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Show DAIRY AND POULTRY. INTERESTING CHAPTERS OUR RURAL READERS. FOR Bow Successful Farmer Operate This . Department of the Farm A Few .Hlata ae to the Care of Lin Stock and Poultry. Ropines In Milk and Cream. Prof. A. R. Ward of the Cornell Experiment Station, on the subject of ropy milk and cream, gays: "Ropiness in milk is one of the most serious troubles milk dealers have to contend with. This condition, which la objectionable more on account of its unwholesome appearance than from any known harmful effect which it produces, pro-duces, has received its popular designation desig-nation from the viscid, slimy consistency con-sistency which characterizes the affected af-fected milk. The cause has been found to be the action of certain bacteria, and a number of apparently different species have been described as having hav-ing the power of producing the ropy condition. Among those who have written on this subject should be mentioned men-tioned Adametz, Loeffier, Guillebsau and Marshall. Nevertheless, few definite defi-nite determinations have been mada concerning the natural habitat of thes3 particular species of bacteria and the channels through which they gain entrance en-trance to the milk. Furtfier information informa-tion on these points is especially desired de-sired in order to successfully combat the trouble and to prevent it3 recurrence. recur-rence. This trouble, which is widespread wide-spread and of considerable economic Importance to milk dealers and butter-makers, butter-makers, should not be confused with the abnormal changes In milk which accompany an inflamed condition of the udder frequently called "garget." Milk drawn from udders in this condition con-dition is more or les3 thickened by the presence of pus, or may in addition contain white, tough solid masses of casein, which pass through the duct of the teat with more or less difficulty. Milk in such condition is by some called ropy, and consequently It has been asserted that a diseased condition of the udder is the cause of all ropy milk. The investigations which have heretofore been made do not throw any definite light upon this alleged cause. They do not suggest a necessary neces-sary dependence upon a diseased condition con-dition of the udder, although they do not preclude the possibility of such a combination." After relating several experiences, the professor gives the following conclusions: con-clusions: "Ropiness is a fault of milk which does not necessarily depend for its cause upon the health of the cows. It Is said to be caused by any one of several sev-eral different species of bacteria. I have found bacillus lactis viscosu3 to be the cause of viscid milk in two different dif-ferent creameries. In the two outbreaks out-breaks investigated the trouble was found to be caused by the use of milk utensils which had not been sufficiently scalded. The bacteria, remaining In the cans which had previously contained con-tained viscid milk, were able to survive sur-vive the washing and remain alive to Infect new quantities of milk. Greater care In scalding utensils brought the trouble to an end. All small utensils were Immersed In boiling water for three minutes, and the larger cans were filled to the brim with scalding water which was allowed to remain for the same length of time. A thorough investigation in-vestigation of the sources from which the bacteria might have entered the milk at the stables and of sources elsewhere, else-where, failed to reveal the presence of bacillus lactfs vlscosus. Nevertheless, from the work of ' Adametz, there is reason to suspect that during warm weather these - particular bacteria get 'nto the milk from water. The im portance of thorough, scalding of vessels ves-sels which have once contained ropy milk is urged upon the consumer as .well as the dealer. Bacteria may readily read-ily be transferred from running water to milk by the agency of mud, which, drying upon the udder, may be dislodged dis-lodged during milking. Milk utenslU which have been used for jxmtainlng water should be scalded before using again for milk. The apparent purity of water used about a creamery gives no assurance that it is free from bacteria." bac-teria." , Freeh Eggn. How old must an egg be to be Strictly fresh? We would say that that would depend on the weather, says the Epljfomist. During cold weather a weefexold egg will be strictly fresh, but half that time is all that will be allowed during warm weather. We havri been asked how to preserve eggs so .as to keep them fresh from three tot six months. There ist nn w v that can be done. Unlike wine, egg3 do "t improve with age. A fresh egg ust bs fresh laid or it will not be esh. Packed eggs are sold for such & can be readily told by almost any-te. any-te. By far too many people pay too tie attention to gathering and sell-X sell-X their eggs. They seem to think . it the egg from the "new nest" is as 'id as any, or eggs kept for two eks are fresh eggs. This Is not so, when taken to the store or sold, purely dishonest. During hot ler eggs ought to reach the con- j when not over three days old to