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WMSfM r, ..cft-.w rt 1 ' ~ .f * * , :' • '•"Tf*;. ^ .,i, **-• AW . , * V' ^ 1 ̂\ > 1 !> "* Hittiii III *X+L..*sik. £t..-J&.: y - ' r, - t y •ii- • '•r • ,<<S-'V." 44 ;'*-* • » l-i51" ftv J ' ' THE SPENDERS A Tale of tlie Third Generation By HARRY LEON WILSON t f " Copyright, by Lothrop Publishing Cwnpaay. CHAPTER Xv I. HORACE MILBREY UPHOLDS THS DIGNITY OF HIS HOU8HS. In the shade of the piazza at the Hotel Mayson next morning there was a sorting out of the mail that had been forwarded from the hotel in New York. The mail oi Mrs. Bines was a joy to her son. There were three convention- Id begging letters, heart-breaking in their pathos, and composed with no mean literary skill. There was a let­ ter from one of the maids at the High- tower for whose mother Mrs. Bines secured employment in the family of & friend; a position, complained the daughter, "in which shefinds constant bard labor caused by the quantity ex­ pected of her to attend to." There was also a letter from the lady's employer, saying she would not so much mind tier laziness if she did not aggravate It by drink. Mrs. Bines sighed de­ spairingly for the recalcitrant. "And who's this wants more, help until her husband's profession picks VP again?" asked Percival. "Oh, that's a poor little woman I helped. They call her husband 'the Terrible Iceman.'" "But this is just the season for Ice­ men!" "Well," confessed his mother, with manifest reluctance, "he's a prize­ fighter, or something--" Percival gasped. M--and he had a chance to make some money, only the man he fought against had some of his friends drug this poor fellow before their--their meeting--and so of course he lost If lie hadn't been drugged he would hare won the money, and now there's a law passed against it, and of course it isn't a very nice trade, but t think the law ought to be changed. He's got to live." "I don't see why; not if he's the man I saw oox one night last winter. He <lldn't have a single excuse for living. And what are these tickets--'Grand Annual Outing and Games of the Egg- Candlers & Butter Drivers' Association at Sulzer's Harlem River Park. Ticket Admitting Lady and Gent, One Dollar.' Heavens! What is it?" "I promised to take ten tickets," said Mrs. Bines. "I must send them a check." "But what are they?" her son insist­ ed; "egg-candlers may be all right, but what are butter drivers? Are you <iuite sure It's respectable? Why, I ask you, should an honest man wish to drive butter? That shows you what life in a great city does for the mor- . ally weak. Look out you don't get mixed up in it yourself, that's all I ask. They'll have you driving butter first thing you know. Thank heaven! . thus far no Biues has ever candled an «gg--and as for driving butter--" he stopped, with a shudder of extreme repugnance. "And here's a notice about the ex­ cursions of the St. John's Guild. I've been on four already, and I want you to get me back to New York right away for the others. If you could only see all those babies we take out on the floating hospital, with two men in little boats behind to pick up those that fall overboard--and really it's a wonder any of them live through the summer *n that cruel city. Down in Hester street the other day four of them had a slice of watermelon from Mr. Sll- Tinsky'8 stand on the corner, and when I saw them they were actually eating the hard, green rind. It was enough to kill a horse." "Well, have your own fun," said her •on, cheerfully. "Here's a letter from Uncle Peter I must read." He drew his chair aside and began the. letter: Montana City, July 21, 1900. Dear Pete: Your letter and Martha's rec'd, and glad to hear from you. I leave latter part of this week for the mtns. Late setting out this season acct. rhu- matlz caught last winter that laid me up all spring. It was so mortal dull here with you folks gone that I went out with a locating party to get the M. P. branch located ahead of the Shdrt Line folks. 