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HomeMy WebLinkAboutExeter Advocate, 1906-7-5, Page 6+ + + + +0+0+x+tf.+..:+0-, +KE+ +0 A TALI OP SOUTUERN CHINA. A+A+3 + t Kwl+A-fr E+Kf+f+ (+inti E+rE4-A4 + 4-xog 3:f - CH.APTER XX, Larry uttered a feeble cry of dismay when his eyes fell upon this water soaked Russian, andhe knew their hopes of a peaceful entry into the city were on the verge of dissipation. Even the bold and resourceful Lord Rackett apparently experienced some- thing of a disagreeable shook when he realizedthat they had jumped from the frying -pan into the are. The Russian did not present a very delightful appearance as he stood there, after having roughly thrust the curious Chinese aside. He had been in the river, our friends knew that, and his appearance gave the fact away, for his clothing was soaked and muddy, and some of the rushes still clung to his garments. Both Lord Rackett and Larry saw, to their surprise, that this was not Count Petoskey himself, and, putting , several things together, they were compelled to decide that the count had had a com- panion on the junk, who was now about to play his little part in the drama, which might be either comedy or tra- gedy, as fate decreed. At best the Russian was no beauty, and as he stood there, glowering upon them, with the rough usage lee had lat- terly experienced adding to his frown- ing appearance, he looked simply devilish. Apparently there was that about the situation to please the man from Neva, for, despite his overtowering rage, he allowed a diabolical smile to creep over his face. So Satan might smile upon surveying a fresh batch of victims whipped into his hands by the lesser imps of Hades. Singular • to state, In all probability that same smile was the fellow's un- doing. It aroused fierce anger in the breast o! the Englishman, and caused him to throw caution to the four winds. The situation was desperate, and, if they were to be saved, it could only be through heroic treatment. Doubtless, with the subtle power which his race seems ever to exercise over barbarous or semi -civilized people, the Russian would gain the good -will of the Chinese, and, being able to speak their tongue, might incite their animosity against the trio through some specious tale that was utterly without founda- tion. The result would be a sickening tra- gedy, nor would It prove the first time that Anglo-Saxons met a dreadful death beneath the very walls of the Chinese metropolis, thanks to the fierce hatred with which they have always been viewed by bigoted natives. Plympton could see this resolution in the cynical smile of the Muscovite, and it was indignation that aroused his honest blood almost to fever heat—in- dignation heat in- dignation because there was no reason for such desperate tactics on the part of the Russian. whose country was at peace with Great Britain, so that only trade differences and a mad desire for gain forced the conclusion. Plympton was at his best when thus stirred up ; his brain, while surging with excitement, could grasp the situation In an instant and see the readiest way of release. Men so constituted the specially for- tunate, since the majority become rat- tled under sudden pressure, and find it hard to recover. The Russian, having surveyed the situation with the haughty air of a master, shouted out some words 1rf the Chinese dialect to a couple of betraggled fellows who had evidently accompanied him during his sub -marine journey. Plympton caught enough to tell him the other was explaining that these par- ties were spies seeking to overturn their religion, defile their pagodas and steal their gods. Thus he would inflame their minds against the little party and insure their dt sir auction. If the fellow' labored under the im- pression that Plympton and Larry would surrender without a desperate resistance he showed extreme simpli- city. His recent experience should teach him better, for the man who had swept the decks of the junk of a crew. numbering fully twenty armed coQltes could not reconcile himself to a meek surrender. Lord Beckett had a thought. Ile was wont later on to cal it an inspiration, nor would anyone . dispute his word. The Russian, by chance, was within ten feet of him as he stood. Ten feet may seem quite a little alis- tance on ordinary occasions, but it real- ly does net amount to much when an infuriated and aroused giant puts his nether limbs into ae.tion. Plympton gave vent to a