HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Brussels Post, 1906-10-18, Page 6CURRENT TOPICS
A French specialist has discovered
• that the weaving of yellow glosses has
9t perceptible influence on'even the most
phletlnatia people, The yellow or
orange glosses exercise a sedative effect
on the optic nerves of the wearer. Ile
not only Is soothed and caimed but his
epit'its rise. Th; reason is said to be
that yellow suppresses the chemical rays
ant the s<.in. On shiillai' grounds the use,
Of yellow writing; paper is reeotumendecd.
,From another source conies cordinna-.
lion of the same peculiar fact. Prot
Edward I}, Warman has found that the
wearing of yellow hatbands gives safely
from sunstroke and entirely alleviates
the headaches which some people suffer
from excessive heat. Red is said to be
Ma most trying color to tho eyes and
nerves, and the wearing of red veils is
said to be almost maddening to persons
of nervous tendency.
Fireless celluloid is the de;lght of an
English inventor in Italy. Celluloid, as
511 the world knows, largely is used es
a substitute for tortoise -shell in the
manufacture of combs and other small
articles, But this always has been at-
• tended with a certain amount of danger
from its fnfiammable nature, It is
claimed for the new invention that In the
most aggravating circumstances it will
only carbonlze and 'not flow like a
etream of melted wait setting fire to
any combustible substance that may
lappen to come In its way. Tho im-
munity from taking tiro is securedured he
mixing glue, gum arable, and colza
oil with the original substance when
In a liquid state, and purifying it from
sediment by various processes until It
becomes perfectly clear, 'when it can be
worked up to resemble any kind cf
,tortoiseshell at a much lower price than
heretofore.
The production of rubber by chemical
means virtually has been accomplished
In its formation from isoprene, a new
'hydrocarbon. The exact nature of the
process still has to be determined, at
least in regard to the details. \Vhen
lhbs is done the cost of production can
be cheapened, it is promised, and the
manufacture of rubber will become a
purely practical problem. It will not
be wise, however, to discourage the rub-
ber planters. The commercial demand
Soy rubber has been increasing so rap-
idly that there is little likelihood of a
surplus. If the rubber matters merely
succeed in supplying part of the de-
mand, and thereby cheapening the cost,
they will do much. It must be remem-
bered that indigo has been made com-
mercially since 1801, and some of the
rarer dyes that formerly could he ex-
tracted only from the madder root now
ere made by chemicals from coal tar.
Thus it is not too much to hope that
Prof. Wyndham Dunston will keep his
promise and relieve the increasing de-
mands made upon the rubber tres.
The latest experimenters are agreed
,that wireless telegraphy will be useless
in war. This is not because 1110 enemy
eeuid intercept our messages. We could
lake precautions against that by fre-
quently changing the cipher code. But
by using a special mechanism which
sends out an uninterrupted series of
.waves the enemy could so manipulate
his transmitting station as to overwhelm
dad drown every Message within the
zone of war. Id. Edouard Branny, who
Is credited in France with being the real
Inventor of wireless telegraphy, has
made an improvement by which the
Marconi system is safe against intercep-
tion except by 01)001al apparatus. Ile
says that lila mechanism insures for a
seven set of electric wares complete
Immunity from the ateldenlal interfer-
ence of other waves. lie confesses,
however, that no wireless telegraph sys-
tem known is proof against deliberate
Interference of an apparatus that sends
out continuous and confusing waves.
lie declares That tor war purposes, on
total or sea, "the usefulness of wireless
telegraphy would be illusory."
Tourist --"Have you ever seen n sea
in the course' of your travels?"
terpene
Sailor -"Well, never sines lb signed the
pledge, mister."
c5 -en.
Mrs, Flynn. -There you go-lendiem
UCingan tonle dollars after ala
s s
say.
In' you'd - never trust. n monwid black
heir and et red mustache,
Mr. Flynn -"cis ell rbgbt, darlint. 01
made hhn shave i1 oft before 01•liand`-d
over the intncy--Life,
+++++++++++++++++141
Well Planned
But I
•
"That settles 11," said Dick Northcote,
watching the red bail hesitate and tin-
nily plunge into a side pocket. "how's
the time, marker?"
"Near ten, sir," the marker answered,
professionally Impassive.
"By Jove, I must mover Ile louked
towards his defeated opponent, aksa
struggling into his coat, "Aro you go-
ing, Catinur?" he asked in some aslon
Ishmett.
Tho man addressed as Catmur smil-
ed. Not a particularly pleasant 501110
if one were observant, but apparently
sincere enough for Dick 'Northcote, who
obviously mingled some respect will)
his evident lilting.
"No one else is likely to come In, 13e -
sides, I am tired of billiards. A walk
will freshen one."
"1'm going straight home," the young
bank( clerk replied.
"1301 that's a walk. The sea with
this wind will be worth watching. You
live on the front, don't you?"
"Yes; the terrace facing the green."
