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!^^>,tt«,i'»,.*^r : â- â- â€¢<M#*i|p ^ r* LORD KILLEEN'S REVENGE Lord Killcen'H nevc>nKe CHAPTER X.â€" (Continue'l.) "She haa become u Ulue Hililxmito erer since ber doctor forbid her stim- ulants of any sort, anil »ho fmind her- self ill «rant of u fresh scns;itioii Kvans followed suit, its in duly Iwund. iind ia now II flrst-cl.isa apustle of the temper- anee croed." "Hut what has all this to do ^^'ith his voice .'" asked Mrs. Blake, who want- ed to hear the very last bit of scandal. The rest of it wiis a tale that was told. "I'll tell you." said IJ.irry ; "only Mrs. Dundas and Slronge haven't read Volume I. With regard to his voir,e, you know be makes his a's o's, an<l gen- erally plays 'Old Harry" with his vow- els. Well, the other day he went up to Cairns, and.' when bia visit was at an end. found himself in the hall with Mrs. Harrington, lie knew she prideil herself upon the hall, which is, in<loed, a special feature at Cairns." "It is every feature rolled into one. It is the whole house," said Mrs. Ulake. "It's a nice bit of architecture, and beyond dispute old." put in Varley. "If it bad l)een young ft would have been the same to Kvans. whose anteced- ents, I should s.^y. would preclude the pof!=iliility of knowledge of ancestral halls; but he knew it was her pet hfibliy. so be slopped short in the mu!- dle of it, clasped his band-s reverently, and said, in a low, rapturous lone: 'What a hole r He nn-iint hall, poor man, but his extraordinary accent was the undoing of him. Constanlia burst out laughing. "How did Mrs. Harrington take it/" asked she. "Uadly. She will not now be per- guaile<l that be did not mean it. She thinks herself clever, bui in reality her brains are of a very niedio<"re quality. Blie al>u.ses hini right an<l left, and has opened negotiations with the master of a German school, with a view to send- ing her eldest son abroad, to avoid the pernicious influences of home teach- ings." "P<K)r Bobby Harrington!" said George. "1 wonder how he will like the black bre.ad and the sauerkraut, the unkempt wigs, and the dirt gen- erally 1 1 gui'SH he'll have to whistle for his bath there," "Nimsensel" .suid Constanlia, "1 dare say he will find himself much happier there than at home." "Which won't lie .saying much for him" laughed Mrs. Dluke. "So that is the end of the failhful friendshi|)"b>'twe<in the Kvanses and the Harringtons" "The e.vtjiiiie end. Mr.s. Harrington go*« alioul now, everywhere, telling nil of her lu-iiuaintances how instdeiit Mr. I'vans has been to her, his Im>sI friend (she dwells strongly uiMHi fav- srs past), anil how he called the l)est bit of her house 'a hole." " "Mr. Evans is to be pilled," s.iid Con- slantla, "Anil after all he has sacri- ficed, too. for her I Someiiinus even his sclf-resiiect." "X man like that Is not 'o be pilieil!" exclaimed Mrs. Uuiidas. with a curl of her short upper lip. 'Poufl What a poor creiture I You agree with me?" She spoke lo Varley, who, however, made her no reply. .Self-re.spcot ! Where was his t "Uii, yes, pity is due lo him in off its stem with a view to crushing it into the thick, sweet cream uixm her plate, "1 never doubt," she said, slowly, "I always know I" At this instant the dour waa thrown ojien, and Minnie, who was a person of impulse, almost precipitated two men into the room. "Mr. I'eatherston, Mr. O'Grady," she cried, at the top of a fresh, jubilant voice. She was evidently delighted with this addition Uj Miss Connie's party. "The more the merrier," was I a motto of hers, when "the more" ! meant men. j Constanlia started visibly and blush- ed crimsfin. She had not had the cour- age to invite Keatlierston, and now he I had come ! Did all the world know of ] this simple affair of hers< If at, there I would l)e a reckoning yvhen Aunt I Bridget came home. She was so pretti- ! ly, so softly confused, that Keatherston ' could not fail to mark it, and it was ; apjiarent al.so to tliose other two who loveil her. .Slronge, noli'ii:g I hat quick, bright flush, paled perceptibly, and Barry grew slorr.iy as a thundercloud, ' There was little love lost between him I and Keathersdm at any