iU ay fresh. As we have stated pt t have bad some experience On!igg8 ,rom farmers for our oeiei trade in "fancy" goods. j( n always rely on eggs from ts, we look closely at eggs tne next farm. We J O the " tit J T.'wIftii person could rely on ret- l adUm?resh eggs by offering a z tickoiore than the ' market "i" tW- We answered with an oin. To illustrate this point: oiit.ttT near here gets eggs, japoiVn, from some dozen -rmating more for them than !,ice. One day he was ,iOK.' er neighbor, who keeps fens (he is a progressive Viscid report) if he would I ialso. The party said fewing week, after get-sj get-sj this new place a cus- severai eggs were bad ta time about it. The - A?" -ST tl 4T the . -""" SWnltiLtb.1 isnt testea ana several bad, which finished -fcat direction. Now Fufliife e have been highly been called dls- ijusraly was. Eggs nd keep in a a until sold, gs should be IiUi-e. ready H If .a TftYIiOR i jProvo, J X ply goo4, vigorous specimens, caoabla of giving plenty of milk. The quality must come from the sire, where quality qual-ity means most, because one animal can impart It to so many. Such associations asso-ciations as these can render the horse interests a valuable service by using every influence to hasten the day of stallion inspection and license here in America. This farmer we are considering con-sidering Is not a horseman; that is, is not able to detect the slighter faults of animals. The hock may be slightly too narrow, or the leg a little crooked, or the bone not quite flat enough, or the loin a little light, and he will not be able to detect it. I know a farmer who considers himself something of a horseman who yet did not notice a hind leg of a colt so poor at the hock that it was certain to go to pieces. I know a part-bred Percheron stallion that is considered a great horse with the farmers because he takes fat like a hos and has a heavy, arching neck, but his sickle hock gives him a leg so bent a3 to entirely disqualify him in the eye of even a fair judge. So do ether parts escape the uotice of a clasi of gcod men who are not at all ignorant, ignor-ant, but whose information and expert ex-pert knowledge lie along other lines. The inspector and the law shou'.d help them out. As it is now, the owner of a strictly first-clas ;, wcll-br.d and registered reg-istered staliion has no chance out over the country as compared with the owner own-er of a part-bred horse that will fatten readily, and that, costing but a fraction frac-tion of the other, can be stood for per- 1 . it l 11 lnna uaps oniy two or mrte aoimrs and get all the custom. This compels the owner of the good stallion to cut prices to a point where in order to secure se-cure decent returns so much service U j taken as to render next to worthies.! j a lareo share of the colts gotten. We shall produce pljity of scalawag horses until tiro-; art-bred stallion is driven out of business, and that will be done only by a system of inspection. inspec-tion. It costs as much to raise a poor horse as it does a good one. The deficient de-ficient hock or loin is not a thing that takes less feed. It is no element oi cheapness until it comes before the old horseman in the great markets, and the general horse raiser must be insured in-sured against his own foolishness in this matter by a thorough system of inspection. Until that time cornea the great breeders and improvers of horses will be subject to a ruinous competition from part-bred stallions. The system that has been in vogue has produced some good horses, but it has produced a good many more poor ones. The horse is a highly developed animal, and all his parts are developed far beyond their natural state. If, in a given individual, one part is not fully developed it cannot stand the strain put upon it by the other and better developed de-veloped parts, and it is with a horse as with a chain, or a tile drain, the whole is no better than the poorest gpot. What a mixed and heterogeneous mass of horseflesh we have been guilty of producing! And yet the stallioneer and the law are more in the blame than the farmer. The horse raiser should fix his mind definitely upon the class of horses that he proposes to pro duce, choose his stallion accordingly and depend upon him for that quality that always distinguishes the excellent from the ordinary. He should never, sleeping or waking, forget his own limitations, but remember that while the professional horseman must produce pro-duce the breeder, the racer, and the phenomenal individuals out of the best material of the world, yet that the production pro-duction of the great mass of commercial com-mercial horses out of common mares and by approved slre3 is his own peculiar pe-culiar field, In which good profits can always be realized, if the farmer keep3 his head and does not produce worthless worth-less stuff. Cheap horses are recruiitd with sufficient rapidity from the ranks above, both by age and accident, and we cannot afford to grow them as a business. Care of Turkey Coops. A turkey hates to get into her coop at night unless it has been moved during dur-ing the day, writes Miss E. J. Pine in "Turkeys and How to Grow