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E FARM. I us (lad; U stifled a MDana ,wa* UbM *Bd K*y. I could H ete^^Sl5re*me like a giant, outstretched Its 'It® matter where I looked, I m the mortgage en tlwtariB. IU Mil yoq how it happened, for I want tbe world to know Bow <1*4 I am tbiB winter day whilst earth is white wltb snow: . I'm jqirtae happy as a lark. No cause tot rode hi now, ior lifted Is the mortgage 00 term. Hie children they were growing m> and they were smart and trim. fb eoeae big college in the East wed aent oar Before Haslem *ouM replf the dom was tnrowo open and theiocal doctor entered. ••Boys," be said, In his bluff way, •Hio you know of anybody I can get to go over to Morril's? I tell you it's a bard case over there. Of course you know that their three children are sick with malignant diphtheria Well, they are very low, and now Morril is down with pneumonia. Mrs. Morril fa completely exhausted, and the children will surely die without good care." "I'll go, and 1 think my wife will," spoke up David Haslem. C,I have ^MBgeet, Jim; ^ ^ bottom of I had considerable experience in sick AM every time ho wrote us, hi* toiBdJ He tacked some Latin fol-de-rol wbich none of eg could read, i The girl? they ran to (music, > rhy And to] painting, "and to rhymes, " 4 They'ssid the housn was oat of style sad (ir behind the Times; . They suddenly diekirered that It didn't keep "m warm-- 1 Another step afeoorse towards a mortgage on the farm. We took a cranky notion, Hannah Jane and me one dnv. While we were coming home from town, &-talk- tmg s!) the way; The old house wasn t, big enough for us, al­ though for yearn Beneath its lintnble roof we'd shared each ottwr'* joys and tears. ' We built it o'er and when 'twas done, X wish you couid have seen it. It was a most tremendous thing--I really dldnt mean it; , „ Why it was big enough to hold the people of the town. " And not nan na cosy as the old one wa polled down. W*W 1-kftofrm, Btoft," she giffe ilowly, «'»nf at our children, 1 f*ftfc»t I haiwffweii Well paid for all I have done, km for all I can do for David Haslem and his wife n--Yankee Blade. X bought a one pianos*, tod ft shortened stiU the pile, • . •JiV.' i-; [::• Bat, then, it pleased the children aad^hey banged It all the while; < -Ho matter what they played for me, their music . had uo charm, fe*\ • SVWevery tone said plainly; "There's a mort- jpjt i gage on the fanu t* - f,. > I worked from morn till eve, toiled as often toils the slave To meet that grisly Interest; I tried hard to be lag- • ;s ' brave, !pkl. And oft when I came home at night with tired - •• - bi*in and arm, |f> The chickens hang their beads; they felt the "•> *' mortgage on the farm. Wi We saved a penny now and tbeiii; we laid Ithem jjp£ ' In*row, The girla they playm the same old tones, and / let the new ones go; •' And when from college came oar Jim with v, ,, laurels on his brow, St t 'V; X led hitn t:»the stumpy field and pat him to ¥?, * the plow. b~ * A - He something said in Latin, bat I didn't under. ; stand. •-• - It did me good to see his plow torn up the dewy L - - l a n d ; t. ,*« •. . Ama nli--.* Uw year had ended and empty were •; the cribs, gyv" . We found we'd hit the mortgage, sir, a blow be- . tween the ribs. , "'•<, 1 1: , •' To-d&j I Lames Bed up tl» team and thandered T, Off to town, t. • And in the lawyer's Pight I planked the last ; bright dollar down: g? ; * And when I trotted up the lane, a-feeling (food £.'* and warm, [ Tl» old red rtxistc- crowedlhis best; "No mort- H r on tbe farm!" I'll Bleep almighty good to-night, tbe best for many a uay, The skeleton that hannted as has passed fora'er away; The girls can play the brand new tone with no * fears to alarm, Aad Jlxn can go to Congress with no mortgage :%>: on the farm 1 i, -fun, Field, and Fireside. • • , • THEIR LAZY NEIGHBORS- :x-d~ "Sarah," said Farmer Morril, one bright November morning, "the bar- , vesting is all dene now, and we have got more than enough for winter, haven't we?" Sarah Morril looked up quickly. "Why, I suppose so," she replied cautiously. ^ "Well, Sarah, I called to see Mr. ( Haslem and his wile yesterday. They ; are very poor; and i thought we f plight spare them something." "They ought to be poor!" exclaimed Mrs. Morril. 4 They are too ftizy to have anything. And they are such ugly creatures! 1 can't bear the sight of them. I don't understand why they settled down in this neighbor­ hood; and to add insult to injury,"In­ stead of repairing that old house un­ der the bill, they must make It look , worse than ever by stuffing its broken windows with rags." "But, Sarah, perhaps they haven't r„ny money to pay Tor repairs. What then?" "Well," answered Mrs. Morril tartly, "that's no reason for their be­ ing so shiftless. Why didn't the old man plant some potatoes and a gar­ den?" "He has the rheumatism, wife." v"feut he can walk down to the village every day. You are too gen­ erous, Henrv, for your day and gen­ eration, but you know I never ob­ ject to your giving to worthy people." •Then vou are not willing for me to give anything to Mr. Haslem?" ••Certainly I am not." "But, Sarah," said Mr. Morril