Corvallis gazette. [volume], June 05, 1900, Image 4

About Corvallis gazette. [volume] (Corvallis, Benton County, Or.) 1900-1909

Image provided by: University of Oregon Libraries; Eugene, OR

                
ankachos
of
Women
are wearying hey end des
orlptlon and, they Indicate
real trouble somewhere
Efforts to bear the dull
pain are heroic, but they
do not overcome It and
the backaches continue
until the cause Is re
moved LydU
E. Ptakham's Vtgetfcle Compound
does this more certainly
than any other medicine.
It his been doing It for
thirty years. N Is a wo
man's medicine for wo
man's lllsm It has done
much for ti e health of
American women. Read
the grateful letters from
women constantly ap
pearing In this paper.
Mrs. Plnkham counsels
women free of charge.
Her address Is Lynn,
Mass.
Metal never rusts in the waters ol
lake Titacaca. A chain or anchor can
be left in it for two weeks and it will
be as clean and bright as when it came
from the foundry, which is probably
owing to action of some of the chemical
alts in the water.
SHAKE INTO IOBB SHOES
Allen's Foot-Ease, a powder for the feet.
It cures painful, swollen, smarting, ner
ous feet, and instantly takes the sting u
of corns and bunions. It's the greatest
comfort discovery of the age. Allen's Foot
Ease makes tight or new shoes feel easy.
It is a certain cure for Ingrowing Nails,
fw eating, callous and hot, tired, aching
feet. We have over 30.000 testimonials.
Try it today. Sold by all druggists and
shoe stores. Bv mail for 25c. in stamps.
Trial package 'FHKE. Address, Allen S.
Olmsted, Le Roy, N. Y.
The native commissioner at Se
bungwe, Africa, reports that the white
rhinocerons is still to be seen on the
veldt in the districts between the San
yati and Zambesi rivers. It was gen
erally thought that the gigantic animal
was extinct.
You Will Never Know
what good ink is unless you use Carter's.
It costs no more than poor ink. All deal
ers. Over 600,000 pounds of tea is con
sumed in England daily.
Piso's Cure for Consumption is an infal
lible niedicHie for coughs and colds. N.
W. Samuel, Ocean Grove, K. J., Feb. 17,
1900.
A Vermont fox, close pressed by two
hounds, dashed across a railroad track
. in front of an advancing train, which
killed the dogs.
Mothers will find Jlrs. Winslow's Sooth
ing Syrup the best remedy to use for thevv
Children during the teething period.
In some interesting experiments by
English botanists, "sleeping" plants,
o those which had taken their noctur
nal position, were placed in a dark
room. On "awakening" next morn
ing they took in the darkness their
nsnal positions by day, even when that
position had been made oblique, by one
sided illumination.
ABSOLUTE
-a SECURITY.
Genuine
Carter's
Little Liver Pills.
Must Bear Signature of
if Facsimile Wrapper Below.
Terr null mmA mm ewr
to take as sugar.
FOR HEADACHE.
FOR DIZZINESS.
FOR BILIOUSNESS.
FOR TORPID LIVES.
FOR CONSTIPATION.
FOR SALLOW SKIN.
FOR THE COMPLEXION
HAV1 JUOMATUS!.
CURE SICK HEADACHE.
Tested m m.
To four imtrodDc. oar Fumi "SOrTHEBV
BILLE ClOABS" wo giro to each person baying
akoxof M cigars for $3.60 and express charges, an elegant
nickel plate cue, stem wild, stem set. open face Watch,
AJnerlcan make, which with proper care should taai
tot jeers ; also a plated watch chain and charm. Send us
year name end toll address do money. We will send
cigars, watch, chain end charm. If, after examination. 70a
ere satisfied, par jour agent S2.A0 and express charges.
T&asegoeds sent anywhere in the U. S. at these terms. The
"Sou tfcero Bells' is as good as many 10c cigars bow offered.
AderassNatlonal ClajarCo., , si.Loui.,Mo
Wasemrtsrlngplesssglrs the name e this paper without fall
CARTER'S
I WET WF
I RH RRRNii NJjpm I
How Bob Came
to Be a Detective
a O you wish to become a detect-
w5 "Yes, sir."
