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The Swamp Secret CHAPTER lll.—(Cintinued.) “Thank yon very much for your trou- Idc in the matter.” said Mr. Wayne, with a smile that set foolish Nannie’s heart to fluttering. “I think I’ll go there to-night, if you’ll be kind enough to take charge •f me and show me the way. It’s on your road home, I think?” “Yes, we go right by there.” said Nan nie, with a sidelong glance at Dick. Then the singing teacher said some thing to Nannie, which Dick could not hear, because it was said in a rather low tone. But he saw the girl’s face color up like a rose, in pleased surprise, saw her look toward him again, with a little air of hesitation, and theu saw \\ avuc ake it upon himself to decide the matter for her by drawing her hand within his arm, with an air of ownership and au thority which stung him to fierce anger. They ptood thus for :t minute or tno, while Wayne answered some questions, lien they made their way to the door mid went out, laughing and chatting, and Nannie, as she passed Dick, seemed per fectly unconscious of his existence. “There, you’ve got the slip this time, laughed Lucindy Smith —’Cindy, for -iiort. ‘‘l wouldn’t let him cut me out in that way ’thout showiu’ ’em that I .mild do jest as well summer’s else. I’d i>e as independent as she is, ' with an insinuating smile, which, however, made ■mt little impression on Dick. "I snum, but that was done purty slick. ■ r I ain’t no jedge o' horned cattle, le jgned Bill Green, close to Dick s el bow. Bill was an old admirer of Nan nie’s, and had a grudge against Dick for "i utting him out” there. In consequence of this bad feeling on hi# part, which had 'Cttled into a bitter enmity of the dog ged kind, which is always ready to avail itself of any opportunity for revenge, he enjoyed Dick’s evident discomfiture with keen relish. Dick was too busy with his own hard thoughts to pay any attention to the re mark, and started off home through the woods, not being in the mood for com pany. When he came in sight of Mr. Boone’s mi hour later, he saw Nannie and the 'inging teacher standing at the gate to gether. Bather than pass them lie made a de . our around the house, in the shadow of he woods, and reached his room .by ■ limbing over the kitchen roof. Just as m; was ready to step into bed be looked ■ •'it and saw that they, were ittill standing there. “I do think. Nannie Boone, that you ought to be ashamed of yourself,” he said, with one wrathful glance at the girl who had jilted him. "If you think I’m the kind of a fellow that ean be vvisted ’round . our finger, you’re great ly mistaken, as you’ll find out. 1 don’t' play second fiddle. If you prefer the .dnging teacher to me. it’s all right—that’s \ our privilege but you can’t throw me by one day and pick me up the next.” lie lay awake a long time that night, thinking over Nannie's treatment of him. lie reseuted it bitterly, because he cared -o much for the girl, and had been sure t hat his regard for her was returned. “That fellow’s got to keep out of my path," he said, the last tliiug before he went to sleep. "If lie thinks he’s going to boss me ’round he'll find that lie’s got hold of the wrong man. If he isn’t a rns < -.11 I miss my guess, am I'll prove him to he one yet.” CHAPTER IV. Nannie and Dick had but little to say (o each other next morning. He went off to work with a scowl on his face, for the more he thought of Nannie’s conduct the worse he thought she had used him. “If I had done anything to give her the least excuse for such treatment,” he -aid to himself, “1 wouldn’t blame her it all. Of course, she had a perfect right go with him or any one else, if she Hadn’t given me to understand as plainly is it’s necessary to uintc-rstaud anything that she’d marry me some day. She ■mows what my .attentions have meant, and she knows, too that l consider her the same as engaged to me. Under the • ircunistanees she had no night to treat me In this way, and 1 have a right to ob ject to it.” Vbout eight o’clock he saw Nannie and Air. Wayne going down the road toward ilic school house together. Wayne was ■ arrying her dinner basket, and evidently making himself agreeable, for Nannie was laughing. The sound of her laugh ter made Dick look positively ferocious. "Never mind!” cried Dick, in a sepul ltral tone, with a tragic flourish of his linched fist in the direction of the two who seemed to be so absorbed in their conversation that they had forgotten the existence of any one else. "I'll get even with you yet. sir. see if I don’t!” Then be added: "And with you, too, Nannie Boor*!” Thereupon he made up his mind, as a preparatory step toward “getting even” with her, to straightway forget all the tender thoughts he had had concerning her, and let her go her way and he would go his. He begau by telling himself that he did not care half a- much for her as he thought he did. But he couldn’t con vince himself of that, for he knew well •-nough that he had never eared so much tor any other girl, and the probabilities were that he would never eare so much for any he might meet in time to come, in spite of all his efforts to the contrary, he grew miserable, and Nannie could not help seeing it as the days went by. Dick did not take the interest in the Miiging school that he thought he was going to when it was organized. Hut he did not feel like staying away and let • mg Wayne and the hoys and girls laugh it him. so he attended quite regularly. •nd once or twice, just to let Nannie see hat he didn’t take her conduct so very deeply to heart, he went home with Khoda Stevens, who had been the only ■ ival Natonic had ev - had in Dick's re gards. Khoda was a pretty girl, and had ■ ; not been for Nannie she would have keep the ladle of Brownsville. At first Dirk