gently, "there are 100 bushels of splendid wheat. Surely we could spare a lew bushels of it--and a few barrels of apples, some potatoes, a generous supply of pork, a peck of beans, and a dozen pumpkins--why, dear, we should never miss it all, not , even for a minute, and it would he a great help to them." * "Henry, you have worked hard and I so have I, and I don't want you to give anything to David Haslem." ••Very well, Sarah. , I would to help them, but I will not do uhlng to displease you, as you know." Mrs. Morril smiled, and took up a magazine. She hoped that her. bus-, hand would not again allude to? the subject, and he did not. December brought the expected snow, and plenty of it. • January brought a cold wave that was frigid in its intensity. Man and - beast ventured out at their periL Af­ ter a week of intense cold the weather gradually grew warmer, and finally the wind came round into the south­ east, and an old-fashioned thaw set >n. For hours at a time it would rain steadily, and then a thick niist would i^se from the snow. The farmers gathered at the village grocery and compared notes. All agreed that it was "dreadful un- i healthy weather " i '-Hamilton, do you know how • Morril's folks are getting along?" asked one of the farmers or another. like any- well ness, and my woman was a hospital nurse for years." "God bless you, sir!" cried' the doctor. "Come on. There isn't a moment to lose." Mrs. Morril stood over her sick children in tearless grief of despair. Hor strength and courage were gone, and she had urasped a chair for sup* port She heard somebody enter the room, but could not turn her head. "You are very tired, Mrs. Morril," said a gentle vplce, "and most rest awhile." Sarah Morril essayed to speak, but could not. Darkness rose up around her and she swayed back and forth. It was Mrs. Haslem who had spoken, and stepping to the door she called her husband, who came quickly, and taking the fainting woman in his arms, bore her into the next room. The faint ended in a long sleep, which the doctor declared was the only thing that saved the poor woman's reason. When Mrs. Morril awoke, it took her some time to realize where she was. The very room seemed strange to her. Then suddenly remembrance re­ turned to her and she sprang out of bed and hurried out into the hall, where she met Mrs. Haslem. "How are they?" she cried ex­ citedly. •/They are all resting as quietly as possible, dear." "Oh, Mrs. Haslem, say that you will stay with us!" "We will stay as long a<* you shall need us," was the quiet reply. •ph, thank God! thank God!** As Mrs Morril entered tbe dftilng- rooui, a half hour later, Mra Hasleui met her and persuaded her to sit down at the table and then she brought her a cup of tea and a plate of delicately browned toast. "lean not eat," faltered Mrs. Morril, toying with her spoon. But Mrs. Haslem's skilful coaxing soon caused her to think that she must eat, and before she had finished her toast and tea she awoke to the fact that she was nearly famished. And now began a life and death struggle at the Morril home. Every­ thing that skill could do was done. The days and nights were divided into watches. Every particle of strength on the part of Mr. and Mrs. Haslem was economized to the ut­ most. Mrs. Haslera prepared all the food, and the meals were dainty and appetizing. How many, many times Mrs. Mor­ ril reproached herself for her harsh criticisms of but two or three months ago She had called David Haslem and his wife "ugly creatures," and "lazy and shiftless." "Oh, Heavenly Father, be more merciful In your judgment of me, "she praved over and over again in her deep self-reproach. She saw Mrs. Haslem skilfully draw the.tenacious, diphtheritic mem­ brane from her children's mouths, thus quickly relieving the little suf- fairefs, while she stood helplessly by. tshe heard her coax them successfully to take some detested medicine, when all her arguments and promises had failed. - - And when the long, Wearisome days of convalescence came, for come they did to Henry Morril and his children, It was David Haslem that changed the hot pillows, and lifted the tlied ones to more restful posi­ tions. And Mrs. Haslem amused the children by singing llttlo songs, and telling stories that were perfectly ir­ resistible in their way. Buu at length tbe time came for David Haslem and his wife to return to their own home. The children protested against their going with tears and sobs, and utterly refused'to be comforted for many a day. It was August time. The fields were green with new springing after­ math. Butterflies whisked gaily about, and the roadsides were bright with goldenrod. Farmer Morril en­ tered the cool sitting-room where his wife sat engaged in sewing, and sit­ ting dowa in a large armchair, wiped the drops of perspiration from his i brow. j "Sarah," he said, "I'm going to drive down to Mr Haslem's and see If there is anything I can do for them. They seem to be very happy lately. It does me good to hear them talk about their garden. I don't wonder that they are proud cf it, for it looks well. I was Very par­ ticular about preparing and planting it" "1 should think they