Loading...
Exeter Times, 1903-3-19, Page 6SAN U NSQEGHT WEALTH; Or The Mystery of . a4444014++:144-1444÷1444Brot�hier's Legacy. °k -R"� 4 '+.�"�u4 1. 4 1i , ,,t', + a` 4 1 C1 A.PTlrR XIII. When the case of .the "Sphinx's Cave 11lystery'" -- as the papers had already christened it -- came on for . hearing, the court was crowded. Not that it requires a large number of people to fill a London police court; some of them, when they con- tain the prisoner, the magistrate, and the counsel, the reporters, and the officials, have about as Hauch as they can manage; but as many as could squeeze in, squeezed in, and a crowd hung about outside. The charge sheet was "light" that day, so that when about a dozen "drunks" had been disposed of, and one or two of the more pressing of the applicants, who apply to the magistrate for advice oar every mat- ter beneath the sun — in the same way in which the people apply to the "Correspondence Editor" of the Family Herald and the prisoners in the "Mystery" case were brought into the dock, the hour was still an early one. There was at first some slight hesi- tation as to where they should be placed, but finally they were ushered into the ordinary position occupied by prisoners -- the dock, A chair was provided for the lady. The gen- tlemen elected to stand. It was at once apparent that M. and: Madame Nurvetchky had managed to obtain a change of apparel. They were not doomed to figure in a. police court in evening dress. The elabor- ate shirt front and splendid claw - hammer of the gentleman had disap- peared, and instead he was attired in the usual costume in which the Englishman — apparently preferen- tially — elects to walk Pall Mall at noon. M. Nurvetchty was so very tall, and so very thin, that the long frock coat, tightly buttoned across his chest, had rather a. funereal as- pect, there seemed to be so much of it. He •had, too, rather a peculiar face. A long, thin nose, hooked like a bird's — like the American eagle's, for example—high; prominent cheek bones, hollow cheeks, high, narrow forehead, and a moustache which was so profuse and straggling as to conceal almost the whole lower por- tion of Ms face. How he ever man- aged to eat soup — and it is reason- able to suppose that all meu do eat tache is a secret known only to him- self. His eyes were large, unnatur- ally large, seeming to stretch right across his face. , Yet it .was with difficulty that one made out their calor, since they were continually shaded by the eyelids — indeed, M. Nurvetchky seemed to be always on the point of falling fast asleep. But if the gentleman was - well, not beautiful, his wife was just the sort of woman to. take the heart of the British, juryman by storm, It is not for a mere mortal to describe her costume — how she ever got in- to it in a cell in a police station is one of the seven wonders of the world, but her — we must fly to our French dictionary - her tout en- semble was entrancing. And her bonnet! 0 ye gods-- of the Par* Islam bonnet shops! As she bowed to the constable who handed her a chair, and as she sat down upon the chair itself, everybody felt that here was a veritable great lady, of —cer- tainly not of the old school. She glanced round the court with her beautiful blue eyes, and nodded her dainty head to Mr. Schwabe and to Colonel Dewsnap, and even to Willy Panton — who had managed to find his way into court, possibly with the intention of working out his -five-bobs' worth" — and to Mr. Fairlight. She glanced at the mag- istrate, and for a moment it was doubtful whether she was not about to nod to him. But she refrained, and smiled, revealing such a pair of rosy lips and such a set of teeth! Mr. Hookham presented a very dif- ferent figure. Ile had had a wash and brush up — possibly a shave -- but but he had not made a change of costume. Iris shirt and collar were still torn open at the neck, a fact which he made no attempt to con- ceal by turning up the collar of his coat. His coat was itself a ruin; the sleeve still dangled by a loose thread or two. iAlthough the blood had disappeared, the scratch upon his cheek was unpleasantly con- spicuous„ — a very ugly scratch it seemed. Altogether, Mr. Hookham did not present the spectacle of a well-dressed man. Yet there was something about him which seemed to suggest that he was completely at his ease—that soup at times — with that mous- what was coming had no terrors for ers Ail Who Are in Low Vitality