6o while you were having your fun there I was having mine here, and I had it good and plenty. The worlst weather I ever did see, and I have seen some bad. Snow six to eight feet on a level and the mercury down as low as 62 with an ornery fierce wind. We lost four horses froze to death, and all but two of the men got froze up bad. We reached the head of Madison Valley Feb. 19, north of Red Bank Canyon, but it Wasn't as easy as it sounds. Jan. 8, after getting out of supplies, we abandoned oui? camp at Riverside and pnoved 10 m. down the river carrying what we could on our backs. Met pack train with a few supplies that night, and next day I took part of the force In boat to meet over-due load of supplies. We got froxe in the Ice. Left party to break through and took Billy Brue and went ahead to hunt team. Billy and me lived four days on one lb. bacon. The second day Billy took some sickness so he could not eat hardly any food; the next day he was worse, and the last day he was so t>ad he said the bare sight of food made him gag. I think he was a liar, because he wasn't troubled none after we got to supplies again, but I couldn't do anything iwith him, and so I lived high and come out slick and fat. Finally we found the team coming in. They had got stuck in the river and we had to carry out the load on our backs, waist-deep in running water. 1 see some man in the east has a fad for breaking the ice in the river and going •wlmming. I would not do It for any fad. Slept In snowdrift that night in wet clothes, mercury 40 below. Was 18 days going S3 miles. Broke wagon twice, then broke •led and crippled one horse. Packed the other five and went on till snow was too deep. Left the horses where four out of five died and carried supplies the rest of the way on our backs. Moved camp again on our baeks and got caught In a blls- sard and nearly all of us got our last freese- up that time. Finally a Chinook opened the river and I took a boat up to get the abandoned camp. Got fro*e in harder than ever and had to walk out. Most of the men quit on account of frozen feet, etc., etc. They are a getting to be a sissy lot these days, rather lie around a hot stove all winter. I had to pull chain, cut brush andjahovel •now after th® 1st Feb. Our last stage was from Fire Hole Basin to Madison Valley, 45 m. It was hell. Didn't see the •un but once after Feb. 1, and it stormed Incessant, making short sights necessary, and with each one we would have to dig a hole to the ground and often a ditch or a tunnel through the snow to look through. The snow was soft to the bottom and as Instrument would sink througb. "Here's a fine letter to read on a hot day." called Percival. "I'm catching cold." He continued. We have a very good line, better than from Beaver Canyon, our maps filed and construction under way; all grading done and some track laid. That's what you call hustling. The main drawback is that Red Bank canyon. It's a regular ava­ lanche for eight miles. The snow slides juat fill the river. One just above our camp filled It for % mile and 40 feet deep and cut down 8 ft. trees like a rasor shaves your face. I had to run to get out of the way. Reached Madison Valley with one tent and it looked more like mosquito bar than canvas. The old cloth wouldn't hard­ ly hold the.patches together. I slept out doors for six weeks. I got frost-bitten con­ siderable and the rheumatiz. I tell you, at 75 I ain't the man I used to be. I find I need a stout tent and a good warm sleep­ ing bag for them kind of doings nowdays. Well, this western country would be pretty dull for you I suppose going to balls and parties every night with the Astors and Vanderbilts. I hope you ain't cut loose none. By the way, that party-* that ground- sluiced us, the woman who was with your pa 'When he died and who turned up later with a fake marriage certificate and will, Coplen he met a party in Spokane the other day that seen her in Paris last spring. She was laying In a stock of duds and the party gethered that she was going back to New York-- The Milbreys, father and son, came up and greeted the group on the piazza. "I've just frozen both ears reading a letter from my grandfather," said Percival. "Excuse me one moment and I'll be done." 'All right, old chap. I'll see If there's some mall for me. Dad can chat with the ladles. Ah, here's Mrs, Drelmer. Mornin'!" Percival resumed his letter, > ' --going back to New York and ttttfce the society bluff. They say she's got the face to do it all right. Coplen learned she come out here with a gambler from New Or­ leans and she was dealing bank herself up to Wallace for a spell while he was broke. This gambler he was the slickest short-card player ever struck hereabouts. He was too good. He was so good they shot him all up one night last fall over to Wardner. She hadn't lived with him for some time then, though Coplen says they was lawful man and wife, so Iijuess maybe she was glad when he gqt it/ good In the chest-place-- Fred Milbrey came out of the hotel office. "No mail," he said. "Come, let's bs getting