time, but now appeared, Featherston, who caught a | last word and made it public. i "Hiding," tie said, aloud; "were you, talking of riding. Mrs. Dundas / That ; bay mare of yours is hardly up to the i mark. I shimld s.iy. This morning be- â-  fore breakfa.sl, when I saw you and' Lord Varley down by Ringrone, it oe- j curred to rao it w,as somewhat imprud- ent of you lo venture al-roiid so early, on so sorry an animal, Dundas should see to it," Donna's eyes tixik a darker hue. "Would that sorry animal have been safer in the afternoon?" she asked, smiling. "\o, of course not; what ncnsense I" cried young George M.ic.Gillicuddy, taking her side with a generous ardor, though altogether unaware of the un- der-meaning of the words siKiken. "Well, disregard my hint if you will." said Fealherslo^, shrugging his shoul- ders. "Hints a& a rub fall through. But I can assure you there is no safely in the path you are now pursuing. That bay mare is thoroughly unsound, and liable to come to gry f at any moment. Why, she h,asn't a leg to stand on. O'- Grady, who saw her and you, this morn- ing, agrees with me in warning you toâ€"" "1 beg your pardon," interrupted ure," said Mrs. Bl.ike. "Ili^ has gone so far with the. Mine Hiblxin measure that he cannot draw bark, and lo fare the world forever with a blue rag pin- ned upon one's breaal rjsquires cour- age" "ll won't dlsioncert him."" said Barry, "he is as fond of water as a iluck." "Or Sir Wilfrid Lawson." suggested Siriinge, laugiiing. "I'luiii what you havi- .said, yes, after all, I withdraw my first words; he is worthy of piiyl" cried D<mna, gayly. .She was looking lovely, radiant. She wa^ picking out I he biggcsl slraw- birrii's from llie dish before her, and w.i> evidently en.joyiiig I hem. ,Sho had said no to the tea, and yes lo the champagne, and was en,j<>ying that, tmi, qiiilc thoroughly, lliougb drinking it out of a I umbler. When I be Blue KiblMjii craze over- look oUl .Miss MacGiliicuddy, she h^id fiilli'ii foul of wine-glassi'S, and had 'onsisgiied them lo Ihe lowest ileplbs, in III her words, l he uudergrnuinl cel- lar. Wine-ifla.s.ses I vile, iiiiiiioral word! Out ol hiT sighl with I hem; miserable reminders as they weie of demorali/ing p.igan orgies ! .She Would have bnikeii liir liiiotreniliiig glasses, bill for Ihe frug.il spiiil wiihln her, and > failing courag,' l,i CosI good money, she .squared mailers wilh hei conscience by cjiiisigning them lo limlm. .V linilHi inacce.ssllile, considering the key of it was always in lier own iKski't ; I here I hey wiiiild never see the light of day, or tempi Ihe Iraim- gre.ssor lo a persisleme in his fiillv. "Well, you see it was iiiisine.ss brought me," .said Lord Varley. gener- ally ;" or shall Wf siy it kept me/' Hero he liHiked :il Donna. "I shiiuld have pro- senled mvself earlier, no doubt. Iiut for Mrs. (J'r lanugan's^ reiterated injunc- tions; but I assure" you 1 ran all the way here once I goi rid of her, so as to be in lime I" "In time for sharply. "To see you,' Ing. "Haven't Barry's thoughts grew' murderous. He rei'ovcred himself, however, almost at once, and matters went on smoothly. Keatlierston. after a swift, surprised glance at those already in the room, had ll' 'ked at Coii.->tanlia with a cer- tain se.se of injury in his glance. If every one else was here, why had he been ignored/ Lord Varley even I She unlerstood the mute reproach, and was -sorely stricken by it ; but how could she explain to him all thing.s then, and lh:it Donna had asked her.self, and that Varley liad not been asked at all I I'euiherston, after that one swift glance, had found a chair and seated himyelf at the corner of the talilo next til her, and therefore next lo Donna, who drew her skirts aside with that in- describalile little gesture of hers, that was so full of fascination because so full of welcxime, and had given him a smile that was dazzling. O'Grady, who was comparatively a stranger, and who was sLanding near' Constanlia, saw the smile, and won- dered about several things. "Mr, O'Grady, can you find a ch:iir ?" said Connie, timidly, but graciously. She liked the tall, lean traveler. "George, gel a chair for Mr. O'tirady. I am sorry," she went on. gravely, lie- cau.se of a little saddening that she felt on account of thai reproachful glance of Keatherston's, "1 am sorry there is not more room for everylmdy, , butâ€" May I ask you lo try and squeeze in here, just near me ; and will you ] liave .some slrawlmrries ? or some of I this cake ? 