Have Reason to Dread the Corning Weeks—Fortify Your System by Using D0 CHASE'S NERVE FON, If you watch the newspapers for the next few weeks you will find that the death record is a large one, and 1 made up largely of per- sons in advanced years and of weak constitutions. Vitality seems to bet at low ebb at this time of year, and the sudden changes of temperature and humid atmosphere are more than a weak- ered system can withstand. A lit- tle over-exertion, a little unusual exposure, a little neglect of the body, and health is undermined, physical break -down. inevitable. If you could but realize the re- constructive and upbuilding in- fiuence of Dr. Chase's Nerve Food, it would be easy to convince you of the wisdom of using this pre- paration at this season of the year. When the blood is thin, weak and He Ie stood with one hand rest - ng on the rail in front of him, his head jerked forward, with agesture which seezued habitual, and he gazed, from under hisrugged eyebrows, from. one person to another, until his glance rested on the magistrate with a look of almost savage scorn. Soon after he had taken up , his position in the dock Mr. Fairlight stood up and whispered to hint. The onlookers perhaps thought that some important Communication was tak- ing place between the lawyer and his client, but what Mr, Fairlight said was this: "Don't glare at the man like that he'll think you want to kill him, too." Then Mr. Hookham glared at his lawyer instead, , "What case is this?" asked the magistrate, when the prisoners had settled in their places. One may guess that the magistrate knew very well what case it was for magistrates do read the papers— but still he asked the question. In these matters magistrates and judges do feign such seraphic innocence. A superintendent of police—Super- intendent Bray -- rose up in the body of the court. "Your Worship, this is a case of murder. The prisoner, Samuel Hookham, is charged with the mur- der of Percy .Leicester. The prison- ers, Stefan Nurvetehky and Nina Nurvotchky, his wife, are charged with being accomplices before the fact." The usual preliminaries were gone through, and the superintendent went on, "Your Worship, the affair only happened late yesterday afternoon, and we have not yet been able to communicate with the Treasury. I only propose on this occasion to of- fer sufficient evidence to justify a remand." "Which I shall strenuously op- pose. 'Nkat do you call sufficient evidence, I should like to know? There is not the slightest founda- tion for the charge. If the police had troubled themselves •to make a few inquiries, it would never have been made.'' ` This burst of eloquence was from Mr. Fairlight. The habit of mak- ing little impromptu speeches—when he ought not to — was one of his eccentricities. Magistrates, as a rule, found it better to allow him considerable latitude — he was real- ly irrepressible eally.irrepressible when they tried to put him down — and Mr. Mansell in particular, the magistrate of the day, was a very old and, in these matters, a very long suffering man: "Whom do you appear for, Mr. Fairlight?" he asked in his mildest way. "I appear for Mr. Hookham. • And I hope, sir, that you will insist up- on the superintendent offering some very sufficient evidence indeed before you allow my client to continue in the false position in which a blun- der of the police has placed him." Mr. Mansell turned to the superin- tendent with rather a severe air. He knew from experience that Mr. Fairlight really never did use that sort of language unless he had some- thing very strong to go upon. watery, Dr. Chase's Nerve Food en- riches it by increasing the number of red corpuscles. When the nerves are exhaustt"d, energy gone and strength declining, this great food cure builds up the system, restores and revitalizes the wastod nerve cells and rekindles the spark of life. No physician can give you a bet- ter restorative than Dr. Chase's Nerve Food, for it is prepared in accordance with the most modern and most scientific principles, and contains in condensed•form the most potent restoratives known to medi- cal science. By noting the increase of weight while using Dr. Chase's Nerve Food you can prove for a cer- tainty that new, firm flesh and tis - sea is being added to the body. Fifty cents a box, six boxes for $2,50, at all dealers, or Edareanson, Bates & Co., Toronto, DRESSE "X oras told it was. I don't know much about diamonds