roar that was not unlike the sound to be heard hi African wilds where the lordly king of beasts roams in search of his prey. The British lion was aroused. Even as he thus bellowed, he sprang strhigght at the haughty Muscovite, The latter saw his danger, but too late to avoid it by leaping aside, and available weapons he had none after his immersion, Trute, he did let out a shout, but It tied no effect whatever in retarding .the swoop of the aroused Britisher, Thus Lord Beckett fell upon hint in tits might, and though the Russian doubtless possessed en ordtnary man's power of endurance, he found himself little better titan a mere pigmy in the 'bands of his enemy. !t'lytIp�tlft having Iaid hands upon the man toward whom his venom was aroused, shook hint much as the lion might a mangy wolf that falls into his power. Larry afterwards declared the fellow's teeth rattled like a. set of Spanish cas- tanets. When Plympton desisted long enough to give him a breathing spell, the fel- low had quite lost his haughty and sar- castic demeanor. In fact, he looked dizzy. His idea embraced something, beyond the mere shaking up of the conspirator —he must be utilized to carry them out of this Slough of Despond into which they had fallen, thanks to his scheming. Exercising his wonderful strength, Plympton dragged the Russian back to where the others stood spellbound by his daring action. He thrust his revolver squarely into the man's face, so that he might exper- ience the peculiar chilling sensation which cold steel is apt to create. Then, : In his sternest tones, ho ad- dressed him, nor could his language have been much more to the point : "Your life is in my hands. As certain as there is a Heaven above, I will sacri- fice it unless you agree to assist us to reach a place of safety. If you consent, nod your head, and unless you do so instantly I shall blow; your infernal head off and take chances afterward. Your decision -quick I The Russian might have had a will of his own, but it had to bow before that of a master. He looked into those blazing blue eyes, and saw his doom There if he refused. Doubtless life was too sweet to the fellow, and he would have been a fool to have thrown away all chances of a continued existence. He nodded his head with a great vehe- mence, as though to emphasize his dis- like for the chilling sensation of the steel upon his brow, and the strong possibility of having his thatch blown away should the Englishman's itching finger press too heavily upon the trig- ger. "Enough I" cried Plympton. "Now, tell these fellows to disperse—that you are about to accompany, us 10 the city," The other rattled off some jargon, which was to 4he effect that his plans had changed, and he meant to go with the little party before the • yamen (or court), where he could get justice. This was only a blind, of course, to dull their comprehension, and keep them quiet, for the average Chinaman has the deepest respect for a court of law, and desires to keep clear of it as much as possible. At least this little speech had its effect, for the crowd began to melt away. The grower of silkworms was still available to serve as their guide, and they cheerfully accepted his services. Thus they approached the city walls, and all seemed well. Lord Rackett had put his arm through that of the Russian, so that they were linked together. He did not mean to trust the fellow more than necessity required, and all the while lie held his revolver ready in the other hand. Nor did he forget to keep a close look- out, remembering that the Russian had allies, and one of them might creep up from behind, snatch away his shooting - iron and give the prisoner an oppor- tunity to escape. Larry was lost in admiration of his, colleague. To him this was the acme of diplo- macy, and he grinned almost constantly at the idea of making their enemy lead them out of the wilderness. It was turning the tables with a ven- geance, and revenge is sweet to the ordinary. man. Larry did not pretend to be an angel, and made no concealthent of the fact that the present peculiar condition of affairs was exceedingly gratifying to him. One thoroughly appreciates a calm after enduring the torments of a storm. The Russian carried out his part of the programme very well indeed, and yet he hardly deserved the credit for doing so ; a man who valued his existence would have been next. to insane to have dreamed of any treachery, much less attempted it, while arm