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Seeing With the Fingers 'and the worst Is vet to come problem of helping the blind to help themselves has become es- pecially pressing during the last few years, owing to the number of men who lost their eight in the war, and scientists have been laboring upon it incessantly. Sight cannot be restored to injured eyes; but a French professor has just announced a really startling discovery. He is training blinded men to see, not through their eyes, but through their Anger-tips! He was led to his discovery In thds way. He found that many of the lower creatures, which had no eyes and -had always been supposed sightless-, could certainly distinguish light from dark- ness-, and could see outlines well enough to take cover if any hostile insect or animal approached. On ex- amining them carefully he came to the conclusion that so far from having no eyes, they were all eyes! ' The human eye itself is nothing more than a thickening of the skin over the end of a nerve. This thlckan- ing makes a lene>, which forces light on to the nerve running to the brain. Now. In worms anil other eyeless creatures the skin is covered with- tiny hillocks, each of which has its nerve. It Is by means of these hillocks that the worm sees. In men two of the hillocks have be- come enlarged and perfected Into a pair of true eyes. But the others are there though owing to perhaps hundreds of thousands of years of dto- use they have forgotten how to act. A piece of skin seen under a powerful microscope looks like a landscape in mountainous country. Our skins con- tain millions of these nerve-bearing hillocks. Thousands of years ago, before two of them developed into eyes, we saw by means of them. If a person ia , blinded, the hillocks which have for- | gotten their original duty may be re- j educated until a kind of sight is pos- j . We find in the finger-tips the most promising parts for re-education. They have developed a. very fine sense of , touch, and they contain a greater pro-; . portion of tiny nerves than any other ! | part of the body. The process of re- 1 I education, though laborious, is quite j 1 simple. The blinded person is placed in a dark room, where intense light is i , directed upon his outstretched fingers. ! | After a time he finds that he can dis- j I tinguish light from darkness. The light used is made gradually less and less intense until eventually quite an ordinary amount of illumination can ! be detected. The process is continued until not j only Light but also the outlines of j bodies are perceived by the patient. This 13 as far as we can go at present, but it is Indeed a great advance, for it means the blinded man is no long- j er in complete and utter darkness. ) His fingers enable him to see a faint j glimmering of the world of light, and aa by their aid he can distinguish shadowy outlines he becomes able to make his way about without the rink of cannoning into obstacle* or of run- ning into people who do not realize that he is sightless. Homesickness of the Soul. "Old age i a sadly lonesome ex- perience, dominie," said Edward Mor- ton, as he settled his stooping frame pneumatically into a chair beside hie old friend in front of the study fire. "It's curious vow should have made that remark, Edward," replied the minister. "I've just laid down John BiMTough's account of a vteit to Carlyle one Sunday afternoon In Cheyne Row, London. He says, 'A kind cf homesickness of the scul was on Carlyle, and it deepened with age.' Y'ou remember Holmes's poem about The last leaf upon the tree,' and the loneliness that came with that ex- perience? "I've thought a great deal about it myself. 1 suspect it has something to do with what the Bible says about our having here no continuing city. As old St. Augustine said, 'the soul's made for God.' Do ycu remember the story of Abd-er-Rahnian. the first Moorish caliph in Spain? He had been bred by the banks cf the Euphrates. There was no great beauty in the coun- try wh<>re h sper.t h : ,< childhood and his Spanish home iu the old city of Cordova seems to have been a fairy puluc* of delight. Yet among all the ijrovf-* and towers and fountains of i'onlo^a. Abder-Ralunan was miser- able- it was- banishment. And when lie got a palm tree from his Syrian home and planted it in his Spanish garden an old Arabic ballad tells us that he could never look at it without tears. I wonder if the homesickness of old age isn't an argument