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HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Exeter Advocate, 1896-3-12, Page 6LIFTED BY LOVE; float the Wbarf Waif 13ecame a Princess. eiriarasune BY aroma. Itutisonnum. It was time to ge on agahanow that there was nothing more to notice. Which way should I go? I asked myself, and then, where should I go, and why? Neither shelter nor food was to be got by walking, nothing but aching pain in body and soul. Better to stop here and rest. A wisp of straw came into sight, floating down with the stream so easily that I envied its condition. To lie upon the water and knowing nothing, feeling nothing, to pass away in endless sleep, surely that must be good. It would not be colder to lie in the river than to stand shivering in the rain. Nothing could be worse than living. I walked down the shingle and stood in the water. It seemed warm to my feet. I walked out still farther, and my limbs ceased to shake uucler me. What' a fool I had been to endure such misery, with this alternative at hand I I went out more swiftly till the water lifted me, from my feet, and. I felt myself going on and on without exertion. I put my hands up to my breast to see if the ring was there and, clasped them upon it to keep it safe. Then out of the darkness that closed over me the grave, kind face of Tares came into sight, and out of the rushing sound in my ears his voice spoke, I know not what, but with the tones I had heard before, of soothing music. Everything was fading away like ideas at the ap- proach of sleep, but at the very last the kind eyes smiled as if Tams in those dy- ing sounds were saying, "Farewell, lit- tle friend." CHAPTER VIL .A. NEW LIFE. Tams read in the summary of a morn- ing newspaper: "An extraordinary case of attempted suicide came before the poor MU'S friend' yesterday and is reported. in our columns, The prisoner, a respectably dressed young woman not uninteresting' in appearance seemingly, was seen to walk deliberately into the river off ' Greenwich marshes and was rescued only just in time for life to be restored. She has persistently refused to open her lips in reply to questions, and. the only clue by which she may possibly be identified, is a mysterious ring which was found worn on a piece of ribbon about her neck. It's a man's ring made of wrought iron with the devise in Rus- sian characters running around it, 'My life is thine,'" He found the report under the head of "Police intelligence:" MANES POLICE COURT.—A young Woman, whose name, age, etc., were marked, "uaknown" on the charge sheet, was brought upfor having at- tempted to commit suicide. Inspector Lewson explained that he had been un- able to fill in the charge sheet, as pris- oner had obstinately refused to answer questions, and indeed had not spoken one word since she had been in custody. He could not say whether her silence was the result of perversity or inabil- ity to speak or to understand. The only indication of her nationality was a man's ring mile of wrought iron, which had. been found. on a strip of braid. tied round her neck, and which had an in- scription running around it in foreign characters which he believed were Greek. On the ring being handed up to the magistrate he said the device was in Russian and meant "My life is thine." .Addressing the prisoner in this language the magistrate put several questions without effect, prisoner maintaining perfect silence, though showing the ut- most anxiety to recover the ring, and seizing it with savage delight when the magistrate had. passed it over to her. Inspector Leneson said that the prison- er was seen from the Warspite police hulk stationed off Greenwich marshes to walk deliberately into the river. A rescue crew wore sent off at once, but the prisoner was unconscious when picked up. He had been unable to gather any particulars respecting her, excepting that she had been seen in High street, Greinwich, early that morning, with no covering but a light -wrap, and completely drenched with ex- posure to the heavy rain. The magistrate again addressed. the prisoner with his customary kindness and sympathy, but failing to obtain the slightest response remanded her, at the same time expressing a hope that the re- porters would give publicity to the case in order that the prisoner's friends—if she had any—might come to her assist- ance. The following is a description of the 8 young woman: Height, 5 feet 5 inches; probable age, 21; hair dark chestnut, eyebrows and lashes of a deeper shade; eyes dark brown, features long, irregu- lar, delicate, but pinched and