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HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Brussels Post, 1896-10-2, Page 2FATE'S INSTRUMENT& _ ion, and Neaera Witt;, and tae reckless defiance of pgblia opinion, and all the Feet of it! And George swore at him- self for a heartless, distrustful, worth- teas person, .quite undeserving to re- ceive suoh a letter from suite a lady. Aad when pilo .second letter mane the next morning, he swore again, et 111M -- waif for leis meditated desertion, and by all his gods, that he would be worthy of snob favor., "The ohild'a a trump," he said, "a regular trump! And she shan't be worried by hearing of me hanging about In Mrs. Witt's neighborhood." The happy .reflections svbtole ensued were'reppropriate, but hackneyed, being in foot those of a. man much in love. It is, however, worth notice that Lau- ren refusal to think evil had its reward; for if she had suspected George, she would never bave shown him her heart in those letters; and, but for those letters, he might have gone to Brighton, and—; whereas what did happen was something quite different. CHAPTER XVIII. One evening, about a week after 'what Mr. Espioit called tbe final 08- e,lendre, Tommy Myles made bis a'p^ pearance in the smoking-racmof the Themis, Mort important matters have ousted the record a Tommy s marriage and blissful honeymoon be Duane back to find that a negligent world had hardly noticed bis absence. " EfoW are you 1" said he to Sid - Mouth Vane, "Bow are you?" said Vane, rats- inglie eyes for a moment from Punch. Tommy est down by him. "1 aaY," be remarked, " this Weston business is rather neat, We read about it In Swit- zerland," Been away1" "Of course I brave -•after my wed- ding, you know." Ah I Seen Punch ?" And Vane hand- ed it to him. I had a pretty shrewd idea of how the land lay. So had Balla." Bella ?" " Why, my wile." "Oh, a thousand pardons, I thought you rather backed Mrs. Witt." "My dear follow, we wanted her to Alava fair play. I supper there's no question of the marriage now?" "I suppose not." " What's the fair ASrs. Witt going to dol" Vane wanted to be let alone, and Tommy worried him. He turned on the little gentleman with some fereel she was being treated as badly as pos- eity. " My dear Tommy," be said, "you , Bible -unkindly, negligently, faithless- baeked leer through thick and thing! leo'', disrespectfully., He had asked her and black+tutrded gorge for attack- j to Como; the invitation was as plain as could be; without a word, she was Ethrown over! In great indignation she ing hes., „ Yes but—"• told her maid to pack up, and, mean - "Well, whoever was right, yea while, stilted out to sea if the waves would perform their traditional duty of weren't, an hadn't you better say no. seething a wounded spun The task mare about it 1" And Mr. Vane rose was a hard one; for, whatever Neaera cad ti� Slke3 away. Witt had suffered, neglect at the bands In fact, he was thoughtful. What malt was a grief of fortune had hith- ! cite vexed. her, would Mrs. Witt do next, .and what; She frank the crowded parade, and would George lesson dot Zane knew ;• strolled she sat d heown water's edee. Pre - of eases where tbe accusation suggests e. yde boat and surveyed the waters and the crime; it seemed not unlikely that • the future. She felt very lonely. if George had to bear the contumely George had seemed inclined to be attaching to a connection with airs. eleactnt, but now be had deserted her. Witt, he might think it as well to reap ; as e had tense of a to speak to.What `richt the benefit. He might not have sought Everything was veryvehard, and she had to win her favor yet, but it was very done no real harm, and was a' very, possible he might do so note. If ho f very miserable girl, and— Under the didn't -well, some one would. And Mr. i Ic shade osmg het moment when there Vane considered that he might find it fvveeae no passers-by,, Bat one who came from behind es- caped her vigilance. He saw the gleam of golden hair, and the slim figure, and the little shapely head bowing forward tomeet the gloved hands; andhe came down the beach, and, standing behind bar for a moment, heard a little gurgle of distress. , I "1elp g your pardon," said he. "Can Neaera looked up with a start. Tiro upright figure, bravely resisting .a growing weight of years. the iron -grey hair, the hooked nose, and pleasant keen eyes seemed familiar to her. Sure- ly she had seen him in town! "Why, it's Mrs. Witt!" he said. "We are acquaintances, or