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HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Brussels Post, 1908-5-21, Page 2+0+ + +'A+A+ + + + + +XI+ +0+a+XF+ t+ + )1 A Mouse r f Ytystcry OR, THE GIRL IN BLUE W+0+A+ $i +3 + f+no-n(4-o++ -4-04. 4-3 $? 4#+3 ++V,+?:1+31 CHAPTER IX,—(Continued?• Dimly I could distinguish his short, burly form between 7myseif end the filial light Of l•he halt -opened Mines,' ,' but even ihougte all wee as yet misty and Indistinct, 1 knew that what h•ad been averred was the actual lrutl1. the rteetalists hast been. mistaken. Welh pare and c0n'tinued treatment lily sight would steer:Ohmu until I became like other men. "I can seer 1 cried excitedly, "1 can see you, doctor—and the light—and the blinds!' "Tien you acknowledge that what i bald you was the truth--tha't I did not lie to you sewn 1 told you that your case was net beyond r000vory?" "Certainly. Yon told me the truth." I said hastily. "At the time it seemed ababk+ you. have 'tat, o n h too r' r but now mh b Y n shown the proof, I must ask your par- don if any wends of mine have given you offence.' "You've not offended ale to the slight- est, my dear ser,' he answered pleasant- ly. "Per:seve.e with the treatment, and continue for another few days 1n dark- ness, and ?then I feel confident that a perfectly satier0.0tery aura will have course, we must not effected. Of o been e e e but. 0X1)001 a clew vision at once, by degrees your sight will slowly become stronger." And wilt those words be closed the blinds and drew the ourtnins chase, so that the rain was again darkened. Imagine. the Ihanlefuiness that filled my heart! It was no illusion, I had aotuauy seen the narrow rays of sun- light between the half -opened blind and the dark silhouette of the short, stout, duI.I bcareded pian who was effecting such a marvellous cure. i gripped his hand in the darkness, and thanked him. "Flow can I . unleientty repay you?" I said. '"rltis service you have render- ee are hes opened up to Ice en abso- lutely new litre." 01 desire no repayment, Mr. Healon," ho answered in his sleep, hearty voice, "That my 1roetnent of malignant. sole. ratites es successful, and that I have been the means of restoring stght to one of my. fellow men is sull3cient in nett.' `But, I have one question I WLsh to ask you,' 1 said. "The mode in wrioh you were introduced to me Is extreme- ly puzzling. De you know nothing of the lady named Edney" "I know her- flea is all." "Where does she live?" "I regret that I am not able to answer your question." `You are bound to seereey regarding her?' "1 may as welt admit the truth — one "ICs extraordinary," 1 ejaculated. "Very extraordinnryr' "Not so extraordinary as the recovery Gt your vision,' he observed. "Remain :per'feetty qukt, and dont take 1111410 yourself any mental problems. A great deal new depends upon your owri calmness." The fact that illy sight was gradually returning to ole seemed too 'restonlshing to believe. This man Slade, whoever he was, had performed a fent in sur- gery which seemed to me miraculous. Again and again t thanked him, but when 'Iva had gone and 1 10!'1 Parker, she only gave vent to a grunt of in, credulity. Yet had I not actually seen the silhouette of Slade, and .tee streaks of sunlighlt beyond? Itad I not already hart eieular proof that a cure was be- ing effected? What would Dick, dear old Deer, say tha 1 joy winch gave lightness to my on his return when he found 'ate cured. ert l emissary of the Evil One, and mem: s- od a pious hope that he would never "darken my 40101" again. Iv it es a fuucy of 11111)0 to go dawn to the Thome of my melt, Heaton Ma- nor, a Place well known to them110- qua[nled wttlt the distrlet around Tew'- kesbury, The great old mtnston, stand- ing i71 the centre of a wide, hell -wooded parte that slopes down. to the reeveen close to the 1171WBride, had been 01oeed, and in the ..ands of the old ser- vant Baxter and his wife, Indeed I had never lived there since, on my father's death, 14 had passed Into my possession..