hardened by privation; fingers long; dressed in grey stuff dress, plain but well made, but obviously too large for her slight figure; high heeled button boots, also too large; ears unpierced; and no orna- ment whatever except the above men- tioned ring. Texas came to me—with what dis- patch I can imagine, knowing his un- bolting swiftness to relieve distress. I was 'brooding in the pence cell, seated on my bed with ray chin resting in my hands, when I heard the grating in the door atone. I had been visited already, questioned and lectured enough, and I sat there motionless under this last in- spection in sullen determination to let nothing move me. But at the words, ,"That is the," I started to my feet, in an instant recogniziner'the voice of Tea as, and waited while the door was .bein,g opened for him to enter with such trembling fear as Iliad not felt before the magistrate who might send me to a prison or a madhouse. Did he, too, re- gard it as a crime to try to end one's misery? Had he come to reproach me with my sins? I hung my head, fearing to read may condemnation in his face, "My little friend," he said. The true ring of sympathy in his voice. the look of tender compassion I • found in his eyes as I lifted mine, told me that he forgave me, and with an in- voluntary cry of joy I caught the two hands that he held out to me. He spoke to the warder, who after a little hesitation withdrew, leaving us alone, • Then I whispered to Tema "Yon've heered all about it." "As much as I want to know," he re "And you don't mind?" mind so much as thie—that if loan make life endurable to you I will "I won't do it again if you tell me not to, I'll bear anything-1've made up aly mind to it. Will you come and see me again?" "See you again! Why, you don't think I mean to leave you here?" "I didn't know. Do you think you can get me off'?" There's very little diflioulty about that." s "He's la' the door` ajar, and if I oncet gets in the street''— I stopped, for a* smile on his face told me that he did not intend to get-rne off in this way. "There's no need to run the gauntlet," said. lie. ''Thennagistrate is a geed and reasonable man. I will tell...him all I know about you." Then ha -stopped, seeing my- dismay at this proponal, "Don't you want ma to tell him?" he asked. "I don't mind—not much. Do tvhat you like. I won't complain. Only he won't let me off—he can't. Theaps as you are a foreigner you don't know that in this country what I've done is a hangin job." "What!" he exclaimed, with another smile, "hang a girl for trying to kill herself V' saw that we were playang at cross pnrposes, and after a minute's silence. I said: es. thought you knew all, but you don't. I thought it 'ud 'a' been in all the newspapers and every one a-talkin about it. I was a-gom to tell you at first, but I turned it off when I see you look at me so terrible. But I'll tell you now, 'cause I can't bear to think I ain't actin square with you—you're so kind. like to me. Only you won't be too angry with me, will you? And you'll come and see me againone of these days 'fore it's all up wi' me, hey?" "Tell me what you mean, little friend, for heaven's sake l" he said, earnestly. "I done for 'em, not like I made out, but real done for 'em. I smashed the foreigner with a stelae and shot 'em both down in the hole and set the cellar ell afire—true as having I did.." And then I narrated in detail what took place after I had let him down by the chain and before I rejoined him on the stairs. He listened in mute amazement, with set features, but with such gentleness melting in his eyes that, having finished my story, I found courage to touch his arm and say, "You ain't a-goin to shrink from .me for doin what I didn't know you wouldn't like, are you?" "God forbid," he said, pressing my hand. "If you did this thing, I am iesponsible—not you—and if punish- ment is to follow I will take my full share." Holding my hand, as if to assure me of the bond of fellowship, he stood for some moments silent in thought. Then, after putting a few rapid questions to me, his face brightened and he said: "I am hopeful, little friend. That Mongolian head is too hard to be smashed by the slight fall of that stone. The lamp upset on the earthen floor of a heick cellar would not hold sufficient b 3nzine to set fire to the floor above. If the house had been burned down, the bodies of those two rascals would have been unearthed, and the tragedy could not have escaped the notice of my friends in the Minories. I will go and find out the truth. If the men are killed, I will come back and give myself up to the