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HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Exeter Times, 1920-1-15, Page 6" 'Urimermis The March of the White Guard By SIR GILBERT PARKER. CHAPTER X, On a beautiful May evening Varre Lepage, Jasper Hume, and the White Guard are welcomed at Fort Edmon- ton by the officer in command of the Mounted Police. They an to enjoY couple of days, before they pass on.land reaphet. Hence orth you will de - Jasper Hume izato go back with serve at. Cloudein-the-Sky and Late Carscallend Varre Lepage raised moist eyes to and a number of Indian careers, for the other and said: "But you will take this is a journey of business too.' bac,k the money I got for that!" Gape Toujours and Jeff Hyde are -WI There was a pause, then Jasper press on with Varre Lepage, who is Hume replied: "Yes, upon such terms, now much stronger and better. One. times, and conditions as I shall here - day passes, and on the followieglafter fix. And you have no child, Le morning Jasper Hume gives instruc-1page?" he added gently, tions to Gaspe Toujours and Jeff Hyde' "We have no eluilel; it died -with my and makes preparations for his going fame." clear bugle call sounded in the square. back. He As standing in the Barracks Jasper Hume looked steadily into "Yes, dear," she said, "we will be - Square, when a horseman rides in and the eyes a the man who had wronged gin the world again." inquires a a sergeant standing near, I him: "Remember, Vane, you begin CHAPTER XI. Varre Lepage had arrived at the the world again. I am going now. By Eleven years have gone since that Port A few words being out the: the memory of old days, goad -bye"; found satisaactory in your case, and fact that Rose Lepage is nearing the and he held out his hand, Varre Le- scene ee'as enacted in Edmonton, and horizontal portion and held it to ahe the scene rises for the last act a that light, laughing at their incredulous avoid this trouble. Port from the south' being determined' age took it and rose tremblingly to drama of life winch is connected with faces as they saw the rose -like outline No matter how hard you use your the brief history of the White Guard. and the star of seed pockets. hands you need never be ashamed of A great gathering is dispersing "Now theseknow" she them if you faithfully carry out these from a hall in Piccadilly. It has beenyou will ,. promised as she sat down with a paper few instruhtiens. I am syeaking from drawn together to do honor to a mah personas eapenence for have proved An her band. "These are the names of nuts and apples. Pll toss a peanut to the first one calling out the right answer." Then elle gave these ques- tions: What apples are these? I. What we do when we reach a goal. ( Seek -no -further.) 2. A sovereign. (King.) 8. Used after butchering. (Smoke- ho4u.seA.an' old-fashioned flower. (Gill - flower.) 5. Part of an animal. (Sheepnose.) 6. A fur. (Astrakhan.) 7., One of Coopers novels. (Spy.) 8. Manufactures locoinotives. (Bald- win.) 9..A. kind of shoe. (Russet.) 10. Where' we do all hope to go. (Paaadise.) 11. Found in rivers. (Crabapple.) 1.. A month. (May apple.) 13. The mast beloved apple. (Apple of the eye.) . 14. The apple that is never swal- lowed. (Adam's apple.) 15. The sweetest apple. (Love ap- ple.) attractive little booklets. These were 16. A color. (Green apple.) 17. A sharp apple. (Thorn apple.) Coimaitot I not be mended." Just then his hand the open door. The Sa katchewan tried to get a bate from a row °tap les 1 away; and after that she greev to love the successful, kind -mannered genius who became her husband. Oven in this happiness of hers, eitting once again at her husband's feet, she tie:eight edtli a tender and glowing kindness of the man who had cared for her cies sn years ago; and who had but nee' saved her husband, IIe has not succeeded in life," she re: sated softly. Looking dowu hee, his brow buening with a white heat, Verve Le - pa -e said: 'Tie is a great man, ray 44/ am sure he is a goo4 man," she added. Perhaps Varre Lepage had borrow- ed sonie strength from Jasper Hume, for he said almost sternly, "He is a great man." His wife looked up, half -startled at the tone, and said, "Yes, dear; he is a good man—and a great man." The sunlight still came in through Apples and Nuts. ne Social Sixteen was to meet with Nan, and every one knew it meant a jolly evening. She knew the secret that something active starts an eve- ning well, so each one was required to balance a peanut on the small end of art apple and, placing both on the back oe h• ig clenched haled, carry them ' across the room and back. Then they touched the book that he still carried in his bosom, and as if his mother