Idaho news., October 31, 1891, Image 2

About Idaho news. (Blackfoot, Idaho) 1887-1891

Image provided by: Idaho State Historical Society

tho
ing
is
wonderfully
handsome worn- a
__ .
- suppose the to
•S queer old fellow
hv
W ! ! , r ,
r> husband. Looks
*5? for all the world
... n>. »?
like I ai«l i ry.
That was what my nephew said to L
me. as her carriage turned into the
1 a. z .1 » r T T
park at the Apsley House corner.
"Beautiful!" I replied; "beautiful
j .. * _ _ »
doesn t express it she was an angtl.
She is an angel, a saint, and martyr y
too. God, how I loved that woman!'' j '
"Oh of course uncle" renlied mv > n
un, oi course, uncie, repueu mi ^
graceless nephew. "Professionally, I
suppose'.'"
You see there isn't so very much j
difference in our ages, though I am |
, . , , 1
Ins uncle, and we are more like broth
!
And then that imprudent nephew of
mine blew out his cheeks, got very
red in the face, and vervnearlvchoked
' v
himself w;tn laugnter.
And then we sat down upon two ol
the green chairs.
"Tell us about her, boss," said
Jack
T i-i,rnn TniT,îin
I have three pup .... n ^ m v
nephew; they all smoke short pipwj
m my presence, and they all threecall
Tu ?_! b ° 88 :, , r ... , .
rhat s the ccnntess of \\ nilsend, I,
liegan. tifteen years ago her lius
band the earl, I oui 1 v\ , as }ou call
him—and > ou are not the first. Mr.
Jack to call him Paul I ry—became
a widower, and every right-minded
young woman in society duly set
ofiÄotlenhan, Court Hoad! and ■
I just earned a living then and no
™ OT l ,. It r wa8 r b; \ f ° r « 1 *l a ^ 1,! raed
to flatter, Mr. .Jack. Her rmoto
graph struck me at first. I bought
the photo-the photo of Lottie Viv
inn of the Portico Theatre-and I
; î mn knit /«nnt.i zi,- -U i [
paid my nan crown at the pit door,
1 saw her in drama, and I saw her in ^
an Easter fairy piece that followed.
f K-.wherdnnce- I heard her sinn- I
..r,tiV, î», ru
P l ,, f
night after night I made stud.es of
and ahea Mr. d.alor, :
I
j
\ î
THE FARMER FEEDETH ALL.
M.v lord rides through his palace gate.
My Indy »»weeps along in state.
The snge thinks long on muny a thing,
And the maiden muses on marrying;
The rainistrel harpeth merrily.
The sailor plows the looming spa.
The huntsman kills thf irood red deer,
And th»» soldier wars without n fear.
Bat tali to each vrhnte'er be:nll.
The farmer he must feed them all.
Smith hnmraereth cheerily the sword.
Priest pr acheth pure and holy word.
Dame Alice worketh broidery well.
Clerk lîn hnrd tales ol love can tell,
The tap-wife sells her foaming beer.
Pan Fisher tisheth in the mere.
Ami courtiers rulHe. strut and shine,
While paires bring the Gascon wine;
But fall to each whate'er be.'all.
The farmer he must Iced them all.
Man builds his castles fair and high.
Whatever river runneth by.
Great cities rise in every land.
Great chnrches show the builder's hand,
Great arches, monuments, and towers,
Fair palaces and pleasing bowers,
Great work is done, be't hen? unu there,
And well man worketh everywhere;
But work or rest, whate'er befall.
The farmer he must feed them all.
—Charles Godfrey Leland.
MY FIRST COMMISSION.
an still; she mnst
have been very
beautiful once. I
it
y
ers than uncle and nephew.
