The following text may have been generated by Optical Character Recognition, with varying degrees of accuracy. Reader beware!

> r. , ROCK |lft 'SMk v^WHpi^^Wv tutitnera. Mr *ASTSAH HOBS IN THE MOUNTAIN'S . BREAST. *>V\< * v.".k Tp v Ha IHwv land I Tv-iir.d«red •: Tired of 1 mb and sore of bofft; . ,. .. , All WJr sordid ncl>e« uqnandet»d, "> lau tmrequiiiiig mart. EBngry, thiratv, sick with sadness, Lo^e'y. though a hott stuvound; vJRsiat With weakues*. blind with luadMSSi $ F*wnc I lay upon tho pnori. « SHot and dry mine eyes wore burning,,;. * p With a dim, aneert&in light, .• \ ' '."When, uplifting thein •with ye«fntng,;*^v tj iv-v In the distanee--what,a sight! v One great Bock, clean-clet, jwojectir f ' From a towering mountain's breistj . 4>tr*tchlngout -with sense protoctin Beckoning me to oome and rest. '•Gathering np my strength remaining : OJ 1 went though -weak and lame: < Jjid it (teemed the rook was etnrinia#°rJpi ~<i To approach me as 1 came; fieemed a living, moving b*>ir.g, Qtrt with an almighty strength, .tAs into Its presence fleeing, i " Underneath I stood at, length. .t--' E>'f "A , i&ldden from life's hot confusions, ' I f ~ ^ - ;*j 1 ? _ Mantled i r . m its Ma«ta forlorn; Ctevtsred from the rain of scora; *" JV'.fl*GMelde<i from its bright illusions. Xn the crevices I nestled, t, • v„ Y • Walled securely round about, •>Vi "With the world no more I wrestled. Guarded thus from all without. "^fr t ' ' If-* •. rJ-?-.?• ,-! tfi- i i-i" "O the shelter of that mountain's 'v-;, **??•.'> i Massive, overshiMling rock! W"* '• '1 Iiike the famished to a fountain, ^ \ it Would the world-eir.veariod Sock, 9," »"• " "Did they know how gentlv tender, & ( ®*-sf>*t Soft, as peace with love enrife, , •» .i \ i1 ' Falls its shadows, but to render, Unto all the perfect life. P, \ „ &,.*> ' L' /'• • *?• £ ' THE STORY OF AMATi. 1 .*?? JET ^UUECGAKKT A. BOBUNIX I fir - The old adobe house is a picturesque s Atin, with bat two walls standing. The California tourist may see it standing near the entratioe to a canon in the Bionutains southeast of Los Angeles. In the year 185-- it was the home of Uenorita Amata Ceballo, who lived W>.th an invalid father, devoting herself is feis ^care. Yet she was not lone'y, ta almost every evening when her fa- "fb*v sat dozing or smoking in the vesti- Wlo, aud the old woman servant was occupied by her evening duties, the pretty Senorita would hear a bird call­ ing from the shady stream near the door and knew her lover waited for ttMfr twilight visit. I The father and the old Senora knew it, too. But wasnot he her novio? and the laws of propriety were less strict than in the Spanish cities. How shall we describe her? Imagine fhe most beautiful Spanish girl you ever saw, having dark melt­ ing eyea shaded by long lashes, with a rouud rosy little mouth, end ' complexion of clearest olive that seemed like dark velvet, and, when eo perfect as hers is. more charming than any her fairer sisters may possess. This, at least, was the opinion of Don Boberto Montijo, who stood beside her listening to the mut>ic of the stream at Aheir ieet ~*Do you know; mi amado, it always Tem'iDds me of yon--this sound of run­ ning water,* she said, looking np into his face. "To me also,* lit replied, "it is our e song." ILS he spoke ahe observed a troubled aion iu his brown eyes, and au air of proud, tender posses- as he spread on the ground the -eloak he carried and drew her down to ut seat beside him. *.My heart is heavy," he said. "For dkmath mia, thig is our last visit for many months. He saw her lips tremble and felt her hands clasp tightly about his as if to Jofbid his going. 3D2aeu in a voice deepened by emotion «A with a lover's tenderness, he told liar that his business demanded his going tD the city of Mexico for an absence of one and a half years. He would leave has large rancho in the care of a younger lltother, and when he returned his for­ tune would be secure, the title to the land clear, and tliey could then be mar- sied. As he explained the details she oom- preuended the necessity of his going, in order that his estate might be secured •gainst the Americans who were pour­ ing into the oountiy and beginning to realize the value of land for other pur­ poses than gold digging. They talked for a long time that •veuiug, for there was much to be said ^and many vows and promises to be re- ^f»ated. Both knew they should cherish <the thought of these hours through the lonely eveniugs to come, and wished to ooact to taka a north-OMua kfiip. The *OT*m was pleasant, and early one mowmngthe ship entered the b*rbor at Baa Padro. He hired a hone and was soon gal­ loping over the shortest road to Amata's home. As he paused to water his horse in the vilhujv several of his acquaintances gathered about to welcome him. Boon Lucia appeared clad io her most becoming dress, and clasping handasarith bim, laughingly remarked, *Oh, Senor, your journey to the great city has made you a fine gentleman, but you had best stop to brush away the dust or Senorita Amata will compare yon to the elegant Senor Gasper." Roberto flushed angrily an1 de­ manded, "why should you speak in this fashion? Have you again quar­ reled with him ?