I done so when the <
flggest elk I ever saw, came trotting ,
>ut into the opening, snorting defiance
ind wanting more fight. It was the '
>ld bull, returning from chasing from <
he scene the last of the disputants to |
ho richt nf the wallow. He had his
Ighting blood up, thought he could
vhlp anything that walked and he
mmediately charged me. Luckily I
nade a centre shot and a true hit and
sent a bullet Into his body near the i
leart. I was careful to shoot so I
vould not spoil his head, which was
he finest I ever saw. The shot I
rave him would have stopped a run- (
ling grizzly, but this old elk would
lot quit. Then the shell stuck In my '
run, and after frantically trying I
;o work the lever for a few seconds I |
urned and ran to the shelter of a big
line tree, behind which I took refuge ,
md which I tried to climb. <
"The climbing was a desperate at- <
empt and naturally a failure. Then |
he cold sweat broke out all over me
ind I thought I was meat for that old
* In I
)U11 eiK. J USl men it uimngc tame m
lis attitude. His eyes became glassy
ind his head dropped, while h!s sturiy
legs began to weaken. Just as 1
ould feel his hot breath against my
jody as I still attempted to climb the
ree the big brute crumpled up in a
lunch and died.
"It wa3 the biggest elk ever killed
n Montana. The carcass weighed
nore than 900 pounds, including the
lead and horns. We had to haul It
>ut on travols specially constructed,
md we were three days getting it to
i point where we could load him up>n
a wagon. It was really a shame
o kill this brute, but I have never
leard of an elk of such intelligence
hat he could make his own wallow
ind realize that numbers meant
itrength when it comes to moving a
)lg tree and that to the animal with
Drains to plan a job belong the
ipoils."
SNAKE FARM8.
QuMr Australian Industry Said to
Thrive Near Sydney.
Snake farming is not an attractive
sccupation, but It haa more than one
rotary in the Australian commonwealth,
and in the neighborhood of
Sydney the industry has been carried
jn for several years by an individual
who, while disclaiming all knowledge
jf the snake charming art, appears
:o have an extensive knowledge of the
reptiles and their ways. In addition
.0 the snakes, large numbers of trogs
ind even toads, are caretu.iy reared,
part.y as tood lor the reptiles and
partly tor scienunc purposes. iu<
naked are caught In the bush, & work
irequentiy necessitating m&i.y mlies
>t wanuenng ana long hours of palent
watching, tor the snake Is a
mspiclous creature, generally more
tiarmeu at tne sight of a man than
;he man Is at It The snake hunter
mipioys a coup.e ot torkeu sticks as
i means of capture. With one tha
eptiie is pinneu cy any part of its
jouy to the grouna, alter which it is
l&ea by the neck with the other. This
ione, tne captor with Anger anu
.numb grasps the head at the side ot
Jie jaws and thus has the reptiie safe
inu harnness.. 'the snake is thus
cropped, tail first, into a sugar bag.
nil mat is real.y necessary la a steauy
lerve, a atraigni eye ana a nrm lu.no.
A recent viaitor, wntea the byunty
:orrespoudent of the London ulooe,
was snown some large specimens ox
the tiger and diamond species, intended
tor the byaney board of heaith,
nmch is rcgaiar.y supplied with venjmous
snakes, trom which the poison
l? nwinonne "?naka anHnfllxl"
liOCU All {/tV|/(MlUB .?.
Id obtainea by "making." lias Is deicrlbed
as a moat interesting pertormance.
"Eelore making time the
makes are weli fed, aitcrward becoming
excited when a glass, similar
lo a watch glass, covered with the
tmest gutta percha, is put into the
.age. 'the infuriated reptiles bite
viciously through the gutta percha,
leaving tiny drops of poison on the
prepared glass." xnis muiunt ??
Invariably pertormed during the summer
months, when the creatures are
most acuve and tierce and the poison
most virulent Numerous vicious
specimens are kept In cages at the
auices of the Sydney health department
to be "milked," and when somewhat
worn out are returned to the
snake farm to recuperate. After the
snakes have become useless for "milking"
purposes they are sold to taxi
dermists or the Sydney Zoological
Gardens. There ia always a good
market for new or rare specimens, as
much as f6 being paid for a single
snake. Several hundred snakes have
been collected at one time on the
tarm, where they are kept in bags or
boxes, the latter being covered at the
top with small mesh wire netting. At
the bottom of each- receptacle Is allttle
bran or straw, and occasionally a
tew old rags.