"You know you are a very bad lot,
uncle." the bov went on. "You go
,_._,_ .
on loving em t.ll you put the last
finishing touch, nnd then j'ou start
another canvas and begin to love
somebody else. I believe that's the
My nephew is always saying rud e
things to me. ;
"Jack," I said," severelv, "mv sue
, .. - , '
cess is due entirely to perseverance,
and the fact that I never flatter.
secret to your success as a portrait
painter."
offered to buy them, I was rude to
Melehizedec, and I declined to part j
with them upon any terms. One
night ns I came out of the pit of the
Portico I found that it was
raining cats and dogs, but money
was scarce with me, and I walked!
home through the rain, because I .
couldn't afford a cab. Just as I
neared my own door, a four wheeler
drew up nt it, a lady paid the driver,
and then she opened the street door
withherlatchkeyanddisappeared in
to the house. Great heavens! it was
1-ottie Vivian herself, and I stood in
the rain in open-mouthed astonish- 1
ment. Inn lew moments the gas was !
turned up in the first floor, and then it ;
dnwned upon me at once. j
I am not a curious man. I knew
that an actress Jived on the first
fioor, nnd that a teacher of languages !
lived on the second, hut I, the third
floor lodger, had never troubled my j
head ubout \ hern in the least. I had j
never even asked their names. I !
went up to my rooms, aud flung my
self into my easy chair, and I thought
of the strange fatal ty that the wom
an I admired above all living women
should be actually dwelling with me
under the same roof, and thnt we
were separated only by a single floor.
But though I was in love I had a cer
tain amount of common sense left,
and I had remembered that there was
a great gulf between Lottie Vivian
the popular actress and the painter
of pot-boilers on the third floor.
Next morning I dined, ns usual, at
the Convivial Cannibals. Groper,
tho low comedian, was a member
there. I knew that he had been play- self
ing at the Portico for the last ten
years. There's nothing: comic about
Groper in private life; he's the most
serious Cannibal I know. His seri- me
ousness and his constant complaints
about the cookery are his principal
characteristics. ' was
We are still Cannibals, Groper,
and I, and fast iriends. It was Iron her
ns
to
of
"She was a pupil of old Jack Slid
er's—most of the successful ones have
been pupils of Slider's," said Groper. w
"at some time or other It a a
strange thing," he went on: "she
corn., out nt tho Portico nadshehna on
came out at the l ortico, and she has iu
had a constant engagement there
ever since for the last eight years. .
She's good nil round, that's what
she is," said Groper enthusiastically,
and then he went on to describe her 8au
various triumphs, with which I shall j V.'r"
not trouble yon. "But though she 1
is a popular favorite at a fashionable v J
her," s'aTd Gro^"She™as
good as gold and as straight as j l *
a die, nnd every farthing she !
earns goes to 'her famîly-to
her ohl father. who was a
big man on the Stock Exchange I tur
mind id r i ' und
once, mind 3 ou, said Groper, and
to a whole family of little brothers
"nd sisters, who are entirely depend
ent upon her. She is an ambitious
girl, too," he added, "and they say
gke > 8 „. 0 | nfV to marry Lord Wall
send"* ° 1 *
. ', ., . . .... . ,
What, the mad millionaire, suid
L
''That's the man," said Groper. |
And then Groper began to abuse j
the dinner, and I heard no more
about Lottie Vivian from him.
t «.««*- «« ««..î* - »...
I went on pa\in« m\ hall-crown at by
y ie I ortico, and I got deeper and w
' 'f, per lr î lc | ve . wlt h my fellow-lodger,
n >i °' 6 î nte nît Ped -i U SOtM ln It ,
with mv work. Then it was that 11
got my first commission to paint a j
fiTtunè andern nahith!" oA'^nt-är ! th
j 1Y U b a " a > ne P 01111111 ^ 01 lt ntür " j
" ro ^ke mx-neart. |
It came about in this way: I got a
no te one day from Miss Vivian—I
have it still—requesting me to call j
^
Can you
oblige me in this matter, Mr.
Stippler, and." here she blushed
violently, "will it be very expensive?"
"Madam, I replied with enthusi- I
asm, "you do me too much honor
in selecting me. If you permit me j a
to paint your portrait, it'll cost you
just nothing at all."
