MINES OF THIS AND OTHER STATES
LIVF MONTANA DISTRICT
Many of the Properties Around Libby
Are Being Worked Into
Producers.
Spokane, June 25. Operations in
the gold belt south of Libby, Montana,
continue to absorb attention. The
district is an old one, comparatively,
yet until last fall no effort had been
made to get a mill on any of the prop
erties. Last year the West Fisher
Mining Company was organized with
Iowa capital. A saw mill and stamp
mill were constructed last year and
several short trial runs in the stamp
mill were made to test the milling pos
sibilities of the ore. These runs were
entirely satisfactory. This spring op
erations were resumed in the mill and
the development of the mine likewise
continued. The mill is now running
24 hours a day, using about 30 tons of
crude ore. It is a 10-stamp mill.
Not far from the West Fisher Min
ing Company's property is a group of
claims which have been stocked for
$2,000,000. It is known as the Amer
ican Kootenai Mining Company, and
is owned largely by parties in Cincin
nati and Libby.
The Faith, Hope and Charity Com
pay has been incorporated and stocked
at a million shares of $1 each. The
property is located on Bear creek, be
tween the Snowshoe and Silver Cable
mines: The values are silver and lead
with some gold.
Mr. Peterson, of Spokane, has taken
a contract to run 100 feet on the De
fender claim, situated in Snowshoe
gulch, and work is now going on in
that property. This property has been
developed by about 700 feet of tunnel
work and the showing in the long tun
nel is considered to be an exceptionally
good one.
Work is being carried on in all of
the placer claims around Libby, and
the feeling among the miners is that
the present year will be one of the best
in the history of the creek.
GOLDEN EAGLE ORE.
Twenty Tons Will Be Tested at the
Smelter In Trail.
Grand Forks, B. C, June 25. The
main shaft on the Golden Eagle is now
down about 140 feet, all in ore, and
22 tons of the high-grade ores have
been sacked and will be shipped to the
smelter at Trail as soon as wagons can
be provided. This will be a trial ship
ment to test the smelting capacity of
the ore. When the Granby smelter is
blown in, the Golden Eagle ore will be
smelted in this city.
Bleh Strike at Index.
Index, Wash., June 25. A verv
rich strike is reported from the old
Mountain Mining Company's claim,
the Grand Central. A vein 47 inches
wide, carrying $320 in gold, has been
cut. This is one of the richest strikes
in the district, and is a very large vein
for so high-grade ore.
WILL PROSPECT SIBERIA.
Kunslan Syndicate Starts from San Fran
cisco for Six Months Tour.
San Francisco, June 25. The Rus
sian syndicate, which is to prospect
the Siberian coast for gold, sailed for
the frozen north on the chartered
steamei Samoa last week. There are
about 40 in the party all told, among
they being 27 miners, headed by H.
Itoberts, of Com stock fame. The ves
sel cleared for Alexander bay and will
be gone about six months.
LEADVILLE BOOMING.
Last Month 75,000 Tons of Ore Were
Produced.
Leadville, Colo., June 25. From
one end of Leadville to the other min
ing activity is on the inrease, and the
outlook for the future was never so
bright. The camp last month produced
over 75,000 tons of ore from its mines
already opened up, which had a valua
tion of considerably over $1,000,000.
In addition to these producing mines a
dozen new enterprises were inaugurated
that when they open np new ore bodies
will subsequently be as great as any of
the propositions already producing.
$20,000 IN SEVEN MONTHS.
Result of the Waldo Mine Clean-Up la
Southern Oregon.
Grant's Pass, Or., June 25. While
the figures aie not made public, the
clean-up of the placer mine of Wiiner
Bros. & Company, at Waldo, is be
lieved to be $20,000. The run was
from November 1 to June 1, during
which time three acres of dirt were
moved. The Simmons mine, in the
same locality is still running, and will
make a fine showing.
Old Prussian Opens lTp Again.
Gold Hill, Colo., June 25. It is re
ported that rich ore has again been
struck in the Old Prussian mine, near
this place. The vein is said to be
three feet wide and to carry from 10 to
26 ounces in gold.
A rich body of ore has been struck
on the Pike's Peak claim of the Kubli
mine, on Galls creek, in Jackson coun
ty, carrying, according to careful esti
mates, about $200 to the ton.
Great Gold Producer.