along. Finish your letter on the way, Bines." "I've just finished," said Percival, glancing down the last sheet. --Coplen says she Is now calling herself Mrs. Brench Wybert or some such name. I Just thought I'd tell you in case you might run acrost her and-- "Come along, old chap," urged Mil­ brey; "Mrs. Wybert will be waiting." His father had started off with Psyche. Mrs, Bines and Mrs. Drelmer were preparing to follow. "I beg your pardon," said Percival, "I didn't quite catch the name." "I say Mrs. Wybert and mother will be waiting--come along!" < "What name?" ' "Wybert--Mrs. Brench Wybert--my friend--what's the matter?" "We can't go--that is--we can't meet her. Sis, come back a moment, he called to Psyche, and then: "I want a word with you and your father, Mr. Milbrey." The two joined tlie elder Milbrey and the three strolled out to the floVrer- bordered walk, while Psyche Bines went, wondering, back to her mother "What's all the row?" inquired Fred Milbrey. "You've been imposed upon. This woman--this Mrs. Brench Wybert there can be no mistake; you are sure that's the name?" "Of course I'm sure; she's the widow of a southern gentleman, Col. Brench Wybert, from New Orleans." "Yes, the same woman. There is no doubt that you have been imposed upon. The thing to do is to drop her quick--she isn't right." "In what way has my family been imposed upon, Mr. Bines?" asked the elder Milbrey, somewhat perturbed. "Mrs. Wybert is a lady of family and large means--" "Yes, I know, she has, or did have awhile ago, 92.000,000 in oold cash." "Well, Mr. Bines--" "Can't you take my word for it, that she's not right--not the woman for your wife"and daughter to meet?" "Look here, Bines," the younger Mil­ brey spluttered, "this won't do, you know. If you've anything to say against Mrs. Wybert, you'll have to say it out and you'll have to be re sponsible to me, sir." "Take my word that you've been im­ posed upon; she's not--not the kind of person you would care to know, to be thrown--" "I and my family have found her quite acceptable, Mr. Bines," inter­ posed the father, stiffly. "Her deport­ ment is scrupulously correct, and I am in her confidence regarding certain very extensive investments--she can­ not be* an impostor, sir!" "But I tell you she isn't right," In­ sisted Percival, warmly. "Oh, I see," said the younger Mil­ brey--his face clearing all at once. "It's all right, dad, come on!" ' If you insist," said Percival, "but none of us can meet her." "It's all right, dad--I understand--" "Nor can we know anyone who re­ ceives her." "Really, sir," began the elder Mil­ brey, "your effrontery In assuming to dictate the visiting list of my family is overwhelming." "If you won't take my word I shall have to dictate so far as I have any personal control over it." "Don't mind him, dad--I. know all about It, I tell yon--I'll explain later to you." "Why," exclaimed Percival, stung to the revelation, "that woman, this wom­ an now waiting with your wife and daughter, was my--" "Stop, Mr. Bines--not another word, if you please!" The father raised his hand in graceful dismissal. "Let this terminate the acquaintance between our families! No more, sir!" and he turned away, followed by his son. As they walked out through the grounds and turned up the street the young man spoke excitedly, while his father slightly bent his head to listen, wtui an air of distant dignity. "What's the trouble, Perce?" asked his sister, as he joined the group on the piazza. "The trouble Is that we've just had to cut that fine old New York family off our list." "What, not the Milbreys!" exclaimed Mrs. Drelmer. . "The same. Nov mind, sis, and you, ma--you're not to know them agaia--and mind this--If anyone el|s wants to present you to a Mrs. Wyberv --a Mrs. Brench Wybert--don't yoo let them. Understand?" "I thought as much," said Mrs. Drelmer; "she acted just the least bit too right." "Well, I haven't my hammer with me--but remember, now, sis, it's for something else than because her fa­ ther's cravats were the ready-to wear kind, or because her worthy old grand­ father inhaled his soup. Don't forget thaL" 'As there isn't anything else to do,* he suggested, a few moments later, "why not get under way and take a run up the coast?" "But I must get back to my babies," said Mrs. Bines, plaintively. "Here I've been away four days." 