The two men passed out of the billi-
ard -room of the Morton Arms Hotel, and
meta the passage Which led to a side
door. From a room near them cane the
sound of a strident piano and the pain-
ful effort of a man persuaded to sing.
The door opened and a thick -set elder-
ly man cane out.
"Be that young Mr. Nornicole?T he
tasked.
"What do you want, Rogers?" the
bank clerk demanded, rather nettled at
the term "young."
"You'm sleepin up to Bank 'Ouse to-
night seemingly. \Ve'n caretakers
while Mr. Bird be away; ur's 1001(51, the
maids with him on "oliday. Well, it's
the annual of the lloddfellows to -night.
I'm a hoddfellov, so lin 'ere. And the
;niissus dont know 'ee. But jus- tell'
'er you'm core, and it'll be all right:"
"Very well," the bank clerk answered
.vexedly. He. looked quickly at his com-
panion. Catmur stood a little in ad-
vance, wailing. 11 was not evident \vhe-
alter ire had heard. Northcote was afraid
that it was Impossible that he hnd not,
hut comforted himself with the thought
that in any case it did not molter. If
a stranger -he had only met Catmur in
the billiard -room of the hotel a week
previously -the man was evidently a
gentleman of means. His conversation,
cynical and well-informed, established
that.
The two men walked together down
,the main street to the long, narrow strip
of green that lay between terraces of
houses and the newly -made promenade.
;Beyond, the sand lay hidden by the
night. The wind, blowing coldly from
The southeast straight into the bay,
Tumbled the waves in ragged lines of
creamy White, like bare, hungry teeth.
Conversation had drifted unconsci-
ously to the discussion of Northeote's
hobby -the collecting of moths. Catinur
was Interested, (hough confessedly Jg'
nor.nL. Northcote, not unknown in the
;lose fraternity of etymologists, ma -
elated at some length upon the charm
at his hobby. ho rattled on, spurred
a lililo by Catmur's interest, a little by
his half -bantering Ignorance.
"My dear fellow," Catmur said, show-
ing elm way to that part of the terrace
In which Northerner's rooms were situ-
ated, "I grant you butterflies -they have
the charm of color. An artist (night
find delight in them. They are go:ge-
mus, Eastern sultans of flower harems,
Lull of suggestion. It was no idle fancy
that rendered thein the Greek symbols
of the soul. But moths -I associate
Them with the impertinent odors last
}rear's furs sleek° out in the early au-
tumn." -
"You ere something of an artist, Cat-
enate 1 could show you beauty in a
moth compawble to that. in a butterfly.
'You ifoul.t me? Do you know a Spoiled
Burnet? No, of course you don't.
There's color in molhs and beauty of
,marking. Now I could show---" Ile
pulled up suddenly. The hour \vas lat-
er than it ought to have been. amt the
Bank Rause was still without a' len-
ent. shed, the manager, was nvay; the
cashier lived with his people in a villa
in the town, and hnd begged aft the dis-
comfort of inhabiting somebody else's
house, and Northcote had volunteered.
1 -be ought to put his night-clothes lo-
ge then and be off. But here be was nut.
Side his rooms, and 1t would look in-
hospitehle not to nsk Calmer In for u
peg. Ifo remembered, with n twinge of
conscience, that he was indebted for
the lest drink.
Calmer wailed. obviously wailed, for
the invitation the broken sentence 'in -
plied. Northern° banked up at the
house. The lights were out in all the
;roans but his.
"Come in for a peg." Northcote made
e plunge at it. "I shall turn you out
almost at once, because I have In sleep
at the bank tis-nighl. You heard ilogers
speak about Il --idiotic fool!"
"A I11tlo Indislreet," (letmur swirl,
Willi a smile. "1 confess n peg snails
erivilingt-this smilheasier is nipping -
but not if Inn itwonveniencfng you.'
"Not nt all," Northcote anew-ored, i1"
het llinisoit in with a latchkey, and turn-
ed up the lamp in the siliing renin. "i
won't show '011 my rebind to -night,"
he eonlinned, "but here's a seitine-
,board with a few, enough to convince
,you." Ito lugged out Ilio boned from
n cupbnnrd and pieced it in the chief of
light shed by the lamp. '11 you'Il ex-
euse me, 111 rush a fete things into my
,keg, There's it syphon. n boldo, end
g10sees 011 the sideboard; mix a temple
et pegs," ile divert out of the room ns
ho -spoke, after a eeerod look at elle elute
en the inantel-pieoe.
it.
Calmer, left to himself, tools no nr,llee
0t filo selling -board, 'hilt crossed the
Toren quickly and closed the door softly,
00 5nfily as to suggest nonelrierable
practice, , Then be heeled Limself pour.