myself," "Oh, you don't know much about diamonds! Go on. " "I asked him to give it to me, He did so.. Direetly I got it into nay hand I found that it was red-hot. 1 threw it. down, 'nen I looked at my hand to see if the thing had burned .Me, I' found the word `fool' branded on the palm," "Weren't you surprised?" "I was very much surprised, in- deed. I was more than surprised." There was "laughter" iia the court. The magistrate mildly interposed. "Is all this material to the ease, Mr. Fairlight?" "It is absolutely vital, Perhaps af- ter that statement, Mr, Mansell, you will allow me to conduct my own case, at my own risk, in ray own way. There is a man's life at stake," Mr. Mansell meekly bowed his head. "In all this, inspector, where did the trick co=ne in?" "I believe the whole thing was a trick." "Say plainly what you mean. Do you mean that Mr. Hookham brand- ed that word upon your hand him- self?'' "No; he couldn't have done, He never touched me:" "Do you moan to say then that the diamond acted as a brand?" "I do. It must have done.", "Be careful; Inspector. You are on your oath, The diamond is in existence, and can be produced in evidence. Will you' swear that the letters '1, double o, 1' were on that diamond so that it might act as a brand?" "They must have.been." "Attend to my question. Will you or will you not swear that those letters, or any letters, were on the diamond so that it might act asa brand?" "I say they must have been, else how could they have branded me?" "Confine yourself to answering my question. Will you swear they were?" The inspector hesitated. "No." "You can go down. Don't leave the court. I may probably want you again." The superintendent rose. "Call William Lloyd Skene." (To Be Continued). "What do you say?" "I will at once call evidence, your Worship. Call Inspector James Robins!" The inspector who had effected the arrest at the Sphinx's Cave appear- ed in the witness box. After he had been sworn— "W'hat do you know about this?" asked the superintendent. Then the inspector started off in his usual stereotyped, cut-and-dried policeman's way. When he had said his say, Mr. Fairlight rose. "Inspector, hold out your hand." The inspector held it out. "Not that one, the other. You know very well what I mean." C -E. L„Sa'would you like to have this beautiful dressed doll? If so, send us your name and address on a post card and wo will send you one doz. large, beautifully colored packages of feweet Pen deeds postpaid. Sell them at /OCe each, return us $1.20 and we will immediately send yon the most beautiful cin you have ever Seen. Dolly lefully andfashionably (bessed, including a stylish hat, un- derwear trimmed with loco, stockings and onto little slippers ornamented with silver buckles. She has lovely golden curly hair, pearly teeth, beau- tiful eyes and jointed body. Eva Gilley, Neve Wratndnotor, 73.B., eclat " I rn. celved Your. pretty Doll amn am very much pleased. tall it, Ma a poraoct beauty and far exceeded ray expectations," Lizzl t e,i uts, idovvdala, Man., acid: "I resolved tits Dolll attd think it IS a tine Pi'+:udum. Icis the Iovelltit roll r have" over had." Gcrtle n Ootid, Aoragtsta Day, trowtoundhnt Azide "Thanks Tory mach kr my uoautltul Dolt. i am kora ttnin plossad with it." GIE,Ls, just stop and think whet a truly:wonderful bargain we aro offeringyou. e to eaac et tthis Ye big a ell completely dressed zi o r geh'i ars ozuly 0.1)1M1 2)(iIZEi' recuts of Sweet Pea eed8. E+achi aackngo is beau tifully decoratedin12 eolors and contains 42oi` the tercet; pretties end most fragrant varieties in every imaeleo,ble color. &hey aye Boilers* riveleylioriy SYr.gqsie 3fnntair; GhaTSgrtta, ont,. ratd t "d aoidatt the eoeda to ato;y to ntt t n e a pkl•Antto cell thorn.' Mor 5rl.telsa Anne ifSI•x, Ont„ said: "I ti6fon, ar mutual my pas, CO Matt nod nittheanodtlold. ritrywnut )fk t wlirlifrc." A bee. oertifirato tree 'with each psel:ago. Gluts, 'Write es at encs end title ke »r4rlfei Dolly 'trill be qotar'�ery ewe lu a alirirt tLte 3. wig* Soctl aA., t uptr IGO, ,'Ve,een to was a ttiamond? BESIEGED BY SNAILS. A dealer in edible snails in Paris received a consignment of twenty- five large barrels from the vineyard districts. Before retiring to bed bo opened each barrel to make sure that the snails were alive and fresh. In- stead of fastening the barrels down again, he merely spread tarpaulin covers over them, the result being that in the night the snails