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HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Brussels Post, 1906-6-21, Page 7ni 4a t?yw �1n tee A TALE OP SOUTHERN CHINA. ge+ t$gt+A- gEaf i•l;(-931.4):(+ -f);(' ':('9'X(¢ ('t -t(41 (-¢:f'9'r.($3 $ (+A+ CHAPTER XIV. The (lest round had been quickly fought, with bet trifling danger to the Wave couple who hod boarded the healing junk in search of Ur. Jao1c's widow. True) they hurl not allowed the ragged lino of Celestials to come within strik- ing distance, and the latter had been unable to put their knives against the action of modern firearms, else the re- sult might have been somewhat differ - ant. IL was necessary, however, that they proceed to take advantage of the re- spite offered Them, since the golden opportunity night. prove to bo the de- sideratum upon which their whole fu- ture depended. So Larry edged his way further along in the quarter where he knew the door of the junk's cabin ley. And close to his side the more bulky Maine of Plymplon kept puce with lits movements. The hitter had grave doubts regarding the tactics of the Chinese crew of the boat, and believed It his duty to keep their rear well guarded. He had considerable respect for the well-known trickery which has always Sharked the character of the race, and feared less this sudden change of base night be only a means to an end. In other words, Lord Rackelt, blunt and straightforward himself in his bluff English fashion, dreaded the enemy fully es much when they threw them- selves upon the bloody deck and ceased their clamorous outcries es when they - surged forward in bold attack. Some characters are more dangerous when still than while whooping it up like wild Bedouins of the desert. They reached the cabin door. Larry's groping hand came in contact with the knob by means of which IL was opened. Of course it movecl outwardly, so that a heavy sea might not force its way In- side during some tropical typhoon. •A Chinese junk is an ungainly craft In Ind eyes of sailors accustomed to the trier outlines of boats built upon the Clyde or In Amerlcen waters. Sho rears her squatty shape out of the water much after the Cushion of a Dutch galiot of olden days, and It lakes some time and experience to realize what weatherly qualities may be in sucih a quaintly - formed vessel. And yet a ileal of comfort lies In some of these same junks, Cushioned to carer to the tastes of native nabobs and pow- erful mandarins. The cabin Is usually richly furnished, after the prevailing Chine;el style, to be sure, but those who affect to sneer at all such clumsy plea- sure craft would doubtless clhanga their tuna could they have a glimpse of their luxurious surroundings. Larry, leaving clutched the brazen knob, which was fastened In fantastic guise, perhaps after the manner of a dragon's head, started to pull open the door. 11 resisted all his efforts. Whether the sheer weight was against him, or the door was held by some con- trivance on the other side, Lurry had no means of discovering -all ho knew was that his most earnest efforts to drag it open 'were in vain, Again deemed himself fortunate In havigsucharobust m rade in the hunt. Lord Rockett, seeing that his help was -needed, stretched out a hand, took a good grip upon the metal knob, and with a sudden muscular contraction of this tremendous powers torn the door open, Its mate also flying outward. TM cabin was before them. Neither slopped to take an observa- tion, but plunged boldly in. it would have been the height of folly to have lingered even a second, a temp - Ung of Providence, as it were, for the rasping voice still harangued the wretched Chinese, and some of the sail- ors, either stung into activity by this biter goad, or rho realization that their desperate enemies were on the retreat, had scrambled lo their feet and were rushing pell-mell in the direction of the cabin entrance, yearning to get in at least passedlhfromate thetroke ere Immediate this old f oe nge of their vision. Tha two men had en indistnct view of a dimly -lighted compartment where einken draperies hung, and many rich Oriental divans and pillows were scat- tered about. Lord Rackelt turned instantly to snap the doors shut and fasten them, ft pas, sible, against the projected intrusion. He uttered a shout of delight when his eye discovered that the double doors could be rigidly fastened by means of a bar which, when dropped into certain metal arms foshioned for the purpose, might hold out against any ordinary force from without. 