for the Immortality of the scul, a sign that that which 'drew from out the bound- less deep' is longing to return home? I should foe' ilownheartwl if mother earth held complete satisfaction for the.ioui as '.ild age came on. I'm rath- er glad nf ihe home-sickness of the News From Western Canada According to the Panama Canal re- pletlng a 2.000-mile Journey. They had cord 3.500 tons of wheat from the Cana- j sufficient money for the journey when dian Pacific coast paseed through the ' they started, but owing to a delay in canal between January 1st and August Belgium depleted their cash to e-icli aa 31st en route to European ports. A extent they were practically pennl- conaignment of 100 tons of mutton less when. Quebec was reached. How- from Vancouver is said to have been , ever, good Samaritans along the ronte the first shipment of chilled meat from ' assisted and in Calgary they were fur- Canada to Europe by way of the Canal, ther aided. The Kootenay Match Company is be- ; Several wealthy Russians are ne- ing incorporated at Nelson, B.C., of ' gotiating for tracts of irrigated land local businese men with a capitaliza- in the southern districts of Alberta, tion of $150.000, and a match factory and one Russian, A. Koukalevsky. has will shortly be in operation. The already arrived and secured a half sec- necessary machinery has been install- tion. In the days of the Czar, this ed and patents applied for, and it is Russian was employed in the dipio- expected that production will com- matic service, but was forced to Ue shoulders. In those days, although the "lenn" was colored, H had nothing like the variety of color of the present- day plaids. The Scot found that this garment, reaching below the knees, interfered with fads freedom of movement In a fight or an athletic game, and so he tucked or kilted it just above his knee*. Back in the Middle Agee the Scot- tish clans were always lighting among themselves, and each clan found it ad- visible to wear a distinctive color, j Why tartans were chosen no one ; knows. A a matter of fact, tartans were not very common even as late as the early eighteenth century. In 1747 a special act the Highland ; Garb Act was passed in the effort to abolish the costume of the Scottish i Highlanders, but fortunately its only] effect was to make the kilt more popu- ; lar than ever. A CANADIAN BOOK- SHELF IN EVERY HOME As to the Kilt. The exact origin of that interesting garment, tho kilt, is lost in the mist of antiquity although its history goes back to the time when It was a part of the national dress of Ireland and Wales, as well as of Scotland, sys an English writer. In the Middle Ages the tout was a kind of shirt called a "teun." It WM worn with a jacket and a single piece of cloth thrown over the Benefits of Trees on Prairie \ Farms. There are several ways in which plantations of trees benefit the prairie settler, the most important of which are the following: t. They afford shelter from the wind . to I'll. ps. buildings, and stock. 2. They collect and hold the snow during the winter, preventing it from banking up around buildings. 3. They preserve and retain the moisture in the soil by breaking thu fi ]'> of the hot winds In summer, this retarding evaporation. The snow also; held by theru iu the winter, melting in the spring, furnishes a great deal] of moisture to the laud iu the Immedi- ate vicinity which otherwise it would' not retain 4 Plantations will supply fuel, fenc- ing material, and wood for repairs 5. They aiv of aesthetic value, beiuitifyiug the landscape and making 1 life on the prairie much more pleasant; and less mouctcncuts. 6. They greatly add to the money : value of the farm. There is not the slightest doubt thai a farm which had on it a well managed and productive woodlot of a feiw acres would, other conditions considered equal, sell for far more than one without trees. From Bulletin No. 1. "Tree-Planting ; ou the Prairies," issued free by the Director cf Forestry. Ottawa. Where History is Made No. I" Induing Street. London, is the most famous privutu house in the world. H is the resilience of Mr. i.'oyd | Goruc and has beeu the home of I Prime Aiiciaters for the pa&t 'wo hun- i drert years. I^owniuu Street is a lit- ! tl blind alley off Whitehall. Two tteps lead up to No. 10, which ha* a plain oak dc*n- with a wrought iron Icnocker. A flue fireplace is a feature of the carpeted hall which leads to the. wait- Ing room. This room has a mahogany table and many capacious armchairs, aud writing materiaU of every den- ' ortptiun for the use of visitors. A quaint tiule garden may be .