had whispered to him, he continued: "I bury it all, and SQ must you. You'will begin the world again—old friend— en ? p flowed swiftly between its verdant that swung from the curtain rod be - banks, an eagle went floating away to, tweeri two rooms. Next Nan passed the west, robins Made vocal a solitary , sheets, of paper and pencils. , tree a few yards away, troopers mov- , • I "Draw taro views a an apple," she ed back and forward aeross the square th h 'fralit th Fort for a' an s a • Y and n hen and her chickens came ilut- , one w en s cu n a tering to the threshold. The wife look- up and down, the ether egress." - ed at the yellew brood dra.wang close They did their best, but their ignor- to their mother, and her eyes grew ance •of an apple's construction and wistful. She thought of their one baby the lack of bobanical observation -asleep in an English grave. But think- amused and vexed the contestants. Ing of the words of the captain of the er White Guard, Varre LePage said, "We eawaYs ate mine too quickly to will begin the world again, my 'wife." studY thern," complained one victim, loss his to the others' inimense delight. She smiled, and rose to Nun collected and looked ()vex the forehead as the hens and chickens hastened away from the door, and a Papers. , "You girls really have made apple sauce," she aamittesa "for the vertical sections are quite good, 'but the others ped hands are caused by the soap used —look! Didn't you ever see the apple for the same soap does not agree with blossom in al 9 " d If d a thin all skins. Use a make that has been order " bekmvarm water for this eleansing the entire year, and dry well to keep them from chapping, Keep ready a solution composed of equal parts of rose water and glycer- ine and immediately after washing them, just before they are uite dry, rub in few drops of tilts mixture, If it is net eonvenient to have rose Wa- ter, the pure glycerine is very effec- tive for keeping the hands soft and free from the traces of grisne. Some people claim that glycerine does net agree with their skin. For those with which At does not, a honey solution, mutton tallow, ler a good skin food creara may be used, rubbing it over the hands while they are still damp. Any excess fat remaining on the sur- face after thoroughly rubbing in may be wiped off with a towel, After drying the hands, gently push °back the cuticle of each nail with the towel. It is well to get a complete lit- tle manicure set, and with this give your nails a good manicuring once Or twice a week. Sometimes skin irratien and chap - to come on arom Ahovanne to meet is feet, and said, "You are a good her husband. The trooper thinks she, man, Jasper ,Hume. Good-bye!" is now about eight or ten miles away; 1 The Sub -factor turned at the door. but is not sure. He had been sent on "If it will please you, tell your wife ahead the day before, but his horse, that I saved yeu. Someone wall tell having met with a slight accident, he her; perhaps I would rather—at least, who has achieved a tmumph in engin- had been delayed. He had seen the It would be more natural, if you did eering scienee. As he steps from the di platform to go he is greeted by a party, however, a long distance back it." He passed out into the heat in the early morning. He must now sunkine that streamed into the room fusilade of cheers. He bows calmly ride away and meet Mrs. Lepage, he and fell across the figure of Varre Le-' and kmdly. He is a man of vigorous said. He was furnished with a fresh page, who sat and said dreamily, "And' Yet reserved aspect; he has a rare horse and he left, bearing a message begin the world again." individuality. He receives with a to the loyal wife from Valve Lepage.' Before JasPar ume mounted, al- quiet cordaality the personal congratu- Jasper Hume decided to leave Fort! most immediately after, to join the lations of his friends. Re remains Etanonton at once, and to take all the, White Guard now ready for the jour.. for some tune in conversation. with a White Guard bads with him; and gave ney back, Jacques sprang upon him royal Duke who takes his arm and ()raters to that effect He entered the and pushed his nose against his mas.. with him passes into the street The rocm where Varre Lepage sat alone, ter's heart. And once again, and for Duke is a member of this great man's and said: "Varre Lepage, the time the last time that we shall hear it, club, and offers ham a seat in his has come for us to say good -by. I rem: Jasper Hume said, "It's all right, my brougham. Amid the cheers of the starting at once for Fort Providence.", Jacques." people they drive away together. In - But the other replied: "You will And than they started for the 'north