them." If it is changed every day she soon regards re-gards it as a safe place to keep her little family over night. Should it rain in the night, change it that it may be clean for the day. Filth is a deadly foe to a young turkey in confinement. I have always kept my coops on the ground. An experienced raiser who ha3 tried floors prefers the ground, as it is more natural and healthful. I think it i3 a good plan to keep a box skunk trap set at night near the coop3. When the turkeys get large enough to fly over a stone wall, they w ill wander further away, and there is danger from hawks and foxes. I keep track of their whereabouts as well as I can. which takes me outdoors no more than is necessary nec-essary for my goad health. I have had them so wild that they have caused me considerable trouble, but it was caused by introducing new blood through strange hens, instead of the gobbler. The latter is the better way. Keep Records. Keep strict records. Note all important events. Keep an account of your expenses, and give the fowls the credit for all receipts. That's a business way of handling the subject. sub-ject. Next year you will readily see the mistakes you made this year, and will be able to improve upon them. Be progressive; push ahead; keep up with the times. Don't let your business push you; you push the business. A wise man is always on the alert; he is looking for improvement. In this era of push it will not pay a man to Idle away his time. Don't get discouraged. dis-couraged. "A faint heart never won fair lady." The doubting Thomases are always poor. Build up your business busi-ness gradually. Go step by step, and make your foundation firm and sure. Build up a reputation. Let it be a reputation repu-tation for good goods and honest dealings. deal-ings. Think over all these thinss. Iowa Homestead. Choice and Ordinary Butter. Dairymen Dairy-men should not forget that the discrimination dis-crimination between choice and ordinary ordi-nary grades of butter is becoming moru clearly and sharply defined each year. It Is only the best that Is always In demand and will sell at good prices when there is a surplus of the inferior grades, that either are not wanted at all or else must be sold at a sacrifice. We can hardly expect that under these circumstances this order of things will be changed or improved upon; it is merit that is going to win, and if the dairyman expects to come out satisfactorily satisfac-torily at the end of the year, it is of the greatest importance that he start right. To try and do a little better than ever before should be the watchword watch-word of the day. Progressive Farmer. Raise the Quality of Butter. The de- m QnH In tnfa rmintTv ia frvi a htsKai.- k.rade product, and that - demand will - Jrow, and butter-makers must see to Wh that the demand is supplied. Those iirho do this will get closely in line for pecess, while tnose woo fall to do it fin have to fall out of the procession id get no chance to hang on even to tail-nd of the band-wagon.- Elgin Reaprt PAU To!d By Himself. Narrated in There has been discovered in old archives in Boston a musty letter written writ-ten by Paul Revere himself, in which he tells the story of his famous fa-mous exploit. This letter never has been published before. Indeed, its existence ex-istence was unknown until it was found by the investigator. Many interesting things are shown by this letter, and some cherished pictures pic-tures destroyed. Longfellow has given us in undying verse the picture of Paul Revere waiting impatiently on the Charlestown shore for the signal lanterns lan-terns to show in the old North Church steeple, telling him of the movements of the British. But It seems from this letter that Revere knew before he left Boston the intention of the royal troops, and himseir ordered the signals to be shown, so as to inform, as by previous agreement, Colonel Co-nant Co-nant and other patriots on the Charles-town Charles-town shore. As soon as Revere got across the river Colonel Conant informed in-formed him that his signals had been seen, and then Revere "told them what was acting," and went to borrow Deacon Dea-con Larkin's horse. It seems, too, that a Warren Dawe3 had been dispatched by Dr. Warren to Lexington before Revere was sent out. Revere got to Lexington half an hour ahead of Dawes, thanks to the good judgment of Deacon Larkin in the matter mat-ter of horse flesh; but suppose Dawes had been first then it would have been "Dawes' ride." It is a matter of congratulation con-gratulation that Revere arrived before his fellow courier, for Warren Dawes is not half as euphonious a name "to fill the speaking trump of future fame" as Paul Revere. Another thing which strikes one is the number of patrols and scouting parties which the British Brit-ish had out over Middlesex. We generally gen-erally picture Paul Revere as dashing through the night along the roads of a peaceful farming country. But in reality re-ality he rode through a country swarming with British scouting parties. par-ties. It appears from the letter also that Dr. Warren did not think that the object ob-ject of the British was to destroy the stores