-'!, from the window. The most interacting room, where all important meetings are held, is the Cabinet 1*00 m. it is to thig room that the Cabinet held H* midnight sitting pn August 3rd. 1.914. to decide whether there should br war with Germany. Mr. Lloyd George has staled thut this Wfu> the most dramatic moment of his life. This room 's really a library It to small and narrow, with a high ceil- ing and at the enirainv are four white pillars. Tu tlisl floor is given over tu coun- cil rooms Hud the office* of the Crime Mli'iHir! < secretaries. The- second floor comprises ib<> private re-<i(lBiice of the Pivsiiier ^n-l his family. This is Ilk- a 'jiiv." il;u witii all the usual i The Premier breakfasts at S.3V and usually entertains a guest. The fa'-! metis Downing Slref.1. unofficial break- fast conferences have decided many important questions. The reception room is a splendid apartment. There is an inner room which in (lie Prime Minister's sauc- tum. and which used to be (Jladstone's favorite breakfast room For all its powers and authority No. 10 is ;i simple and unassuming house. Most of tluvse who knock arc admitted. The residence of the Premier is as ac- cessible as auy house in London. Downing Street was built in 1674 by- Sir Georg* Downing, a supporter of Cromwell. He received a grant ot the property In Whitehall, later known i as Downing Street, and built the row of lion-- - there. He occupied No. 10 himself. After Downiug's deth the house pa.*d to the Government and has sine* been used as an official resi- dence. , Among famoux Prime. MiniMerx who occupied th house were Sir Robert WHlpoIc. William l-'itt the elder. Wil- liam Pint the youuger. George Canning. (tip Duke of Wellington. Sir Robert Peel. Lord Palmerston. Kurl Russell. Gladstone, and Disraeli. j The house has been associated with most of Ihe greatest moments in our histor.v. Here Lord Liverpool re- cive<l III'WR of Nelson's victory at Trafnlgar and Napoleon's defeat at. Waterloo. URGES R. J. C. STEAD OF OTTAWA. "Without a Canadian Litera- ture There Cannot, Ultimate- ly, be a Canadian Nation." Canadians have been so busy with the material problems of nationhood that It te not surprising if the deeper and more abstract qualities which go into the making of a great people have received less consideration than is their due. The average Canadian re- cognizes the empire builder in the railroader, the lumberman, the prairie pioneer, but he is not so quick to re- cognize the empire builder in the poet, the novelist, the artist, the musician. Yet without literature and art we can have no enduring manhood. So far as Canadianim is concerned the time and money spent in building railways, in clearing forests, in developing lands, are wasted unless out of these transient stages in our development comes an idealism which shall give us permanency amung the nations of the world. Such an Idealism can be ex- pressed and perpetuated only by means of a distinctive Canadian litera- ture. A National Literature. Canada's position in her attempt 10 develop a national literature is a pe- culiarly difficult one. Her proximity to the 1'nited StJle.s subjects her not only to an Intense commercial rivalry wlrli-h permeates the book business as much as any ot'.ier line of trade, but to the more subtle aud seductive dan- ger that her successful writers are lured Into writing, not for Canadians but for Amiericans. The rich finan- cial returns offered for book rights. magazine rights, and motion picture rights by the Immense market of the United States are a very real tempta- tion to the Canadian author. They tempt him to go to the United States. or. if he does not physically leave Canada, to write wit'a American ap- probation iu view, which :< the same thing so far as the development of a liter. 1 ' til' e which shall express a dis- tinctive CunnJia.i idealism Is concern- ed. Yet without such ;i literature there cannot, ultimate!