police for my share in the murder. If they are not, you shall leave this cell before noon. In any case I will see you again quite soon." The cab that brought him stood out- side the station. He sprang in -falling the driver to go to Sweet Apple lane. As he neared Ferryboat stairs his first hope was realized. The Mariner's Joy still stood. The shutters were down. He stopped the cab, and a minute after stood on the spot where he had been thrown down and overpowered a few nights before. There his second. hope was partly gratified. Putty stood behind. the bar with one arm in a sling, a patch over his eye and. otherwise looking rather the worse for recent events, but still alive. At the sight of Tams stand- ing there before him with that strong, reeolute fe ee and formidable proportions, his jaw fell •••You ain't a-goin to round on us, mas- ter, are you?" he asked in a tone of ab- ject remonstrance. "It wasn't no fault of mine. I didn't know what they was after. And look here, I've had a pretty good doin for it one way and another— what of gettin my eye pretty well knocked out, and my arm a -nigh broke, as you may say, along of that feller a-fallin all the way down that hole a -top of me, to say nothin of getting burnt her and there and all down there, and. a new suit o' clothes torn of my body, with internal injuries as causes me that ill convenience I can't sleep a wink all night, and got nothin for it neither. Why, I'm bless'd if I don't wish I hadn't never seen the lyin, ugly hound with his hump hank" "Where is he now?" asked Tares ternly. "Well, that's more 'an I can tell you, master, and I'd round. on him if I could —that's as true as heving, for he ain't paid me a farthin for ell the damage done, to say nothin of what he promised, which conies of trustin spies and bein a fool not to stand by you as are a real gentleman and won't be tpo hard on a poor fellow, I know. :However:, Ws a comfort to know as . he got his jimmy cracked by that ere flagstone a-wollop- in down on him and serve him right and wan't he able to show his ugly face out- side a house for weeks to come through gettin burnt along on the. lighted ile 10 times wits 'an me, and I give him a tidy dressin down, too, though if you only knew what I suffered down that hole and. well nigh clrowadell, to—the pair of us—and then as near suffocated with smoke as it don't matter what, afore ever we managed to get up out of the cellar"— Taros waited to hear no more, but turned his back and left the Mariner's Joy without a word—doubtless not lees to the astonishment than to the satisfac- tion of the apprehensive Putty. From Ferryboat stairs Tams hurried back to the Thames police court. ,It was still early. The magistrate was hearing applications in his private room. Tams sent in his card, with a few words writ- ten below, and obtainedan immediate interview, in which, with characteristic candor and directoess, he briefly told what he lmew of my history, leaving the magistrate to form his own conclusions as to the cause of nay attempt to destroy myself, and offered to give sureties for my better behavior in the future. But. before he had arrived at this point the maeistrate wrote an order and. dispatch- ed it to the station, ,The Officer who broueht it took me back to the court. Tares was standing at the door, and I SPAY by the light in his 'fac,e that he had good newsier me. " • _Cho men are living 2) he said as I named him. The magistrate had just take a his seat when I was led into the dock. He refrained from putting any questions, but spoke to me at some length in a tone of severity. The tone was all I heard, for my thoughts were wholly occupied with conjectures as to the course Texas would take in the future. It mattered very little to me whether I went to prison or returned to such an existence as I had hitherto led in Shadwell. The more important question was whether Tans would come sometimes to give me a kind look, or whether having done so much he would feel himself released from any further concern for my wel- fare and so leave me to my fate. These speculations were broken off by the warder. "Come on down," said he, touching my arm, "Don't you hear? You're. discharged." I left the dock, and another "remand" took my place. Tams beckoned me, and taking me out the court put me in the cab waiting there. I did not catch the. address he gave to the driver, but to my great joy he stepped up and seated him• self beside me. "Are ye gotta to take me back to Shad- well?" ,Noasked.sa said he; "we must find a better world than that." "The Minories?" I asked, with a recol- lection