side the club there are fresh congratu- wait -until my wife comes. You must. There was pain in his voice. "I must not." Varre Lepage braced himself for a again. As they were doing so, a she- lateens, and it is proposed to arrange dow fell across the sunlight that an impromptu dinner, at which the streamed upon Varre Lepage. He Duke will preside. But with modesty looked up. There was a startled cry and honest thanks the great man de - heavy task and said: laspar Hume, of joy, an -answering exclamation of clines. He pleads an engagenrent. He if the time has come to say good-bye love, and Rose Lepage was locked in had pleaded an engagement the day It has else come when we should speak her husband's arms. before to a well-known society. After together for once openly: to settled A few moments after and the his health is proposed he makes his in so far as can be done, a long ac- sweet-faced woman said: "Who was adieus, and leaving the club, walks count. You have not „let my wife' that man who rode away to the north away toward a West -end square. In know who saved me. That appears as I came up, Varre? He reminded one of its streets he pauses and enters from her letters. She asks the name me of somebne, but I can't thenk who a building called "Providence Mane- d my rescuer. I have not yet told it is." 'hers." His servant atands him a cable - her. But she will know that to -day, "That was the leader a the White gram. He passes to Ms library, and standing before the fire, opens it. It said: "My wife and I send congratula- tions to the great man." Jasper Mune stands for a moment looking at the fire, and then says sim- ply, "I wish my poor friend Jacques was here." He then sits down and writes this letter: "My Dear Friends:—. -Your cable - Jasper Hume's face was wrathful, and not stay and let me thank him! Poor gram has made me glad. The day is remained so till the other sank back fellow: poor jaspar—Hume! Has he over. My last idea was more success - in the chair with his forehead in his then been up here these ten years?" ful than I ever dared to hope, and the hands, but it softened as he sew this: Her face was flushed, and pain was world has been kind. I went down to remorse and shame. He began to see struggling with the joy she felt in see your boy, Jas ar at Clifton last that Varre Lepage had not clearly' seeing he husband again. grasped the whole situation. He said1 "Yes, he has been up here all that In quieter, but still firm tones: "Nod time." Lepage, that matter is between us I "He has not succeeded in life, two, and us alone. She must never; Varre!" and her thoughts went back know—the world therefore must never, to the days when, blind and ill, Jasper know. You did an unmanly thing: 1 Hume went away for health's sake, you are suffering a manly remorse.: and she remembered how sorry then Now let it end here --but I swear it she felt for him, and how grieved she shall," he said he fierce tones, as the was that when he eame back strong other shook his head negatively; "I and well, he did not come near her or would have let you die at Manitou her husband, and offered no congratu- Mountain if I had thought you would lation. She had not deliberately dare to take away yoar wife's peace' wronged him. She did not know he —your children's respect." 1 wished her to be bas wife. She knew "I have no children; our baby died."' he cared for her; but so did Varre Le- jaspae Hume again softened; "Can page. A promise had been given to you not see, Lepage? The thing can- neither when Je.sper Hume went when I tell her all. "When you tell her all?" "When I tell her all." "But you shall not do that." "I will. It will be the beginning of the confession which I shall after- ward make to the worlde" "By heaven you shall not do it, Coward! Would you wreck her life?" Guard, the man who saved me, my wife." He paused a moment and then solemnly said, "That man was Jasper Hume!" The wife rose to her feet with a spring. "He saved you! He saved you! .Taspar Hume—oh, Varre!" "He saved me, Rose!" Her eyes were wet: "And he would Amazing Skill in Restoring Paintings Some years ago Sargent's portrait of Henry James, displayed at the Royal Acadenay, was badly hacked by a cleaver wielded by a suffragist. The work of restoration, which was en- trusted to Roller, was not overdiffi- cult. The canvas, after the painted sur- face had been protected with tissue paper, was placed upon a slate table. The back was then. covered with a sticky fluid, which was pressed through to the surface of the picture with a heated iron. In this way the convas was contracted and the cuts in It closed up. The canvas was finally relined, and any spots where the paint was missing, were filled