- The rooms were opened for my insp0 tion, and as 1 wandered Through themtoed down the long oak-pannelled gal- lery, front rho walls ot which roes ot my tinge-(li1nzrted ancestors, in their ruffles, velvets, and laces looked down solemnly, a food of recollection'scorecollection'sor my sunny days of childhood c(ewdcd upon 9110. Seven years had passed .5[1100 my last visit there, The old ivy-covered nuttier was, indeed, dilapidated, and sadly out et repair. The furniture and ttangtngs 1( in many of 0 rooms seemed reeling with damp and neglect, and es I enter- ed the nursery, and was shown my own toys it seemed as though, eke lllp Nan Winkle ,I had returned again to life after a. long absence. Alone, I wandered to the park down the revenue of grand old elms. The wide view across the brimming river, with Hasfeld Church, and the oldTithe Barn at Chaceky standing prominent at It In the landscape, 1 saw that [t ha no way changed. I looked back upon Me house—a grand old home it was, one that any ratan might have boon proud ot, yet of what use was i1 to met Should I sell it? Or should 1 at - low it to still .rot and decay until my will became proved, anti it passed intothe hands of my heirs and assSgns? 1 deft loth to part with 11, for the old place had been built soon after the fierce and htstor;o bade had been fought at Tewkesbury, '0011.1 ever since Rl)hard Heaton had commanded one of the fri- gatee which went forth to meet the Armada it had been the ancestral home 0f file neatens. Inched, tate village of Wake. neaten, now -a -days quite an ancient place, with- its little squat square -spired ohnech and quaint strag- gling street, had .sprung up around the manor. To ale the plao0 was some- thing of e white elephant, yet, as the 141st of a stalwart ra00 who had ever rendered loyal service to their s0ver- ehgn, and the sole (10seendain of an hcno•a le tamely', it seemed Incumbent upon me to retain 11, and not allow :t k go tinder the a'0elloneer's hemmer.My personal needs were small, and 1 was not in want, of money, therefore, ere I 1•011100ed to Tewkesbury, and theme to London, I gave orders for a'rtain necessary repairs to be done, and that a couple of 0000)8 might be o:cated and kept in readiness for my use whenever I might require them.How strange it all west At every turn 1 peered upon the world through toy grey glass spectacles, and look as keen an inteeest in 11. as does a child, 1.'1 seemed now 10 010; say brain, like a child's, became filled with new 1111- pnasa1:rns and fresh ideas. After my dolt, coloriess existence of sound and tottoh, title bright life of movement fill- ed me with a delight that Igen cannot describe. Imagine, however, What Joy it Is Ie one who has been pronounces Ino,rmebly:blirnd to took upon the world again and taste of lis pleasures. it was I laughed e3' I pictured Lu mysel'f ?lis am•azemer11 at finding mn at the ratl- way staLlon on his arrival—looking for him. Theo:Tit a whole month Slade cane regularly each day at noon, and surely, by slow degrees, my vision became strengthened*, until at length I found that, oven thought i wore smoke-dark- encl.!, glasses, I could see almost es well as I had Glom; In the days of my youth. The glasses destroyed alt color, it was true, yet I could now goo teeth Into the busy Strand, mingle with the bustling crowds, end revel in their life and movements.. indeed, in those first days of the recovery of my vision I went atout London to cabs and omnibuses, 'hither and thither, with all the enthu- siasm of n country cousin or at, child on his test visit to the Metropolis. All was novel and interesting on my return to a knowledge of life. Slade, 1 found, was a gentlemanly fellow with the air of a clever physici- an, 'hut a11 my efforts to discover his ab0(le proved unavailing, an.!, )more- over, Net as the cure wase comt.pleLe he one day toiled to coil as usual, with. tout word he relinquished tee just as su111100ly ne he had eomni but he had restored to me that precious serum wheet is one of Ged's chief gifts. In those September days, when all (he W a•td weaned gay and bright, h went forth info the world with a now rest tor life, l lank short trips 10 Richmond and ilnmpliorl Court, x) that I Aright again gaze upon elle green teem, the winding river, and the fields that 1 ictal no well; 011d t spent a lily at • Brighton, and stood for n full couple, of trams watching rho rolling sea b al- ing upon the beach. Six weeks •l:ofore k was*. hopeless n1Lsa.nthropo whose 11'e hail been utterly sapped by the blight. frig affliction- upon 1110. Now 1 was strong and healthy in mind and in body, prepared to do anything or to. go anywhere, When ,Pottier w'as. al Iasiforced to admit that I w'Ms Y]4 longer blind, she declared' 1b":t tho man Slade was an Yet over all was ono gr:m