blamed the singiug teach r most for the trouble between him and Natalie;'but when he came to think it over, ho felt that Nannie was most to blame. It was quite natural for any young man to do us Wayne bad done. If Nannie had not encouraged him. he would doubtless have kept in what Dick considered his proper place. The sing ing teacher made long visits at Mr. Boone’s, and he and Nannie sang togeth er until Dick .t' obliged to shut his teeth hard togv.uer to keep back bitter words that struggled up for utterance. He wished he could shut the sound of heir voices out of his ears. The truth was he could not get over his passion for Nannie as easily as he had hoped he might. He loved her too well for that. On the second Saturday of his stay in Brownsville. Mr. Wayne borrowed one of Mr. Boone’s horses and “went below” on business. What that particular busi ness was be did not take the trouble to explain. That evening Mr. and Mrs. Boone went j over to Mr. Dorter's, and Dick and Nan nie wore left alone together. Dick's heart had l*een growing tender toward Nannie from the moment be had •ecu Wayne riding away. Sometimes he had thought that maybe she was tlirting with the singiug teacher to try him. It might be that she blamed him for not having spoken ©;u about his intentions iu plain term-, and took this way of bringing him to a definite declaration of what he meant. It was quite possible, after all, that she did not eare two straws for Wayne. Dick took courage at ihc thought, and he resolved to Improve the present opportunity to come to some underrtandiug ou the subject. Nannie had the week’s ironing to* do that eveuiog. and Dick found her at work in the kitchen when he came in from the barn. He sat down and watched her as she shook out the garments piled up in the c basket and spriukled them. She looked toward him once, and caught his eyes, and a quick flush overspread her ciieeks; then she turned away and began singing one of the new tunes they had learned at singing school. “Nannie,” blurted out Dick, all at once, “you don’t seem like the girl you were a month ago.” “I want to know if you think so!” ex claimed Nannie, with a defiant toss of her head. She had felt what was com ing, and dreaded if, for she know that she had been to blame. “I wasn’t aware that I had ‘met with a change,’ as Dea con Snyder says.” “You know what I mean, well enough,” said Dick, hitching his chair neare.- ihe table where Nannie was standing. ‘Sii ce —since that Wayne came you *em to have forgotten that there is such a fel low ns Dick Brayton. Why, Nrnnie, you hardly speak to me, nowadays.” “Just hear that!” cried Nannie to some invisible person. “Ilardly speak to you, indeed! I’m sure I’ve spoken to you as often as you have spoken to me.” “Well, yes, that may be,” admitted Dick. “But, you see, Nannie, I didn’t feel like talking, when I didn’t know as you wanted me to talk to you. It seem ed as if you'd rather listen to Mr. Wayne.” “It seems that you’re kind of jealous of Mr. Wayne,” said Nannie, folding the towel she was ironing with slow and de liberate precision, as if all her energies were concentrated on doing that one thing. “Well, that may be.” said Dick. “Grant ing that it is so, Nannie, haven't Ia right to be?” NANNIE SEEMED PERFECTLY UNCONSCIOUS OF DICK’S PRESENCE. “Not that I know of,” answered Nan nie. “Before he came T supposed it was un derstood between us that we were to be married, some time,” said Dick. “Persons haven't any right to take it for granted that anything is understood,” responded Nannie tartly. “You never asked me to marry you, that I remem ber of.” “Perhaps I was wrong in not saying in so many words what it seemed to me you understood well enough.” answered Dick. “It seemed hardly necessary. However, it isn’t too late to ask the ques tion now, is it. Nannie?” "I don’t know what you’re hinting at," said Nannie, beginning to hum a tune, and concentrating her attention on the ruffles of a pillow ease. “Just this,” said Dick. “That I love you. and want you to marry me. IV ill you ?” “Why, Dick, how abrupt you are!” ex claimed Nannie. “I don t want to mar ry you—or any one else —.tot awhile. “Don’t keep a fellow waiting to know the worst or the best,” said Dick, impa tiently. “Is it yes or no, Nannie?” “1 1 like you pretty well,” answered Nannie, "but I don’t want to settle down to washing dishes anil sweeping floors and cooking things to eat three times a day, and nothing else from morning till night, for a long time yet. lam go ing to coax father to let me go to school this winter. 1 don’t'much think I’d like housekeeping, anyway; and if it’s a house keeper you’re wanting, l think you ean find one that will answer the purpose a good deal better than 1 would. There’s Lucindy Smith ” “Hang Lucindy Smith!” exclaimed Dick, beginning to lose his temper. “Yes or no, Nannie?" “No, then," answered Nannie, her tem per rising ilf opposition to Dick's. "That’s the way to talk,” cried Dick. “Say what you mean, square out, and don’t waste words heating about the bush, even if it does hurt a fellovf a little to hear if." He got up. took his hat down from its peg by the door and went out. "I- 1 hope you don’t blame me. Dick." said Nanuie, following him to the door, feeling as if she would like to cry, and. at the same time, partly angry. “Yes, I do.” answered Dick. "1 have reason to, too, and you kuow it as .veil as 1 do. But we won’t talk about it. It’s over and done with.” Then he turned and walked down ihe path, and it was late at night before In* came back and went to bed. “What queer things men arc!" Nannie said to herself, as she cried herself to sleep. “I know 1 didn't do just right: but he needn't have been so jealous, and he needn’t have been so foolish as to thijik a girl moons everything she