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

THE STORY,. OF A BOY ky EDWIN BLISS iM3 (Copyright^ Algernon Pinckney Schuyler Brown disconsolately flattened his nose against the window pane watching "the gang" playing "camp out" in the alley, and woe o'erwhelmed his soul.- Bot such Joys were not for Alger- Mn Pinckney Schuyler Brown. He proven himself unworthy. Not that it wa$ any disgrace to be kept in --the best of the gang naa iaai 10 wu tend with--but to be kept in for writing love letters in school! Oh. the s|iame, the humiliation, the utter fath­ omless degradation of it all! Tears welled in his pretty pop eyes and tioursed their salty path down his and white face. It all seemed ages ago--the tragedy. Somehow he could go back over it BOW step by step. The wave of shame, the day before when teacher, "gum-shoeing gently •down the aisle, had spied, investigated, JKati appropriated his note on the little pigtaiied Foster girl's desk, had threat­ ened to overwhelm him; but when she r0ad it aloud in her harsh, strident,, metallic voice the deluge was com­ plete: "Sura as the vine grows round the stump, You're my darling sugar lump.' Somehow, her cold, even tones lobbed the sentiment of all the beauty ie had seen in it at die moment of in­ spiration. He thrust teacher's note into his mother's hand that night as though 'twere something poisonous. He knew What it contained; somethin' 'bout «ogar lumps. All through the interminable supper, ' Where everything choked him, and no- )»dy respected his wounded pride Algernon Plnckney 8chuyler Brown. enough to otter a single syllable, he waited for the inevitable discussion of Me fall. Shaming fingers seemed point- Sag at his drooping head, and when, in a fit of temporary bravado, he raised His face, 'twas only to catch Nora's merry eye. She passed him the sugar- bowl, and he saw that even Nora knew and mocked him. V "Algernon," whispered his mother f®ry softly; "Algernon." - But he raised not his head. The little woman walking round th« - table put her arms about his neck. "Algernon, dear, don't you know it's Tery wrong to write"--he shivered as tfcough ehe had already said "love let- H ters"--she felt the movement and 'V taught herself--"to write notes in i* School?" Algernon nodded, abased. "If : jrou want to write to the little Foster girl, do it out of school or have her p«me and see you, darling." || Could anything be worse! Even his «wn mother so little understood him Mto think him "mushy" 'bout girls." If his big, cold, silent father, whom be never seemed able to get acquaint­ ed with, would only thrash him or treat him in such wise as to show that Ike at least thought It an extraordinary crime, instead of an inborn desire to write about sugar lumps, he wouldn't loathe his lot so. "Hell do nothing of the kind," in­ terposed Brown Senior, firmly. "This Is some of your nonsense, Jane." The boy looked up, Startled at the unusual diversion, and met a glance of some­ thing very like disgust. "We'll not discuss it before Alger­ non, William," she gently retorted. "I'll not have a milksoppy, girly boy." he continued. "Go to your room now, darling," gently" Interposed the little woman, and Mr. William Brown, with a mut­ tered "somethin' bad," stamped from th« house, leaving them alone. That night the floodgates burst, and Algernon cried as though his heart would break. Mother came in and tried to comfort him, but he would have none of her. He wanted to fight It out alone. And, - anyhow, whose fault was* it that he could be capable of writing such a note? Whose fault was it that he had to wear shoes all summer, and had to dress up every night? His mother! She it was who made him forego the delights of the swimming-bole, and called him "dar­ ling," and stroked his hafr before the gang; she boasted of his love for soap and water and his aversion for torn clothes, and football and fighting, to the other boys' mothers, and made his name a thing of scorn in the ward wherein he dwelt, and his presence merely tolerated. Next day he received permission to stay away from school provided he would keep in his room and study. Father talked loudly about "taking Ids medicine," but it only showed how little he knew, and widened the gQlf between them. Last night he had thought for a minute his father un­ derstood, but to want him to face that gang the very next day showed how ail alone he really was BOW. Day followed day in rapid flight; week piled upon week, and the inci­ dent was well-nigh forgotten save by Buck Jones. Buck was the beet fighter, .runner, swimmer of them all; his fertile brain conceived their many deeds of daring, stealth, and cunning. Buck it was whose supremacy as leader of the gang had been established one short week after his family moved