Mg amt lwo pegs of whiskey .in Iwo
,hnnbbers. fie brought them' isle 111e
eight of the lamp, and . for' a moment
etood listening, his- eyes fixed on the
door. Ile could hear Northcote plung-
nig about In a neighboring roans, drop-
ping Things. Willi a quick dive into a
,weistcoat pocket, he produced a squall
,phial, uncorked 11, and counted a few
:drops into one of the tumblers. The
other he tilled up well soda water. Then
be turned to the sclling-buard,
"You are right, Northcote," be said,
when tire bank -clerk durst into the
room carrying a email hand -bag. "I
,am eonvhwed, There is a softness of
color effects 1 had not Mite:ed. Oh,
((here's your peg. Shall I help you
to soda? I did not know bow you lilted
11 mixed. Say when." The syphon
.hissed, end Northcote accepted the Lunn
Ike and drank.
"(lather a queer taste, eh? Corked,
perhaps. I trope yours is all right?
rNoriticote looked at his guest a lute ap-
prehensively. Calmer had on several
oecasione betrayed a fastidious tasle'In.
whiskey.
"Then the lingering flavor of a Mar-
lon Arens cigar has upset my palate. 1
,don't want to be rude, but I shall have
to turn you out. I -by Jove, this room
de Moll I suppose -conning in -the cold.
Do you mind—" Northcote sat down
hastily upon the broken springed sofa
,and gasped. His eyes stared at the
damp, bis face grew white, he put out
en irresolute hand and pressed bis fore-
head. "The window, Catmur, open it,"
he managed to say.
"All right, 01d men," Cslmur Answer-
ed. He stood looking et the bank clerk
(without moving, To Northcote he ap-
peared growing further rind further
:nw•ay iiia a man In a dissolving. plo-
lure. JIe tried to struggle to his feet,
but only succeeded in knocking over the
;hand -bag. It was curious that the noise
or its full seemed to come from a long
distance off. Then his head sank into
his breast. Calmur lifted him .into a
recumbent position up on the sofa. •
"Look here, Catniur," Northeoto said
t1rwsil
Y, and with extreme difficulty, PIJ, "
1
must be going. I oast -the bank—"
He trailed off into unconsciousness.
Cale -nue, moving very slowly, turned
(out the lamp, crossed the dark rooms
with the certainly of a man used to
,darkness, and let himself out of the
rfront door, closing it. very quietly. The
wind was higher than before' and the
sea more wonderful in its turbulence,
but now it held no appeal to his artistic
sense. Ile walked briskly to the hotel,
land presently emerged from the side
door, enrrying a big handbag that
weighed him clown perceptibly on one
side. The chorus of "Widdecombe
;Fair," from the lusty throats of the
IHoddlellows, followed hits into the
elarbe night.
He rang the bell at the bank house
private door, and presently there was e
sound of chains and bolls. At that mo-
ment a policeman passed and looked at
him, and he gave )nim a civil "Good-
night."
"Who'm you?" demanded Mrs. Rog-
ers, an ample woman with a percep-
tible head cold and a 'certain querulous-
ness of tone.
Yee are exepcling me, I think," Cnt-
enur 'said, shifting the bag from one
land to another.
"Oh, you'll] young Ml)'. Northcote, be
you? You'm late. Cone in. Your room
be ready."
Calmer stepped in, and wailed while
the door w'ns fastened up again. (lis
quick eyes followed the process wills In-
terest. The catch appeared to be simple
enough, which \vas reassuring.
"That hag be 'envy?" Mrs, Rogers
commented, preceding him lumbering-
ly up line staircase. "I never seed a
young fellow with one so 'eavy. Aly
moo's out, or '0 might 'ave been some
use. '1.'s always missing 'is chances -
never does anything useful." She punc-
tunted her words with pauses for breath.
(This 'ere be your room, yoU'n1 in Mr.
and Mrs. Bird's." She jumped as he
earl down his handbag, it sounded so
heavy. "Gude lord, sir," she cried,
"what a weight!"
"Yes," ho said. "i've brought some
dumb -bells with me."
"That's a mercy," she answered.
"'there is a mortal lot ns ain't dumb up
there." Site pointed to a few electric
:Letts nbove the bed. 'erhey'n1 connected
with. the strong -room, so I'n told."
"Yee, yes," Celine'.said. a little tes-
tily. "I'm tired, Mrs. Rogers."
\Vllh Chet, she made her laborious
way downstairs again, grumbling as
she \vent.
For moment Calmar stood listen-
eng. A good-looking man, not much
o\er thirty, tlarlc, in excellent condi-
;lion, with scarcely n pound of super-
dlnous flesh on )tie bones„he appeared
oiliest:My to be the type of easy-going
,h•evelied roan at which he alined. Ills
hands, however. vers the hands of a
nie,•lnante. and chore wee a sly niertness
in his dark eyes that detracted from Isis
:apparently open manner.
The sound of closed boors reassured
;;nim, and be minted. The job promised
lobe an absurdly easy one, ile had the
thank to himself, nncl.witln no chance
of Inteeefercnee. At five o'clock a Lon
-
don mall train stopped at Preston ,Super-
t\la•e station. Nothing would be dis-
ervorcd until nine, at the earliest. Pos-
atldy^ Ilse misters emuld not come in 01)-
411 later ihnn that.