would feel the most -pride concerning thei£ house," said Mrs. Morril. "I de­ clare, Henry, since you put in the new windows, and painted it, that old house under the hill looks quiteJ respectable." ' •That's the outside, Sarah. Who was it had something to do with the many comforts inside? But, my dear, have vou got anv little thing that I can take down with nSe? Not that they expect anything, but it pleases them to be remembered fn that way." Sarah Morril rose quickly and laid aside her sewing. "Of course I've got something for them," she said, blithely, and tripped away. When she returned she bore a small pail in one hanft and a can In Jeff Thompson's OsUsntry. "Did you ever hear how General Jeff. Thompson once evaded an order in the field and didn't get caught at It?" asked an old Mlssourlan of a St Louis Republic man. "It happened, I think, in the summer of 1864, the year when Gen. Price and Gen. A. J. Smith were chasing each other up and down the State. Gen. Thompson, with a section of Price's army, swept across the central Missouri prairies, and on one hot August day the citi­ zens of Sedaliasaw his men approach­ ing the town In' a perfect cloud of dust ,\ "Sedalia was garrisoned by h body of Home Guards under the command of Colonel William Bloss and Major William Gentry, and so, when the alarm bell sounded, the little band hurried to the trenches and preparod for defense. Thompson saw the handful of citizens} and unlimbered his guns. An apparently fierce can­ nonade was kept up for half an hour, during which time one man was Killed, and then the Home Guards capitulated and Thompson rode into town. I remember the terrible time he had that day endeavoring to con­ trol his rough riders, who seemed bent on making everything contra­ band, but he finally made them un­ derstand his imperative orders and quiet was soon restored, but not until every citizen of fighting age had been placed under arrest and guard. "Well, it leaked out before night that Thompson had orders to burn the railroad depot It was a great wooden structure, against which a large number of the store buildings backed, and to burn the depot was to burn the town. The General was a spectacular soldier as well as a brave fighter and his picturesque dress showed him to be somewhat of a gal­ lant. knight. Hence the ladies ot Se­ dalia baicjfd themselves together to the number of t}f(y and waited upon him with a prayer not to destroy the depot and the town. He treated the delegation with conspicuous courtesy, and finally told the ladies that a soldier must obey orders, but he felt free to notify them that he would set tire to the depot at 5 o'clock on the following morn trig, and he hinted to them that if the old barn happened to be green and didn't burn up the fault Would be theirs. They took the hint Promptly at 5 o'clock a bucket brigade of ladles was in line at the depot The soldiers started the fire, the General gave his orders for the army to move on, and the ladies waited until the commander had disappeared and then promptly extinguished the fiames amid the joy­ ous shouts of the soldiers." Detested by a Joke. •The danger of being a little face­ tious at another man's expense is well illustrated in the case of Hannibal Hamlin, who was defeated for elec­ tion to the United States Senate on account ot a little joke," said Henry B. Harris of Portland, Me., in the Washington Newa "When Hamlin was speaker of the Maine House of Representatives there was an old up- country member whose head was as bald as a billiard ball. Two or three long hairs sprung up from the back of his neck, however, and the old fel­ low used to piaster these up over his shiny pate. One day Hamlin stopped him as he was passing the speaker's chair, and, with an air of serious gravity, said: -Mr. Campbell, I desire to inform you that two of your hairs are crossed.' The victim smiled rather a sickly smile but said nothing. Years afterward Hamlin ran for Senator. The decisive vote was cast by this man. He elected Hamlin's opponent, Morrill, I think it w^s. Hamlin always maintained that a joke cost him a senatorshlp." Her Easter Bonnet. Wisdom cannot be altogether a matter of experience, else why should one married man understand feminine human nature so much better thah another? Here, for instance, is a dialogue overheard by a reporter for the New York Press: "1 haven't seen your wife out late­ ly, Mr. Good heart" "No, she keeps at home these days." "Is^hcaillng?" "No. The fact of the matter ft, a week ago 1 took home two of the handsomest bonnets 1 could find in town, and told her she might have her choice between them. She- has been busy day and night ever since trying to taake tip her mind, and was as undecided as ever when I came away this morning." "You ought to help her oat of her dilemma." 1 'How can If" "Why, take one of them and carry It back to the store. That will be the one she!ll want" RURAL KEADfNG !