escaped. The man, who slept in a little room off his shop, was awakened in the dark by some of the snails crawling over his face. For the moment' he was too terrified to move. Then he sprang from bed in search of a light, but he trod on some of the snails, which were all over the place, and fell heavily to the ground, inflicting- a serious wound on his head. Screaming out that he was being murdered, he fled into the street, where a policeman subse- quently found him fainting from loss of blood. Through the open door was moving an innumerable proces- sion of snails. The shop and bed- room were found to be covered with them, and hours were occupied in re- turning them to their barrels. The inspector held out the other. "What is that upon the palm?" "A word." "What word?" " 'Fool., „ The inspector said this in rather a dissatisfied tone of voice. Some of the people laughed. Several of them craned their necks to look at the in- spector's hand. "What does he say he has upon his hand?" the magistrate asked. "What do you say you have upon your hand, Inspector?j' "The word 'fool,' your Worship." "The word 'fool'? What does he mean? Come here and let and see." The inspector went up to the bench. The magistrate, who was a very short-sighted old gentleman, put his spectacled old eyes very close to the inspector's, hand. That "ac- tive and intelligent" officer did not seem to be quite at his ease. A good many people in. the court were on the titter. "Dear me! how 'did that come there?" "If you will allow me, that is the question I am about to put." "Certainly. Has this anything to do with the case, Mr. Fairlight?" "A very great deal, as I will soon show you. Inspector, how does the word 'fool' come to b e upon your hand?" "That is what I skould like you to tell Hie." "Don't speak to me like that, sir. Answer my question. As an inspec- tor of police you are dressed like an inspcetor of police—I suppose you have some faint notion of your duty as a witness. How does the word 'fool' come to be upon your hand?" "I believe that the prisoner Hook - ham played me a trick." "Oh, you believe that my client, MVlr. I:fookham" —. emphasis on the trick, "iVfr. — "played you a ti rc . Per- haps you will tell me the gcounds for the faith that is in you." "I don't understand you." "Oh, you don't understand me, don't you? I ask yob on what grounds you state that the gentle- man whom 'I have, the honor to rep- resent played ed you a trick??" "Well, when I took him into cus- tody I saw him pick up something r h —"fret l the if ':`Stop over. iroteent. What did you see hind pick up from the ground?" "1 believe it was a diamond." "You l,clieve. Don't you know it E RFARMERS1! Seasonable and Profitable ''� Hints ter the Busy' i let'8 1: '�, y,����]ee.,..of the Soil. ,ice * okyti MANURE AS A FERTILIZER. The improved growth of 'plants through the use of manure is due to the preseoce in the manure of three substances—nitrogen, potash and phosphoric acid, The plants take up these plant food substances, and in various ways utilize them as farces to build up their vege- table matter. Compared with the total weight of plant material, the -actual plant food contained in. crepe is very small, but this small quantity is nevertheless absolutely essential, for without them, not a particle of growth could be niaide. From this, we perceive that the small quantities of nitrogen, potash, and phosphoric acid in manures is a very important natter to agricul- ture. The profitableness of farming is measured by the crops or products sold off the farm. It does not mat- ter in. what form these sales are made, every one of them removes more or less plant food from the farm, and this must be replaced sooner or later, or profitable crops cannot be grown. It is evident that the ROUGHAGE OF TETE FARM, that is, the unsalable portions of crops, cannot make good these losses, for such portions of the pro- duce of the land are only about one- half of the total crop yields. Of course, on stock farms where ' large q'uantitie's of stock feeds are pur- chased, these conditions do not ap- ply, as more plant food is bought and brought to the soil in the form of manure, then is sold off in products. As a matter of fact, it is ndw commonly recognized that the farm- yard manure realized on the average farm is insufficient to maintain the average fertility- of the soil. As it was known before this point be- came of common knowledge, that the valuable substances