1 made it myself. And I shall I intrixluce you toâ€" D<inna, do you know Mr. O'G roily /" "Ses. We have met," said Donna, leaning far back on her chair, so as lo turn up a lovely, smiling face to O'- tirady. It was a fiu-e full of fascina- tion, but O'Grady, after the coldest re- cognition of its merits, turned aside, and devoted himself lo his hostess, lie thought her a .sweet little girl, and did full justice to the honesty of the clear eyes and the firm lips. Donna followed his movements meditatively. She ac- knowledged her defeit. and quite un- derstiMid that ho wished lo show her discouitesy in a courteous manner, or at le.ist to refu.se to be charmed by her, charm she ever so wisely. When she h.id altogether .satisfied herself about this she drew her breath sofily but sharply, and instinctively (flanced at Hlro.Tge. to find him rcg.irding her with an al tent ion deep enough to have excited plejusure in her liieast. It creaiHil. however, only suspicion. "Already two fiM's." she said to her- stdf; "and they, loo, of the wrong sex !" .She shook off her momentary chagrin and prepared lo m.ike hirrself charming to h'eal herslon. To do this she was compelled to turn her shoulder Varley, which al.so suit.Ml her "Donna," s'id Constanlia, leaning towiird her, "do you Mr. .Slronge is going lo invite us all I some evening lo that woiidertul strong meas- i |„,|(| „f his, Inchiionef panior O'tirady," gently but coldly, "I should not presume to offer advice to Mrs. Dundas. on so very short an acquaint- ance." Varley. who was rather pale, now turned lo l-'eatherston. "If advice is necessary." he said, "it surely comes better from an old friend. An entire stranger should in my opin- ion be the last to offer it. You see 1 agree with Mr. O'Grady in this." He smiled suiHTciliously. "'I know the bay mare well, of which you speak. It was. I lielieve, Iwught off your estate, through your steward." "Tut ! what a worry .ilxiut such a soulless affair as a horse I" said .Mrs. Dundas, with a charming moue. "Silly boy !" .siiid she, addre.s.dng Varley with a half-lenient, half-coiiuettish air that gave her at once another charm, "Butâ€"" liegan Varley, ,somewhat hotly. "Ah!" cried she, merrily, "will no- thing slop you f Must I then have recourse to force 1" As she spoke she took up a huge strawberry, and pressed it with her dainty, slender fingers against his lips. Of course he took it, anil of course he laughed, and then the dangerous argument was at an end. But Keatherston had sown his seed, and was not discontented. The seed stiwn was fear, and Mrs. Dundas in due time would reap it, and turn to him for ad- vice in her perplexity-, and know her- .self in his power. Yet. after all, he hardly knew Mrs. Dundaa. They waxed merrier as the minutes flew; Mrs. Blake, who loved tea better than anything in the world, except, per- haps, her husband, had just had an- other ciqi, and Donna a little more champagne. I Never had The Collage lieen guilty I of M) much laughter. It was a regular j frolic, and at odd moments Conslan- lia's heart l>ejit rather loudly in her I liosom as she thought of what Aunt Bridget would say when she found it ' out, and thanked her stars so many milcii lay between i hem at the pres- ent hour. Harry was in the middle of I u rather exciting tale, and he stood up j to illustrate it. "Look," said he, "he held bis hand up like this"â€" arm extended on high with a tumbler at the end of ilâ€" "he just I totik one step forward , every i,ne knew ; the last second hud arrived; they were 'breathless with 8U.spense ; their blood r,'in cold ; wht-n suddenly the door waa I flung wide open, andâ€"' He w.us quite right. It was flung open, andâ€" Muss MacGillicuddy stood upon the threshold I CIIAI'TEU XI. upon presently, ' "''f' know that ; O'"'"'' 'Ah, .so!" cried Mrs, Dundaa, "Now, what a h.ippy t bought I But do not let the 'siimc evening' be too soon, I en- treat you, Mr. .Slronge; because 1 have some people canning to me at the end of ne.