The famous Congress mine of Arizona
that has produced dozens of fabulous
fortunes is still one of the greatest gold
producers in Arizona. The shafts have
reached a depth of 2,535 feet. Forty
stamps are kept busy on the ore pro
duct. It is reported that the dredger on
Rogue river, near Tolo, which has not
been working for some time, will re
sume operations in the near future.
WYOMING COPPER CAMP.
Some Very Rich Deposits Found Near
Tie Siding-.
Denver, June 25. The Republican
states upon the authority of Thomas
O'Neill, who is operating the new cop
per camp near Tie Siding, Wyo., that
the deposit is of extraordinary riohness
and appears to be of great extent, al
though how great is as yet unknown.
Some of the ore is said to be almost
pure native copper. Large bodies, it
is claimed, will inn from 30 to 40 per
cent, with immense quantities showing
ORE ON THE CLACKAMAS
Rich Gold Ledge in the Saddle
Mountain District Near
Mount Hood.
Oregon City, Or., June 25. George
Strong, John Evans and Gerhard Berg
man have returned after three weeks
prospecting on the Upper North Fork
of the Clackamas river, having discov
ered a promising gold-producing quartz
ledge. Samples of the ore were sent
to Portland to be assayed. The ledge
on which these parties located claims
is situated in the Saddle Mountain dis
trict, which has been prospected, more
or less, for the past 25 years. A ledge
in the immediate vicinity of this dis
covery assays $15 per ton, and the con
ditions are not so favorable as in the
latter lode. This district is only about
nine miles distant from Mount Hood,
and the snow in places is six to eight
inches deep. As soon as returns are
received from the assay office, these
men will return to their new locations
and run a tunnel or sink a shaft.
GOLD FROM KLONDIKE.
Eighty-five Pasnengrers Bring; Out About
-300,000 in Oust.
The steamer Dirigo has arrived at
Seattle from Lynn Canal, having , on
board 85 passengers, who brought about
$300,000 in gold dust. The steamer's
officeis report 160 passengers at Bennet
who were unable to reach Skagway in
time to catch the Dirigo. These, it is
reported at the Skagway offices of the
steamship company, are bringing out a
very large amount of gold, greater, it
is said, than any party of similar size
that has yet arrived.
The largest owners of gold dust on
board the Dirigo were the McDonald
brothers, of Seattle, Roily and Donald.
The former has 230 pounds, valued at
$50,000, and the latter 140 pounds,
valued at $30,000. Charles Hutchin
son brought out 200 pounds, valued at
$42,000. The remainder of tne ship
ment is owned by the remaining pas
sengers in sums ranging from $5,000
up.
The passengers all declare that this
summer's output from the Klondike
will be much larger than last, and esti
mates are made all the way from $25,
000,000 to $40,000,000. As yet they
say the clean-up has not started thit
way, and probably will not until after
July 15.
The latest advices from the gold bear
ing districts remote from Dawson, it is
said, show that the clean-up is almost
double the amount first reported . Bo
nanza creek alone, it is stated, will
send out $8,000,000 to $10,000,000,
which will be the largest amount com
ing from any of the creeks.
The Dawson banks, it is said, have
taken np about .$2,000,000 already,
and when the Dirigo's passengers left,
were buying very heavily every day.
In the city of Dawson business was
very lively. There was no scarcity oi
labor to speak of, although every mac
who wanted work was working at good
wages. Food prices were beginning
to drop, and the general belief was that
before another month Seattle prices foi
ordinary commodities would prevail.
Oregon Mining: Notes.
The Bohemia and Blue River dis
tricts, in Lane county, are overrun
with prospectors.
The sum of $419.93 was the result
of the latest crushing of 12 14 tons of
ore from Winningham & Pene's quartz
mine, on Applegate creek, in Jackson
county, as sold at the mint. The free
gold went $33.59 per ton.
A rich pocket has been discovered
on Sucker creek, in Jospehine county.
One hundred dollars in dust was
taken out in a few hours. The vein
runs from two inches to a foot in width
and will be fully prospected.
Northwest Notes.
The new commercial club building
at La Grande will soon be ready for
occupancy.
The canned salmon product of the
Siuslaw river is being transferred to
Coos bay by the tug Roberts, for ship
ment to San Francisco.
The recent rains will necessitate
spraying in the hop yards as soon as
the weather settles. Hop lice have
made their appearance in large num
bers. The Indians on the Umatilla county
reservation have demanded tint fishing
on the reserve on Sunday be prohibited,
as some of the whites have been dyna
miting fish. The agent will comply
with their request.