"Ah!" she answered, with a sil very
laugh—don't grin, sir. it was silvery;
jt wasn't a bit stagey: an innocent,
silvery, girl isli, delicious little laugh
_., th ' t £ not business, Mr. «tippler,
B,. s ij es> " 8 ) le added gentlv snubbing
me, "it was Mr. Melchizedec's selec
tJ - on nd not Let's leave tom
D i ime nts, nnd come to business. You
(Jon , t know how gick G f compliments
p orn Mr. Stippler."
I blushed. I felt like a fool, and I
know j looko ,j like one .
„ Mr Melchize(]ec 8nitl BOtnet hing
■ g twent J ffuineas," said Miss
L^ llbeoi,,y to ° deiichted '" 1
,. Then ' we m conHi(Jor it as 8et .
tied, Mr. Stippler," said my fellow
w n t a./_ .»»»
nnrninfi ml nnrl fl
. fl onr^ 1 ^ 4 ," « 4 T
*5^ Z «r n ,.î,î w ; n M n hi
[ Gil she would want to h© pm in ted in
n- A
^ 1 "i
tnk-e'vVm' intn^mv miflloripo
must take you into my confidence.
1 intend this portrait as a present—
f ns a sort of surprise. I wish to give
j gentleman whom I am about
: i ÄÄ4
groaned aloud had I dared.
So she sat to me in a little simple
I deignoir of French muslin—ten gowns
j weren't invented then—and when I
\ î had posed her she said to me:
"Lord Wnllsentl—that is the name
Groper, by dint ol piretendin«? that I
had never heard all his old stories be
fore, that 1 ascertained the true his
tory of Lottie Vivian of tho Portico
Theatre.
upon her on a little matter ol busi- i
noas - I took a good deal o! pains ;
with my toilet, and then I went down
8toi „ £ nd knocke(1 ut the door of
f e ]low-lod' r er.
There was nothing fast about Miss
Vivian. She was very quietly dressed,
and she came to business at once.
"Mr. «tippler," she said, "you'll
excuse mv asking you to come here
in this inïormal way but the fact is
; that I want to have my portrait
Pointed. I can t afford to pay very
much for it. Mr. Melehizedec re
conunended me to , on .
j
, H
. of_the gentleman to whom I am en
g a S e ^i *»nd I tell to 3' 0U ln co P"
fidence, Mr. «tippler has seen me in
Cordelia. He thinks a great deal of
my hair. You won t think me vnin,
M r - Stippler, if I ask you if I may let
it down.
. "Of course I said that it was acap
1 lb al idea. _ «lie pulled out half-a-doz
! en hairpins, nnd a great glory of
; molton gold fell in luxurient
j upon her shoulders.
She gave me twenty sittings for
that portrait. Iwasmadly,passion
! ately, desperately in love with her,
but I never breathed a word of it.
j We became great friends, we' talked
j unreservedly to each other just as if
I ! we had known each other all our
at
v. I -
lives—almost as if we had been broth
er nnd sister. I suppose it was cam
araderie.
Once, nnd once only, I made an ass
of myself.
"It must lie finished by the twen
tieth," ehejsnid; "the twenty-first is
his birthday."
"I wish it could never be finished,"
I replied passionately; "I wish I could
stn nd here painting you all my life."
The pretty smile faded from her
face, and she pulled me up at gnee.
"You musn't say anything to me,
Mr. Stippler, if you please, that you |
A
wouldn't say if Lord W allsend him
self " ere here by my side."
I apologized; I felt that I was a „
brute.
" e became last friends. She told
me her history, her struggles, her
ambitions; and from her own lips I
learned that the coming marriage
was no union of love or even iadina
tion. She had been driven into it by
her parents. There is such a thing
ns being too dutiful. I learned, too,
that Lord Wallsend was next door
to an idiot, and that his insanity de- the
dared itself in a monstrous jealousy
of Lottie, as unfounded ns it was j
absurd
| , , , . ... ... ... . .
