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HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Brussels Post, 1900-12-27, Page 7• • • T113 MYSTERIOUS CKI/IIE ON THE S.S. NEPTUNE "'Wiwi did you see VaSealle AFAill?" 'J went to my husbaralar eirbin, and Met Vassella owning out. tie tried to prevent 'ram going in, but Ie.. twed, and sew ray husband dead,with eintitio'e stilt NI In his breast. Matteo anplured me to bo silent, and 1 obey - Li, I went on shore at once, and ri.ote ki„ letter you +raw. I would have kept ilent still, only 1 beard that he was geeing to marry my sla- ter and determined to save bor." " You say Vassalla's stiletto was In poor Verschoyle's breast," said Feeler, quietly, flaing his keen eyes on her face. " Will you kindly deseribe the weapon 1" " An ordinary stiletto," she repli- ed, with a curiously carved ivory han- dle, representing the heed of Bac- ehue sure eureled with wreathe of grapes and vine -leaves." " ees, that the description of the weapon," said Foster, "but how do you know- it was Vassalle's 1" ' 'Because my sister told me she had given It to him." Ronald started, and would have spoken, as he remembered Carmelo, [mei said the awns thing; but Easier atoppesi " You say," observed the barrister, tineothly, " that Miss Cotoner men fear cousin the stiletto; may I ask When ?" "Oh,. six or seven ,years ago." " And it has been in Vassalla's pas- . eession ever since f" "' Yes," defiantly ; "who else could have it f" Teeter made no answer; so Ronald took up the eoaversation. "What motive bad Vassalla for Dom - mitring ibis crime r he asked, in a puzzled tone; "he would rot have nourished revenge all these years." "Ah, you don't know a Maltese gentleman," said Mrs. Versehayle; " he never forgets an insult. My hus- band insulted him seven purrs ago, and be swore he would kill him. It is like the Corsioan vendetta with us." "Are you prepared to make this etatement in a court of law?" asked Foster, eyeing her keenly. "Yes! 1 will swear to it on the cross." "Vasealla will have to be arrest- " Of ceurse," she retorted, defiant- ly. "I want him to be arrested." "For the murder of your busband at Valetta?" " Yea I" " Good I We will go up to London to- night, and take out a warrant." "The seoner the better 1" she said, vindictively. "'Will you let me offer you some refreshment ?" said Ronald, as he arose to leave the room. " Yes ; send me a glass of brandy, and soda," she replied, "I feel worn out." Ronald bowed, and than want out with, Foster to see alter their things. They sent up the drink to Mrs. Vers- ohosle, and than Ronald wrote a let- ter to Carmela, telling her he was go- ing up to .Lonclon on businese, but p did not mention what. Foster paid f the bill, got their dressing -bags, and in a few minutes they were on their a way to the station. While Foster was getting the tic- kets, Mrs. Verschoyle being, on the platf•oem, Ronald took the opportun- ity to ask his friend a question. "Do you think her story is true?" he asked. "If it isn't, Vassalla oan elear hlingelf," was the arabighoue re- ply„ CHAPTER XXV. Meanwhile, Vassalla, genie uneon- soious of the storm that was ahoat to break over his head, was enjoying himself in Londoe, and had made ar, range -meats to go to Marlow and see Camisole. Ile thought he bud quite subdued Mrs, Verschoyle, And that every spediment to his marriage was vet -leaved. So be sat in his room at the Langhara, • smoking and moralizing complacently on the state of affairs. "Fortune favors me," he said aloud, idly watching the blue • wreaths of renoice curling round •his head."I have slimmed that daviliah Blame, and won ray beautiful Cermela-both at tile same time. But, how wonderful it is that the death of Versehoyle should have been the means at winning mo both a wife and a fortune! Now, when I am married 1 must be quiet. I will take my charming wife to Malta, and Ilve on the estate. She does not care for me now; but she will grow fond -yes -she will grow fond." And so he went on building castles in the air, and dreaming vain dreams, that were destined never to became true, far at that moment there came a knack at the door, which, if he had known its full purport, woula have alarmed him its much as the knocking at the gate did Macbeth. But, as he did net kuow, he merely called out, "Come in," and went on smoking. 