Artesian wells promise to become
general in Lake county. The move
ment has been agitated for several
years, and now that a farmer found a
good Sow of water at a depth of 60
feet, boring will commence in almost
every section of the county.
Much hay is being shipped from Pa
louse, the price being $12 per ton.
Medical lake, Wash., is sowly bnt
surely rising. The lake has no visible
outlet or inlet, and it is supposed that
the water is supplied through subter
ranean passages.
R. B. Blake, ex-superior judge at
Spokane, died in Chicago, aged 50
years. In 1888 he moved with his
family to Spokane and became a lead
ing member of the bar. He went to
Chicago for medical treatment for tu
berculosis or cancer.
Within 10 days over 120,000 bushels
of wheat have been sold by farmers
near Waitsburg, Wash. The price
ranged from 42 to 44 cents, according
to grade. The railroads are hustling
for empty cars to move the grain as it
is wanted for export.
Davenport, Wash,, business men
will build a railroad from that city to
the Cedar Canyon section, to serve a
portion of the mining trade. Two
hundred men are at present employed
in the mines and the development of
the country is in its infancy.
The green aphis has made its ap
pearance in Pa louse wheat fields, and
is doing considerable damage.
Walla Walla has granted a fran
chise to an Eastern company for the
erection of a gas and electric light
plant. Construction work will com.
MIDSUMMER BUSINESS.
Distributive Trade Is on a Restricted
Scale.
Bradstreet'i sys: Midsummer dull
ness in -distributive trade and indus
try, and further redaction of prices in
manufactured goods, particularly iron
and steel and raw textiles, but a
marked movement in nearly all agri
cultural products, aie the leading fea
tures of the business situation this
week.
Crop damage has been a moving
cause for the adavnee in the price of
cotton. Some weakness has been noted
in cotton goods, without, however,
favorably affecting distribution. Trade
in dry goods has been helped by warmer
weather.
Wool is lower, and the woolen-goods
market is rather quiet, awaiting the
next London wool sale and the opening
of the spring-weight season.
A heavy business is doing in refined
sugar, and the manufacturers are over
sold. A good margin of profit exists
in this trade.
Reports from the boot and shoe in
dustry are of rather unsatisfactory
trade prospects, and leather and hides
are rather weak at the East, but stron.
at Chicago, where heavy purchases foi
Philippine army purposes have strength
ened the situation.
Anthracite coal is in seasonable dis
tribution, while the deamnd for bi
tuminous continues active.
Wheat (including flour) shipments
for the week aggregate 4,645,180 bush
els, against 4,678,029 bushels last
week.
Failures in the United States for the
week number 167, compared with 180
last week.
Failures in the Dominion of Canada
for (he week number 28, against 23
last week.
PACIFIC COAST TRADE.
Seattle Markets.
Onions, new, lo.
Lettuce, hot house, $1 per crate.
Potatoes, $16 (9 16; $16.
Beets, per sack, 90c$l.
Turnips, per sack, 75c.
Carrots, per sack, $1.
Parsnips, per sack, 50 75c.
Cauliflower, California 90c $1.
Strawberries $1.25 per case.
Celery 40 60c per doz.
Cabbage, native and California,
$1.00 1.25 per 100 pounds.
Tomatoes -$2.50 per case.
Butter Creamery, 22c; Eastern 22c;
dairy, 1722c; ranch, 1617c pound.
Eggs 19c.
Cheese 14 15c.
Poultry 14c; dressed, 14 16c;
spring, $3.60.
Hay Pnget Sound timothy, $11.00
12.00; choice Eastern Washington
timothy, $18.00.
Corn Whole, $88.00; cracked, $23;
feed meal, $28.
Barley Rolled or ground, per ton,
$20.
Flour Patent, per barrel, $8.25;
blended straights, $8.00; California,
$3.25; buckwheat flour, $6.00; gra
ham, per barrel, $8.00; whole wheat
flour, $3.00; rye flour, $3.804.00.
Millstuffs Bran, per ton, $18.00;
shorts, per ton, $14.00.
Feed Chopped feed, $19.00 per ton;
middlings, per ton, $20; oil cake meal,
per ton, $30.00.
Fresh Meats Choice dressed beef
steers, price 8c; cows, 7c; mutton 8c;
pork, 8c; trimmed, 9c; veal, 82
10c.