'All right, ma, I suppose we shall have to take you there, only let's get out of here right away. We can bring sis and you back, Mrs. Drelmer, when those people we don't know get off again. There's Mauburn; I'll tell him." "I'll have my dunnage down direct­ ly," said Mauburn. Up the street driving a pony cart came Avice Milbrey. Obeying a quick impulse, Percival stepped to the curb as she came opposite to him. She pulled over. She was radiant in the fluffs of summer white, her hat an 4 gown touched with bits of the same vivid blue that shone in her eyes. The impulse that had prompted him to hail her now prompted wild words. Hia long habit of thought concerning her enabled him to master this foolishness. But at least he could give her a friend­ ly word of warning. She greeted him with the pretty reserve in her manner that had long marked her bearing toward him. "Good morning! I've borrowed this cart of Elsie Vainer to drive down to the yacht station for lost mail. Isn't the day perfect--and isn't this the dearest, fat, sleepy pony, with his hair in his eyes?" "Miss Milbrey, there's a woman who seems to be a friend of your family--a Mrs.--" "Mrs. Wybert; yes,,you know her?" "No, I'd never seen her until last night, nor heard that name until this morning; but I know of her." "Yes?" "It became necessary just now--real­ ly, It is not fair of me to speak to you at all--" "Why, pray?--not fair?" "I had to tell your father and brother that we could not meet Mrs. Wybert, -and couldn't-know--anyone who re- ceived her." * "There! I knew the woman wasn't right directly I heard her speak. Sure­ ly a word to my father was enough." "But it wasn't, I'm sorry to say. Neither he nor your brother would take my word, and when I started to give my reasons--something it would have been very painful for me to do-- your father refused to listen, and de­ clared the acquaintance between our families at an end.", , "Oh!" "It hurt me in s way I can't tell you, and now, even this talk with you is off-side play. Miss Milbrey!" "Mr. Bines!" "I wouldn't have said what I did to your father and brother without good reason." "I am sure of that. Mr. Bines." "Without reasons I was sure of, you know, so there could be no chance of any mistake." "Your word is enough for me, Mr. Bines." "Miss Milbrey--yon and I--there's always been something between us-- something different from what is be­ tween most people. We've never talked straight out since I came to New York--I'll be sorry, perhaps, tor saying as much as I am saying, after awhile--but we may not talk again at all--I'm afraid yos may misunder­ stand me--but I must say it--I should like to go away knowing you would have no friendship--no intimacy what­ ever with that woman." "I promise you I shall not, Mr. Bines; they can row If they like." "And yet it doesn't seem fair to have you promise as if it were a considera­ tion for me, because I've no right to ask it. But if I 'felt sure that you took my word quite as if I were a stranger, and relied upon it enough to have no communication or intercourse of any sort whatsoever with her, it would be a great satisfaction to me<" "I shall not meet her again. And-- thank you!" There was a slight un­ steadiness once in her voioe, and he could almost have sworn her eyes showed tuat old brave wistfujness. "--and quite as if you were a stran­ ger." "Thank you; and, Miss Milbrey?" "Yes?" "Your brother may become entaa- gled in some way with this woman." "It's .entirely possible." Her voice was cool and even again. "He might even marry her." "She has money, I believe; he mi^ht Indeed." "Always money!" he thought; then aloud: "If you fin£ he means to, Miss Mil­ brey, do anything you can to prevent it It wouldn't do at all, you know." "Thank you, Mr. Bines; I shall re­ member." "I--I "think that's all--and I'm sorry we're not--our families are not to be friends any more." She smiled rather painfully, with an obvious effort to be conventional. "So sorry! Good-by!" He looked after her as she drove off. She sat erect, her head straight to the front, her trim shoulders erect, and the whip grasped firmly. He stood motionless until the fat pony had jolt­ ed sleepily around the corner. "Bines, old boy!" he said to himself, "you nearly made one of yourself there. 1 didn't know you had such ready capabilities for being an ass." A MONSTER GLASS. HARVARD TO HAVE LARGEST ^Pf.ESCOPE IN WORLD, r Instrument with Reflecting Lens Plvs Full Feet in Diameter Being In­ stalled in Observatory at Cambridge. : Last Advice from Wife. ' Wflllam Brookfield, the churchman, used to tell this story: "The new bishop of .New Zealand, in a farewell and pathetic interview "with his mother after his appointment, was thus addressed by her in such se­ quence as sobs and tears would per­ mit: 'I suppose they will eat you, mj dear--I try to think otherwise, but 1 suppose they will. Well! Wo wlU leave it in the hands of Providence. But if they do--mind,, nj disagree with then."