"1 suppose you consider yourself able
to give points to any man In the force,
don't you?"
"No, sir. I am only anxious to have
a fair trial. I believe that I can be
come a useful member of the force
after I have had a little experience."
"Well, sir, I am not fond of employ
ing green men; but as you seem to have
a modest opinion of yourself, I have
some hope of making something of you.
The chief has requested me to give you
a trial, and so 1 shall have to do so. I
shall give you a tough case to begin on,
and if you make a success of it you
shall have a permanent position on the
force."
"Thank you, sir. 1 shall do my best."
"The only clew which I can give you
Is this paper. It came into my posses
sion entirely by accident. It was seen
to fall from the pocket of a man who
had been Implicated in several burg
laries, and one of my men, who hap
pened to be standing near, picked it up
and handed it to me. I think there is
more in It than appears on the surface.
Take it with you, and see what you
can make of it."
Bob Westbrook took the envelope
which the Inspector to whom he had
made application for a position in the
detective forces gave him, and left the
office.
He had never done any detective
work before, and had only been on the
police force about eight months, but he
was very ambitious, and desired to be
come a detective.
Going home, he retired to his room,
and proceeded to examine the letter.
The direction was as follows:
MR. ALBERT SINCLAIR.
General Postofflce,
London, E. C.
The postmark was that of Bayswater,
and the date Jan. 10. Inside was the
following letter:
Bayswater, Jan. 10. Dear Albert:
Meet Mary Owen as you promised me,
and ask her to come at noon the day she
gets the message. I have made a corner
in some of the securities of which I spoke
when at Tottenham the other week. If
you court her," the house in Gloucester
road shall be yours soon. On Monday, I
expect to spend the evening with you
without fail, and at that time 1 shall
bring nine others. Expect us at 8 o'clock
sharp. I shall then indicate to you how
we had better divide the work, so that
the profits may be large as possible.
"JIM." 6.
Bob read the letter over carefully sev
el4l times, but could tiud nothing sus
picious about It except the figure "6"
in the lower right-hand corner of the
page.
This puzzled him not a little, and as
he studied the letter more the convic
tion grew upon bim that underneath
this apparently Innocent communica
tion there lurked some mysterious com
munication, which might prove the key
to a deed of villainy.
In vain he puzzled over the letter; In
vain tried every combination which his
Ingenuity could suggest. He applied
heat In hopes of bringing out a sympa
thetic Ink; but again in vain. He went
to bed that night thoroughly puzzled
and almost discouraged.
In the morning he again started to
work, but in a more systematic manner.
He tried every other line with no re
sult; every third line, then every fourth
line, and so on, but still with no result.
Then he began and tried every Other
word, but he met with failure.
Just at this point the mysterious fig
ure 6 caught his eye. He started, as a
sudden thought struck him. Could this
be the key to the mystery? He would
try, and accordingly he began, and
then, with the first word, took every
sixth word of the letter.
The result was certainly startling.
When he finished he found that he had
the following communication:
Dear Albert: Meet me at the corner of
Tottenham Court road, Monday evening
at 9 o'clock, to divide profits. JIM.
There evidently must have been some
powerful motive of concealment here,
else why should this note have been
written, and the true meaning so care
fully hidden?
Bob felt much elated at his success,
and determined to make one of the par
ty at the corner of Tottenham Court
road on Monday evening.
On the appointed evening, a few mln
ntes before 9 o'clock, a man was walk
ing up and down the pavement at the
rendezvous named In the letter.
He was evidently expecting some one,
and every few minutes would look at
bis watch Impatiently. After be bad
been waiting about ten minutes, anoth
er man walked slowly up the street.
The one who had been waiting ad
vanced hurriedly, and seizing him by
the arm, drew bim into the shadow of
one of the bouses, and said, in a low,
eager voice:
"Well, what news?"
"Nothing much," said the other man,
"except that I have been unable to dis
pose of all the swag."
"How much money have you raised?"
"One thousand pounds."
"Good! You have some of the Jew
elry still?"
"Yes. I only sold the diamonds."