shadow— the remeneberume nt that fateful night with tt& grim tragedy. Who was Edna? Where was slue? What ens she? Through her instrumentality I had re- pined my sight, but her identity and her whereabouts stili remained hidden, 0s silo had plainly told mo they would be before we had parted, Hither and Rather. i .vent, feted and feesled by my friends el the Savage, the Devonshire, and other olnbs, yet my mind wee ever troubied by the mystery of the women who had, loom motives tint were entirely Irldden, exert• el herself on my behalf, first In saving my life from unscrupui;ous oseassins, and, secondly, in restoring my vision. I entertained a strong desire 1e meet her, to grasp ler small hand, to thank ber. I longed to see hor. CHAPTER X, The man who abandons all hope is constantly haunted by fears.. This is as strange as it Ls unjust, ince much else In our everyday life, Even though there had returned to me all the joys et existence, yet f was siill 1100101111 be an ever-present dread'—a (001511' lest. some terribile mandate should .5U1derey Ire launched union m0 by the unknown director of my actions. ivy :situation was, to sly the least, a most, extrat,rdinery one. Valiantly 1 strove to Nil myself of the °Imes:deln which con.-ilantly crept upon Inc when- ever my attention was 1101, ecinaliy dis- tracted by the new existence, not had so mysteriously been opened 111) to lee. For n. little while 1 would lot ney 0111114 dwell upon lir fortifying thought thaee 1 wos entirely helpless in the hands of one who tens. wilholi1 doubt, unecrn- pulous. 1 had pleei;gad 1117 honer to keep seerot that, appalling midnight Celine, end le are alw,tyw as dl1'eelod, Edna herself, tho woman 55.110,0 volCo sounded se tender, wirr,5' Molds were tae small end soft to the 1011011, had leered neo to this. To her mono ,005 due this •stats t t eoxlstant anxiety as to what, might deal be demanded of inc. The thought 000111d 412001) upon nae, now pausing, nolo odvaneing, 11(1111 at length it wrappeld rue fennel end round, and stilled out my breath, like a death -musk of oc)ld clay, Then my heart MAIM 8)1111., .thy sight seemed to 4h, even sound wetted Me until there. seemed an as fel void • fro void 01 depth 101' ev0r (111(1 for 004)1' ,1071111, a dreadful, conquer- ing .81(01nce. A thousand tinges I regretted tbat 1 MAI in that 11100(01.1 ot 111y utter help - lee -mese given my tommaLse to C(nleeat the nlysierinus :rime, Yet, when, 1 re - cone, -1,,,d with Ivl)at extraordinary il1- gtnuily I had been deceived by the elan whom i had ,believed to be a 1)0)100- (0.11181ahle, the cheep cunning which had 14rn displayed hl obtaining from my lips n statement of all the reefs I knew, and the subsequent actions of the coal-hotst- e,l Rina, my mind became confused?, I multi see no solution of the extract' (Unary problem, save that 1 believed her to De deeply implicated in 50)1)0 plot w'I)teh had culminated in the murder /1 the young man, and that she her- self had s01110 strong personal motive In concealing (110 lenebl0 truth.. I ought, 1 knew, to have gono to Scot- land Yard and mule a full and straight- forward deposition of the w'11)le mat- ter Nevertheless, my story was a very slronge ono --stranger, perhaps, than of the many curious romances which are daily laid before the Director. of Criminal Investigations, Atter ell,` it might not. have been believed. f had no Idea where the scene of the tragedy why situated, and, having been sight. less al the time, had notnally witnessed nothing. Theory, upon. theory I formed, but when I dug down to their roots i toured that they merely drew their strength from my own fear or Jlnagin- atloa, and were utterly wor'thla8s. 01100 or twice' I contemplated disregarding m3' 1)rornem and making a full s1010. 