(attune proceeded to open his her. 11
ofndaitted on elaborate selection of steel
:tools, Ile commenced to whistle sofl-
ly to ltheeell es he selected a wire cut-
ter. to !Ivo minutes the electric hells
;were ns (1t1mb as those he professed to
;te r l' Ing,+.
Therelt' \vera a
pair of felt slippers in
:ilio leg. rheum put these on. There
nuns nlsn n dark nolleen; he Irinmetl
And -lit. 1.1. 'I'lie1, tatting up his hag, he
>,mtrd npaln.
1 his dhuunnds were lodged here n
-ntb night eget,' he thought triumphantly,
fwben the Washes went acvny, 1 know
They ern good, beyond the overage
clue of those of 0 successful brewer.
• ,Tiley were Lady \\'ache's passport to
nor;efy.?
Very eontioisly he went downstairs.
:The bank Itself looked onrlouely ghostly
Writ' its Amply stools. lie fell, his way
earefurly. ;1111 This is the entrance
hi lite strung -room,” Ile ptrt down his
lag at tools. Presently there was a-
portnus sound of grating like the mune-
:Mg of e big rel.
About iwo reeled:. Mr. Rogers stood
nntsidc 'the bank house ringing the
bell. A rotstable coming round -the
Corner, ntivnneecl towards ]tin at. the
sante lima as Mrs, 1laggtI'ors Set to work
to lebsurcly unbar the tIaor,
"Ballo, Mr, Rogers, you're late to-
nigbt" said the constable,
"' :Souse me," 'lodgers replied, will)
elaborate politeness, "'souse me -you
'eve-'va n sage--"
The door opened, and eine, Rodgers,
s\veerecl in shawls and red flannel, and
Mulcting aloft a fiat -bottomed candle-
stick, peered out.
"Alt, my dear)" said Rodgers, "Preen'
,o1 mine," 1be w•a"ed lowurds the con-
stable, "'As young bir, Northcote opine
he?"
"He ranee in a Iong line ago," Mrs.
,Rodgers said,. "It w•ur about 'leven-
nearly that, 1 reckon.,'
Mr, Norlhrolol' exclaimed the con.
stable. 'I sane you let in a tall, dark
man, carrying a bag. That was not
Mr. Not:emote. I ]mow hint. I don't
;know the cashier -1 thought it might be
him. 1 didn't see the man clearly, but
the was taller and thinner than Mr.
INerthcole, and Air. Northcolo is very
1011'."
"You'm not long here?" asked Mrs.
,Rodgers.
"Only moved bene last week. But
Mr. Northcote Was 119 to Bovey fishing
In the summer. I had better look into
,this, sl)."
The constable moved into the pas-
sage and waited while Airs. Rodgers
closed the door. Rodgers sat down on
the neat.
"Lock him into a room and slip out to
the police -station!" whispered the con-
stable.
Like this?" Mus. Rodgers said indig-
nantly. "I couldn't!"
"Well, dress as quickly as you can."
He watched her guide Rodgers into
a room, and then turned towards the
door communicating with the bank pre-
mises proper.
"1 didn't. get a good look at the chap,'
he whispered to himself, "but he was
eery like— Oh, it can't be, it can't bet
}Psars many ohe—
� years .ago, and I'n1
a fool to be thinking of hind"
ills heavy regulation boots resound -
cd on the tiled❑ssa a> try os he would
P b
to smother the sound. At the door be
paused. A curious grating noise like
the gnawing of a big rat that came
from the bank premises, paused also.
Be opened the door cautiously And edged
in. 'there was a sunk mat on the otter
side of the door, and he stood on that,
motionless. Ile heard a movement, a
secretive, furtive movement, somewhere
in the room.
Theo was no sound for two minutes.
The constables big fingers groped sit-
antly over the wall. Ile could feel no-
thing but the distemper. So suddenly,
that et almost nude hitn start, his l}n-
ger0 felt the cold touch of metal. With
n bold sweep he switched on all the
tigthts.
"Move," came a low voice in a vin-
dictive hiss, "and you are a dead 111001
,Switch off those lights!"
The constable turned round quickly.
Calmur stood beside the entrance to
the strong room with a revolver In his
hand. The door was open. As each
caught sight of the other, both started.
"Bobl" said Cntnlur.
"Jack!" gasped the constable.
'erhank God, 'Us your" Catmur said.
"You can say I was gone. Two minutes
to get the sperkiers-l'm through with
the door -and I on slip out. You can
report you found the strong room open.
Switch off the lights)
"I can't," said the constable.
"Don't, BobI" cried Cotner. "I'm
nrmed. I -you're lay brother, but I'm
going to get out of this -by heaven, I
am!"
He levelled his revolver. -
"I have my duly to do," said the con-
stable.
ll'you (hear? Switch off those lights!"