we ought to be." And he held out his hand, adding, with a smile, I am Lord Mapledurham." "Ohl" said Neaera. "Yes," said the Marquis. "Nott, I know all about it, and it's a burning shame. And, what's more, it's all my Melte" "Your fault?" she said, in surprise. "However, I warned George Weston to tat it alone. But he'p a hot-head- ed fellow," "1 never thought him tbat." "He is, though. Well, look at this. He asks Blodwell, and Vane, and me- at least, he didn't ask me, but Blodwell did -to make a ,party here. We agree. The next moment -hey, presto! he's off at a tangentl" Neaera could not make up her mind whether Lord Mapledurham was giv- ing this explanation merely to aocottnt for his own presence or also for her information. The fact is, you see," the Marquis resumed, 'iris affairs are rather trou- blesome. He's out of favor with the authorities, you; know -Mrs. Pockling- ton." "Does he mind about Mrs., Pockling- ton?" He minds about Miss Pocklington, and 1 suspect Yes?" "That she minds about him. I met Pocklington at the club yesterday, and bo told me his people bad gone abroad. 1 said it was rather sudden, but Pock- lington turned very gruff, and said, 'Nut at all.' Of course that wasn't true." "Oh, I hope she will be good to him," said Neaera. Fancy, if I were the cause "As I said at the beginning," inter- rupted the )Marquis, "len the cause." You!" Then he settled himself by her side, and told her how his reminiscence had Leen the first thing to set George en the track of discovery, whence all the trouble had resulted: "So you see," ho ended, "you have to put all your woes down to my chat- ter." "How strangel" she slid, dreamily, looking out to sea. The Marquis nodded, his eyes scan- ning bar face. 'Then abs turned to him suddenly, and said, "I was very young, you know, and -rather hungry," "1 aro a sfnnor• myelf," be answer- ed, smiling. And --and what I did afterwards, 1 "1 camp to make my confession,not to hear yours. 11nv: shall I atone for all 1 have brought on tau? What shall I do now?" "1-1 only want some friends, and - and some one to speak to," said Neaera, with a forlorn little sigh, Tho Marquis took bar hand and kiwi- ed is.ed it gallantly. "If that is all," said he, smiling, "perlr'tps we may manage." Thanks," said Neaera, putting her handkerchief into her e�llooket.. That's rightl /nod -well and Vans are hero too, and—T+ I don't much care about them; but—" "Oh, they're all on your side." "Are they? I needn't see more of them than I like, need I?" The Marquis was not young, no, nor inexperienced; ,hut, all the same, be was not proof against this flat Lary.Per- haps they won't stay long," he said. And you?" she asked.. He smiled at her, and, after a mo. meat of innocent seriousness, bet lips wavered Into an answering smile, ' (To Be Continued.) TEE BRUSSELS POST. Oar, 2, 1ED0 CHAPTER. SIX, Being a public character, although an object of ambition to many, has Its dis- advantages, Fame is very pleasant but we do not want everybody in the hotel to point at us when we come down to dinner. When Neaera went to Brighton -for it is surely unneces- sary to say that she intended to go and did go thither -she felt that the fame which had been thrust upon her debarred her from hotels, and she took lodgingsof a severely inspectabletype, facing the sea. There she wait- ed two days, spending her time walk- ing and driving where all the world walks and drives. There were no signs of George, and Neaera felt ag- grieved. She sent him a line, and waited two days more.. Then she felt worth his while to be the man. His great relatives would cry aloud in horror; society would be shocked. But a gran will endure something for a pretty woman and five thousand a year. 'Only, iyhat Slid George Neston mean to do? It will be seen that Sidmouth Vane did not share Laura Pocklington's con- viction that George cared nothing for Mrs. Witt. Of course he had not Laura's reasons; and perhaps some dif- ference between the masculine and feminine ways of looking at such things must be allowed for. As it happened, however, Vane was right -for a mo- ment. After George had been for a second time repulsed from Mrs. Pock- lington's doors, finding the supportof his friends unsatisfying and yearning for the more impassioned approval that women give, he went the next day to Neaera's, and intruded on the sorrow - laden retirement to which that wrong- ed lady had betaken herself. And Neaera's grief and gratitude, her sor- row and sympathy, her friendship and