11 iter a puzz.ed-1. °king w.iiter,show- ing in Mrs. Verschayle, Ronald Mont- eitb, Gerald Fester, and. a stranger. Vassalla, turning his head saw them, and sprang to his feet in astonish- ment. " Whitt the devil—" he began, but Mrs. Verschoyle interrupted bim. "That Is the Marchese 'vessalla," she said, pointing to the dumbfounded Maltese geetleman; whereat the stranger advanced and produced a warrant. "Matteo Vassalla, I arrest you in the Queen's name—" " Arrest me I" interrupted the Mar- chese. " For the murder of Leopold Ver- scheyle," finished the detective. "le this a joke V asked Vassalla, angrily. " You will not find it so," said Ron- ald, "It is my duty to inform you," said the detective, stolidly, "that whatever you say will be used in evidence at your trial,. "Bah r, snarled Vassalla, with a ges- ture o,f contempt, turning his back oas the officer of the law. "Who ac- cuses me of this crime 1" "I do," said Mrs. Verselloyle step- ping far ward. " You I" he cried out, recoiling; "you are mad to do such a thing." "No, I am not mad," retorted Mrs. Verschoyle, " but I would have been f 1 had let you marry Carmela."' "Oh I" he said, viciously, looking at Ronald; "so this is a plot to rob me of my promised wife." "She is not your promiaed wife," cried Ronald boldly; "she made the roanise under compalsion-now she is ree." • " To marry you," said Vassalla say- gely. "If she'll have me -yes," retorted Monteith. The Marchese turned to Foster. f "Mr.-- whatever your name is," s said, " do you believe this eharge." ' Mrs. Verschoyle says you commit - ed the murder," returned Foster. "Mrs. Verschoyle," said Matteo, y otentoraptumuily, "Is a ruladWOMAn•" If" etre returned, qulotiy; "yee'll fired theriee some method in eny readhees." "I mil disprove the whole oharge," said Vassalla, moving toward his writ. ing table. " OeMe, sir," said the deteetive, "We must be going." "Gettig -with ytoef", retorted Vas - mita, in an angry tone, "aro you mad? I oars disprove 'Ulla ohaege," and lee threw open the desk and tot* his portfolio from it. "Try," said isIr,. Verselatoyle, Won - teeny. Muttering a ourse, the Martha" opened his portfolio, and ran through a number of letters. Sudrionly he turned round with a ghastly taco: "Where is the paper 1" he asked, "Whet paper 1" said Mrs.VersehoYin calmly, " What paper 1 Curse you !" he oried; "you know the paper I mean -the one written by year husband, whom you mouse me of killing." " I knoe, of no paper," aha said, quietly, with a sneer ; " this is a fub- ricatioe to delay justice," I "I tell you it's false," cried Vassal - la, in despair, '1 did not kill the man. I defy you to press this charge. When the time comes 1 eau prove my inn canoe, and I decline to make as, statement now." 'Prove your innocence," the sai sarcastically, "with the missing p per, I suppose?" " Yes; and you know where it is he said, "Maltese dog," she shrieked, "yo lie," and she would have sprung lo ward, only Ronald held her back. " I have to thank you for this," said Vassalla to Ronald, as he put on bis hat and eotet, 'bot I do not forge I will repay you; and as for you, jad that you are. I'll prove myself inno cent and then Punish you." 'Bab 1 I defy you," she. said, eon teraptuously; "you'll never marry Car meta, but bang -hang, like the d you are!" " Confound it, Mrs. Versehoyleleav the man alone," said Ronald, rathe annoye,d alt the way she was behav ing. Vassalla walked to the door wit •togo down le to tell her she IS free 9" said Fetiter, queszleally. " Steeat net free yet," retorted ROD - "To alt intents} and porpoives site "1 want to beer froMober own 1113$ that tine considers herself free." "Ittlt you tiOn't think she'll marry Vassalle now -a men aroused of mur (ler f" "1 don't know," said Ronald, with a eigh. "Women are stroll queer ere°. tures, Sire may consider herself dookely boand, now ee's down on hie luck." "I'll bet you she don't 1" "I'll bet you she does I" Very well," said Foster. Altos°. phically, " the wager will be deal& ed to -morrow night," To Be Coutinued. CATCHING LIONS BY THE TAIL. •-••• A Traveller Says 11 la list eus theemenen seine 1,1 A5'PIC11. A Mr, Freenaan, wbo visited South Africa in the first half of the century was able to gather much Information about life and sport in that country He gives his authority for a most sin. gular mode of attack upon the lion. Kr. Lorene, who formerly resided at c1- Naito, and is familiar with the Hala- 1 hart country assured me that the re - 1 markable accounts sometimes oiroUlat- u' ed as to the people of that part of a-1 Africa catching lions