"Do you think you can get rfB of the
rest safely?"
"No, not just now. I think we had
better divide them just as Uiey are, and
when the excitement is over we can
dispose of tbem."
"All right. You say you have one
thousand in cash?"
"Yes. Come down to John's and I'll
give you your share."
The men then started down the road
together.
No sooner had they moved off than a
figure emerged from a dark doorway
and followed them at a distance.
The figure was that of Bob West
brook. The men entered a door In front of
which hung a m?d lamp. Following
them Bob also entered.
He found himself in a room which
was partly a public bouse and partly a
I
ys.
restaurant. On one side of the room
were several stalls. In which were ta
bles and seats. Curtains covered the
front so that the occupants were con
cealed from the view of those in the
room.
As Bob entered he saw the men
whom he had been following enter one
of the stalls. Ordering a milk punch
he took his seat In the stall adjoining
that which the men had entered.
As he seated himself he heard the
men on the other side of the thin board
partition conversing In low tones.
"The terms were share and share
alike, so there are 500 for your share."
"How much do you think the rest of
the stuff ought to be worth?"
"Fully 2,000, I think. We made a
big haul this time."
"Yes, and it was well done, too. 1
wonder how old Fairchild looked when
he came down to the office in the morn
ing, and found bis safe opened?"
"He must have felt pretty bad, for I
see by the papers that the police have
no clew to the fellows who did the Job."
"I don't think I ever did such a clean
job or such a safe one. But when shall
we diVide the jewelry?"
"Meet me at the same place to-morrow
night as you did to-night, and I
will bring the swag with me. We can
then go somewhere and divide."
"AH right. What time?"
"Nine o'clock same as to-night."
"I'll be there. Good-night"
So saying, the men left the saloon
and separated.
II.
Bob felt that he had made an Import
ant discoVery. About a week before a
diamond and jewelry merchant off Hoi-
born had been robbed of a large amount
of Jewelry. The thieves had left noth
ing by which they could be traced, and
although Mr. Fairchild, the owner of
HOW MUCH MONET HAVE TOU RAISED ?
the place, had offered a large reward,
they had thus far escaped detection.
The following morning Bob walked
into the Inspector's office.
"Well?" said the Inspector.
"I should like to have the use of
three officers, In plain clothes, this
evening, sir."
"You have discovered something,
then?" ,
"Yes, sir."
"What is it?"
"Will you be kind enough to permit
me to defer an explanation until to
morrow morning, sir? I wish to com
plete the job before I make any re
port" "Then you expect to capture the crim
inals to-night?"
"Yes, sir."
"If you do so, I shall have to acknowl
edge that you are a born detective. You
shall have the men."
That night Bob stationed his men out
of sight near the doorway where he
had hidden himself, on the preceding
night and waited for the arrival of the
thieves.
He had arranged a signal with the
men who were concealed, and at that
signal they were to arrest the persons
whom he designated.
As the clock struck 9, the two thieves
approached from different directions,
and met at the corner.
One of them carried a satchel, which
was apparently very heavy, judging by
the way In which he carried it
As they stood a minute, talking, a
drunken man came rolling down the
street, and in endeavoring to pass them,
gave a lurch, and struck heavily
against the man carrying the satchel,
almost knocking him down, and caus
ing him to drop it
"Whasser mean, sir, by (hie) get'n In
a gentl'm'u's way? Yer drunk, sir
(hlc)."
"You fool, you're drunk yourself! Go
on about your business!"
So saying, the thief stooped to pick
up his satchel, when a violent push
from behind threw him flat upon the
pavement
At the same Instant a shrill whistle
rang out upon the night air, and before
the two thieves fully realized what had
happened they were securely band
cuffed and on their way to the station.
Behind them walked Bob, carrying
the satchel, and entirely recovered
from the effects of the liquor from
which he was apparently suffering only
a moment before.
The next morning Bob appeared at
the inspector's office, carrying a
satchel.
The inspector looked up from bis
desk, at which he was writing, and
said:
"Well, Westbrook, what have you
captured? Something worth the trou
ble, I hope?"
"I don't know that it's much of a
capture, sir," said Bob.
"Well, what was It?"