at Concord, but to capture John Hancock and John Adams, who were at Lexington; and the last picture glimpse we get of Paul Revere he is lugging a trunk filled with Hancock's papers across the fields, while behind him the minutemen and the British are fighting on Lexington common. This is Paul Revere's story of his ride: In the fall of 1774 and the winter of 1775 I was one of upward of thirty, chiefly mechanics, who formed themselves them-selves into a committee for the purpose pur-pose of watching the movements of the British soldiers, and' gaining every intelligence in-telligence of the movements of the to-ries. to-ries. We held our meetings at the Green Dragon tavern. We were so careful our meetings should be kept secret se-cret that every time we met every person per-son swore upon the Bible that they would not discover any of our transactions trans-actions but to Messrs. Hancock, Adams, Drs. Warren, Church and one or two more. About November, when things began to grow serious, a gentleman who had connections with the tory party, but was a whig at heart, acquainted me that our meetings were discovered, and mentioned the identical words that were spoken among us the night before. be-fore. We removed to another place, which we thought was more secure; but here we found that all our transactions trans-actions were communicated to Governor Gov-ernor Gage. This came to me through the then secretary, Flucker; he told It to the gentleman mentioned above. It was then the common opinion that there was a traitor in the provincial congress, and that Gage was possessed of all their secrets. In the winter, toward spring, we ' frequently took turns, by two and two, to watch the soldiers patrolling the streets all night. The Saturday night preceding the 19th of April, about 12 o'clock Rt n!ght, i the boats belonging to the transports were all launched and carried under the sterns of the men-of-war. They had previously been hauled up and repaired. re-paired. We likewise found that all the grenadiers and light Infantry were taken off duty. From thxsse movements we expected something serious was to be transacted. transact-ed. On Tuesday evening, the 18th, it was observed a number of soldiers were marching toward the bottom of the commen. About 10 o'clock Dr. Warren sent in great haste for me and begged that I would immediately set off for Lexington, where Messrs. Hancock Han-cock and Adams were, and acquaint REVERE'S RIDEo Details Never Before Published, a Letter Just Discovered. them with the movement, and that it was thought that they were the object. ob-ject. When I got to Dr. WTarren's house I found that he had sent an express by land to Lexington a Mr. Warren Dawes. The Sunday before, by the desire de-sire of Dr. Warren, I had been to Lexington Lex-ington to Messrs. Hancock and Adams, who were at the Rev. Mr. Clark's. I returned at night through Charles-town; Charles-town; there I agreed with a Colonel Conant Co-nant and some other gentlemen that if the British went out by water we would show two lanterns in the North Church steeple, and if by land one, as a signal; sig-nal; for we were apprehensive it would be difficult to cross the Charles river or get over Boston neck. I left Dr. Warren, called upon a friend and desired him to make the signals. I then went home, took my boots and surtout, and went to the north part of the town, where I had kept a boat; two friends rowed me across the Charles river, a little to the eastward of where the Somerset lay. It was then young flood, the ship was winding, the moon was rising They landed me on the Charlestown side. When I got into town I met Colonel Conant and several others, who said they had seen our signals. I told them what was acting, and went to get a horse; I got a horse of Deacon Larkin. While the horse was preparing Richard Rich-ard Devens, Esq., who was one of the committee of safety, came to me and told me that he came down the road from Lexington after sundown that night and that he met ten British officers, offi-cers, all well mounted and armed, going go-ing up the road. I set off upon a very good horse; it was then about 11 o'clock and very pleasant. After I had passed Charlestown Charles-town neck and got nearly opposite where Mark was hung in chains I saw two men on horseback under a tree. When I got near them I discovered that they were British officers. One tried to get ahead of me, and the other to take. I turned my horse away quick and galloped toward Charlestown Charles-town neck, and then pushed for the Medford road. Then the one who chased me, endeavoring to cut me off, got into a clay pond near where the new tavern is now built. I got clear of him and went through Medford, over the bridge, and up to Metonomy. In Medford I awakened the captain of the minute men; and after that I alarmed almost every house, till I got to Lexington. I found Messrs. Hancock Han-cock and Adams at the Rev. Mr. Clark's; I. told them my errand, and inquired for Mr. Dawes; they said he had not been there; I related the story of the two officers, and supposed that he must have been stopped, a3 he ought to hive been there before rae. After I had