* "Senor Gasper, is no friend of mine," she replied. "Bat I am sorry for yon, Don Roberto." Some of the by-standers laughed at this. "Hold my horse, will you ?" he said to a boy near him. Then drawing Lucia aside, he demanded, "What do do you mean?" Her manner changed instantly, and he thought there were tears in her eyes. "Perhaps I was wrong in speaking, thus, but I wished to prepare yon for the meeting. Senor Gasper rode np to her house this morning and I suppose is now there. He often rides that way, and they whispered together nearly every Sunday after mass." ^ * Roberto's face grew ashy and stern. "Are you sure of this?" he asked. "You may go and see for yourself," she replied. While they were talking she walked up the street, and now stood in the ar­ bor in her father's yard. Then the lit­ tle hypocrite began to sob and tremble and to declare that he would forever hate her as the bearer of evil tidings, and that she only told him because it would be harder to hear it from the men in the street. When a woman cries a man is either angry or distressed. And Don Roberto was not angry. So he took her hand and tried to soothe her; then rose say­ ing, "I shall go to my rancho for a few days until I have thought it over." When you return to the village," she said, "call for a few moments, I have something more to tell you. He urged to hear it now, but she de­ clared she had not strength to say more and added, "You have suffered enough already, Don Roberto." And in parting gave him a look that would have stirred the pulses of a less susceptible man. After three days he resolved to visit Amata and assure himself that it all was a cruel mistake. But unfortunately he stopped to call on Lucia. She saw him coming in the distance, and hastily calling the man servant, she induced him to go to Senor Gas­ per's room, as he was absent for the day in another town, and to take therefrom a stilletto on which his name was enr graved, and which he carried in his belt on festive occasions. "Then," she added, "ride quickly to the door of Seuorita Amata and drop this unob­ served while you ask for a glass of water. Do it well, return by another road and 1 will give you a large pnrse if you keep the secret." He bowed, Hyes, miss, yon are very kind." He had just gone when Boberto en­ tered. This time she was still more adroit in poisining his mind against Amata. When he rose to go the servant was well out of sight up the road and he did not meet him. Lucia% plot was successful. When Roberto tied his horse before Amata's door and turned to knoek, he saw the stilletto gleaming among the flowera. Picking it up, he concealed it, and, with a heart full of bitterness, met Amata with reproaches. She did not comprehend them, and he, supposing her confounded by shame, did not wait for explanation, but rode away as though pursued by the furies. The next day he met Gasper on the street and accused bim of treachery. Gaspar, half guessing the cause, and willing to do him an ill turn, laughed in a boastful manner that confirmed his worst fears. Thau Don Roberto went to San Fran­ cisco for a few months. And when he returned, somewhat the worse for dissi­ pation, he fell a prey to Lucia's wiles. And soon the report was abroad that they were to be married in June. Amata's father grew worse and was confined to his bed. Her devotion was untiring and she seldom left the house. The shopping was done by the old servant One day in April she returned from the village with the report of she was tired wad wmtlf I ratire «arly. Than she went to h«r fttHflrfi vav&iotw and taking out a com* rifeta anil, with hat and revolver, dressed herself in them. Then opening her window she dropped to the ground below. It waa now dark, but the moon would rise within a few momenta. She went up the canon ashort dif tanoe and around the curve that hid % road below, and there waited. After an interval that seemed au age, she heard the tread of five horsea and knew he was coming. Stepping into the road, ahe ordered him to halt "Who is there?" he demanded. Her heaft bounded at the sound of hie voice. "It is I, Amata, who have come to save you. You are supposed to have stolen these horses, and six men are after you! Hide quickly; they will soon be here. Do not utter a word! There is not time. I know it's a mis­ take and you did not steal them. But the men are determined on your de­ struction. Quick! I hear them com­ ing. For the sake of Heaven do as I bid youl* He, too, heard them. "What shall I do, Amata?" His voice trembled in pronouncing heir name and ahe knew it was not through fear. ' "Hide in this trea I will take the horsea and lead them past, and in the chase you will have time to escape. They will overtake me and see it is not you. I will give them the horses, and they will not harm a woman. Do, you foolish boy. I shall not be in danger," she said as he began to remonstrate. "Get out of the saddle," she ordered. He obeyed, and in an instant she had mounted and was galloping tip the road. He climbed the tree she had indica­ ted, and an instant after the men passed with threats that confirmed Amata's story. A few rods beyond, they came in sight of her, and one of them yelled, "There he is, boys, we forgot the rope, so just fire, one! two! three!" The report thundered down the canon, and Roberto, frozen with horror, heard a man shout: "Rush the horses, boys, and come back. He is done for, the damned Greaser!" In a moment or two they all rushed past him down the road. An instant more and he found Amata, a blood­ stained heap at the roadside. He called her name with infinite an­ guish and tenderness, pouring wine be­ tween her lips and holding her iu his arms. Then she opened her eyes, and, seeing him, the look of pain gave place to the sweet smile of happiness, he re­ membered so well. Amata! my darling! speak to me! say you will live--live to forgive me!" "Roberto, do yon understand--that I was true--that she lied about me--that I--love you ?" "Yes, yes, dearest; I know it