Calmer leaned forward, the revolver
hand raised.
I won't!" The constable spoke firm-
ly and strode forward. 'There was a
loud crack. When the 8111010/ cleared
away, the constable was kneeling over
the dead body of Calmer.
Ten minutes later he was still kneel-
ing there, when the sergeant, touched
him on the shoulder.
"Ile shot himself, 1t was a question
liefween shooting nee o• -or that.. Ile
(shot himself." He spoke in a dozed
away, still slaving at the prone body,
"My poor molheri" he added. -London
Answers.
A FINANCIAL QUESTION.
A well-lcno\vn member of Parliament
tvas approached by a t'epu1ebbe-looking
lean, 15110 said with a deferential but
not servile manner
"Excuse me, sir, but are you not Mr.
Bionic, M.P. ?"
"I am," sold the member, with affable
dignity,
"I believe you arc well-informed upon
all financial questions?"
"My friend.s in the house, end the
Press, no kind enough to say s0."
"You have given much attention to
the subject, I think?"
"More than In onylhing. else."
"And no doubt you could give a salts.
iaclot')' answer to almost any question
1lnight ask?"
The member thought that he. was be-
ing "interviewed," and wished to say
something that would look well in
print. -
"Perhnps I could," he nnswered.
"\\'oil, 1 have a question in fi11an10
that 1 should be gronlly pleased if you
would answer to my snlistection,"
"Very geed. \V1101 is t?"
"Will you lend me Ilve dollars for a
day or two. I'm stony broke.."
The member produced the clonal's.
"ile could have had four times the
mourn," he said, When telling the
story, "1 was so completely taken
Orrick."
i
IN THE VILLAGE,
A vllloge doctor fold of grand
Owners, told a inhorer's wife to give
her lutsbe rad his medicine "In it re0uin'
bent position."
The woman, after flue lector's leper -
lure, went through 1110 vilingo Trying to
borrow n "recumbentposition"
Aird he' neighbors. rather than con-
fess their ignorance, ell assured her she
should have land theirs if only they' hast,
tint lent or 1011 it 1
Father 01heed of.sleirsj--"Eteel,what
.
Ilene is it?" EfhMI. in drewleg room) -
"Ti's a elunrler•pesI 1011, hither:" rattler
-"All right. Don't forget to Slat tie
clock again riflelr the young plan goes
out to get 1115 broal{fast,
EXPERT CATTLE THIEVES
IN INDIA TILE An'r IS =OUGHT
NEAR TO PE'.RFECTiON.
Various Paraphernalia Used to Assist
Theist in Cru•ry'hng on Their
Tr;ma.
In the sparsely cultivated and practi-
cally barren tracts along the rivers
Itavi and Sutej, in the plains of the
Punjab, are to be found perhaps 1110
most expert cattle thieves in the world.
There are several tribes In that neigh=
bo'iwod whose principal meats of live-
lihood is cattle stealing. The male
members are, In fact, brought up to 11,
and regard tt as an honorable horecle
tory calling, while It is a rule among
some of them not to allow a youngster
to wear a pugri (turban) until he bac
shown himself to bo a 111011 by appro.
priating 501110 0110 else's Wined, be it
easel, horse, bullock, cow, donkey, goat
or sheep, writes Capt. C. ll. Buck in
Chamber's Magazine,
Cattle theft is more or loss common
throughout India, but it is brought to
a fine art in the Punjab,
In the tract I have mentioned there
are systems of depots and lines lo which
and along which animals are taken
when stolen. The actual thief delivers
an animal at one of the depots, and it
Is at once handed over to some one else,
who passes it down the line, so that in
a single night It ran be taken away 10
a hong distance. In exchange for one
of these stolen enbnals the thief will
later on receive another, wbich has
been bagged perhaps a hundred and
fifty miles away down the line.
The professional, among his other
achievements, Is able to track In quite
a marvellous manner. Ile can read
marks and signs on the ground as e0s-
fly as an educated person can the words
in a book, while be will recognize a per-
'son
BY 11IS FOOTPRINTS
just as an ordinary person would re-
cognize another by his face or general
appearance. For this reason he often
finds it profitable to track animals stolen:
by others titan his friends. A good track-
er can sometimes follow the tracks of
a thief and a stolen bullock or camel as
far as fifty or sixty miles in a day, pro-
vided that they have passed across the
open jungle and the thief has not been
too cunning.
Animals are generally stolen in the,
deyttnne, when they are grazing, and'
at night when they are in a hut or some
hnd of enclosure. In the former case
the loss is generally not discovered un-
til the evening, when the herd is col-
lected and counted before being driven'
home; and on such occasions the brief
gels a long start, for the herdsman has
to drive his other beasts home before
be can give tate alarm, and then when
a tracking party has been formed it can
only proceed slowly, for the tracks have
to be followed by lamp rr torchlight.