says." CHAPTER V. A week went by. At the end of that time Nannie had come to the conelu-iou, front Dick’s ac tions, that he considered everything at an end between them, as he had said. He s|H>ke i# her pleasantly enough, when he spoke at all. Ho did not seem to iry to avoid her. but there was a sense tf distance between them which made her feel that he was more like a stranger than the Dick Braytou she had known, j That Dick was gone. This one was like J him, and reminded her of hint in many j ways, but she missed the Dick of two! weeks ago. Considering her unqualified refusal of his heart and hand, it was rather singu lar that she should be indignant at him for uot -see(ping to grieve over her rejec tion more. She felt that he ought to show great disappointment and become despondent: aud because be did uot. she | felt personally aggrieved. He had alto gether too good an'nppettie for a reject- I ed lover, and he didn’t seem inclined to | withdraw from society, as it seemed to 1 her lie ought to under the circa: istances. • She began to think that he hadn’t caret! a- much for her as she bad thought he did. and felt offended because of it. He seemed to take a real pleasure iu talking with Khoda Stevens, at siuging school, and he went home with her twice a week. Why this should have worried Nannie, since she iiad refused to receive his at tentions. i cannot explain; but it did. She really felt as if she bated Khoda aud never wanted to speak to her again, j “It looks *s if both on ’em was a-piay | in’ at the same game.” she heard Mrs. | Corbett say to Mrs. Smith one night at i siuging school “an’ l kinder surmise Dick’s got the start of her. ’Tain’t any ways likely as Mr. Wayr.ell marry her, an’ ’twouldn’t be at all s'prisin’ if Dick did marry Rhode, fer he’s alias had a kind o’ likin’ fer her. Wall, it- Nance loses him, sliedl Lev nobody, to blame bat herself, fer Dick ’u’d liev stuck Vy* hb# if she hadn’t played off on him, to begin with.” On Sunday evening Uncle Josiah Wit kins came in to spend an hour or two at Mr. Boone’s hospitable hearth. ' Uncle Josi was everybody’s relative. You will always find these uncles and aunts ia all country places. He was one of those meD who always know what is going on from one end of the neighborhood to the oth er, and it was his particular delight to keep everybody well posted as to what was taking place. He was to Browns ville what the daily mail is to us of to day, and as everybody liked the old man. he was always sure of a welcome wher ever he went. “Try some o’ this terbacker,” said Mr. Boone, taking down a big brown paper parcel from a shelf over the eella" door. “Got it from down below this week. It’s hetter’n that Jones sells. It's stronger and more satisfying” Uncle Josi produced a corncob pipe and filled it leisurely. He was never in a hnrry aliout anything when he had some thing to tell. When he had filled the pipe he raked a coal out of the ashes and deposited it on the tobacco. After a few vigorous “draws,” the tobacco ignited, and as a blue cloud of pungent smoke curled about his head, he leaned well back in his chair and prepared to take his ease and retail his stock of news. “I heerd from my son Philander last week,” he said by and by, after all the neighborhood happenings liad been dis cussed. "My son Philander,” he explain ed to Mr. Wayne, who had also “dropped in” to spend the evening, “he lives at Catfish Corners, twenty-five miles off, I reckon, an’ mebbe more. Do you kuov jest bow fur ’tis, Solomon?” "No, I don’t, jest,” answered Mr. Boone; “but I sh’d reckon ’twas as much as twenty-five miles, if not furder. It’s a right smart ways, anyhow. Leastwise it seemed so to me las’ spring when I druv home from there through the mud jest as ’twas breakiu’ up.” “Wall, ’tain’t less’n twenty-five, any way,” said Uncle .Tosi, looking at the fire, as if he wished it would tell him the exact distance. “But, as I was say in'. I heerd from Philander, an’ he writ that they’d lost every boss as was wnth anything in the whole neighborhood.” “You don’t say so!” exclaimed Mr. Boone, greatly interested at once. “lloss distemper or glanders?” *Wusiu't that,” answered Uncle Josi. mysteriously. “Wnss’u that. Solofnon.” “Ef there's anything wuss’n hoss dis temper I’d like to know what ’tis,” said Mr. Boone. “Hoss thieves ailed ’em.” announced Unde Josi, with a very impressive nod of his head and speaking slowly, that they might fully understand the magni tude of his Information. "Ef boss thieves ain’t wuss’n hoss distemper, I allow I don’t know what is.” “‘Hoss thieves!’ ’’ Mr. Boone repeat ed the words, as if lie could hardly credit the statement, and as if there was an ominous foreboding of danger to Browns villo in it. In those days nothing could excite a frontier settlement like ihe re port of depredations by horse thieves. "Why, I hnin’f heerd anything o’ hoss stealin’ fer a long time —not since the fust year I come here.” “No, I know we hain't heerd on ’em in this part o’ the kentry,” answered Unde Josi. “Fust they was over in ihe east part o’ the State, and then in the southeast, an’ so on round. It's my opinion that all the bosses that’s been stole’ have ben picked up by the same gang that's kep’ a movin’ ’round the kentry from one place to another when it got too hot l'er ’em, an’ now they’ve got to the place where my son Philander lives. They’ll be here fust thing ye know.” "I'd hate awfully to lose Doll an’ Nell.' said Mr. Boone, as ho refilled his pipe, thoughtfully. "I would so.” Nell and Doll were probably worth more than any other four horses in Brownsville. (To be continued.) Copyright. BELIEVES in witchcraft. The Malay Has to Protect Himself •with Charms. The Malay is a firm believer in the efficacy of charms. He wears amulets, places written words