«** waning ma RU1UUj forni? Larve amount* of carbonic acid gas are given oil whenever seed grain sprouts. This is the best sol­ vent The first roots take hold of the prepared soluble phosphate that they have themselves prepared, and thus make a s^lid, vigorous growth. There is some carbonic acid gas pres­ ent wherever young roots penetrate, but is much less In amount than that given off in the germination of seed. Hence less of the mineral ele­ ment is put in soluble condition where It has been broadcasted, and, so only a small part comes in contact with the seed.--American Cultivator. NATUltAL UAtTNUftfANHftC, W»1X BE FOUND IN THIS DB- PARTMBN1V t * fcattfe Breeders and Feeders ^tre Silos--Drill Manure with Seeds--Pruning Orchards--Horseflesh Will He Cheaper- Ctoaaia* «*• Cellar-Ueclpefc Silage iter Cattle. -aBfts&MiS Every year broadens the field of In­ telligent cattle feeding. Step by step, perhaps slowly some years, cattle breeders and feeders alike are build­ ing silos and are coming to a true ap­ proach of this method of farm econ­ omy. The testimony is now about uniform in behalf of silage. The period of mistakes, which prejudiced BO many, seems to be about past Mr. C S. Barclay, a well-known Shorthorn breeder, briefly alludes to his own ex­ perience in the Breeders' Gazette as follows: "I built me a big s)lo last fall and put up about 18 acres of h£vy corn after it was fairly glazed--in fact 1 cut and shocked a part of it for fear of frost It was very dry and it got pretty well dried out before we put it in the silo. It did not save quite so well as that we cut and put in green; but mixed with bran it makesasgood feed for cows and young cattle as I think t ever fed, and it is so easily handled and fed. Unless my experi­ ence is different from now until it is fed out 1 think it will be a long time before I will be without silage. We have now 100 head of Shorthorn cattle in the herd, and "nary a grade or scrub. Pure breds are cheap enough for me now. We are milking some Crulckshank cowsi also some Lady Sale Princesses, and from any­ thing we can see the milk is good to use and the butter will sell for as much as scrub butter and tastes first- rate on buckwheat cakes. We were weighing some short 2- year-old bulls tbe other day and they brought down 1,570. We thought that pretty good for silage bran With oat straw for desert Hay is too high priced to use much of it for Shorthorns, j snow 20 inches deep and all feed in fields covered for over three months even straw stacks are a luxury, but for all that the cat­ tle are coming through tbe winter in good shape." Mr. Talcott,the old Dairy Commls- Hard Work Pruning Orchard*. The gray-headed old man solilo­ quized after a half-day's work at pruning a long-neglected orchard: "If any body thinks that Adam bad a soft snap in the garden of Eden, with nothing to do but to trim and dress the garden and its trees, I wish he would try what 1 have been doing all this forenoon, sawing off the large limbs that should have bee a cutaway years ago." But the old man forgets, as complalners are apt to do, that work is usually easy or hard, according as It Is timely or untimely. In primeval innocence Adam proba­ bly had a fair chance to begin even with his work. Whoever takes the neglect of either others or himself to make good Is certain to earn his bread and fruit by the sweat of his brow. Yet as we are finding out how to prune easily by doing it always on time, it may be made as Eden-like as the liveliest imagination can con­ ceive. . Old Corn tn tbe Crlh, He is a careful and forehanded farmer who is able to keep some old corn through the entire year until new corn is fit to grind again. Of cours; the crib should be made vermin proof, set on posts with projections below where the plates set on tbe caps. Neither mice nor rats will ob­ tain entrance to a corn crib thus pro­ tected, as we satisfied ourselves many years ago by practical experience Tbe old corn crib of our boyhood was set on posts, each with a new tin pan net*on top, and so long as the pro­ jecting tin remained no vermin was ever seen in it, though the crib was seldom empty from one year's end to another. If there are not such pro­ tections, the crib "should be cleaned sioner of Ohio, whom we have before j out thoroughly at leat once a year, quoted, gives the following advice in ' the other, while from her arm swung „ . . . . . „ \ a basket In answer to her husband's eiH/i «ii Hr' 11 inquiries, she took off the cover of don t, he said. 1 don t caic to go | the pail, and removing a few fresh, the j green leaves, showed him the ripe, ' luscious blackberries that nestled be- ne.sr 'em. My wife is scared a very mention of diphtheria." David Haslem, wiio was leaning on the counter*! k>pktd arouud quickly. ••Have they jjot diphtheria over to .Morril's?*'%'e asked. ^ "Yes; the children are all sick with pt, I believe." ,' j, "How long have they been sick?" ' "I don't know." returned Hamil­ ton. "I know tihat they've got diph­ theria and so I stay away from them. I've got a little family to look after, and do you suppose I'm going to run any risk by rushing over there to learn neath. The can held a quantity of , sweet, golden cream, and the basket was filled with rosy-cheeked apples. "Well done, little wife!" said Farmer Morril. "But how do vou ex­ pect to be paid for the many favors you have lavished on our lazy, neigh­ bors?" ; ; r •' There was no reply. Henry1 Morril glanced at his wife, and saw that her mouth was quivering and Jier eyes were dim with tears. "Forgive me, Sarah," he said. "I only meant to tease you a Uttle." The Hitten. ' A correspondent explains the origin of a familiar phrase thus: "Aa old time New England expression, fc6t- tlng the mitten,' meaning getting your offer of marriage rejected by your 'best girl,' has an origin in the customs of the earlier day.'