* The biggest telescope ID AI world will soon be searching the heavens for the instruction and benefit of the stu­ dents of Harvard university. A few years ago when the Yerkes telescope was installed by the University of Chi­ cago its 40-inch lens was heralded as the biggest thing in telescopes in ac­ tive use in the world. But now the Common telescope has stepped into first place. The largest telescope ever construct­ ed was a six-foot instrument made by The Common Telescope--Man Stand­ ing on Framework of Tube to Show Comparative Size of Latter, Which Measures Six Feet. Lord Rosse in 1842, and set up in the park of his castle in Ireland. But for various reasons this telescope was not long successful, and feas abandoned many years ago. It Is an interesting relic, still to be seen with its mirror of metal and its clumsy mounting in the park at Parsontown, Ireland. The Common telescope, on the other hand, has a beautiful mirrot ot optical glass, and is mounted in a wonder­ fully ingenious and practical way. It was constructed about ten years ago by Dr. A. A. Common, a well-known astronomer of England, who wanted it for research work that he was doing. But he died soon afterwards, and his fine telescope became idle. Two years ago it was purchased by the Harvard College observatory, which proceeded ;• -:V at once to mount it on the observatory grounds at Cambridge. Most large telescopes are supported by a pedestal or foundation pier of cast-iron, cement, or masonry firmly built upon the ground, but this tele­ scope Is held in position by a big hol­ low cylinder that floats In a tank of water. In the first place a deep excavation was made on the spot where the tele­ scope was to stand, and-a tank was constructed with thick walls of solid concrete 15 feet deep at the farther end and 21 feet Jong., the bottom of which slopes upward from the deep end at an ahgle of about 45 degrees to the surface of the ground. In this tank the water-tight steel float or cylinder, which is 18 feet1 long and seven feet, eight inches in diam­ eter, is ballasted at the some angle as the bottom of the tank, the buoyancy of the water supporting its weight, and delicate pivots at each end serv­ ing to steady it in position. Above thJS. and securely fastened to it by" a strong iron fork and * bolts, is the great tube of the telescope. The Common telescope is a reflec­ tor, and its great mirror, five feet in diameter, is placed at the lower end of the tube, so that the light from any star that is to be exam­ ined reaches it by passing down the length of the tube. Then other small­ er mirrors placed along the tube above reflect this light back again up the tube to the "eye-piece" or smaller tube which passes through the wall of the observing room to the observer. The end of this eye-piece through which the observer looks is closed by a powerful magnifying lens, so that the image of the star, which appears as a very small point on the mirror, is a little enlarged. This great telescope is to be used chiefly for what is called photometric work, that Is, measuring the light of the stars. Prof. Edward C. Pickering, who is the director of Harvard College observatory, has spent a good many years in this work, and he Intends to devote the rest of his life to it. There is one other interesting fact to tell about the Common telescope, and that is, that it has been mounted in the open air, without any dome or "shelter" over it to protect it from storms. This is an experiment, to be sure, but it is expected that it will be a very successful one. The telescope is not yet quite ready to be "put into commission," as observatory people say, but before next autumn comes It will probably be in use. 1HVE A CHEMICAL TRICK. AT MINSTER-ON-SEA BEAUTIFUL SPOT WHICH LONDON IS JUST DISCOVERING. 