The Brussels Post, 1912-5-16, Page 6MAKING SAFE INVESTMENTS
DANCER OF CARELESS REAL ESTATE
1NVESTINO.
Cot-rich•qulok fakirs covering Ontario at
present time—Real Estate wildcatting
replacing old fashioned Mining Stook
Speculation.
The articles contributed by "Investor"
are for the sole purpose of guiding pros
neativo investors, and, If possible, of Bar
Ing them from losing money through
placing It In "wild•cat" enterprises. The
- Impartial and reliable character of the
information may be relied upon. The
writer of these articles and the publisher
of We paper have no interests to serve
in connection with this matter other than
those of the reader,
(By "Investor.'h
I was talking the other day with a bond
salesman who had been travelling through
western Ontario in the interests of the
investment house he represented. Nearly
everyone he interviewed he found had
been buying or thinking of buying real
estate—principally wester real estate.
Not isolated instances, but numbers of
apparently sane people, were buying land --
or swamp—they had never seen from men
theydidn't know, on the strength of
drawings and blue prints which might
have been borrowed for the occasion, and
not only buying but paying out real mon-
ey on their purchases.
The amount of money which has gene
out West—and even to Toronto—to pay
for subdivision property and mortgages
is appalling. Not since the days when
George H.Munro sold farmers and oth-
ers Canadian Mareoui shares at 85 a
share, whish he bought on the open mar-
ket at not over $1„50, has there been so
much .foolish eagerness to he swindled
displayed as at the present time.
Early in this series of articles I gave
some particulars about investing in real
estate. and showed that nothing could be
sf9ensleaeLh lhantsel. No sensible farmer would
under any circumstances buy a farm in
the next township he hadn't seen unless
on the strongest advice of a trusted
friend, and yet at the present time many
such faremra are breaking this funda-
mental rule of elementary investment
just because the land—mind you it usual-
ly,isn't oven a farm, which could scarcely
fail
a t to be some good—is situated in the
No form of speculation or investment
requires more careful thought than buy-
ingreal estate. So many influences con-
spre to make it valuable or to detract
from its value. Means of transportation
are particularly important in the rase of
city or town subdivisions. As a rule you
may be sure that any subdivision proper-
ties now on the market are too far away
from the centre of things to make it pee -
Bible to dispense with some means of ra-
pid transit, and if there is no rapid tran-
sit there is no value to the property ex-
cept as a speculative chance that some
day a car line may run that way.
However, words and rules will not in-
fluence anyone who has gone so far as to
be prepared to bury unseen land, and are
not required for those who have had ex-
perlenee or are otherwise toe discreet to
bey under such circumstances.
There is one rule you may be quite sure
of: If any property is sufficiently a bar-
gain to warrant any one buying it as a
sound speculation, you may be sure it
would be cheaper and much less trouble
to sell it to people at home who know all
about the place than to peddle it about
the country. It is only subdivisions miles
away from anything that can be bought
at a, low enough price to snake it worth
while going toall the expense of sending
salesmen through the country to sell on
the installment plan. In many instances
in the West of cities of not more than
20,000 inhabitants, the country about them
has been subdivided further out from the
centre of the city than has Toronto, a
city of over 400,000.
My friend the bond salesman had this
complaint also: "I go to see a man and
offer him a sound security. I tell him its
good points and is bad ones. I offer hint
goods that I would gladly buy myself if
I bad the money. I have the house back
of me with a good many years' reputa-
tion, and as I have been on this district
a number of years now I am pretty well
known and could get the strongest refer-
ences from any of the bankers. Can I
sell them bonds? Not one quarter of
what the wealth of my diotriet would jus-
tify. 011, no. Everyone is buying first
Marconi, then mining stocks, now land,
from men they don't know, who probably
would get references from the bankers
which would shut them out of business
wore they indiscreet enough to ask for
them; who have na reputation, no strong
house behind them, and whose land not
one in ten would tetra a chalice on buy-
ing for himself. It doesn't seem right.”