to town from Idaho--and had never since been even questioned. He never had to come in at eight o'clock; he it was who kept the other gangs from utterly --nut . the south side "bunch" by his own personal prowess. It was only a few days later, while Buck Jones had to stay after school, that the north siders came and falling -upon the leaderless "bunch" put them to a sorry flight--nay7 more, chased them through the very yards into their houses, and daringly stood outside and made jeering comments. Buck heard the tale and decided at a meeting h.?ld next day at recess that action was necessary. Then did a feeling of great joy «nter the breast of Algernon Pinckney Schuyler Brown. At last--at last his cuiportunity had come and--- found *ilm ready. "Can I go too, Buck?" There was an incredulous pause. Could this be the pretty Algernon of­ fering to go into combat, where it was direst disgrace to come out with cloth­ ing whole or features unmarred? In cold tones the leader spoke: "We don't waijt babies, Sugar Lump." It was too much--too cruel that even in the moment of self-immolation, of struggle and triumph, he should be denied the palm. He pitied his miser­ able lot as he sadly walked back into the schoolroom, sunk in the deepest depths of despair. "Don't want ba­ bies; don't want babies!" echoed and reechoed tb<»words in his ears till a mighty defiance gripped him and a desperate determination. He'd go any­ how. That was the longest school-day ever recorded, but the teacher finally put down the last of a lot of very bad grades, and the school trooped gayly out on the sidewalk, with Mary Foster this once walking alone. For far ahead, bunched closely together in ragged array, helter-skelter down the middle of the street like so many sheep, trooped the south side gang-- Buck Jones at their head, brandishing a stick and whizzing rocks at trees along the roadside. And behind4 thom --all alone--with eyes intently fixed upon the hard, dusty road, now and then kicking a piece of wood out of the way, came--Algernon Pinckney Schuyler Brown. There were great daubs of dirt on his broad Byron col­ lar as though some one had smeared it purposely; his shoes and stockings were white ^vith the dust he raised by lovingly scraping his feet side- wise along the road, his face and hands dirtier than even Boyland eti­ quette demanded, and those pockets that never held aught more dangerous than Immaculate handkerchiefs, stood out in strange knobby lumps that to the initiated spelled--rocks. Save for the downcast head, one would have surmised Algernon was about to do battle. EXERCISES FOR HEALTH 7 The battle was long and bloody and valiantly waged. When at last they had chased the north siders home, it was a very, very dirty little gang that boasted of their Individual feats of valor. Nora spied him first; and mother performed a difficult feat in getting a complete narration of the day's do­ ings from him. She sent him to his room, bidding Brown Senior follow to give him his reward. But in the still watches o' the night, a big, dark, silent man sneaked stealthily into the lad's room and sat beside the bed. "Tell me all about it again, young­ ster." And as the boy began his halting tale, a feeling of assurance came to him and he boasted a little--a very j little--about his part In the glory day. And the man laid his big hand on the snowy coverlet and bashfully whis­ pered, as one ashamed: "The kids used to call me 'Slugger Bill.' " The little hand grasped the big one in wonder and admiration and love and final understanding: "Naw, did they?" How few women have proper diges­ tion? One great cause cf sluggish di­ gestion is the imperfect removal, both of waste and of residual. Since motion of the organs is a nec­ essary part of their function, no res­ toration of digestive power is possible that "does not also include the restora­ tion of this mechanical or muscular property. Many motions may be given to one's digestive organs suited to different constitutions, conditions of disease, development of the region, strength of the individual, etc. The following ex­ ercises have been carefully selected, which, if not entirely applicable for a given case, may prove suggestive of some other that may act more to the purpose. The first exercise is given in a standing position, the body slightly bent forward, with corsets and all tight-fitting clothes removed. The ac­ tion is, the extended hands are made to strike the frontal regions of the body, striking alternately with each hand with such force and speed as to produce no unpleasant sensations. If there be a point where pain is felt, the action, at each successive ex­ ercise, should for a period be given to surrounding parts, approaching the tender part gradually until the pain