in manures were practically confined to nitrogen potash and phosphoric acid, intelli- gent farmers began early to investi- gate all forms of cheap materials which contained one or more of these substances. It was found that almost all forms of nitrogen, potash and phosphoric acid in crude ma- terials was as available as plant food as farm yard manure, and in many instances more readily con- trolled in its efferts. This led gra- dually to the establishment of great fertilizer manufacturing . industries. So extensive has this industry be- come that we . are now talking of manure as a fertilizer rather than of Rheumatism Cure Mrs3a Moffat Had to Take Hyper., darmlc injections to Bellow Her Pain. PERMANENTLY CURED BY ' RHEUMATISM MUNYON'S RN UI�IISM CURE. T FERTILIZER AS A MANURE. This grew out of the need of a cor- rect balance for particular crops, of the three' elements of plant food. At the same time, the plant food composition of manures must always hold high rank, being practically a natural manure, and being made up of the very materials it is desired to grow. Stated in fertilizer lan- guage, and supposing 10 tons of farm yard manure are concentrated to a weight of one ton, for fer- tilizers are practically concentrated manures, the analysis of this man- ure fertilizer would be as follows .: Nitrogen, 5 per cent; phosphoric acid,. 3 per cent, and potash, 6 per cent. Practically, where clovers are grown in rotation, the nitrogen may be- reduced to 2 per cent., and as the phosphoric acid becomes avail- able very slowly it should be in-• creased to 5 per cent. With this we have an ideal formula, based on manure as a fertilizer; a base "We may all hang to with safety. CORNERED. Jenkins has left college, where he had lived rather fast, but now medi- tated matrimony and settling down. As an old aunt had died and left him a little money, what was more natural than that he should redeem some of his many articles of cloth- ing which he had deposited with his "uncle" in the days of necessity? By sad mishap, however,that ob- liging relative forgot to remove the tickets, and this led to an embarras- sing contretempts on. his return home. Full of kindness and pride for her dear boy, his mother, on his return to the parental home, insisted on un- packing his boxes. In doing so she first discovered an overcoat with an ominous -looking label upon it. "What a nuisance!" said Jenkins, in answer to her expression of sur- prise. "They must have forgotten to take off the ticket at the ball at Smith's. when I left my overcoat in the ante -room." Mamma was satisfied; but when, shortly afterwards, she found a pair of trousers bearing a similar label, imagine the puzzled surprise with which she exclaimed: "But surely, my darling, you didn't leave these in the ante -room, too?" "There is no punishment too severe for those who deceive tb.e sick•"— MU'NY'ON. "I would have spells of rheumatism, end at times it would give me great dis- tress in niy back and ,side, Many a 'time I have bad to ,take an injection to relieve the pain. I ()Maimed a. vial of Munyon's Rheumatism Cure at tithe free distribution, and I am now feeling quite 'well, I have had no pains since, and can move around freely and naturally. 1 am very glad to give my experience, for the (benefit of anyone who ¢nay be suff- ering in a similar manner." --Mrs. F. Mof- fatt, 128 Mutual street, Toronto. MUNY0N'S R11W DIES. Munyon's Pile Ointment cures price 25e, Munyon's Eye Cure cures weak price 25c. Munyon's Vitalizer restores lost` power to weak men. Price $l. FREE M1;DICAX ADVICE. Personal letters addressed to Prod. lifun- yon, Philadelphia, U,S.A., containing de- tails of sickness, will be answered prompt- ly and free advice as to treatment will be given, pies, eyes, uN nnp FOR i �ll NOW BEING DISCUSSED IN MILITA1X JOURNALS. ,A Proposition Now Under Cone siderat'Wion by British riters. The advisability of exchanging Gibraltar for some other strategic point in the Mediterranean is btn.ng discussed in the British military journals. The docks at Gibraltar, on the west side of the Rock, are exposed to the lire of long-range artillery from the Spanish mainland and docks on the oast side would have to be protected from the east- ern gales, for which purpose it would be necessary to construct immense breakwaters, in deep soundings, at a cost of many millions of pounds. This being thecase the problem whether the strategical objects aim-, .. ed