\t week, and it will l)e a common chill it y to help me lo entertain them." "Let us s,iy the week after next, then," returned .Slronge, agreeably, if rather indifferently. "Donna," said l'"eather»ton. A dead pause followed bis utler.'ince of Mrs, Duiidns's Christian name, and every- body looked at him innuiringlyâ€" Con- stanlia with open astonishment and a quick flush, Viirlcy with a frown. l''eatlierston. however, was unmoved ; and, after all, it appeared he was not addressing herâ€" was merely giving sound to tier name, which bad puzzled him. "I li-.ir it is Miidnnna in reality; butâ€" You will iKirdon me, Mrs. Dun- das," he said, in bis low, musical voice; "but your n.iiiie ha.s Ix-en such of specuh'it ion to me. It is one so strange, so full of meaning. Is it your rl^â- ll name, or one assumed as being peciill:irly adapted to â€" " "I'll me?" asked Mrs. Dundas. She seemed aimised. "It waa assumed." she .said; "in so far your gue.ss was a . correct one. It was best owed upon mo inmbilaii' what liad ! ,i |„nj{ |.i„„, „^,, ^^ lining specially siiit- ^ shi' " " ed III my features; a name suggestive' of gnoilness only sluuild belong to a face j was .stjiiiding. wiih her of the same ly|ie.'" She glanced at him I moving convulsively, ii from under tier long lashes; it was a ' "" glance provoc:itive and full of quick mischief. "I was never christened," she went on, calmly J "tint when a baby they called me Mary." "Madonna Mary I" exclaimed Mrs. Bliike. lifting her lirows. Never lo lie chrislencd I There certainly was some- thing mid about the woman Uiyond her excessive lieaoty- something, waa it heathenish 'I what?" asked Norah replied Varley, laugh- 1 just told you how I ran all tln^ way i!" "Yoii don't seem overfatigued I" re- niurked Airs. Diiiidas, dryly. "Your Cinxiely lo tie willi your lieloved lias not taken much out of you. Ynu look pretty coiil, considering !" "Do you doubt me /" asks he. His tone was in a measure Jesting, yet there was an under cur rent of serious meaning in it, tliil betrayed itself to Strongc. Mrs. Dundas snulnil and dropped her eyes. .She help«fl lier.self In another larg.i strawliMrry. iind leisurely picked "When Mrs. Dundas was quite a lit- tle girl," explained Constanlia, gravely, "an old artist in Home was .so struck by I..-:' likeness to n the Virgin that hi Modern Madonna.' The picture was bciiitiful, 1 often heard â€" so gimd, so g.iilly, so full of holy light I" "That was old llardi," said Donna, "Yis; he iisi'd (ii say I had a face like iin iingel." .Slu- burst out laughing. "You must have lieen a very (leaf little girl." said l''eatlierst<in, in quite a kind, brotherly sort of way. ""I exp.'ct I was," returned she, "Dear at any price," Varley lieni toward her, and said somelliing that nnlmdy otiuld hear. No- body wanted to hear it, except, as It There w.is silence in that parlor for I a very considerable minute. Mr, Bar- ry's tale has iM-en illu.st rated for him far more generously than be either dreamed or desired. '.Vheii the deailly lull had grown posiiively insupportable, it was broken in a rather dreailful man- Mrs, Hlake, who was young and icalely alive lo ihe ludicrous, gave way to ll wild and perfectly irrepres- sible burst of laughter. I'hia destroyed the spell that held them. Mr. Slronge, tearful for Con- stanlia, rose abruptly to his feet and made a movement toward the tiorgon in the dcKir-way. The others stirred niore or less. Mrs. Blake, still shak- ing with laughter, went to the window; Varley and Mr. O'tirady took a step furtherâ€" they cleared the sill. and found theni.selves in the garden. Constanlia, however, though evident- ly fright.em>d out of her wits, sat still; and Mrs. Dundaa seemed entirely un- dislurlied. She looked at Mi.ss Miu-Gil- j licuddy. who was plainly fuming, wilh I a plea.sed exix'ctancy in her eye, and put another big strawlierry between nor I sharp, while teeth, with a sense of . thoidiigh enjoyment. Mr. .Slronge. who ought to have re- iceived Ihe Victoria Cro.ss, went up lo , Miss Mactilllicuddy, 1 "Dear Miss MacGillicuddy, this in