"Only the robbers of Fairchild's jew
elry." The Inspector grasped him by the
band and shook it warmly.
"My dear fellow, permit me to con
gratulate you! You have discovered
what has puzzled some of the best men
in the force. How did you do it?"
Bob then related bis experience with
the letter and his subsequent adven
tures. When he had finished his story the in
spector said:
"Westbrook, from this hour you are
detective, attached to the regular force.
1 think the thieves will have cause to
rue the day." x
The Inspector was right Many a
criminal has Bob since brought to jus
tice, and often have the criminal class
es had cause to rue the day vvnen he
was made a detective. Spare Moments.
GENTLEMANLY WARRIORS
Savages Supplied Their Enemies witb
Food and Ammunition.
We are accustomed to speak of the
humane and chivalrous manner in
which modern fighting Is carried on,
and to congratulate ourselves upon tut
advance which has been made in thi
respect says the London Mail.
But Is this advance as great and as
real as we imagine? For example, how
do our present-day customs of war com
pare with the old-time fighting methods
of the Maoris, the natives of New Zea
land? It will surprise a good many
people to hear that when a band of
Maori warriors was going to tight the
warriors of another tribe it was not
unusual for the numbers It was pro
posed to place in the field to be com
municated to the enemy; moreover, one
side often provided the other with arms
and provisions, so that the enemy
might not be placed at too great a dis
advantage. Here are a few stories which illus
trate the generosity which the Maoris
of former days displayed toward theit
enemies. A chief was asked why when
on a certain occasion be had command
of the road, he did not attack the am
munition and provision trains of the
English. The Maori, utterly astonished
at such a question, exclaimed: "Why,
you fool, if we had stolen their powder
and food, how could they have fought?"
Another chief, who considered that
he bad been insulted by the chief of a
neighboring tribe, said that the other
chief, had he not been much the strong
er of the two in arms and ammunition,
would not have dared to act in so in
sulting a manner. This speech came
to the ears of the neighboring chief,
who thereupon divided his arms and
ammunition into two equal parts, and
sent one-half, along with an invitation
to fight, to chief No. 1.
On another occasion a chief who was
fighting against us, and who was short
of guns and powder, sent this message
to the governor: "My custom with re
gard to my enemy Is, if he have not a
weapon I give him one, that we may
fight on equal terms. Now, O govern
or, are you not ashamed of my defense
less hands?" A clergyman who lived
a long time in New Zealand relates how
in one of the intertribal wars the be
sieged sent word to the enemy that
they were short of provisions, and the
besiegers at once handed over a supply
of food.
WAYS OF TURKISH CENSORS.
Violation of Their Rules Brines the
Most Exemplary Punishment.
It Is well for those having business
with the Turks to have a good under
standing of the laws and regulations
in force in the sultan's domain if they
would avoid trouble. An honest Ger
man merchant met with a sad adven
ture a few weeks ago on account ol
something which he bad not dreamed
of violating the laws of the Turkish
censor. The German was In the porce
lain business, and the only thing that
he ever thought of writing was entries
In bis ledger. But he got an ordei
from a Turkish merchant for 25.00C
coffee cups, and he .filled It, and
straightway he became a violator ot
literary laws. He had packed up the
coffee cups in old German newspapers,
and that settled it. The Turkish cen
sor seized the whole shipment He in
sisted on reading each newspaper, and
only after he had become convinced
that there was neither Intention not
danger of smuggling insults of the sul
tan or of his harem Into the country of
the prophet was the shipment released.
.Now the German is wondering wheth
er, if he packs his next shipment in
straw, the Turkish censfcr will hold it
up as being a reflection on his mental
furniture.
Born in "No Man's Land."
The doorkeepers of the United States
Senate come in contact witb all sorts
and conditions of men. When the Sen
ate Is In session there Is an incessant
demand by constituents to have their
cards sent In. A strange-looking indi
vidual who had been watching and lis
tening in the east corridor said to a
doorkeeper one day last weekj
"I'd like to have you send In my
card."
"Which Senator do you wish to see?"
"I don't care."
"But you must send It to a particular
Senator, you know. Which is your
State?"