by the tail, and of whiah 1 confess I was very inored- ulous, were perfectly true. He well knows that the method prevailed, and u• was certainly not uncommon among r - the people. Lions would sometimes become ex- tremely dangerous. Ilaving become • accustomed to human flesh, they t, would not willingly eat anything else. en a neighborhood bee -sane in- fested, the men would determine on the measures to be adopted to rid - themselves of the nuisance. Then, forming themselves into a band, they og would proceed iri search of their royal O foe. ✓ As the men stood close by one an- other, the lion woulsi make a spring on some one of the party -every man, ot course, hoping that he might es - e the detective beside him, and face round as he was going out. "As sure as tbere's a God in bees en," he said, proudly, "1. am Innoeetr and that woman only brings this a matt= against me, to satisfy he absurd Jealousy, I can prove my in nutenee, and she "-pointing to Mrs Versehoyle-Tholds the proof." When the doer closed, Foster turn ed to Mra. Versoboyle. " What does Ire mean 1" asked th lawyer. " I don't know," she said. "1 posses no proof of his innocence, and I'm ready to go into the witness box and swear he killed my husband." "He says he is not guilty," said leon- ald. "He'll say anything to save his neck, but he is guilty; see himhangad, hanged, till he ts dead." There was something so repulsive in the viudietiveness of this woman, that both the young men were die. usted, and left the room, followed y Mrs. Verschoyle, who was laughing to herself in a satisfied manner. Cape the attack -ween instaatly oth- d era would. dash forward and seize his tall close to the body, lifting him up - with all their might. Thus they not t, only astonished the animal and took ra biro. absolutely off his guard, but they ✓ rendered his efforts powerless for the - moment. Other men closed In with • their spears, and pierced the monster through and through. All this was done, not for the excite ing pleasure of a hon -bunt nor as an e exhibition of prowess, but to rid the neighborhood of the villages of a a dreadful enemy, and to save the men themselves from becoming in their 'turn the breakfast or the supper of this retanarcla of the desert. 8 Why don't you thank me 1" she said, savagely, to Ronald ; " I have pre- vented Oartnela from marrying an- other man, and secured your bappi- mess." 1`1 don't /rare for happiness that is minded on the ruin of another man," aid Monteith, coldly. "Bah 1 yo,u are a fool; he is guile y " That," said Foster quietly, " Sae et to be proved." r. Chasc akcs Frio Of Hosts of Woilc -- She flashed a look of anger at bim then went out of the hotel door and stepped into a hansom.. S "I will see you to -morrow," she Ecalled out, " and then I can prove what I say is true." y Curing Their Peculiar ills Dr. Chase's NerVe Food a Surprising FfeSfOrativel for Pale, Weak, Nervous Women. Aie a result of much confinement within doors, and the consequent lack of fresh air and healthful exercise, Most women not only lose much in figure and complexion, but also suf- fer more or less from sorioue, bodily derangements, as the result of Darn, Watery blood and exhausted nervous trystem, More than nine -tenths of the cases of diseases peculiar to women are, di- rectly due to a weakened condition of the nolrives, And. can he cured thoroughly and permanently by Lak- ing mild "utdoor exercise, breathing plenty of pure, fresb air, and using Dr. Chase's Nerve Food to form new blood. and revitaliee the depleted ner- 'roue myeLette , It takes time to bulid up the system anew, to fell the shrivelled arteries with new, deli blood, restore the Wasted. nerve elie and renew the ace tivitios of the bodily organa, but the persistent use of Dr, Cbaaeas Nerve Food edit accomplish these result' , and bring health and happiness to ' week nervous and etiffering women, Mrs. 0has 11 Joie, Pleaceton, Que., writes:-."' For years I bave been a great suffer,* with any hart and tierves. 1 wtolael take shaking +melte, and a dizzy, swimming feeling would come over me. Night after night 1 would amVer clove ray eyes, and my hand would ache as though it would burst. At last I had to keep to nay , bed, and though my aerator attended ! me from fall until spring, his =di- ' cane did not help ma. 