all. I learned it only this afternoon. My Amata! I have been cruel, and you-- you have given your life for me." He wiped the warm, red drops from her lips and kissed her in the well re­ membered way, so long and Bweet. ' With her remaining strength she lifted her arms and olasped them about his neck. "This little hour is'worth a thousand lives without you, love," ahe said. "My brave girl; and I have let them kill you 1" "No, no; we both supposed they would capture me before firing. But, thank God, you are saved." "What will life be worth without you?" he said despairingly. "We shall love each other, dearest, always, I in heaven, you on earth. Be brave, my Reberto, and our separation may not be long." "Darling, my Amata!" he said^ bro­ kenly. She lifted her head to kiss him but fell back from weakness. He felt her heart flutter and then stop. She closed her eye3 with a little sigh as of happi­ ness, and he was alone. For a long time he sat holding her to his bosom. Then a mocking bird be­ gan its singing near him. First the low sweet notes as- of love to its mate, then rising clear, strong, triumphant in the soft moonlit air. And then, in the silence, the mountain stream filled the night with the music she loved so well. remember it all--every word and caress, j Roberto's engagement accompanied by the sweet sounds about them, the sleepy \ comments on Lucia's skill, which was flOng of the mocking birds in the trees J half guessed by a few of the villagers, overhead, the stream's music, and over ! Amata listened in silence to the end ell the clear, soft moonlight--the Cali-j of her story and then with white face fornia moonlight that reveals even the j and trembling hands, rose and went °.f flower and garment. to her room. We need not follow During his southward journey the j her. If you have loved, jfeOund of you some running stream often j understand her sufferings. If not you •roughti it all back to him-- I may sometime. She had half guessed . * be? loving words, her sweet oour&ge fttd her prayer for his safe keeping. After he had gone to the house to bid •fcrewell 16 her father, they parted, she peeping up bravely until he was out of "light. Perhaps the interval of the separa­ tion seemed longer to her than to him, fcr she remained quietly at home caring for her father and spending the leisure liours at her embroidery--the beautiful Spanish drawn work with which she trimmed garments and household linea <4pr her wedding day. Before ahe accepted Don Roberto ;• «ras the belle of the Spanish town in "he valley below, and he had wooed for •» •everal months against Senor Gaspar, he still hated, although Amata the truth and after hi3 visit, supposed he would be sufficiently just to come and hear her story, and to believe her. It was all ended to-day, the hope, the fear--but not the love and longing. She could not hate Roberto, or cease to mention him in her prayers. Sometimes a wild impulse to go and tell him all nearly gained the mastery, but was checked by the vision of Lucia holding her place and raoeiving his at­ tentions. A few days later ahe waa walking np the canon about dusk, when she heard a party of horaemeu coming down the road. Quickly hiding behind some willows that border the stream ahe waited for them to pass. But they stopped near by to water iras a model of faithfulness to him, lov- their horses and Bhe saw they were u *ng him far too well to care for the at- greatlv excited. ~~ tentions of other men. " 5 ; *Can not we again be friends? You .fnust feel lonely now," Senor Gaspar ' • „*«d oue day meeting her after the church of the mission. ,'V : 'f "No," she replied, "my thoughts are i, .ftleasant company, '* He made a few similar attempts to re- '%\pew their former friendship, but alwavs :'-*ritli the same result--her complete ^royalty to her novio. H, Ga* par's actions were watched by v *<|keeQ-e.yed little Senorita Lucia who ad- Itaired Don Roberto and admired still more his fortune. good, my fine Senorita," she .̂ bought "you refuse him, no doubt, c£1bui I sh<Ctt consider you as planning iret mifeaiings. Wait until Don Bo- I shall be the first to see irtohad not received a letter for six months, but knew reason for anxiety as the mail sadly imperfect. was now completed to and hk spirits rose as ' " . ^ Hearing their conver­ sation she was filled with horror to find that they accused Don Roberto of steal­ ing four horses from au American. They had evidence that he waa to pass up the canon that evening about 10 o'clock. After taking supper with one of their number who lived on a cross-road be­ low, they were to pursue him iu the character of a vigilance committee. Five Americans and one Spaniard composed the party. And that one was Senor Gasper. "Are you sure his horses are the ones Bicycling. The bicycle has come to stay. It is not a craze, one of the many that sweep through the land like the latest fashion. It has established itself among the per­ manent utilities. Of course, it is not adapted to every country, nor to every portion of any country; but wherever the roads are good aud not too steep, it will more and more come into practical use. Already bicycles and tricycles are ex* tensively used in England as economical substitutes for horses, needing no barn, no feed, no grooming, and no medical care. With such a machine, the pastor easily makes his calls in the most dis­ tant parts of his parish. The country doctor finds it still better suited to his needs, ready at the most sudden and urgent call, and able to wait at the pa­ tient's door with no risk from cold, how­ ever long the visit. , With