"Got none."
"Which territory?"
"No territory."
"Where were you born?"
"In No Man's Land, before the strfp
was ceded to the government by Texas.
It's now a county in Oklahoma. ' And
I thought as I had no country I'd come
to Washington. You can keep the card
and hand it to the first Senator you
ketch. I think most any of 'em would
like to meet a man like me."
A Month Without a Moon.
The month of February, 1866, was In
one respect the most remarkable In the
world's history. It had no full moon.
January had two full moons and so had
March, but February had none. Do
you realize what a rare thing in Nature
that was? It had not occurred since
the creation of the world. And it will
not occur again, according to the com
putation of astronomers, for how long
do you think? 2,500,000 years.
No Birds in the White House
It is a rule of the White House that
no bird shall be allowed to warble, or
even live, within its walls. The wife
of President Hayes made this rule
years ago, and It has been observed as
a sacred precedent When Mrs. Cleve
land first went to the White House to
live after her marriage she had a pet
canary. But the rule against birds was
explained to her, and she gave the bird
away.
Rich People In Berlin.
Berlin has fourteen persons whose an
nual Income exceeds $250,000.
There is electricity in a kiss, says a
scientist. Perhaps that is why kissing
shocks some folks.
MANY MILLION PINS.
SREAT NUMBER USED IN AMER
ICA EVERY DAY.
Daily Demand la Almost Fabulous
Complex Processes Through., Which
the Simple Little Implement Passe
in the Course of Manufacture.
It requires an average of more than
twenty million pins per day to sustain
the falling skirts, replace the missing
suspender buttons and meet the other
needs of the American people. What
becomes of all these pins Is a question
that nobody has been able to answer,
but there is no falling off In the de
mand, so that this number must dis
appear in some manner every day.
It is hard to imagine anything sim
pler than a pin, and it is a striking
proof of the complications of our mod
ern industrial system that every pin in
the course of its manufacture passes
through a dozen separate processes, in
volving the greatest skill on the part of
the operatives employed and the action
of a great amount of automatic ma
chinery. The pin makes Its appearance at the
factory In the form of barrels of coiled
brass wire. The first process is that of
straightening this wire. The coiis are
placed on revolving racks, and fed
from these into little machines, from
the Vise-like grip of which they emerge
perfectly straight. Thence the wire Is
fed into the pin-making machine,
which is almost as complicated as a
printing press. A sharp knife cuts the
wire off into uniform lengths of the de
;ired size. As each little length of wire
Irops from the knife it falls upon a
small wheel, the edge of which is
aotched Into grooves just large enough
to hold the bits of wire.
Each piece is carried along by the
wheel until an iron finger and thumb
seize and hold it firmly, while an auto
matic hammer, by a single smart blow,
puts a head on one end. Then the em
aryo pins fall upon another grooved
tvheel, which revolves horizontally. As
:hey move on In the clasp of this sec
jud wheel the projecting ends pass
)ver a number of circular steel files,
which neatly grind tbem to a point.
Further on they encouner a pumice
stone, which smoothes off the filed end,
ind then they drop into a wooden re
ceiving box. So far no workman's band
ias touched the pins in their progress
from the reel. The cutting, heading,
pointing and smoothing have all been
lone by the wonderful automatic ma
chinery. From the wooden boxes the pins go
to the "whitening" room, where they
are cleaned in revolving barrels filled
with sawdust and receive a nickel coat
ing In big vats. Then they are dried
in the sawdust barrels and are run
through a "sorting" machine. It Is im
possible to get the better of this ma
shine. The big department stores and whole
sale dealers buy their pins by the case.
A case contains 108 dozen papers, 360
pins in each paper. A single order from
the largest stores usually calls for 100
cases, or nearly 50,000,000 pins. New
York Herald.
WORST PARASITES
Upon the Human Race Are Aristocrats
of China and Spain.