When the snake farmer began to
keep the reptiles he found himself
periodically attacked by a mysterious
kind of lntluenza or hay fever, which
he subsequently discovered to be due
to a poison exuded from the bodies
of the snakes. In one respect the
creatures resemble human klncT?they
are great sticklers for calte. "The
blacksnake is considered the gentleman
of the snake fraternity, and lives
much alone, seldom associating with
other members of the tribe. The carpet
snake is the loafer of the reptile
world, while the diamond snake is a
positive larrikin, stealing the other
snakes' wives and swallowing their
children. The tiger species is hard to
get on with, being vicious and deceittul,
and, like the tiger and cat tribe
generally, plays with its prey berore
devouring it" The question 0f food
Is an important one. It necessitates
ample supplies of frogs, rats, bandicoots,
rabbits, eggs, etc. This has
caused frog rearing to become one of
the features of the farm. The reptiles
are kept in large bottomless
cages, placed on the grass, with some
bush on one side and a small pona
in the center. When in the open a
bit of bush shelter is Indispensable
for snake and frog alike.
"In hot weather," says the snake
farmer, "when the frogs are sitting in
the bushes, they are treated to a
-* ??? n > nrHlnopv trorHpn
BllUwm uaiiii an viviiii**./
syringe being used for the purpose.
Great seems their enjoyment, turning
round and round, stretching out their
legs and neckA to the spray. But,"
he continued, "there's a fortune in
frogs if we only had the French secret
of feeding them. No matter how
much water is about, in the dry
weather they get together in crowds,
and hop for miles away from their
old homes, looking for fresh, marshy
places, with plenty of cover. Frogs
carry water in their pouches, and
when they come across a suitable hollow
in a shady spot they fill it and
make a pond for themselves." The
venom obtained from the snakes is
understood to be of great value, the
quantity being extremely limited, and
rarely weighing more than a few
grains. It rarely, if ever, loses any
of its poisonous qualities, and has to
be handled with the greatest care.
PORTO RICO ADVANCES.
Natives a Fine People and Glad of
American Rule.
"Porto Rico, since it has come unier
American rule, has made wonderful
progress In every possible mantier,"
said Lee Nixon, assistant postmaster
at San Juan, Porto Rico, to a
Washington Herald reporter. Mr.
Vixon Is in this country on leave, and
ivill in a day or two go to Indianapolis,
his home.
"Porto Ricans are a fine people,"
he continued, "and I am of the oplnon
that their status for citizenship
should be definitely established by
aw. They should be given American
.1*1 ui. TUav /lAOAmf/1 1+ TTnHnp
JlllZCJiaUliS* Altcjt ucowi tc n. wiiuvi
the present conditions they are citizens
nowhere. They are different
from any foreigner, who can forswear
Ills allegiance to the country he came
from and become a citizen of the
United States, In that a Porto Rican
lias no country whose allegiance he
:an forswear.
"Every town in Porto Rico closed
the past fiscal year with a surplus,
which has never happened until now,
there always being deficits. This is
3ue to the highly efficient administration.
The executive council of the Is
land has direct supervision over all
municipal affairs.
"When the Americans came to Porto
Rico in 1898, the were 26,000 school
children, and now, after nine years of
American efforts, there are 96,000
school children enrolled. In 1191,
Just after the Spaniards left the Island,
there were 626 schools; today
there are 1,761. Public school education
before the advent of the Americans
was practically an unknown'
thing; now there is a general desire
tor knowledge and education among
the old as well as the young.
"It is in improvements which are
bound to benefit Porto Rico in a material
sense that great progress has
been made since the island has come
under American sway. 8pain in her
possession of the Island, for more
than 400 years, spent something like
68,000,000 on roads, bhe built one
great roaa across int isiana. inu is
about all that was done in making of
public highways. The Americans ^
have brought about a greater progress
along these lines, as well as a.ong
ail other lines of public improvement
"Over $5,000,000 have been spentv
In the last ten years on roada Rall-v
roads are being built all over the island,
and there is not a town in Porto
Rico that Is not fitted out and supplied
with telegraph and telephone
service. Piers are being built and
nearly every town is constructing
aqueducts to insure a supply of fresh
water. Three million dollars have
been appropriated for irrigation purposes
to develop sugar plantatlona
Practically every improvement along
these lines has been sugegsted by
Governor Post.