I couldn't console him much. "Oh, well,"
I said, they'll lose their money and
learn a hard lesson." That didn't seem
to satiefy him, for he was strongly under
the impression, and on mature considera-
tion I agreed with him, that if they lost
alt their money they wouldn't be able to
bay bonds or in fact anything else.
He's (mite right, and particularly eo
when he said that a great many people
will believe a "good whopping lie" who
are more or less skeptical when they hear
a plain unvarnished talk from a salesman
who doesn't nerd to Ile to point out the
-good points of his bonds.
Meanwhile, if you are tempted to dabble
in real estate, if necessary spend half
your money going to ego the property,
and than You 0107 save the other hell;
but don't buy real estate on a stranger'ssay so,"
What's the
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Windsor, Ontario, Canada,
DR. JIlIl.
The• resignation of Sir Stair
Jameson, better known as Dr, Jim
of the Jameson raid, from the lead-
ership of the Union Party in South
Africa, is responsible fur a great
many character sketches in the
Jt ngiisla papers. The Daily Mail
says an part:
Of course, his health is at the back
of his decision. But something else
has weighed with hint too, He tried
to save South Africa fonin party
polities, He has never been a poli-
tician. He is a statesman. He
saw, with his statesmanlike grasp
of her diidlcultiee. that South Africa
after Union needed a period of
quiet growth undisturbed by the
squabbles of partisans, He tried
to give her this quiet time.
He offered to servo in a coalition
Ministry under General Botha. The
Dutch irrcconcilables would have
no coalition. "To the victors the
spoils" was their cry. Yet "The
Doctor" was not piqued or dis-
heartened. He is nutclt too big a
man for that. He gave, General
Botha all the help he could. How
much the Premier owes to him will
not be known yet. It will be known
some day.
Whenever it was necessary to
make a stand, as on the Language
Question, he was resolute. But he
took a wider view of the situation
than is summed up in tho cheap
phrase that it is the duty of an
Opposition to oppose. He had no
personal ambition whatever. Poli-
tics could offer him nothing. If he
had followed his own inclination he
would have given the whole busi-
ness up. He was never well, sel-
dom free from pain and lassitude.
He could only keep his place in the
fighting line by regularly visiting
Carlsbad,
For the publicity of political We
Sir Stair Jameson.
he had no taste. He was unmar-
ried. so there was nothing in the
way of titles to attract him (al-
though he did accept ono "pour en-
courager les autres," that is, the
Dutch). Office meant nothing to
him but a wearisome grind. Why
did he stay in politics, then? Sim-
ply because—though he would ne-
ver have phrased it so himself—he
felt he had a mission, He felt that
he could do for the Union what lay
in the power of no other man. He
believed he might he able to save
South Africa from the, evils, espe-
cially dangerous to a young nation,
of the patty system,
"Dr. Jim" is a man without
"frills." His manner is most en-
gaging, but not at all impressive.
He is not what they call in the
United States a "hand shaker."'
There is no trace of gush in his
character. Yet by imperceptible
means he makes everyone feel at
ease.
Ab big dinner parties there is
sometimes a %hade, of boredom on
his humorously tired features. But
when there are only a few guests,
mostly close friends, with a stran-
ger from home, perhaps, someone
before whom talk can flow freely,
then he is the most delightful of
hosts. Ho likes to encourage con-
versation, playfully egging on the
holders of opposite views to con-
flict, Then some topic will catch
his interest and he will talk, always
quietly and with humor, never in
an overbearing, egotistical vein,
talk with the wide knowledge that
can be gained only by experience;
with the wisdom won by waiting;
with the genial tolerance bred ef a
sweet nature, cynical only on the
surface, sound at core,
He is not much of an orator in
public, but his speeches are attrac-
tive in their easy colloquialism.
;There are no tricks or tags in them,
You feel, "Here is a man who is
speaking irecau00 lie has something
to say, He is saying it frankly,
honestly, plainly, When he hits
said it he will sit down." And he
always does.
q,
CHAPTER IX.
Ruby Trevalyn looked up into her
lover's 'face, and saw b;' the white,
bright moonlight that it was great-
ly troubled.
"You say pelt and papa quarrel-
ed1" she gasped, recoiling in alarm.