of magic In houses and sports a tiger's daw as a preventive of disease, says Popular Science. If In* is especially primitive and back woodsy, when he enters a for est. he says; “Go to the right, all my enemies and assailants! May you not look upon me: let me walk alone!” To allay a storm he says: “The elephants collect, they wallow across the sea; go to the right, go to the left; I break the tempest!" When about to begin au elephant hunt, according to Thompson, he uses this charm: “The elephant trumpets; lie wallows across the lake. The pot boils, the pan Iwils across the jxdnt. Go to the left, go to the right, spirit of grandfather (the elephant); 1 loose the lingers upon the bowstring.” The Malay believes In witches and witchcraft. There is the bottle imp. the Polong, which feeds on its owner's blood till the time comes for it to take possession of an enemy. Then there is a horrid tiling the I’enagalan, which possesses women. Frequently it leaves its rightful abode to tty away at night to fetal on blood, taking the form of the bead and intestines of the person it inhabited, in which shape it wan ders around. Snell beliefs may. {terhaps. have their -origin iu metempsychosis, which in other ways has some foothold among the common people. For instance, ele phants and tigers are believed souwv ♦;mc- to In' human souls iu disguise, and so the Malay addresses them as "grandfather” to allay their wrath and avoid dirts-l reference to them. Croco diles also are often regarded as sacred, and special charms art' used in fishing for them. One such, given by Maxwell. lis as follows: “Oh. Daugsari, lotus ; flower, receive what I send thee. If : thou reeeivest it not. may thy eyes lie j torn out!*’ l<eft Behind. Stubb I aiu a little puzzled over the remark a young lady made this morn ing. Penn—How is that? Stubb—Why. I went to see her over the muddy crossing and in consequence missed my car. Penn—Did she thank you? Stubb —Yes; and said she was glad to see there was one gentleman left. HIGH-HANDED USURPATION. Mr. McKinley is using his executive office to further an imperial form of government, Independent of Congress or Constitution. The Chicago Chronicle calls attention to this innovation: For the first time in the history of the countlj a series of commissions, so called, have, under this administration, been created to discharge many import ant functions of the Government. A very few of these commissions were in stituted by law. But the most of them were created by the President without authority of law, under what is claimed to be the war power of the executive. In some cases, as in that of W. J. Cal houn and Robert P. Porter, individual emissaries were appointed at enormous expense for the mere purpose, as al leged. of procuring information for the action of the President. The military and diplomatic officers of the Govern ment were not trusted to perform this labor. An incomplete list of the commissions under this administration aud those costing the most are as follows: Peace commission $300,000 Nicaragua canal commissions., 350,(XM) Philippine commission 150,000 Alger commission (embalmed beef) 150,OIK) Queen’s jubilee commission... . 00,1X10 The evacuation commission... 50,000 Seal commissions 45,000 Hawaiia.n commission 50,000 Samoan commission 50,000 Insular commission 00,000 Hague peace congress commis sion 35,000 John A. Kasson, treaty expert! SO,(XX) Robert-P. Porter, tariff expert! 40,000 W. J. Calhoun, commissioner to Cuba ”0,000 Maj. Handy, commissioner to Paris ”0,000 Total so far $1,390,000 It is proposed also to create a new' Philippine commission to reinvestigate the conditions of our new possessions in the Indian Ocean. This commission will have broader scope than any pre vious commission. It may be in ex istence for years. It will pay well. Judge Tai’t thinks that membership on the commission will be so fat a job that he has given up the office of United States Circuit Judge at a salary of $(),- 000 a year and all the comforts of a civilized home in order that he may accept the place. It is estimated that this commission will cost the country a million dollars before it gets through with its work. And other commissions may exist uot included In this list or planned in the executive miud. The method of governing by commis sions is outside of the Constitution and the laws. It is a scheme to,avoid the proper responsibility which belongs to the President. It is a plan to establish an array of respectable names behind which the President can hide if the plans of the administration fail and meet with disaster. The Drooping American Eagle. When the British lion roars, the Ameriau eagle, at present in charge of William McKinley, drops off its perch and scurries into the bushes with drooping tail and head. Great Britain has us, and showers greater insults upon than we did upon Aguinaldo. Here Is something to make an Amer ican citizen-hang his head and wish he were a Boer or a Filipino: It will astound Americans to know that the British authorities are famil iar with the American consular code. On Nov. S Mr. Maerum sent a cable gram in code to the State Department urgently requesting that he be permit ted to come home. Usually cablegrams, because of the difference in time be tween South Africa and the country, consume two days in transmission— that is to say, the cable sent by Mr. Maeriim on Oct. S would normally have been received by the State Department on Oct. 10. But. on Oct. 9, before the cablegram was received by the State Department certainly, and before it was sent, from South Africa probably, the British papers in Natal, hundreds of miles away, announced in impressive type that Mr. Maerum. the American consul at Pretoria, desired to be per mitted to go home. Consul Hollis at