8o Near t#the Great City and So Easy of Access That It Has Been Overlooked by Those Geek- ing Rest and Health. With the growth of the summer im­ pulse to get away for an outing, nota­ bly in this country as well as in Eng­ land, there has come as a logical re­ sult the discovery of many new places of natural beauty and charm where one can rusticate for a season and re­ cuperate the tired body and mind. Each year finds some new Bpot claim­ ing attention and offering its hospi­ tality to thosa who have the price. London is just beginning to discover the charm of her nearest health re­ sort, Minster-on-Sea. Old London town is considered the most conserva­ tive spot in the British 3les. Proofs of this can be seen daily and are abundant. Long before the electric tram and the motor omnibus invaded London they were common objects in the streets of Dublin and Glasgow and another instance of London's habit of clinging to a fixed idea is to be found in its slowaess to adept new holiday or health resorts. The idea gets fixed in the public mind that the old seaside haunts, however overcrowded they may be, are the only spots on the shore where health and happiness can be found; and though some of these may be distant, and, in some cases, not readily acccssible, the habit of re­ pairing to them clings, notwithstand­ ing the trksjmeness of the journey and the possibility of not finding a suitable resting place when reached. But happily Londoners are gradually being educated into the belief that there are many beautiful places with­ in easy reach of the great metropolis which have hitherto not received the attention they deserve. One c\. these is Minster-on-Sea, which seems to have been designed by natu.e as a hol­ iday haunt for dwellers in or near the capital. The island Is rapidly becoming pop­ ular as a seaside resort, but is as yet unknown to the tripper or ordinary excursionist who lounges about and leaves l.^ces of his meandsrings in broken bottles and sandwiches that fester in the sun. Those who visit Minster-on-Sea do so on account of its health-tivlng capabilities, and on account of Its being an ideal spot for an Idle holiday, or In some cases in an antiquarian spirit to inspect the re­ mains of former times viable in such buildings as the famous Minster Abbey, which contains tombs of the time of the . Plantagenets and even of an earlier date. There are brasses in the At^bey church which .date back to 1200. The Minster Abbey is in a good state of preservation, and from all points will repay the close and loving inspec­ tion of the student of architecture or of sepu.ture. But for those who take a delight in inland scenery the island is not without its attractions, although the noble forests" have been cut down to make firewood, and the island nas been denuded of its finest timber with­ out any attempt being made to re- afforest it. The coast-line, which ex­ tends three-quarters round Oie island, is formed of sandy cliffs, in many cases far above the level-of the sea, and forming a beautiful little bay, which is an ideal spot for bathers and boaters, and the sandy dunes on the cliffs covered with melancholy sear grasses through which the winds whis­ tle and sing, make,. with ^ their kmc Hard Praying. This story is told by Rev. R. W. Alexander of North Carolina: "An old colored man stole a pig, and after getting home with the animal, knelt to pray before retiring. His wife heard him praying to the Lord to forgive him for stealing the pig. She went to sleep with Uncle Eph still praying. Later in the night she woke up and saw her husband still kneel­ ing in prayer. At daybreak his sup­ plications had not ceased. 'Eph, why don't; you come to bed?' asked his wife. 'Let me 'lone 'Riah; de mo' I tries to 'splain to de Lord how I come to Bteal dat pig, de wusser I gits mixed.'" - •. Flagon in Corner Stone. In pulling down an old room at Bocking, England, workmen came upon a wine flagon Imbedded in the brickwbrk. A page of foolscap dated August 15, 1783, found inside the flagon, gave details of the building of the chimney by Josiah Reeve, the owner, with the names of "ye master carpenter" and "ye master bricklay­ er." It concluded: "Josiah Reeve, father of six children, leaves this memorandum in this place. His wife, was Elizabeth Houston of Great St. Helens, London, to whom he was mar­ ried March 18, 1773. Reader, go thou and do likewise." How a Surprising Phenomenon Can Be Produced to Amuse Friends. When we happen to witness a phe­ nomenon which seems to violate nat­ ural laws, we are not likely to forget its cause If it be explained to us. The following experiment will help those interested to understand as Well as to remember some chemical data. A white cat, made of flexible paste­ board and imprisoned in a glass jar, is shown to the audience. The lec­ turer announces that, without opening the jar or even touching it, he will cause the cat to undergo a zoological as well as a chemical transformation. He takes the support of the jar, and pushes it forward