Hams Large, 13c; small, 18 Hi
breakfast bacon, 12;2c; dry salt sides,
8c.
Portland Market.
Wheat Walla Walla. 6758o;
Valley, 58c; Blues tem, 68c per bushel.
Flour Best grades, $3.05; graham,
$2.55; superfine, $2.10 per barrel.
Oats Choice white, 85c; choice
gray, 33c per bushel.
Barley Feed barley, $14. 0015. 00;
brewing, $16.00 per ton.
Millstuffs Bran, $12 ton; mid
dlings, $19; shorts, $13; chop, $14 per
ton.
Hay Timothy, $10 11; clover,$7
7.60; Oregon wild hay, $6 7 per ton.
Butter Fancy creamery, 86 40c;
seconds, 45c; dairy, 25 80c;
ttore, 25c.
Eggs 15c per dozen.
Cheese Oregon full cream, 13c;
Young America, 14c; new cheese 10c
per pound.
Poultry Chickens, mixed, $3.00
4.00 per dozen; hens, $5.00; springs,
$1.25 3. 50; geese, $4.00 5.00 for old;
$4.606.5.0; ducks, $3.004.00 per
dozen; turkeys, live, 14 15c per
pound.
Potatoes 40 50c per sack; sweets,
22c per pouna.
Vegetables Beets, $1; turnips, 75c;
per sack; garlic, 7c per pound; cab
bage, lo per pound; parsnips, $1;
onions, 1 He per pound; carrots, $1.
Hops 2 8c per pound.
Wool Valley, 15 16c per pound;
Eastern Oregon, 10 15c; mohair, 25
per pound. -
Mutton Gross, beet sheep, wethers
and ewes, 3c; dressed mutton, 7
7sc per pound; lambs, 5ac.
Hogs Gross, choice heavy, $6.00;
light and feeders, $4.60; dressed,
$5,006.50 per 100 pounds.
Beef Gross, top steers, $4.0004.60;
cows, $3.50 4.00; dressed beef, 6i
7?i'c per pound.
Veal Large, 87)ac; small, 8
8ec per pound. :
Tallow 55c; No. 8 and grease,
8s 4c per pound.
an Franeisca Market.
Wool Spring Nevada, 18 15c pei
pound; Eastern Oregon, 10 15c; Val
ley, 18 20c; Northern, 10 12c.
Hops 1899 crop, ll18o per
pound.
Butter Fancy creamery 19 20c;
do seconds, 1818c; fancy dairy,
18c; do seconds, 1616Ko per pound.
Eggs Store, 16c M; fancy ranch,
18Xc.
Millstuffs Middlings, $17.00
20.00; bran, $12.50 13.50.
Hay Wheat $6.60 10; wheat and
oat $6.009.60; best barley $5.00
7.00; alfalfa, $6.006.00 per ton;
straw, 25 40c per bale.
Potatoes Early Rose, 60 65c; Ore
gon Bur bank s, 80c 90; river Bur
banks, 8566c; new, 70c$l.S6.
Citrus Fruit Oranges, Valencia,
$2.753.25; Mexican limes, $4.00
6.00; California lemons 75c$1.60;
do choice $1.762.00 per box.
Tropical Fruits Bananas, $1.60
2.60 per bunch; pineapples, nom
inal; Persian dates, 66o per
and.
SWITCH THE GIRLS THEY LOVE.
Practices Indulged In by the Young;
People In Pennsylvania.
At Shamokln, Pa., some queer cus
toms have survived the march of progress-
among the Poles and Russians.
One of these observances is "switching
day." It is a favorite day for bashful
lovers, for swiftness of limb, rather
than eloquence of tongue, captures the
belles of the community.
For days the man has been In train
ing for the run of his lift, while the
maids adjure corsets and rub llnament
on their kneecaps every night ere woo
ing slumber. Finally the morning of
"switching day" arrives. The man
sees before him all the maidens of his
village. He may take his pick. All he
must do is to catch and switch and
duck with water the one of bis choice
the maid whom, he would have for
bis wife. If she Is fleeter of foot than
he and escapes she Is free. If the man
is beloved of his quarry she seldom
gets away, though his feet are clad In
leaden shoes.
"Switching day" at Shamokln is
Easter Sunday, when all the lads and
ejTJSBB CUSTOM IN PENNSYLVANIA.
lasses of the country round about gath
er at the town for the annual meeting.