of the fair haired woman. He shook his head and said: "You must forget all, that is past. for you have to begin a new life, little friend." CHAPTER VIII. TANAS. The cab stopped. on the Albert em- bankment nearly opposite Lambeth bridge. Tarae stepped out and gave me his hand as if I were a lady. The dingy old house before us had been a shop. Tams took it for the view it command- ed of the river and turned it into a dwell- ing house, What had been the shop front was draped with French muslin curtains within, drawn back behind a shelf, on which stood some pots of bright flowers. While Tams was paying the cabman one of the curtains was pulled aside, a face appeared for a moment, and the next minute the door opened, and Mere Lucas stood there looking, to my eyes, as strange as the window from whoa she had first peeped out. She was so stout that she quite filled up the door- way, and her proportions were, the more noticeable for a big apron of dazzling whiteness worn over her blue cotton dress, On her head was an equally dazzling kind of a cap I had never seen before, elaborately goffered, with the strings carefully tied in a fine broad bow under her doable chin. There was a pretty wave of silvery hair growing low on her forehead, and then came her great broad face, with its expression of healthy cheerfulness, not less remark- able to the eyes of an east ender than the spick and span neatness and cleanliness of her dress. Hex fine dark eyes looked as if they might flash at times with passionate angar, but the lines about thorn were 'pleasant traces left by mirth, and her long upper lip and broad mouth seemed made for laughter and good cheer. Her habitual geniality, however, wee less ob- vious just then, for she scanned me with a distinctly unfavorable eye, , and her pursed. lips showed that she disapproved of her master bringing home such a visi- tor. Had I been well dressed, or only tolerably good looking, it would have been another thing. But she respected and loved Tares too well to let hinaread her dissatisfaction, and drawing back into the passage as he led me in she re- ceived us with a profound ,bow and opened the door of the adjoining room. "This is may housekeeper, Mere Lu- cas," said Tates to me as he entered, and turning to her he spoke a fqw words in French which caused. her to gasp an ex- clamation of astonishment as she clasp- ed her hands together. Then, after re- garding me for a moment in silence and round eyed. wonder, she addressed me,in• her unintelligible language, buil under- stood her tone of apology and self re - troach. and the trsmulous emetion in er full lips and the affectionate warmth in her soft eyes fully atoned for any hostility she might at first have shown. Fiaallyas if by an ungovernable impulse, she seized me by the shoulders and plant- ed a couple of sounding kisses on my cheeks, saying as she gave me one last embrace before leaving the room, "Pau- vre cherie, vat" remember that phrase because for some tins% after she never looked. at me without repeating it in the same tone of compassion. Indeed, with my thinness and careworn expression, I must have seemed to the eyes of the fat, jolly soul deplorable indeed. We were in the room which had been the shop. It was low ceilinged, but large and very light and. bright, by rea- son of the long window, with the white muslin curtains, the flowers and many pictures hung liven the painted.walls. But that which astonished me greatly was the surprising neatness and cleanli- ness of everything, for really thie was the first time in my life that I had ever seen the inside of a decent room, and next to this the table, which waslaid for lunch, excited,,my wonder. There was a vase of cut flowers in the middle of the spotless tablecloth, and in the plate set for Tams stood a small loaf, set up in a white serviette which would have, made me laugh if I had. not been so perplexed by the straageness of everything. The quantity of food also seemed quite ludicrous too. It was the ordinary hour for dinner, and all that was prepared for the repast of a great, hearty man, was a box of saraines, a plate of radishes and some butter, and Mere Lucas brought nothing more ex- cept a cover for me ands bottle of wine, which she stood on a small silver plate. We sat dam, and seeing Tares take the loaf out and spread, the serviette over his knees I did the same, though it seemed to me about the oddest thing in the world, and then he passed the sardines for me to help myself. I could very well have eaten all the little fishes there were in the box, but out of con- sideration for him