"Oh, Charlie, how could you 1"
"Your father forced it upon mo,"
SAME OLD STORY.
Gabe- "Johnson is always broke.
What's the matter with him 1"
Steve --"Re's always trying to
get rich quick."
TORONTO CORRESPONDENCE
INTERESTING GOSSIP FROM THE
QUEEN CITY.
Another Bank Merger—Toronto's Baso
Ball Fans
(We have arranged for a weekly 1 -otter
about Toronto affairs, which. we believe,
will be of great interest to many of our
readers. These lettere will be from the
pen of one of Canada's foremost journs•
lista, a man who has covered some of the
world's greatest happenings and now ac.
capias 'a lending position on ono of the
Toronto dailies.)
The merging of the Traders Bank with
the Royal Bank has not been revolved
with any great enthusiasm in Toronto,
rartly, no doubt, because it m0a115
the loss of the control of it loading finan-
cial institution to this city. In recent
years Toronto line rather been giving it-
self airs as the city rapidly a0snimag un-
disputed supremacy tis the banking cen-
tre of Canada, while Montreal had the
head oMces of the Bank of Montreal, Mer
ohnnte'r' Royal and Melr.nn's, Toronto
rauld point to the Bank of Commerce, To,
ronto, 'traders, Imperial, Domhiion, Met-
ropolitan, Sterling, HIome, ami Standard.
Now control of the Traders goes t0 Mont-
real, and Toronto is not altogether
pleased. It was just the other day when
the Bank of Commerce invaded Montreal
by absorbing the. Eastern Townships
Bank, bet now there romps n eerre n,•nr1-
ing set -back to Toronto's aspirations Nor
does Toronto like to hear Montreal .say
anything about the Sovereign, Ontario or
Farmers' Banks. all Toronto institutions
of late lamented mammy.
SIS BANKS HAVE HALF BUSINESS.
Apart from this phase of the question,
there is some disposition to arfruo whe-
ther these bank mergers are agood thing
or not. It is surprising to find there are
fewer banks doing business in Canada
now than there were many years ago, in
spite of the fact that new ones ere con-
tinually being organized. It is also sur-
prising to find that the nix biggest banks
now have over half of the banking capital
in the country, more than half of the de.
posits, and more than two-thirds of the
discount or loaning business. This is a
striking concentration of the money
power. Whether it is a good thing for the
country is a question for the economists.
There aro not wanting argumentative
gladiators on both aides of the contro-
versy.
BASEBALL TO THE FRONT.
The real opening of the Baseball season
as far as Toronto is concerned came with
the arst week of May. Three weeks
earlier the International League ouenod
with the Toronto team away from home,
but the event was so overshadowed by the
7'itanio disaster that it failed to reach the
generalpublic in even a mild degree.
With the first appearance of the team
at home it was different, The players and
a:trials proceeded in carriages, as if in
state, through the down town streets to
the ferry, thence to the Island to the big
grand stand that holds 15,000 people, com-
pletely surrounding Oho diamond in an
oval. There were plenty of flags and mu.
ale and big guns to do the honors. All the
players, in uniform, lined up and march.
ed across the diamond and bark again to
let the fans get a good took at them,
then there was the formal "first" ball, and
the game was on.
MAYOR IS A FAN.
There are a lot of fans among Toronto's
public men. The Mayor himself is one,
Controller 'Tommy" Church is another.
ControllerHocken torafhasinal
occasionally, the
Council slip off to the game whenever
they get a chance. James L. Hughes.
School Inspector, is a dyed -in -the -weal
fan. So are T. C. Robinette, J. W. Curry,
and other prominent lawyers. Prominent
financiers like It, A. Smith, of Osler k
Hammond, and Norman Macrae, of Pel -
lett C Co., rarely mise a game, and there
are a few clergymen who enjoy an oeea-
sional contest.
WRECKS FOR TIIREE MONTHS.
Forty British Steamships and Eight
Sailing Vessels Lost.
Some interesting details are given
in the Lloyd's register of British
and foreign shipping, containing re-
turns of vessels totally lest, con-
demned, etc., for the quarter end-
ing December 31. According to
Lloyd's register hook for 1911-151,
the numiler of steam vessels owned
by the United Kingdom is 8,487,
with a net tonnage of 10,519,070.