its aid. too, the traveler ex­ plores the country on roads far removed from railways, and in its most pictur­ esque parts. The bicycle must have a great future in the level West. The re­ lation of good roads to its use is seen at Washington, where many thousand bi­ cycles noiselessly roll over the smoothly cemented streets. But the utility of the bicycle is not confined to the more practical ends of locomotion. It furnishes a new means of valaable exercise. This exercise is exhilerating. It is in the open air, and the rider is not forced to it for his health, but drawn to it by anticipations ot pleasure. The various modifications of the bicy­ cle ada.pt it to both sexes, and in many cases invalids might be pleasantly helped by it to health again. Pure air and a cheery state are often more ef­ fective than exercise or the most potent drugs. As a role, bicycling is less desirable than hoi-Heback-riding; but many per­ sons need the more quiet exercise, and many others cannot afford to keep nor I te hire a horse. As for carriige-riding, j it is much too passive for the needs of I most, while the constrained position is a great drawback in any case. As compared with bicycling, walking HA ift &BMAN?}. ' Vlw grnjjili' •*r*W£5S*Mty DrlrlD* It the Market. The pfojfectors of the OautemalM andPactf Ko «ab!es are said to be oon- fronted With a serious problem as to in- BUlation. What they are to use to cover their long aubmarine wires is almost as important * question as were the origi­ nal preliminary grants. They want gutta peroha, because that is the ma­ terial always used in long-distance sub­ marine insulation, and because there is no other substance that has yet been found to take its place. But the sup* ply is so limited that an attempt to buy such a quantity as they will need would send tho pr£oe from $1.75 a pound, as it is now quoted, up to $4 or $5 a pound. Gutta percha, like platinum, is a stuff that ha t increased in price as the use of electricity has become more and more general. Just as platinum has almost become the king of metals, so gutta percha has become the king of in­ sulators. It was very cheap a few years ago, but the increased demand has sent it up to $1.75 a pound now, with a con­ stant tendency to increase. The Gaute- malan people, it is aaid, have proposed the use of caoutchouc to insulate their wires, and the rubber market in con­ sequence has been expecting a boom. But experts say that while Para rubber is a good insulating material under or­ dinary circumstances, it cannot with­ stand the forces that attack it at the bed of the ocean, and it is extremely improbable that the projectors of a great cable will try any such elaborate experiments #ith it as would be in­ volved iu a trans-ocean line. ' Balata, which is neither gutta percha nor rubber, but possessing many ol the properties of the former, would be a good substitute for gutta percha, it is said, if it could be found in sufficient quantities. There is also said to be a gum on the banks of the Orinoco which makes an insulating material almost as good as guttapercha, bnt it is not found in commerce. Gutta pecoha, whioh thus bids fair to be a more important article iu the market than ever before, comes to us through England from the Malay Pe­ ninsula, India and China. Gutta, or, as it ir variously written, gutah, gatta, gittah, gotta, is the Malayan term for gum, and percha is the name of the tree. The trees attain the height of from sixty to eighty feet, with a diame­ ter of from two to four feet. The wood is soft, fibrous, spongy and of a pale oolor, marked with black lines, these being the reservoirs of gutta percha. The gutta, as it flows from the tree, is of a grayish hue, although the market product becomes almost black in its preparatory processes. The collection of gutta peroha gen­ erally takes place after the rainy season, as in the dry season the gutta does not flow so readily, The yield of a well- grown tree of the best variety is from two to three pounds. The natives ex­ tract the gum by cutting down the tree at a height of fourteen or sixteen feet above the ground. Narrow strips of bark are then removed, and are beaten by the natives to accelerate the flow of milk or gutta, which is received into hoilow bamboos or iu holes scraped in the grouud. The next step in the pro­ cess is boiling. This is conducted in a kwali," or pan of iron, in which lipie juice or cocoannt oil is mixed with the gum. When sufficiently boiled, the gutta is pressed into molds. On arriving at the port of shipment the gutta, before exportation, under­ goes examination and classification into parcels according to its quality. Nearly the whole product is then shipped to England, whence it reaches the United States in Bmall quantities and generally of the poorest 'variety. Four-fifths of the entire product is used in making cables, and nine-tenths of it is handled in England. That which is exported to this country is oftentimes only the refuse from the British shops, boiled over and remoldod. The constant diminution in the snp- ply of gutta percha was explained by an importer yesterday in this way: If a Malay or Chinese wished to plant pep­ per or anything else, he burns down a portion of the forest, and when he has raised two or three crops, he clears a new portion. Thus finely-wooded spots become denuded of trees and covered with rank grass, rendering them unift for further cultivation. Again, to ob­ tain the gum, the trees are out down, none are planted to take their places, and the result is that in districts where percha trees once abounded only one or