. One hun­ dred years ago gloves were unknown in the country towns. Mitt-ens were knitted aud worn in all families. If a young man, go'ng home from sing­ ing school with a girl of his choice, Was, holding her mittened hand to 'keep it from getting cold, and took tbafc(Opt>ortunlty to urge his suit if the offer proved acceptable the hand would remain. If taken by surprise, an effort to withdraw the hand would leave the mitten. So the suitor would get the mitten,' but would notget the hand." This is certainly a very easy and plausible explanation when you know what it is, but if you had not been told tbe phrase would be puzzling. the Ohio Farmer: "Some of the farmers who have said so much against silos when they knew so little, or nothing about them, never could live long enough to fairly express regrets for their self-Imposed waste of a golden opportunity to make farming pay. In any good, fair coun­ try where corn can be raised to good advantage, $15 will provide ample feed annually for a dairy cow. My herd of 40 ijead did not cost me more than that for the average of the last five years, and farming on this basis does pay." Cleaning the Cellar. In no part of the bouse is it so im­ portant that the cleaning be thor­ oughly done as in the cellar, writes Maria Parloa, in a practicle article entitled "When Cleaning House," in the April Ladies' Home Journal Not a corner should be slighted. Be­ gin wltb the furnace. Have the reg­ isters closed in every room. Remove all the cinders and ashes and clean out all the flues and pipes. Many housekeepers have the pipes removed, but the smoke pipe is really the only one that it is necessary to take down. This pipe is liable to rust, because of the moisture it gathers from the chimney; nevertheless, If there is no way of heating and drying the house during a cold, damp period in summer except by building a fire iu the fur­ nace, it would be cheaper to renew this sraoke'pipe every few years than run the risk of having the family made ill from receiving a chill. While tbe men are in the house to clean the furnace it would be economy to have them clean the hues in the range and also the chimneys Open the cellar windows, to bring every­ thing into the light Have the coal bins cleaned. Brush everything free from dust Now sweep tbe ceiling and walls as well as the floor. Brush the walls once more. Wash the win­ dows and any closets, shelves, or ta­ bles there may he in the cellar. Now have the walls white- washed. Be­ fore the various articles stored in the cellar are put back in place, brush them again. Sweep the floor once more. Horses Wtli Become 'Cheaper. The sooner the farmers In the United States realize the fact that the ordinary and commonly bred horse is likely to deteriorate In value year by year the better it will be for them. The use of cables to drag street cars has already reduced the service performed by horses in the c ties, and the extension of tbe trol­ ley system In the suburbs and the perfection of electric motors, will re­ lieve many other thousands of horses from such service; It has not teen so long since nearly all the threshing was done by horses; now only a very small percentage of even the thresh­ ing-machines are worked by horse­ power. Practically all of the plough­ ing Is now done by horses; but a eheap and practical steam-plough will be shown to visitors to the World's Fair, and it is not improbable that in ten years from now quite a large percentage of ploughing^ill be done without the aid of horses. The need in the cit es and on the farms for fewer horses will tend more and more to reduce their market value. Commonly bred horses will te the first to deteriorate in price;, indeed, it is doubtful whether finely bred horses will suffer at all. There is no reason why they should.--Harper's Weekly. Alphabets of Many Lands* The Sandwich Islands alphabet has 12 letters; the Burmese, 19; Italian. 22; Bengalese, 21; Latin, Hebrew, Sgfiac, Cbaldee, and Samarital, 22 eafth; Greek, 24; French, 25: German, jDutch, aftd jiuglish, 26 each; Span­ ish and Slavonic, 27 each; Arabic, 28; Fcvsian and Coptic, 32; Georgian, 36 Armenian, 38; Russians, 41: Musco. vite, 43; Sanskrit, 50; and Ethiopic, and Tarnarian 202 each. Sheep and Swine. DON'T try to fatten too many of all sorts and sizes in one pen. The strong rob the weak. Give all an equal chance, THE price of a good sire, in excess of what a fair or inferior one will cost, will generally be made up in bis first crop of lambs. THE properly fattened animals mar­ keted tbe moment they reach the point where further feed will entail a loss, lire always profitable to the feeder. DON'T buy a ram lamb that is too young. One ot two years is right