1 had lunched with Miss \ man; it
w » s «kV farewell visit to her. Ihe
Portrait was finished—it was my
masterpiece. Jack-and it stood up
on an ousel in Its bright new trame
iu the middle of the room.
T( e 1 1 b , h , U , ot , d ' ired . thank
. J' Deen cltarea > tnanK j is
. " . \r_ .w I
. , . ,u f; : lr ' •tippler, she in
8au * ln a vo,t j e that went straight to | i s
V.'r" lu>art; m t *' rrlbl .V low-spirited. |
1 something cheerful.
v J a ™ d °" a Jj/Jj V !
melodies; I played !
l * aDtfe music, »nil then, somehow or i t
other, I drifted to Home, Sweet
Home, ' and then I felt so utterly
niu?era b*° * broke down. I
tur , n ?^ on 8to °* *• owartl Lottie,
und I saw her eyes were lull of tears.
"Don't Ueorire don't" she said
Tc'nn't bei\r itwell
' lno hv „I vI'hrmtin..
*-0® called mo t y iny thnstiun .
name for the hrst and Inst time
And then there came a tap at the I
door, and a hoarse, creaking voice ,
grated out: "May I come in?" ;
* 'Good heaven! it's his lordship," i
cried Lottie Vivian, "and I am cl
ruined!"
n n t I i lor thnno-h if î Imrin'f
been prompt she'would never have
SwSd hta and she mteht-Yw
marrieu Qiin, ana sne migiu—yes,
by .love!—perhaps have become my
w jfe alter all. Stranger things have
happened. But I reassured her by a
glance, and she took her cue at once.
gjje was ail actress remember
! Hun „ off my coat> ' ! whipped out
th ® ! r ° nt boariio [ th ® P inno - 1 buri f'j
my face among the hammers, and I j
Js-gan striking single notes upon the
keys.
"Come in," said Miss Vivian, and
j his lordship entered.
"I hope i don't intrude," ho said.
And then I too thought of Paul
^ r y- 1
"lou are always a welcome guest,
Wallsend," said Miss Vivian,
And then they began to chat in
whispers.
"Faugii! how the fellow smells of
toltnccu?" croaked ['mil Pry I mean
nis iorasnip. _
Man, he said, addressing me,
"you can go"
I put on my coat.
"Where's your hat, man?" said his
lordship suspiciously.
"In the'all sir," 1 replied carefully
dropping the "h." *
"I've put it at concert-pitch, miss."
I said; "it'll be five shillings, please,"
and 1 held out my hand. There wus
j a grateful twinkle in her eyes as she
gave me two half crowns. I have
them still, those two half crowns.
I went up to my rooms and shaved
off my beard and mustache. I have
never spoken to Lottie—I mean Lady
W alleend —from that day to this, but
she always notices me, and her hus
band is one of my stanchest patrons.
Eady Wallsend's carriage passed.
She bowed politely to me, und off
went my hat.
"She's a stunner," said my nei»hew.
"I hope she is happy," said I, with
a sigh.—London World,
of
i
;
How Does Electricity Kill?
An electrician says that just what
takes place in the human organism
to produce death from an electric
currant seems to be an unsolved
problem. One of the theories some
times advanced concerning it is that
when a being suffers denth Iront
electric shock, it is a pure case of in
ternal rupture or explosion from the
generation of gas or vapor. In sup
port of this view the way in which
telegraph poles are sometimes torn
pieces in referred to. Tho light
ning follows the moist portion of the
pole, which is the core or heart: in
this case the moisture is vaporized
and an explosion occurs. The high
resistance produces heat, the heat in
turn steam, and thestenm an explo
sion.—New York Telegram.
to
if
Matrimonial Confab.
From tho Chicago Tribune.
"That was a very foolish young
woman in New York, ''observed Mr.
Billius, laying his morning paper
down for a moment., nnd renewing
the attack on his beefsteak, "that
married tho wrong man the other
day, and blurted out her confession
to that effect at the altar. The
young man she didn't marry lias liud
a lucky escape."
