.: WHEN LAMPS ARE LOW.
Let the rain beat,
a~ the wind without blow down the street,
Md the echo come of the city's hum,
st4 the distant harry of horses' feet!
forwc.resat within with my love tonight,
And the lamps are low, and the hearth is
bright,
Ah, love is best
That ne'er is more than half confessed
Just half, I say; eternity
weie all too short to tell the rest!
So we rest within with our love tonight,
amd the lamps are low, and the hearth is
bright.
-A. Boyd Scott in Madame.
TAKING THE REINS.
-L ford Merritt was certainly a most
exasperating man. In this, for a won
der, the whole village concurred; with
the exception of his wife. She main
tained silence on the subject which was
bets, perhaps, inasmuch as she was the
d'tlse of it all.
"He's-he's the most downtrodden
and meek sort of man you ever set eyes
on, and it ain't right that it should be
so," Mrs. Blake declared, as Lyford
Merritt, then under discussion, shuffled
along the dusty road. "It's dreadful to
see a man so suppressed." she sighed.
"It ain't nature one bit.
"Some men are born meek and
would rather a woman'd go ahead and
boss the house and him, too, and then
you don't blame 'em, but Lyford ain't
r that kind. 'Fore his wife got hold of
him he used to be as up and coming as
any one."
A slight flush spread over her thin
cheeks as she felt a critical glance upon
her.
"That was the time he came a-court
in you, I s'pose ?" her guest remarked
blandly. "I always heard you had some
sort of words and then he took up with
the new schoolteacher and married her
right away 'fore your face and eyes. "
Mrs. Blake beat her cake vigorously.
"He ain't done nothing but be set on
ever since, " she declared at length, "so
that he ain't himself at all. And that's
what's so exasperating. No man with
any natural stand up to him ought to
give in the way he does. That's what's
the trouble. He seems to think it's all
right."
She poured the cake into a tin and
shoved it into the oven and shut the
door with a bang.
"'We've all had spells of talking to
him," she went on, "but there, it ain't
no earthly good. He always sits so good
natured and kind of nods his head as if
agreeing, and when you come to stop he
looks up with his blue eyes and says:
'Well, well, you don't understand. It
may seem kind of hard sometimes to
outsiders, Mis' Blake, but then, you
see, she's got the nerves.'
"Nerves," scornfully ; "as if any of
as couldn't get up that kind of nerves
if we wanted to. But Lyford, he just
stands it always. and it's terrible exas
perating. "
She gave another glance out of the
window. Lyford Merritt was not in
sight. Unccnscious of his neighbor's
scrutiny and comment, he slowly cross
ed the stubby field and made his way to
the barn. There he deposited the pack
ages from the store and then went to
the woodpile. He seemed in a sort of
brown study. and his movements were
uncertain.
"It ain't right for a man not to be
master in his own house," he rumi
mated as if the sentiment had just been
impressed upon his mind. "It really
ti_'t, and I am going to assert myself."
The thought caused a stick to drop
from his arms. He hastily picked it up
with a backward glance over his shoul
der.
'!I wouldn't do anything to hurt
Caroline for anything in the world. Of
course I wouldn't. She's a good wife
a very good wife to me, and I'm thank
ful .I've, got such a good wife, and I
hope I make her a good husband. "
He paused and slowly laid two more
sticks on to his burden and walked to
ward the woodhouse.
- "And I've been thinking that perhaps
it'ain't good for her to have me always
giving in to her," he continued as he
r,.eturned for a second load. "I read
somewhere the other day that women
was like horses-they like to have their
own way long's they can, but when
you make 'em mind they go all the bet
ter. Not that I should ever try and
make Caroline mind"-he paused
aghast-"but perhaps if I kinder took
'things for granted that she wouldn't
mind my doing more things I could
do 'em, and she'd like it. I'm a-going
to try anyway."
It was undeniable that Lyford Mer
att's heart beat somewhat faster than
usual as it neared 3 o'clock on the fol
..dwing afternoon. The town committee
'd ordained to have an extra meeting.
Swas usually held at the Perkins'.
but Mrs. Perkins was sick, and so Ly
ford had generously asked them to
come there.
A few had already gathered and were
sitting in the shade of the big elm. Oth
_as could be seen coming down the road.