fn arm with. that ,giant Britisher, who had declared his readiness to snuff out his lite as one ex- tinguishes a candle if the occasion arose. Thus they reached the walls and passed within the limits of the city. Well did the grower o! silkworms know how best to guide them to the foreign quarter so that they should at- tract the least possible attention from the swarms of natives to be found upon the streets, where colored lanterns hung and strings of firecrackers still burst 'in a. continuous clatter that brought agony to the tympanum unacdustomed to such clamor. Perhaps it was strange they had not heard • this. noise when endeavoring to locate the city ; but what air there was stirring came fromthe opposite quar- ter, and this may have 0ceounted for it in a measure. At any rate, no one gave it much thought now that siiedess had come to their banner, When (he foreign quarter was reach- ed, Plympton dismissed the Russian. The fellow said something in his own tongue. which ne one understood, al- though they could guess that it was a hint concerrdng sotto future day when the chances of war might be in his favor--en.d then he belted. • Danger wes •now a thing -of :the past,. since they were surrounded by the nes- eon lights of clvilizuttoo, and no trouble was oxperfeilted :14 (caching the hotel, where the silkworm merchant was re- warded according to promise, and sent an his way rejoicing, while our three friends hold comm; tontogether to compare notes of the stormy voyage that had so happily reached its conclusion.. CHAPTER XXI. From tropical Canton to the far -away northern capital, Peking, is a huge step, and the nlodeS of travel and communica- tion so limited, primitive and cumber- some, that an overland' journey from the one to the other would consume some months in the accomplishment. Fortunately for the traveller desirous of looking upon these two extreme types of Chinese life, there are other means of 'annihilating distance than the tedious methods that have been in vogue in the emilire for thousands of years.. Anglo-Saxon enterprise has stepped in and provided a line of communica- tion quite equal to the demand. From the wonderful metropolis of Southern China one may drop down the Pearl River for some ninety .miles, and bring up at the busy English mart cf 1 -tong Kong, where commerce holds sway, and the nailed hand of Great Br.•itain hold's fast to the pulse of a huge, unwieldy nation, formed of many provinces and held together simply through the power of cohesion. Here elegant steamers sailing under the British flag carry passengers to Shanghai and other ports still further. north, where conveyance to the old capi- tal apital can be secured. The situation of Peking has amazed all travellers, since it does not lie upon a groat stream like the Yang-tse-Kiang or the equally famous Yellow River of the north. Lying not far from the Great. Wall. of China, its situation is admirably adap- ted for defense against Tartar foes ; and since the present dynasty is of northern sympathies, It is probably only proper that this stronghold of China should be maintained as the capital. There were other days far back in the past when a city more central and in a more salubrious climate held this proud position, and this may 'occur again with a change of dynasty. A crazy old railroad takes the adven- turous tourist to the outslt,irts of Pe- king, and dumps him out u,nceremonl- ously, so that he Is oompelled to charier a conveyance in order to reach his in tended destination in the European quarter. A little . party had thus been turned loose one pleasant afternoon, not a great many days after the events which took place in Canton. At their head was a strapping English- man, whose knowledge of Chinese methods seemed to be equal to the task of handling those with whom -he came in contact. This was Lord Rackett, of course, and his companions could be no other than Larry and Avis. The latter bore a. mystic scrawl in the routine Chinese characters, addressed to one Foo Chong, in the Imperial city of Peking, .and upon this letter they ex- pected to depend in carrying out the desperate mission that had taken them thither. Dr. Jack's widow had made up her mind, and nothing could change her determination. Again and again had Plympton and Larry consulted; various were the de- vices to which they resorted in order to bring about some alteration of her plans. It was useless. Lord Rackett's accounts of the