disappears. The above may be continued until the entire frontal region has been traversed, and repeated as often as one deems practical. A more vigorous treatment may be given by using the doubled fist instead of the fiat hand in striking. However, it is better to begin by using the open hand. This treatment is an unusually good one to Assist in promoting absorption, or removing congestion. Another action^ having the slme ef­ fect as the above is: With the pres­ sure of the hands, follow the course of the colon, beginning low upon the right side of the abdomen, passing around beneath the stomach, and ter­ minating on the aide opposite. This circular stroking may be continued for several minutes. Follow this move­ ment with the pressure exercise under the short ribs. The ends of tne fingers are applied from below, and strong pressure made with a tremulous mo­ tion. This exercise excites muscular and nervous action in the organs reached. The second exercise is one taken while occupying a kneeling position The arms are in an angle position-' elbow bent, while the upper arm lb near the side parallel with the body The knees are wide apart, and the trunk leaning back from the perper* dicular. The arms are slowly stretched up­ wards until they become parallel with each other, and in a line with th« body. Retain this position for a short time--then allow them to slowly re­ turn to the commencing position. Repeat this action ten or twelve times, using care that the (arms are stretched so that they are exactly in a line with the reclining trunk. This exercise may be varied, whet the arms are stretched, by permitting the trunk to lean as far back as possi ble, then sway from side to side-- bending only at the waist line. The effect of this action is far reaching, noticeably in the arms, the top of the shoulders, the region be­ neath the shoulder blades, the sides of the chest, the diaphragm, the abdo minal muscles, as well as the visceral organs, which are raised by it and moderately compressed. -- Harriet Coates. LITTLE PRINCESS TATTERS. How She Was Made to Realize That Little Things Were Important. "And you've lost your crown again, my daughter?" asked the queen, re-' provingly. The princess hung her head. "It was a heavy old thing, inyway, your majesty," she petulantly answered; "and trifles are trifles, so there's no use worrying over such a little mat­ ter." Indeed, there were few matters that the princess did not consider trifling. She liked to romp and indulge in the boyish games of her brothers. Not at all cared she for the pastimes of most little princesses. So that when she carelessly broke the head of her won­ derful doll, she said it was a mere trifle, and thought no more about it. When she lost magnificent rings and other jewels, it didn't matter-- they weren't of any use in games, you know. And when, in leaping over hedges, she tore her costly silken gar­ ments almost, into shreds, she wasn't troubled in the least. "Trifles are trifles," said she; "one must think of the more important matters." But the queen mother didn't agree with her careless little daughter, who had earned the name far and wide of "Princess Tatters.'4 Something must be done--and that very soon--unless the princess be altogether spoiled in character. One day, however, Princess Tatters rushed wildly about the royal grounds, crying for every one to help her search for her favorite pony. She had been to the royal stables, and there she was, told by a hostler that, some­ how, the pony had escaped. And now she vowed she would not eat or sleep until the pony was found. AH the men about the castle she bade hunt for her pet. Hardly had the servants begun to do her bidding, when the queen Issued an order for them to return to their duties, and then, calling to her daugh­ ter, she said: "I cannot permit the men to forsake their work for such a trifle Trifles are LITTLE RAMA. How H4s Soldier Ambitions War© Sat­ isfied In Spite of His Youth. "Oh, that father were alive and I could learn to be a soldier!" A deep sigh escaped little Rama. For he was the son of a soldier--a GOorkha warrior who had been killed while aiding the British in their at­ tacks against the savage hill tribes-- and a martial spirit had been be­ queathed to him. Rama nestled in the grass that grew close within the shadow of the hut* and looked reflectively at the snow­ capped mountains which seemed to tower Immediately above him. But not even the hoary, majestic Hima­ layas, silently watchful over hill and PARISIAN MODEL. R"* Land Agent Won Out, "You needn't begin jollying me," said the gruff man to the man who had land to sell. -"I'm not a man that can be afTected by flattery. When I--" "That's just what I said to my boss," interrupted the agenL "I told him, when