"I suppose we might as well go in,
eeing there are so many of us already, "
SLyford remarked.
It was an unwritten law that the
meetings of the committee should al
Swage be held in some parlor or the
.cbuarch vestry. It was not compatible
'ith the dignity of the committee to t
:e barns or shops as did other or
'Th' e men sprang up and Lyford led t
' way to the front of the house, where t
gr eeted the others. They stood a
pnd chatted, while afew strag- t
RPS then Lfyord put his hand on
., u *to open. He made several
bt t f~ wosld not stir. He
waMb tbe face with exertion.
.s~ualo~rall right," he declared,
S.saw to that this morning.
wiieadodt use it very often,
-' 'a,. reson why,. I'll go i
the hoee,
his shoes and quietly passed throng]
the upper rooms and down the fron
stairs, when he put on his shoes again
He manu:fged to open the door. I
stuck, bat ha had forgotten that it open
ed in. In fact, he never remembered
having opened it at all before.
The men filed into the stuffy parlor
Some one suggested that the window.
be opened. Lyford stared for a moment
There were no screens in the windows
"Oh. yes," he replied, with a deal o:
energy. "Of course. I meant to havw
them open and forgot. Mrs. Merritt ha;
been very busy or she would have at
tended to it for me."
His blue eyes twitched and he drew
deep breath as he pushed up the win
dows and flung back the blinds. HE
saw a dozen flies dart in. and he gave a
quiet chuckle. His emancipation has
begun.
The meeting opened with its usual
solemnity, but soon it grew exciting,
and there was a busy hum of voices.
The men hadremoved their coats, and
they swung like draperies from chair
backs; the family Bible on the marble
center table made an excellent desk for
the presiding officer, and ballots and
papers were liberally distributed over
the floor. Some of the men were smok
ing.
Lyford was making a speech-it was
a very excellent speech-on the freedom
of the individual. His audience was in
terested. Suddenly there was a hush.
He turned, and Mrs. Merritt stood in
the doorway. Lyford gave a little gasp.
The eyes of the men were upon him.
and he straightened visibly.
"The meeting of the committee, you
know, my dear," he explained, with
the faintest tremor in his voice. "I
trust we have not disturbed you." His
eyes were a bit beseeching.
Several of the men were on their feet.
One was struggling into a coat. Mrs.
Merritt did riot reply. Her keen brown
eyes swept the room, and a peculiar
smile settled on her face.
"I was going to suggest"-Lyford
made the great effort of his life-"I
was going to suggest, seeing it was so
very warm, that we prepare some sort
of refeshment for the gentlemen, Caro
line. "
There was a note of inquiry in his
voice. His wife turned, and with a
hurried excuse he followed. A nervous
laugh from one of the men broke the
tension of the moment.
"We -shall have to give him an
office. " some one suggested.
He was gone some time, and then his
wife returned with hijn. He carried a
big pitcher of iced tea; while she bore
a platter of spice cake and jumbles,
which she afterward supplemented with
loaf cake and pickles.
It was a very social intermission that
followed. Mrs. Merritt made herself
very charmiing, and Lyford was in the
highest spirits. Then she retired, and
the meeting went on. Lyford was nom
inated for school committee. He ac
cepted, of course. His wife had never
allowed him to run before. It would
make her nervous to think of thq re
sponsibility.
At 6 the meeting broke up. Lyford
escorted them to the gate and watched
them as they passed from sight. Then
he slowly, returned to the house, gave a
long look at the disordered room, closed
the door and shuffled off to the shed.
There he sat for several moments and
drew hard at his old pipe.
The supper bell rang. At the sound
he hastily started for the door. His
hand was on the latch: then he hesitat
ed, his hand dropped, and he returned to
the bench, sat down and ran his fingers
through his hair.
The bell rang a second time. He laid
his pipe down carefully, arose, gave his
vest a pull, settled his hat firmly on his
head and steadfastly walked into the
kitchen.
His wife was sitting by the table,
pouring the tea.
He hesitated a moment. She looked
very pretty as she sat there-prettier
than usual, somehow. Perhaps she had
on a better dress.
"Was your meeting successful?" she
queried, her eyes on the amber liquid.
"Very, " he replied as he crossed the
room to where his coat hung on the
wooden peg. "They nominated me for
school committee."