Lourenzo Marquez is well aware of the British acquaint ance with the American consular code and the last thing In* told an American who was about departing was, “For God’s sake, tell the State Department to change our code number. As soou as we send out anything from here all Britain kuows what we have said.” The State Department may not know the surprising fact that it is impossible for a United States consular or diplo matic representative in South Africa to communicate with his Government without informing the British Govern ment of the nature of the message. Nevertheless, tin* American consular agent at Bloemfontain. of the name of Elliott, is a subject of Great Britain and perniciously active in his espousal of the British'cause and the expression of his contempt for riie "Dutch farm ers." Reduced to a Fine Art. Ballot box stuffing has been reduced to a fine art by the Republicans in Pennsylvania and Kentucky and there j is every reason to believe it was prac ticed on a large scale by that party In 1896 In Ohio. Illinois, Indiana and Ken tucky. Their recent experiences in ; Kentucky and Pennsylvania will prob ■ ably cause them to be more clrcum -1 spect in the future, in .Which event there is uo doubt of Bryan's election by the largest majority ever given a Presidential candidate.—Joplin iMo.) Gloln*. A (tneer Proposition. One-quarter of the sum England is expending !u the war to extend its do minion in South Africa would suffice to feed every starring mouth in India. That the world should be asked to sup port her famine-stricken subjects in one part of the empire In order that she may devote all her energies and money to crushing a people who stand in the way of a limitless extension of the em pire iu another part, is certainly a most extraordinary proposition.—Spriugue.d Republican. Capital Wanted, Not Money. Ex Speaker Reed expresses the trust, gold standard and imper when he says capital and not money is what we want. Aside from the humor ous view that may be suggest and by this reversion to the trading facilities ap proved by nations still in the darkness of savagery, there is an economic idea concealed in It. Are we not reaching a point where the masses will not be allowed to have any money, but be compelled to rest satisfied with the necessaries of lift* doled out to them in such rations as will enable them to live and—wbat? Work? Wherefore work? For mere necessaries? No one need work for sus tenance; all hat is necessary is to join the army of tramps. They have no money, yet they live, moreover they do not work. A Friend In Need. “Didn’t I help you in your Spanish war by keeping my hands off?” This, to us. quoth England. Now comes the Spanish premier, Silvela, who tells a different story. Premier Silve A declared recently in the Spanish’ Semite “that previous to the war with the United States the British Government had consented to let Spain have 8.500 shells which were being manufactured for England at Maxim's factory at Placentia meets with vigorous denial in London. Albert Vickers, head of the Vickers-Maxim firm, said: ‘Senor Silvela-lied. There is not a word of truth in this allegation that England helped Spain to fight the United States. In the first place the factory at Placentia is a branch of our concern, built at the request of Spain, because that country wanted ammuni tion of home manufacture. It is under the Spanish Government’s control, and there never was a shell manufactured there for sale in England or in any country except Spain, where a law against the export of ammunition ex ists.' ” Salisbury says “tain’t so, aud if it is so the Vickers-Maxim company furnished the shells without the knowl edge of the British Government.” The idea of the British Government being ignorant when an honest penny is to be made! She would have deprived the infant Savior of His swaddling clothes for money. “Delay Ruining the Country.” The following telegram from the San Juan Chamber of Commerce was received at Washington a few days ago: “Situation becoming more desperate and unendurable, due principally to ad vices of opposition to opening markets for tobacco and, sugar. Delay ruining country. Saving measures urgent.” These are the people who welcomed Gen. Miles so heartily in the summer of 185)8," thinking the Americans had come to deliver them from the yoke of Spanish tyranny. But the Americans are worse than the Spaniard so far as commerce goes. The Porto Iticans en joyed free trade with the home coun try. The Republican protectionists pro pose to shut them out of the United States. What has become of the American promises to grant these peo ple the blessings of liberty? The first consequence of the American occupa tion is a restriction of markets which threatens to ruin their commerce and starve the workers of the island.—St. Louis Post Dispatch. Connection with Great Britain. We respectfully call the attention of William McKinley, President, and John Hay, Secretary of State, to the declar ation moved in the Continental Con gress, on the 7th day of June, 1776, by Richard Henry Lee and unanimously adopted by the Congress. It is good reading for all Americans in connec tion witli the scheme to form connec tions and alliances with Britain for her benefit and our undoing. Here is the resolution: “Resolved, That these United Colo nies are and of right ought to be free and independent states; that they are absolved from all allegiance to the British crown, and that all political connection between them and the state of Great Britain is, and ought to be, totally dissolved.”