two can now be found. A writer in au Eastern paper says that in twenty years over 90,000 piculs (of 133£ pounds each) of gutta percha were exported from Sarawak alone, and that this meant the death Of at least 3,000,000 trees. stolen from the American 7" one of them is better for some persons, and not so good for others. Walking is far less Sea, Senor,* replied Gaapar, "I am violent exercise, but the movement ic 8nr®- _ v j either case brings into active use the lhen, exclaimed the tider," by muscles of the arms, chest aud baok. exclaimed the rider," by G----*» we will give him what horse­ stealing deserves!" The riders burst into imprecations, showing the sentiment of the times when horse-stealing and murder were regarded as equal crimes. Wh«n they had gone, Amata hurried home. Her father was « Hi" n$& "V", J . " Most people who can have the use of a bicycle find walking too slow and ilk' some, and the mental state ia an im­ portant factor in all physical exercis*-- Youth's Companion. OCB prayers only ge aa far aa our It Nearly Broke Off the Match. Just before the charity ball last winter a certain young South-Sider was paying such assiduous attention to a certain young North Side woman that Mrs. Grundy had it they were engaged. The young woman, of course, knew better, but she did think matters had progressed to the point where he was sure to ask her to go to the ball. So she declined two invitations from other admirers. The invitation she wanted never came. Her parents were not so­ ciety people and she had to stay at home. He didn't go, either. The next time he called she was chilly. The threatened storm blew over, however, though nothing was said on either side about the ball, and the other day they were married. They did not take a wedding trip, bnt went at once to their modest little home. The next day the young husband greatly surprised his bride by taking a sealed envelope from his pocket-book and throwing it in her lap. It was ad­ dressed to her. MOpen it, honey," he aaid, fcit belongs to you." Honey" opened it and found the following memorandum: Ticket flO Flowera ,,•» .,.,... 10 Carriage ....f........... 5 Total 025 Why, Tom," said she, "what on earth does this mean ?" "Perhaps yon will remember that you didn't go to the charity ball last win­ ter?" "Perhaps." "Well, just as I was getting ready to write you my mother came to me and: 'Tom, are yon going to the charity ball?' 'Sure,' saidX 'I s'pose you're going to take that Jones girl?' said she. 'Sure,' said I. 'My son,' said she, 'don't you do it. It'll oost you $25--$10 for a ticket, $10 for flowers, and $5 for a car­ riage.' 'What of it ?'said I. 'Are you going to marry her?' said sh& 'Guess not/ said I, lying, of course. 'Then I wouldn't spend $25 on her,' aaid she. 'Well,' Baid I, 's'pose I am thinking of asking her to have me ?' 'Then I certainly shouldn't waste $25,' said she. I kind of thought things over and--you're Mrs. Smith and there's the $25. ^ Get your­ self something pretty with it, Honey." she didn't iWW itt utf way or other "Honey* doesn't aaem ao swett on her mothec-ia* law as she was. ̂ V Her Old Char** In Danger. 'v- There is a well-to-do yonng SonlSorn man in thia city who lives in a handsome residence not far from Central Park, and he has among other vatned posses­ sion A H family of seven children. H© had been "brought up" by an old negro "mammy" somewhere near Alex­ andria, Va.. and when his wife recently suggested that another nurse be secured for the children his thoughta reverted to Aunt Maria. He decided to bring the old negress here, and in a few weeks she was comfortably installed in the nursery, much to the awe of the Northern born young Southrons, who were not familiar with the institutions of a bygone age and who did not quite understand Aunt Maria's authority. The young man has a telephone in his house, and as the old negress hsd never heard of that invention she looked upon it at first with wonder and then with suspioion. The jingling bell, receiver and other necessary adjuncts were more than Aunt Maria's mind could Master. She would never go near "dat debbil's t.'jng nohow." Finally one day last week S. rang up from his office, aud after a brief conver­ sation requested his wife to send the old woman to the telephone. A great deal of persuasion was required to make her consent, but she waa finally induced to place the receiver at her ear and listen. "Is that you, Aunt Maria?" inquired S. over the wife. An expression of astonishment spread over the old woman's countenance, quickly followed by one of awe and another of fear. For several minutes she stood bewildered, and then she shouted: "L-L-Lawd a mass.*!, Mars' Randolp'! How you done git down in dar ?" Then Bhe decided that he could not but be iu danger. "Come out'en it!" she cried. "Youse up to some more dem pranks like when yo' was a chile. Come out'eu it! You'll git hurt I'se eomin' den arter you," and with that ahe started for the street door. Mrs. S. had hard work to keep Aunt Maria at home until "Mars' Randolp'" arrived. She refused to have matters explained, and abjured him by every­ thing not "to go down in dar again." She has never gone near the tele­ phone since. -- New York Herald. Poisoning by -Nurcotios. The principal narcotio poisons are laudanum, morphine, and opium. Of laudanum the fatal dose is at least two drams, two grains and a half of the ex­ tract are said by Tanner to be equal to*, four grains of the crude opium, while De Quincy could take sixteen ounces of the tincture of opium daily; infants have been killed by a single drop of laudanum, whifh