in full view of the students. The change occurs almost instantaneously. The cat takes a rich orange color on which black transversal stripes rapidly paint them­ selves. The cat has become a tiger, RUNNING WATER IN DARK ROOM. Contrivance by Which Amateur Pho­ tographer Can Do Developing. In nearly all the Instructions for developing, etc., received by the ama­ teur photographer, he is directed to wash his plates and films In running; water, and in most cases he falls to follow these Instructions for the simple reason that the plates and films must be washed In. the dark room, and the dark room of the aver­ age amateur is unlikely to coutain such a convenience as a water tap,; being, as it generally is, the one room in the house which no one else can find use for. Bnt there is no rea- • - • ."vitiaftsiH.iS The Old Abbey at Minster-on-Sea. uneven stretches, a golfing ground which has no rival In the British Isles. There are also long lanes bounded by hedgerows, the prodigal homes of un­ marketable beauty; lanes which rival the far-famed Chantry Lane of Bexhill- on-Sea. And this is Minster-on-Sea, a now place on the summer map of Londoner Ants Hard °to Kill. Ants are really very long lived, con­ sidering their minuteness. Janet had two queens under observation for ten years, and one of Sir John Lubbock's ant pets lived into her fifteenth year. Ants are very tenacious of life after severe injury. Following loss of the entire abdomen they sometimes live two weeks, and in one case a headless ant, carefully decapitated by aseptic surgery, lived for forty-one days. A carpenter ant after being submerged eight days in distilled water came to life upon being dried, so that they are practically proof against drowning. They can live for long periods with­ out food: In one case the fast lasted nearly nine months before the ant starved to death.--Scientific Amer­ ican. -OTL The Transformation. The whole transformation is pro­ duced by emanations of hydrogen sul­ phide, which is generated in the jar itself without any visible apparatus. The cat has been previously coated with a solution of chloride of anti­ mony wherever the orange hue was to be produced, and with a solution of basic acetate of lead wherever the black stripes were to appear. Both solutions are colorless. After the coated cat has been introduced In his glass cage, a small piece of paste­ board is placed under the wooden support so as slightly to incline the jar forward. A few decigrammes of pulverised sulphide of iron folded ia a piece of blotting paper are depos­ ited behind the cat, on the elevated side of the bottom of the jar. Two or three cubic centimeters of diluted sulphuric acid are dropped with a pipette on the opposite side. When the performer wishes the transforma­ tion to take place, he takes the wood­ en support and pushes it forward as It he wanted to enable everybody to see better what is going to happen. By so doing 1 °i suppresses tho slight Inclination which kept the iron sulph­ ide beyond the reach of the sulphuric acid. The gas' is evolved, and the formation of the orange sulphide of antimony and black sulphide of lead takes place In a few seconds. AN UNBREAKABLE S-WRENCH. Hew' an Old Buggy Spring Can Be Turned to Good Account. An Illinois correspondent of Popu­ lar Mechanics sends that publication a simple means of making what he tetrms is an "unbreakable" S-wrench. Here is the way he describes it: Forge down a piece of old buggy spring as at A, then work it on the edge of an anvil to a diamond shape by stoving as at B. Punch a hole in each diamond-shaped part a little in front of the center and cut out to edge. Drive in a punch to spread mhsriMi ^== o ; Who Treated? "Gee, ain't that woman ugly!" "Not so ugly as the one standing by her." "Oh, I don't know--who is she?" "My wife." The other one's mine."--Cleveland idMrV. • - PP-: Useful S-Shaped Wrench. the jaws, and bend one each way sideways, and work to shape on the edge of the anvil. Bend back straight and finish on the hardy, leaving jaws with a diamond corner as at C. This wrench will not break, as those made in the usual way, D, .often do. I find that old springs make the "best wrenches. • The Cement Industry. The tremendous development 4f:the cement industry in the United States Is revealed by the fact that in ten years, beginning in 1894, the produc­ tion of Portland cement increased from 798,757 barrels annually to 26,- 605,881 barrels. It is estimated that the output of "Portland cement during 1906 will aggregate 30,000,000 