'hovo now.tak- ein five boxes of Dr. Obase's Nerve Food, and it has done mis more good than lover behoved a medicine could do. Horde fail to express my grati- tude for the wonderful cure brought about by this treatment." Mrs. Margaret Iron, Torres Hill, N. 13., earete,s ;- "Dr. Chase'a Reeve Food has done me a world of good. 1 \VAS so weak that Ieteild net walk twice the length Of the holise. Sante teeing Dr, Chase's Nerve Pood I have been oompletely re- stored. Joan walk a mile without any Inconvenience. Thougb 76 years olds and quite fleshy, Ido any own house- work, and conaidemble sewing, knit. dug and reading besides, Dr. Charles Nerve Food has proved of ineetimable value to me." • Dr. C./knave's Nerve Focl, 50 eta. a 'box, at all denten', or Edinaneon. Date% Si Om, Toronto, • The cab drove off leaving Foster and Ronald looking at one another. " What do you think 1" asked the Australian. "I don't know what to think," said Foster, "the Marchese says he is in- nocent." ".All men entitled of a erten° say that." "Yeo; but I faney in this case it's true." " Then, who killed Versehoyle 5" "I believe his wile did." "What I" "Yes, I think she's arousing Vas - salla out of jealousy." "But he did not Recluse her of the crime." he certainly did hot," said Foster, Musingly, "It's a queer case, What was the paper he was talking about fa "1 don't know," said Ronald. "It Is, as you say, a. very queer case, rzo otos down to Marlow to -mor - What for ?" P.1 'want to see Cambia, and tell her all about the affair," "Yee, it will be beat for you to do that," said Foster, "Perhaps ehemay thew socine light on the affair." "I don't think so ; we kuow every- thing oho knows," I expect the real reason you want A PdOPHETIC CAT. Preilleled Ilse Death of an 0111 Lady Caused Trouble. In a neat little villa at Gentilly, near Paris, there has lived for several years a widow named Mme. Richard, whose sole companion is a splendid Angora oat. Alcoa the two lived in the comfortable house, and very rare- ly did either go far away from home. A short time ago, however, the lady felt very lonesome, and so she decided to invite a few of her neighbors La dinner. They came, and after dinner the oat entered the roora, and on ac- count of its beauty' at onoe attracted general attention. The guests petted it fondly, and fin- ally one of them, an elderly epinster, took it up be her arms and asked it a curious question. "Tell me, pussy," she said, "which of us who are now, in the room will die first 1" Straightway the cat leaped from her arms, and, with tail erect and lend purrs, wont straight to an old lady who sat at the other tend of the room. Not being superstitious the entire company burst out laughing, and the hostess was warmly congra- tulated on possessing each a wonder- ful oat. A. few days later, however, the old lady who had been eeleoted by the oat as death's next victim actually died, and then the storm. arose. Some persons insisted that Mme. Richard was n sorceress end that her eat wad an evil snirit, while others maintained that the oat alone waa to blame and ought to bo promptly killed. The Glamor at last became so loud that six ot the ladies who had been Orme, Richard's guestson the eventful ovens ing decided to take definite action, and se they laid a formal complaint before the pollee authorities, in which they urged that the offending oat, whose eyes they described as "Super- naturat and diabolical," should be killed without mike., What action, if any, the pollee nave taken he not yet known. A SLAP ON FALSE RUMORS. Women, as a elate, have no regard THE VERY itiOHE8T LI ALFRED BEIT, THE DIAMOND KINCI, IS A BILLIONAIRE, Ila Could poly out menerees-arnee 01 Colossal rotten° le 05 115 is Cotaa to Corner lbe Vold. Alfred Belt la the richest man le the world. As far as perivonat wealth Is concerned, tie could buy out all the monarchsoC Europe and never know that he had Resod through any ex- traordinary transaettom The immense possessions of American millionaires are small matters when compared with Belt's wonderful wealth. Millionaire le a big word, but it doesn't fit Mr, Belt, He Is a billion- aire, and, It he desired to do so, be could so handle his property as to become a trilllonalre in a sbort time, He has all he cares for, and if he eau avoid attracting too much attention L o himself he will make no complaint. ,MADF, IT IN SOUTH AFRICA. All o1 Beit's wealth has -been pro- duced and accumulated in South Af- Ere is the brains and the biggest part •of the diamond trust, and the principal owner of the famous De Beers diamond mines at Kimberley and of the gold minas farther