terY,ere all alike and equally deligbt- u. to him. "The meanness of ill" she oried with flashing eyes. "Oh, I would rather elle than have a petty soul like thatl" Gerald was, of course, the subject of these strictures, and George was con- tent not to contradict them. He evidently," continued Neaera, "simply cannot understand your gen- erosity., Its beyondhiml" "You mustn't rate what you call my generosity too high," said George. "But what aro you going to do, Mrs. Witt?" Neaera spread her hands out with a gesture of despair. "What am I to do? I am -desolate." "So am 1. We must console one an- other." This speech was indiscreet. George recognized it, when Neaera's answer- ing glance reached him. That will make eem talk worse than ever," she said, 'smiling. You ought never to speak to me again, lir. Neaten!' "Oh, we aro damned beyond redemp- tion, so we may as well enjoy our- sclves.t' "No, you musth't shock your friends still more," I have no friends left to shorts ," re- plied George, bitterly, Neaera implored him not to say that. running over the names of such its might be supposed to remain faithful. George shook his head at each name; when the I ooklingtuns were mention- ed, his shake was big with sombre meaning. "%\'ell, well," she said with a sigh, "and now what are you going to doe" "Oh. nothing. I think axe, of us are going to have a run to Brighton. 1 shell go, just to get out of this," Is Brighton nice now?" "Nicer than London, anyhow." ''Yes. Mr. Neston--?" "Yes, Mrs. Witt? Why don't you come too." "At any rate, you'd -you and your friends -be som,hody to speak to, wouldn't you?" seal Newer , resting her chin on her hand and gazing at Geurge. "Oh, yes, yon must come. We tiball be very jolly." "Pour usl But perhaps it will con- sole. Its to mingle our tears." "Will you come?" asked George. "I elan't tell you," she said with a laugh, "11 must be purely accidental." A fortuit°us concurrence? Very well. 1Ve go to -morrow." 1 don't want to know when you gni" Ne. But we do." Near'ra laughed again, and George took. his leave, better pleased with the world than when be arrived. A call on a pretty et ranee often ]nus this ef- feee; sometime •, let us acid, to complete our Cem tions lite,', just the °epofde°. "Wily shouldn't I?" he argued to bins-lf. "I don't know wby I should get allthe blame for nothing. If they think it of me, I may as well do it." But when George reached his Twig- Inge, ad - Inggs, he found on the table, side by side with Mr, Blodwell's final letter about the Brighloe trip, Laura Paddington's note. And then --away want 73righ- THE HOWSERS' ,TROUBLES, "Wbat did that man want of you?„ asked Mra, Boweer ae 111r, Bowser roe turned to his seat on the doorstep ea- ter a quarter of an hour's interview with a man at the. gate,` "We -eve were :talking about hogs!" stammered Mr, Bowser be reply. "Hogs 1 You are not thinking of buying hogs 1 We have only ,summer rented this farm, you know, 'and have nothing todo with the live stook, Be- sides, we had a bog when we first came bore, and you know what a time we had eetth him," "But ho was only a soma/ hog," "He wee aorub enough, but why. amid we have any sort of hog?" "Look here, Mrs, Bowser," said , Mr, Bowser as be got more courage, "1 are lonesome -positively lonesome for a hag. We've got en empty pen out thorn and plenty to feed a hog, and 1- want a 'bog. Hogs go with the foam. You don't feel as if you were out on a farm unless you can hear the grunt of a hog, now and then. That's the reason I've hired o bog." "Hired a hog. Mr. Bowser!" "Yes, hired or rented oraleased one, just as you want to put A. I didn't want to buy, but I did want something in that pen, and so 1 gave' that farm- er two shillings a week for the loan of a hog. Hall have the animal over here in the morning, and I shall take more comfort fussing around with bin than in all the rest of the farming put together," 'But -you -you" -- "I nkow I had trouble with the other hog, but this is a different breed. Tho other oritter and I didn't under- stand each other, but this hog will be all right. Heel come here prepared to conduct himself in a proper man- ner and be as one of the family, and, I shan't want to brain him with the crowbar or hang him by the neck. He's a Merino hog this last one." "I never heard of a Merino ` bog I" exclaimed Mrs, Bowser, "Very likely. There are plenty of things you never beard of, Mrs. Bow- ser, but if you keep on living they will come to you. 