barrels. Notwithstanding the rapid develop­ ment of the concrete industry in the United States there is plenty of ce­ ment for home needs and enough in addition to supply a growing foreign demand. Consul Harris reports from Mannheim that Germany's sales of cement to the United States, which for upwards of a decade amounted to more than a million dollars annually, the amount in 1900 having aggregated $2,000,000, have dwindled to kali a million dollars. to 3 *wh Bent Tube of Glata, son Whatever , why every amateur should not have, in his dark room, the means of obtaining a stream of C running water. The only things re­ quired for this purpose are a large tin can, such as a honey or sirup can, which holds about two or three gal­ lons, artd a small water tap. If one does not happen to be handy with the soldering iron, it will cost very little* to have a tinsmith cut a hole in the tap near the bottom of the can and solder in the tap. When this has been done, place the tin on a shelf or box a little above the developing table, so that a dish may be placed under it " at any time, and the water allowed to run on the plates or films. There is another method for ob­ taining running'water, says the Mon­ treal Herald, which is as simple as the last, if the requisites for making the apparatus are obtainable. A11 that is; needed in this case is a piece of glass tubing, about three feet long and having a bore of about three-six­ teenths of an Inch, and a large bot­ tle, such as a Winchester quart bot­ tle. Bend the glass tube about a foot. from one end by hgating in the flams > . Apparatus Complete. of an ordinary glass burner, at first when the tube Is cold, and then more strongly, until it becomes; soft; then withdraw it from the flame, and with a slow movement of the| hands, bend it into the shape shown ̂ in the drawing. Make sure that the| tube is perfectly dry when putting it; into the flame, and then it is kept; so until it has thoroughly cooled. When the running water is required, fill the bottle with water and raise it six or nine Inches above the table, by means of a small box. Then ; place a basin on the table beside the box, and Inserting the short end of the siphon into the neck of the bot­ tle, start the water running by suck­ ing the other end, and the water will run until its level sinks below ttiA end of the glass tube. 'If' NOVEL MILKING STOOL. Will Hold the Pail WhHe Milking antf^ Will Then Fold Up. A very convenient device for the farm has recently been invented by a resident of Iowa.v It consists, says Scientific American, of a milking stool which can be folded when not in use, and a pail holder attached to the . stool, which can be adjusted to 3 Milking Stool and Pail Holder. suit the convenience of the user. The frame for the pail consists of a spring clasp, which permits the pail to be inclined toward the cow, if desired, or moved to an upright position to pre­ vent spilling the milk. The pail is held in the position at which it is set by the friction contact of clasp. - r i ' S New Protection for Chauffeurs. A new speedometer for motorists is pow on the market, says Technical World Magazine, which not only gives the rate of speed per hour and the number of minutes to the mile, but can be set at any given speed, so that .when that speed is exceeded a buzzer announces the fact to the driver. With this device in use, a chauffeur can set the speedometer at the limit of speed allowed in the country where he is traveling, and, as soon as th? limit is exceeded, he will be warned of the An Odoriferous Bedfellow. Campers at Mt. Minnetonka. Anoka, Minn., relate a strange experi­ ence that happened to seven young; Anoka girls who were occupying a tent on the Baptist assembly grounds. One of them, Miss Mamie Leppe, was awakened in the dead of night by some animal curled up and apparently asleep on her cot. She was half-awake when her hand touched the shaggy fur of something which she at first supposed was a huge cat. She was frightened, and, still only half-awake, began to cry hysterically, awakening Miss Rose M. Feters. Both girls en­ deavored to push the intruder from the cot, but it seemed loth to go. Be­ coming thoroughly awake, they "shooed" the animal out of the tent, never learning to what class it be­ longed. until too late. The creature was a skunk. " ? S Forced to It ; ** Old Friend--You're not much for show--why do you dress your coach­ man in livery. Must ax--Self-defense. K I don't everybody takes me for the coach- o*a.---Ootrott Ftm Press. ,t t ^