north. His partner is Cecil Rhodes, the South African imperialist, and ex- ploiter, but Rhodes is only an incident in the diamond line when compared with Belt. Rhodes was a late comer, a»sl the ingenious German had all but completed the work of organization when the Hon. Cecil put in hie appear- ance at Kimberley, Mr. Belt is 47 years old. His father was a well-to-do merchant in Ham- burg 25 years ago, and Alfred was a clerk in the concern. About that time the South Afriean excitement began to grow important, and the Hamburg merchant was asked for large credits by business men near the diamond fields. Alfred Belt W0-5 then 22, shrewd, capable, cautious and precocious. Ibis father sent him out to South Africa to investigate the general state of business there and to determine whe thee the trade demanded the credits and if the credits were good. 'Thoroughly equipped with funds, arms, letters of introduction, and oth - er useful things, the boy set sail for Cape Town from Hamburg. Thence he travelled by bullock team °arose Cape Colony and ou to Kimberley. When he arrived at that already ramous paining camp he found a popu lation which the flame competition and search for quick riches had made Mad. Everywbere the scramble for diamonds had produced chaos and eon - fusion. Thousands of men had rush- ed in, taken up claims, good and bad, worked and re -worked the yellow and blue clay which was fined with big rough precious stones scattered through its substance, like raisies in a purlding, and were selling their new- found tieasures at ridiemously low pr ices. There was not even a semblance of law or order anywhere. Competition had ruined hundreds of small capital- ists. Theft was commonplace. Illi- cit diamond buying had grown to en- ormous proportions, and altogether the situation was such as to disgust the mind of a man bred to the busi- ness methods of a staid, conservative Hamburg commercial concern. SENT OUT TO ESTABLISH ORDE1t. Young Belt saw and appreciated the slluatiou. He realized that there meld be to° much of a good thing, even of diamonds, and that unless the todus- try was brought under control, dia- monds would become a drug. At once he began a work which is generally credited to Cecil Rhodes -that of or- ganizing and systematizing the dia- mond industry. Rhodes came years atterward, and, of course, had a hand in the game, but the present condition of the South African monopoly is due to the genius of Belt, who was the first to see that unless something was done to control the output, diamonds would become too cheap to mine. lie began by buying up the scat- tered and conflicting claims, To ac- complish this work, he was liberally backed by his father and his fatber's friends in Germany, The result was the great Do Beers Company which for many years has paid 51-2 per cent. 041 its bonds and from 20 to 40 per cant. on its stook, It is capitalized for P40000000, SENT FOR AMERICAN ENGINEERS. Next came the gold disooveries, and here, too, Bell was the Drat organiz- er in the field. He desired the minas should be worked upon the highest soientifie principles. ate this end ho sent to America for engineers, and paid whatever they asked -425,000 and even 6100,000 in salaries. All this work Was done so quietly at the great world knew nothing it, and these tremendously etch smartie% were not advertized to s.ny tent abroad until dashing, peerless, enamel Cecil Rhodes came along si drew the attention of the eieiliz- world to Kimberley. Beit never played to the 'labile. Ilto uld now and then omega the trade $ when be out down 0 128 1e2-oerat re white diamond 10 228 1-2 carats O planed it In the window of a Paris t shop SS is "sample of our ode," Xr. Reit is the peoreet400kiog rite)) man on earth. Hie clothee,are so very Wale as to be elneoet ohabby. Mt nev- er alsoueses hie traria with outeide.rs, but beneath bis wild, and apparently diffident exterior, ie a opacity for business unsurpassed by that of any man in the greet commercial countries of ObristendoM, Hie wealth has beeu estimated at 61,009,000,000, bot this takes no me eouut of the few barrels of diamonds which be keeps stowed away for fear of lowering prices, Thee, too, as he alone fixes the measure of bis wealth -that le, be oontrois the price of dianiands,-he can decrease or in- crease the value of his wealth by a vvord. Some time ago Mr, Beit went to Lon- don, and put ap a new house in Park Lane. This dwelling is one of the most substantial and moat Costly in Europe, but it is not over -tasteful in arehiteeture, When it was built peo- ple were In dispute about Its arohi- temural style. Some said it was early r.naieeanee, some pronounced it this, that or the other. The whole dispute was settled by a ,'laver literary woman, who hit it off by Galling It "early South Af- rioan." Ten years ago Belt and Rhodes ad- mitted that the mines had turned out up to that time ten tons of diamonds. The annual profit is aboitt $10,000,000. es, WORLD'S BREAD PRODUCERS. &Minato; er the 110.111 officially Repartee( E,.0311 Many .oureri. European reports show that the con.