by the re- storer with a special preparation. There are men who follow the pro- fession of picture restoration whose Ability is such that they are able to restore old paintings of value that have large holes in them, or in cases where the material on which they Were painted hangs in threads, More- over, these experts can, when neces- eery, transfer a painting to a new can. vas. If a picture of which the cazrvas is cracked, torn or rotted with age is 'landed to a clever restorer, the first thing he does Is to egrehase AeW Careats the Wile ;gin it Me Old one. Havieg obtained Ole, he glues a sheet of stout manilla paper te the picture. ale thee, carefully scrapes away the old canea.S. Thia is a job that may occupy him for several days or weeks if the canvae be a large one. Having removed all s of canvas, the eroimee item whieb the paiet lies are tekae seey by eea ents or gentle scraping until nothing remains of the original but the fragile shell of pig- ment adhering to the paper. Then the new canvas is covered with the strongest fish glue obtainable and pressed firmly down upon the paper bearing the picture. As soon as the painting is firmly attached to its new foundation nothing remains but to take off the manilla paper. This can be done with hot water, and the sur- face of the painting has only to be cleaned to look as bright and clear as it was when the artist painted it. In days gone by many masters of brush painted their works on wood or panel. Several such works brought to light during recent years have been Lound with their timber badly decayed, and in order to preserve them it has been necessary to transfer them to canvas. Haquiri, a French artist, was, it is thought, the first successfully to trans. ferea. panel painting to canvas. He glued a sheet of paper over the sur- face of the painting and afterward up. on this a line layer of muslin. When the ghee was quite dry he planed down the Panel until it was of the tyinness of matchwocel, when he sereppestee the remainder vita e., laria, flexible knife. eat—done, the mere elein of color held together by the paper and muslia Was left, and, it was a, comparatively eaey taek to glue this to a canvas and re- move the paper and muslin. If an old piettire should lack a pole tion of ita pigment this may be re- placed by an artist with colors from a (wash, but swnei,imes old but worth- • less mantines are Wed l'or the pur- pcee, week. It was the t Irteenth, his birth- day, you know, ten years old, and a clever, strong-minded little fellow. He Is quite contented. As he is my god- child I again claimed the right of put- ting a thousand dollars to his credit in the bank—I have to speak of dol- lars to you people living in Canada— which I have done on his every birth- day. When he is twenty-one he will have twenty-one thousand dollars— quite enough for a start in life. We get along well togetker, and I think he will develop a fine faculty for science. In the .summer, as I said, I will being him over to you. There is nothing more to say to -night except that I am as always, Your faithful friend, JASPAR HUME." _ A moment after the letter was fin- ished the servant entered and an-- nounced, "Mr. Late Carscallen." With a smile and hearty greeting the great had plain red shades. A low basket of man and this member of the White Guard meet It was to enterbain his I flaming Virginia creeper that trailed old Arctic comrade that Jasper Hume' over the polished table was the tenter - had •decained to be entertained by so- piece and narrow red ribbons ran from ciety or club. A little while after, the basket to each place. seated at the table, the ex -Sub -factor the truth of my advice here given. Stay -at -Horne Girl. There is a girl in our tow -n who is kept at home pretty closely by the care of an invalid mother. Money was not plentiful in her family and she al- most never had any spending money she could really call her own. So she began casting about for some means of turning her few spare moments into cash. She could make clever little pen - and -ink sketches and she Wee a good cook, :but it took her a long time to connect these two accomplishments. One day it occurred to her to make lit- tle booklets of her favorite recipes and illustrate them with sketches showing the different operations and the fin- ished dishes.. . She got heavy brown wrapping paper and cut it into sheets five inches wide and seven inches long, which were folded and tied together with bright -colored wrapping eord, making decorated with a cover design in ink with a few dabs of water -colors, and on each page was a recipe with the 18. An impudent apple. (Apple accompanying illustrations in the sauce.) . A corners of the same page. The recipes 19. A sign of eonfusion. -(Maiden's were plainly printed in ink. In one blush.) book were cakes, in another salads, in 20. It gathers in the crops. (Hare another candies, etc. vest apple.) I When a supply of these were ready 21. It falls from the sky. Mew she mailed them to a women's ex - apple.) j change in a nearby eity and soon had - Nuts. orders for more. Now she supplies 1. Part of a house. (Walnut.) several exchanges in different cities. 