been there about half an hour Mr. Dawes came; we refreshed ourselves, and set off for Concord, to secure the stores, etc., there. Weyvere whom we found To Z a hi liberty. I told them of th? tQQii; cers that Mr. Devens met, and that it was possitle we might be stopped before be-fore we reached. Concord; for I supposed sup-posed that after night they divided themselves, and that two of them had fxed themselves in such passages as was most likely to stop any intelligence intelli-gence going to Concord; I likewise mentioned that we had better alarm all the inhabitants till we got to Concord; Con-cord; the young doctor much approved of it, and said he would stop with either of us, for the people between that and Concord knew him, and would give the rrore credit to what we said. We had got nearly half way. Mr. Dawes and the doctor stopped to alarm the people of a house. ' I was about a hundred rods ahead, when I saw two men in nearly the same position as those officers were near Charlestown. I called for the doctor and Mr. Dawes to come up. In an instant I was sur rounded by four. They had placed themselves in a straight road that in- clined each way; they had taken down a pair of bars on the north side of the road, and two of them were under a tree In the pasture. The doctor being foremost, he came up, and we tried to get past them; but they, bejlng armed with pistols and swords, forced us into the pasture. The doctor amped his horse over a low stone will and got to Concord. I observed a I wood at a small distance, and made fpr that. When I got there out stalrted six officers of-ficers on horseback and ordered me to dismount. One of them, wrio appeared to have the command, examined me, asked where I came from and what my name was. I told him. He atked me if I was an express. I answered him in the affirmative. He demanded what time I left Boston. I told him, and added that their troops had catched aground in passing the river, and that there would be 500 Americans there in a short time, for I had alarmed the country all the way up. He immediately rode toward those who stopped us, when all five of them came down upon a full gallop. One of them, whom I afterward found to be a Major Mitchell of the Fifth regiment, regi-ment, clapped his pistol to my head, called me by name and told me he .Willi - mMM CLAPPED HIS PISTOL TO MY HEAD. was going to ask me some -juestions, ai.d if I did not give him true answers an-swers he would blow my brains out. He then asked me similar questions to those above. He then ordered me to mount my horse, after searching me for arms. He then ordered them to advance and to lead me in front. When we got to the road they turned down toward Lexington. When we had got about oi;e mile the Major rode up to the officer that v as leading me and told him to give me to the sergeant. As soon as he to k me the Major ordered him, if I attempted to run, or anybody insulted them, to blow my brains out. Vi'e rode till we got near Lexington meeting-house, when the militia fired a volley of guns, which appeared to alarm them very much. The Major inquired of me how far it was to Cambridge, Cam-bridge, and if there were any other rr,"d. "? consultation the Major nefmtfr'he sergeant and asked him 9p-jf. viorse was tired. He answered him it was. (He was a sergeant of grenadiers, and had a small horse.) Tien, he said, take that man's horse. I dismounted and the sergeant mounted my horse, when they all rode toward Lexington meeting-house. I went across the burying ground and some pasture, and came to the Rjv. Mr. Clark's house, where I found Messrs. Hancock and Adams. I told them of my treatment, and they concluded to go from that house to'ward Woburn. I went with them, and a Mr. Lowell, who was a clerk to Mr. Hancock. When we got to the hcuse where they intended to stop, Mr. Lowell and myself returned to Mr. CHrk's to find out what was going on.. When we got there an elderly man came in; he said he had just come from the tavern, that a man had come from Bcston, who said there were no British Brit-ish troops coming. Mr. Lowell and myself went toward tha tavern, when we met a man on a full gallop, who told us the troops were coming up the rocks. We afterward met another who said they were close by, Mr. Lowell asked me to go to the tavern with him, to get a trunk of papers pa-pers belonging to Mr. Hancock. We went up chamber, and while we were getting the trunk we saw the British very near, upon a full march. We hurried toward Mr. Clark's house. In our way we passed through the militia. There were about fifty. When we had got about one hundred yards from the meeting-house the British troops appeared upon both ' sides of the meeting-horse. Ia their front was an officer on horseback. They made a short halt, when I saw and heard a gun fired which appeared to be a pistol. Then I could distinguish distin-guish two guns, and then a continual roar of musketry, whsn we made off with the trunk. fireworks; at xmas time. For several . Deks before Cnristmas in New Orleam , that quaint city on the Mississippi, he enthusiasm is great and the small aoy is iu kis glory a cumulative glory, beginning with