British colonies own 1,41 steam ves-
sels, having a net tonnage of 788,-
580. The number of British owned
sailing vessels is 847, with a tonnage
of 579,989, and the colonies own 694,
with a tonnage of 195,193. This
gives a total of 11,442 British and
colonial vessels, with a tonnage of
12,083,831. MO total number of
registered steam and sailing vessels
of all nationalities other than Bri-
tish and colonial at the same time
was 15,574, with a total tonnage of
12,982,219. These latter figures,
however, do not include vessels!
trading on the great lakes of North'
America. The returns do not in-
clude Dither vessels under 100 tons
net.
During the three months compris-
ed in the returns the United King-
dom lust 40 steam vessels (19 being
wrecked, 2 abandoned at sea, 7 in
collision. 8 foundering, 2 burnt at
sea, 2 Missing) ef 'a net tonnage of
44,374. and the colonies 4. with a
net tonnage of 597. British sailing
vessels lost numbered 8 (3 wrecked,
2 in collision, 2 foundered, and 1
missing) of a net tonnage of 908.
This gave a total of 58 British and
colonial vessels of all classes lost,
with a tonnage of 49,298. The ves-
sels of all other nationalities lost
during the same time numbered
113, with a tonnage of 118,936. Of
these Norway lest 37 vevsels, and
the United States 31, of which 29
V('01.0 sailing vessels, The percen-
tage of losses to vessels and tonnage
carried is greatest in thei case of
Norway, Sweden being second.
During the quarter two British'
steamers and ewe colonial sailing
thine were nbnr,d:,ted nt sea, two
British steamers were burnt (one in
midi ltlantic u 'ill petroleum, and
one sunk h: eEI'dO. on), two British
steamers and one sailing vessel
were r eperted as having left port
and m'vee heard of again. Among
the ''telt" resects which for `-`want
of snftk-icnt information, etc„ can-
not he otherwise. classified," ap•
pears the name of a Turkish steam-
er, the Donde., of t111 net.tonnagn,
with no recited as to voyage or ear-
gn, but with the, significant record :
"sunk by Italian, warship at Tri-
poli, about 9ne1 October,'
NEVI PORTRAIT OF EMPEROR
GERMAN RAISER AS SOCIAL-
IST AND ANGLOPHILE.
Responsible for Giving Social Dem-
(mracy Free Band 10
Ilas.
The Empire of which he is the
custodian is cankered with discon-
tent, writes Lucien Wolf in aa arti-
cle in the London Daily Graphic
entitled "The Real Kaiser,"
Beyond his frontiers he meets
only suspicion and distrust. And
yet there never was a life more
truly admirable, No Monarch of
our times has been inspired by more
exalted principles, has dreamed
nobler dreams, has lived more
laborious and self-denying clays, or
bas mare conscientiously and cour-
ageously done his duty, What is
the explanation of this extraordi.
nary cl'sparity between merit and
reward? The, question is worth a
study all to itself, hut I will not
attempt it to -day. It will suffice
for my present purpose to indicate
three aspects in which the world is
conspicuously unjust to the Em-
peror.
Take in the first place the Social-
ist uprising in Germany, with its
dramatic culmination in the return
of Dr, Lisbkneeht for the Royal
Borough ef Potsdam. So far as this
is a demonstration against the Em-
peror, it is assuredly not deserved,
for his Majesty' himself is a very
good Socialist. Not, of course, a
Social Democrat in the sense of
Herr Hebei or Mr, Keir Hardie,
but a Socialist all the same, of the
not less earnest and reputable
school of Maurice and Kingsley. It
was judged, indeed, in this charac-
ter that he, ascended the throne,
HELPED SOCIAL DEMOCRATS.
He was then a convinced disciple
of the Evangelical Socialists, who
looked to him to champion the
cause of the working classes against
the bourgeoise and the Agrarians.