"Ycs.she wnsfoolish to make a fuss
at such a time," assented Mrs. Billius,
who was staring abstractedly nt the
wall. "Most women find out soon
enough that they have married the
wrong man. but they have sense
enouch to keep still about it. Have
some more coffee, John?" she inquir
ed sweetly.
is
| power.
Petroleum Motors Growing
Popular.
Petroleum motors uro being sim
plified and improved to such an ex
tent that they may now he ranked
among the useful small motors. A
number of theso little engines have
been running for over a year in dif
ferent parts of Germany nnd ltussia,
and in Belgium a company for their
construction hns been formed. The
motors range from one to fonr horse
an
of
of
A LONELY HERMIT HE.
„
Much has been said and written of
the Lake Michigan Island which has
been overlooked by the surveyors for
j ,u ' P. r .®ij e " t " a P o! t h A Â *?Î!
but little is known of Dick Bassett, its
ruler. Ho is the only human inhabi
tant of the island. Wolves, bears and
other wild animals abound iu winter
though, and strange to say. Bassett
refrains from slaughtering Jhose.and
they refrain from teastmg upon his
carcass, so Dick aud ail sorts of anl
mala live in peace. When other food
is .scarce the wild wolves and bears of
»«. come to the hermit's cabin and
in t j, c q r own way ask for food. Such
i s the story that Bassett tells, and in
such a serious manner that the truth
VStli recently Bassett never left the
t j od rotf j on . jjot long ago though ho
surprised people by takings train at
Traverse city and goiur to Grand
Ha ids« where he visited for several
days. ,,
Dick Bassett is about 50 years o!d.
wears a full beard tinged with gray, is
read and intelligent and has a
™""nccsomewhere in Inseureer.but no
. one knows j ust u |ierc the romance
comes In and the particulars of it are a
profound teeret. He will tuik freely on
any subject that may be brought up;but
; when the conversation turns to his
i jx'rsonal history, ho shuts up liken
cl >" n - a pensive look comes into his
eyes and unless a fresh topic U intro
duced he soon quickly retires from the
cir *de. He arrived in Traverse City
fourteen years ago and .Hwl ma
deserted fish mir cubia on the beach, far
from the abode of men. He oc
casionally came to town,, but only to
buy supplier or to sell the Hah
{'*' caught and never lounged around
tlie bar-rooms or corner groceries.
"nlhe ""iTlf .h!
bay with tish line in hand. He iva, a
j mystery then and is alintwd a h much *>f
a mystery to-day, although through
casual remarks and occasional ob.ser
valions he has dropped within the
hearing of friends some inkling of his
c "£' cr "" become known. '
ca hin on the beach and then he took poa
session of a little island eight miles
out in the bay from this city, lying be
tween Marion islan • and the mainland.
so near to cither that but u stone
throw of water separated him from
*!"'"? The island comprises but a
growth of virgin forest, appearing
from a oistanee like a little tuft
of green rising out of the water.
He cleared the land without us
sistance, leaving a row of large
trees as a border to his plantation,
He erected n cottage of boards, which
do \v ii "an(l° U to °t h isd! v^lw'has °fived
Xne'onAhc'i'slan L ouictly and to'ail
apnear.inces happy and contented. He
planted fruit trees and vines, ami the
land produces more than enough vegu
tables and fruit to supply his simple
wants. In the summer he fishes in the
"^e'from^Äo
of the )ihh H1 the ,. Jty , iml llt tb.
RUmmer resort near by. He is said
to have accumulated *. competency,
DICK BASSETT IS PHES1DENT
OF A LITTLE REPUBLIC.
The I*!*n«l In Lake .tllehlgaift »That
1» Not Controlled by Any St»te or
Federal Authority*-Bassett Otvus It
by Squatters' Itighl.
of
is
a
is given considerable
of the assertion
Jf
Ù?
t
.
ub
o
J
î
a
■
/
1
<i
i-i
\'S
i
R
v THfcK&saar*
m'"
but of his worldly affairs Dick Bassett
is as reticent as of his early life. He
takes several daily papers and maga
zines, has a well selected library,
mainly of travel and history, and has
a queer collection of old pipes, chiefly
com cobs and briars. He is an invet
erate smoker, but rarely drinks. He
frequently spends the winter on the
island alone, with an occasional hunt
ing expedition to vary the monotony,
while some winters he seeks employ
ment in the linn)>er camps.