111)031.1. to Oho police; but On calm reflec- tion I saw that such a course was now absolutely useless. Two months had etapeed sincere ter, file. -pal nightand tho . hotly --or bodies --had, without doubt, Leen dtopow l of long ago. Such In- genious evildoer's would exert the ut- most care It 1110 disposilion of the 00r. p113 dilecti, and would newer run rise of dclection. They feared me, I felt as- sured, and it was this thought which canslantl,y harassed 1110 for ff suck wire actually the case, then they had every incentive to take my Eft: on the w'ele- established principle that dead men tell no tales. - \Vitl 1110 return of my v:sio1) my sense of hearing bad, curiously enough 1:0001,10 both weakened and distorted Sounds which 1 heard when le. id aro• sented quite a different impress'^n naw that 1 could see. The blind hoer where those with eyesight•can detect willing The eery of the former rain thotnsolvee to act an eyes also, yet the mu nen! the v1si011 Ls recovered the sharocno.l sense of hearing again. assumes Its (ter plat capacity. hence I Mond 111.81 1 Onu14 1101 11010' dislhngulsh teems end sounds so quickly•as before; indeed. the voices of those Wenn me soucded seine, how different 11000 that I had reeevered my sight. My friends, into whose circle they declared I had ret'u'ned like one from the grave, welcomed nut everywhere, and I atilfess that, notwithstanding the oppression. oonstantly upon me, 1 en- joyed myself lo the top of my bent:. I stilt remained in my dingy, smoke- grimed rooms in Essex Street. really more fee Parker's sake than for my own, and also, of course, in order to be near Dielc when he returned, but nearly avert' owning I 1e03 Old 0.0111e - where or other, going here and (hero about lawn. 1 had long ago been a member of the 1-Oevonshir0, and had now returned, and stent a good cleat o.t time there, even though the main distinction of the club wee the number of old (ogles who af- fected it. But 1 fcttnd it a conveniently ceeerat place to dine and idle away any hears of the day that I had to spare. In the middle of October, when most amen I knew were away on the moors, I had a dinner engagement tee oven• trig with 1110 Clran,nings, stn Cornwall Gardens. Colonel Channing, a retired ofiloor of the Guards, was a anan I had known during the greater part od cey ittethne. ills service had born plainly ref a diplomatic character, for he had served as British military attache a1 Berlin and Vienna, and now lived with hes wits and daughter in London, and seemed to divide tris time mainly be- tween the .St, J0'mes:s and the United. Service Clube. fee was a merry old fellow, with while hair and moustache and a torrid conlplexlan, the dandified air of attache still clinging to hien, His courtesy was disthuttivc, save when in the heat of argument- upon Iltrsopean affairs et which he pride) himself on ifs expensive and peeullar knowledge— ire would use strong and ember impo- lite epithets e rrarding those who dis- agreed teeth ht's). • :1s he sal et the head of his iab1e. his habitue! inneerle In his eyo, and the tiny grecs 14,1,On of the order of the CrOwm of Italy in the lappet of his dining -Jacket, ho Looked a perfect type of the ex -attache. Ills wife, a rather score woman of fifty, who seemed to exist externally In a (0110110 of black sada end lace, was pleasant, though just 8, trifle stiff, probably because of ter long association with other dtplo- nr0tie'1s` wives; while Neliie Channing was a happy, lair -)mired girl, who wore piety 'blouses, cycled, Bolted, flirted, and stropped in the, Iligh Street fn they trO5t approved manner otthe average girt of South itensinglon. Nellie and i had always been. good triendk, Sir, had been al school 1n England while ber parents had been abroad, lout on eompiothtg her ((11100- tion she had lived some five years or su in Vienna, and had Lime acquired (eon -lathing of the o(asmapnllitan ie•bit of her father. She looked chorming In her pink 11101100 a trifle decollate, as she sal on my loft tit dinner, and eon- gralulaled :me 01,lon my recovery. (To be Continued.) Ono of tihe Contemporary poets .851(81 \\'hero are the bright girls of the past?" Dur own ol'servetion is that snmo of 11,0111 0'e administering cautious doses or paregoric l0 the bright, girls of the future, SPORTING ZARA ERIS EN \l'110 FI(ifI'I' l Olt TUE LOVE OI' ?'Illi (4.91E.. Fighting rind i hdovanp are In Their DLood, IW1d 'hoy Couldn't Drop 1:111,er If'f'They 'Ttved. The '/.alcka Klels, with whorl General 11illooelcs and his little force on the North-West frontier of India arc 1105 waging war, are the toughest, tees our teems have ever had to en0ouulee, nut sten exrl:'pting the gallant "lauzzy- \Vuzziers' of Ilse Soudan, who broke n British' square 111 the nest iigy'pt:al wag', We arse fighting the '/saki 1. 