he suggested your name to me, that it was a relief to call on a man who did not expect to be praised and flattered to his face all the time. I tell you, Mr. Grump, this city has mighty few such men as you. Nine men out of ten are simply dying to have some one tell them how great they are, but you are above such weakness. Anyone can sefe that at a glance. I'm glad pf it It's helpful to me to meet a man who rises superior to the petty tactics of the average solicitor. It's a real and lasting benefit and an instructive ex­ perience." Ten minutes later, after #. few more such comments on the part of the agent, the man who could not be flattered into signing the conV.act, was asking which line his name irhould be written upon.;---Success Magazine. £ Hat of white paille de riz, with high crown covered with plaited lace; three targe tea roses at one side. Ribbon Trimmings. Ribbon is used in profusion and in the shape of rosettes, choux, torsades, twists, streamers, lops and fan and shell-shaped ornaments; the new col­ ors are absolutely delightful. The plain-colored ribbon comes in all the new French shades and all widths-- the most in favor Is liberty satin, taf­ fetas and faille, all of a decided deli­ cacy and suppleness, despite the firm weave. The most elaborate are decor­ ated with hand painting, some of them having entire Louis XV. series in na tural colors (these are also found in warp ribbons), while others show deli­ cate Dresden designs on light and dark backgrounds. Broche ribbon is also in great demand, also bayadere striped ribbon in several new color tones and with even or graduated stripes, and in satin and taffetas. Ex quisite is the new French importation, warp printed ribbon showing elabor­ ate peacock feather effects in the most beautiful shades and ribbon imprinted with a gorgeous Oriental design in the richest colors.--Vogue. Hung Her Head in Shame. trifles, you know; and there's really no use in bothering about such a small matter." Princess Tatters bowed her head in shame. "Oh, your majesty," sobbed she, "I know I deserve this punish­ ment for all my carelessness; but I do so want my pony. And if you'll have it brought back to me, I'll promise not to be Princess Tatters any more. I'll be a neat, tidy, good little princess." The queen kissed the princess, and then whispered a word to an attend­ ant. Soon the pony was reported back again safe and sound in the royal stable. The princess was never told, of course, that her pet had been hid­ den on purpose. , But' no longer was there occasion for the queen's reproof, and gradually the name of "Princess Tatters" was forgotten. K n HIS PLAIN DUTY. J Mr*. Plutus--Jbhn. I want you tq take Fido for a •fcl p^v;;:Johni"-lf you please, mum, Fido waa't follow me. /t Mr* TMutus--thee, yo® rout Mllow Fido. valk. Vogue Icf Ribbons. Women abroad have gone mad. over ribbons. Chains for lorgnettes or watches have gone out of fashion. All milady's trinkets are on harrow vel­ vet ribbons to match her frock. Wider ribbons arp tied closely about the throat, the long ends hanging al- moBt to the hem of the skirt, while the gold bangle has been superseded by a band of the velvet fastened about the arm with a jeweled brooch. Smart spring hats are tied under the left ear with bows of ribbon, and even the feather and fur boa are fas­ tened with more ribbons to flutter in ihe vagrant breezes. Cretonne Parasols. Cretonne is very popular this season for evening coats and vests, as an ap­ plique, and now cretonne parasolB are prescribed for morning wear. The de­ sign must, of course, be reasonably small, and the only decoration is the heavy cotton fringe around the border. Qf course the handle on such a very aerviceable sunshade Would be of plainest woodi leaving the more elab­ orate sticks for more dressy parasols. For the Hostess. If making the coffee at the table remember there is a right and wrong way of making and* serving coffee. Have the coffee machine and tea ket­ tle on «the table. Both should be placed on the tray at the foot of the table be fore the hostess, the tea kettle at the head of the plate and the coffee pot at the right of the plate. Fill the un der part of the coffee pot with boiling water, put the necessary amount of coffee in the glass top and properly adjust It. Light the alcohol burner be neath and the coffee will be prepared In a few minutes. There are methods for making this by electricity, though the above method is more in use. Serve the coffee black with miniature pitchers filled with cream topped witb whipped cream. JUST FOR FUN. Ma&e Up a Menagerie and 8ee What It Will Be Like. Take a dried or fresh cherry. Push the stone partially out. This forms The Menagerie. the head. The cherry forms the body, and strips of stiff paper are used to form the legs. When finished yoil have a SPIDER. Potatoes can be made into real look­ ing MICE by using bits of paper for ears and string for the tall. A large dried raisin ca.n be made to look like a TURTLE by using an acorn for the head and bits of tooth­ picks for tail and legs. You ean make a CHICKEN out of a banana. Use toothpicks for the legs, paper for the tall and a butternut for the head. Raise the skin for the wings.