who was three times as big as me, I only tookabout a quarter of the contents,. and I also took about a quarter of the number of radishes, but I could not help looking at Tares in surprise when he took but two sardines and only three or four radishes. Well however does he live?" I asked myself. "May I fill your glase?" he asked tak- ing up the bottle, or would you like beer instead?" p tead?a"rtielar,,, I said, „wilide,3 good enough for m e, " The wine made ine shudder. "Four - half was nectar in comparison with such sour stuff, I thought. However, I gulped it down and said iicithing; not to appear too nice. I had scraped out my plate and was screwing up my courage to tell Taros that I would finish up the box if he dieliet want any more, when Mere Lucas bustled in, whisked off our plates, knives and forks, and set others in their place, though the cutlery was as bright and clean as if it had just come from the makers. Then. she placed a steaming dish on a stand.iu iii.IJED. AS INA LOOKING GLASS. A Woman's Ingenious Contrivance for Her Dressing Room. An ingenious woman has hit upon a clever plan for seeing herself and her new gown WI "Mors" see her, She has recently moved into a flat, which, although spacious and handsome, does not possess among its furmshings a long mirror or pier iglu's. One was abso- lutely indispensable to the unalloyed hateeness and peace of mind of the fair mistress, so she found it necessary to put her wits to work temporarily. The result is charming to a degree, and satisfactory in every way. In time first place, a looking glass about three and a half feet long by two and a half feet wide was purchased. set in a 'plain frame of pins wood aboet four incites wide. This frame was entirely ccivered with blue and white cretonne, whioh also forms the wall covering in the pretty bedroom for which the mirror was designed. The next step was to procure two large, strong hinges and fasten the mirror to the wall, just as shutters or blinds are put up to windows. The spot chosen for this home-made pier glass is near a window and with the mirror easily adjusted to any angle and all the daylight there is upon it one can take in the details that go to make UP the book of one's gown and the rear of one's bodice, to say nothing of back hair. Then when not in use, the mirror swings back upon its hinges, where it looks like a staid, respectable bit of furni- ture against the wall. Another useful contrivance in the look- ing glass line is a hand mirror, which is fastened to the back of one's toilet chair. Every woman nowadays sits before her mirror while arranging her coiffeur, and the low toilet table with oval looking glass and toilet chair, are adjuncts of every well appointed dressing room. The advantage of the glass fastened to the chair, is that it leaves both hands free to arrange the hair. The glass can be turned to any angle and in any' position; indeed It is almost as useful as a lady's maid and much less bother. Sleeve Notes, In the process of 'evolution from one species to another, according to Darwin's ,theory, the connecting link has always been a hideous creation, ugly and night- marish to behold, d n life seemed to be to turn into the next higher species as quick as possible, and get itself off the earth forever. Let us hcipe that such is the mission of some of she developing fashions. There is the "missing link" sleeve, for instance, which looks like a small sleeve just shed- ding its shell. For one thing, such a sleeve Is not honest. It shows that the designer really wanted to make a small sleeve, and not having the courage of his convictions, he tried to hide it with a sham. This style looks something like , the -familiar "angel sleeve." I Then there is the "freeze ant" style m which shrinks from removing the puff all at once, but keeps crowding it down far- ther and farther until perhaps by good luck it will fall off altogether. Such a sleeve Is prettiest at the earliest stage when the puff is only a couple of Inches below, the shoulder. This reveals the out- line of the arm where it Is most beautiful —that is, if there is any beauty about it. I One of the prettiest styles for a summer dress has a plain yoke reaching two inches below the shoulder points and fitting per- fectly smooth over the upper arm The t puff Is gathered on with a small heaaing and hangs very full around the elbow. e The lower part of the bodice is gathered 6 Oa in a line with the sleeve puffs, giving r the dress a decollate effect. Japanese silk makes up pretty this way. Another sleetee is plain for four inches, then has a four -inch