11 was a close call. Even as the weighty bar clanked into place, a hand was eagerly laid upon the dragon's head without and the door was shaken with a violence that spoke of ex- treme passion. LitUo Plympton cared; with him amiss was as good as a mile, and he felt as though they were favored by fortune, being so placed as to hold the fort against the foe. Meanwhile Larry had been enjoying something of an adventure -though ono might perhaps question whether he fen- ded the sensation very much, for it cer- tainly Is not altogether conducive to the greatest pleasure Jn the world to have a Small revolver thrust directly into one's face, with a nervous finger toying with the trigger, That was Larry's experience. 11'0 had not been looking for any such Midden meeting, and cons for the Wm - Mont rendered quite breathless by his recent labor and tits really startling de- houelhexlt, At the same time a voice he should know, a voice that thrilled every fibre of his being, a voice he had been dearly wishing to hear, exclaimed in accents that spoke of bravery wrestling with, womanly fear : "Stand back, you villain! I may bo trapped, but not conquered Stand back, or—" She left her sentence Incomplete, for by this time she had been enabled to catch a glimpse of Larry's face, now wreathed in a huge grin of astonish- ment and pleasure. "Larry I God be thanked I" came in :words of keenest delight, and in an Instant the situation underwent a kaleidoscopic change. The little man was threatened with death from a toy weapon at one mo- ment, and the next he found himself in danger of the same violent end through being smothered. For in the excess of her emotions, due to the' revulsion of feeling upon dis- covering who this intruder on her privacy really was, Avis had gathered the little man in her arms and given line a genuine, hearty, cousiniy hug. Larry made no protest, not he; such things are like algals' visits, too few and far between., and he was ready to stand the consequences with the valor of a stoic, however short of breath the vigorous attack might leave him. Besides, Larry infinitely preferred this sort of en assault to being Com- pelled to face even a toy revolver that blinked hila his left optic with threaten- ing zeal. Lord Rackell now came up, and Avis quickly held out her hand for hhn to clasp. The dim past was forgotten. Once she had dreaded contact wilh this man, at the time his soul was con- sumed with a mad love for her -once she had despised, aye, feared him as an enemy of her husband. That was all gone. The big Brlion had conquered himself, and his life since had been in positive evidence of the sincerest retormelion. To -day, at this hour and minute, he was proving the wonderful change that had colpo over his nature, and, instead of taking risks in the endeavor to bring harm upon any whom she loved, was placing his own life in deadly peril, so that he might stand between Dr. Melee widow and calamity. And this with no other prospect of re- ward -at least that she knew anything abouh-tion the pleasure that over- whelms one when the call of duty has been obeyed. She therefore gladly gave him her !hand, and thanked him with an elo- quent look from her glorious blue eyes, now bright with tears that had been started by this sudden change from darkness to the dawn of now -born hope -tears that no danger could have forced her into showing. And Plymplon, thrilled by the touch of her !nand, felt that his grievous errors of the wretched past had been freely and fully forgiven; and that henceforth she would look upon him as an honored and trusted friend It were well worth enduring many times what he had gone through in order to gain the good -will and confi- dence of so charming a woman. He experienced a solid satisfaction, such as had probably never coma to him before in that other day when, urged on by jealousy and malice and envy, he had conspired tp rob Dr. lack of his wife as well as his fortune. Lord Reckon was well aware, how- ever, that the present was no time to indulge In these reflections ; his work, although thus far successful to re- markable degree, could not by any means be regarded as completed -in- deed, he felt it had only been fairly started. Enemies were close at hand; the stout doors alone stood between thein, and no doubt such clever rascals would speed- ily find a way of getting at the be- leagured ones in the cabin. This being the state of affairs, 1t be- hooved the two comradea to prepare for notion and place themselves on a foot- ing to meet any new emergency. Their first move must be to restore