a firecracker or two, and increasing the number every day. For weeks before the one import mt event of the year the juvenile population is in danger of immediate translation on account of its angelic qualities, for the small diplomats dip-lomats have be3n "being good." with t-e most distinct hopes of reward. Meti ers who had been iu the habit of carrying in void and water at all times and seasons have suddenly found their every war t anticipated, and the boys who were l ever certain in former time.i to come back cn the same day whei. sent on an errand ..ave recently deve oped the i abit o? returning so soon as to be g.eeted with the aston-ishec aston-ishec query, "What, tack already?" All this had reference to reward in one partiaular direction rot to the Christmas Christ-mas stocking, by any means, for that was a foregone condition, but to the mun licence of .e stoe of Christmas firew orks. And in New O leans nobody's Christmas Christ-mas imounts to anything without fireworks. fire-works. The la -ger aTtd brighter the fireworks the be ter the Christmas; for want of anythin? bettor one may work alonj; with firec -ackers. "If anybody l.ot got no firewo'k he mighty po'," say the Creoles gayly, for Christmas and firewo-ks are almost synonymous terms or. the lower side of Canal street. Indeed, it was there that this peculi; r moda of celebrating Cfc-irtmas originated. There are very old men and w jmen in the city who remember when there was nothing of the ind, and nerhaps the beginning of the cuftom v as too insidious to be noticed. During the miisumner period, when the boys of Nc rthern and Eastern states are diligently laying up a store of fireworks f o the Fourth of July, the weather in '-Jew Orleans is too warm for out-of-door sports and many of the citizens are away on their summer's sum-mer's outing. THE STAR SPANGLED BANNER. Of all the war songs our fathers sang "The Star Spanjled Banner" has probably prob-ably taken the deepest and strongest hold on the national affection. The older the nation grows the more popular popu-lar tliis song becomes, so that today it is undoubtedly in more favor than either "Yankee Doodle" or "America." Many competent experts on national hymns and muMc have declared that "The Star Spangled Banner" is par excellence, the American national song. It is all American. There is not a line in it which is borrowed from any other natior. It is as purely American Am-erican as "The Marsellaise" is French, or as "Rule Britannia" is English. Like "The Mars?llaise" it was born in the inspiration of a battle hour. It was pitched to the keynote of a screaming scream-ing shell, written in the very heart of a figl.t. It may almost be said to have written itself out of the circumstances that surrounded the w riter. It was a literf.l photograph in verse of the scene on which his eyes were looking as he penned its immortal lines. Thj story of i:s production is as romantic ro-mantic as anything in the history of war literature. Francis Scott Kv, the son cf John Ross Key, a revolutio-iary officer, had gone on board the British admiral's flagship, "The Surprise," in Chesapeake bay, under a flag of truce, in order to try and save a friend. Dr. Beanes, on Sept. 13, 1814. The British fleet, under Adriiral Cockburn, began the jombardmeit of tLe Baltimore forts on that djy, ma he declined to allow Key to depart. The bombardment bombard-ment went on far into the night, and when the morning came young Key strained his eyes to 8 3a whether Fort McHonry had ben surrendered. Suddenly Sud-denly a rift appeared Ij the smoke and mist enveloping the fort, and through it Key saw that the flag was still waving wav-ing ever it. In stantly the great song was born. He ;at right down on the deck of the Bri ish admiral's flagship and began writiig: "Oh, say, can yju see, by the dawn's early light. What so proudly we heil'd at the twilight's twi-light's las gleaming?" The words were set to music soon after, and the soi g immediately became popular and wit.iin a week was being sung in all the American camps and at the tlaeaters as- veil. Key wrote many other poems, and they were published ia a volume in 1856, thirteen years after his death. He was 34 years of age when he wrote "The Star Spangled Banner," and, though all is otaer verses are forgotten, forgot-ten, this one will keep his memory green as long as our republic lasts. He was buried In the little cemetery at Frederick, Mf., and a star-spangled banner Is appr ipriately kept waving over his grave all the year round as fast as one flag fades it is replaced by a new one. THE FIRST LOYE. If my memory serves me right I had reached that stage in life when I sought anxiously in the glass for the '.ong expected down that was to form the nucleus of a mustache that should be the envy of mankind when I decided to marry Mollie, the doctor's cock. Looking back it is a long way to lo k I am ready to admit that there were many objections to such a match. To begin with, I was somewhat young to think of matrimony, insomuch that I had only reached the age of 15, wh.le Mollie was six or seven years ray senior. se-nior. Again, I was not in a position