puff running around with the arm a flounce falling over the h large bishop puff beneath. The bishop 'puff reaches to the wrist, where there is i another narrow puff just large enough to a pass over the hand. This sleeve belonged to a dress that had a trimmed skirt, which, by the way, is another species ,in the embryonic stage. REMODELING A BARN, One With a 'easement Is Most Comfortable For Stook. There is some controversy concerning the comparative value of a bank or base- raent barn, and one built on level ground. Having used both, I candidly believe that farmers who conteniplate building a new The Old Barn. The Remodeled Barn or remodeling an old barn will not be sorry If they choose one with a basement. It is economical, warm, and, if well ven- tilated, will be most comfortable for stock. Do not give fodder directly from above, but have spacious alleys, wide Cs Flat.,"Fig. 1, Fig. 2, enough to held feed for one or two days. Have boxes in -the basement for grain, also a couple of good cats for catching rats and mice. The 'dimensions of a barn are not es- sential in a plan. Build according to you needs. Divide the stall room so it WI give you the best service. Allow five feet, in single stalls for horses and three feet for cattle. The illustrations show my original barn, and also the remodeled and enlarged structure. raised the old barn on an' eight -foot stone wall on three sides of the rectangle, then 'boarded, battened and prepared the other aide as shown in the plan. It is very satisfactory now, and I have no doubt that many barns in the central west can be greatly improved. at comparatively small expense. Fig. 1 is the old barn, and Fig. 2, is the same after it had been placed upon the stone wall and remodeled. Fig. 8 is the ground plan showing the arrangement of the stalls. For tying cattle, I find a chain most satisfactory. In my stalls I place 2x4- inch scantling, with rounded edges to per- mit the free working up and down of the chain. One end of this scantling is fas- tened to the top of the partition and the other to "op of manger in a slanting man- ner. Ti . chain placed about this scant- ling and the neck of the animal allows M FROOr OL.Rti • -va ORO? GUTTER Cow 51 Ru..5 LI.Ev ALLEV COW 51 Po..S MIT ES Box slAlt. HORSE VIABLE!, Fig. 3.—Ground Plan of the Remodeled Barn, plenty of room while 'eating and lying down, but keeps the animal in place. My cow stalls have a nix -inch drop, the length of stalls varying' to correspond to the length of the cattle. They are double, with a partition in the manger, so that each animal has his own food. This is an important point where animals of differ- ent ages are stabled together. In all well - regulated stables a good box stall, access- ible from both cow and horse barn, is de- sirable.' This feature will be found in the accompanying plan.—D. B. Elliott. in Orange Judd Farmer. Effects of Salt. It Is wellknown, says the Journal of Chemistry, that herbivorous animals are fond of common salt, and this is as true of wild animals as those domesticated by man. Carnivorous animals, on the other hand, either have no liking for salt or show a positive aversion to it. Cats, for example, will rarely touch salt meat. This difference is not easily explained. The blood of both classes of animals con- tains a certain amount of soda salts but the quantity of soda in a vegetable diet is not necessarily less than in one of flesh. A German experimenter, Herr Bunge, has been the first to suggest a plausible solution of the enigma. A vegetable diet furnishes twice as much potash as a flesh diet does, audit occurred to hint that the greater supply of potash must be attended with the greatest waste of soda. To test this theory experimentally, he puts him- self on a perfectly uniform diet of beef, bread, butter, sugar and a small quantity of salt. When by daily analysis of the urine he found that the quantity of soda and potash excreted had become con - f t tineuld-the Ceiall be Kept in the Darn? It is the custom of milk producers in the neighborhood of Wilson Farm to keep the cows that come fresh in milk in Sep- tember and after months in the berm They say that the cows when kept fix the barn give more milk and that if they are allowed, to roam in the barren' and in- sufficient pastures they are hard to bring up to their normal yield when they come to the barn after a mouth or two of the short commons of pastures. No one will doubt the thorough inadequacy of pas- tures after July without supplementary food. But above the question of food enough it is insisted by the dairymen in question that thenolci wind of theemonthe preceding November and succeeding 'summer are adverse to milk flow. It practically comes to the issue made up by such authorities as Woodward,. Gould and others that warmth and quietness are essential for the dairy cow. One point made by one of these dairy- men to the writer was that his cows when they came to the barn gave in ore' than before. This may be true, and the point of protection ageinst hard winter weather not wall. taken. 