their faithful weapons to a condition in which they ivould be able to do further damage should the exigencies of the case require it. So Lord Renal thrust a hand 'deep Into one of his pockets. Larry did likewise. These hands came out holding extra cartridges. Load 1" said Plympton, There was a succession of clicking sounds and a tossing aside of empty brass shells -then both. cylinders were freshly charged, and the new power had been placed at their dlsposal. Now we can consider what may bo done to further our escape," said Plympton, gravely. By Jove 1 Whet d'ye Chit* of that, now?" snapped Larry, as he suddenly throw up an arm and discharged his weapon In the direction of a cabin win- dow where the wriggling figure of a Chlneee pirate could be seen pushing through, whether be had str'ltck him or not, but Ile all events the result was the same for the follow vacated his lod Inge in famished Chinaman, who, never sus, peeling the true Cause of the resistance, I g had been doing his level heat to accoJf• Each quick order that It was utl1r1 Im-, pllcld the worn 111 hand, gpssible to say whether he OIUUhJered n Of course, he had no Moo of comfeg Moil or dropped into the dark river. i Into the euhin, but such a warm-hearted Lord Reckon sprang to 1110 spot, reedy: and generous-mifuled fellow es Lord to present his particular eemplhnentsl Racked, could not hear to refuse a favor, t' any others who might be atlrecled by; Since he fisted to see any one left out the prospect of another "grand open- i In the cold. Ing;' but the prompt action taken in the case of the leader served as a check upon their actions, onto none put in an ap- pearance. Thorn was now time to examine 11 eir situation wills avksv to extracting ell the comfort possible out, of It. and squirm after 110 manner of u see - Taken as a whole, tin oontlllien of pent, doubtless under the mistaken no - affairs was decidedly unique. flea that ha could in this way slip cul There they were shut up In a collo of lin clutches of his nlasler Acting upon this impulse 11e had stoop- rlr down and Laid hold of the fellow by the neck oro he could recover suflicient- ly horn Ids stupefaction to dodge. Not understanding this philanthropicaction on the part of the big English• roan, the yellow fellow began to wriggle 01 a 110411e Junk, with vengeful enrr,ies on deck, and drifting down the liver. \Vhat would be the end? A were of things might happen to them, any roe a' whieh could only be considered with a shudder,' ' Even the sea lay beyond, and there were many ways In whittle their enemies might force them into a anrra11ler, rr accomplish their destruction if it erne A less muscular man would have lorlb him most assuredly, but Lord Hackett had landed many a lordly salmon, and he slapped this contortionist upon the cabin floor with a vigor that warned him to desist.. The trap had fallen in Ile place again. Evidently if there were other fellows be- low, they had been frightened off by the fele that so suddenly befell their leader, to that desperate end. In ilna.gtnl.0111 for, according t0 the ethics of warfare Lord Hackett could see the lune t:eaien in vogue among themselves, he must be a dead heering ere Lliis. Plympton begged Avis to secure some cord, and when this had been brought he wrapped his captive In ft, arms et his sides, until he was little better than a mummy. elect them only come one at a time, and we will soon have the whole gang in limbo; but I fear they have taken the alarm, and mean to try other methods," was what he said. There was a reason for his belief. Already sounds came from the direct - von of the doors, sounds that indicated a gathering of the clans 111 that quarter. Lurd Rachet, had Milli In the bar, but still it was not irresistible, and the crew of the junk might yet find some means of clearing away this stout barrier to their progress. Indeed, they appeared to be working upon that theory at the present 1110- 0(001, n LorBadg! Racket uttered an exclamation. He had seen the effect of this concus- sion on the doors, and realized that it would not Luke a very great number of such blows Lo weaken, aye, utterly de- molish their barrier. There was no mystery about it at all. The Russian diplomat had gone back to antiquated methods of warfare, but which under certain conditions were just aq efficacious to -day as in the times of the slope -throwing catapult. A fragment of mast or spar had bean obtained. which, put in action by the Chinese, was being made to do duty as n haltering ram. Such an object In the hands of men entirely