—Buffalo Times. A Dad Man. If ex-Cousul Maerum is such "a cow ard, liar and disreputable” persou as the McKinley administration sa.v he is. how many more cowards, liars and disreputable persons lias Mr. McKinley appointed to public positions of trust and confidence? A commission to in vestigate should be immediately ap pointed to find out how many of them should come out and tell the truth. (iive Him an Island. The administration ought to have something nice for (’apt. Mahan. The Mahan idea that no people jmssess the right to govern themselves aud that no State has a right to independence is exactly in line with the McKinley pol icy.—St. Louis Post-Dispatch. Wicked Newspapers. A committee of merchants is about to memorialize the authorities of Illi nois to enact a law to compel newspa pers to publish the truth. If the news [ papers should publish the truth it would create a revolution to make them suppress it. Senator Thurston (Rep.). The spectacle of a United States Sen ator going from Washington to Ne braska to defend the Standard Oil ftionoimlj is one which tin* American voter may well meditate upon. Usurper Taylor, of Kentucky, says he will now turn his attention to the courts. It is understood that Ken tucky judges are wondering which of them will be assassinated first.—Al bany Argus. From Consul Maerum's account of the attempt to make a British consul of him at Pretoria it might seem that John Hay himself has been doing some “loafing around the throne.”—New York World. Armored Glass. A recent German invention )*•• ar mored glass, or glass cast with wire gauze ihelosed in their substance, so as to increase the resistance to pres sure. shock, hud the effects of heat. Tests of the new material have been made at the Chemuitz technical insti tute and the Vienna technological mu seum which show that the armored glass is much stronger, and where the ordinary glass broke under sodden ap plications of pressure the strengthened material only cracked, and the crack* caused by changes of temperature did uot ailovr either damp or flame to pass. Family Pride. The Husband—But we can’t afford to keep a carriage. The Wife —I know we can't, but I want to show that stuck-up Mrs. Brown that we can have things we can't afford just as well as they can. It requires extraordinary ability to enable any man to be profitably and safely dl honorable. •SPRING CLOTH GOWNS THE PLEATED SKIRT IS THE “WHOLE THING,” Elaboration la tlic Keynote of the Season’s Mode and Bright Co*ors Are Freely in Evidence—Tailor Severity Relieved by Dainty Toadies. New York correspondence: KEi'ING within one’s appropria tions for dress mat ters is not to be come easier with t h e advent of spring. The new materials aud mod els are bewildering in elaborateness. It does seeui as if the whoie liomou of fashion was a blaze of spangles, re splendent with pan ne velvet and blush ing with all the soft shades of the flower garden. Elaboration is the keynote of the song this year, yet sim plicity that is in harmony with the styles is always good form. While dinner, reception and even half-way dress gowns seem to demand great outlay, the gowns that take most wear may still be accomplished without undue expense. One will need more cloth in this year's skirt, aud if she is prepar ing a spring rig. she’d better make up her mind to the pleated skirt. There are almost as many forms of it as there are of the boleros that so often top it. TYPES OF SPRING CLOTH GOWNS. In to-day’s first picture is a pretty exam ple of the side-pleated sort. With goods of spring weight, it will not be unduly heavy aud for stylishness it is tip-top. Women who are averse to giving up the sheath fit should not object seriously to this style, either, for it discloses natural hip outlines faithfully without a trace of the immodesty that some critics found in the habit back. Ir. respect to 4ts bodice this gown is typical of the newest tailor standards. That is. tailor severity almost always is softened by something feminine and dain ty about the neck. This jaunty jncket, for example, was finished by a yoke of lace over silk. Sometimes the jacket goes over an elaborate under waist that shows about the throat in yoke outline. Mixed cheviots are not too expensive for such suits, and a mixed gray is at oi\ee modish. Ijght and durable. Braiding will remain a favorite finish, and fur, espe cially narrow Persian, is to be used as a finish for cloth late into the spring. On the third gown of this second illus tration is a pretty trimming of row on row of narrow velvet. These may be in contrasting shades, or all black. Here they were black aud on serge green chev iot. cream lace being the only other trim ming. This design works up prettily in summer silk, linens and cottons, ns well as in cloth. Biscuit colored broadcloth was the material of this polonaise gown, its front being dotted with blue, its wide collar embroidered in the same shade. Tucked white mousseline and white lace finished the first of these three bodices, the sash being of the uiousseliue and end ing in white silk fringe. . Some of the new canvas materials promise a fine return for their cost. They have a silky luster and may be made up unlined to fall over a silk petticoat. They lend themselves nicely to the stylish pleating, so may be made up in the latest way without disclosing that they really constitute an inexpensive interpretation of new styles. The gown shown in the last of these pictures is an excellent model for such goods. Its skirt was sim ple but stylish, and its rather sober tinge of brown set off its rich yoke to fine ad vantage. At a little distance it is the yoke-of this dres that will count, but TWO WRAPS AND A CANVAS DRESS. on closer inspection the modest nature of the rest will stand the test. Belt and yoke were here amber panne velvet set v.ff with silver sequins, one bretelle be in;; of the plain velvet, the other of the goods. Bretelles of this sort are an adap tation of hood drapery and accomplish much. They add