Maturity is a requisite where pre­ potency and good results in breeding are desired. A HOG, when properly fed, makes more meat In proportion to the food consumed, acd more also iu propor­ tion to the waste material, than any other animaL GOOD oats are far preferable to corn for pregnant sows. Oats form the hone and muscle, hence their value for prospective mothers and growing pigs. THE successful stock breeder is one who breeds for excellence, and who endeavors to put upon tbe market something better than the market contains. Hoos are at all ages more nearly a cash commodity than any other stock upon the farm. They can find buyers at any time from the day they are littered until they are ready for the pork-barreL THE stockman must love his busi­ ness and find delight in catering to the wants and comforts of his ani­ mals. Water, salt sunshine, shade, and rubbing-posts or trees should be always at their service. Miscellaneous Reolpes. CREAM SAUCE.--Beat one-quarter cup of butter, add slowly one-half cup of powdered sugar. Then add two tablespoonfuls each of wine, and cream or milk very slowly just before seaving; stir over hot water until smooth. HORSERADISH SAUCE.--Cook in a double boiler for fifteen minutes one- half cup of cracker crumbs, half acup of grafted horse-radish, and one pint of milk; add one large tablespoonful of butter, and salt and pepper to taste. The horseradish should be freshly grated. CUSTARD PIE IN FIVE MINUTES.--- Add too three well-beaten eggs two even tablespoonfuls of flour, three large spoonfuls of sugat, half a tea- spoonful of salt, a little nutmeg, and enough sweet milk to fill a well-but­ tered square pie-tin. Let it stand five minutes..and hake till, alight brown. TAPIOCA NUT CREAM.--Soak one- balf pound of pearl tapioca over night In one and one-half cups of cold water. Cover with three cups of cold water and cook In a double boiler until transparent then add one-half cup of sugar, and the juice and grated rind of a lemon; turn into small molds. Chill and turn into a glass dish garnished with apricots and whipped cream, sweetened and fla­ vored with chopped walnuts and vanilla BATTER TOR POTATOES.--Use but one egg, a very little milk, a pinch ot salt, "half a coupful ot flour, and a heaping tablespoonful of snow, stirred in quickly at the last minute. Pour half the batter into a pudding dish, slip in a pint of cold boiled potatoes in thickish slices, and pour over them the remainder of the batter. No soda DrUlInc Manure with Heeds. It is quite a common experience that, ^ A concentrated manures if put in with ; *»£ nf, the seed with the drill help crops, es pecially grain, while if broadcasted on the surface tbey apparently do little good. This has caused much surprise as the narrow spaces between the drills are quickly filled with roots of the growing grain, and presumptive­ ly, there the manure should do more good than just at the point where the seed germinates. May It not be that this difference fn favor of drilling with the seed is due to tbe effect of the germiuatioa in keepiug the min- ter will rise beautifully, and, being baked to a turn and served instantly, will be pronounced a highly successful dish. WHEN a girl has finally made uj her mind that she is eternally homelj and decides-not to feel bad about it any more, it unsettles her dreadfully to have a man fall In loye with hei and begin to pay her compliments. EVERY time you help a lazy person Condition existing the Whole Civilised World. When the population returns of th« late census were given there was a general feeling of disappoinmenttsays the New Orleans Times-Democrat, as the total fell far below expectations, and showed that the rate of increase for the country was less than it had been for the previous decades. Ihe census of Canada, the subsequnt year, was still more disappointing to the Canucks, and In England, France, and all other contnes the result was the same--most disappointing. There was a dicided falling off everywhere In the ratio of increase. This was the more puzzling because there had been no warfare at all dur* lug the decade, no pestllencc, no period of financial depression. "Sanl tary science had made a steady ad­ vance, and there had been a marked decrease in the death rate. So that judging by all former experiences, the census should have shown more fa­ vorable returns than ever before in­ stead Of so much worse. A closer in­ vestigation demonstrated the cause --a marked and indeed startling de­ crease in tbe birth rate, a sort of natural Malthusianism. A recent report of the French Gov­ ernment on this subject--and Franc© keeps the most perfect records of births, deaths, and marriages ot any country--points out the drift of mod­ ern civilization. The decreases in the birth rate in France has been very great. There were, for instance, 42,520 fewer births in 1890 than in 1889, 44,580 fewer than in 1888, 61,- 275 fewer than in 1887, 74,779 fewer than in 1886, 86,499 fewer than in 1885, 99.699 fewer than in 1884, and 99,887 fewer than in 1883. There is a similar decrease iu the number of marriages, which were fewer by 20,- 223 in 1890 than in 1886. , Tbe existence of