1ihels simply and solely for the reason that they wish us to do so. Just 110 a high- eteriled child confined to the 110030 on a wot day breaks out into ono naughti- ness tlfher another, GO the Afeldis, after several years of peace and 1)0113' Plun- der', varied by occaleona1 skirmishes amongst themselves, yearn for 41 "scrap' of somewhat larger dimensions.. The trouble began will the ostial policy of goading us lt'o taking schen by a series of "pin -prick" outrages. During last year gangs of the Zakka libels swept down upon our frontier 0ulpoets, stole eines, killed a poiluenlan. 0r tea, ted dlsopeealed tato the n10un- 11l[ns, 'Chen they grew holder, end their tact little pleasantry .vas io descond upon Peshawar Welt, and, atter a skirmish with the pollee that almost amounted It a n small battle, raided' the house 0f the Hottest native banker 111 the Ova, and rode away with the plunder. Arte.' that, sameth[Ilg had to be done, ONLY 4,000 OP 'MEM. • The only satisfactory thing about the Zakka Kriel Le that he is not numa'ou'— Llrey only mitelee about 4,000 fighting amen all told, 1 If, eSv Ieter, C Other [h h'il>cs J( in, )h 1 O 7 1 'ail and WO 01[11 trained u 0 0 well -armed warrior's of more than thirty lhoiasand eguinst us. At present no such oumbinatlon is anticipated, but one never knows. The Zakka Khels u"c not alone amongst Afrldis !n their love of fighting for fighting's sake. With no military roads leading into their country, and with avenues of es- cape 0.t their back, through which to retire into Afghanistan .vett their fam- ilies and herds, tete Zakkas have 111th. crto enjoyed the deulble advantage of difficult access end easy retreat. A handful of sharp -shooting Zak'kas, securely porelmd 011 the edge of pre- cipice, or serum in one of their little rock-bound Whiled villages, can do a lot of damage to an advancing foe in thelodged, valley beneath before they are des - And the Zakka can, bolt to Cover :n emergencies, like a rabbit in n warren, and Hotting on, earth will dislodge him, The tribesmen have all torts of hidden caves and shelters dotted about the mountain -side where they can retire for a while when tldngs get too hot for 1110111, Toady to creep 4)111, again. at -night- fall, and 'pot" en unsuspecting sent"y or Leo, Peontior fighting Is an evil necessity Every now .and then one of these expo- dit'ons has to be undertaken, but trey are a most one-sided and expensive form of war. All the odds aro in favor' el .ileo Zakka ICile15. And the Zakka knows this, He only fights for the sheer fun, of Iho thing and when the end of the 0a111Pa1g 1 comas he cheerfully sets to work to "e- huildelle villages teat we have burnt, with the money derived from slrbsidiee (111 the Indian Government; while the young neon of the t'ibo conte down and shako hands gleefully and join the'ranlcs of our awn 1041011 Army, where, pro- perly discipilnO(b, they snake some of the most tellable fightees we have. Fighting and thieving are in the Zak- ka's blood, and he oouldn t drop either 11 he tried. He starts as soon as be can Walk, and he keeps en at IL as long as he can hold a rifle. "1311 A C11IEF, B1'; A 'THIEF:' They' do litho.tuward•s the aultvaton Of ,tivo land they hold, and despising; the trade in firewood, which ds the: chief means of sul)s'slenoe 10 Winter lo most 0t the older tribes, they depend wholly upon pleader. Clevornese in thloving is the see: characteristic which lenals to disttuc- tian amongst them, 11 is a virtue wlt'e l the maidens of the tribe seek in their future husbands, and mothe111 fondle look for in their new-born babies. Every mate Weld is oonseerated, es it were, at his birth to (genre. A hole Is dug in the wall, and the infant ate pass• ed backwards ad nforwards through it with the words, "[1181 Shall, Ghat Shan Glial Shalt"—Be a thief, bo thief, be a thief." Al ordlnal',y times we 'pay a subsidy to aft the Ab'1dt tribes as a guarantee of tea' good behaviour and to ensure. 1110 rnaint'0l100ce and safety of the Khy• bee Pase, lett these subsidies are, of cuur00, withdrawn In wartime, 'l'he Zakka ICltels have title to lose. Their villages are merely strongly for- tified collections of stone and thud. built against the soled rocks, and are ensile rebuilt. Wo dost00yed flay of the strongholds in the campaign et 1.807, but they have alt been since re. butt. During the preeess of that Carnelian they cut up a detachment of the North ampton regiment, at Summar, They were Prominent in the dzslyerale titterers on the rearguard: during the March clown 'the tiara River, aid throughout the operat'ons they were itnplacab:e la ]harassing our droops. The Mirka Kltels were the lost to sue - mit at the end of the war, and they wort only subdued atter we had lost about (•100 0814405 and men In the can1p8ige from wounds and disease. Vie 7.aklcas eduealion Is not expos sive, and his rite, which is Invariably a good one, is generally either itself a Melon, one, 00 has been purchased in exchange fir 50010 other kind of Hampered by no transport or other paraphernalia, a trained )namfalneot', quick In laking oevet' or at "spotting" an advancing fee, ho 011)1 hove quiet( 1Y up and down. the steep 11111 -sides, picking off our nen and harassing Dur lransl't0rt wherever ho goes, A PUFF -THEN BEAT((. Tor us, on the ober hand, there is el cry p(sss'b!e difficulty. Our ulxlcers and well aro expensive luxurlea, and 1110 boss of Ib life means, US well, 111(1 141.14.3 of several hundred pounds and 11110)7 yea's of training, The °emery is w dlilicite to 111413'0 In th•a4, oe a gen• crag rift fcr every t filing Man of Lhe (Moe at least ono "follower' is required 14 handle the transport. 1(1 the 1807 .campaign there were 10,- C"' 0,Gini mon engaged, 01 whom w my 7,589 were Sullied; but .s:nCa then Lord Kit, Metier hoe organized many bnportatht Ch!(a I4t75 walk a vi.rw t0 doing } 15'1111 IIw'a' many of their comp auxiliaries. A campaign of Ih',s lcbld eu1uils very severe strain ort the nerves of the boars engaged, 'lettere is rarely anything in Ore way of 'a regular big light, which is what the 'Demo," loves, and, for greater part of (11(1 time, tate enemy 18 114114111' 07011 seem A lithe puff of enterer() on the 0101111' 1111n side, and two unsleePeot!ng sentries felt dead Io the pound, then, after per- haps hoveral hours of quiet, the sante thing happens again elsewhere. Nu chance of hitting bacic—no iuetms of knowing from which quarter the attack wilt ee111e again. AL night a strict Mea - out must be 1cep1 foe sudden rushes, 1 Mem of warfare at which the Afridis are past masters. Luckily, as 11e commander of a puni- tive force, We have in General Wtll- eeeke an "old-010gel" at this form et warfare, for he web mentioned In de- sp,11k:hes ,s0 long ago at 1881 for his work against. 1110 Waairls on the sante (00nlier; whilst he had seen fighting 'n Afghanistan eo long as twenty-eight years ago. Many years later he wee at it again in the 'loch' Valley eantpti.ign, campaign n the ser this 1'.s his fourth o North-West frontier, and leis eleventh campaign or expedition allogetherl— I'earson's Weekly, ON THE FRM. WeseeestegaseiesekAeklafeeveeeWeWif TEST OF SEED CORN, It is a mistake to bust' seed corn shell- ed where It can be had on the one, but inasmuch 00 the great bulk of .ensilage .seed corn whittle pusses through the trade in Canada Ls shelled, U. is large- ly a case of Ilobson's choice. Ear corn is preferable for several reasons, in the first place, one can see what kind a11t1 variety of ears he Ls planting from, and reject inferior ones. Tho embryo will. be somewhat less liable to have had cis germinating qualities impaired by heating in storago or .in teans11. Most important of all, he Gan lest his corn by the oar, thereby culling out 111.1~0 that show inferior germinating, quality, '(1101.0 are almost sum .to , ha a certain proportion of these which, if 810)1 for planting, would mean either blanc spews in the 601,1, m•, 1011:11 Le probably a more serious disadvantage in drilled corn, tweak-grewatg, poorly - earned stalks. Par belle'. In evilly Ivey to buy un extra quantity of seed corn, plant the strong -germinating cah:s, and 090 the east for feed. A tremendous toes occurs every year. h1') America as a. result of inferior seed corn, says the Earner's Advocate. For testing corn by 11)0 oar, several easy systems have boon devised. They &Insist in numbering 1110 ears, say, watt a label on the butt, then selecting four or the representative kernels from each ear, and planting in a small box of sand or garden mould, divided off into squares corresponding to the num- bered earl. 13)' the promptness and vig- e' with which these representative kernels sprout, the ad'1'Isab'tty or otherwise or using each particular ear is determin- ed. Butts and tips should be broken UAW Eill c Are Artistic, DII613ADI E, SANITARY, and FIREPROOF Easily applied Cannot Or cis a01'rE fort i [C,if# Send us a akotoh showing ehapo and oxaot Inaaouramoato of your os111ngga or walls, nod aro On submit designs, estimates and Illustrated booklet Proo. WRITE US NOW Metallic Roofing