Nur did he wholly disappoint their
hopes. People forget nowadays the
remarkable International Labor
Conference he convened in 1890 with
the object of securing a basis for so-
cial reform in a more uniform sta-
tus of international labor. Nor do
they remember that it was he who
gave Social Democracy the free.
hand which has enabled it to con-
quer so large a section of public
opinion, and that at the cost of
Prince Bismarck's resignation.
Prince Hohenlohe has told the story
in .his Memoirs—how, when the old
Chancellor proposed fresh repres-
sive measures, the Emperor refused
"to begin his reign by the slaughter
of his subjects," and declared that,
at any rate, 11e would "first make
an attempt, to satisfy the legitimate
grievances of the workmen and to
do everything that was possible to
fulfill their justifiable demands."
To all this, of course, it may be said
that the. Emperor's ideas were
never realized. But is the fault
wholly his? Have the ` working
classes helped him, or have they not
rather shipwrecked both their own
and his Socialism by insisting on
political issues which were not es-
sential to either 1
A PACIFIST.
Then again, there is the popular
conception of the Emperor as the
typical War Lord, the wielder of the
Mailed Fist --in a word, the, incar-
nation of Militarism. Here again,
the world is at fault. An a matter
of fact, 11e is a, very excellent Padi-
fist. M. Jules Huret once wrote of
him that his ambition was to be
identified with a great era of peace-
ful progress in Germany, and to 'go
down in history as William the Pa-
cific. This is perfectly true, He
has reigned for twenty-four years,
and has had many opportunities of
making war in circumstances which
might have establisher the German
hegemony in Europe on a More
solid and durable foundation than
it ever held in the time of his
grandfather, but he refuted. And
it is now only in the non -making of
war that his services of peace con-
sist. He has helped far mare
largely than the man-in-the-st,rect
knows in bringing the pacifi':t pro-
jects leto'(he field of practical poli-
tics. He corresponded with the late
Lord Salisbury on schemes of dis-
armament long before the present
hisidaofHague
Czar .evolved e The
Conference, and he always shared
Lord Salisbury's dream of a federa-
tion or Peace League of the Euro-
pean powers. Ask anybody in Ger-
many to -day who kept the poses
during the recent Morocco crisis;
and there will be put one bitter an-
swer ; "The Emperor." •
AN ANGLOPHILE.
Finally, there is the calumny of
our own bogey -mongers, who are
never tired of picturing the Emper-
or ns the settled enemy of England,
thirsting unceasingly for the day
when he may dethrone her from the
snpremaey of the seas. The, truth
is thstt the exact reverse of this
counts for much among the complex
causes of 0110 L+niperor a unpopu-
larity in h's own eouptry, The Em-
perm. is, indeed, sornotlting more
�
yy++syLOOI FOR,
1Mit
.. • it 0� LU i� PACKA%ly.
a E CA. ,E.FULTo'
SEE THAT LABEL ON
PACKAGE IS BL1) .
NO OTHER COLOR EVER USED Old �1.0
OVAL ' ST
REMEMBER THE COLOR BLUE,
.WG0LL TTa).LTD •'..,
TORONTO •- ONT.
GUM COMPANY 0119'
..Z.74ONTO, O,nONintA) �
than a convinced Anglophile. So
strongly has he felt on the subject
that it ]las more than once beguiled
him into indiscretions which have
cost him clear. This was notably
the, ease in the matter of the sensa-
tional Daily Telegraph interview,
the result of which was virtually to
put him into constitutional leading -
strings for the rest of his life. Nor
has his affection for us been a mat-
ter of mere words. Daring the Boer
war, Professor Delbrueck once said
that he was the only friend of Eng-
land in Europe. This, of course,
was an exaggeration, but, it is, at
any rate, a fact that it was due to
him that Count IvIuravieff's scheme
of a European coalition against us
was defeated, and that President
Kruger failed to receive in Ger-
many the, official encouragement
and recognition he received in
Franco and Holland.
Socialist., Pacifist and Anglo-
phile 1 It is an unfamiliar portrai-
ture, but, so far as it goes, it is
the real Emperor.
'h.
MY CHOICE,.
Some men are keen for dying rich,
I've no such lure;
Than dying rich I'd rather keeo
On living poor.