His recent visit to Grand Hnpids Is
the first time he has sought pleasure
or recreation in a city. Tho only pets
he has is a monster Thomas eat and a
few dozen choice hens. He docs not
take kindly to dogs and has never had
one on the islund. In summer his
house is never locked, and ho goes
away leaving money and food on the
table in plain view, confident that unv
visitor who cornea in his absence wifi
not rob him. Many summer rc
sortors iiave visited his island, both
while he was at home and when he
was away. The Indians never
think of passing in their canoes
without maki g him a call, and yet his
confidence has never been betrayed. If
the visitors are hungry they help
themselves to the food spread on the
table, but as near as he can calculate
Bassett 1ms never missed a dollar in
money.
But there is a strange circumstance
in regard to the island. It is so small
and insignificant it has never been sur
veyed and Bassett has not been able to
secure a legal title to lt from the
government. To his inquiries,
ic lias been informed from
Washington that such an island does,
not exist on tho charts anil maps, and
therefore has no legal existence. In
conaequ. nee of this decision from Wash
ington the authorities of Grand Tra
verse county hold that Bassett is not a
resident of the United States, and not
I a citizen, and that he cannot vote.
Uving within a stone's throw of Mai ion
inland and the mainland, both on the
government chart, vet he U declared
an alien and is disfranchised. He ac
cepts this decision with commendable
philosophy, Unding oousolutiou in the
fact t liât he is exempt from all taxa
tion, township, county und State alike,
lie does not own very much, it is true,
but if he were worth a million he would
escape the assessor. Yet there are in
conveniences in his situation,
practically an independent monarch,
all by himself, and can exercise all the
privileges and rights of
of Hod's annotated. He can de dare
war or treat for peace, cun levy a tariff
for revenue only or for protection to
his iufuut industry of raising potatoes
and eggs, can possibly coin his own
money and enter into offensive and de
fensive alliances with other nations.
He is as much a monarch as the King
of any of the cannibal islands, and un
der the present interpretation of the
laws could cat a few summer resorters
or wandering missionaries without fear
Michigan laws,
not ambitious or
*
led
he
on
ly
a
a
He is
• Mit?
of the l' ni ted St
Hut Dick Unaset»
bloodthirsty. He luis no custom houses
his island and levies no tuxes, and
is far from being fond of war.
willing to be annexed to the United
States, and his fears all ari>e
from his not already being under
the protection of the star
spangled banner. Several attempts
have been made to oust him from hi*
realm by designing parties in >eareh of
a Stimmer home. He has filed an ap
plication at the land office for a title to
airs or
He 1»
'
u
a*
'• w'
SjL
1 ? *0
«Va
l
Y
21
; 3 kr
-sasaiTil
Ml.
the property as soon as it Is annexed.
He is holtlinjf possession just now by
main strength und the moral »up|x V*.
of the community, but he can show no
lotfal rights on the island.
In regard to Bassett's |»st life, all
that is known is that he was born in
the South; that his parents were well
to-do and that he received a good edu
cation. When the war broke out he
run uwuy to join the Northern army,
while his father unit brothers, mother
und sisters sympathized with the
South. He enllst d in the Fifth Iowa
infantry und served throughout the
war, seeing extremely hard service.
He wus wounded eight times In
battle and eurries several bul
lets still in bis tsxly. lb
has lost tru-e of Ids old
comrades and lias been unable to get a
pension und has not. since b-cominx an
independent power, applied for one.