is equal to about the twelfth of a grain of opium. No one should use laudanum, opium, or mor­ phine without the express orders and daily watchful care of a physician, for all these drugs have an entirely differ­ ent action in health aud sickness, as will be shown in an article devoted to the so-called opium habit When an excessive dose of any of these narcotics is Buspected, a physioian should be immediately called, and pending his arrival every effort Bhould be made to keep the patient awake. The symptoms of poisoning are grad­ ually increasing giddiness, drowsiness, stupor, slow, heavy breathing, weak pulse, pallor, and final coma. There may be nausea, and even convulsions. The first remedial action is to free the stomach by means of emetics or the stomach pump; then rouse the patient by slapping the chest and neck with a wet towel, dashing cold water about the head and face, walking up and down-- ont of doors if that is necessary--giving electric shocks, and even artificial respiration when other means fail to rouse from the stupor which precedes death. Strong coffee may be useful as an adjunct The case should be in the hands of a competent physician, in a word, keep the patient awake until the doctor arrives, loosen the clothing, and keep the head eool. " The treatment for auffocation by illuminating gas is the same, applied with utmost vigor.--Harper's Bazar, X>ite oi a.Crow. "Do you know that the average life of a crow is 100 years?" said au Atlan- tian who poses as a naturalist "It is ao. One was killed down in Dougherty County a few weeks ago with '37' branded on his back. He was well feath­ ered everywhere except just between the wings on his back, where the figures '37' could be distinctly seen branded iu the flesh. I can see but one meaning to that, and that is that someone caught him in 1837, branded the figures on his back and released him. But it is the first case of branding a bird I have ever known. "Terrapins live even longer than crows. One is said to have been caught down in the Savannah River recently with the figures '177G' cut in its shell. And fish. There are fish alive to-day that are known to have been in exist­ ence more than 100 years ago. In the Royal Aquarium at St. Petersburg are fish put iu there 150 years ago."-~J2> lan ta Constitution. A bti-atght Tip. He was trying to spread himself over three seats in a bridge oar when a hustler came along and seized him by the knee aud gave him a whirl which not only faced him about but landed him on hands and knees on the floor. "W-whaz zhat fur?" stammered the nvan as he picked himself up. "I wanted a seat here," was the reply. "Shay," said the first, as a quiet smile stole over his fac& "You thought I was asloep, didn't you?" "Yes." "Zhat'a horse on you, aa' you owe me "Zhas right--zhas right! Put 'er there! Been drunk fr most a week. You thought I was asleep. Accused me wrongfully an 'pologized like a gem'- lan. All right; shake again! Perfect gem'lan--perfeot gem'lan." ' 'Vfe imm ; • - ip"/' teoga and w* FiUTO to tQUow, | Pf «our*« shg protested V * v - J , T . j . L%. . . I t . * . . . \a , y . j Wheat Urowtng from s Boy's Ha^d A grain of wheat has sprouted in the fore-head of a 5-year-old boy. On May 15 little Thomas Stretch, the Bon of Miller Reeve A. Stretch, of Lower Al- loway Creek Township, was quite seri­ ously (injured by being caught in belt at the mill and would have been killed but for the promptness of his father in stopping the machinery. He has now almost recovered from "the ef­ fects of the accident, but a few daya ago a dark spot was noticed over his eye. It was carefully opened with a lauoe Mid was found to be a grain of wheat, which was sprouted. The grain waa probably forced under the skin when his head struck a bin while he was being whirled around the ahaft-- Philadelphia Press. lTEMa OFWTBWEBT. . A SINGULAR siglit vas witnessed not long ago in Panama harbor. A man in a small boat had sucoeeded te harpoon- ioff an immense shark. The shark inade off with the boat, and the man had to shout for assiataace. Other boats eame to hia aid, until there were seven boats in line; bufc this did not seem to trouble the fish, for it continued to rapidly tow them all to sea. At last the shark contrived to disengage him­ self from the harpoon, es­ caped. CHICKEN thieves are likely to shun the hen-roosts of an ingenious man in Waterbury, Conn., if they are unfortu­ nate enough to make one visit The roosts are copper rods, and the door, when opened at night, starts an elec­ tric alarm in the owner's house. He then sends a current through the roost­ ing rods, and all the fowls cluok and crow in a startling chorus. FEW of our readers have ever seen the "augry tree." A woody plant, ten to twenty-five feet high, bearing this name, grows in Arizona, Nevada and Eastern California. When disturbed it manifests signs of vexation--ruffling its leaves like the hair on an angry cat, and emitting an unpleasant odor. THE police in Paris are perplexed at t^happenings in a so-called haunted house at No. 123 Boulevard Voltaire. Officers sent to investigate have been cuffed and kicked by invisible hands and feet, the tables prance around like colts, while deafening noises are almost incessant during the night. A GIRL in Atchison, Kansas, proudly proclaims that ske has saved sufficient money to pay the expenses of her bridal tour. We thiak that the man who can* not supply the cash for this purpose ought to defer his marriage or be con­ tent with a very short tour. COUNT VON MOLTKE, although a brave man, had one wholesome fear--he was afraid of Italian