at could not be obtained in a more complete and satisfactory man- ner by .other means naturally arises. Ceuta, opposite Gibraltar, and be- longing to Spain, has been propos- ed, but the reap of the country shows that the peninsula from a military point of view, is much the same as Gibraltar, with its faults intensified. No place in the western waters of the Mediterranean seems to meet the case better than Min- orca, with its magnificent harbor of Port Mahon, This place offers great facilities for docks secure from attack. The harbor is about three miles long. and' its width averages about a half mile, There is excellent an- chorage for a large number of the heaviest' battleships, the holding ground consisting mostly of SANT), SHELLS AND GRAVEL. Along its sides run hills protecting it from fire, and offering sites for forts with a good command of the surrounding awe,. The highest. points of these hills are at the en- trance to the harbor, where the modern and powerful fort of La Mola now commands the passage. As regards its position, it lies prac- tically at the centre of a circle, on the circumference of which aro the great naval ports of Cartagena. Toulon, Genoa and i Spezzia, abd in the direct line between. Toulon and Algeria, and would consequently menace the line of communication between France and her groat col- ony. It is, therefore, a grand naval. strategical centre, and would con- stitute an excellent naval base, espe- cially • for a blockading fleet. The island is about 260 square miles in extent and is well stocked with cat- tle, sheep, goats and mules, while fruits. and vegetables are abundant and wheat and barley are cultivated. The British, of course, count large- ly on the national pride of Spain. in effecting this exchange. Spain looks on Giitraltar as a part of her father- land,' and' deeply resenis its 'reten- tion by the British ; consequently that country will probably be favor- ably inclined to the proposal. The exchange of Gibraltar for other territory has been proposed by several Ministries. As far• back as 1757 Pitt proposed to restoreit in exchange for Minorca. Great Britain does not fear the actual power of Spain so much, but. if Gibraltar were held out as a bait to induce her to join an alliance, Great Britain would have the use of the important ports of FERROL AND CABTAGENA. ment be the reverse of this there will be the absence of kindly inten- tions with marked vicious tenden- cies. ,Boots are a valuable crop for the farmer to grow, especially mangels and turnips. Eight pounds -of roots are equal to one pound of grain, and four pounds of grain, properly fed, will give one pound. gain in live weight in hogs. Figuring on this basis, an acre of` roots, yield- ing 800 bushels, will give 1,500 pounds -of live weight'. An acre of barley yielding 42 bushels, will give 504 pounds of live weight. The value of the barley straw should, however, be considered. At an. Ohio farmers' institute last week the idea was advanced that farmers should abandon their or- chards, put the land so occupied to other crops and with the proceeds buy their fruit off those who make fruit growing a specialty. The rea- sons advanced were that the busy farmer either cannot or will not combat insect enemies and fungous disease, and therefore has little goad fruit anyhow. The dairy barn should be well lighted, with windows on the south, and those windows should be kept clean. We have seen barn windows that were not cleaned for years, and the brightest sunshine out of doors was a cloudy day inside. The milch cows need sunlight, not only for health, but to produce milk and' butter fat. The most exhaustive crops of fer- tility are those grown for their seeds, white the most 'ameliorating are those consumed in a green' state on the f arm. Of the different crops, clover draws a larger portion from the air than almost any other crop grown. on the farm. ai 1 • To prove to yon that) Dr. ee aCnhd sebsOunttemeenurt aos acrerteaaicnh and Query form of itching, bleedingand protruding piles, the manufacturers have guaranteed it. Seo tes- timonials in the daily press and ask your neigh- bors what they think or it. Yon can use it and elloorlisr cured. your aors money back oTno Dr. Chi,'sees I r&trrae nt FARM NOTES. • Whenever you see a cozy humped up on the north side of the cow barn, you can put it down that the winter feed in the barn will be used at a dead loss,- and that additional feed will be