to support a wife, and, as I see now, my affections were inspired rather by Mai-lie's Mai-lie's excellent cheesecakes and succulent succu-lent jam rolls which invariably made me sigh for half a dozen appetites than by her buxom figure and applelike apple-like cheeks. When I informed my "chum," Butters, But-ters, of my resolve, he looked at me queerly, thrust his hands in his pockets, pock-ets, and said, "Oh, Lor'!" "I mean it," I said. "Well. I always thought you were a bit sweet on her, ever since you broke your arm and she used to give you cream and stuff. She's a Jolly girl, is Mollie. I wouldn't mind marrying her myself. "You'll be my best man. then?" I asked. "Certcinly, but look here, old chap, have you thought seriously about this?" and he hooked his arm through mine and drew me aside. "Seriously?" "Yes; have you thought what a heap of things people want who get mar ried?" "What 6ort of things?" "Oh! chairs and tables and and frying fry-ing pans. Where do you expect to eet 'em from? Thev cost an awful lot." I was silent. To tell the truth had not considered the practical side of the question. My affection was above nil sordid de tails. "There's a house, too," Butters pur sued. "Where are you going to live? "Oh! er we shall go on as we are for a bit." Butters stared. "You mean. Mollie'll stop at the doc tor's, and you'll go on having les ons?" "Yes." "Oh! but that's 'rot,' you know. We can't have a married man in tne sehocl. The doctor won't stand it.' "He'll never know, fat head. It's going to be a secret marriage." "Oh, crikey! At the registry office? I nodded. "I wonder how much it costs. I shall nave to ask." "You'd better ask Mollie first," Butters But-ters returned. "She may object to a secret marriage. , There'll be no calling call-ing her name out before the congregation congrega-tion or cake or presents. 1 say, old mm yi WE FOUHT IT OUT. chap, fancy a wedding withou cake or presents. Why, people get heaps of nobby things when they're married. Silver cigarette cases and walking sticks." I kicked the gravel ruefully. "It can't be helped," I answered regretfully. re-gretfully. "After all, it'll be .more romantic." ro-mantic." "Why, yes; there is that about it. You might elope with her, you know. Get her through the window, and have a rope ladder and a coach and four waiting In the lane. Only she's rather & lump to pull through a window. I say, what a lark it would be if she stuck and the doctor nabbed you. My! what a wopping you'd get." I am afraid I betrayed some symptoms symp-toms of uneasiness here. Butters had a nasty habit of looking on the black side of things. But his words did not damp my passion. I loved Mollie I felt certain on this point. Yes. I loved her, though it would have taken me all my time to encircle her waist with both arms. There was a pause. "Ycu'll tell me how you do it?" Butters But-ters said. "How I do what?" "Why, propose, you know." "Oh er yes." "Shall you kiss her?" "Shall I?" "They generally do, only you'Jl have to stand on a stool to do it, for she's a good head taller than you, and mind, when you propose you'll have to go down on your knees." "On my knees?" "It'3 the proper thing I know, because be-cause I saw young Evergreen propose to my sister Flo. She refused him. though. By the by, you'll want a rirg. I'll give you that one I got out of the prize packet for your white rat." "Let's have a look at it." He pulled it out. It looked very lihe gold, and in a few minutes I had parted part-ed with my white rat, and the rirg was transferred to my waistcoat pocket." "When shall you see her?" he askei. as the bell rang. "Perhaps tomorrow." "I wouldn't put on my best pants if I were you. It makes an awful meea .of 'em, kneeling does." That evening I had a quiet stroll in the dctor's grounds, to think matters over. WTiile I was thus engaged James, the gardener, came along with the watering can. As a rule, we fellows were seldom on good terms with James, for he always suspected us of having designs on his fruit, but this eveniag he was quite pleasant and asked me if I'd like a pear to come with him. Of course I did, for James' pears are just prime. It was a real juicy one he picked, and it melted in my mouth like butter. "Good ain't it. Master Carraway?" he said. I nodded. My mouth was too tv to speak. "Now, I wonder If I might be so bo as to ask you to do me a favor, Mas Oarraway?" he went on, eyeing m. bit dsubtfully.' "Why. of course you may, Jaai I'll do anything for you I can." , 'Thank you sir, thank yon i 4. f- Ml It ain't much only Just to rive this; letter to Mollie, the cook. You se,. Master Carrawav, I don't like goin to the house over-o." en. for the other ser-; vants they plague Mollie about It, an' she don't like it; so if you'd kindly give it to her you'd be doin' me a great favor." "Oh, I'll give I! to her Tight enough." "Thank you, sir. It's it's rather important." Thrn James stopped.went red and smiled foolishly. "Important, is it?" "Yes, sir. I know you're a sensible young gent. Master Carraway. I've often said so to Mollie. so I don't mind telling you that it's about gettin' married." mar-ried." "About " "Yes, sir. I'vi