cooking. When he and his wife were traveling in Italy, she went into the kitchens of the houses where they stopped, and her­ self prepared their meals. A SICK boarder, while stretched on his bed in a Ludington, Mich., hotel, saw a mass of black ants slowly crawl- up the side of his room, aud he watched them for six hours. The seemingly endless procession #as fully one foot wide. THE Iter. Charles A Parrish, a colored orator, of Kentucky, has become quite popular with his congregation since he earnestly advanced the belief that Adam was a black man, and the forbidden fruit a watermelon. A TRAINED bat, belong to Wm. Hester, of Spring Hill, Pa., conveys messages like a carrier pigion. Its speed is very great--more than two miles a minute. It recently flew a mile in 27} seeonds. THE man who stole a red-hot stove has been rivaled by the ingenious gen­ tleman, who, in Hoboken, tapped an electric wire and nightly stole enough electricity to illuminate his entire house. A THREE-LEGGED eolt wa* lately foaled on the farm of Herbert Meranda, near Scottsburg,' Jnd. The missing i~e/nber is a foreleg, and there is no sign of one where it ought to be. AN unapproachable cow is owned by a farmer in Kennett, Pa. The animal swollowed a stick of dynamite, and no man can be found who is brave enough to milk her. THE Notre Dame Cathedral, Mon­ treal, has the largest bell in America. It weighs 24,780 pounds, is eight feet seven inches in diameter, and six feet high. Ten, Mills, ami Tannin Fallacy. About once a month during the last ten years I find in the newspapers some­ thing like this: "Tea drinking de­ stroys digestion and oomplexion. The tannin in the tea unites with the casein of the milk and results in an indigestible substance like leather." Now, I have become tired of this perenial lie. It is one of those base­ less assertions that non-scientific cor­ respondents like Shirley Dare and Kate Field think neccessary to inflict upon a suffering public. In order to disprove such assertions I institute d a number of experiments: 1. I mixed equal quantities of a strong decoction oi tea and milk, allowing it to stand an hour at a temperature of 98 degrees Fahrenheit A few drops were placed under a high power microscope. Not a trace of coagulated casein was visible. The oil globules were perfect Tannin will not coagulate casein, nor change its character in the least Casein is only coagulated by pepsin aud the acids. Not all the acids do this, principally muriatic and lactic. Tea, therefore, be it ever so strong, does not affect digestion. Neither does it affect albumen, at the ordinary heat of the body. The assertion that it makes the complexion dark and muddy is ground­ less. English women, who are the greatest tea drinkers in the world, ex­ cept the Chinese, retain their lovely complexion until late in life. Tannin is not taken up into circulation, except as gallic acid, and it can not by any possibility discolor the skin. 2. A strong decoction of tea was mixed with milk. To this was added liquid peps>in, which soon coagulated the casien.' This shows that strong tea does not retard the digestion of milk. Strong tea when poured upon the curds of milk, at the temperature of the human body (98 degrees,) does not harden the curd in the least This dis­ poses of the "leather" theory. Nine* tenths of the alleged ill effeets of tea have no foundation in fact. Tea is ab­ solutely necessary iu this neurotic age. It prevents the excessive waste of the organism in these days of hurry and ex­ citement.-- E. M. Hale, M. JX, in In­ ter Ocean. Bangor's Unique Welcome. When General Grant! was President he visited Maine, accompanied by sev­ eral members of his Cabinet, to formally open the then American aud European Railroad, running from Bangor to the New Brunswick line. Bangor had never been honored by the presence of a "first oitizeu" before, and the city was dressed in gala garb to receive him. It so happened that the most imposing structure iu the city is the jail, and it has extensive grounds and shade trees in front of it Wheu the procession from the rail­ road station had reached the grounds the General's attention was called to the crowning feature of the decorations. A large floral arch had been constructed at the entrance bearing the inscxipiicu|; j "WELCOME." . "Ah," said the General, much pleased,* "what public building is that ?" "The jail." replied a member of the committee, and then for the first time the blunder of it dawned upon them, and that committee felt as despicable as a drink of prohibition whisky.--JTeto York Herald. THE P®iiL OP DEATH. A HwrUlur Spring; That nmslss a III' Which MMM Can Breathe nnd Ura \V/ V" ? v c ," < / ,„ v r * f a % i oS v . 4 i * V- <> "Talking about Death Valley," Gavin McNab, according to the San Franeisco Chronicle, "I know a spot in this State where no living thing can ex* ist five seconds, and the place » within twenty feet of a traveled country road.