great. and `used for such a pur pose, is mightier than the sword. It looked as though the temporary seourily which had been achieved through the strategy of the two friends was about to be shattered and give way once more to the stir of battle. Lord Rackell's first thought was in the direction of strengthening the doors, tul he almost immediately realized how uttely impossible such a tiling must prove. Then It became evident that a meeting must take place, and that he and Lary would be only wise In taking time by Lbs forelock and making such preparations Ic receive their toes as lay in Ilui;r powor. by ono of those fierce lemoat- t sweep the Chinese coast, born ' f Tropical Influences amid the islands of the East- ern seas, or olse engulfed In flames, with not a boat remaining in which to escape. The prospect was not alluriig. Iudced, it presented a grim aepeet to even such an old and tried campaigner as himself. Not that he had any idea of submlt- ting to the pleasure of those cn drrk one minute longer than was abs .lowly necessary. Such acquiescence would net have been in accordance with tlbo native of the man. Escape from the floating erten*, they must, and with Avis In thele company. But how was It to be done? That was the all-important queslion. The situation was unparalleled. Plymplon could reek his brain and not find anything in his stormy past that held a candle to it. This threw him entirely upon such re- sources es the cabin of the junk offered, backed up by the inventive abilities of himself and comrade, which It may be understood were of no mean order. They could tell from the motion of the boat that the junk still floated, and, so far as they were able to detect, no move- ment was In progress looking toward reaching land. It evidently guile suited the purposes of those on board to keep afloat while wrestling with the unique problem they had on their hands. Plymplon looked out of the stern win- dow in which the piratical chap had teen lodged at the time Larry gave him his compliments. It was some little distance over the sombre -looking water of the river, but it valorous man would have thought liitie about making the plunge when his lite was at stake. tie. This method of procedure was not In ide mind Just at present; some other means of escape would have to be con- sidered, since they had a lady to 10011 after. He glanced back over the course they had come. Lights could be seen about the city, tut after all it made a miserable show- ing, considering the immensity of space covered. Chinese methods are still el' the antiquated kind that were good enough for their ancestors. Should they insult the reverend memory of those worshipful generations by deserving better? Perhaps Plympton had cherished a hope that a boat of some kind might le Mailing astern of the junk. Alasl there was no sign of one, and whatever fancies clustered about this chance vanished in thin smoke. Then he looked up. To clamber out of the window and gain the poop deck of the junk was cer- tainly feasible, since one of the sailor's had effected a reverse movement. What good would it accomplish? ire could not thus gain the mastery of the boat and send her ashore. Evidently the game was to be fought out from an.olher vantage point, and he must look within for means of continu- ing the contest. So Larry was posted to cover this week place, where the open windows invited an assault. while Plymplon ex- amined the cabin In order to obtain his bearings. Avis had recovered her usual self- possession and watched .these manoeu- vres with considerable interest. She 'quickly comprehended that Lord Beckoit hoped to find some hneens of leaving the cabin besides the door or the window,, and -presently joined him nettle search. It, seemed useless, however. While they were speculating as to what might Ile beneatih the cabin floor, Plympton felt a trembling movement under his feet. His lust thought was that the junk had struck some hooting object -then it gashed into This head that mayhap the rascals had started to scuttle the vessel, hoping thee those 'in the cabin might drown like rats, The most amazing fanciesare apt to surge into one's mind when an email - quake thrill makes the fooling Insecure. Again the felt that strong quiver be- neath his feet. Then it suddenly dawned upon him that some unknown person was endea- voring to raise a board in the cabin floor. There was, after all, a cavity or hold, beneath, and a means of reaching it from the cabin; but the sagacious enemy had taken possession of it first, and ions shattered