The aristocracy of China are the most
useless human beings in the world. It
is no uncommon thing for the ancestors
of some man who has done service to
the state to be ennobled backward for
several generations, and no aristocracy
can be more useless than one which
consists largely of those who are de
ceased. Among more advanced nations
the aristocracy of Spain is probably the
most useless. The strain of Moorish
blood running in many of the oldest
families in that peninsula appears to
conduce toward an indolent pride,
which prevents their members from
taking part in any professions but
those of the army and navy now open
to them to a limited extent The consti
tution of 1876, by making the Upper
House of the Cortes, or parliament,
consist wholly of life members, and
those mainly elective, deprived many
aristocrats of the opportunity ' use
fulness as politicians, while the back
wardness of agriculture and the pov
erty of much of the land are excuses
given by others for not employing
themselves upon their own estates. The
Spanish noble, moreover, generally pre
fers foreign health or pleasure resorts
to his own country.
An American who has spent more of
bis life in Spain than in his own coun
try recounts a conversation he had
with one of Spain's greatest living
statesmen about the Spaniard's nation
al dream. .
"Senor," said the Spanish grandee,
"we do not want to shine as a commer
cial nation. We do not like work'. We
have in the past filled the proud posi
tion of the greatest empire. It was very
fatiguing. At the present day Spain
has got back to her senses. We teach
our youths to be refined to be gentle
men." .
ELOPEMENTS RARE IN FRANCE.
Parental Consent Required No Matter
What the Age of Parties.
Elopements are of very Infrequent oc
currence in France, a fact that Is due
in large measure to the peculiarity of
the French law pertaining to mar
riages. Not only must the contracting
parties up to any age have the writ
ten consent of their parents, but also
in case of the death of their parents
they must obtain the consent of their
grandparents. Here is a case Instanced
by a correspondent whose friend Su
zanne B. was engaged to Henri S
Both were orphans, yet It was several
months before the ceremony could be
performed because of the number of
papers and certificates which were nec
essary for the celebration of their nup
tials. No less than fourteen certificates
were absolutely Indispensable, and Su
zanne, as well as her fiance, was
obliged to show In default of their
parents' presence or written consent:
First her father's death certificate;
second, her mother's death certificate;
third, her father's father's death certifi
cate; fourth, her father's mother's
death certificate; fifth, her mother's
father's death certificate; sixth, her
mothers mother's death certificate;
, seventh, her own birth eerUficate. Sev
eral months elapsed before all these
papers could be got together.
When at last all was ready Suzanne
B. appeared at the malrie and Inquired
when she might be married. "Have
you the consent of your consell de fam
ine?" (family council, which regulates
the affairs of orphans and minors) was
the question. "No. My parents died
Intestate." "Then you can't be legally
married." "But I have no consell de
famllle." "Well, then, get one as soon
as possible," was the reply. And poor
Suzanne was forced to write to all her
relatives In all corners of France
many of whom she had never seen
and ask tbem to come up to Paris to
form a consell de familie. After much
expense, worry and trouble, not to
speak of lawyers' fees, etc., the various
members of the consell de familie were
at last collected together to give their
consent to the marriage of Suzanne
and Henrt.
The French peasants who live near
the sewage farms have entered a pro
test because of the contamination of
their wells.
The population of the earth as esti
mated by Ernest George Ravenstein
some few years ago for the Royal Geo
graphical Society was 1.487,900,000.
The velocity of light is 192,000 miles
in a secaid of time. From the sun
light comes to the earth in eight min
utes. From some of the fixed stars of
the twelfth magnitude It takes four
thousand years for the light to reach us.
In the London Hospital for Consump
tion the basis of treatment is rest in
the open air, graduated exercise and
good feeding. No window in the open
air ward is ever closed, and during the
cold weather the consumptive patients
are kept warm with extra clothing and
artificial heat. It is encouraging to note
that practically all the early cases and
70 per cent of all cases Improve consid
erably under the open-air system.
Last summer a Norwegian mariner.
Captain Grondahl, succeeding in trans
porting two young musk-oxen alive
from northeastern Greenland to Trom
so. These are said to be the first living
specimens of their species ever Ik ought
to Europe. It is reported that they are
doing well amid their new surround
ings. The musk-ox. next to the white
bear, is the largest land mammal In
habiting the Arctic regions. It attains
a height of nearly, or quite, four feet
and is clothed by nature to endure ex
treme cold. During the Arctic summer
musk-oxen become very fat from feed
ing upon the pasturage which grows In
every sheltered spot, but In winter their
long fasts make them gaunt and thin.