this condition of affairs in France has long been recog­ nized an£ has been attributed there to many causes--to lack of morality, to the contempt felt for marriage, to the triumph of the doctrines of "real­ ism. " It seems, however, that France is not the only country sut- lug fiuiu tiuutitai Iuaiiiiual<uiiSiU; all the other European nations are In the same fix, although probably not as bad off as France; and In every one of them in tbe last twenty years there has been a decrease in the birth rate, latgely due to advancing civil­ ization and the ideas it brings with it, for the decrease has been found great­ est in the urban and most civilized districts, and least in the rural, out- of-the-world sections. Taking the years 1869 and 1890 it is found that tbe birth rate in France has fallen from 25 per 1000 to 21.8, in Belgium from 31-4 to 28.7, in England from 34.7 to 30.6, in Germany from 38.9 to 36.6, and in Prussia proper even more. In all the three important events In man's career--birth, marriage, and death--there has beeu a remarkable falling off in the last twenty years, confined to no country, but existing throughout the civilized globe. We need not inquire into the causes, for we can see them too clearly around us. The chief cause, which lies at the bottom of all the trouble, is the decline in marriage. Marriage has gone out of favor with the emanci­ pation of woman and the greater dif­ ficulty in making a living, and this decrease largely explains the falling off in the birth rate, but not wholly, for the average number of births to each marriage are fewer than a score of years ago The only redeeming- feature in this picture is the decllniug d^ath rate, due to better sanitation and a better knowledge of how to care for our­ selves; indeed, but for this improve­ ment the population of the world would be at a standstill to-day, a9 the birth rate is just what the death rate was a quarter of a century ago. We are still improving our sanitary condition, and saving many lives that were hitherto sacrificed, but we must recognize the fact that sooner or later we will reach the highest point Which we can hope to achieve. On the other hand, there is no limit in the matter ot a decreasing birth rate,and It may continue indefi­ nitely until it reaches the zero pOint In France the population is actually at a standstill, and would probably be declining but for the immigration from Italy. Belgium, and Germany, and the wholo civilized world seem to be drifting in that direction. There is no danger ot very much crowding on this planet, as philosophers feared. Civilization will prevent this, and Malthus, could he visit us to-day, would probaoiy be very much sur­ prised to see bow naturally his sug­ gestions have been carried out t^ndewly roima until bis head, tnd htttil the hat Taim **Hi*t;;©n the leyel ground behind him. Mark: the spot when hat fcrim cuts the ground, then pace off tXife dtstance and it will be found about tbe breadth of the Klvip' T*St Louis Globe-Democrat V' Generous Commander. When Prince Henry, brother Frederick the Great, King of Prussia, tvas leading his army through Saxony he was very careful of the fields of grain. If a soldier stepped out of the direct road, his captain was punished One day in the harvest season the Prince saw the peasants hurrying tc save their crops from a storm that was coming up. Immediately he had every horse taken from the baggage- wagons, and sent them to tbe assist­ ance of the farmers, who were amazed at this sympathy from a great Gen­ eral and an enemy. In many similar ways he won the respect and affection of tbe Saxons. A Saxon nobleman who coufi not pay the war tax killed himself in despair. When Henry heard of it his grief was so great as to surprise his friends. The man had been tbt father of a family, and Henry mourned bitterly over the tragedy, and sai£ over and over again, "Poor fellow, poor fellow, why did he not let toe know of fids troubles? I would have saved hiirat.,T r Some 300 French officers, prisoner® of war,, were once brought before him. He was Indignant when he saw that they had been deprived of their 8wordS( and ordered that they should be returned to' them, saying, "They are men of honor, and should be- treated as such. To Le prisoners of war is an accident of their profession* and no discredit" He had thcr wounded among: these prisoners-cared' for as carefully as if they had be­ longed to his own army, and when ha learned that fifty of the prisoners- were entirely without money, he pro­ vided thenrwith some fiom his owa purse and at considerable inconveai* ence. The King paid a beautiful tribute to his services as-a General- After a long and terrible war, Frederick gave* a banquet to his Generals, among: whom was his brother, Prince Efenry. He discussed the war, and frankly and concisely mentioned all the mis­ takes that he had. made, and all those that the Generals on all sides had- made. He did not spare himself, and' the Prussian. Austrian, Bussian, Swedish, English, Brunswick, and French Generals were all impartially criticised. When we had finished, this dis­ course he said to his guests,)"Now*, gentlemen, we will