}, be a Cana- dian nation. No Vision Without Literature. I think I am safe in saying that the average Canadian author does not re- gartl money-making a* the chief end of mau. If he did he would go to the United States. What he does seek is the sympathy, and. so far as he may be able to deserve it. the approbation of the iieopJe of Canada. He wants theui to understand what their nation- al development; more iudispensable than railways or factories or mines or farms or any material thing whatever, because without a vision the people perish, aud without literature there ie uo vision. When the Canadian people realize this fundamental fact they will be wist) enough to see to il tluit Canadian literary latent receive? such an ap- preciation at home as will encourage it to its fullest and finest fxpressiou. For llic moment tho ureans to this lend seem lo be :ui active and intelligent interest in Canadian books and the stnrtiug oC_ji Canadian bookshelf in i % vi>vv Canadian home. with a number of his compatriots to Japan. He is the advance guard of five other former powerful Russian families who contemplate coming to the prairies to farm. After an absence of four years, Prince Erik of Denmark is a visitor in Alberta, and has expressed a desire to settle in this province permanently. He is considering purchasing a sec- tion of land in the Markenrille district, which is chiefly settled by his counry- men. Prince Erik is at present on his way north to Peace River, where he will hunt big game for three weeks. Long distance service between Al- berta points and Winnipeg will be es- tablished as soon aa possible, accord- ing to John Lowry, Manitoba Tele- phone Commissioner. Additional lines will not be constructed but In order to transmit sounds over the distance special apparatus costing- between $8,000 and 410,000 will have to be In- s called. Shipments of oil boring machinery to Manitoba has commenced by two large United States oil companies which intend to commence exploita tion of an area 45 miles north of Win nipeg this month, according to infor niation received here. Experts repre- senting the two companies have been in Winnipeg and on the ground which is to be worked for a long while. speaking "to "friend- yet to thousands members of the Association. Of a total of 400,000 motor cars in of persons whose gray and weary lives Every' animal sent to the Chicago i commission in Canada, 156,654 are lo- ccrsist of a monotonous round of Livestock Show from the Province ofjcated in the Western Provinces. In Adventures. It is said that the late Joseph Riis, when he was congratulated on his suc- cessful life, replied. "Why, I pin my- self In the way of things happening, and they happened, that's all." mence at an early date. From a forty-acre farm at Penticton, B.C., Captain J. M. Beddall secured aji estimated profit of $12.000 in apples alone. From these forty acres ten thousand boxes of apples have been shipped as well as eight tons of cher- ries, twelve tons of apricots and peach- es and two tons of peas and prunes. There are approximately one thousand | apple trees on the farm, varying from l nine to fourteen years in age. Over 20,000 tons of coal were pro- duced from Saskatchewan mines dur- ing the month of October, according to a statement issued by the Depart- ment of Labor and Industries. A winning that has made a real sen- sation is Alberta's capture of the first prize for alfalfa seed at the Interna- I tional Grain and Hay show at Chicago. This is an honor which has hitherto gone to the State of Idaho, which this i year takes second place. First prize was won by Grafton and McNaughton, I and third by A. Garrow both farmers near Brooks, while H. E. Knight, of ninth place. The first Guernsey Cattle Associa- tion in Canada has been formed at Patricia. Alta., by a number of farmers It sounds very simple, as easy a interested in dairying. Arrangements going down to the letter box for your have already been made to have two mail or stepping to the telephne and carloads of Guernsey cattle shipped to has won a prize. Exhibits in- Manitoba there are 34,8114; in Stw bTm^reVrexaTpTratmV How" can you eluded Shorthorn and Hereford cattle katchewan. 5S.S25; in Alberta. 36.516< ._., __..,. . ,,._ J _,_._ .. _. and . n Britisu Columbia. 2G.:>"'. Grain handled by the Canadian Pa- cific Railway from September 1. 