"There are over eighty-two poetofflees
in the island, all of which do a
money-order business. The San Juan
postofflce is the government' deposi
tary of the funds of the island.'
interesting country.
Much to 8ee In Panama Outside the
Canal Zone.
"Panama, outside of"the canal, Is an
exceedingly Interesting country," said
Charles M. Brown, an employe of the
United States government at Ancon,
to a Washington Post reporter. "Recently
I spent several weeks In the
province of Chirique, populated almost
entirely by Indiana One of the most
Interesting diversions of foreigners
who visit that province Is the digging
up of Indian graves., which are found
in great numbers in some parts of the
province. The richest are found In
Bug-aba, about twenty miles from David.
the capital.
"In these graves can be found pieces
of clay pottery, some decorated and
jome plain. Often clay forms representing
animals indigenous to the
country are found, such as tapirs,
panthers,. rabbits, foxes, etc. But the
most valuable are gold Images and
figures of men and women, eagles, turtles,
spiders, snakes, plates and tubes
made of pure gold. While in Chlriqui
I obtained a number of these 'huacitas,'
?e *Kfl? eea /willsJ Tkasa wnevat bm
usually found by prodding the ground
with the point of a machete.
"About a foot under the surface la
a large slab, under which are many
river stones, and some four feet farther
down another slab. At the head and
foot are two 'pilones,' or upright rectangular
stones, and in the intervening
8pace is pottery. The gold pieces are
usually found in the bottom of the
grave, placed as though they had been
held In the hands or laid on the breast
of a body. Sometimes they are discovered
in a jar, and on several occasions
I found them beneath the lower
slab.
"An Englishman in Boquete recently
dug up_& grave in which He round
more than $2,000 worth of pure gold.
The Indiana looks with displeasure on
this desecration of the remains of
their ancestors, and usually decline to
assist In the work, but I secured the
services of an old Indian woman and
six of her daughters in the excavation
of a grave.
"Odd inscriptions are to be seen on
arge rocks all over the province, and
the inscriptions, according to the Indlans,
indicate the burying places of
their 'caciques,' or chiefs. The Indians
rtlfilm that thpre am mat dCDOSltS of
-jold still to be found on the elopes of
the Volcan. the only volcano in Panama,
whose crater rises 10,700 feet above
the sea. Gold is also found In the
beds of the rivers that flow down from
this huge crater."
Life In Mining Towns.
Dr. W. K. Robinson, formerly a
prom'nent and popular Baltimorean,
but for the past three years a resident
of Goldfleld, Nev., told some interesting
facts about his adopted home to a Baltimore
American reporter.
"Compared with Baltimore," said he,
"the mining towns of Nevada are very
shy of the comforts and pleasures or
existence, but they have an attraction
of their own, and I really enjoy living
out there. Ooldfleld Is a place of at
least 15,000 people. It is a wide open
town. Gambling goes on day and night
and the saloons are never closed.
This does not mean that it is given up
to disorder and violence. On the contrary,
serious crime is rare, and what
racket Is kicked up is the work of
young eastern chaps, who think they
m|.a r<A|n Metra
IIIUOI fttvui i anu ia?o vaiu w iuam
the natives regard them with respect
"While the cost of living is pretty
high, there has been a great decline
since the earliest days of the camp.
One can now rent a very comfortable
house for $75 to $lwO a month. No
Chlhamen or Japs are allowed in Goldfield,
and a strong Irish woman who
can do all the cooking and other family
wrrk can often get $100 a month. We
sigh for the soft-shell crabs of the
Chesapeake and the other glorious sea
food, but our beef and vegetables
kmnffhl In frnm California ar* 1ll*t as
Tood as you can get in Baltimore.
"Ooldfleld is today In better shape
than it ever was. Everythlnr is on a
?o!ld basis. Speculation in wildcat
"roper-ties has cf .sed. Labor, like
sr^plter charges and railroad rates, has
dropped to a figure where the mine
->wnera can pay and get their profits.
?ome of the biggest mines are not In
operation, but that is only a temporary
condition. The treasury shipments of
?re o?t of Ooldfleld are not less than
?760.i>00 a month. Inside of two years
I believe the camp will show an ano'?p1
output of not less than $26,000,000."