a dressy look, yet adapt the gown to street wear, even though the yoke be very delicate. Such drapery in terferes with the tit of au over jacket, bnt fashionables wdl indorse dis-ponvtng with outside jackets as soon as the weather allows. The last gathering of the winter s crop of theater and opera wraps have been gar. Fashionable women appear to have made a point of displaying snch wraps this winter, and the showing among the bos patrons has not t*een much fiDtr than that made in orchestra chairs. A band some sort consists of well-made spangled mounted on a rich silk, interlined and then lined with sdk, fur. pastel or vel vet- A good net wears well, and can be mended to its last thread. Nothing makes a 6ner d'rsp'ay- Cloaks of silk, iireriined and suitably lined, are mounted with pleated chiffon with beautifal effect, but this means expense. Prohnbly one can get the most display for the least money by a white cloak, either broad cloth, cashmere, velvet or satin. The cloth is very satisfactory. Hood drapery of folded white chiffou about the shoul ders and a lace yoke, a handsomely shap ed high collar mounting about the ears, will give modish touch. One of the hand somest cloaks of the season was # white panne velvet, and it was the selection of white that made it distinguished. A sleeved paletot like the one pictured is mneb newer than the cape or cloak without sleeves. If you eau afford some thing handsome, get a roomy, black satin affair. Have it handsomely liued, with showy collar and sleeves. The satin may be embroidered or painted. Such a gar ment will remain in fashion several sea sons. A gorgeous affair of this sort was silver grav satin embroidered in silver and cashmere colors, lined with ermine, collared and faced with chinchilla. Copyright, I'jOO. Idle Soldiers. Modern war is such a complex busi ness, aud so many things besides fight ing have to be done, that a very large part of an array never fires a shot. Even of the soldiers actually opposed to an enemy, only a portion come into conflict in any battle. For instance. General Buffer must have had some 24,000 men at the battle of the Tugela River, yet we are told that only 10,000 troops went into ac tion. The explanation of this apparently curious fact is that armies don't fight now in dense masses like long ago. The terrible hail of bullets from maga zine rifles and Maxims, as well as the destructive power of shells charged with “high explosives,” xvould an- nihilate an army in dense formation. Hence the lighting troops have to scat ter themselves over a line 15, 20 and even 50 miles long. Of course, the chances of battle bring it about that, while the fighting be comes very hot aud fierce in certnin spots, the troops in other parts of the line don’t come into contact with the enemy at all. This is why certnin bat talions lose an appalling number of men, while others come off with a few casualties. In the great battle of Koeniggratz—the biggest battle of this century—lt is said that 5*2,000 Prus sians and 80,000 Austrians did not lire a single shot. ' Courage Merely a Matter of Blood. Courage and a good circulation are practically synonymous terms, and no man whose heart is not firmly kept under control can go downstairs in the dark to find a hidden burglar. In times of danger or of emergency, tiie strong hearted individual, with a normal pulse rate of 72 beats to the minute, is uncon scious of the drop of even 15 beats per minute, au(l calmly does his duty. But how fares the luckless man whose heart is Irritable, or whose normal beat is 55? The loss of 15 beats means ab solute prostration, while if his heart be easily excited it may be working 120 to the minute, without any power on his part to check it. Either case means cowering down among the bedclothes, oblivious of duty. Fit the Food to the Physical Task. Feats of strength require a diet in accordance with the needs that is, pro longed or otherwise. If you want to perform for a short time the greatest possible amount of muscular labor, as in playing a game of ball, rowing, run ning. bicycling, lifting, or accomplish ing any unusual effort, always select a diet rich in protein. If, on the other hand, you want to take a great amount of steady exercise daily, or jerfonn a great amount of uniformly heavy work every tlay, but at no time of a very In tense character, you should partake of a diet containing little protein, hut rich in carbohydrates that is. starches and fats.—Ladies’ Home Journal. A Qn>*#r .Method of C'omposiug. Isidore de I-ara is said to write his operas while he is walking, and con siders beautiful scenery a great help to composition. The cypress vine take- its botanical name from a Greek work signifying “a kidney beau," this vine resembling the kidney bean in its habits. It Is said that at the death of Hetty Green $1,000,000 of her fortune will he divided among I<jO distant connection*. More than ITOOQ persons are legu larly employed in the London theater*. <DSHHEH? THE NICARAGUA CANAL. *~ B.v the construction of the Nicaragua canal the marine distance from New York to San Francisco would be reduced by 10,000 miles; to Hong Kong, China, by 4,000 miles; to Yokohama, Japan, 7,- 000 miles; to Melbourne, Australia, 3,000 miles; to Sandwich Islands, 8,000, and to Valparaiso, Chiii, 5,000. The marine dis tance from New Orleans to San Francis co would likewise be diminished by 11,- 000 miles; from Liverpool to San Fran cisco, 7,000 miles; to Hong Kong, 1,100 miles; to Yok haina, 4,000, and Vo the Sandwich Islands, 5,000. The voyage • ZS* ' John Bull—Dig away. Undo; I’m per fectly satisfied. —Chicago Times-Herald. from New York to the eastern entrance of the canal is 2,021 miles, and from San Francisco to the western entrance, 2,770 miles. , Facta Admit the Canal Total cost of canal (estimated). .