--Detroit Free Press. W w. Rama Marched at the Head of the Troops. valley, could soothe #ith their gran­ deur the chafing restlessness In his soul. They brought to him no hope-- for how could there possibly be hope? Rama was sure that for-many, many years he must help his mother and take care of his little sister. He loved his mother and sister with all his heart, but then the longing to be a soldier was growing day by day. If he could only have had time to piay "soldier" with the other brown-skin­ ned lads of the village perhaps he would not have felt this discontent; but his many duties about the hous( and the numerous chores he was com­ pelled to do in order to gaiii a mera pittance robbed him of all leisure. And then Putai came. Rama and his mother discovered him one morning lying outside their hut, 111 and fam­ ished. He had been wounded in the army, was discharged from service, and had been wandering from place to place. Poor as the little family was, none was more charitable. He was hospitably given shelter in the rude little cottage, and Rama's moth- er nursed him back to health. Although Rama's duties were now greatly increased, he minded them not at all. For the old soldier, who was now well enough to be out of bed, spun many a tale of the camp and march. Rama hung upon every word that came from the battered war­ rior's lips as he told of exciting skir­ mishes and long, hard campaigns. All of these descriptions the boy treas­ ured, and he longed for the time when the soldier would be recovered sufficiently to leave the house. Then he meant to ask him about the use of all warlike weapons, and to plead for instruction in their handling. Long after Putai became well he lin­ gered about the village, assuming many of the tasks Rama was wont to do and intent upon showing his grati­ tude to Rama's. mother by providing her with a better living. And he was Rama's companion as well. He ob­ tained all the weapons employed by the Goorkhas and, to the boy's keen delight, taught him the manual of arms. The boy was an apt pupil and rapidly became proficient. Now the lads of the village, as has been suggested, were enthusiastic in their Bolider games. They were organ­ ized into a little company, eacfc mem­ ber with his established rank. Uni­ forms they had, with the roufld cap worn by British riflemen, and some times even small arms. About once a fortnight there was held a meeting, when, after close competitiop, election of officers was held. Rama was present at the next elec­ tion. Putai suggested that the lad ask to be enrolled in the company. "What do you know?" asked Lam- put, the captain Thereupon Rama proceeded to show what the old soldier had taught him Wonder grew apace as he rapidly went through the manual of arms without a single mistake. Then he told what he knew of military tactics. Finally, he placed a row of sticks in the ground, about eight inches apart, and with their heads just four feet high. Running back a distance, he picked up from behind a tree a round, quoit-like weapon sometimes used by the Goorkha soldiers, and which Pu­ tai had presented to him. The quoit is very sharp on Its edge. Deftly whirl­ ing it, Rama cast It at one of the stakes. The head of the stick was cut off as nicely as you please. And, in succession, Rama cut off the head of each stake. Amazed at his dexterity-and knowl­ edge. the lads crowded about Rama, putted him uppn the back, and en­ thusiastically showered compliments upon him. Next time a body of troopB passed through the village thfe little company of Goorkha lads marched in front, as was their usual custom. But at their head was a new captain, a keen-eyed lfwl with a proud, dignified bearing every inch a soldier, you would have •aid., It was Rama! BACHELOR GIRL'S REFLECTIONS. A man's ideal woman is the one he couldn't get. ^ 1 , It'a practice, not theory, that makes an artistic lover. Everybody ought to think twice be­ fore marrying ; but nobody does; or they wouldn't. " , If street cars never broke down, what would the man who gets home late tell his wife? In love, the best way to erase one face from the tablet of memory is to draw another across it. The longest way round seems to be the shortest way home for the man who is on his way from the club. A man may feel like a brute at ta­ king a kiss from a nice girl--but