'There are Merino, Southdown, Suffolk, Leghorn, Holstein, and lots of other kinds of hogs, but I selected this Merino on account of his sweet and lovely disposition. You'll be glad 1 got him when you see him. That's all now. I was lonely for a hog, have got one, and shall take a heap more comfort than before." Mrs. Bowser had no more to say. She realized that if Mr. Bowser took a notion to buy a rhinocerus to oc cupy the empty hen house or a walrus to take possession of the smoke house nothing she could say would prevent it. The hog arrived after breakfast next morning, and when he bad been placed in the pen and the farmer had departed she went down to the pen to view him. He was a long, lean, lank bog, with three kinks in hie tail and ears which portrayed a hungry and grasping ohmmeter. He was as hol- low as if he had been bored out with an auger, and he had lost an eye and received a dozen seers on his snout while battling with a cold and cruel world. "Well, isn't he a lulu!" exclaimed Mr. Bowser, after giving her two or three minutes to take in all the points, "He would be -for a dime museum 1" she quietly replien. You -you don't fanoy him?" "He's worse than the other one 1 Mr. Bowser if you had hunted the whole of North"— "That's yon -that's your way," lie interrupted,as he danced around. I go enc. hire a bog to make things cheerful and homelike on the Sarre and you lle awake all night to think of something mean to say. G'way from here 1" "Can't I give you my opinion of a hog?" 'No ma'am! Don't come near this pen ! Don't come within ten rods of A 1 You abused that other hog in tiro most shameful manner, and that's why he acted as he did, but 1'11 protect this one from your malignancy." Mrs. Bowser entered the house, and Mr, Bowser leaned over the pen and looked lovingly down on his latest ac- quisition. The hog squinted back at him with one eye and seemed to Leel at home. 1iy and by he laid down with a sign and a "woof" and Mr. Bowser tiptoed away with a broader smile on his face than had been there for a week. He had just readied. the house to tell Mrs. Bowser that all Merino hogs were thorough cosmopolitans, when he heard a sort 01 shriek and a fall from the pen, and running back he arrived just in Liege 19 See 'the hog making another jump to get out,. The bristles on his back stood up, his single eye gleamed like a bicycle lan- tern at midnight and he Menke,' his Medi in anger. "Darn your hide, but what's the mutter with you!" growled Mr, ]low - ser, as he looped the animal over. The hog quieted down n sound of his voice, end after walking around the pen two or three times, uttered e grunt of satisfaction and lay down again. fly George, but that's funny "I said Mr. Bo ser. "What is it?" asked Mrs. Bowser, who had just arrived. "t'hy, he was as calm es a frog pond while I steed here, but the minute I turned and left the men he went into a« earn of fit: and tried te+ get out. I've heard that was the way with Merino brags," sagely observed f+ire Loth"i', "They want the cnmpatly tri: e human biting or they wont thrive .Cut's try lien again." They backed away n few feet aild the hog ,pin ng up with a squeal and leaped for the top of the pen and fell hawk with a crash. WJo'u they hur- ried ferreted they presented the same picture ea before, with the addition of an extra kink in his tail. Whet in thunder Wye, 'epeen ails the critter I" excla1ned 111, Bowser, as lite here backed off and kept that gleaming eye on him. "It's just pas 1 saki," replied Mrs. Bowser ; "he wants caunpauryo the c•nmp.ny of a human being. You were lonely for a hog, Youwill leave to stela. right hero and give him the be- nefi t of your soeiot r "I'll le hanger' ifYI dot Tho idea o_ at Mg frett.iog up in this fashion) he'll either quit this tomfoolery or 111. brain hint with the axe!" "You'd better stay out here for two or three days and nights, (anyway," suggested bl'rs. Bowser, "Ohl.. I bad 1 Well, I don't stop ane minute t If this blamed critter lthinits he"s come bare to inn Farmer Bowser lie can't get ,rid of tine idea too soon 1 711 glue him human Penn nanpy before I get through with bio Lets batik off again.' ,they knotted. They bed retreated twenty feet when the ho littered a shriek of anger or an uish 02' some- thing and caught the to board of the pen with his Forefeet and hung there As he hung be shrieked again and agsin, and while Mrs. Bowser. ran for tiie.bous° Mr, Bowser plotted up a club anddashed forward, X. had bestow- edtwo wo whacks on the snout pointing into the air when something