required to take the chill out of the cow's back, and you will never in the wide world make a profit in the milk pail. Such a condition of affairs may be put down as a result of carelessness on the part of the farmer. In the by- gone times when such customs pre- vailed, the mortgage foreclosure was, as a "rule, only a question of time, In a horse well marked. fullness of brain half way between the eyes and the setting of the ears, accom- panied with breadth 'and fullness immediately back of the ears, arc always connected with icinclness of disposition ,and associated with am- bition. If there is fullness in front and narrowness back of the ears there will be kindly disposition without the ambition. If develop - GRAINS OF GOLD. Good order is the foundation of all good things.—Burke. After crosses and losses men grow humbler and wiser,—Franklin. He who has health has hope; and lie who has hope has everything, -- Plato. Manner is one of the greatest en- gines of influence ever given to roan. --Feltham. Lying is a most disgraceful vice; it first despises God, " and then fears nen.—Plutarch. Malice and hatred ars 'rery fret thug, and stake our own minds sore and uneney.--Tillotson. Our firstimpulses, are good, gen- erous, heroic, reflection weakens and.. kills there.—L. A, Martin. From the body of ono guilty deed a thousand ghostly fears and haunt- ing thoughts proceed.—Wordswtirtl1. BRIDGES OF KETTLES. Perhaps the .1 most - remarkable bridges in the world are the kettle bridges in Russia and Siberia, of which Cossack soldiers are expert builders. They are built up of the soldiers' lances and cooking kettles. Seven or eight lances are placed un- der the handles of a number of ket- tles and fastened by means of ropes to form a raft. Each of these rafts will bear the weight of half a ton. • LADY SMUGGLERS. A woman inspector of the New York Customs noticing something strange about the at of the Parisian gowns of two young Michigan ladies who had just arrived from Europe, insisted on a closer examination, and found the ladies wore both wear- ing silver fox fur muffs and boas as garters. —-- • 1 Ns s...---- / rJ! / 4, ilhily x ) tr. 11f1X1'ket. I chert , "I'„?lute 1'u1'.'> r h, The history of Minorca is -of inter- est. It was captured by the British in 1708 and held by them until 1756 when a great French expedition was planned against it. After enticing the British fleet away on other work the Duke of Richelieu, with 15,000 men in 120 transports, convoyed by La Galtissoniere with twenty sail of the tine, laid siege to Port Ma- hon, in which was a meagre garri- son under Gen. Blakeney. The Brit- ish held out gallantly in Fort :St. Philip (still in existence, opposite the moderir Fort La Mole.). for 20 days, but eventually capitulated, witli the honors of war: During this siege the relief of Port Mahon was attempted by Byng without suc- cess, and for this the latter was superseded and eventually tried by court-martial and shot. , In 1763 Great Britain regained Minorca by exchanging it for Ctxba and the Philippines. In 1782 it was again besieged by an expedition, which started from Cadiz under the Duke of Ori.11on, as if to attack the British West Indies; but . turned round, slipped through the straits and sailed for Minorca, where it landed 8,000 men. Oen. Murray, the Governor, retired into Fort St. Philip with. his force of four regi- ments, and did not surrender until it had been reduced by scurvy and other diseases to 600. In 1708 Min- orca again capitulated to the Brit- ish, after the Battle of the Nile, but in 1802 the then Government, thinking 'Malta sufficient for British needs in the Mediterranean, ,ceded it to Spain under the treaty of Amiens. • 4 -_.. ANSWERED. "Will you .allow me to ask you a question?” intelrupiod a man in the audience, "d'ertain.ly, sir," said the orator. "You have been giving es a lot of figures about emigration, increase of wealth the growth of trusts, and all that,"`said the man. "Lot's See. what you know about. figures your- self. flow do you find the: groatost coxnmon clivisor?ib' Slowly and delei ately the o.nrater took a drink of water'". Then he pointed his finger straight at tine questioner. Lightning flashed from his eyes, and he replied in a voice that Tilade the gas -jets quiver: "Advertise for it, yott ignoram • us. The audience cheered and yelled and stamped, and the wretched pian who had asked the gelation sneaked out of the hail, a total Wreck.