Co., LIMITED ltinuafacturere TORONTO & WINNIPTO psi off and used for Chicken or pig feed, A man is supposed, by lilts method, to he able to lest from neo to eight bushels of seed corn in a day, Meet- ing alt w'ealc et, bud ears. :40 one writ- er Ilan expressed it, there are dimes for minutes in Lhis wore. Those who are obliged to buy shelled corn, as well as those who cannot be persuaded to take the slight trouble of testing their corn by the ear, should at least make a gonerol germination test, in order to guard a.gninsI the po55[bt- lly of ,ol1Ing 0004 so low 111 vitality 11111 it wit not produce a 40011 Phis is par- ticularly I111pm'taut fn a coal, w'e1 sea- sCm, when only seed corn or the high- est vitality may be, depended on. 'I'115e lest should ba made, if .poss:b'o, before purchasing the seed, and certainly be- tar0sowing any ' of L I 11,1 tete held In y a little box of earth in the wlnd0w, or between doable (olds of flame,' or blot- ting paper, place one or two hundred average kernels. Keep the earth, cloth or gaper moist, but not wet. If cloth o•' Paper is used, it should be in the bottom of a plate or dish, with another plate inverted over it, The pro8rptle99, vigor and percentage of germination will Indicate whether the corn is fit to sow or net, and, It sown, how much extra seed should be Med to make up for defunct grains. A kw non-vlahle one; in a sample aro not of very melees con- sequence en ensilage corn, providing Me proportion es kIlown and allowed for, but any considerable, number of weak, na'.n-vigor'ou5 k+enols may occasion 111 U011 10.55, Seal corn 011ouk1 be tested every year, a, a matter of emotes, but indications are that It will bo particularly necessary this spring, as 1110 tlnususlly cold, wet season of 1007, in the corn -belt Stales, did not allow the corn to maturo and dry out well before the season of frost. ELUSIVE. "I dine see no haat in (hist" said a man, bitterly, pausing in the consump- tion of a very hard, dry railway ham a811dwtCll. "Oh, you ain't conte to it yea,' said the ulakl bchtted the counter, with a smile. A minute or hv0 passed. The mans jaws worke.l gloomily, Then they stop- ped again, and said: [ don't see no ham yet, young wo- man." "0h,' she replied, "you've gone and bit over it note," - Some mon are ready to forgive their enemies when their enermles have them down. �/� � N MAN `e,A F \iOT INTENDING TO LOCATE IN TORONTO WILL FIND Ideal Manufacturing Premises N TRUTH EtUILDIl G Flats 2,000 to 10,000 00 Square Feet Each LOWEST RENTALS, iNCLUDING Steam Power, Neat, Electric Light Fire Sprinkler System, Lowest Insurance. Most Central Location. Four Large __ Freight Elevators, 1• S. Frank Wilson & Sons,St., 73.81 Adelaide West nmaszaseagnia Il+ The Utility of the Bicycle ef e Was never more, assured than at the present ttmo. The busi- ness wart, the dealer, the ourato, the teacher, the fanner, the Jacks of all trades ride tete wheel. The bicycle saves time and money and puts .you on the highway to economy. For the odd message to' 1110 store or into town, for a hurry call or important engagement, the wheel solves 1,110 problem Consider these 130001 5 models built in rigid. and 01(511IOn frames: -- Massey Silver Ribbon, Cleveland, Perfect, Brantford, Import - al and Rambler ---the wheels for service. Canada Cycle and Motor Co.; L 1m1 ted WB. 't' TORONTO, CANADA. WRItie FOR 11001(LET .8" �00,00000000.O0000ac>444 YOUNG FOLKS *00 4000 A 141:\141P, 011,\1.111[(1.1'S. it was pretty hard to slay in the house on a rainy Saturday, especially when one had a great many 1138' mar - b1 I r 1 as With which l0 phly', As !ten It rd. 1lc'0.5o looked thoughtfully 01 111..3 col. 14413011 of "jaspers, "alleys' and "gles- s!as, he 5n[d, "i wonder who first thought of playing nlarbl s?, "A good many W1.14ur ailas than you have asked the sante (IUeat'on;" replied 110uunll, 'hut no one really knows, al- though it Ls pretty certain that boys used them 11101:4) than two thousand years ago.' "1 don't set+ how any one can telt. what, buys did so long ago," said Leo, pard, doubtfully. Mamma salted. "As ( went 10 mnr- L.et this lllorltlalg," she said, "I found several. marbles In the alley back of the house, 1108' do you euppwse they sante there?" "Oil "elute of the boys must have. been .playing there!o'cloluted Loo= nerd, eagerly. "clow malty did 3'oa find? What did you do with '0111? May 1 ask Teddy to glvo ihrm to the