- ditions of fall -sown wheat, spelt and rye in Germany, as officially report- ed by the German Statistical Office, is considerably above medium, preliminary official estimate of French cereal crops for 1903 show the production of 43,612,498 bushels of bar- ley and 252,877,018 of oats. The final estimate for the 1809 orops is for 45,- 8011,122 bushels of barley and 270,436- 156 ol oats. Both grains were a little lighter in yield than in 1899, besides returning a smaller yield per acre in measured bushels. Comparison of the :retreat, maslin, rye, barley, and oats production in Laramie for ten years shims that each of tbese crops fs below the decennial average, as well as below tha crop of 1835, though the deficit, as camper - ed with the decennial average, is small in the case of the more import- ant cereals. The final general memorandum of cane crop for the season of 1899-110,3 shows that fn both Northern and Southern India the season b. gan well for this crop, and the area planted was larger than in 1898, being approxi- millety equal to the average. ,Failure of rain, however, later, seriously in - arrest the crop. In the Punjab district at least one-third of the crop was lost, and the crop of the northwest provinces was estimated at only 6e per cent., but in Bengal ani Madras Provinces from 83 to 87 per cent, of an average crop was rea ized. The area under rice in the 1899- 1900 season is estimated at approxi- mately 52e09 033 ars es, E. oniowliat smaller than that in 1838, but more than the average, The yield was esti- mated at somewhat over 23,3 5,0:10 tom, berme /Ore the area, smaller than that or last year. Ms reductien is in Madras and Bengal Provinces. Carmen governmnet advises from Chili report that for the first six months of this year the weather has been favorable to the wheat 'mely sown for the crop of 1e02-01, and that for the same period the CnOlan de- ports of wheat were very small, due to the alert crap of Isup-ma. The Roumanian government reports give 3,528,811 acres of wbent in 19.1), whir a produetion of 58,442803 bushels. ESPRIT DE CORPS. The esprite de corps, which I always sedulously cultivated, sometimes ex- hibited itself in a peculiar manner., eh Oii one occasion when the corps wee, ti ordered out on active service I had be to make up lists of the men °wording an to the churches to whicli they beloug-1 pr ed. The men were drawn up on parade, al and I wiled aaah man's name and ask- ties ed to what ohuech he belonged. One ds would be Chureh of England, another so Methodist, another Roman Catholic, w and so on, till a dozen or so were me marked tiOW11. Then I asked one si smart young fellow, and his reply was; to. " Well, Colette!, I am not very wile- are RAILWAY Fiumx,nui Sasuse Nutet, leilerete Must tee allettere The mileage of the London 1)Notro- Pelltem Railway Is nearly ieventy miles. During It vosr lira gri.)53 earnings per mile evacuated to 41,80. 280. A driving -wheel aleasurjug Oft, Stn. in diameter, on an engirt° running atthe rate of sixty niUas 04 hour, revolves five times every eleoOrld, The "A" signal -box, eituated just outside Waterloo Stetlee, Londelli Is One of the tamest in the world, An average of forty-five tittithe an hour are dealt with, from this box, which oontaine 236 signal lerese. Three hundred nilletalss E75 mintitetil constitutes the record railway, ran of the century in Paigland, This was aeeremplished on August Teel, 1890, when the London and Nerth-Western Runway tourist express ram frame Ruston 'to Carlisle in four hour/ thirty-five 'minutes'. The first electrie railroad viral built in Denver is 1885, and wee deolan'i ed Ary P.rofesaor S. 11. Short. It WWII 053 rho underground trolley systerm and at first fire regular standard.. size street cars, with a controller on each platform, were operated on the line. Professor Short