2. Abbreviations of :two boys' She told me recently that she is plan - names (Filbert). nmg to have a new set of recipes eaeh 3. Two nuts from the dairy. (But- month, so her patrons may have a new ternut, cream nut.) booklet frequently giving those recipes which are in season. 4. Found near the, sea. (Beech nut.) ' 5. A letter of the alphabet. (Pea- nut.) Cinderella—Minus Cinders! 6. Part of the `body. (Chestnut.) About 700 years B.C., there lived a 7. A girl's name. (Hazel nut.) 8. Good to drink. (Cocoanut.) maiden, who, though not called "Cin- derella," was undoubtedly the person 9. A tough wood. (Hickory nut.) represented in the popular fairy tale. 10. A quick look and a girl's name. It was during the rulings of one of (Pecan.) the twelve Egyptian' Kings that this A box of chocolateacoverect nuts was beautiful Eastera girl, Rhodope by first prize and a papier-eriaehe peanut name, came under the notice of the filled with small candies the booby. then known world. • .By this tune refreshments were in Rhodope had remarkably small feet. order and Nellie table was duly ad- One day, whilst bathing in a river near tnired. The candles sat in big hol- her home, an eagle is said to have lowed out apples on small doilies and swooped down, and playing the part of the fairy godmother, snapped up one of her sandals which was on, the bank. Carrying the 14ttle shoe off in his beak, the bird le -reported to have dropped it immediately in front of the king, and, naturally, the little sandal soon attracted royal attention. Struck by its size so small, and the daintiness, too, the king vowed he would find out the charming possess- or. Messengers were despatched, and the country was scoured for the foot thee the shoe would fit. At length Rhodope was discovered, and the shoe placed on her tiny foot. After a triumphal conveyanee to the king's palace, she was made queen to her royal lover, "King Psarameticus of Memphis," said: "You found your brother well, Carecallen?" The jaws moved slowly as of old. "Ay, that, and a grand minister, Cap - "He wanted you to stay he Scotland, I suppose?" "Ay, that, but there's no place for me like Fort Providence." "Try this pheasant. And you are Sub -factor now, Carscallen!" "There's two of us Sub-factors— Jeff Hyde and myself. Mr. Field is old and can't do mueh work, and trade is heavy now." "Yes; I hear from the Factor new and then. And Gaspe Toujours?" "Ile went away three years ago, but he said he'd come batic. He never did though. Jeff Hyde believes he will. He says to me a hundred times: "Carsc.allen, he rnade the sign of the trees that he'd come ,back from Saint Gabaielle, and that'e next to the Book with a genet. If he aloe he'll ,long and pointed, nor is it good taste come." • eperhai3,6 he will, carseaneth And to have them fairly glistening with CIoticleinethe-SkYl" "He's still there, and comes in and smokes with Jeff Hyde and me, as he used to da with you sir' but he doesn't obey orders as he did these of the Captain Of the White Guard. He said to me when I left, "You see Strong. back, tell hint Cloud -in -the -Sky good Indian—he never foiled. How!' Jaspar Mirn Valged hiS glgSg With "The last nut to crack," Nan as- sured them. These held inexpensive lingerie clasps for the girls and negli- gee cuff links for the boys. "It's thought and good use of ma- terials that make a happy party," said Nan to 'herself, and she smiled as she closed the door. • Well.Kept Hands. . A reasonable amount of self-respect and pride in ones personal appearance 4s a great asset to any girl or her smother. As the hands are just as in- dicative oa character as the face these should be given erapulous care, that they may always look weir -kept. ."But, how can this be done bar wo- men who have to &Pall kinds of hoase- hold drudgery?" someone will Belk. By well kept hands I do not mean that it is necessity to have the nails polish, A soft white hand with nails long and tapering As usually a sign. of the incompetence of its poseesser. In fedi it is a sure sign of idleness and a waste of much good time to keep it see By an attractive hand, t mean one that is • stnoOth and firm; the 'nails free from, dirt, eut routid, and fairly His Idea of a Joke. At the foot of a ateep