111 the latter case the theft usually takes
place in the small hours of the morn-
ing, and is discovered a short thne af-
terwards, so that the owner Is close be-
hind lite thief, and bus the whole day
before mint to follow up Me tracks. 1t
is really remarkable how a bullock can
be removed from A. yard without any
one being wakened up, though persons
are sleeping all round it, and there are
plenty of dogs about. An old hand,
however, can make a hole in a mud
wall large enough for a bullock to pass
through without making any noise, and:
he knows exactly how to entice the ani-
mal out quietly, after muliling its bet
and placing leather shoes on its feet.
A thief when operating by himself
will sometimes lake an animal he has
stolen for about ten miles, and then
leave it for several hours tied up to a,
tree
IN SOME SOLITARY SPOT. •
If the tracking party arrives during
that time it is quite content to recover
the animal, old never bothers to go on
tracking the thief; while if no one comes
to the spot the thief concludes that the
owner has been unable to follow the
tracks, and he accordingly takes 1t away
peacefully to some distant market. Most
men who have' to deal witlh cattle are
clever in lancing them across rivers, and
can do so even•when they ere in flood.
Cattle thieves are always expert et
this, and frequently swim down the.
large rivers [or many miles with their
stolen property.
CaiIbo I}tieves provide themsel'es with
vnrlous pa'nphernnlia to assist then in
cnrrying on their (rade, and among;
other articles 1 may mention the leather
shoes watch they place round the hoots
of animals arid the grass shoes they
themselves wear; these are employed'
boat to deaden the sound and to hide
the tracks. They ?Men have in their
possession o. set of branding irons and
instruments for snipping animals' ears;
while particular kinds of dye aro ]sept'
for coloring the hair of animals nvihich
have distinctive markings. Thus an
old Buffalo wile a whit° htlt on its lore
head, n white 1111 to its tail, and faun
white onranets, will have none of these
shortly after it lues come into the hands
01 its new possessor. The sarnai or
hidebag, which con be inflated, is Used
for sitting 00 resting 011 when crossing
a rive' while every thief of any stand
ing possesses a large hyo) jimmy far,
forcing open door's of sheds and making
holes throegh walls. (Inc' of Ihe,most
curious things I have ever seen in the
possession of one of these men was a.
•
rough but
. S1"s;IVICEABLE TELEPiiONE,
11 consisted of a pioce v
two 'lnindrect yards ht leoftglt\h,ine andsome tw•o
tits at bamboo hoMncvel out to form'
cylinders about six inches long and
throe in diameter; over one end of each
cylinder a piece of bladder was pasted
to lite Centre of which the twine Wes
attached by being passed through and
secured by means of a knot, The owner
of this interesting instrument staled
that it was used by the thieves at cattle
fetes, Several men' Would go to a large
fair with it few animals of their own,
rind got with therm inter the enclosure;
At night the cord would be passedfrom
one side of limo inclosulre to the other,
and one man would Watch the patrol
and give puSeoneer'ted ,slgnnis In the
511090 01 coegbs and groans do hid
friends et the other enc, Tho latter
would then walk off 'with the cattle,
while iho patrol wee engaged in con -
cloning with 1110 accomplice, who would
pretend to bo very ill and in great ag-
ony.
A man who had lost one of lits slin09
was at first reliant. puzzled 011 finding
that its !Packs disappeared altogether
al a spot where the ground was quite
soft and took good hnpresslniis, On
carefully exaninipg the ground he per-
ceived the tracks of a ealnel and noticed
that it had sat down just where the
sheep's tracks hail ceased. pulling
two end two logclhee, he, with some
Intends, Packed up the camel mol re-
covered his sheep, which had been lifted
off its feet on to lite cancel by one of the
Wren, played across the saddle, and em
carried off.
On one occasion -a 11m'ty of thieves
actually mnnagecl to seize as many as
Iwentyalhnte rmnels. which tluey look
through two dIstricls to a place over
Iwo buudrod miles away. They were
there exchanged for number of stolen
buffaloes and bullocks, whip' were
brought back for disposal in the ]mote
(lisl:ice. The difficulty incurred by the
pence in the investigation of this CASS
And in bringing the offenders to trial
may be, imagined.
POISON IN THE POT.
Some Nations Are Ruined fly Ncture's
Bounty.
It is a dost peculiar fact that the MY
food upon which a whole nation has
come to subsist sometimes proves the
bane and eventual. destruction of that
country. Look at Ireland and the pota-
to 1 The lh'lsi1 nation learnt to live upon
the potato, growing the tube's in such
enormous abundance that a very sinal(•
acreage was sufficient to keep a whole
family In food. Living, In fact, became
too easy. Besides, the potato is not a
complete food. IL weakened the phy-
sique
sique of the Irishman.
When the potato disease made its
sudden appearance, and blackened end
destroyed the crops of the whole island.
the people had nothing else lo fall back
upon. The result was the ghastly fa-
mine which killed directly or indirectly
nearly a million persons, and from
which the Green isle has never to tills
day recovered.
In much the same way the yam or
sweet potato is desiroying the negro
race in the Southern Slates of America.