A girl's starting to run Is accepted as a
token that she Is not averse to her pur
suer. The youth's start is accepted as
a proposal, and no matter what mis
fortune may befall his quarry he must
provide for her all the days of bis
future life.
Pathetic Indeed was the illustration
of this fact in the case of Susan Man
bok, who was by all odds the handsom
est girl In the Russian colonies for
many miles about. She was tall and
slender and her eyes were azure blue.
She was crowned with golden hair,
which grew In dainty ringlets close
upon her head. Miss Manbok bad
more suitors than she could accept,
and she was very coy. Fleet of foot,
the maid had, since arriving at a mar
riageable age, passed one "switching
day" in safety without the giving of
her promise.
Miss Manbok until noon on the lat
est festival occasion bad succeeded in
outdistancing all her pursuers. Many
were the races she had run, but never
had a switch or a pail of water come
within reaching distance of her petite
form. It was then that Andrew Ko-
binsky, a shrewd young man, who had
purposely waited until Miss Manbok
bad become fatigued, gave chase. Off
darted the maid, and after her sped the
pursuer.
Down the railroad track they rushed,
all unheeding. So excited were both
contestants the man running for a
wife, the girl for liberty that the ap
proach of a train was unnoticed. The
engine tooted shrilly and at Its blast
Miss Manbok, affrighted, stumbled and
fell upon the rail. Both of her legs
were cut off below the knees. And
Koblnsky, regardless of her being a
cripple, declares that he will wed her.
The Oldest Postal System.
We find the first recorded postal sys
tem In the Persian Empire, under Cyrus
the elder; but It is clear that Rome of
all the ancient states possessed the best
organized system of transmitting let
ters through Its numerous provinces.
All along the great Roman roads
houses were erected at a distance of
five or six miles from each other. At
each of these stations forty horses were
constantly kept, and, by the help of re
lays. It was easy to travel 100 miles a
day. These services were intended for
the state only, It being Imperative to
secure the rapid Interchange of official
communications.
In the time of Julius Caesar the sys
tem was so well organized that of two.
letters the great soldier wrote from
Britain to Cicero at Rome the one
reached Its destination In twenty-six
and the other In twenty-eight days.
Private citizens had to trust to the ser
vices of slaves, and It Is not till the end
of the third century that we bear of the
establishment of a postal system for
private persons by the Emperor Dio
cletian, but how long this system re
mained history does not say. New
York Evening World.
Accommodating; Diseases.
Perhaps the record for school attend
ance belongs to a Walworth lad named
Thomas Ward, who was never absent
or late daring his eleven years of
school life, beginning with his fourth.
The local member of the school board
for London tells the story that when
the proud boy received the attendance
medal for the eleventh year which
had to be specially struck to meet his
case the mother was questioned as to
how her boy bad been able to make so
remarkable a record. "Had he the us
ual children's complaints?" she was
asked. "Yes, sir." "The measles?"
"Yes, sir." "Whooping cough?" "Yes,
sir." "How Is H, then, that he has
never been away from school?" "Well,
sir, he had tbem In his holidays," was
the Interesting reply. London . West
minster Gazette.
Island of Key West.
The Island of Key West is of coral
formation, contains about 2,000 acres
and has a population of some 25,000
Americans, Cubans, negroes and Chi
nese. rtedlaads' Ulant Mowing; Machine.
Redlands, CaL, has a giant mowing
Ing machine which cuts a strip of
wheat fifty feet wide.
It Is such an easy matter for the aver
age woman to cry that there Is no dan
ger of her having water on the brain.
When you meet a man who Is lying
off for a !ong rest, it Is usually a sign
VsasmsV- r X
red.
AMERICA'S PROGRESS
8ROWTH OF THE UNITED STATE8
IN A CENTURY.
Historical Events of National Import
Recalled by the Celebration of July
Fourth -Great Strides Which Our
Country Has Taken.
NH of the wise
men who signed the
declaration of inde
pendence is said to
have expressed the.
wish that he might
arise from his
grave a hundred
years later in order
that he might wit
ness the manner, in
which posterity ob
served the Fourth
of July. If this wish had been granted.