After the war he returned to his old
home, hut the family had disappeared
and he has not heard (nun any of his
relatives since. He went West, was a
Cowboy for a number of yean, und
served as guide and scout on the plains,
and then settled down. 'I here is a
love storv somewhere in his history, at
least, he Kas so intimated, but the par
ticulars of it have never been learned
and probably never will Is-.
The picture of him, given herewith,
shows nlm in ids summer regulln as he
appears at home, ami the other cut
gives an idea of the house he built
himself and livhs in. There are two
rooms in the house, one the kitchen
where he dia-s his cooking and serves
hts meals, and lie is an excellent cook,
and in the other he sleeps and has his
library, parlor, sitting m m and re
co| tion room all combined.
Tolit In l>w tVonli.
.Inpan has now 2,000 newspa
pers, where twonty-tl ' e years ago not
a single journal existed.
Kton, or the collection of schools
which constitute what is popularly
known as Eton, has l.ooo scholars,
Tho Columbia river is so clear at
low water that salmon fishing can only
be successfully conducted at night.
The largest ship yard in the world is
at Christiana, in Norway. Forty ships
cun load at its docks at the same time.
Japanese laee is coining into market.
It is a new manufacture, and hitherto
has been mainly consumed at home.
An Atchison, Kan., man who has
sent a 85 bill to England in nn envel
ope for the past twenty years says that
he has never lost a dollar.
Tho British Museum appears to be
losing its popularity. The number of
visitors last year was 50,000 below tho
number of five years ago.
It is said that old sailora are made
seasick by the excessive amount of vi
bration caused by tho propellers of
some of tho high speed cruisers.
article" of tl»c London
Times informs its renders that Chicago
is destined to become one of the great
est grain-growing States in tho union.
A Maine farmer who believes in a
strict observance of the Sabbath went
out and killed a latnb which persisted
in bleating on a recent Sunday after
noon.
lt is said that a red fox g
barnyard of a farmer in Butl
He
He
Is
a
his
the
rc
he
his
If
the
in
to
the
does,
and
In
Tra
a
not
ion
The "city
uarda tho
er county,
i'a.. and tho chickens and gees - are
perf etly r,ufe from thieves when he is
around.
The greatest bird cage on the conti
nent is said to he the 1 Irand Central
railroad station in New York. The
noisy English sparrows swarm there by
thousands and nest in the great arch
ing roof girders.
Considerable British indignation hus
heel, aroused by a fancy dress ball in
India in which officers dressed as fiends
with horns and tails danced a quadrille
with eight Indies costumed as ••reluc
tant angels."
The Gerwiin Colonial society lias of
fered two prizes for tho liest essays
upon the following subjects: "What
Advantage Has German Southwest
Africa for German Settlers?" Tho first
prize is 1,000 marks, the second 500
marks.
The Russian government has decided
to build a Mccond Russian church Ln
I'aria,
THE PRAISE OP BLIND PIQg.
* strong« Tale Told by Kva CanMa i,
llsrprr'e Voting Pvopls,
There was a bear who danced for a
living. He did not adopt this occupa,
tion from cholco, but from necessity,
and because his master curried à
strong whip, aud had a quick arm.
But he was a conscientious bear, and
anxious to do his best, although il «a»
net the sort of work ho preferred. ]| e
danced carefully, and practised his
steps along tho road, wlion he travel,
led beside Ids muster from town to
town.
One day executing a new waltz as
he went he passed a monkey, who sat
on the topmost rail of a fence, and sur.
veyed the bear's performance with a
quiet smile.
••Wbut do you think of my dancing,
sir?" linked the bear, wishing to hear
the opinion of one who had a reputa
tion for wit und wisdom.
••It is bad enough," replied the
monkey. •■You uro a tremendously
clumsy fellow. But you have a cm.
tain heavy style of your own. and may
improve if you apply yourself long
enough.
Ilis remarks iaddened the bear, but
did not prevent his atitl trying painful,
ly to make his stc|is correctly.
Presently ho came to a couple of pigs,
half blind, who lay dozing in the sun
shine la-side the road.
"What do you think of my dano
ing?" asked the bear. He was foolish
enough to ask everyone the earns
question.