The yam grows so easily that a half -
acre patch, with a little fl,sh and bacon,
will feed a family for a year. Conse-
quently, Samba won't work, and after
a time all ambition will disappear, and
Nie colored 1000 of the South will sink
to a lower level than he has at present
rehed,
Tacho banniin has done much harm in
Central America in exactly the same
way. When amen has nothing to do
but scratch a few holes and plant slips
of bananas which go on growing and
bearing year after year, 11 is only
natural that be lances life a great deal
too easily for either his own or his
country's good.
In Corfu the staple food 01 the island-
ers is maize, which they frequently
gather before it is ripe, and which is
carelessly stored in damp cellars.
Consequently, the deans -rale eon that
horrible disease, "pellagra;" is terrible.
Science hes definitely proved that pel-
lagra is due to eating damaged maize.
The disease begins by a peculiar rash
which appears in the airing, and which
it is almost impossible to cure. Willi
each successive spring it returns with
Increased virulence, until the patient's
whole skin turns yellow, or even black.
The nervous system, is destroyed, and
eventually Ilse unhappy sufferer be-
comes delirious, mad, and eventually
dies. At one time pellagra was the
curse of Northern Italy, but great, and
to some extent successful efforts have
been made to stamp it out and teach
the people not to live on maize only,
Sleeping sickness has for centuries
ravaged Burmah and outer (hot coun-
tries where rice is the staple food. It is
now def;ninlely ascertained that this
terrible disease is caused by feeding
upon damaged rice. It was once epi-
demic in the Japanese army, but has
been entirely got rid of by a change of
anaInl.
Northern India a sort of nutlet
which is the chief food of some million"
of natives, hes had the effect of steadily
diminishing the population. 'There is
some obscure poison in this grail which
causes a peculiar disease.. Professor
Dunstan, of the hnpertol Institute, has
been conducting reselu'c11es into the
na1u1e 0f this poison.
IL is nnoro than prob11hle that future
generations will truthfully ettelm'ee that
white ' bread has been the ruin o1, the
Engisa people. Our teeth are going;
rapidly,. and It is more than suspected
that the cause is the steel roller mill
while (lour which has been substituted
for the good old-fashioned seconds' of
former days.
REMARKABLE BAIL\VAY,
An up -h111 •ralhvey, perhaps the most
remarkable in the world, is Ilse Oroyo,
In Peru. , It runs from Callao to the
goldfields of Cerro de Pasco. Front
Callan it ascends the enreow valley of
the Rimae, rising neariy 5,00011. in the
first fifty-six miles, 'thence it goes
through the Intricate gorges of the
Sierras 1111 IL tunnels the Andes nt an
altitude of 15,04511., the highest point in
the world where a piston 'rod is 111050d
by sloam. The wonder is increased by
remembering that this elevation is
reached In sevenly.eight mikes,
Charlie (about to go on a sea trip):
"blo\v delightful it will i)e in 'rend the
bounding billow enol inhale lire Invigor-
ating oxygen of the sea, the sea, the
boundless sea 1 1 lobe to see 11; to
breathe in great draughts of Iifo•giving
air! I shall want to eland every nlc.
men1 with my mouth wide onetime
Gcrlie : "You probelbi ylAwill. In fact,
many ocean trevo;lt s ,
Magistrate j "bmeer,.what is this n1n?,
charged - evilh 1" Constable : "Ile;s a.
Camera fiend 01 the %Meet,eine, .yer wor-
ship,'' "lltrt Il);s malt slrmuhln L , hnyc
been arrested simply became ine has n
mina lot lilting pictulres,", It tenet
that your worship, he Mites the
0alnora,
td
•
ENGLISH TIPPING HABIT' -
leMPLOV1'Il1S OF H0'rt1LS ANI) 111111,..
WAYS ARE UND1ill1'AIL,
American Tourist Writes a Scathing:
bulk: cent 10 0 ,London
Popor,
An impressive teller, in which the:
system of giving and receiving ''lips'"
is crnloised no debasing in Ile nature,
has been written to lire Mined, Pally;
Man by an American tourist, Air. 1i. 1r.
Steeie, from i.iverpnol, 00 the eve o1:
his r01u'n to Ulc United Mutes. Ile sn al:
Tire average American "tips," but he,
bas a profound contempt for any grown,
and able-bodied man a' \v0mmn who,
accepts a "lip," and lie despises- a cone
-
clition of society and business which al-
lows betel proprietors and runway and:
other companies lo count upon the.
"tips" of thole patrons to supplemerte
Ileo nwageS of their underpaid servants:
to a living scale,.
In America the only able-bodied men,
who aro habitually "Upped" are the:
waiters in hotels and restaurants. The,
first are, without exception, negroes,.
and the second are either negroes 0r
foreigners. A "tip" offeree to a melee -
born white American railwiTia or other
employe for a simple performance of
his duly or a mere act of courtesy wouldt
be refused with scorn.