It is safe to say that the worthy gentle
man who expressed it would have been
exceedingly surprised. Daring the cen
tury's sleep, says the St. Louis Repub
lic, America had advanced from a state
of tutelage into a vigorous state of inde
pendence, and the Joy of her people at
finding their forefathers' dream of liberty
fully realised was never more character
istically shown than on the day that
marked the centennial celebration of the
country's greatest holiday. Verily, the
visitor from the land of shades would
have been amazed at the sights and
tounds of that splendid anniversary. In
a word, he would have found himself in
an entirely new world.
How amazed this worthy eighteenth
century patriot would be if he could only
shake off his shroud and take a look at
his Fatherland during the Fourth of
July. He would then see how great are
the strides which the country has taken
since that ever-memorable day, when he
bravely signed bis name to the most im
portant document that was ever formu
lated in America, and it would not take
him long to realise the tact that the Unit
ed States have grown greatly in many
directions since their people celebrated
the centennial anniversary of the Fourth
of July. Indeed, there are many thou
sands of Americans who would tell him
that the country has cause to rejoice on
this Fourth of July.
Great Achievements.
Is it necessary to enumerate the many
reasons for national rejoicings? Do we
not all remember how American seamen
gave the death blow to Spain's colonial
power on that memorable day before the
Fourth of July, 1898 on the day when
the gallant but luckless Admiral Oervera
stenmea out or Santiago Bay right into
the arms of a vigilant foe, with the result
that he was captured and his entire
squadron was practically annihilated?
Can we forget the story of El Oaney, the
charge of the Rough Riders up San Juan
Hill, on the memorable days of July 1
and 2, and the many other stirring Inci
dents of the Cuban campaign, or is there
a true American living whose pulse does
not beat faster at the memory of the
GROWTH
THEN.
Population, about
fcrea (in square miles)
Wealth, about
St. Louis Republic.
Soughty deeds done by Dewey and his
men in Manila Bay?
A history of the previous celebrations
of this day would form an interesting
book, since it would show that some re
markable events in American history
have taken place on the Fourth of July.
Among these three are especially promi
nentthe battle of Gettysburg, the sur
render of Vicksburg and the deaths of
John Adams and Thomas Jefferson.
Strictly speaking, the battle of Gettys
burg began on July 1, 1868, and ended
on July 3, but ever since it took place it
has in the minds of the people been as
sociated with the Fourth. Adams and
Jefferson died within a few hours of each
other on the fiftieth anniversary of the
ieclaration of independence. Jefferson
died first, and, curiously enough, Adams'
last words were: "Thomas Jefferson sail
survives."
Singularly enough, our method of cele
brating the Fourth does not differ in
many respects from thnt which was in
vogue half a century ago. Then, as now,
patriots everywhere made the day an oc
casion for delivering speeches, for eating
dinners, for attending picnics, dances and
other forms of merrymaking, and for
ringing bells and firing off cannons. The
small boy of to-day has a better toy pis
tol than his grandfather had when he
was a boy, but it is doubtful If it makes
more noise than the old-fashioned blun
derbuss which was the favorite Fourth
of July weapon among youths in the old
days. Similarly the fire rockets of our
day may ascend to a height and produce
a more dazzling effect than the old rock
ets were ever capable of, but are we
quite sure that they add more to the gen
eral hilarity and enthusiasm than was
added in the old days by the tar barrels
of our fathers? Happily the tar barrel
has not gone out of fashion. The small
boy delights in the blaze that rises from
it, and as the small boy Is usually lord
of the Fourth, the resinous barrel will
doubtless continue to feed flames for
some years to come.
To hypercritical and ultrasensitive
touls our method of celebrating the great
est of American holidays seems awfully
barbaria and it Is quite true that noise
is the predominant feature of the day's
celebration. Noise, however. Is also the
predominant feature of battles, and
though they, too, are in a sense
awfully barbaric, the world does
sot ret seen to have arrived
FOURTH OP JULY ON THE FARM.
at a state of civilisation which will ren
der it safe for the nations to turn their
swords into plowshares. And, after all,
a thing may be barbaric and yet quite
useful. Sickly things, whether nations or
children, seldom make much noise, and
whatever noise they do make is generally
of the whining order. It is the healthy
children and the healthy nations which
make the most noise In the world, and
they, too, usually fare best In life.
This apparent apotheosis of noise may
rouse the ire of persons afflicted with in
somnia, who invariably look forward
with dread to the night preceding the
Fourth, knowing well that their ears will
be racked with the tintinnabulation of
bells, the boom of cannon and the bang
bang of firecrackers. Such persons are
deserving of sympathy, but they ought to
remember that this of all days in the year
is the one on which Young America loves
to show Its patriotism, and that it has
not yet discovered, nor, indeed, is likely
in the near future to discover, any more
suitable manner of manifesting its pat
riotism than by making all the noise pos
sible. A Fourth of Ju'y Joke.