difficul- ties that lay in the way, and all Larry's vivid descriptions of the horrors to be met. only quickened her pulse and add- ed fire . to her eye, as she, in imagina- tion, pictured her Jack in the midst of these scenes. When a woman of her determination, concludes to do a certain thing, diffi- culties only serve to make her the more positive. The others had recognized this, and yielded to the peculiar conditions; act- ing under the belief that "what can't be cured must be endured." So long as Avis was bent upon under- taking this astounding adventure, they were bound to stand by her. True, the chances seemed to be that not one of the trio 'would ever return alive from beyond the walls of the For- bidden caty, but that was a contingency that, had little bearing on the matter fn Plympton's mind ; he was bound to do his level best, es though success awaited those who dared. (To be continued). $ JAPAN'S POPULATION. In strong` contrast with the uncertain- ty about the population of China Is the exactness of the figures given for the population of Japan in the. Japanese Blue Book for 1905, which has been printed. in English by the Japanese .Government. The population of the islands constitu- ting Japan proper is 47,812,702,, and that of the Island of Formosa 3,059,235. Japan- comprises 100 main islands and nearly 500 srriall islands, malting the name "Island Empire" particularly ap- propriate. The total area of these Is- lands is about 701,000 square miles. It is no'el that there is a close approxi- mation to equality in the division of the population between the two sexes. Extreme heat, is more fatal to human life than extreme cold. ° We like best to call SCOTT'S EMULSION e'fekd because it stands so .lens. .phaticaliy for perfect nutritiosn. 'Ana:yet in the matter of restor- ing appetite, of giving nevi strength to the tissue#, eapcehilly to the nerved, hs aeon Is that. ofdmedicine, �, a y,, rJl4sirtls /errrs4014.1 tp'ili lf, ++f++++++++++++++++++++ t b the Farm +++++++++ +t+++++++++++ CULTIVATfoo FOR POTATOES.. Tho success of the potato crop de- pends in a large measure on the kind of cultivation given. No matter how much the land has been tnanured and how carefully the sets have beenplanted if the soil is allowed to become hard, the weeds permitted to grow apace, and moisture lost, which could be very much reduced, writes Mr, W. T. Macoun. A few days after the sets have been cover ed by the plough and before the plants have been above ground, but not until the weed seeds have germinated, the soil should be harrowed with a smoothing harrow to level it and kill the myriads c f weeds which usually germinate about that season of the year. If possible, the soil should be harrowed twice before the potatoes are far enough up to be 'n - lured.. If two harrowings are given there should be little' trouble from weeds afterwards, and harrowing is a much mare economical way of getting rid of them than by hand hoeing. As soon as the potatoes are far enough up so that the rows can be easily distinguished, the cultivator should be put in and tate soil loosened between the rows to as gt eat a depth as possible the first time and as near the sets as it is safe to go without disturbing, them, 'so as to loosen the soil for the tubers. All future culti- vation should be quite shallow to pre- vent injury to the roots and tubers. The soil should bo cultivated every week or ten days, depending on the weather, the object being to keep the surface 'soil loose until the tops meet between the rows. If the soil becomes backed evap- oration of moisture will be very rapid. From five to six cultivations, or even more, are none too many and it will be found that the crops usually increasers in proportion to the number of cultiva- tions. A very careful series of experi- ments to determine the value of cultiva- tion was carried on by Prof. I. P. Rob- erts, late director of the Cornell Experi- ment Station. in one experiment the yield from six cultivations wa 344.8 bushels and from three cultivations 308.3 bushels or a difference of 41.5 bushels In another case the yield from a plot cultivated six times was 310.5 bushels, and from a plot cultivated three tim3s, 209.6 bushels, or a 'difference of 40..9 bushels. Conservation of moisture is very im- portant' in growing potatoes and thor- ough cultivation is one of the best ways to retain moisture. The vines should not suffer from drought as they often do in the middle of summer, if the soil was properly prepared to begin with and well cultivated during the early part of the season. The vines must be kept growing thriftily from the time they ap- pear above ground until autumn if a maximum crop .is to be obtained. 