She nodded her head reflectively.
"You will make a good one," she said.
"They ought to put good men in office."
He stared at her back. "I'm sorry
the parlor"-- he began.
"You needn't be," she broke in sharp
ly. "I guess"- She set the teapot
down, and, arising carefully, walked
around the table and set it down at her
husband's place. "I guess that a man
has a right to do as he wants to in his
own house. "
She glanced at him proudly. One arm
was in his coat sleeve.
"It's pretty warm," she remarked,
seating herself again, "and, Lyford,
perhaps you'd be more comfortable if
you didn't put your coat on."
He sent a keen glance in her direc
tion, and his blue eyes twinkled. Me.
chanically he replaced the coat and took
his seat at the table opposite her.
"I think that I should." he replied.
-Globe-Democrat.
D'Ennery's Wit.
The Empress Eugenie once asked
)'Ennery, the French dramatist, after
he performance of one of his plays at
he Tuileries, "How did your heroine
ret the poison that was so necessary for
he denouement ?" "Ah, your majes
y," said D'Ennery, "that's just what
've never succeeded in getting her to
ell."
Another time the directors of a the
ter where his drama, "The Two Or
hans, " was being rehearsed, asked him
vhat he was dissatisfied with. "Oh,"
ie replied, "it's only that each of you
as got.an imbecile for a partner."
A Sure Rule.
De Canters-Is there any sure way
6 tell the age of a horse?
De Trotter-Yes; ask the dealer and
multiply by one-half.--New York
Feekoy.
LUCKY DEUCE OF SPADES.
Remarkable Run of Luck, but All
For the Other Man.
One by one the old superstitions are
being torn from us. People nowadays
walk ostentatiously under ladders and
suffer no evil consequences. Friday is
quite a popular day for the commence
ment of a long journey, and sitting
down 13 at dinner is frequently unat
tended with untoward results. A deep
ly rooted superstition among card play
ers is a belief in the lucky properties of
the two of spades. The present writer's
faith, however, was severely shaken by
a phenomenal coincidence which occur
red cIly a few days ago.
Sitting down to a game of whist, he
thoroughly shuffled both packs of cards,
and happened to notice that the two of
spades was the bottom card of one of
the packs.
"This ought to bring me luck, " he
remarked to his friends.
He then took up the second pack, 'and
was astonished to find that the two of
spades was also at the bottom of that.
Words failed to express his amazement
when, in drawing fcr partners and deal
-the cards had been shuffled again-he
once more drew the two of spades.
The odds against this triple event oc
curring must be enormous, but more
was to follow. The deal fell to the
writer, and the turn up card was the in
evitable two of spades!
After this the dealer felt justified in
believing he was in for a good evening.
As a matter of fact, he lost six rubbers
in succession. -London Mail.
Children and Dolls.
Writing in The Contemporary Re
view, Professor Sully discusses the curi
ous aspects in which children regard
dolls. He says: Professor Hall has
brought to light some curious prefer
ences of children. He tells us, for ex
ample, that, whereas out of 845 children
191 preferred wax dolls, as many as 144
pronounced in favor of rag ones. Odd
preferences are sometimes shown with
regard to size. A lady writes me that
she preferred 4 inch halfpenny dolls
because there was so much more to be
done with these in the way of putting
on wigs made from doormats, inking
in eyebrows, etc. On the other hand,
another English lady tells me that her
childish ambition was the possession of
a big doll--"one that would fill my
arms and take some of the cuddling
that I wanted to bestow and which no
body seemed to want. " This girl image
is, so far as the uninitiated adult can
divine, the true child's doll.
Names of Litigants.
In an old Indiana case a man named
Shallcross undertook to live up to his
name by running an onlawful ferry,
but the decision of tr,.' court said to
him, "You shal sot crcess. "
The name of an adopted citizen of
the Chickasaw Nation. whose adoption
was canceled and \. ho was thereupon
expelled, was Run Hannah.
A California woman who said in her
will, "I have no fear of the hereafter;
O my Lord, teach rue to live right.
then in dying there is no sting," bore
the prophetic Christian name of Eu
thanasia.
The name Dr. Physick, which might
be looked for in some allegory, appears
as the name of a real person in a recent
law report.