boys?. "We'll talk about that preently,'' an- sw0redi Mamma, "but first 1 would tka IA' 1(11010 how you can be eo sure they belong to the hays'?" "Wily, mamma, coursethey dol Who else would use then,?" "bid you see the boys?" persisted manoma, • "No, but. I'm Mime they were there playing marbles and host these, for no- body but boys care for nlui'bles," "Very likely'," replied mamma, "and I presume the melt who found marbles in Pompeii and among tho ruins of old Eastern 11•e a5 you [.h fern 41.1105 were 1151 as t seem to be that boys had been plang with then), Ret. these fleet marbles were only water -rounded stones, very different from 111e fine ones leu have te-day..'. Leonard looked al tree marbles orilt- cally. "Who do you s'pose made the first real ones?" ho. -asked, "No one knows," .aid 1Mee. Reese, "but re, early as 11.2tn, or nearly them hun- ched years ago, they were sent Mom holland to England, and the little D11(0l boys had played with them ter year.; before that time," "Where aro )marbles made'' asked Leonard, curiously. "Nearly, perhaps quite, all of tient are made in Germany', and the little Ger- man children do a great Beat of the w'or'k," "Flow de you know they (1') t11a1, mam- ma?' "Derau>o I once visited a marble fac- tory 1.01 Germany, and saw tbenl, nla11ng the common gray one,, 11140 allose," pointing 4) some upon the bed, "They were 1111190 from a kind 0f stone found near Coburg in Saxony." "Tell 01e about thcml" said L0unard, ea nerl3'. 91'tlo stones are quarried in large blocks and taken to the factory, where with a hammer. they aro brolcon into little cubes. Sometimes a8 Many as a hundred of these cubes are placed 111 e:10'lllar grooves in re round stone, smile - thing like the n[1lekete in, a. grist -?pili. By means of water, or horselertwer, lies stone goes round and round alt the time, while tiny streams of water are flowing llu'iugh the groves and 0000 the bits of marble. "Aimee this lower stone is a sceoud steno, or stout oaken .plate, called a 'runner,' which. sones just low enough to ,press upon t(he bits of stone as they are whirled round and round, anti by this means in a very short lime --nut more lhnn Moe minutes --they have become perfect spheres.' "Why'eel" cried Leonard. "1 dila C suppose that was the way le make tenth IYs just the way the sea mnkos 111e round slimes the find on the bench." "Yes, the principle is the sante," to. plied mamma, "but these are only Cheaper aid coarser ritaebles. "When they want to ,cake them n Itf '11e better the my spheres aro put into ' 0 wooden eesklined with stone cylin- ders,etre as these Ore made to revolve, the frlctton nla1c04 the marbles wiry smooth, and they aro afterward pollsh- od"with some of their own dust mixed with emery ;powder. Now they ere called 'polished gray's,' and cost 1r101'e than the ethers. Sometimes they ere stained dtffor'enL color's, and they aro Men known as motored marbles. It Means e,onsid4lw.ble labor, doesn't. Ile' ended mother. Loonard looked at 1115 marbles with new interest. "Are the alleys made la tie 1 sante way '' he asked. "No," said 81115, Bee,, "those ere made fecal ploy. They are m 15503 b1 wonder' molds, .painted b. 1111, olrotes or brand rings, and afterward baked. . "'Ties. are only the cheaper 1(111:11.8; t1e better 01105 care 1110'd1x1, painted and fire -glazed. '1'he jaseers and agates a'0 of glazed and unglazed china, Mar- bled with blue.greon and home: Al; 100 lin glass marbles, some, 1 believe, are Mewl, while others are rounded 1)) grinding, List here Mrs. Reese 1005 relied away,; and Leonard found that the stn wets ail and the sialce1lvalle dry again: Youth.% Campo hien. ' RUNNING iT 11NE. . A sailor, whit had retired to Spend the reel of This lit: to the country, was very proud of hes watch, which; f,e neatly thirty years, had neves once gone Wrong, Early ono morning. 110 1uu10(1 a visitor, who was sleying .wilh ldm, and' together they .set 0111 to see the sun else. The host kept cenetilling first his watch, anti then a Cakndorl \\Veil gn00, the ldmes of the sunis'rlsing met scf- Legs There was a long wail In 111' 111100, vague dawn. Presently, tapping his Watch with his forefinger, 111' saelhif said: tt the sttn ain't over that hill In ' minute and a hnif, he'll be lode,'' • Lots of women template beetle a they have nothing to 001101111410 of, No wonder love is W,hnd Ivheii lli4- glrl has more dollars titan. sense. • 414,