* "Tell us about it," and the gentlemen clustered about the speaker. "Well," said Mr. MoNab, "I will, but if I did not know there was a super­ abundance of proof concerning the story I am about to relate to you I should hesitate to tell it Along the foot of the Mendocino Mountains, in the county by that name runs a much- traveled road which leads from the town of Hopland to Ukiah. The road < is on a bench or shelf above a valley created by the Russian River, which, like all California streams, is constant­ ly changing its channel, and hence it ie within a hundred yards of the road at the nearest point and again a half-mile away. When the annual overflows oc­ cur it spreads over the whole valley and is a mile or more wide, I mention this in order that you may understand the nature of the valley. It is a drjr river bed, all sand and gravel, with here and there a bunch of scrubby wil­ lows, "In a clump of these stunted trees, at a point about three miles from Eop- land and about thirty feet from the road I have mentioned, there bubbles a spring of the clearest, most sparkling water you ever saw. The only thing peculiarly noticeable about the spring from a distance is the loud hissing sound it makes as it gushes out of the gravelly soil. It sounds more like boil­ ing water with occasional jets of steam escaping than it does like the ordinary purling of a stream. Approach it aud you will be startled to see lying around the spring the skeleton of hundreds of birds and scores of small animals such as coons, foxes and the like. Nearly always there will be a body or two of birds or animals in a more or less ad­ vanced stage of decomposition near the edge of the spring. If a man is wise he will be content with an inspection of the unattractive spot from a distanoe, more especially if there happens to be the carcass of a steer lying beside it with the nose an inch or two from the water. The fact is, gentlemen, that there rises constantly from the spring % gas so ncxious and so deadly .that one whiff of it is sufficient to extinguish life. "The terrible character of the spring," continued Mr. McNab, "is well known to ail who live in the neighbor­ hood, and they tell some horrible storiee concerning it One day the little 6- year-old daughter of a farmer living near the spring wandered away from home. Her absence was not noticed for an hour or two,; and then the parents went in search of their child. They found her lying dead beside the spring with a little dead bird clutched in her hand. She had evidently seen the bird lying beside the spring, and being at­ tracted by the bright colors of its plum­ age, had tried to pick it up, and in so doing had inhaled the gas rising from the water and died with the bird. "Another time," said the narrator of this btrange story, "a squaw who was supposed to be recovering from a spree wandered down by the spring. She probably started to the river to get a drink, when she discovered the spring and knelt beside it, lying in that posi­ tion. The strangest thing about it ia that, well known as is the deadly char­ acter of the spring, there is absolutely no warning posted, no fence around it nor protection against it of any kind other than a few limbs or trees and bushes thrown over the place by farm­ ers to keep their stock away from it,and the last time I saw the place eveu the brush had been scattered until the spring was uncovered. A venturesome man once held his breath and nostrils Mnd leaned over the spring to hear the noise it made, whioh he describes tt something terrible. "The water is thought to be compar­ atively wholesome, but nothing is known positively about it as it has never been analyzed. There can be no doubt, however" that the spring is cer­ tain and instant death to every living thing that approaches it* r 1̂ "1m 11 "• f Xn » Hospital. <>i, * A visitor to a hospital in Paris, which diseased children of the most wretched olass are received, wrote home lately: "Charity so often with us cold and grim in its dealings with the poor, puta merry, tender face hera The walls of on a the hospital were gay with colored prints. Flowers brightened the wind­ ows. In the baths into which the grimy, scared babies are coaxed on their en­ trance floated tiny swans and ships with red i<aila to entice and amuse them. The doctors plaoed dolls and bonbons on the operating-table as prizes before the patients were brought in, and ad­ dressed these ragged, blear-eyed children of the slums with the courtesy due to princes in disguise, as "Monsieur,' "Cherie,' or Ma gentille demoiselle.* They put hope and oourage into the souls, as well as health into the bodies of their patients." No wise teacher can long deal with the minds of children without discover­ ing the value of this system of the French physicians. Twenty years ago a forlorn little mu­ latto boy sat apart, one summer day, in a school for nergoes in Philadelphia. He was idle, mischievous, and as usual, in disgrace. A visitor oame into the school', a woman, who, herself one of the "dark people," possessed culture and much wisdom and tact. "Whatis this boy waiting for?" she asked. "A whipping," dryly replied his teach­ er. She beckoned the child to her side, and held bis hand while she heard the class recite. When they had finished, she asked a few questions about him, and then said to him smiling: "You must take your whipping, fox you deserve it; but never deserve an­ no ther. We colored people need great men of our own race to help us--great doctors, great preachers, great scholars. Your teacher tells me that you are fond of arithmetic, and do well in it Try to be a great civil engineer." The boy became a man of influence and a help to his people. He said late­ ly, "Those chance words put a soul into me. I really owe to them much of my auccess in life." It is not necessary to dwell upon the ^ hackneyed truth* hinted in this story. Whether a child or man be white or black, the touch of kindness, hope and courage will often bring all of his en­ ergies to work, while the stern disci­ pline of fear may paralyze l»m As long ago as when JEsop lived the driver was told not to whip his donkey if he would win the raoe, but to hanc * green branch before his nose.--Youth*• Companion. , ; :i A jL,. 3?