TEETH WERE SAFE.
"Sam Johnson, you've been fight -
in' agin. S'ou'se lost two of yo'
front teeth." "No, I ain't mammy,
honest. Ise got 'cm in me pocket.
6% INTEREST AND SAFETY
q Price Bros. and Company Bonds pay 6 per cent on the investment. They
offer the strong security of first mortgage on 6,00o square miles of pulp and
timber lands—which are insured at Lloyds against fire. The earnings of the
Company at present approximate twice the bond interest. The new pulp mill in
course of construction will double this earning power. Purchased at their present
price they pay interest at the rate of 6 per cent. The best posted investors iii
Canada* and England have purchased these bonds. Owing to the security and
increasing demand of the products of the Company, these bonds will unquestion-
ably increase in value.
If you have money to invest write us for complete information.
AL SECURITIES
CORPO RA1ION LlivlITIl7.
BAfdK OF MONTREAL BUILDING - YONGE AND QUEEN STREETS
R. M. WHITE TORONTO
MONTREAL-OUEBEO-HALIFAX-OTTAWA
Manager LONDON (ENG.)
acquiring an Interest in a Success-
ful Canadian Industrial Gomm
An opportunity of acquiring an Interest In The Simon
Company, Ltd., the woll-known and successful manufacturers of
hardwood flooring and lumber, Is afforded to tho holders of the
7 per cent. Preferred and Profit-sharing Stook of the Company.
The Preferred Stook, n small ,blook of which wo are now
offering, subloct to prior sale, 1n addition to tho 7 per cont.
cumulative dividend, shares oqually with the Common Stock In
all dividends paid
in excessof the 7 pper cont. dividend. In this
way, when 3 (ler Dont. Is paid on the Cblttmon an additional 3 per
cont. will have to be paid on the Preferred, and when 6 per cont.
N paid on the Common the same amount will also have to be
paid on the Proferred In addition to the 7 per cont. regular
dividend.
The Siemon Company is a consolidation of companies, with
milia and plants located at Marton, Parry Sound and Lakofield,
Ont., and there has been such a steady demand for the products
of the Company that It Is unable to 1111 more than 6) per cant.
of Its orders. Important extensions arenow necessary In order
to keep pace with the development of Its business, and In parti-
cular 0 is desired to Increase the already largo number of valu-
able hardwood timber limits which the Company now holds. It
Is with a view of financing these extensions that we now offer a
small block of the Preferred Stook.
Investments In the proferred stool( of successful Canadian in-
dustrial companies have been the safest which Canadian Inves-
tors have ever had.
We would- be pleased to forward special circular containing
full particulars regarding the Company, or, if you prefer, would
make arrangements to have one of our representatives call to
supply any information you may desire.
NATIONAL SECURITIES CORP ORATION, LTD.
CONFEDERATION LIFE BUILDING, TORONTO, ONT.
T1
The New Perfection Oil Cook -store
Suits Everybody'
It suits the most exacting French chef.' It suit$ the housewife. It
is found in luxurious villas—in camps—in farms—in humble city homes.
Everybody uses it; everybody likes it. It is the all-round stove for all
the year round. It bakes, broils, roasts and toasts as well as a coal range
It is equipped with a special heating plate, andwe sell the New Per
fection oven, broiler, toaster, and pancake griddle—each specially de
signed for use with the
New rem
D111 Cook stove
All dealers cell the stove. It is handsomely
finished in nickel, with cabinet top, chop
shelves, towel racks, etc. Long chimneys, en.
ameled turquoise -blue, Made with 1, 2 or 3
tamers,
Free Cook -
Book with
every stove.
Cook- Boob
also given to
anyone sending
5 cents totem
mailing cost.
TFIE IMPERIAL OIL COMPANY, Limited
Winnipeg, Montreal, St. John, Halifax and
Queen City Division Toronto
THE TRAGEDY OFA RUSSIAN
HAS SPENT NEARLY ITALF 111
LIFE IN I'ItISON.