'It ap- pears to be a fact that animals thatlhave, roamed when put into dem quarters and less sunlight fora time gain with more than ordinary rapidity. The finest gains that it has been the fortune of the writer to secure on shotes has come from those that had run in pestures after confine- ment., This gain was that of a shut tints :mr a month or so before it subsided, Ex., ercise and Open aim: gives ideal appetites that hold under restrictions foaa time, but at last must and do give way to the influence of repose. What will be the final effect of confinement, or the effect for the year or lor the years that a cow is. fed This is a matter of opinion and therefore an open question and is treated as such by us. All evidence on the sub- ject that is at' command is welcomed in these columns, middle ground between those who are for all winds, cold and exer- cise, and those who would have the cow lie in absolute repose,axcept under the necessary stir of milking and of eating, appears to be not far out of the way. The question might have important light thrown upon it by the experiment statiours. An investigation of the subject would necessarily require some years of time. Its importance warrants the time and the patience to work out the problem: upon a securer basis than conjecture. , One thing is clear, that now is the time for extra care on the part of' those who have cows. Rains and extra severe days make the barns welcome places for the herds from October to March. Cows should not now be asked to secure much of their living on pasture, no more than their own pleasure will lead`.titem to secure, Exercise, pure air and whole- some app' ,tes will be compatible with brief oeys °store now. Uniformity of Butter. "Experience has shown that ;butter made ,by the addition of bacterial culture starters is generally more uniform in flavor than that ripened without the aid of an artificial starter. This is due to the control exercised over the fermentation where a selected starter is added to the cream after it has been pasteurized, To deterrdine whether '1341' possessed. this same advantage, the scores of the fresh butter have been tabulated and condensed in the following table :" In relation to the claim that culture 41 prevents the production of acid in Cream, a table of the results of investigation is given in the following summary,' and its teachings given': "From the above series of four experi- ments, it will be noted that the cream rip- ened with 9341' almost invariably pro- duced acid more rapidly than did that to which no starter had been added: The addition of the origieal starter of 'B41' to normal sweet cream served to give this kind of cream a higher degree of acidity from the very beginning. This initial difference indicated, in the table in the bold-faced type was usually about .05 per cent, of acid. In only one exception w there any material variation from ti original difference. "From these experiments n341' does not seem to .be able to materially retard t' development of the acidity in cream. "This general conclusion is still further substantiated by a number of the regular churning experiments, in which the tem- peratures of the two lots happened to be held at nearly the same point.'' We can but regret that all the patient work given to this pure culture by Dr. Conn should result so poorly Its in the above experiment. Other trials may give more encouraging results. Conn rimy be able to point out defects in the trial. If he cultures of the Danish bacteriologists tire no more successful, regrets will be less keen, for Americans Cannot 'afford to be behind others in the use of any agency hat improves the quality of butter. The use of cultures adds to the detail work of utter making, but if they *give to the vorld a more delectable product dairymen should cheerfully accept the fact and use it, for with every improvement the' quality of butter along with growiag wealth, there comes 'an increased con- sumption and the necessity of increased production, thus furnishing a further (mit lay for the energies of ohs farm that have been sonsewhat invaded fri the productions of modern