fell on elm and walked all over him, and root- ed him over and over on the graes. It was the hog -the whole hog -the Me- rino hog which languished for human sovietyy. Wbon he got tbrough with Mr. Bowser he tools a tura around the yard to get the geogaapbical location 91 the front gate. When he had got it he took it running jump and carried it off its binges and as Mrs. Bowser loolced out of the window he was whisking up the road in a olooud of dust after a young-� mon on a bicycle, She wont down to Mr Bowsor who was sitting up with his baok against the hen bouee door. Well" she queried. He didn't reply. So your Merino hog is gone?" IIe never winked, "What you ought to base done was to have hired some one at $30 a month to give that hog his society, being you couldn't spare the time!" He gazed straight into the knothole and wouldn't even scratch when a bug bit him. Mrs. Bowser is not a re- vengeful wife, and so she gave him a gentle pat on the head and left him, JUNIPER'S DEFEAT. tee, • Ile Invaded the Kitchen and Then *Led Before the Enenu•. "Bridget has been so cross and hate- ful and impudent that there's been no living with her to -day," said Mrs. Jun- iper when her husband came home the. other evening. "Impudent, Mrs. Juniper?" ho replied. "You don't mean to tell me that you allow that servant girl to be impudent to you?" "Allow her, Mr. Juniper? That girl would be impudent to an angel if she happened to be on her high horse. "Well, I'm not an angel by a long shot, but I'd like to see her be impud- ent to me and 12 she's been saucy to you she'll have to apologize for it. " "Don't you go near her while she's in her present mood. You'd better keep out of the kitchen." "Well, I think I see myself keeping out of my own kitchen it I want to go into it. I will go into the kitchen and I'll yank Miss Bridget O'Calligan down from her high horse!" Heedless of his wife's protests, Junip- er went boldly into the kitchen and said: "See here girl, I hear that you've been impudent to your mistress." "Impudent to me mistress, is it? Be- ad an' who are you to make a hie oozy ay yersilf comity' out into me itches to talk to me as ye talk to our wife. Impedint, is it? Begorry an' yer a foine birrud to say imped- int' to anny wan an' if 01-" "Look here, you-" "Oim lookin' here all roight, sorl B 0 h k 7 1 t nn t t k t s n h s J g l Oim ookin' yeez roight in de oye an' its ridget O'Calligan who'll take de op- porchewnity av saym' to yer ugly ould face olivine she's lead in moind to say ver since she kem into this house, for 1-„ e "You impudent-" "Aisy, now, aisy, me foine gintelmin, or ye'lI lave me kitchen wid a dipper ' scaldin' wether arouse your back an' he feet o' Bridget O'Calligan assistin' ye out! Whin a man has the divil's own tongue in 'is head as ye have whin hings don't go his way he's no call to se his word 'impedint' to army wan an' whin he flings at me he'll get it sint bank again, begorry, for it's not me that's afford o' any two -legged hing that walks the green_earth, an' 8„ 1 tell you that-" "01 tell ye to kape yer tongue stila an' not chip in whin your betters has ho elurel Open your jaw agin whin teddy is talkie an' 011l mop up me itohen flure wid ye an' pitch ye out de windy afterward. Oi will that! Oim of wanto take that) Oim not are o tett impidincc from the Mike av ye an' 01-" But Juniper had fled up the back tairs where he nearly went into an popletice fit when Mrs. Juniper, who ad been listening at the head of the Lairs, said between her giggles: "Well, now did you come out, Mr. uniper?" IYAFI'IR DENTISTRY. love )OeIar,; ,Arc 9:stracrrci. (e This Secelon of .lies,,. The methods of extracting teeth among tbe Heflin are barbarous in he extreme, mad remind one of the ortures of the dark ages. 'fire patient is placed on the ground, nd four men are employed to hold hint own, two taking his annus and two his lege. Then the operator kneels own beside him, and tasting a piece of harpened ivory, steel, or wood, he, almty prat:zeits to hack away at the Inn until the offending torah is loose. e then extracts it with finger and humb, the patient having sixfdered ne- urally unspeakable agonies. The time occupied in the operation is (tett of long duration, sometimes ex- eeiling over as mush as 30 minutes, ut, of course, this varies according to he strength of the tooth, Persons in his country who make a practice of tking an anaesthetic when having, a ooth retracted would probably find be op ret.iun es performed by the Kaf- ir dentist a little troublesome, to say he least• of it. .BLUCIIER'S P1PE. Lord Sheffield has lately added an- ther rnieresting relic to the hetero- �enuous collection of curiosities which rnament iho walls of his cricket: pa811' on at Sheffield Park. During his re- cut visit to Belgium he purchased the iohly ornamented pile which Blucher =tied with Mtn during the Waterloo ampaign. When the gallaniPrussian as unhorsed and ridden over by the reach cavalry at Ligny, his pipe fell nom his pocket, but was subsequently lscovered by a faithful follower, who ffercd to restore it to its owner. 