PETTY 13BIDES.
flow different here; 11 hies been re-
marked
o-marked that everyone in England be-
low the rank of a lord or a bishop wile
accept a Up. My -short experience pret-
ty nearly confirms the reua'k. I hove•
handed a "lip" to every person who has,
done me the. slightest service or an-
swered an Inquiry, and in not o single,
instance inns hay "lip" been declined or
beet unexpected.
1t• seems lo me that the average Eng-
lishman carries his hand back down,.
cupped and in position to receive "tips,"
and f cannot believe Mat any person whce
can bring himself to accept a "lip" has
any sense of pride or self-respect,
In America the "tip" is regarded both,
1•y the giver and the receiver as a pet-
ty bribe. hn its most innocent aspect,.
ib is a bribe for more or better atten-
tion than the servant. is paid for by his
employer; or for n special s005I00 not•
accorded to other patrons. Undoubted-
ly n la'ge class of Ante'ieans, especially
those of the nouveau sidle order, is
striving to Introduce the despicable
practice of general "lipping" into Amer -
ion; and already it is notorious thaL.00nn0
New York eestmuont keepers have 11115-
eu advantage of the practice to reduce
the Wages of their waiters Lelow the
thing scale.
DIVIDES CASTE.
If the practice ever 1'lcones general
in America it will fix the division of
caste there as rigidly es it is Heed in
England to -day, and it will no longer
he possible for such men as Andrew
Jackson, Andrew Johnson, Aberdeen
Lincoln and Andrew Cernenie to rise
front elle lowest e;leatunl to the highest
positions in the lord.
A 1lnln must first possess :self-respect
before he can eomumand the respect of
others; no mon eat-p0nseSs ills 010(1 re-
s who has accepted iso -
pectt petty Lrih
cryoIa"Lip,"
Every Americon of brendlh ani educa-
tion,
d uca-lion wants to come to England to see
the wonders al the post age and lite,
of wliich we can never have a counter -
poi in our coanl,'y. Thee aro few
Modern things that an American wane;
1, sec in Englund -the best he finds ere
inlpodatine from America; he walls
10 see your old castles and your ca-
thedrals, relics of an ng0 of religious
superstition and civil vessalegc. Every
Anter;can who 0011 spare enoeigh ar
save enough money for the journey
conies to ecu these Things; and he Is wil-
ling to suffer r.onsiderable inconveni-
ence 011(1 discomfort in order to cone.
- 4
MEN SIIOT ON MERE SUSPICION.
Artist Was Appointed Police Chid to
German Africa.
The German Newspapers publish de-
tails of still another colonial scandal,
It is slated plat Herr Putt me', \vh0
yi r19 1.1Ist11iSSed from the Governorship
of the German Canleools for po'pelrae
ting ya1Ol1s 51)11.015 of official power, rat
once 119901111511 herr Leuschner, a per.
sorrel blend, to be chief of police of the
disUlct of Buea. In this position Herr
t.nuschner not only commanded the na-
tive policeforce of negroes from Libel. -
Mit was also supremo judge and
ndministralar of his district. His sole
claim tothis appointment Was the /net
flim he WAS a talented artist, whose
Wlllee-Color pictures strongly appealed
to herr Pullleenetes artistic tastes.
One .day Herr l,euschner, whelp brain
became affected by the tropical heat,
suddenly imagined ,that the negroes
forming bibs police Corps w'ero meditating
a massacre of ail Europeans in Um dis-
trict, 110 thereupon summoned n11
Europemis and gave them rifles and
uinmemition of the latest pattern. Then
he deny up the native levies end ordered
(here harshly be lay down their ants.
Teo negroes, not understanding what
was :mitered of them, hesit0150 for a.
moment in astonishment, Herr Leusah-
nee, regarding this hesitation as a proof
of mutiny, ordered the Eueeperme to
lire o1 the natives, Severel were Willed,
ninny w'o'e wounded, end the remainder
fled l0 the police station of the adjoining
district, where they sought peoteciion.
Privy Councilor bent/,. who WAS tile
ready n1)90111100 Hoer Putllcanei s 811C-
055501' ns Governor,courlucted an offi-
cial Ilvesl.igatiot into the affair, and
ctowomdesouldyieto0f 10111)190 nteatrnive 0hf olnmspriswot&
more.fieri Lousohier
esenped scot-
freee The Governor .Intpreseed of the
witnesses the absolute neo0ssily of
rnattii11llh1g. ,secrecy, and the tilibit
would peobeln3' never Have Weenie
1010W11 if the Gerrnert 00119111 at Mon-
lovia, ht Liberia, bad not repnefee then.
it wns extremely dificult bo remelt.
Liberian natives fo' the Cm110'o011 prilkea
x0100 since, herr I:ousehner ilnd his 111
nocetit emberdinlrtes•-shat. down at
Nee. The Consular report led to the
discovery el the delab}s (low pubUeleeet.i •
i
ti