It was a hot, close evening, the third
of July, many years ago. A young law
yer and some friends were sitting outside
OF THE UNITED STATES IN A
3,000,000
339,065
$1,000,000,000
of his office in Springfield, 111., to get a
breath of the evening air. They lounged
about comfortably in their chairs, tipped
them back against the wall of the build
ing, and amused themselves talking on
different subjects.
The conversation turned upon the crow
ing of cocks, and the young lawyer re
marked that he could set all the cocks in
the region about to crowing. So he gave
a shrill, clear "Cock-a-doo-dle-doo-oo!" Fn
a second came a response from a rooster
not far away, then another took up the
refrain, then another, and so on until all
the roosterB residing in that region had
had something to say about it.
The small boys of the town, awakened
by the lusty crowing, and taking it as a
signal of the dawn of the glorious
Fourth, jumped into their clothes with
the speed that is impossible on any day
but that one, and in a few moments
bang! bang! bang! went crackers, torpe
does, small cannon and everything else
employed on that day to make a noise.
All over the town resounded the boom
and bang, and doubtless, many an inno
cent sleeper was aroused from sweet
slumber by the untimely announcement
of the Fourth, while the young lawyer
and his companions enjoyed a hearty
laugh at the joke that had been played
on the boys.
This young lawyer afterwards became
President.
Forgot the Fireworks.
Farmer Jones Let's see, Sally, I guess
we've got everything for the Fourth now
sticking plaster, lint, sweet oil, splints,
crutches, bandages
Mrs. Jones But, good gracious, Silas!
you've forgot to buy the fireworks!
Puck.
Practicing; Solemnity.
"Foresyte has taken the jwsitlott of
bmtler with the Gafbergirts."
"Great Scott! you don't mean It?
What on earth has he done that for?"
"He says that the expression he must
acquire will come in handy when his
rich nncle dies." Puck.
Girls Preferred.
In Germany and Holland girls are
chosen In preference to young men In
all employments In which they can be
advantageously employed.
AFTER THE BATTLE.
His On'y Regret Was that He Had
Missed So Much.
It was the evening after the Fourth,
as the glorious sun was sinking to its
gorgeous couch of red and white clouds
and blue sky, and the small boy, packed
in cotton, lint and a splint or two, was
lying with his face to the west, while
his father sat by his side fanning him.
He was doing as well as could be expect
ed and was already able to talk.
"Papa," he said in a dreamy, langor
ous tone, "did they have a Fourth of
July when you was a little boy?"
"Oh, yes, my son," answered the fath
er. "Just the same kind they have now?"
"Just the same."
"And did you celebrate when you was
a little boy?"
"Yes, but I was more careful than you
were, and didn't get hurt so."
"I guess you didn't have much fun,
did yon?" he asked, trying to turn toward
his father.
The father looked at the combination of
bandages and boy on the bed and smiled.
"I thought I did, but perhaps I was
mistaken," he replied.
At this point the doctor came In and
made it unpleasant for the boy for some
CENTURY.
NOW.
s
Population (Including Islands) 85,000,000
Area (In square miles) 3,408,365
Wealth, over $80,000,000,000
minutes. Then he went away and the
boy sniffed awhile and resumed conversa
tion with his father.
"Is the Fourth going to keep on every
year?" he asked.
"There'B nothing on enrth can stop It,
I guess," replied the father with patri
otic pride.
"That's good, ain't it?"
"We all think so in this country."
"And how long since it started?" per
sisted the boy, who should have been
trying to go to sleep.
"Ever since 1776; about a hundred and
twenty-four years."
A shade of disappointment swept over
the boy's face.
"Gee, pop." he exclaimed, "how much
I've missed," and then the father insist
ed that he must stop talking and try to
get some much-needed rest.
An L'p-to-Date Polly.
Boy Polly want a cracker?
Polly See here, young feller, you ain't
a-going to spring that newspaper chest
nut about fire cracker, are you? Aw, go
chase yourself.
Blistering; Old Time.
Johnny Did yer enjoy dis Fourt',
Willy?
Willie You bet. I only had two blis
ters last Fourt'. Dis year I got free fist