50 lensed was Blocher tit his. eonarade s onesty, that he made frim a present f the pipe svbieb bas now found way nto Lord Sheffield's possession, , LGRTCU ITURE IN CANAB Amonths even under a sited i1 bas been t reduced in vain 00 per cent, Of course the waste is much greater wheal It ie e2cposod to sen and rain, Especial attention is direeted, to the value of moss dor bedclkig In stables of oil kinds. It appeared that where mosses were titled there was n0 040r per- ceptible in the stable, and tests prov- ed that the air was free from ammonia. Moreover, the air-dried mosses absorbed liquids �hptter than any other knuwn bedding\ Besides all that the deeom- 1?osed mosses themselves were valuable fertilizers, Mosses dried artificially NATTERS OP .INTEREST pISCUSSED IN A RECENT EWE BOOT{, A eterliing hilewing 10 liegorie .to,ho ('Oh lepton of Welts -crops that can be mused. on liIIltatl Plots or {lronntl-tx' perttncnts 31'lth. 1"olgllhers and Fodder. Not eaten does ono find in a 'publ document n more startling stateme than bne contained on pages 222 an 223 of the bine beck issued by the Can adieu' Minister of Agriculture on experimental farms of the Dominic A chemist of repute, Frank' 01 Slant is employed In oonneotion with the head. station, find part of leis duty dur- ing the period embraced' in the report 'was to examine samples of water tak- en from the farm wells of the region, The report presents in tabular form th results of the analyses made, and, i credible as ft may seem, no fewer than 44 wells out of 51 that were used for all family purposes were found to b contaminated., There were, of tour different degrees of contamination, few being marked "not first-o1ase,mus be regarded as suspicious;' &o„ but ev of the seven not condemned, there wa one marked "insufficient data for re io St d were almost destroyed by,0c the prose. The nee of aboddy waste as manure the may seem curious to same readers,but an analysis reported shows that a ton n. contains 43.8 pounds of nitrogen, 8,4 o t pfounpotdsashof phosphoric acid, and 3 pounds , CATTLE FEEDING appears to have been very suecesseul on the Manitoba farm, A pair of steers that cost; 344.70 were fed for seventy- two days, during whish time they con- s sttnied• 2,710 pounds of native hat, worth, $6,77; 4,120 bIounds of Cern en- n- silage Worth $4.10; 814 pounds of wheat Cho Ivor th $4.07, and 334 pounds of barley olrop worth 31,39-tm all they ate up $18,35, They were then sold for e 399,20, leaving a net profit, if labor he, not counted, of $38.15, The gained an se, y a average of 1 pound and 11 ounces a t day w weight. At the head station experiments in en feeding which were carried on during s the winter showed that the cost of add- - !mg 100 pounds weight to a steer waw on iho average in one row of cattl port," and another marked "contains large amount of saline matter of a pur- gative character." In Iris preliminary remarks the chem- ist says that "Information received from those forwarding samples shows that many Sarmeis' wells aro fn the stable or barnyard, or at best dangerously near Isome polluting source, The re- sult of this method is that too often an infiltration of drainage into the well has taken place. Indeed,' in many in- stances the well bas been found to be a veritable cess -pit." Although it is not unlikely that only samples of suspected water were sent to the chemist, it is a fair inference from the result of the analyses that a 37.75, and in another 9.36, no acoount being taken of labor. In other expert rents the cost of 100 pounds of added weight event up as high as $17.60, and the lowest cost noted was 36.13 for each 100 pounds gain. The most economic fodder used was a mixture of corn en- silage 50 pounds to the ration, and out straw, 6 pounds to the ration. The most expensive fodder ration included 20 pounds of cut bay and 40 pounds of roots. With all the dodders the cattle got 2 pounds of