hill stood a sign board on which the following not- ice was printed: "Danger—Bicyclists and autoista are b.ereby notified that this hill in dan- gerous and they are cautioned to comedown slowly." Appended tb that were the equally funny lines: • "Any person not able to read the above will have it read for hint if he call on the hlaoksmith who lives around the corner." A Scotchnian saw this notice and ex- plained to his friends that the point of the hike was that the blacksmith smiling and thoughtf al eYeet "To close, and the quick noshed hack, might not be at honae. Cloud -in -the -Sky end all who never ,Keep a stiff brush on your Washstand, fotget!" seid • teind,iwiib it, strut) your, hand eiel nails, (The aeeeltaler it lea , at lcaet en z a it dry, Use, Minarsra Lininient Mal:0 00143, f e ee. e 0, Slings and Arrows. It is easy "to deal a wound that ilea gers," in the way et a word written or spoken, and it is a careful (Mea= l whetleer it pays. Times there are when one must as a friend speak out, neither fearing nor favoring, but usually these are great and rare occasions, the more impres- sive for the restraint and reticeuce of the speaker the rest of the time. The 00111111011 scold is as little heeded as a few more hailstones in a storm upori a houseroof. , He or she 10 perpetually at a war of words with this our im- perfect creation; and so what mat- ters a tirade more or less? But when one who oelclom remon- Orates bids us look to the error of our ways we give heed, and perhaps we are contrite and amend our practices. We know that the stricture was ut- tered for our good and that the speak- er was heavy with grief. Whereas the habitual scold found a sort of amusement in the tongue-leehing. Of all deplorable means to drive home an argument or to point a Moral, sarcasm is the worst. It is not too much to say that none who is persist- ently sarcastic is beloved, The sar- castic man has an ingrowing sense of humor that resists the edge of any witticism that is directed againet him- self. He winces under the same treat- ment that he ruthlessly accords to others, But he does not seem to learn by the acuteness of his own anguish the pain that' he imposes by his own sharp sayings, , There are always gentle, sensitive folk whom it is easy to victimize by some, cruel, stinging epigram that shall win an immediate laugh at the cost of the pain inflicted. Hardly ever is an epigram x-aore thee. half true. Smart- ness verifies nothieg. There is noth- ing quite so clever, fact, as to bring out the best quality there is in an- other: Those who are beloved are not seeking to shine in a starry resplend- ence by the eclipse of other light. They encourage the others to bring out the best that in them is. They are guiltless of "snubs" to a budding as- piration or a tender promise. They are without a sneer. They do not try to think of -hateful things to say that. are sure by their malevolence to in- furiate their object and wreck his self- control, and so spell his humiliation. None is more contemptible than he who pours on a work in progress his asperities, and, 'Vier). it has survived them all, withholds his praise. , Ninard,n Liniment Cures Diphtheria. _ The Thanksgiving Secret. Once counted I my little store, er Whe was to others given more? Why were their 'lips with honey fed, While I had labor's hard-earned bread? A weary, hopeless task seemed living; I could not bring to God thankagiving. There came a poor man to my door, shared with him my scanty store, When lo! my sense of want had flovre, And rarest riches were ray own! I seemed with heaven's own manna `• fed, What blessed•joy there is in living! I brought to God my glad thanksgiv- ing. White enamelled woodwork may be cleaned with whiting on a moist cloth. SHE THOUGHT DRESS WOULD LOOK DYED But "Diamond Dyes'! Turned Her Faded, Old, Shabby Apparel Into New. Don't worry about perfect results. Use "Diamond Dyes," guaranteed to give a new, rich,' fadeless color to any fabric, whether it be wool, silk, linen, cotton or mixed goods,— dresses, blouses, stockings, skirts, children's coats, feathers, draperies, coverings, —everything. ' The Direction Book with each pack- age tells how to diamond dye over any color. To match any material have dealer show yea "Diamond Dye" Color Card, 1 $2.00 Worth of Music FOR 25c. Z. A. MCDONALD PIANO AND MIMIC CO., LIMITED, OP Barrington Bt., Balifes, N. a. *SALT fl grades. Write for grins& TORONTO ...P.LT WORKS G.& CUPP - TORONTO •••tr••••.jper.....onner, COAL FORESTS IN PREHISTORIC DAYS WHEN FUEL BEDS WE BEING FORMED. 