in- • deed an unexpected pkvisure," he .said, a cau.se i "But 1 fear you must lie very tired. ; Do sit down, and let your niece give i you a cup of tea." ! "It Is beyond my deserts, sir, that you I should make ine so welcome in my own I home," replied ..Miss MacGillicuddy, grimly. Shl^ waved him back iuuieriously, and gazed wilh a .stern glance around her. looked from ime to the other in turn, and marked where Mrs, Blake shoulders still . . in the window. She o(H>ned her lips aa if to speak, and Barry, seeing this, rushed into the breach, "My dear madunie, if you will just consider the long journey, theâ€"" Here he caught her eye, and wavered and quivered, and finally broke down, '"Let me get you a gla.ss of U-a â€" that isâ€" er â€"a cup of chaâ€" Ohâ€" erâ€" a glass ofâ€" that isâ€" I meanâ€""" He faltered in a melancholy manner, "Young man," .said Miss MacGillicud- dy, sternly, "when you know what you do mean it will U- high time to speak." picture there of She regarded him fixedly. "Vou do the named her 'The part to perfection," she said; "if you had rehearsed it, it could not lie liet- ter."" "The part?" stammered he. "Ayâ€" of a find." said she. This was terrible. Harry, entirely eriished, fell out of the conversalinn and sunk into silence. He had. with much foi'clhoiight. swallowel bis champagne, and now trusted in I'rovidence that, in spiUi of his fatal speech, she would pass over the tumblers; though, aa a rule, IM'.ople do not take their tea out of them. The dlscussloa had, however, luien of some use. It had given Georg" time foY action. lieing a medical sludenl of Trinily College, Dublin, he waa natural- ly full of resources, and while his aunt was having this light and playful skir- mish with Barry, he had made bis way, unobserved even liy her eagle eye, to the aidt^lxiard, and secured the cham- pagne Iwitles, full and empty, had de- posiled them tiencath a aide-table with a napkin flung over them, and now- stood liefore that side-table with anus folded calmly on his breast, prepared to sell his life as dearly as possible. Hut 'Miss MacGillicuddy, being ig.; .â- â- - ant of the existence of these loiiles, made no advance upon his quarter. Her whole energies were now concentrated ujion Mrs, Dundas. "Donna Dundas," said she, "What have you got in that tumbler ?" Donna looked pensively at her cham- pagne "Lemonade," replied she, with great prrs'uce of mind, and as a preventive against further investigation she drank whal remained in her glass. "Humph!" said Miiaa MacGillicuddy. She now looked toward the bead of the table, where Constanlia sal, cold and terrified. "Constantia,"' .laid she,'" w here did you get Ihos? SI rawlierries ?" "Constantia grew, crimson, and then pale. Mr. Slronge hesitated. To suy he sent them would get Constantia into dire di.sgrace; to refrain from siH-ecb placed all the onus on her. Once again, as hope seemed dead. Donna came to the rescue. "I sent them,"" she said cheerfully, "Are they not fine? So early in the year, loo. I quite pride myself uixjn them. "If I were j'ou I should try some. They would do you all the good in the world. They ore very â€" cooling. " Miss MacGillicuddy glared at ber.and Donna answered the glare with one of ber most charming smiles. "You look awfully queer," she said, sweetly. "Do take my advice, and sit down and have a strawberry or two; Constanlia's cream is excellent." "Where is your husband I" demanded Miss MacGillicuddy, with a gasp. "When last 1 saw him," responded Donna, pleasantly, "he was still in the fleshâ€" still a visitor upon this sordid earth; but that is many hours ago. Where he may lie now, is unknown to me." "'Why is he not with you?" ""Ah!" said Donna, "now what a dif- ficult question is that- a conundrum al- most. So many answers might lie giv- en to it; but [ supiMse one will suffice. I didn't want him." "You are a wretched woman!" said Miss MacGillicuddy, slowly, and with conviction. Mrs. Dundas regarded her, first with curiosity, tht-n with o careful reproach; after that she liroke into one of ber fits of pilent laughter that, as a rule, were so aggravating to the one injur- ed. Il set Ihe others off in spite of themselves. liven