oil cake, 2 pounds of ground Peas, and 2 pounds of ground 'barley A report onyexperiments with forest Mees gives some interesting statistics• of growth. For instance, some poplars that were but one year old were set out in 1890. Their average height in the fall of 1895 was 24 feet 2 retches. The circumference of the trunk one foot from the ground was 111-4 inches. Three-year-old canoe birches set out in 1889 had attained a height of 21 feet 2 inches in the fall of 1895, and a dr - in oumf�ttrth. ereuce of thirteen inches. The, silver -leafed maples of the same age were 22 feet 6 inches tall, and 13 inches- Thereatest girth attained by any trees planted under such circumstances was shown by Scotch pines, Ivhich reached a circumference of 151-2 inches. The 'increase in the girth was in no' case more than two inches a year. Black walnut, butternut, four kinds of ash, black cherry, Austrian pine, white and Norway spruces, and white pine all thrived well, although the soil inwbich they were set out is described as "of poor quality, and has had 110 manure." It would appear from the vigorous, growth the trees have made, says the writer, "that good soil is not always essential to rapid tree growth." Last of all is to be considered , THE FRUIT DEPARTMENT. To those who think of the grape as the product of sunny France and California, and the peach as the special favorite of the warm climate of the Maryland pen- insula, this report would prove novel reading, for the value of the peach orchards of Ontario in 1893 was esti- mated at two and a hall million dol- lars while "the planting of .pears,plums and grapes has been steadily on the in- crease." The tomato, another warm climate product, "cam be successfully cultivated over the greater portion of these provinces, and at a profit, if they can be disposed of for even 25 cents a bushel.' An attempt was made to reach the English market with a ship- ment of 610 packages of pears, peaches, plums, grapes, and tomatoes, but that wee a failure, because the steamer was not fitted for carrying them. Some apples, in the same steamer, however, brought a profit of a dollar a bushel, HALF THE WELLS on the farms of Canada are improper- ly located or unprotected from pollu- tion. Next in interest to the exhibit of con- taminated farm waters in this blue book is a point in the report on, the products of cultivation on the experi- mental Sarins although no effort was made by the writer of the report to bring out the point in question. A very large part of the work on the ex- perimental farmswas devoted to testing different varieties of seeds in order to learn the kinds best suited to the Can- ada climate and soil. In carrying out these -tests plots of from one -twentieth to one-tenth of an acre was sowed, or planted, each with a different variety of one kind of seed -say, oats or wheat. These plots were cultivated all alike, and harvested separately, and a record was kept of the products of each plot. These records now appear in the form of tables showing what each variety of the various kinds of seeds tested was good for. But in addition to the small plots of a tenth of an aore, there were larger plots devoted to some especially prom- ising varieties of seeds, and it is to the remarkable difference in the produce to the acro of the small plots and that of the large plots that, attention should be directed. For instance, in oats one varietywhen moved in the tiny plot, produced at the rate of 73 bushels and 8 pounds to the acres When sowed in a five -acre plot, the yield was but 44 bushels and 22 pounds to the acre. An- other variety that produced at the rate of '74 bushels and 4 pounds in the tiny plot yielded only 45 bushels and 6 pounds in a five -acre plot. A spring wheat that in a tiny plot yielded 30 bushels and 40 pounds to the acre pro- duced only 21 bushels end 39 pounds in a plot thirty times as large. Yeas that in a plot of one -twentieth of an acre yielded 39 bushels and 30 pounds to the acre produced only 21 bushels and 4 pounds in a field. So the report runs through a long list of experiments., There rs no de- viation from the rule that the field product varies from, say, one-half to two-thirds of the product where small plots were =Riveted, No explanation of the wide difference is offered. The prodigious yield obtained from a small plot is of interest also in the fact that it shows holy small a farm is needed to produce all the food that an ordin- ary family could consume. In fact, it is plain