Morris GIbbs describes what prob
ably thousands of our readers have ob
servedthe very curious hovering, or
dancing, habit of a species of two
winged flies, which assemble in groups
of from 20 to 100 or more, In some spot
sheltered from the wind, and indulge
In a fantastic dance for hours at a time.
The motions consist of alternate rising
and falling in periods of a few seconds,
and over a distance varying from one
to four feet The insects seem to be
come so Interested in their sport, if
sport It Is, that they cannot be driven
away from one another, but Immedi
ately reform their companies when dis
turbed. Many species of Insects have
the babtt of hovering In the air, some
in parties only and some singly.
Recent experiments at Sheffield, Eng
land, suggest the possibility that in the
twentieth century shields may once
more form an Important part of the
equipment of an army. Steel shields,
three millimetres in thickness and
about 150 square Inches In area, have
been devised, which afford complete
protection against bullets fired from the
service rifle at a range of 400 yards.
The small size of the shield, which
weighs only seven pounds, requires
that the soldier shall lie prone on the
ground in order to be sheltered. Each
shield has a loophole for the rifle, and
studs at the side so that a series of
them can be linked into a continuous
screen. The Idea Is that by the use of
such shields the necessity of digging
trenches may often be avoided.
A Providential Escape.
In "Manitoba Memories" Rev. George
Young relates an experience of his boy
hood which, he says, formed the turning-point
In his career, and led him
eventually to choose the life of a mis
sionary in the north land.
Early one stormy morning, when I
was a boy, says Mr. Young, I was feed
ing the cattle in the basement of a sta
ble when a terrific wind-storm struck
the building and crushed it like an egg
shell. Hearing the crash of the falling
and breaking timbers I fell on my knees
In terror, and began to pray.
In a moment as it seemed, the storm
passed and stillness prevailed. I was
completely encompassed by the broken
timbers and the mows of hay and grain
which had been stored In the upper part
of the barn. I was in utter darkness,
too, and at first completely dazed. Find
ing myself unharmed, however, I re
covered my senses and began to dig
into the hay to escape.
After a long struggle I worked myself
free from the hay, and stood in the
midst of the wreck.
It was afterward ascertained how
narrowly I had escaped being crushed
to death by the falling timbers. Had I
been standing at the moment I must
have been killed. The space wherein I
had knelt was about a yard square, and
the only, place where I could have es
caped instant death.
Much was made of my remarkable
escape, which I have always regarded
as a direct interposition of Providence,
and in consequence I have devoted my
life to the Master's service.
Big Apple Tree.
A few years ago there was on a farm
near Stuart, Va., an apple tree which
produced at One bearing 130 bushels.
It shaded at meridian ninety feet of
ground In diameter.
There is but one thing that women
are more apt to discover than the faults
of men and that is the faults of other
women.
The most of our troubles are two
tbirds aoticiDatlon and one-third realization.
RECENT INVENTIONS.
For preserving timber from decay an
Australian has patented a new treat
ment, consisting of lmmers.'3 the tim
ber in a solution of arsenous acid and
an alkali until thoroughly impregnated,
after which a coating of sulphate of
copper Is applied.
In a new boat-driving gear a short
propeller shaft Is set In the rear of the
boat, intermeshlng with a large gear
wheel, mounted on a horizontal shaft
with pivoted levers connected to the
shaft by cranks to rotate the propeller
and drive the boat.
Clothes are automatically cleaned in
a new wash boiler, which has a false
bottom into which the water falls from
the main boiler, with a series of tubes
extending vertically to the top of the
boiler, through which the water is
driven by the Increased heat and steam
la the false bottom.
Leaves can be rapidly and cleanly
picked up from lawns by an Ohio wom
an's Invention, which has a large hop
per mounted on wheels, with fan blades
set in the mouth of the hopper close to
the ground, to be rapidly revolved by
gearing inside the wheels, thus fanning
the leaves into the hopper.