01.11/1...P.014 Interesting Process Continued For Several Centuries With Interruptions. The coal beds that furnish us with fuel were forined during an age when, conditions on our planet were vastly different from what they are to -day, Tile crust of the earth'was in a very unstable state; it was shrinking with many incidental convulsions. The at- rnosphere was heavily charged with water -vapor, and soloacled with me banks acid as to be almost unbreath- able. The sun was bigger and much hotter then, and temperatures all over the world were higher than in -the torrid zone at the present time. Most of thia country was covered witli swamps. All of these circumstances, of course, were wonderfully favOrable to the develop- ment of plant life. What is now the state of Pennsyl- vania (whence comes Ontario's fuel) 'was an area corresponding typically to this description. It was a flat region, devoid Of mountains. The great rangeta: of the Appalachians bad not yet been uplifted. Indeed, large parts of it are formed of carboniferous beds folded into long ridges which must originally have been flat. o The steaming, vaporous landscape, over which were scattered many shal- low ponds, offered everywhere to view an extraordinary luxuriance of vege- tation, consisting mainly of plant forms unfamiliar to us to -day. Ex- • tremely abundant were gigantic moss- es resembling in kind our little club mosses, but vastly magnified, attain- ing the size of forest trees with trunks sometimes 130 feet long and ten feet thick. These contributed more ma- terial than any other plant to the coal that was to be. Giant Thickets of Ferns. In the muddy ground, forming im- penetrable thickets, stood monstrous reedlike "horsetails," delicate of foli- age, with stems twenty feet oe more . in height and ten to twelve*ches thick. Above them towered groups of palmlike tree -ferns, each, one bearine a huge tuft of magnificent leave its top. Of ferns of other kindet, was enormous abundance, as may ee judged from the numerous irapres- alone of them found in the coal -bear- ing rocks. One of the commonest plants in that epoch had stout branches that grew downward from a short trunk, develop- ing long rootlike processes which floated in the water or trailed in the mud. The under -clay of every coal seam is usually filled with these root- lets. But space is lacking for further description. Suffice -kt teesay that more than 500 vegetable species that helped to make the coal have been identified, Among them were gingko trees, which nowadays belong exclusively to Asia, and also pines. In the slate strata immediately over- lying coal seams are cethmenly found impressions of twigs, leaves and even nude The softer beds of "cannel" coal often contain entire trees, with foliage and seeds, all transformed in- to the kind of fossil fuel we burn. A chunk of anthracite suggests no like- ness to a plant,•but, if a slice of it be cut thin enough to be translucent, a microscope will readily show its vege- table character. • With rich soil, unlimited moisture for root and leaf, a temperature more than tropical, and an atmosphere laden ,eie with carbonic acid (which is to a plant what oxygen is to an animal), no won- der that the vegetation of that ancient epoch flourished, Growing, falling and decaying, each succeeding crop made the bed richer for the plants that were to follow. Why Coal is Found in Layers. This Process did not go on without interruption, however. It might con- tinue for several centuries, and then vast areas would sink and remain for a long period covered by water. From the -water sand and slit would be de- posited. Then these areas would again become land, resuming their former luxuriance of vegetation, only to be resubraerged later on. Thus the coal to -day is found in a series of layers, with strata of rock (represeht- ing the deposits of silt and sand) be- tween, Buried beneath water and rock (8,1r being excluded thereby), and subject- ed to pressure and heat, the woody material underwent a slow smothered combustion, and was time transformed into coal. What reinained of it was mainly carbon. An everage chunk of anthracite is about 95 per cent. carbon. Bituminous coal eontains about 38 per colt of volatile matter; whence its :muskiness: In good anthracite there Is only about 3 per cent, of Ouch matter; it is for this -reason an, al- most smekeless fuel. All of the Pen- nsylvania anthlacite was originally bituminous coal, but high heat And groat pressure drove the volatile .mat- ter out of it. • , In the Pottsville region of Pennsyl- vania the average total thiekness of aathracite seams is 120 feet. This re- presents an original vegetable depos- it at lenst 1,200 feet thick. One can imagine the enorshous length of time that mug have been reatiii(ed for the evowtli of so vast eeecualetity of weedy Ina( C n