Some peculiarly suggestive combina
tions of names in the titles of cases are
these: People versus Kaiser, Priest
versus Lackey. Kick versus Merry, Pro
tected Home Circle versus Winter.
Grant versus Lockout Mountain Com
pany.
In reminiscences of the early Minne
sota bar Judge Charles E. Flandran
tells in the Minnesota Law Journal of
an argument before the supreme court
in 1853 by ex-Chief Justice Goodrich
on behalf of an Indian convicted of
murder. The Indian's name was Zu-ai
za, but as the counsel could not pro
nounce it he always referred to him in
his argument as "my client, Ahasue
rus. "-Case and Comment.
Inspiring Hope.
The Doctor--Bear up. I must tell
you the worst-you can't possibly re
cover.
The Client--That's a pity, for if I'd
lived a bit longer I should have come
into a fortune: as it is, I haven't a pen
ny to pay you with. doctor.
The Doctor-Well. now, don't give
up hope. We'll try to mend you. We'll
try.-Illustrated Bits.
Not Mentioned.
"Everybody seems to have been men
tioned for the ofiice except you." ob
served the sympathizing friend.
"Yes. " replied the disappointed pol
itician. "lMy name is Pants."
"Then, of course." soothingly re-'
joined the other. "you might expect to
be among the unmentionables."
And silence like a poultice felL-
Chicago Tribune.
Diamond "C" Soap is a wash-day
friend. Cultivate its acquaintance.
Many a Lover
Has turned with disgust from an other
wise lovable girl with an offensive breath.
Karl's Clover Root Tea purifies the I
breath by its action on the bowels etc.,
as nothing else will. Sold for years on
absolute guarantee. Price 25 cts. and
50 cts. Sold by Chapple Drug Co.
Your washing is early on the line if
you use Diamond "C" Soap.
Played Out. L
Dull headache, pains in various- parts
At the body, sinking at the pit of the
stomach, loss of appetite, feverishness,
imples or sores are all positive evidences
f impure blood. No matter how it be- I
same so, it must be purified in order to I
btain good health. Acker's Blood a
ilixir has never failed to cure Scrotulous i
ir Syphilitic poisons or any other blood 5
liseases. It is certainly a wonderful
emedy and we sell every bottle on a
meitive guarantee. Sold by Oh·pple
)rug Co.
Dangers or Filters.
Filters for purifying water are of
many kinds in their mechanical struc
tare, but. according to the report of the
Maryland state board of health, it
would appear that such filters may
steadily lose efficiency "·,t;l they be
come first class culture be(,,, or bacteria.
In evidence of this poi:ition. aill :xn.n-.'e
cited is that of a man in LD:'.i:sore w1ho
sends the whole wstmor . .: of hi:
hbuse through a lar:-e iilter and snu:e,
quently puts his di i:.'" , water throe ;h
one of the small d;:::.ýetic filters com
mon in the market.
A test of this arrn:;enriment showed
that on a day when the city taps were
running 510 bacteria to the cubic cen
timeter the large filter was delivering
some 9,900 bacteria in the same water.
When the large filter was repacked,
only 9, bacteria per crutinleter got
through it, though this saile water
when passed through the semall filter
came out with 71 bacteria per centi
meter.
This aspect of the manttr is still fur
ther strengthened by another example.
a case where a filter supposed to be the
best in the market was in use. The
effectiveness of this filter was so short
lived that the precaution was observed
of boiling the water after it was filtered.
What He Didn't Know.
'"They say that ex-Mayor Latrobe
went to some sort of a celebration given
by the Ebenezer colored church down on
Montgomery street,'" said a man about
town. "He was asked to speak and of
course complied in his usual style. 'You
have named this church after a great
man.' he said, 'and I hope you will try
to emulate his example. He was a man
who couldn't be led astray by any one
and believed his first duty was to God
and then to his fellow man. He was
a'- Well, I don't know what all he
didn't say about that fellow Ebenezer.
but anyhow he noticed for some reason
or other his address wasn't as tumultu
ously received as usual, and as he drove
away after the meeting behind Old Liz
he was humming the old hymn 'Here I
Raise My Ebenezer' and trying to fig
are the matter out. When he got home.
he asked a good Christian lady, who
happened to be there on a visit, who
Ebenezer was:
"'Why, you goose,' said she, 'Eben
ezer wasn't a man. Ebenezer means a
stone. Didn't you know that?'