from the tables in this book that a family of six or eight persons could, by carefully selecting their seeds and properly cultivating the soil, se- cure very great variety of grains and vegetables and keep a horse and a cow and Fatten a pig every year, and keep a sufficient supply of poultry on FIVE ACRES 011 LAND:, perhaps less would suffice. A series et experiments that inter- est the dairy farmers was carri,'d on to learn how to get' the most valuable fodder from an acre of ground. The, !.pest results were obtained ay sowing oats and peas of prolific kinds 19gether, in one ease, and oats and parley in anoth- er. e'let green weight -of the first crop was from six tons 800 pounds to six tons, 1,800 pounds to the nem, while the cured weight was from three loos 101 pounds to three tons 1,200 pounds., In the case of oats and barley the green yield weighed seven tons 1,900 punnets to the acre, and the cured product four tons 200 pounds, Under the most fav- °rahlc birrumstances the yield of dime. othy hny on the same kind of land was a tittle over two tons (cured) to the Gere. A largo amount of space in the re- port is devoted to manures. As an ex- periment a pile of 8,000 pounds of mix- ed horse and cow manure was weighed out rind stacked ander a shed where it could not be reached by the rains, but could dry out end rot well.. .It was weighed once a month thereafter, and et the end of three months the weight hada been reduced to less than one. half, while at the and of nine months 1hti weight was but 2,606 pounds. Im- mediately below the table which sbcws the enormous loss in weight is found the following par Groin the resultsagraph: obtalncd from tcsts'Which have been enatla during the past eights years as to the action of fart- rlizers on crops, it would appear that the notion of fresh measures is almost meetly beneficial ton per ton with that: of rotted mermen in the growing of meanly sle .' That is to all sayt0si, whencrapsa pilo of roan• tiro ems leen allowed to lie for three THE POPULAR OPAL. Lovers of the beautiful opal will be glad to learn that net only is it no longer considered unlucky, but it has become a supreme favorite with Queen Victoria, who is fond of giving it away as a keepsake. It was Scott's novel of "Anne of Geieastein" 31111.011 brought evil import upon the rainbow -tinted gem and caused people to shun it. Jew- elers in vain endeavored to dispodo of their wares, but Sew people could be induced to buy these lovely stones. An old superstition forbids the picking1, up of an opal, as you pick up somebody elm's bad luck. The Empress Eugenio refused to accept ai magnificent parure of opals presented to her by Napoleon, although it wits artistic and costly. The ladies of the German collet have never hem dominated by this absurd super- stition, anti 0001' the opal with pleasure. During the last few years a reaction 5118 taken place, and Amuriean 00111e11 are accepting the magic, gent Many superb designs are seen at the jewelers, one of Bret latest being a golden eagle with outstretched wings thicket stud- ded with opals, the edges being incrust- ed with tiny seinfUllaut diamonds. The shimmering, changeful fire of the opal renders it suitable for articles of jew- elry to be worn in the evening, the h •Int glllering upon the evanescent limes of the. lovely gem in a moat fascinating ofabutterflies, dragon -flies and tie beetles ie. °pals associated with emeralds and Memonds. '.these stones admirably ex- press the brilliant heauty of the in- sects. In tlncinnt dim+'s the opal was considered a luelty stone, anti wits be- liered to be imbued with all manner of supernatural virtues. These stones were offered by one friend to another as °ill leis bringInend acuviltSfaras ttrine oto .tht he wearer. p1 PROLIFIC ARISTOCRACY, Small fainil:es are bardly the rule among the English "meter ten," The average is seven or eight; The Queen is the mother of nine, and the Princess of Wales of six children, Lord Aber- gavenny is the father of leo, the Duke of Argyll of twelve,tis' Dowager Count- ess of Dudley is the m"Llrer of SC0e11 children, the Earl of Llleamero b0ast,a of eleven, the .!earl of Inchiquin cf four. teen, the :Carl of Leicester of eighteen and the Duke of Westminster of fife. teen. AT T17E 1VRONG PLACE. Who was that fine Making gentleman at the clear, Jane? I don't know, mine, I told .itian that he had called at the wrong ,rouse, did Ilow?y' in the world do you know ho mum,•no hill to present, Because he had ' ' , 1 ..•. 1 • e