Constantia. with ruin, as it were, staring her in the face, gave way to prolonged and unseemly mirth. There is n.i knowing what Miss MacGillicuddy might not have said or done at this culmmaling point, had nut un interruption arrived. It came in the shape of Mulcahyâ€" a Mulcahy considerably the worse fur a very enormous thimbleful, and with her cap all awry. It had fallen in an easy and gracful fashion over her right eye, and thus placed, greatly enhani^d the original beauty of her featuresâ€" « hich, however, were hardly Greek; at all events, not pure Greek. She ad- vanced on Miss MacGillicuddy, who was stricken dumb by her apjiearance. "Ar'ah! what ails yf at all?" U'gan Mrs. Mulcahy, with a valor Imrn of al- cohol. "What the divil ails ye that ye should come back along home like tliis widdout a word o' warnin'/ Couldn't ye have dhropt us ,;> line, instead o' com- in' sthraight in fisi foremust to spile our nato little tay-fighi? Kegs, lis a crooked way ye have wid ye when all's lould ! 'I'hcre they was all as merry as grigs, laughln" till you could hear 'era in Ihe next county, an' there you must chiMise to come down ujion 'em (bad luck's in the word), an' freeze the bbwd in J heir veins. Wisha! "twon"t thrive will ye. an' so 1 tell ye; an' 'twas always a quare one you were. Miss JlacGilli- cuddy, an' that's the soln^r truth."" "Solierl" Miss MacGillicuddy rejieated this word after her with terrific em- phasis. "It waa indeed time 1 came hiime," she said, in a low but ringing tone, "with rioting upstairs and drunk- enness in the kilchen."' "'Who s;iid that word?" cried Mulcahy in a menacing tone. ""Who said it. 1 ax? Where is he? Show him up to me. Projuce him."' "'I said it." returned her mistress.with undiminished severity. "And now. Mul- cahyâ€" now, when 1 have caught you in the very act, as it were, when 1 hold you up t« the public condemnation, let me on.e more impress u^mn you the ne- cessity for joining our victorious ranks, and adorning your.self with this," .She detached from her own gown a morsel of blue riblion and held it out to the truculent Mulcahy, That un- worthy woman spurned it from her wilh the utmost disdain. "D'ye think I'd so deintne meself?" .said she, with withering scorn. "No, ma'am; keep your riblion for yourself. An' "lis sorry 1 am for ve." This last quite pith 'Ii ally. Miss' MacGillii uddy was plainly puzzled; she still held out the offending rililon. (To Be Continued.). aiTS, IKEA^AND EAELEY PROF. SANNDERS BFPORE THE COM- MITTEE ON AGKICULTURE. Home Very ImTuI IEIhIs fur Onr Farmernâ€" Ilellrr I'nrniin:; nii<l <°ar« In Hrirrtloa <>r >er(l4 iHiporlatil FHcluni In neeurUtf <i<M14l 4'iMpil. Prof. Saunders, director of Experi- mental farms addressed the Commit- tee on Agriculture at Ottawa the oth- er day, and gave a great deal of val- uable information concerning tests made in growing varieties of oats, wheat. Irnrley, and peas. He said, ac- cording to the returns, there waa a difference of nearly U bushels per acre lietween the average yield of oats in Canada, and of 20 iiushels when com- pared with the yield iu Holland. This was a very serious question in its bear- ing on the profits of farming, since every bushel per acre increase on the average crop of Canada made a g»in to the farmers of this country, esli- lualing the oats at an average value 01 one cent per pound, of 8825,000. There were two lines of advance open to us in regard lo the improveoient of this, aa well a.« of aii other crops. The first is lietter farming, and the next, and perhaps equal in importance, the ex- ercise of greater care iu the selection of see^i, so as to sow only the mure prolific sorts. Hm then gave the results of ii varieties of oata. all sown on the same day, at the Central Kxperi- meniai Farm, Ottawa, and the branch farms at .Nappan, N.S.,. Brandon. Man., Indian Head. N.W.T., and Agassiz, B.C. I'ulting all the plots together, it was found that the average ot the whole was 60 bushels. 