"Now when General Latrobe ad
dresses a church audience he carries a
pocket Bible dictionary with him."-
Baltimcre News.
Fun For the Shah.
During the winter months the little
colony of 60 or 70 English people at Te
heran organize concerts for on, ano
er's amusement. There is a dance nuw
and then at the legation. and when the
weather is cold of course there is skat
ing. Skating is the greatest marvel of
all to the Persians. Some years ago the
late shah, Nasr-i-Din. saw 20 skaters
twirling and curling and spinning
gracefully on the ice. He was amused.
He thought it wonderful. The next day
he sent to the legation and borrowed a
dozen pairs of the skates. These he
made his ministers put on and attempt
to skate on the lake in the palace
grounds. The poor ministers were ter
ribly discomfited, but it was twice as
much as their heads were worth to re
fuse. His majesty was more amused
than ever, and he nearly had an apo
plectic fit from laughing.
Human Heaters,.
In considering the problem of heat
ing the large department stores which
are now to be found in nearly every
big city it is very well worth taking
into account the animal heat distributed
by the many customers who come into
such establishments. That this is con
siderable is evidenced by the experience
of at least one engineer, who, in one
such case, found that after 9:30 a. m.
on a day in midwinter, with the ther
mometer at the freezing point, no other
heat was needed to keep the place
warm. This fact, however, emphasizes
as well the great need of a good system
of ventilation in such buildings, as
without it the air would soon become
vitiated much beyond any reasonably
permissible degree. - Cassier's Maga
zine.
Icehouse Fires.
Curiously, an icehouse is the most
likely place in the world for a fire. In
surance rates are so high on ice sheds as
to be almost prohibitive of any policies
being taken out. Spontaneous combus
tion is responsible for the fires in ice
sheds, according to some authorities.
When a layer of ice is melted around
the top and sides in summer, an im
mense amount of heat is set free. When
conditions are exactly favorable, spon
taneous combustion takes place. Others
believe that a zone of warmth and
moisture is created by the melting ice
and that this attracts lightning. In any
case an icehouse is a beautiful place for
a fire.
All grocers sell Diamond "C" Soap.
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Young Mnthers.
Croup is the terror of thousands of
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so agonizing and frequently fatal.
Shiloh's Cough and Consumption Cure
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never been known to fail. The worst
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Drug Co.
A year's subscription free to nearly
any one of the standard magazines to
users of Diamond "C" Soap.
Sick headache absolutely and posi
tively cured by using Moki Tea. A
pleasant herb drink. Cures constipa
tion and indigestion, makes you eat,
sleep; work and happy. Satisfaction
guaranteed or money back. 25 cents and
50 cents, Sold by Chapple Drug Co.
You receive pisue for usiI. Diamond
"T" Soap. Your grooer can tell you
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f)earl9 Fiftg=Gight
Vears Old!
t It's a long life, but devotion to the true interests and
prosperity of the American people has won for it new
friends as the years rolled by and the origninal mem
bers of its family passed to their reward, and these ad
mirers are loyal and steadfast today, with faith in its
teachings and confidence in the information which it
brings to their homes and firesides. As a natural con
sequence it enjoys in its old age all the vitality and
vigor of its youth, strengthened and ripened by the ex
periences of over half a century. It has lived on its
merits, and on the cordial support of progressive
Americans. It is
Dew 9ork
Weel 9
f ibune
acknowledged the country over as the leading
National Family Newspaper
Recognizing its value to those who desire all the news
of the State and Nation, the publisher of
The Billings Gazette
(your own favorite home paper) has entered into an
alliance with "The New York Weekly Tribiune" which
enables him to furnish both papers at the trifling cost of
$3.oo per year. Every farmer and every villager owes
to himself, to his family and to the community in
which he lives a cordial support of his local newspaper,
as it works constantly and untiringly for his interests in
every way, brings to his home all the news and happen
ings of his neighborhood, the doings of his friends, the
condition and prospects for different crops, the prices
in home markets, and, in fact, is a weekly visitor which
should be found in every wide-awake, progressive family.
Just Think of It!
5oth of these Papers for 38.00 a Veap
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