it isn't until after he's gotten *the kiss. \ Why should matrimony interfere with pleasure in this day of self-rock- ing crkdles, self-cooking ranges--and self-supporting wives? # -- Some men are so cautious that they write a love-letter as carefully as though they were writing for publica­ tion, or fame, or posterity. The than who breaks hi# social en­ gagements with you before marriage will break everything, from his word to your heart, afterward. Why is a man never satisfied until he goes behind the scenes and sees the rouge wiped off, when a woman's attraction" really lieB all In thfe per­ spective? When a man asks you why you can't make bread as his mother used to make it, sbpply $ve him a chilling glance and ask him why he can't make "dough" as you father used to make it.--Helen Rowland, in New York World. . THE GRUMBLING HABIT. Fight if you grumble or sulk. must, but don't Didn't Take to Rubber Overshoes. " Much as it rains in England, there still prevails an indisposition on the part of both men and women to wear rubber overshoes. "With Shining Morning Face." "This luminous paint," said a young father, according to the Philadelphia Record, "ought to be an excellent thing among families." p "How so?" asked a friend. * "Why," said the young father, "you Just touch up the baby's face with it before * retiring, and then you can Bee to give him his bottle without making a light." Hats still set low about the head, are big in the crown and are jammed down about the ears. h.M: Judging by His Freshness. Gerald--They "say that- a man be­ comes what he eats. Geraldine--You ought to try stale bread fox awhll©.--Judge. The reputation of being a complain- er never advanced any one in any way. The fault-flnder never lacks friends to return the compliment--generally behind her back. The usual attitude toward the grumbler is: We cannot please her, anyhow; why try? Listening to the Scoldings of a child . is the surest way to develop a grumbling, "grown-up." The person you don't want around Is she who is always moaning over the grudge life has against her. Grumbliiig has a way of distorting the viewpoint titt a kindness is often metamorphosed into intentional meanness.' The grumbler may know her man­ ner is worse than her meaning, but that does not make her any the less disagreeable to those who must listen to her scoldings. The worst of grumbling is it is cu­ mulative. We begin with a little grum­ ble at a big grievance and soon are pouring out mighty grumbles over trifles. That is the worst of it--the grum­ bler is always on the warpath for sympathizers and thinks because so few are to be found that all the world is callous--never being a self-blamer. If inclined to be a growler, get cheerful and get so hard. Never let go your grip, moreover, no matter how fast woes flock. If only in the inter­ est of sympathy, you will find the plan works wonders. If you have acquired the complain­ ing habit go out among the sick, poor, and suffering and see those who real­ ly have something to grumble at. If it does not shame you into a happier view of life, then you deserve to be shiinned. QUESTION POINT8. All things come to him who waits, but wouldn't he get them more quick­ ly if he went after them? Modern fashions are no doubt beau­ tiful, but what sculptor would dare to model a. statue in a silk hat? Money doesn't bring happiness, but where is the man who wouldn't like to try out this experiment for him­ self? _ The world's blind number 1,000,000, but why don't they include in these statistics the business men who don't advertise"? It is the little things that count. What wouldn't a smoker give for a match in a house heated by steam and lighted by electricity? Some people, before casting their bread upon the waters, ask them­ selves: "But will it be sure to be mentioned In the papers?" With Father's Music. Bragdon, the composer, was working oil his symphonic poem when the baby's lusty cry was heard from the nursery. Bragdon bore it manfully for five minutes, expecting baby's mother to come to the rescue, >says the Youth's Companion. Then he opened the door and shouted up­ stairs : "What Is the matter? Harry, are you teasing the baby?" "No, papa." "You must be doing something to make him cry." "No, papa--truly! All Ethel atfd I did was to try to sing him to sleep with y.pur lullaby." PREJUDICE. & . Petrified opinions. Ignorance on the warpath. Loyalty to a dead judgment. A cat&ract on the eye of judgment. Tie condemnation of the unknown. The kindergarten stage of bigotry. Packing the jury box of mind be­ fore the trial. Betting that our watch la a bettor timekeeper than the sun< Moral cowardice that cannot look ft fact squarely in the eye.--Bund^f M&emIM* • T * *.' * ̂ , '•'x J& S.M.-1*.* > i, > A;. ,2 Li,