any dreams he may have indulged in, Lord Rao cel was a very accommodat- ing man; at least lits friends all thought so Ile Sympathized with' the aspirations of IhoSo whom clec instances kept down and who were ambitiously trying to rise above the environments. Now, he could only give a rough guess as to the identity of the man who from below was endeavoring to raise the trap In the cabin floor, not' was ho in a posllton to fully decide what lrls deeigno night, be3 but somehow he felt that hero was a Charm where assistance and appreciation were needed. Accordingly Plympton stepped sud- donly hack, and, relieved of his weight, the trap, owing to the 'emend:nut pl ee- aurn below, flew up Into the air, With IL came the mead and hall 1110 tody of a very dirty and exlromely as - CHAPTER XV. Evidently the people of the junk did rot Intend to give up the ship or call off the dogs of war $o easily, after a11. Because all the first round in the battle had gone against thein was no sign of defeat; he Iatug11s Loudest who • laughs last; and so long as the Russian could control his vole°, with Chinamen to obey its commands, there Was little or no danger of his Drying hulls, Larry had lelcen a snap -shot at the chap so Industriously engaged to the elhficavor to enter by the window. 1-je had no positli'e lrhaat13 of knowing (To be continued). BRAVERY 19 REWARDED. Carter Receives the Enfllish Royal Hu- mane Society's Reward. The Royal Humane Society at Its an- nual meeting in London, England, the other day, awarded the Stanhope gold medal for the most daring rescue of the year to John Stockton, a baker's cater, of Warrington. The heroic action for which this honor bas been conferred took place on March 6, when a workman while engaged in cleaning a sewer was overcome by foul gas and became unconscious. Two fellow-worinnen who went to his help were also stuck down. Stockton volunteered to try to save them, but on going down the manhole was at first driven back by the deadly gas. A second attempt was more suc- cessful, and he brought up one man alive. A third and fourth Ume he went down and brought up the other two, but one of them was dead. i---'---' A SUDDEN CHANGE. Two commercial travellers, one from London and one from New Yolk, were discussing the WOltUier in their respec- tive countries. 1'ho Englishman said that English weather had one great fault -its sudden chomps. "A person may take a walk one day,' he said, "feeaflllredsatfno awarllin!tht. sumNexmt erday hsuite, and still needs an overcoat." "That's nolhtng;' said lho'tAmerlcan. "My two friends, Johnson and Jones, were once having 521 argument. There wore eight or•nine inches of snow on the ground. The argument got heated, and Johnson picked up a snowball and threw it at Sones from a distenee of not more than five yards. During the tran- sit of that snowball, believe inc: or not, as you like, the weather suddenly changed and became hot and sennne'- like, and Jones, instead of being bit with a snowball, was-er-scalded with hot water I" Mother (firmly, to little daughter who 18 about to have tooth drawn): Now, May, if you ory I'll never take you to a dentist's again 1" Mother's Ear A WORD IR MOTHAR'm 8AR1 WORN 100RSINO AN IH,AI0T, AND IN THS MONTHS THLT COMM *e$oke THAT THMR, dlOOTTis EMULSION Sur0LPSe roe 'MYNA OTRRNO,N AND NONROSNMGNT SO Nr5ONRRANr FOR THS HSALTN ON ROTH MOTHCIP ANO (10011.0. Send fah free ample, SCOTT d4 BOWNE, Ci,mnhate. Toronto, Onteilo. c, and gt,00; all'' druegtate, HE PUREST! THE MOST HEALTHFUL! THE MOST DELICIOUS! CEYLON GREEN TEA. The Tea that outclasses all Japans. fend Packets only -40e, 50e and Gee per M. Al all grocers. Highest Award St. Louis, 1004, COBALT -The World's Richest Silver mining Camp THE COLUMBUS COBALT SILVER CO., Limited. Autlhorized Capital Stock, 0150,000. Stares Si each. BOARD OF DIRECTORS: • HON. RICHARD HARCOUR'P, President, Director of the Ontario Bank, and for- morly Treasurer of the Province of Ontario JOHN PLU.TT Esq.,Vice-President, Head of the arm of Plea. Lowndoa ,k Co„ Din JAMES TUD0OPE, Eaq„ M.P.P„ Head of the firm of Tudlrope Carrigo Co„ Limited, Ortho, DANIEL'Slmpson, Em., M.11., Managing Director, Cobalt, Ont. JOSEPH COLUMBUS. 