1921, until November 3D. 1921. amounted to 93,000,000 bushels, officials announced Wheat to the extent of 82,000,000 bush- els was included. duties the offhand explanation would be merely exasperating. How can you duded Shorthorn and Hereford cattle put yourself in the way of adventures and Peri-heron and Clydesdale horses, when you are tied hand and foot, or Among the prizes awarded was the when the daily tasks leave you too ex- Canadian Horse Breeders' .V-ssociation hausted for thought at night, or when tro P fc - v Ior mar . won by Hamilton are shut away in some country B"**"- of Innlsfail. soUtu'd'e far from the passing of feet? A fam!! >' ot Roumanians numbering It is a fair question. thirteen have arrived i Alberta, com- Well. suppose we look at the adven- turer for a moment. What are hta dls- Th< , Cr ; gina l Thomas Atkins. tiuguishing characteristics? For one thing, he is opeti-<?yed to the , By the Skin of His Teeth. That the name Thomas Atkins, the The flying corps; of all the armies 1 world abouT 'him not "absorbed in lite ' Popular word for the British private distinguished themselves for daring ! own feelings or disappointments. No soldier, originated in the signature to and gallantry during the recent war i "ingrowing personality" ever had ad- a specimen official model for keeping An eyewitness at the British head I ventures not after he begun to grow soldiers' accounts is tolerably certain, quarters told about one thruling epi- t jn | nstea d Qf out ' says an English writer. The difficulty sode thot was more sensational than The true adventurer moreover is l to identify the particular individual. ' most of the adventurous exploits that not afraid of hardship, expects to take By far the best case so far made out occur a!c,ng the front almost 4*Iy. ' risks and will persevere in his quests is that for a sunner in the Royal Ar- A British airman, alone in a mug'..!- ' to the end. If he is shut up in a pris- <"lery- seatt?d aen>pj.in-?. saw and pur.ued a ' on he will plan to escape- if he is shut In the w d * vs wlwsn George m - was German machine. While trying to re- ' in 'by a handicap, he will conquer the king, life in the ranks of tone British load his machine gun he lost < ; >utrcl , handicap Life is full of such great armv was ver >" harti - and tne men saw of llis ^e^'ie <?ear, and Che aeroplane j adventurers for after all the great- little P av William Cobbett served turned upside clown. The belt round ' p&t adventurers are those 'of the soul el ht - vears in tlle mnlre ' and ue him " tne man ' s w;l!st was rather loose - and ' and not of the bcdy Once our eyes ** lf speaks of the difficulty he expert- the jerk almost threw him out of tho ' are open to that truth, we see that op- *nced in saving even a halfpenny that machine: but he saved himself by portuiiity i passing down our road he proposed, to s-pend on a red herring clutching hold of the rear seat strut. l ,, V p r y ,j a y to add to his scanty breakfast. Alas! while the belt slipped down round h'.a It "is an adventure to transform our ' " halfpenny wa stolen. Even as legs. 1 enemy, or one whom we dislike, into lat< * as the nineteenth century, the A.s h<? hung thus, head downward, ' a friend. It demands study and lilne when our tero nourished, sol- making da-pirate efforts to <:i,engag'i 'patience aud tact mid perseverance diers' accounts were anything but well his legs, the aeroplane fell from a ' but it is one of, the iinest adventures kept. Many of the men could not read height of e ; ght Uiousaml feet to about ' of life, and it us worth a thousandfold anj were dependent for their just dues twenty-live hundred feet. spinning ! all It ccets on tne l' OI1C8t y of their pay sergeant, round and round like a falii;i^ leaf. At Jt is an adventure to lift some one : Suddenly there arpee a born account- lust he managed to free hi.< legs and ; perhaps some boy or girl a little slow- ant in the person of a gunner in the reach the control lever with hits foot. er than his comrades into self-con- Roya- 1 Regiment of Artillery who was Then he succeeded in righting the ma- ! fidence and courage, until h<? is ready nam ed Thomas Atkins. He soon be- chine, which turned slowly over, com- ! to claim his own "place in the sun." i came aa ob i ect of admiration to his , pletely "looping the loop." Thereupon It is an adventure to bring a new comrades an <l a object of awe to the \ the pilot slid back into liU seat and book interest into one's lifeto make P^' sergeants. Even some of the of- came composedly to the ground - the work of some great poet, the life flcers at lirst '^arded him with sus- ^ of some period of history, the study ' P' c ' on - Appreciation. | of some form of nature, really a poa- j Gunner Atkina was. however, a de- j Tne mavor ^ a certaill ton . u uad j session. Sooner or later such a pos- ! cent fellow. He had proved himself ^^ asked to assist m Ule anni|Q i pn . session will call to itself friends from ; a man of physical courage ia the fleld, ; tertainment given at Christmas to the unknown spaces. } and he soon earned tie respect of his lnmates of lhe local wKMiowe. " It is an adventure lo make anything officers for his moral courage. He consented wiUi great compluii-auoe beautiful -a ratal, a room, a dooryard. started a book in which he entered ^j wen( aB() j^^^ ,,p as p atuer anything especilly that can be shared. | and balanced his accounts monthly. Christmas. Kor a t:m.