1! growth is checked in the middle of sum- mer ummer the crops suffer and. the tubers when they start to increase in size when the rains come are very likely to become mis-shaped. A good cultivator is very essential in growing potatoes. The ridging of potatoes is an old me- thod and is the practice usually follow- ed in Great Britain and Europe at the present time and also in .America, al- though level culture has been growing In favor in America during the past fif- teen or twenty years. Ridging was pro- bably adopted in the first place for the main purpose of affording good drain- age, as in most climates is is important not to have the potatoes in soil which i; very wet. Soil is also warmer when ridged and in cool or moderately cool climates the increase in the warmth of the soil by ridging is favorable to she crop. The condition for the development of shapely tubers is also better in the loose ground which the moulding up of the soil affords. Potatoes are dug much easier in soil which is ridged than where level culture is adopted. Many farmers, owing to lack of know- ledge, give no further attention to their potato crop after the:. beetles are killed and haying begins, and as an end to the culture for the season they ridge up just before haying. There is no doubt some advantage In ridging over, leaving the soil level when such condi- tions prevail, as the ridging will give the tubers loose soil to develop in, while the soil wbuld soon get hard if left flat and not cultivated. There are districts in Canada where the climete condition in summer are not very unlike those in Great Britain. In such districts ridging will probably ,a' a rule give better results than level culture. The reason is easily apparent. The evaporation of moisture is not as great from level soil as from soil in ridges. Few experiments seem to have leen tried for comparing level with ridge culture, but in the drier parts level culture has, as a rule, given the best re- 'sults. It should be clearly understood, however, thea unless the soil is well worked the better conditions of the soil for the development of tubers when it is ridged will offset the advantages of re- taining mare moisture by level culture. An experiment has been conducted at the Central Experimental Farm for tour years for the purpose of comparing lev- el with ridge culture in the soil at the Farm which is an almost ideal soil for potatoes, being a triable sandy loam, end does not dry out. In 1900, 1902 and 1003 two varieties were used in this test,. the Everelt and Carman No. 1 in 1900, and Early Sunrise and (Garman No. 1 in 1901. and 1902. In 1903.Carman No. 1, Burnaby Mammoth, Maple's Thor- oughbred, Reeve's Rose, Prolific Rose, end Canadian Beauty, The average yield per acre of all the varieties under test for four years is 448 bushels, 38 pounds for level culture and 470 bushels, 26 lbs., for ridge culture, an average yield per acre In favor of ridging of 2t bushels and 48 pound$. RAPE FOR CATTLE, HOGS AND SHEEP When the pasture gets dry and poor in the fall, the feeder of beef cattle has got to provide an extra, of some kind, if his feeding account is to show a balance on the right side, Rape 10 just the for- age plaht he needs to carry his tit over this period. They are Pond of ft, and if thehave accoess to erase pas- ture ure I addition to rime, will go p - t n p, do exceed ingly welt upon it, It not only produces Rood gains in weight, but„it also puts the • animals in t'tiellovv, sappy, tlrriV- DO YOU WANT'''' r - PURE TEA? MIEN USE Ceylon GREEN Tea Free from all acdulltera,tion of any fdind. Lead Pnoketa only. 400, S00 and 800: per Ib. At all Grocers. LIMIEST AWARD ST. LOUiS, 1904. COBALT -The World's Richest Silver: ining Camp THE COLUMBUS COBALT SILVER 00., Limited. Authorized Capital Stock, $450,180. Shares $1 each. BOARD OF DIRECTORS: HON. RICHARD IIARCOURT President, JAMBS TtrTHOPB, >!eq„ M.P.P., Heed of Director of the Ontario Bank, and tor. the arm of Tudhopo Canige Co., Limited, morly _Treasurer of the Province of Ontario Otiuia. D4 U11L Simpson, tt ., MJL, Managing JOHN FLETT, Req., Vice -President, Bead. Airegtor, Ont It, Ont. a tho arm of Flea, Uvalde' b. Co., Dir Josxru COLUMBUS. Esq,, Explorer, cotes of Ontario Bank. Hails bar) Cut, 8OLYOITOR.4—O2ark, Mol?herson, Campbell t bo ii, Toronto. The force of men now developing the Columbus Mine -near Giroux Lake, not far from the famous Drummond, Foster, Jacobs and others in Coleman Township, have now a vein six feet with better ore than ever before. 