3050 Explorer, actor of Ontario Bank. iialloybury. Cat. SOLICITORS -Clark, McPherson, Campbell k Juryls, Toronto. The company owns ala mining claim, free from any encumbrances, the favorably and well-known Columbus Aline of 10 aeras, which has a afoot vote one foot being high-gradecobalt, with good other value at only four feet depth, located In Coleman Township, near Giroux Lake in a moat favorable location nearby many of the big paytus minas, such fie the Drummond, Jacobs and ahem, and only a few feet from the famooa (billee timber limit, which la oo rich in ollver that the Oovornmant decided to devolrp it for the benefit of Ilia public. The underaignod personally offers for sale at par only a limited number of shares, as ! to exacted attain a short tln o 1t Will greatly advance. There la now e. full force of miners developing the property. Sand for full partioulare. Mail your order, with marked cheque or express order, to the order of DANIEL SIMPSON, P. O. Box 129, Cobalt, Ont. Stock sold on the instalment plan. ON THE FARM FORMALIN FOR POTATO SCAB. Potato scab is a fungous disease, the spores of which may remain in the land for an indefinite length of time. They may be introduced into a manure pilo by feeding scab potatoes to stock, or by putting the tubers directly Into the com- post heap. An alkaline condition of the soil is favorable to 'their growth, and fur Ons reason it is usually advised not to apnly ashes or.lime to soil Intended for poloto-growing. The application of fesh farmyard manure is also advised against, but the plowing under of a green crop tends to produce a slightly has his shape, but you can change the harness -that is what it has buckles for. It has been shown by many careful, scientific experiments, both in this country and in Europe, that an Increase in the richness of a cow's feed does not snake the milk richer. 11 it was possible to change the lest of milk by feeding the cows, we would then be able to make all the cows giving thin milk produce cream, or change a Holstein into a Jer- sey. is a remarkable fact that notwith- standing the great development of elec- trio power, and the consequent lessen- ing demand for horse power, the price of horses such as the present market calls for is higher than ever. This slate of the market surely goes to prove that there will always be a price remunera- tive to the raiser of good horses, and no part of this continent appears better filled for raising fine, hardy, muscular !loses than many districts in Canada. Breeding ducks should always have acid condition of the soil, unfavorable access to water, as without• it there is to the growth of the fungus. The most danger of the eggs being Infertile, the common way in which scab fungus fa penis weak, and the ducklings, when disseminated is by the use of infected hatched, rather delicate, and cense- seed. Tris should be avoided, if pos- quently sOmewhnt difficult to rear. We sible, but where necessary to use seed have, however, cows across many even scabby, it should be treated with a ccses, more especially in the Stales fungicide. Corrosive sublimate used to where the fowls were closely confined be recommended, but an equally good and allowed no caster in which to swim, and safer means is formaldehyde gas, and yet we were assured that tine eggs either in gaseous form or in the cam- were perfectly fertile and the germs mon commercial solution known as I quite strong. ' On can, however, only formalin. Where only a small quan- speak from one's own experience, and My of seed potatoes are to be treated.) thine has been that a stream or a pond, the latter is undoubtedly better. Mn!(c up a solution, using 16 ounces of fee. malin to about 25 or 30 gallons of we - Ler. Soak the tubers two how's, and then spread out to dry. Afire drying, cut and plant 1n usual way, laking Care not to let them touch any seek gl' other vessel that has been in confect with Every cow owner should assure scabby potatoes, unless It has been sub- abundance of good water for his stock. sequently disinfected wilh the formalin Probably a shortage in this direction solution. The expense 01 this treatment directly affects the milk flow more fre- s a trifle. I quently than any thing else. The quan- iily vislbly is shown to be affected, but how about the quality of that where the only weber to be had by a thirsty herd comes from a roadside puddle or a swampy pool, stagnant and swarming With bacteria under a scorching sun. A cow's stomach is not a filter for the removal of impurities, and these are carried out with the milk not eliminated with the refuse of load. Naturally it makes quite a differenoe whether the more than three-fourths water con- tained in all milk Is pure or impure. A low place in the pasture may be a breeding ground for bacteria, very likely is when filled with wilier, yet the cows will drink there rather than go some distance Lo a tank or trough, if