•■Beautiful! Exquisite"' cried one
pig. without opening her eye*.
■ Such enchanting grace, such a
lovely figure, such perfect time!"
grunted the other. Beautiful! beauti
ful!" and they both fell asleep again
immediately.
Then the bear, suddenly seeing what
a simpleton he was. sat down and
groaned, hiding his nose in his pawn
••Now what do you mean?" cried his
master wrathfully raising hi* whip,
•diet up. and goon with your steps
I» that approval enough? What more
do you expect? baue» again, that
you may have more praise. ''
••Master." wept the humiliated bear.
• I can never dance again,
key'» criticism worried me; but he
knew what he was talking about, and
I still had hop,.» of doing belter. But
when I have fallen so low as to be
treated to fulsome praise from blind
pi'ii —I see my case is hopeless, and
that ns a dancer t never shall suc
ceed. "
The moa
Contrary Attjl»««.
Not all tho residents of Cape Cod
aro eccentric, as those who arc not
familiar with tho region might infer
from the many stories which are told
of queer characters there. But it is
no doubt a fact tha» many Cape Cod
people have strongly accentuated dis
position* in one way or another.
In CotuiL many years ago. a local
legend runs, Capt. Barnabas /.——
aud his wife Abigail, who were both
queer after their way, lived at peace
fur a good many years In spite of the
fact that Abigail was said to be the
• •contrarient woman in Cape Cod."
Whatever wae said or proposed, she
was almost sure to go against it But
Capt. Barnabas was as patient ns hts
wife was contrary, and by dint of al
ways allowing for his wife's disposition
and usually proposing the exact oppo
site ol what he wished her to do, he
got along very comfortably fer many
years.
But nt last on one evil day, when
Mrs. Abigail 2--was down at the
harbor vieitlng a relative on board a
echoohor thon in port she fell over
heard nnd sank In the water. Capt
Bavnaha* was near by and was called
In haste. He reached the spot and
Immediately went out in u boat to
search for his wife.
••Look here!" some one railed out
frantically, seeing him push off.
••Tuu're going tho wrong way of the
tide, You're looking up the tide, not
down the tide."
The captain kept on.
•■Mebbe." said ho calmly, 'you
ain't acquainted with Abigail. H
'twae anybody else, they'd 'a' gono
with tho tide; but bein' ns it's Ablgr.lL
I reckon if she ain't gono ag'inst the
tide, it wa'n't her that fell in!"
This timo Barnabas' philosophy was
wrong. His wife's body was found
Dexl day down the harbor. For once
she had gone down with tho tido.—
Youth's Companion.
Will the Ksrth'. motion r«iw.
I* the motion of our earth and oth
er planetary bodies perpetual? A su
perficial survey of the field would con
vey the impression that such motion
will continue forever. The earth with
lta mass of B. 000,000,000,000.000 tons
for ft long time dolled all nttompts to
detect He loss of spood, but with tho
friction of the tides continually at
work lt was shown that such loss must
take place; and now it is protty cer
tain from calculations of Prof. Adam»
and others that tho oarth loses about
an hour overy lfl.000 yoars, and 1»
slowly but surely coming to a stand
still. Tho experiments nnd investi
gations of modern scientists are prov*
lhg thnt Sir Isaac Newton bellevod
—that the motion of ail bodlus in space
aro suffering retardation, and that
tholr volocity Is becoming less and
less und will ultimately cease altogeth
er. Then tho whole planetary system
will fall through spaco ovorlasting.—
fit. Louis Kepubllo.
a
is
in
Consollna,
Miss Gray (tho evening before her
wedding) — "Suppose tho olergyin" 0
should want to kiss rao after tho cere
mony, dear, what shall I do?"
Her dear friond—"Ho won't want
"—Pldln. Record.
A Proverb Corroded.
énwyer— •'Tho proof of the pudding
is ln the eating."
Do 8pap— "No. it Isn't, H U In tho
digesting/'—Fuck. » ... • —" '
Ln