1t is about a foregone conclusion that this mine will 'soon sur- prise the world. On account of low capitalization, I have very little stock Left for sale at $1.00 per share, as It is only a question of short time When the stock may advance to $5.00 or over. Send at once for full particu- lars, or mail your order with marked cheque dr express order to the order of DANIEL SIMPSON, P. 0. Box 129, Cobalt, Ont. Stock sold on the instalment plan. ing condition that will enable them to make the best gains on the feed they receive in the winter. It is great stuff, too for the young cattle. Brood sows can practically live on rape if they are not nursing a litter. And the crop is just the stuff to use as green feed for the growing pigs after the clover and peas and oats are gone. it can either be pastured or cut and fed in yards or pens. Fed either way it will give large returns per acre. There is nothing much better for the lambs than to have access to a rape field while on their dams. It is a good plan to have rape sown next to the sheep pasture and have an opening in the fence so . that the lambs can go on the rape whenever they like, their dams having to remain in the pasture. It is just as valuable after the lambs are weaned. The abundant succulent food that it provides,' right up until winter, will keep them growing as nothing else can. It is a. pasture crop for the whole fleck, young and old. As with the beet cattle, so with the sheep,- it not only gives a good grain while they are graz- ing it, but it puts them in a condition to make rapid gains 'when fed Inside. If you haven't tried it before, try some rape this year. A piece of land badly infested with couch grass is a good place to put it. Plow it thoroughly once c r. twice, and work frequently to tear up the couch as completely as possible. Get the land in good mellow condition by the - last of June and sow Dwarf Essex rape in drills about 20 inches apart at the rate of about two pecks of seed per acre. Cultivate two or three times to tear out the couch until the plants be- come large enough to shade the ground. The couch will be badly smothered, and you will have a good supply of late for- age. • SCHOOL HOLIDAYS. The Russian schoolboy has the beet time as regards holidays,' for the edu- cation authorities allow four weeks in spring, five weeks - in suinmer, a ;oi-t- night"in autumn, and a' fortnight m winter. In most oilier continental coun- tries practically all the holidays are taken in the summer, only a few days being granted for the . New Year e.n,l Easter. In France _the summer yacati in lasts from August 1st to October 1st; in Austria from July 15th to ' September 15th; in Greece from August 1st to Seo- tember 20th; in Norway from July ' 5th to August 25th; and in Turkey from the end of June to the middle of August. AERIAL NAVIGATION. A new branch of railway engineering is about to be undertaken by a Colorado railway company, who propose to stretch a heavy cable across the granite gorge of the Colorado River from bank to bank, and attach to same a movable steel cage, in which passengers will be transported. The distance from rim to rim in mid-air, as the crow flies, is thirteen miles. The distance going down the south wall, crossing the river on the cable, and ascending the north wall is fully 20 miles. VILLAGE OF CRIPPLES. The strangest village in the world is undoubtedly the little hamlet of Jatte, near Culoz, in France, not far from the Italian frontier, where dwell about 200 deformed men, women and children, who in Paris go by the name of "Culs- de-Jatte.” They aro deprived of the use of their legs and thighs, and push themselves along in primitive wooden carts with wooden wheels, which they propel by means of a flatiron -shaped block of wood in either hand. HUGE GOLD NUGGET. There is an interesting addition to the. Isrithh Africa Company's museum in the shape .of n reef nugget, believed to be the largest yet found in Rhodesia. The nuggctt, which weighs 21.02 ounces, Measures 5M inches in length and 3 inches in widllt, and was found about fifteen .miles south-east of Bulawayo, at a depth of 62 feet from the Surface. When -found the nugget was 21 inches longer, but on taking it out of the ground a portion broke away. • FILIAL AFFECTION Lucie : "i always give the prettiest. embroidered thing's I do to my mother," Marie : "That is kind and thoughtful of you." Lucie : "Yes. Then I can borrow titer, you know." , PERSONAL POINTERS. Interesting Gossip About Some of the World's Prominent People. Mr. Edward Hughes, the famous por- trait painter—Queen Alexandra has sat to him three times, by the by—had a picture exhibited at the Royal Academy when he was fifteen. Mr. Nicholas Longworth, who married Miss Roosevelt, has a most valuable collection of violins, and is considered an expert in them. His collection in- cludes a fine Stradivarius, a Guillaums formerly belonging to Ysaye, and an Amati oncethe property of Theodore Thomas. At LWlingstone Castle, the Kentish residence of Sir William and Lady Emily Hart -Dyke, is preserved among the many interesting things there a leather bag of coins. The tradition ,is that whenever the heir is married he and his bride place a coin in the bag. The legend further enjoins that this matrimonial offertory bag must never be counted,. or some dire misfortune will. overtake the newly-wed couple. The Duke of Wellington, who has just been celebrating his fifty-seventh birthday, is also Prince of Waterloo in the Netherlands. He is, moreover, Duke of Ciudad Rodrigo and a Grandee of the First Class in Spain, and Duke of Vit- toria, Marquess of Torres Vedras, and Count of Vimiera in Portugal. Besides his dukedom and other titles an the peerage of the United Kingdom, the Duke is Earl of Mornington and Viscount; Wellesley of Dangan Castle in the peer- age of Ireland. The Duke is not unlike. his famous grandfather in point of per. j sonai appearance. When Lord Curzon was appointed Viceroy ,,of India, the post he recently. vacated, he fulfilled one of the dreams. of his school -days. From the time he first knew that Government House di Calcutta was a facsimile of his ancestral home, Kedleston Hall, near Derby, he desired to occupy it as Governor-General of India. When the old East India Com- pany decided to erect a palace in Cal- cutta for the residence of the Viceroy they inspected most of the stately hones of England in search of a model. As a result, the Governor -General's house at Calcutta was modelled on Kedleston Hall. Mrs. Roosevelt has one well-developed hobby, and that is the collection of old china. Under her supervision one of the most valuable collections in the United States has been placed on exhibition in the basement of the White House, and I is a proud day when she can add some- hing of historic worth to the treasures. The exhibit is made up entirely of rem- nants of the dinner -sets which formerly served the Presidential families. It be- gins with some rare gold -trimmed plates and cups -and saucers, which were the pride of Martha Washington's heart, and continues down to tee era of Mrs. Mc- Kinley. Seldom has President Roosevelt re- ceived a more notable visitor at the White Ilouse than Mr. Henry H. Rogers, the master brain of the Standard Oil Company, who has had a prolonged, audience with him. Fifty years ago Mr. Rogers was a newsboy selling papers. for a living in the streets of New Bed- ford, Massachusetts. To -day he is a millionaire a dozen times over, con- trols twenty-two companies wholly or partly, and was quite recently descr.bcd by an opponent, Mr. T. W. Lawson, the Roston "Copper King," as "the strong- est, most acute, and most persuasive human being that in the thirty-five years. of my life I have ever encountered." The late Mr. Edward Steinkoff, whale fortune of $10;000,000 is to be adminis- tered by three trustees .in favor of his only daughter, who is married to Sir, Stewart MMlackenzie, of the Seaforth, Highlanders, with an ultimate reversion, to charity, was a man of meet remark-, able character. Endowed with enor-, mous physical strength, he was at the, ,same time capable of exhibiting won- derfui gentleness. This, however, was: not always apparent, and ces'tainlyi never to those with whomhe came int collision. Then his voice was like thun•i der and his words extremely bitter. Once, after an employe htid been sound -t: ly rated by him, the man said, "I wish I was dead, sir, rather than have youj talk to hie like that." The militona.lrc'si retort was prompt, "1 dere say you do, That'e just the sort of work yott . woc,idi like ---loafing about in yore coffin."