M000301' Released in 9111 Age and
Again Imprisoned for
IDOeds•
A terrible story of an eminent
Russian poet end man of science,
whose reward by a grateful govern-
ment has been half a lifetime in soli
tary'confinement, is told in the cur-
' rent number of "Darkest Russia,"
A few weeks ago N. Morosoff, a
Russian anther and scientist, wail
pub on his trial for a little volume of
poems published in 1906, and was
condemned to imprisonment in a
fortress for one year.
Among the prominent scientists
mentioned by the London Times as
contributing to the glory of Russia,
we find (says Darkest Russia) the
name ef N. Morosoff at the author
of important researches in chemical
and physical science. No mention
is made of the manner in which he
was rewarded for his activities. ,
Here is briefly the story of his life.
The sorb of a oves'clly land own•er,.
Nicholas Morosoff passed his ehil'd-
hood in the uonintry, and de':e?oped
a keen interest in nature a:udies..
At, 20 years of ago, and while a stu-
dent in the University of Moscow,
he was arrested on a charge -of
spreading socialistic ideas among
the peasants, and was kept in soli-
tary confinement for three years bo -
fore his trial, In the enol he was
made one of the defendants in the
famous "trial of 193" political of-
fenders, but tvas released immedi-
ately after the trial.
WORKED WHILE SICK.
In January, 1881, however'; he was
again arrested because of his liter-
ary activity, and condemned to
penal servitude for life. He was at
first confine' in 0 solitary cell of the
ill -famed fortress of St. Peter and
80. Paul. Four years later he was
transferred to the "stone sacks" of
the terrible Schlusselburg fortress,
where he was kept fur another
twenty-one years.
Many times during that long per-
iod Morosoff nearly became the vic-
tim of a deadly elisea.se, and was on
the brink of madness, but his in-
domitable spirit overcame his phy-
sical weakness. His extraordinary
kindness and courtesy gained him
the hearts even of his jailers, who
called ham ",the marquis."
From the very first years of his
confinement Morosoff had set his
mind to the solution of various
scientific questions. During the last
decade ef his imprisonment he was
allowed the use of paper .and pencil,
and provided with seientific books.
Then this prisoner, his body emaci-
ated and feeble, but ]tis brain still
vigorous, his intellect burning, be-
gan clay after clay, with aniazing and
pathetic perseverance, to think out
and set down on paper his hypothe-
ses and ruse/Sings., to make endless
calculations for the preparation of
tables and schemes.
BACK TO THE OELL.
"The greater part of his life was
already behind him," writes Mme.
Vera Figner, another of the Schluse
selburg prisoners, ".and before him
was nothing but blank hopelessness
and a nameless grave in a little plot
near the, walls of the fortress, where
lay his friends, once, lake himself,
full of energy and strength, but cut
off by consumption and scurvy.
And yet how he walked! . He never
ceased to think and write, animated
by the undying hope that Itis ideas
Would some day see the light."
At the end of 1905. when the gen-
eral stadke, had for a moment hold
the Russian autocracy under its
heel, Morosoff, with the few other
Schlueselburg prisoners who were
still alive, war seb free. He was
then 51 years of age,
Of these ho hacl passed twenty-
eight years—more than half his life
—in solitary confinement. Yet, with
unbrulten energy, this feeble malt,
made prematurely old, :threw" him-
self
imself into the world of science, to
which he was 50 passionately de-
voted, and issued a series of scienti-
fic researches in chemistry and phy-
sics, and other works, inolttcling the \
- little volume of poems for which he
has been again mit to prison.
H
HIS LAST QUESTION.
He asked so many questions that
day that he finally wore 000 his
mother's patience, "Robert," she
cried, '"if you ask ane another ques-
tion I shall putyou'to beef without
• set:' supper." Robert promptly
asked another, and was packed off
to bed Later his mother repented.
After all, asking questions was the
only way he weld acquire know-
ledge ; so she tiptoecl•upstairs, knelt
beside his bed, and told hien she
Was sc110'y. "Now, dear," she sold,
"if you want to ask one more ques-
tion before ;y001 go to sloop as1.1 it
now, and I will try to answer."
Robert thought for a moment, then
.'/( 14. "Muth.,.,, bow far can 0, Cat
spit 1"