peemilied ko do so. Such sag holes should be drained or filled in. If this is not done the spot should be fenced aground to keep the animals out and prevent their slaking their thirst except with water which is pure and whole- sohne. while not absolutely essential, assists very materially in obtaining the best re - suite in hatching. THE WATER SUPPLY. The Vermont, Experimental Station is studying the treatment of potatoes by formaldehyde gas, and while they have not reached perfectly definite conclu- sions, they recommend the following treatment for potatoes In bins : The bin or room where the potatoes are stored should be elosod as tightly as possible. Ten ounces of formalin should be used for every 1,000 eublo feet of room, and the potatoes should be left exposed to this gas for 24 hours. The gas is generated by the action of fornhalln upon potassium permanga- nate. For this purpose, three parts by weight of potassium permanganate are mixed with eight parts of formalin in an earthern jar, The jar should have a capacity of about a gallon for each pint (10 ounces) of formalin. The required amount of permanganate should be placed in the bottom of the jar, and the needed amount of formalin poured over ft. Tho operator should leave the room at once, taking care to close tate door as tightly as possible. The retail cost of the chemicals to Draftee gra for 1,000 cubic feet will dee about 21.50. SHEEP NOTES, - Musty hay Is bad for sheep. Sheep like salt once a week. The demand for breeding ewes this season is without a precedent. The Dorset is the most prolific of sheep, two lamb crops per annum be- ing possible with ewes of this breed. An Oregon man lost seven cents per pound nn two hundred thousand pounds of wool by selling too early. The average useful lite of a sheep is seven years, Not many ewe lambs will be mar- keted this season. The best cure for worms is to prevent them by early breeding end change t paste•;. irshralian sheep men, who have eon - lined their attention heretofore to ' the production of fine wool, will , give more attention to mutton in the future. A ram from a we11-established flock Will stamp his strain unerringly upon his progeny. The number of siheep has decreesod five lhundeed per cent. in ten years in some sections of the osntral and south- ern •.Unllcd States. The Merino' is the first sheep men- tioned in history. Sheep return more fertility to the soil then any other farm 0lthn el, iaVE STOCK NOTES. IL will not iso to try In make the horse fit the harness. It 10 Wiser ecnnniny to sematenewetzeltil the harness to dile parse. 'rho horse gegeo-ceototeettlageOlageleaOtealltt.P13.09011 YOUNG FOLKS WHOM ARE YOU LIKE? R When Kitty puts (101' things away, They're all so neatly folded; That nothing ever goes astray, Nor is she ever scolded. Miss Mollie flings hers in a heap, Just anywhere she pleases ; To one place she will never keep, And thus her old nurse teases. But Master Tom, so all declare, Is the worst ono of the three ; He drops his glove upon the stair, . Flings his cap up in a tree.. And never 1.1'111 his clothes collect, Though he's scolded every day; It does not have the learn effect, Whatsoever nurse may say, Now, tell me true, who is like you - Mollie, or Tom. or kitty? What I tiresome loo 1 like Tom, you do - It surely is a pity. UNCLE JACK'S STORY. "Uncle Jack, please tell us a real won- der story 1" cried slut throwing himself down on the steps beside his uncle. "Just a little story about a bad boy," lisped Lucy, snuggling up beside her brnlher. Uncle Jack stretched bimse)f a little lazily. "Well, I don't believe I ever knew any bad buys, but 1 might tell you a bad story about a good boy." ROYAL SIMPLE LiFE. Monarch Who Rises at Four and Retires at Eight. The Emperor Francis Joseph, who is in his seventy-sixlil year, stili rises every morning, summer and winter, al four o'clock, writes the Vienna correspondent of the London Express. His Majesty shaves himself, and by five o'clock bas made his breakfast of ooifea and 011111 with a roll. For the next three hours he is engaged In dealing with the arrears of the pre- vious day's Work, coign he has a mild cigar, costing three halfpence. Strong ones, which were his favorites, have now been forbidden slim. ilia Majesty remains al his desk till twelve, when 1011011 is brought to him. on a May. It consists of one plate of meat and vegetables and a lanitnrd of Bavarian beer, out of which only ono long draught is quaffed. i.unch does not 10110 mors (wminde Iii hatt•pns1lion twtebveelve the Emtpers.or takes a drleo