$125,000,0(0 Total distance from ocean to ocean 160.4 miles Length of proposed ditch 27 miles Leng.li of natural waterway 142 miles Proposed width of canal 300 feet Proposed depth of eniial 30feet Quantity of earth to be exca vated and dredged. .152.761,270 cubic yards Excavation proper 20,007,006 cubic yards Highest elevutlou of caua) from level of set; ...110 feet Distance saved for ships going from coast to coast 8,000 miles Time saved tat warship Oregon's rate of sailing) 42 days Increase of ocean tratlic since 1881 10,000,000 tona Distance from New York 2,000 miles Distance from San Francisco... .2,700 miles Distance fioui Philippine Islands.il.ooo miles Distance from Honolulu *. .4,210 miles Time required for construction... .six years History of the Project. 1805—Alexander von Humboldt, the fa mous scientist, declared the canal to be feasible. 1825 Congress of the United States of Central America decreed the digging of the canal. 1826 Henry Clay, Secretary of State, or dered the route examined. 1865—Senate of the 'United States voted favorably for it. Pres id. nt Jackson appoint etl an agent to examine It. 1848—Nwnraguuii Government contracted for the canal's construction, hut the eou cession lapsed. 1840- Cornelius Vanderbilt ran un overland route by wagon anti boat. 1850— -Neutrality of Nicaraguan waterways guaranteed by Obiyton-Bu fiver treaty. 1851— Canal company organized by Oor Delius Vanderbilt. 1807- Rear Admiral Davis advlsetl the Uni ted States against tlte canal. 1870- Report made to tlte President by a Nicaraguan canal commission. 1880- Association of capitalists formed to build the canal. 1888—New canal company organized and incorporated by United States Congress. 1800— Work actually begun at Grey town. 1805—United States Senate passed a bill appropriating *70,000,000 for the canal. Did not puss the House of Representatives. 1805—Commission appointed by tlte Presl dent. It reported Unfavorably. 1807-Commission appointed, headed by Rear Admiral Walker. 181)0-■- Commission reports In the strongest terms in favor of the construction of the canal. Treaty abrogating the Clayton-Bui ver agreement signed and sent to the Senate. CENSUS OF IttOO, A writer in the Washington Post makes an interesting estimate as to what the forthcoming census figures will show The population, he says, lias never failed to double in thirty years. The value of property may be questioned, bnt the av erage results would be the same. It is considered that the value of property ik>u hies in twenty years, which is only !*Mi per cent interest compounded. The as sessed value for taxation was $16,000,- 000,000 in 1880, increased to *24,000,000, 000 in ISSK), but vast properties escape taxation. Ow ing to the revulsion of ISIKt the assessed valuation lias not probably much increased; $100,000,0tK),000 is con veniont for distribution, and may be re duced by percentages. In estimating families a larger number is given to a farmer's family than to urban citizens. Population 75,(*00,(>(*0 Value of property $100,000.000,0W> Division A grlcnltu rist s 37,000,000 Cities 27,000.000 Villages 11,000,000 In families - Agriculturists (1,000,000 Cities 7,000,000 Villages 2,000,000 Value of property - farmers (about Ao00) *19,000,000,000 Villages (about 2 000) 4,000,000,(WD Seventy-five tier cent, of cities, 5.250.000: laborers and small trades, 2,000 10,500,000,000 Twenty live per cent, of cities, 1,750,000 .' 0(1.500,000,000 Fatally division of c'.ty property Average Famine? wealth. Total. mi .t t0.000.00n 3,000,000,000 joo ' 20,000,000 2,000.000,000 250* • 10,000.000 2.500,000,000 “ GOO . . fi.ofif-.OO** 16,000.000.000 s*ooo 1,000,000 5.000.* >OO, Oik* 30 000 .. .. 500,1)00 10,000,000,000 •tn'noo 250,f0 10.000, (100,000 1,082,*000. 12,<>00 23.000,000, 00(* 1,750,000 ¥66.500,000,000 $1(10, 000.000. 000 HOICK PRISONERS. The problem of the disposition of Moor prisoners captured in the engagement* of the South African war has been solved by the British in the employment of pris on ships. Two ships have been unsigned by the authorities for this purpose the I’.-nelope and the t'cphnlonia. One of these ships is kept anchored in Simons Imy, near Cape Town, for the reception of prisoners of war who are brought t* it front time to time by the other. From •he t ront tbe cap! ured Bo* ■ - re to Natal and conveyed from there to the coast at Durban. Here they are taken on loard the Penelope. On board th<- Penelopc the prisoners are cared for un til a sufficient number have been receiv ed. when the ship weighs anchor and fitarts on her voyage along the coast to Siie-.M- bay. At tile anchorage of the Cephalonia the prisoners are transferred aud the Penelope starts on her trip back to Durban for another lost!. Industrial News Notes. An lowa concern is making farm wag ons wholly of steel. The consumption of cotton |*er head has more than doubled in Germany since 1875. Electrical power can b>- transmitted with profit eighty mile- and used as steam Is used. Preparations are Ix ing made for an et p.iu -ion • “ culture in I• - 1 ■'■( One county alone the acreage will be iacreoa ed by 7,*Ki this year. The advaoced price of tnrpentiuo. retail and naval stores is making hundreds of Florida producers rich. Nearly a!S the progressive railroads are abandoning wooden cars and adopting the steel built structures. During lh* tie nth of January Clyde shipbuilder* launched J2..4'* tons of shipping, the largest since 18!)G. Co-operative factor* -! in Great Br.tain last year made profits aggregating <\ee *1.000,000 on a capital of $11,000,000. In consequence uf the dearness of coat throughout Enrols- th< Paris. Lyon* and Mediterranean Railway Company has contracted for 75,000 tons of America* coal for u?e upon it* stem.