been thinking of it for some time, an now the -doctor's give me a rise, a:i" I've got Joe Barnes' cottage, I don't see any reason why we should wait any longer. It's most as cheap to keep two as one. Master Caraway, an' she's a capital manager. I don't see as ow I can do better." "Who is she, James?" I asked, not. it must be conf ssed, without a touch of misgiving. He looked at iae in surprise. "Who? Why. Mollie." "You're you'ie going to marry her?" "Yes, sir. The banns'll be put up on Sunday, and I've brought the ring. A guinea I give for it. But 've another anoth-er pear, Master Orraway." But I had no i eart for pears at that moment, and I made my way back to the house, scarcely heeding Jajnes' reminder re-minder about th. letter. Perhaps I had some thought of destroying de-stroying that missive, but then I reflected re-flected that suc-i an act could do no good. Everythi .g was practically settled. set-tled. Mollie war lost to me forever. I told Butters, ind asked hira to take back the ring, a I had no further use for it, but he r 'used to do this, and we fought It out at the end of the cricket ground behind the trees. I got a black eye, ar d also fifty lines for fighting. Mollit did her best to console con-sole me by givin , me some of her best chet ecakes. I' I could always be sure of such cheesecakes I wouldn't mind imposit.ans every day I wouldn't mind 'osing Mollie herself. Autonii .illes In Paris. On Easter Su aday, this year, the first installment of automobile cabs was placed at t disposal of the Parisian Pa-risian public. As soon as they issued from the depot at Aubervllliers they were most eage : .y sought after, and gave most satislactory results. The number of these vehicles is daily increased, in-creased, and th-f Compagnie Generale des Voitures ex .ects, after a month's trial, to be in a position to judge of the convenience or drawbacks of the present type of cabs. These vehicles are provided w..h accumulators enabling en-abling them to travel from GO to 890 kilometers (37 .3 49 miles), without recharging the atteries. The tariff va number of pert, passengers the applied, viz.: 1.5v for three persor ney, and four r The eventual biles for genera es according to the ri3. For one or two rdinary cab fare is or 2 francs per hour; , 2 francs the jour- s-ons, 2.50 francs. drption of automotive automo-tive in Paris, as well as throughout 1- an;e, seems to be a foregone conclu ion; but there is no doubt that the tremendous speed at which private individuals with their motor tricycles rud other experimental automobiles dasa about the streets has a tendency to discourage tion of automobiles by the would otherwise make purchr daily observation in Paris, if to see that improvements ar stantly being made in doing awal the obje. tlonable odors, excessiv. bration and noh.e. They Were Absent Minded. The following anecdotes about absence ab-sence of mind were related by Rev. Sidney Smith: "The oddest instance happened to me." he said, "in forgetting forget-ting my own n;:ine. I knocked at a door in London and asked if Mr6. B. was at home. 'Yes, sir. Pray, what name shall I say?' I looked in the man's face, astonished. What was my name? I believe the man thought me mad, but it is literally true that during the space of lw or three minutes I had no more i'.ea of who I was than if I had never e.isted. I did not know whether I was a dissenter Wr a layman. At last, to my Teat reliefs it flashed across me that 1 was SidneySmith. 1 heard also of a clergyman wV went jogging along tie road until hacame to a turnpike. What ia to pay?l he asked. 'Pay, sii ' for what?" returned the turnpike mai: be sure." "Your horse? Here is : Why, bless me! looking down, 'i horseback!' " 'Why, my horse, tw horse, sir! ,what i) horse!' 'No horse? he said, suddenly thought I was on MiKliaps o! a Nervous Man. A Philadelphia real estate man, when going through a acant house tne o her evening to see tl at all was well, heard a slight noise i hind him. Turning slightly, he saw the form of a man. As the broker was not armed, he did not like the Idea of meeting a burglar in combat, and, oesldes, he is very timid, so he ru. l.ed to the door and fumbled with the lock, all the tim yelling at the tcp of his lungs. Wh-he Wh-he got the door opened he looked 1, j and then saw t at the "burglar" 3 really his own leflection in th I drawing-room larror. He t sooner made th s discovery t J was seixed by tw j policemen, w J attracted by his .creams, and- nearly half an h ur for him to that he was not a housebreai self. Tame Bu: terfly for P Women have liad all kin from time imrusmorlal, bv the strangest of -11 fancies ' rection is the lai st news co us from Paris that two succeeded in tan ing dozens flies. These lit le insect their mistress' h nds, alig and show no fea of any S it il are certainly pre y pets, come the airy, f! ttering x: the typical w( man's summer girl dui ng the" the week, from f onday-' Saturday noon, r. ay And a means of .ivc butterflies in picpr of fetching: Dose? 0 SALE 1 tivate sueceptib' rival at the sun c o v frr the adop- e who Vasy r'-con- r with Vvl- V jiesltfrappe 4 f- v. s - ' --w " USi -TO c |