also built in 1181 a 4 1-2 mile overhead electrics railway in Oolucoabus. The Clereland and Pittsburg Rail. way Company, have, since 1897, been trying the merits of nickel with complete success. In feet, they • wear far better than the ordinary rails, and several companies are eari, crusty thinking of adopting theme Those used by the Cleveland and Pittsburg Railway contain 11.52 per cent. of nickel. A railway paper draws attention 10 the enormous amount standing 10 tom credit of the London and North- Western Railway Superannuationt Pend Society in the books of the emu. pony, which on dune 30th last wail Z1,114,143 19s. 4d., and pointed out that this sum, at the rat. of interest guaranteed by the company -4 per oent. -would pro-. duce en income of £44,571 per annuno, which is far more than enough to meet any possible demands that may be made on the fund. The system by wheeb engines can supply themtselves with water with- out stopping was invented by 1.11r: Jain Itamshottere, the late locomo-1 tive superintendent of the London and. North. -Western Railway. A, nar- row trough about a mile long is laid between the rails, which is always kept filled with water. Attached to the tender of the engine is a Scoop. which fits the trough, and pan be raised or loworod by the driver. When till; is lowered the rata of speed at whieh the engine is traveling causes the water to flow up the curved woop and thence into the tank on this tender. Paddington Station, London, with its usual appeuria.ges, oast about £610,000, and rovers an nrea,of seven- ty acres. About e00 trains pass in and out 01 it every day, and some- thing like 4,930,0d0 Passengers use the place every year, Jost outside the station are twelve miles of running , lines and thirty-eight miles of sidings compressed into the limited distance of only a mile and a half. Over 3,- 000 milk-*ans are handled daily at Paddington, an amount, we are asem•-• ed, whieh mi other lino can touch. )3etween 2,000 and 3,000 cabs quit Paddington every day. MO Great Western Railway of Eng- land gives prizes to the value of ve.e50 every year to station-inasterte and others at the various stations on their Hue for the mod tastefully -ar- ranged gardens. The prizes range from 41 to 45; The Great Western het het this system of encouraging their staff to make the most of the garden ground available at the sta... tions for tho cultivation of flowers ares, etc., in vogue for the last venty-five years. T.he result haais en gratifying, the general appear. mo of the stations being much Li:n- ewel. It is Understood that, in warding ths prizes, regard is had to meintenenee of a uniform stan- irnsd ofTvh,x,e,111...1.0.11:Lstsh,roog...iab,:u,t0Litipeasreead- ith former y ars, an 15 5110 :101 air - instances of the ease, suet* as the' ' 'heathen, elimete, and soil, aro also ken into consideration. alurse Prizes awurded every Christutas. • ular; you might put me slown for what- ever church you think would be most to the (reedit of the corps." I said: " Very well, you will go to church with me," and I put him down Church of Eeigland. After that e. number of the men said that they had been in the habit of attending other churoli- ed, but to put them down Church of England. Add STATES. Two tegroes have been lynched and shot to death at Rockport, Ind., for killing a barber. Chicago "west side dive keepora" are said to pay 81,000 a month to 'City Hall men" as tribute, As fivta of $80,000 for relief ot I.' asaisileas ansisot or s s mysteriously missing at Wuebinge th 01 pr 0X se 815 for punctuality. ed 'Tisn't so at all. I know plenty of women who, if they have an engage. wo remit at 8 ololocik, aro sail ready and -a sitting. on tits edge of a Abair by half- /MI NAL I* an CURFEW FOR GERMAN SHOPS. A. new and drastic, law came into forme in Germany on the 1st of thie month, to the effect that all ahem shall be closed at o'elock-inns, cafes and restaurants only excepted. The measure is extremely well-meaning, its 000t being proteetion for the em- ploye; but it ia probable that in the result more money will he spent bn drink, while the shopkeeper in gene eral, and the small shopkeeper in pare flexible will suffer inordinately, Mean. while the German press -that Portion alib which Is append to the Govern. ment-is taking up tea matter some., what warmly in the inteeests 01 tree- dom. Sueh an artnteery law, strange aths time of dam on enrieeel y rent- . . . iaeount of (.3.15 aurow 01 faunal doom.