drink the health of the only General who, through­ out the war, has not made a. sjggla mistake. My brother--to yoU}"* j Free Point* on Law. ̂ Lawyers, like doctors, see much of tbe selfish side ot human nature. Their "friends" do not scrupie to draw upon them tor the legal knowl­ edge which has been gained by years of study, and profit by it without the formality of a tee. There is nothing easier than to drop into the otlice after business hours for a social ohat, hand out a cigar, and In the re­ laxation that follows turn the talk to some apparently hypothetical ques­ tion of law; then, when the flood­ gates of legal lore are open, to absorb the information and thus save good dollars at the expense of a cigar or two. Unfortunately, it is impossible for a well bred man to escape this imposition. Nor are men the only offenders. I have been amused, to notice how some women contrive to get some free points on law. In the public law libraries, for instance* that are occupied every day by law­ yers, such a scene as this is by no means uncommon. The big door will swing around In a slow, uncertain* way. and a woman makes her appear­ ance. She approaches the bright young man at the desk, and timidly asks him if he knows where she can find out about the law on some stated point He generally finds a book foi her, points out a passage bearing on the question, and le^s her read it at her leisure. It, however. It is beyond his knowledge of law, he inquires about it from some of the good- natured lawyers in the room.. Two or three of them will listen to the woman's explanation, and the opinion she receives Is the combined wisdom, and judgment of all of them.. And so gallant are American men as a rule, that no one begrudges- the knowledge he has given her. " bnA-- The ArUona Deserts* The process of reclaiming the Ari­ zona desert j goes on apace. During recent years many irrigation projects have been put on a working basis and j districts va ying from a few thousands to hundreds of thousands of acres are ! being rapidly brought into agricu!- | tural and horticultural use The ! greatest project of this character yet undertaken was practically begun a few days ago and plans for one still greater are announced. For the first i contracts bave been placed involving 'A Telefrraph Message by Telephone. "I once received a telegraph m» sage through a telephone, and a quest incident it was," said Jacob Ebersole* "At that time 1 was Assistant in­ spector at one of the police stations in Buffalo. It was a stormy night out, and the office was all but de­ serted. I sat reading a newspaper for a little while, aud then, to amuse myself, called up a neighboring in­ spector by telephone and began a de­ sultory conversation. All at once the voice of my friend became indistinct and confused. I called to him to speak louden but tbe only-result wa* a low, monotonous buzzing, and then I knew that the wire was crossed at some point I was about to hang ap the phone when I heard a few suc­ cessive dicks much like that of a an expenditure of more than 82,000,- ie h instrument Being an 000 for the construction of reservoirs i operKat(J mvself j iistened for further signals. A telegraph operator from and canals to utilize water from the Gila River in reclaiming 300,000 acres of land, which will be first-class fruit and vine land- The dam will be one of the largest in the country and seventy-two miles of canals are to be constructed. The second project contemplates the reclamation of 400,- j 000 acres of now arid land, with; water taken from the Rio Verde, stored in three immense reservoirs, j and distributed by 150 miles of canals, j The land and the canal routes have i * 500,000 ' somewhere was tapping the key for attention. Then Buffelo was called. "I began to get interested. I drew a piece of paper toward me and pre- ; pared to take the message. Buffalo I gave an answering signal, ^nd then 1 the message came. It was from In- j spector Byrnes of New York, and asked for the arrest of a criminal, ! supposed to arrive in Buffalo that night, answering a certain descrip­ tion. 1 referred the dispatch to my been surveyed and the ® j SUperi0r ollicer, who delegated men necessary to undertake^the work^sub- ^ watch the train. Forty-five min- scribed. Much of the land will make i later a good orange York Sun. growing land.--New How to Measure a River. Anybody can measure approxi mately the breadth of a river with out a surveyor's compaS9 or any me­ chanical means whatever. The man who desires to make the experiment should place himself at the edge of the stream, then stand perfectly still, faco the opposite bans and lower the brim of his bat until it. just cuts the] opposite bank. { Forty-five min- messenger boy brought the telegram to tjie office, identically the same as that I had written out The peculiarity of the occurrence im­ pressed itself deeply upon all those who happened at the time to hear mo relate it" WHITE--This salad is very grltt? to-day. Wonder what is the matter with it? Mrs. White--Don't know. Probably it was dressed before it was washed. GRAVE-DIGGERS do a great d6al ct put both hands un-! work that ia beneath them.