Dressmakers will appreciate a newly
patented pair of scissors, which Is pro
vided with a marking pencil set In a
sleeve attached to one of the blades,
with a tape measure secured to the op
posite handle, designed to be opened in
Une with the pencil point, to accurate
ly mark the cloth for cutting.
An adjustable spring for baby car
riages has been patented by a Cana
dian which can be increased in stiffness
as the baby grows, having a duplex
hinge joining the outer ends of springs,
running from the frame and the body
of the carriage, with means for adjust
ing the movement of the binge.
A new burglar alarm has two tele
scoping tubes, with the end of one tube
closed, and a piston mounted in the oth
er tube which connects with a metallic
contact spring to complete an electric
circuit, a cord being run from the win
dow or door to the closed tube, which
moves the piston when the cord is dis
turbed. In Germany a man has patented a
reading or writing desk which will be
found convenient for use when stand
ing, having a flat tablet formed of sev
eral sections hinged together, with
braces and straps to hold the tablet in
1 convenient position for use, the whole
folding in small compass to be carried
In the pocket.
Over and Over.
William Hawley Smith, In his "Walks
and Talks," tells of a remark made by
an Irish friend, which might be ap
plicable in many cases.
He used to be very fond of hearing
the bishop preach, and always went to
service when that dignitary held forth.
I met him on the street one Sunday
when I knew the bishop was preaching,
and asked him why he wasn't In his
pew. To which he replied:
"Troth, I don't go to hear the bishop
ony more."
"Why, what's the matter?" I said.
"You haven't 'gone back' on a good
man, have you?"
"No," he arlswered, "but it's the truth
I'm tellln' you, when you've heard the
bishop a half-dozen times, all after that
Is variations'"
Quite Sufficient.
An amusing clash of etiquette and
wit is recorded as having taken place
over the affairs of a wealthy English
widow.
Her husband had lately died, and she
refused to let her hounds follow the
hunt, contending that they should not
be allowed to go out when they had
been so recently bereaved of their mas
ter. "Don't you think," said a sergeant at
law, discussing the affair with a fa
mous legal light, "that if the hounds
bad each worn a band of crape around
the neck, the impropriety would have
been obviated?"
"I hardly think the crape would have
been a necessity," was the answer, "if
the hounds had been in full cry!"
Brief and Pithy.
An American law journal has quotrd
the charge to a jury delivered by a
certain Judge Donovan, as the shortest
charge on record. The judge said:
"Gentlemen of the jury, if you be
lieve the plaintiff, find a verdict for
plaintiff, and fix the amount. If you
believe the defendant, find a verdic t for
defendant. Follow the officer."
But an English periodical caps- this
brief charge by quoting a shorter one,
delivered by Commissioner Kerr. He
said to a jury:
"That man says prisoner robbed him ;
the prisoner says he didn't. You set
tle it." .
Natural Hot Water Clock.
One of the most curious clocks In the
world, says Science Siftlngs, Is perhaps
that which tells the time to the i nimbi t
snts of a little American backwood
town, and which was constructed some
time ago. The machinery, which is
Dothing but a face, hands and lever,
is connected with a geyser, which
shoots out an immense column of hot
water every thirty-eight seconds. This
pouting never varies to the tenth of a
second. Every time the water spouts
up Its strikes the lever and moves the
bands forward thirty-eight seconds.
Mary Johnson's Novel Damage Salt.
A supreme court Jury has awarded
the sum of $2,300 to one Mary Johnson
as compensation due to her from the
Nassau Railroad Company for injuries
sustained under circumstances which
! are a menace to all patrons of the road.
As a result of the sudden stoppage of
I a car the plaintiff was heavily sat upon
by a man unknown to her, but suffici
I ently identified as being "a very fat
man."
Gotham's Heavy Expense Account
Gross expenses of the State of New
York in the year 1899, it is computed,
amounted to $25,000,000, of which near
ly 10 per cent, was necessary to pay
the deficit of departments which ex
ceeded in 1898, or In previous years, the
appropriation made for them.
In nine cases in ten, when a woman
dies, the neighbors say that she could
have been saved If her husband had
gotten scared soon enough.
Most men need a pair of pants that
are neither too short nor too long.