inventions. If coltures fail of the end fcir Which they are used, we want to know it and save the labor. The fail- ure of Conn's culture, if failure it is, does net disparage those of Storch, nor hie methods of pasteurization, stant, he proceeded to take such a dose o potash of salts during the ilay as would raise the amount of potash in his diet to a level with that consumed by a herbivor ous animal, The result was an immediate excretion of chloride of sodium in the urine, the amount being at once increased lit -fold. Much potash was of course also passed. The experiment 'was repeat - d at various times, employing different alto of potash, but always with a similar emit, a dose of potash in every case pro duping an immediate excretion of soda. Bauge believes that this tendency of pot- ash to produce a greeter waste of soda in the system is the cause of the desire shown y herbivorous animals for common salt. Their vegetable diet is generally very rich n potash, and they instinctively seek an dditional supply of soda. Soda does not seem to be an essential ingredie4t of plants, but ibis certainly indispens4le in the animal economy. In the muscle and in the blood corpuscles potash is an es- sential constituent ; but in the fluid por- tion of blood potash is injurious, and if injected even hiL small doses produces death. Soda salts, on the other hand, can be injected with safety, and its presence in the blood is essential to the contin cation of yital processes, -,From the Rurai World, It Makes Snob. a Differenoe. A Linn Grove girl found a package of love letters that had been written to her mother by her father before they were married, ,says the Sioux Rapids Republican. The daughter saw that she could have a little sport, and read them to her mother, substituting her own name for that of her mother and a fine young man for that of her father. The mother jumped. up and down in her chair, shifted her feet, seemed ter- ribly disgusted, and, forbade her daugh- ter having anything to do with a young Man, who would write such sickening and. nonsensical stuff to a girl. When the young lady handed the letters to her mother to read the house became so still that one could. hear the grass growing in the back yard. Brought aim Down. "Hem's yotir money. Now tell me why your scoundrelly employer wrote mo eighteen letters about that con- temptIble sum ?" said Hardpay. "I'm sure I can't tell; sir; but I think it was because seventeen letters didn't 1 bring it ?7 Sometimes a heifer does not do as well the second year as she does the first, There Is nothing to discourage in this condition. The third Year she will likely come out all right. A comparison of the yields of red cur- rants at Geneva for the last three seasons brings out some inteaesting facts. Of five of the leading varieties it is found that Fay ranks below, Cherry, while Prince Albert takes ,first rank as to yield, and London Red second. The European black ctirrants are less productive as a class than are the white or red .kinds, and the most prorluctive of them must be sold for two or three cents per quart more than the most productive red kinds in order to be equally profitable. The varieties of the native blttek. currants, such as Crandall and Jelly, are not considered worth culti- vating for market where eounnon kinds can be groWn. The white vahieties are valuen chiefly for the bome gerden. N ei to er ssliite nor black currants are grown extensively for market, I....seta...a- aleass ., DAIRY SUGGESTIONS. 'Linseed meal made into a jelly and ad- ded to the milk, is excellent for calves. The dairy cow needs feed then is rich ht albuminoids. Clover hay is rich in these e lewuiee anit.ea• asked if sugar beets are as gbod for milch cows as ensilage is. Yes, per- haps better ; but they ,are more expensive. Do not feed much cornmeal to calves, if any. Bran, ground oats, linseed meal, etc., are the kind of feed that calves animal Is ss ihcIokfu. al del have. If a"losesnst .letr red b,a, sti theanimal appetite. Perhaps a tonic will restore the proper condition What shall I do for hollow horn p asks a subscriber. Improve the general con- dition of the cow. There is no such disease as hollow horn. Cottonseed meal, we would say to an inquirer has no perceptible bad effect on the cow, but it is claimed that it has upon the buttei; especially if 'too 'freely lcd One of our subscribers has been feeding sweet milk to pig',, and thinks that it pro- duces clbLrr lima. Likely, It will some- times do it if large quantities are fed. IR mixed with middlings it will prove harm- less.---Fariner's Voice.