> his antics aixl i It is an adventure to study and to and so is believed to have originated p^^s were the delight of l!- reflect until we can discuss intelligent- ] Hie Idea of the soldier's pocket ledger. pat]y ly even one of the great movements of or. as it was called at first in the time, social, religious, or artistic: Royal Artillery and afterward in the nowever eventually brought mrWMd even though the mountains surround army generally, a "Tommy Atkine." bv a S( . rap of convei-saticn he chanced us. there need be no mountain barriers There i.-! little doubt that the pocket ! to ov ^ r [, ear in our souls to separate us from the , ledger was generally known by that -fan't he enjoying himself "" remark- tides of thought that are flowing iu the ! name in the regiment; a.nd it is equal- e( , one old man ro auof | ler ' \vhat a world outside. j ly true that there was then serving trea , |g fo| . the ljkes ofniu ,. But Do these things sound common- j in the Royal Artillery a gunner of the whv nn - t ^ ey , et all |he loonitfs out place? "Adventures meet the adven- name of Thomas Atkins, whose meth- 1 on a niglu ]i , he tnis? - tin-on*." the proverb says, and no one d of keeping his accounts was honor- 1 -. We i] rep n e( i , ue other, "m^bbe cau set upon cue of these adventures with courage and perseverance and open heart, withou 1 mfeiiiig liis reward. sooner cr later ed by almost general adoption In the thev ai[a go liarn , lesa . M thh'nV service . . Got What He Needed. "You are working too alianl." said s policeman to a mar who was drill- ing a hole In a sftfp at"2 oVIock in the morning. "What di> yon mean?" Hsked the burglm* in H cl^concerteU tone. "I menu you need arrest," answered Uie uclicf-uiaa. Canadian Forest Tree Seeds. During the season of 1920, the work of collect ing the cones of coniferous trees for reforestation purposes went on in practically all the provinces. The work was. perhaps, most vigorously pressed 1u the West where the Do- minion Forestry Branch collects seed for its own forest, nurseries and for tli Forestry Commission of Great Britain, but, to a greater or less ex- tent, it wa,s done in till the provinces, either by government or private in- dividual. This Is a hopeful sign in re- ganl to fou>st conservation. ____ A The Right Instinct. "Ccnie. Dorothy," said her father impatiently, "ihrow your doll on the bed snd hurry or we shall be late." "Oa<Uly. how can you'?" reproved the child. "I Isn't that kind of a mnvver." Small, non-poisonous snakes are Lady: "Seems to me eig"ht tents is very useful on the farm. They live, an awful price for an egg-" Farmer: mostly on insects. Big snakes eat "Lady, you forget that that represent* birds' eggs. whole day's work for a hen." Stories of Famous People I'rncess Mary's marriage to Vis- tains the age of t*.>iity-on- years oc count Lasceltes (pronounced I^assels i ' marries." Shr ilraw^ :t n.s lout; as srm will be the third instance of daughters lives, of the Uoyal Family marrying peers or The special order relatoig to the heirs to peerage* The first was Louise, fourth daughter of Queen Vic- toria, who in 1871 married the ftlar- Royal Family which the King Usm.'d iu that of Princess 1917 provided that in future the only ; "Princes" and "I'ri licenses" were tc be children a::i! u: atuich.ililren >,( tlm quess of Ix>rne. afterwards Duke cf Sovereign Tie tnJe "Hoyai Highness" Argyll; the second the Princess Koyal ' was to be hUl only by the Sovereign's aud the Uuke ot Fife. j children aud by his grandchildren ia Unless he forgoes her official in- i th male line not by grandchild ran come. Princess Mary will continue to ! who are children of a King's daughter. draw, after her marriage, the annual Thus. th<mgli the children of the sum ot 6.000. Thi< is provided 1111- Prlnoc of Wales ond his brolhers dr the Civil List Act of 1 9 10 for each j would be Royal llighnesse*. thom; ot I A damper on his enjoyment waa, daughter of Sovereign "who t- 1 Prl:ic. Mary would not be.