t0 Sohoenbrnnn, where ho Moe dinner -another frugal -meet censlsting of seine, two sorts of meat, and a dish of sweels, washed down with two small glosses of Austrian wine. The Emperor takes 01l his meals alone, except, when he is at Mehl end dines With lnm. Dhrecitsty lhotydinner Is finished his Majestay sits down again at his desk, and goes thrmtgh the papers, loral and for- eign, reading not only the political artteies and news, brit the fecal reports, and era and drarnaHr el'lliclsms. At e rl119010r to eight the •emperor re. !fres, fllsrobae, and, on The • stroke of eight 10 between tic sheets. "Do." "Yes, do," echoed Lucy. Now Uncle Jack had told so many stories since breakfast that 110 had not ninny more ideas in his head, and so be felt a little like teasing the children. He began this way "Well, once there was a boy named Bommy Tcggs. He Ilved—" Do you mean Tommy Beggs?" asked Hal, a little ltmidly. "Why, yes, to be sure, I did get that wrong 1 Well, this boy Tommy started out one day to go to the village. He carried a.ten-quart pail of milk in one hand and a hand -saw in the other. He went gaily along, whistling and throw- ing rocks at the rence-posts—" "\\'hy, Uncle Jactc, did he set his mills down every time?" "Why, yes, yes, I think he must have done that. Well, he went along, looking off at the sea, that lay all behind Trim—" "Wasn't it in front of him?" asked Lucy, eagerly. "No, 1 think not; I said behind him. Ile kept one eye on the sea behind bim and one et the long lane down which be WAS walking." "But-" began Hal; and then, not wishing to interrupt, he contented him- self with trying to look back at the door and at the same time keep an eye on his uncle. "As he went down along the street he saw something in a tree that caught his attention. It was a bird's nest. He shaded his eyes with the saw end saw the nest. '1 must go up and look In that nest,' he said. So he climbed up nim- bly—, He sat his milk down, didn't he?" asked Hal. Yes; but he kept his saw because he wanted to see." Uncle Jack waited for the pair to laugh at this mild joke. "He found that there were three eggs in the nest, and as he was rather a bad boy, he thought he would take them out, so he reached in (he nest and took out the eggs, and began to Dome down the tree hand over hand." "But what did he do with the sate?" asked Lucy. "And how could he hold the eggs and, come down hand over hand?" asked Hal. "That I don't know," said Uncle Jack seriously. "It is strange that I cannot explain that to you. It must have been 'that he could see by means of the saw that he must hand over the eggs to his pocket. On thinking it over, I guess that was IL" "Well, go on," said the children. "Well, he thought he would like to give the eggs to his mother, so he set down the milk, and the saw under the tree, and sat down beside them to watch that no ona stole them while he was gone, and ile ran back as quickly es he could down the lane---" "But he was under the tree I" exclaim- ed Lucy, who was trying to.help chat- ters all sbe could. "He could not run home while he was siting there." Uncle Jack rose up on his elbows and looked el the children in astonishment. "Chat is quite true," he said, thought- fully. "He could not have done it -and -in that case it could not have hap- pened, and thus -there is no story to tell, is there?" and Uncle Jask opened the magazine he WAS reading, as if that were quite the only way out of the dilfl- auily. The children waited patiently. "But what about the bird's nest?" questioned tial. "Well, if the boy could not have done what 1 said, he could not have climbed the tree, and In that ease there was ne one to bring down the eggs, and so there could not have been any 0110 to see the eggs in the tree, and thus coo see that thele was no one to see the eggs there, and so -well, it all seems to me very unlikely, In fact, 1 don't believe any of jt, do you, now, on your honor?" (Ingle lactic looked atthem with smiling eyes. • "Let's play horse, Lucy," said Hol. "111 be the horse," said Lucy. "Stories are silly." After this, Uncle Jack, collo was ra they tired of stories, read his magazine comfortably. SiHE MARRIED CSM. He (angrily) 1 "So there woe a man after .you when you Married nie, was there?" 5110 : "Yes theta was." "Poor tool 1 I wish .to heavens you had married him "I did." "So sorry riot to have heard your jaw tare last night," said the toque:en:I lady. "1 know 1 miseed treat; every. body soya It Wes good, sH0W did they and out?" asked Mr. T"ro c at. Thb lecture, you know, wait postponed,"