3 pounds per acre, and the average difference lieiween those varieties which gave the poorest crop in each farm and those who gave the Ih'SL was 52 bushels 1 pound, 'ihe twel- ve varieties which had averaged the best at all ihe Kxperimeutal farms, ; and hence might be reg.irded as among the most productive oats in the Do- minion, were the following in their av- erage yield: American Beauty Golden Beauty Banner .abundance Columlius White Schonan i:arly Golden Prolific. Bavarian â-  Oilerbrucii I Aliyssiuia ,. I Improved Legowo b"? I Karly Archangel ti5 i j With respoci to wheat according to Ihe census relurna "for 18ai. the aver- i age J lelii was U.O bushels, as couipar- i eu with iS.O bushels for Greac Britain and 31.4 for Deuoiark. As iu the case of oais, thirty-iv\o varieties of w heat i had lieea grown in each of ihe Eiperi- I menial farms iu uniform plots, all sown j on Ihe same ilay. the average yield , of the whole waa 29 bushels 18 pounds i per acre. I'he average difference 1«- Iween those varieties which gave the I lowest yield on each farm and those whicb gave the highest was 20 bus.^eU 18 pounds. The twelve varieties of 1 spriug wheat which had averaged 'he best over the whole secies were as fol- lows : P»eston \\ hue Kite Old lied Kiver Advance Hod Fife Kio Grande llerison Bearded Bed Feru Stanley Alpha Admiral Crown The average of the liarley crop ol Canada was given as .U.I busliels, against 35.1 in tireat Britain, and ii.l in Holland. The results were given o( tests ot the differeui sorts of six-row- ed Uirley, sown last year on test plots on all the Kx|ierimental Farms, the average yield, taking into account ...75 Ifi ...74 26 "3 21 72 12 72 i . ...1)9 31 ti9 16 . ...b7 32 ti7 26 ...67 2t> Bush. Lhe. ....34 44 ...33 2 ...32 48 ...32 18 ...31 49 ....31 40 ....31 22 ...31 6 ....30 47 ...3U 40 ...30 32 ...3U 8 the returns from all the farms, was *3 ! bushels 3o pounds per acre. I'he six varieties ot .si.x-rowed birley which had averaged liest Ihruughoul, taking all 'the results into consideration were: I Bush, j Odes.sa 50 Mensury 48 Trooper 47 LlM. 30 32 2 3« 3b â- :8 A VKRY STALE LOAF. The oldest loaf in existence haa re- cently jias.stMl into the hanils of the British museum authorities. It was dis- ooverod in .V.ssyria by a French ex- plorer, M. Mont lion, together with the remnants of several other pieces of bread, carefully wrapped in cloth. It is siipiKwed that it was leavened and l«ked about the year 3(50 B.C., when il w;as the custom to put fiMid in Ihe coffin with a dead person. It reaembles a penny bun in sliuix< and color, and is in perfeet condition. The flavor did not seem lo imprtvo the explorers, but this is nut surprising considering its 2,000 years' entombment. "Mr. Insile. give the olaaa your idea of optomLsl and [wsaimist." ""Yes. air. An optomi.st is a man who is happy when he is miserable, and a pessimist ia a man who is miserable when he's happy." "Who generally gets in the last word when one of your Oiinvenlions gets in- to an arpument?'" And the lady orator looked pityingly at the masculine inquir- er, and answored:"'rhere isu"t any last word." lloyal 46 I Common ,13 i Vanguard 13 The six varieties which had giveu \lie Ileal results throughout, talcing intu I consideration all the tests, were: I Bush. Llis. French Chevalier 47 26 Canadian I'horpe 44 25 Danish Chevalier 41 6 Newton 40 M Sidney.. 40 15 Prize Prolific 40 11 Piofessor Roliertson also gave the results of tests of differeui sorts of pt>as. THE PROPU1ETIE3. But why, persisted the native, do you serve the missionary for dessert I Oh, be wa.s such a pudding, rejoin- ed his wife, lightly. The propriety of the thing was too manifest to permit further discussion. HIS PKlVlLKtiK. Phis is leap year, you know, said Miss Oldun, andâ€" i'he young man leaped. BUSINESS Is BUSINESS. Helenâ€" Have you made a leap year proposal to Jack yet t Kthelâ€" Yea, indeed. Helenâ€" What did he say? Kthelâ€" He sent me a beautiful print* ed circular saying that he reserved the right Ui rejetit any and all bids. KNEW ALL ABOl'T IT. Mistress (first day)â€" Bridget, imil you make a giKxl mock turtle soup? Bridget â€" .Sure 1 can. mum. Mistressâ€" Well. I'm going I.- market now. What shall I bring you for it? Bridget (a little flushed and perplex- edâ€" J ist a carrot, niuuv, an' a bit av • turnip an' onion an' a v^ry aoiall pieo* of mock turtle, mum. : ,o«*t«(i«m,ovs-